Laura

Laura

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Boston Begins

Wow, I really fell behind again, so I'll jump right in!

We decided to deliver and Boston and continue all care there until Laura is born. We told Dr. Ford, and she agreed with us and instantly made phone calls and referrals. Within that day, not only did Children's Hospital-Boston call, but also Brigham and Women's Hospital. By the end of the day, I was already registered and mine and Laura's records were already being faxed over. Everything started moving so fast. By the following week, we were scheduled to go to Boston for a day of doctor appointments, all taking place on June 30.

June 30th

On the day of June 30th, we left bright and early and arrived at Brigham and Women's Hospital for 9:00. First appointment was the ultrasound, in which went ok. Laura weighted in at 5 lbs 3oz, not too much heavier than she was three weeks prior to this, but I was not too concerned because ultrasounds vary so much in weight. Everything else was the same as to how the previously level II ultrasound looked. One thing noted on this ultrasound was that I had extra amniotic fluid, in which i was told not to worry and they will follow up until I deliver. Next I met with the nurse and then the doctor for a quick visit. There he told me, he would like to see me up in Boston every week until I delivered. He also mentioned that they would like to induce me around 39 weeks. From there we grabbed lunch and then head to the Children's Hospital Boston where I had the fetal echocardiogram done. This ultrasound was torturous, because I was so nauseas from eating too much and not having space due to Laura taking it all up. Finally it was time to go home, and for the hour drive home, I had to fight back the nausea, again. Once home, I ran to the bath room and vomited and still felt crummy, when usually I feel 100% better. I was totally unexpecting what happened next to happen....

Night of June 30th-July 1st

Throughout the night I had nausea and vomiting increasing more and more with the contractions I would get when I knew I was dehydrated, just the tightening of the uterus. I tried to drink plenty of fluids, but that was unsuccessful, and the fluids just came right back up. By mid night, I had my head hung in the toilet dry heaving and only vomiting stomach bile. I called out of work for thursday and thursday only, figuring it was just a passing bug. Well 1 am passed, followed by 2 am and so on, each hour, being too stubborn to go to W&I Hospital for relief. By sunlight, I was in so much discomfort with nausea and dry heaving and being dehydrated, I began to realize I had waited too long, which I would soon pay for.

Women and Infants Hospital

That fast 15/20 minute ride seemed to take forever. Once at W&I, I got triaged right away and the ER nurse was all calm and asking questions and then listened to the heart rate with a doppler. Instantly, his eyes widened as we went around the corner to make a phone call. Minutes later, he rushed me to the big ER room that W&I hospital has and told me he was concerned and the heart rate was down in the 90's. Within 10 minutes, the room was filled with doctors, the OR was ready, and I was near prepped, answering a questionaire about anesthesa. I was told that I was having my baby today. My eyes filled with tears, as I feared for the worse. Only minutes later after squeezing a whole bag of fluid into me, her heart rate came up and the OR was told to stand down. I was reunited with my mom and finally given something for nausea. From there, they moved me up to labor and delivery just in case becaus eI was having a few contractions, none of which I felt. Still feelin extremely nauseas and vomiting, they tried everything, nothing working with relief. By ten pm that night, I was extremely uncomfortable with nausea when my ob/gyn came in and informed me he wanted me to be transfered to Brigham and Women's hospital, just to be on the safe side because I was still having contractions, none being more than a tightening of the uterus. The ambulance showed up, as odd as it was me being the patient being transferred, all of my stuff was gathered and I was on my way to Boston. I never dreaded the trip as much as I did then, feeling so crummy. Once we got to Boston, I started feeling some contractions on the painful side, but tolerable. I was brought up to labor and delivery and monitored there for a while. After being sure I wasn't going into labor, I was moved up to the women's floor, where sick pregnant people and new mom's with health problems interferring with pregnancy went.

July 1st-July 7th

I thought I would only be staying a day or two at the Brigham. I figured it would be enough time to get rid of this non-stop nausea/vomiting issue. The nursing staff was a great group of people that I really got to know as day by day I became closer with them. Each day I would go for test after test to try and figure what was causing the nausea. I was mortified thinking about spending three weeks with that constant nausea and vomiting and thought for sure that no matter how crappy I felt, I had to deal with it, because they weren't letting me go home till it was better, nor were they going to induce me any easier than 39 week.

July 7th

36 weeks and 3 days, I went for an x-ray on my stomach to rule out any stomach problems and then went for my daily non-stress test I had been going for daily at the point. This time, the monitoring was very uncomfortably because I was having contractions about every 5 minutes to 10 minutes, just painful enough to cause me not be comofortable and function normally. So when I got back from the test, I was checked and told I was closed (not dilated at all), but that the head was very low and that I had a bulging bag of water. The thought of delievering didn't even close my mind. I figured, if I was going to deliver anytime soon, I would at least start to dilate a little. Cass and Will came to visit me that afternoon, with some of the contractions strong enough to make me pause in conversating, but nothing to write home about. That night, I had a different nurse, that I had never had before. I tried eating again, but immediately vomited and was having a combination of very strong contractions, nausea/vomiting, and random left flank pain. I called for the nurse and she hooked me up to the monitors and confirmed that I was contracting every 3-4 minutes and called downstairs to labor and delivery for a consult. A young med student came up stairs and confirmed, that I was still closed. I was so annoyed, all of that pain, no dilating and no relief from the nausea and vomiting. The nurse asked if I wanted anything for the pain and I said no. She left me alone for the night. Around 2230, I tried going to sleep, but found out very quickly it was going to be a loooooong night. I text my mom telling her, nearly crying in frustration, how I was having contractions that wouldn't go away, every 3-4 minutes, and my nausea, vomiting was worse than ever. I stood up to try to walk and maybe get rid of some of the pain, when I felt a slight pop and fluid just pour out of me. I was shocked! I stood still in astonishment, totally not expecting it. I called my nurse in and within minutes, I was being rushed down stairs to labor and delivery. The contractions picked up and so did the pain. I was given an epidural, and felt awesome and pain free. From there, I napped a few hours. 0600 I was checked and measured 4 cm. The ob/gyn wanted to wait for day time and then speed up my contractions, that way more specialist and teams of doctors would be ready for the delivery. At 0830, they decided they would check me and then wait to 1000 to start the pictocin to speed up my contractions. However, Laura waisted no time and by 0830 I was fully dilated. By 0930, my room swarmed with people and medical teams all dressed up and ready to go. I started pushing and half an hour later, Laura was born at 10:05 am weighing just 4lbs 8oz and being 19 inches long. Hearing her cry was breathing taking. It was the best feeling in the world to hear her cry and know that she is a fighter. I was able to hold her for a quick few seconds on my chest and then she was hurried away to Children's Hospital Boston. As for me, my nausea and vomiting miraculously disappeared. And for Laura, her journey was just about ready to begin.

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