The Complications Never End

Well it looks like I'm going to have much more time to update this thing since I've officially started my FMLA and will be on bedrest (not sure if at home or the hospital) until he comes. I had my reduction again last Tuesday, the 27th, and this time they drained 2.7 liters of fluid. My AFI before was 64 and after was 48. This made me comfortabler for only a couple days and then I was starting to get uncomfortable again. Shortly after this reduction (probably somewhere around the weekend) I started getting quite a bit more swelling in my ankles and feet by the end of the day and I felt like my legs were covered in bruises all over the place. It was hard to move them, or to even touch them. I also started noticing many different prelabor symptoms occuring and wasn't sure what to think of them. I had an appointment coming up and even tried to make it come sooner, but she didn't have any openings. I went to work Sunday and Monday (1st and 2nd) and was miserable the entire day. I had decided at this point that I was going to let my OB "force" me to stay home from work. I only had one more shift on Wednesday to finish out the week and then my appointment was on Thursday.

I was at work on Wednesday and was noticing that my periods of "menstrual-like cramps" were happening a lot more often then ever before and at one point were 10 minutes apart. I decided to call my OB on her cell phone and she told me I needed to pass off my patients and go get checked out over in labor and delivery. So I did just that. After they hooked me up to the monitors and everything, my sweet sweet labor nurse Karla checked me and felt like I was dilated to 8 cm, but she wasn't sure because she couldn't feel a presenting part and wanted someone to double check her. My wonderful Shani then came in and checked me also and couldn't really tell what I was dilated to but was thinking at least 4 cm. Next time I saw anybody they were coming in to start my IV and start any anti-labor meds they could while we waited for my OB to arrive, and for her partner to come check me himself.

They came in with an ultrasound to verify he was head down about the time my OB showed up. She immediately came in and said we were going to try to have him vaginally and if I wanted to hurry and get an epidural on board. I told her if we were going to have this baby then yes. They came in to do my epidural and then my OB checked me and found that I was only 1 cm dilated. So much for having this baby right away, but it was a good practice drill for all involved. :) I spent the night while they stopped the cramping and contractions I was having and then planned to send me to the U in the morning for another reduction.

When I got to the U they did all their normal admit stuff and I had to wait to go down for an ultrasound and talk to the perinatalogist. They measured my AFI and it was up to 68 and after talking to the perinatalogist he said the only reason to do it at this point was for my own comfort. At this point the risk was greater than the benefit so I chose not to. They rechecked my cervix when I got here and were pretty baffled by what they were finding (and couldn't find for that matter). Basically they decided I was dilated to no more than a fingertip and only about 50% effaced. However, when they went to get a urine sample to check for bacteria, I hardly had any urine output. My creatinine (which is a lab test that indicates kidney function) was slowly creeping up and we weren't sure why my kidneys weren't working. After an ultrasound today they found that my large record-breaking uterus was putting pressure on my ureters and not allowing my kidneys to drain into my bladder. We did the reduction and so far they are looking great. Now I just gotta convince all these crazy people to let me get out of here and go to my baby shower. :) This is a really long post, but A LOT has happened over the past week and especially in the last 3 days. We're praying they send me to the antepartum floor and get me off L&D so that hopefully we can get some sleep tonight. Now we'll just wait and see what else this little stinker is going to throw at us!!