Your baby's lungs aren't mature

Dec. 12th, 2008

I went to my apt. yesterday as planned. I had been in false labor for days. No big deal, except that during and after every contraction I was in HORRIBLE pain down low, where I guessed my scar tissue from my first c-section was. Did the NST, Ben did his normal fail and took and hour and a half to 'pass.' I get into the room, they do the GBS test and check my cervix. I told my doc. about the sharp stabbing pain. I was worried if I was went into labor that i would abrupt or something because it hurt so bad. She agreed and said I need an u/s ASAP to look at the scar and make sure it isn't too thin. So I scheduled with the front desk person for an u/s on Weds. and went about my way home.

I got half way home when my fav. nurse Beverly calls. I answer the phone and it went something like this:
Nurse: "Kimberly........ this is Bev"
Me: "Hi Beverly!! " (she's my fav., I really like her)
Nurse: "what are you doing?"
Me: "going home!"
Nurse: "No, you need to get your little butt over to L&D right away for an u/s!"

So I head over there, get set up and hooked up to monitors..... I'm contracting about every 5-10 min. and the pain in the scar tissue area is still there. They wheel me down to u/s and take a peak. I tell her where it hurts and it IS exactly on my scar line. But she couldn't see how thick the scar was or anything because Ben's head was pushed right up against it. He did measure 6lbs, 11oz. though! And was practicing his breathing.

So I head back to Triage and I'm still contracting and the pain is getting worse. My OB says to start an IV to try to slow down the ctx. so that I don't hurt as bad. It took them TWO hours to get an IV in me!! (keep in mind I had water at the OBs office and two large glasses since sitting there, my veins just disappeared!) They had to call down a peds nurse and she couldn't get it! Finally they called down a pedi. DOCTOR and she was able to get an IV in, after about 10 min. of digging in my hand, ouch! I got stuck a total of 6 times and am all bruised up from it..... fun. So, IV went in and fluids started. the ctx. got WORSE! They were stronger and only 2-3 min. apart. The ctx. themselves weren't that bad at all, but the scar tissue pain was getting worse and worse with every contraction. Finally my OB says admit her and they gave me drugs to take the edge off...... no one said it would make me feel drunk though! I felt great! We got settled into our room and were told to get some sleep. They were to do an amnio. in the am and if all went well, c/s in the afternoon. Someone came in to draw blood (yet another needle poke!), but it only took one stick. They gave me something to make me sleep, and off I went at about 11pm.

At 7am I got up for my second blood draw (yup, ANOTHER needle poke) and got ready for my amnio. I hadn't had anything to eat since 11am the day before and they took away all liquids at midnight :cry: They did an u/s there in my room to find a spot for the amnio. My fluid level had DROPPED a lot from the u/s the night before. Which, doesn't make any sense to me since they were packing me full of IV fluid all night but, whatever. In every quadrant Ben had a limb, face, cord, or placenta. finally they found a spot, number the skin and did the stick. OF COURSE, he moved into the way and they had to pull it out. They found a new spot and did another stick!! Ok, seriously, enough with the needles already! They got what they needed and we started the wait.

At 10:30 they found out his lungs weren't good enough, but didn't have any numbers back, since the lab here isn't that good. So they had to hire a Currier (sp)/private jet to fly my amnio. down to CA. They'll have the full results tomorrow, but will give me a call on Monday. With those results they'll be able to tell what day would be best to take him out. As soon as he's ready, they're going to pull him out. It could be Mon., but shouldn't be any later than Friday.

As for the pain........ the scar itself looked great and REALLY thick. It looked like there were a bunch of adhesions on the inside of it, so where the baby is and a small hematoma (sp?). Because his hard head is right on top of the scar and I've been ctx., with every ctx his head is slammed into the scar tissue causing the bleeding. So, that's their explanation of the pain. Since I'm at home and not at the hospital, I can only take Tylenol. But I REALLY wanted to come home and see my DD and get some final stuff ready. I'm on strict bed rest again, so I can only get up to pee, eat, and shower. DH took next week off work, and then his holiday leave starts on Friday, so that's good. I was sooooooo beyond amazed at how good he was. All he wanted to do was help me and make sure I was comfy. Of course, all I wanted was total silence and to be left alone.......

I'm Pregnant!! I'm going to Korea......

James and I got back from Texas in March of 2005. In May of 2005, I flew to Wisconsin to plan our reception that was to be later in the fall. We'd decided while he was gone that we really wanted to be together and stay married. So we told our families (I'd actually told mine right away, he hadn't told his) and my parent's planned a gorgeous reception for us.

I got home the first week in June. The first week in July, we found out we were pregnant!!

I was feeling REALLLY sick. I took an HPT and the line was faint, but there, but kind of not. James said 'what does it say'. I said 'I think it says you're going to be a daddy.'

I called the base and the told me to come in for a blood test, so I did. The nurse called me the next day and said, 'Congratulations. You're VERY pregnant.' I didn't know what that meant, nor did I care. I just cried and cried because I was going to be a mommy!!

We went to the doc. at 7 weeks pg. and got an ultrasound..... where we were told it was twins!! GAH! YAY! and oh no!! James got so pale I thought he was going to pass out. We were told one baby was measuring very small and looked very sick. We couldn't get a heartbeat, but were told it was may just be to early or it may be dieing. Then it was 'will both babies die,' 'what will happen to the sick baby if it does die'?? The doc. had lots of answers, but it was def. a wait and see kind of thing.

We came back at 12 weeks for another u/s. There was only one baby. I was sad for the baby that had passed away, but was overjoyed that I still had one healthy baby.

We found out around 20 weeks it was a girl!!

When I was about 7 months pg. James came home and said "sit down." (I have since learned a conversation is only going to go down hill VERY fast from there) J said he was going to be going to Korea for one year, in April of 2006. I was due in March of 2006.

Our gorgeous daughter was born in February of 2006. I ended up with pregnancy induced hypertension. I had to go in twice weekly for non-stress tests (sit in a room, quiet, hooked up to monitors) and a weekly ultrasound. I went in for my stress test and Kayla failed it. Her hear rate wasn't responsive at all. My blood preasure was through the roof. While the doc. is telling me to go to the hospital I mention that I think my water broke. It had. So across the street I go for an emergency c-section.

Just a few months later, James was on his way to Korea. I moved back to WI to be with my family. My mom was battling breast cancer for the second time and had to have a double mastectomy.

I had to help my sick mother, be a mommy to a baby, and try to be a good wife from thousands of miles away. It's a very large role to play. I wonder what it's like to have a 'normal' life....... but for me, I guess this is normal.

Kayla and I had MANY adventures on our own. It was a lot of fun. Other things, not so fun. I had my tonsils out just before J came home and it almost killed me (bleeding issues). J got to come home for a 'mid tour' in October and it was wonderful. We decided we'd start trying for baby #2 while he was home!! Having to say good bye again was REALLY REALLY hard, I wouldn't wish that one any one. He was gone for 6 months, home for 3 weeks, and then we had to say goodbye for another 6 months. It was horrible.

Our marriage saw it's far share of issues while he was gone, but I guess I'll save that for another post.