Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Pregnancy Meltdown Part Dos: This Time It's Not My Fault

A belated happy new year to all of you! Apologies yet again for another two week delay in any updates. I wish I had an excuse to offer, but no, sadly, it was just a case of I-don't-feel-like-looking-at-my-computer-once-I-come-home-from-work-itis. I'm sure you've all experienced this at one time.

That, and last week I experienced a bout of bad news that I really didn't feel like telling anyone about, and I had nothing else to write about. But now all appears to be back to smooth sailing so I can share my mild moment of panic with you. I am warning you now: this may be TMI. Consider yourself advised to quit reading should you feel squeamish or not want to know.

Last Wednesday, I went to work just like normal, and around 830 or so, I headed to the loo (which is a very common occurance these days what with baby resting atop my bladder and all). When I wiped, I saw red. Lots of red. Like, oh my freaking goodness, I'm having my period red. Of course, being the level-headed woman I am, I freaked the hell out and called Sean. And then my doctor. Who told me to head to labor and delivery. Which I did. God bless the woman I work with who remained calm and drove me to the hospital.

So I get there and put on the awesome hospital gown. Well, I attempt to, but there's no mirror in the rest room, and I can't see how it attaches at the top in the back, so I attempt to cover my largesse as I carry my work clothes to the triage bed which I have been assigned. Must have been quite a sight: mildly frantic woman with her arms full of clothes and shoes and coat and scarf and purse attempting to waddle across the room whilst simultaneously attempting to keep her azz covered. Awesome.

I get to the bed, and I lie down, and I give the nurse my entire medical history. Well, not really, but it seemed like it. And, at this point the work colleague who drove me is looking more than a little uncomfortable because she doesn't know if I'm uncomfortable answering these questions in front of her. (Like I said, she's truly a very kind woman). Anyway, when the nurse started asking me about vaginal discharge, that sent her on her way. Haha. If I hadn't been so scared, I might have laughed at the whole thing.

A perinatologist came to see me and did an ultrasound. It turns out there's a small clot on the edge of my placenta, and that's what has been causing the spotting all throughout my pregnancy, and that's what caused the bleeding that morning. My doctor was updated, and he decided to keep me in the hospital for twenty-four hours for monitoring--you know, to make sure baby was moving like he should, and I wasn't having any contractions, etc. In other words, to make sure I wasn't about to have the baby that day or anything. Incidentally, it's actually sort of a blessing this happened because now my OB knows that he needs to watch the clot to make sure it stays where it is and doesn't get bigger, et cetera, et cetera. I digress.

For the next twenty-four hours I sat in a hospital bed. Mostly bored except when two girlfriends and/or Sean was there visiting me. I truly feel for the women who are put on bed rest for weeks or months during their pregnancy. It is a miserable experience. There's only so much day time television that can be watched, only so much internet to surf, and only so much reading a person can do before they need to GET THE HELL OUT OF BED.

On the positive side, the nurses in the hospital (it's also the hospital I'll deliver at) were nice. Like, maybe the nicest nurses I've ever encountered. So, although labor is still a pretty intimidating thing for me to consider, it's nice to know I'll be helped through it with women like that.

There you have it: my blog-delaying drama. Everything's back to being normal again except I'm not allowed to work out, and I'm not allowed to have sex until baby comes. Actually, the doctor said he might let me use the recumbant bike a little each day, and he's gonna let me know about that tomorrow at my appointment. I miss walking and biking and yoga. Lack of exercise is no bueno for this woman. Endorphins: I needs them.

In other news, baby shower planning is in full swing methinks. Woot, woot. Sean and I even registed this weekend. But that's a post for another day.

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