34 weeks and holding......at least for now

Sorry for this belated 34 week celebration post but, for reasons that I'll explain, I just didn't have it in me to get on here and write anything yesterday. Marina and August both did really great jobs at explaining the scenario of the past two days. It started off as pretty much a repeat of the first time - awake at 4:30 a.m. to a pool of blood, rush to the hospital, baby looks fine and then here's where the two stories begin to differ. This time my contractions just would not stop so I ended up on IV Magnesium Sulfate for 24 hours (although I'll tell you it felt like 24 days). I'll forever refer to that stuff as "Influenza-in-a-bag" because that's really how it makes you feel - like you have the flu. Just imagine the worst you've ever felt - uncomfortable, restless, nauseated, clammy, weak, lethargic - and you can relate to my experience. (I didn't even want my laptop from home. Those of you who know me well understand how bad I felt!)

I'm happy to say I'm at home now - SO happy to say I'm at home. The contractions have stopped. I feel good (that's a relative term but compared to yesterday I feel good). August says it's great to have me back. (He said that on the phone on his way to pick me up at the hospital so I'm sure it had something to do with me acting and looking like death warmed over yesterday.)

The docs seem confidant that if the baby were to come now, he would probably do fine. Especially since I got steroid injections to speed up the development of his lungs during my first hospitalization. That's reassuring to know. Still, I know he couldn't be in any better place right now so I'm doing my best to comply even more to the doctor's order to stay still. I had a lot of contractions on Friday and Saturday and they think that's why this happened. I'll admit I probably had gotten a bit overly confidant, as my "bathroom trips" were straying farther and farther off the beaten path.

Here are a few respite ruminations I'll share:

• For our next baby (excuse me for a moment while I go pick August up off the floor) I want to deliver here. (You'll need to scroll down to see the beautiful birthing rooms.)
• You may have noticed in the left sidebar, that I added our virtue for April - charity. Initially the intent was that we would work on loving each other and the people around us better. What better virtue for this, the month of our Lord's Resurrection?! (We've done some neat activities in that vain that I'll try to share about soon.) However, already, I'm discovering it's also about learning to receive love as well. We have been on the receiving end BIG TIME recently. Just now, two care packages and a Whole Foods gift card, meant to be used for our Easter celebration, arrived in the mail. We're all overwhelmed. Also, at this moment, my two biggest girls are at their piano lessons, transported to and fro each week by a faithful friend. Another friend is bringing dinner tonight while another has offered to shop for me. I could really go on and on and on. Just know that my heart is overflowing and I will be forever grateful.
  
• This next thought is a note I wish I'd had the energy to write yesterday....although it's probably better that I didn't! Dear Ms. Nursing Instructor, Being a nurse myself, and therefore understanding the value of the hands-on experience a student receives when caring for patients, I can appreciate that you probably thought mine was an interesting and unusual case from which your student could gain great experience. Your student seemed eager and ready to learn. In fact, I'm sure Ed was a very nice guy. He was quite friendly as he sauntered into my room and began explaining to me about the various clinical uses of Magnesium Sulfate in the pregnant woman. But the fact is, I'd had all the "surprises" I could take for one day and would have appreciated your checking with me first before sending Ed into my room as I lay there in only my hospital gown. Sincerely yours, A Very Stressed Out and Highly Medicated Pregnant Woman
• My friends are great cooks. My arsenal of yummy recipes always grows during times such as this.
• Why is it when I decide each spring and fall to tackle the change over/pass down of seasonal clothes with the girls it takes us weeks to finally complete. Yet, when their Daddy does it, it takes 2 hours?!
  
• Just when I think I finally understand what it means to surrender all to God, He sends me yet another lesson. I always assumed if I bled again, the baby would be delivered. This last scenario wasn't one I had ever even considered. I had planned all the various possibilities out in my mind and Magnesium Sulfate was in none of them. Frankly, I much prefer it that way!
• We are now in Holy Week - the last precious days leading up to Easter. I've been pondering what it looks like to celebrate Easter from the couch. Our family has certain special traditions that we like to observe during this holy time of year. But most of those aren't conducive to couch sitting. We've received some ideas and treats from some very thoughtful and faith-filled folks from afar. So although this will be a very different Holy Week and Easter, I'm confidant it has the makings for some very, very special memories. In fact, there's something seemingly very sacred about celebrating new life as a new little life grows within me.