Warning-Very long....
So the past week has been a little crazy and unexpected. On Monday I went to the doctor for my 37 week appointment. I also had an ultrasound because they wanted to see the size of the baby, she was 6 lbs 12 oz. The dr also checked my platelet count because it was low with Izzy, checked for the group B, and checked to see if I was dilated, which I wasn't. He was scheduled to be out of town the next week in Park City, but he said he was going to come in on Tuesday to see a few patients and he wanted to see me. He said we would talk next week about my platelet count once they had the results.
On Tuesday, I was busy getting ready for family to arrive. Izzy and I went to Wal-mart and Costco to buy groceries. We had come home to eat lunch and then we were going to head to Smith's to finish our shopping. I had just sat down to eat and the phone rang. I figured it is just a telemarketer calling and I didn't want to get up. Izzy brought me the phone and the answering machine started recording; it was the nurse for Dr. Young. I knew that my platelets must have come back low or they wouldn't be calling. I quickly answered and the nurse confirmed that yes my platelets were low, 73, and they wanted me to go to the hospital to re test and to start a 24 hour urine sample. I called Mike and he came home to watch Izzy and I headed to the hospital. That afternoon the nurse called and said my platelets were 150 and that the results from the dr office weren't as accurate because the blood had sat around waiting to be collected by the lab. I felt much less anxious, but still confused that they could change that much in a day. I took a nap and then Mike brought me the phone, it was the nurse again. She said she had misread my results and looked at my initial results from when I was first pregnant. She said my platelets were low, 78, and Dr. Young was waiting for my 24 hour urine sample to make a game plan. Dr. Young called me about an hour later to answer questions, explain different scenarios, said that I might have developed HELLP along with preclampsia and the urine could rule these things out so they were waiting for that. So now I'm feeling anxious again. I had planned to go to the movies that night with some girlfriends to watch Twilight so off I went. It was nice to have something to take it off my mind for a bit. My parents arrived around midnight. Luckily Kathryn went to pick them up so I was sleeping.
On Wednesday I took my urine sample in to the hospital around 11 am because the container was full so they had to give me another one. I called the nurse and let her know and asked if I really needed to continue collecting my urine for the next five hours, she said yes. Kathryn and Mom left to do wedding dress shopping and Dad, Mike, and Izzy headed out to the hot tub for the inaugural use! I started making myself a sandwich around noon and the phone rang, it was the nurse, she said Dr. Young needed to talk to me. He explained that he had just talked to fetal maternal dr and they decided the best thing to do was have the baby today. He was kinda vague on details, just said to meet him at the hospital and we would talk more. I go into a little panic mode, it's 3 weeks early, my bags aren't packed, my list is not complete, and the rest of my family is flying in that day for the Thanksgiving Holidays. I go outside to tell Mike, pack our bags, eat my sandwich, and off we go. As Mike and I were driving I told him how I was feeling anxious, not really sure I was ready, and not really understanding why I was getting induced so early.
The nurse was checking me in, taking my vitals, and took blood work to see if my platelet count had changed in the past day. Then the anesthesiologist came in to talk to me. He said my platelets were down to 71. He said the lowest an epidural should be given according to textbook is 100. He said he had given one before at 75 and everything turned out fine, but he had to have a bottom line somewhere. He said the risks of hemorrhage, permanent brain damage, and being in a wheelchair were all increased because of the low platelet count. He asked me if my gums bleed when I brush my teeth. I said yes. I could tell from the look on his face that was the wrong answer. He said, "It's my decision and I don't feel comfortable giving you an epidural." He told me that Dr. Young would probably try to convince him, but he wasn't going to do it. In my mind it wasn't quite setting in that I wouldn't get an epidural; I figured Dr. Young would convince him. The nurse checked me and I was a 1+.
About an hour went by and Dr. Young came in. He said after looking at all my lab results I couldn't get an epidural. He said not only were my platelets low, but the ones I had were not good; he said they were attacking each other so giving me more platelets would only make the problem worse. He explained a little bit more about HELLP and essentially told me the baby was poison to my body and the only way to fix it was to get her out. He said my options were to start the induction and have her naturally (they could give me some med to take the edge off) or have a c-section and most likely have a platelet transfusion after. I said well let's try it naturally. After he left Mike said, "let's be honest, knowing you and the situation you're going to want a c-section so let's just do that now." I started yelling at him about being supportive; he told me he said that to see where my head was! Haha I told him good cover up. Around 5, they started the prepidil (helps get your cervix ready), Dr. Young said that might put me into labor and I might not need petosin. They checked me around 7:30 and I was a 3.
We watched Survivor and X-factor, I was trying to take my mind off what was going to happen. I was pretty terrified, I had never considered not having an epidural. When the nurses came in, I asked them how I was suppose to breathe, and what I was suppose to do. They kept telling me it was going to be really tough, but I could do it. I thought of all the people I knew who had done it naturally whether by choice or because they didn't have time to get an epidural. I kept telling myself I could survive one night of pain and that would be better than having a c-section and dealing with a longer recovery. Around 9 the contractions started to get really painful. I tried going to a 'happy place' (which was sitting in a hammock by the pool in Costa Rica). Mike even said I'll take you to Costa Rica in the spring. A nurse came in and pushed down on my knees to help during the contraction. I thought to myself if this is the best technique they have it's going to be a long night! With each contraction Mike would say breathe in, breathe out, and pee. I thought he was trying to be funny with his pee comment, but I was in no mood to ask him why he was saying that. Later he told me the nurse had said try to relax like your peeing so he thought he would say pee with each contraction. Yes that's my weird husband for you!! When they asked what my pain level was I said a 5 and the nurses response was at some point tonight you will say 25. So I'm preparing myself for a battle! They came in to check me at 9:30 and I had decided if I was not a 5 by now I would say I wanted a c-section because the pain was pretty bad and I thought if I wasn't half way there I couldn't do it. She checked me and said I was a 9! I couldn't believe it. She said I'll go get Dr. Young and you can have this baby. I was excited, but also panicky again because I didn't know how I was going to push the baby out. They got everything set up, I pushed through the first contraction and nothing. Dr. Young told me what to do for the next contraction and I thought she has to come out. The contraction started, I pushed and out she came! I couldn't believe it. She was born at 9:55 pm and weighed 6 lbs 15 oz, 20 inches long. I was so excited, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I couldn't believe she came so quickly and easily! It was a miracle!
Then the magnesium started. Dr. Young warned me about it, but it was 100 times worse than he described. I had to be on magnesium for 24 hours after delivery because they were worried about me having seizures. Basically, it completely relaxes your body so you can't move. I couldn't touch my teeth, keep my eyes open, move any part of my body. Mike had to hold my water for me and when they brought Cambry to me to nurse they had to put pillows under me because I couldn't hold her. Also, my brain felt like a fog, I couldn't even think. It also makes you nauseau (I threw up in front of Celeste and Brandon-awesome) and have cotton mouth. Basically you could use that drug as torture! When they finally turned it off Thursday night the first thing I noticed was I could think again (that took about an hour). I slowly started to move my hands and feet again. It wasn't until Friday morning that I could stand and walk. Dr. Young came and talked to me on Friday and said my blood work was showing improvements so I could discharge that afternoon. I came home Friday afternoon to all of my family who were here for Thanksgiving. It was fun to have everyone around and meet Cambry.
On the mag, as the nurses called it.
Dennis always wanted to be holding her!
All cleaned up.
Suzette and Celeste!
Aunt Kat!
So there's the crazy story. For all the things that could have gone wrong, I feel so blessed that everything went as smoothly as it did. I know that I was being watched over! I am so grateful to be healthy and to have a healthy baby!!
