Nov 23, 2008

0 to 60 in 1 Doctor's Appointment

Tuesday, November 18th started off like any other day but ended with a new plan for our lives for the next month. We carpooled to work and I had my typical 1/2 day with students. I knew that I only had 4 more teaching days left until I was on maternity leave and so we made the most of our day and ended with sharing. I had a one hour inservice (sitting and listening and participating) and then left to pick up Yiftach for our 4 PM regularly scheduled Doctor's visit.

Long story short, my blood pressure was way too high for my doctor's liking and my feet and calves were very swollen. Not surprising at the end of the day, sitting half naked on a small doctor's examining table with my feet dangling and waiting over 30 minutes to be seen...but the blood pressure wouldn't come down as she continued on with her exam and measurements.

My parents had picked up Hadarya for the doctor's visit and we called to ask them to keep her longer as we were headed to the hospital for further testing for preeclampsia. The doctor gave us 30% chance of being admitted and induced that night and that was a little much for us! We're not ready for this baby yet and it's not ready for us!

Blood was drawn and sent to the lab. We waited for a room in an office as there were too many people who came to triage right before us. I was hooked up to fetal monitoring machine, blood pressure machine, and contraction machine. Told to rest, lie still, and hang out. It took awhile but I finally got comfortable after Yifach piled a few more blankets on me to make me warmer and propped up my arm on a few folded sheets to keep it steady.

My blood pressure came down significantly and the baby's heartbeat was fine. The blood work came back clear and I had no extra proteins floating through my liver and kidneys! YEAH... we were sent home. No more work, no cooking (standing on my feet) and no significant anything but laying around on the couch on bedrest.

Life has changed. Dramatically. I sit on the couch all day. My mom comes over. My mother-in-law comes over. My daughter cuddles near me. I do not do a whole lot but flip through the channels and check my email! Our hope is to continue this lifestyle, as hard as it has been on my husband, and figure out how to keep my BP down and let the baby wait until it's really the right time....4 more weeks to go. We'll see what the doc says on Monday AM.

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