This Day Sucked. A LOT.

“I’m very concerned about your pregnancy”

This statement changed my life.

Earlier that morning I had woken up around 6. I had a horrible feeling. I could not stop crying. I was scared. Something was going to happen today. I knew it was going to be a hard day and it all had to d with the baby. I felt some kicks the night before but something just felt off today. 

Clint I talked and we agreed today was a big day and it was just nerves and hormones. Today was going to be exciting! Today we would go in for our 20 week ultrasound and find out if we would bring home a boy or a girl. Everyone was going to be there too; my mom, aunt, sister and her husband. It was a family event.

Clint suggested that he and I go in first just to make sure everything was ok and then have the family come in for the big reveal and we would all find out together.

Of course everything was fine with the baby. The tech asked me if I had felt any contractions. I thought that was an odd question to ask at 20 weeks. I told her I thought I had felt some Braxton Hicks here and there. She then said we would have to do a vaginal ultrasound later. That was fine with me. I had a healthy baby….. Something.

 The family came in and the ultrasound tech was great. She looked at the monitor and said “I would like to introduce you to your son.”

I cried. Ok, I sobbed. Clint I hugged each other. Everyone hugged everyone else. It was a touching moment.

I stepped out to compose myself so the poor tech could finish taking all the required pictures. Everyone else left and Clint and I got ready for the internal ultrasound… actually, he just sat there and I took off my pants.

The tech took the photos and said she was going to take them to Dr. So and So to be looked at. I wondered why they weren’t going to my OB but I was so excited to hear we would be having a Jackson I didn’t think much of it. The tech came back and said the doc wanted more pictures. Then she left again.

I was starting to get nervous. She came back again and said the doc wanted to see us in an exam room.

“WHY?” I asked. Knowing this poor girl couldn’t tell me anything. She said he wanted to look at them more. This didn’t make me feel any better.

I looked at my husband. “This is not good. They don’t take in a private room to tell you everything is fine on a routine ultrasound; especially not with some other doctor. I don’t like this.”

Clint did his best to reassure me that everything was fine as we were ushered into some exam room. The doc came in within a minute. He introduced himself and sat across from us.

“I’m very concerned about your pregnancy.” He waited for me to respond.

“Ok” That was all I could get out. I’m sure I looked very calm but it was my worst nightmare coming true. Was he going to tell me my baby was dying? Was I dying? Was it really a Velociraptor?

It all comes down to a short cervix. It was alarmingly short. The shortening of the cervix is one of the first things your body does before you go into labor. This is not good at 20 weeks.  A fetus cannot survive if it is born this early. We all know where I’m going with this…

I am at a high risk for “spontaneous preterm delivery”. This is different than preterm labor.

I was admitted to the hospital for observation right away. The doctors needed to make sure I wasn’t having any contractions and not dilating. There was a possibility I would be receiving a cerclage.

Stolen from Wikipedia:

Cervical cerclage (tracheloplasty), also known as a cervical stitch, is used for the treatment of cervical incompetence (or insufficiency), ^[1] a condition where the cervix has become slightly open and there is a risk of miscarriage because it may not remain closed throughout pregnancy. Usually this treatment would be done, in the second trimester of pregnancy, for a woman who had either suffered from one or more miscarriages in the past, or is carrying multiples.

After 24 hours, they let me go. No contractions. No dilating. NO CERCLAGE. This is good news. Who wants a giant needle in their vag? That’s no fun on any day.

I was sent home and sentenced to 20 weeks of bed rest with daily progesterone treatments.

Stolen from Wikipedia:

Progesterone also known as P4 (pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione) is a C-21 steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy (supports gestation) and embryogenesis of humans and other species. Progesterone belongs to a class of hormones called progestogens, and is the major naturally occurring human progestogen.

I am only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and take a shower. No more work.

The good news:

·         No more laundry.

·         I am making a wicked baby blanket.

·         I get to shop online for everything.

·         I am learning patience.

·         I am catching up on every TV show that ever existed.

·         My library is growing.

·         My family and friends are great.

·         My husband is my hero.

·         I get ultrasound pictures every week.

I think I covered everything. I am happy to answer questions.  Prayers, well wishes, and happy thoughts are always welcome and appreciated.

Until then, I’m chillin’ on the couch, with Big Dog and Small Dog, keeping my knees up and together.