The doctor asked if everyone was ready. There was no reply. She asked again, still no reply. There was no time left. With no answer and everyone still running around it was time to get started. The nurse grabbed one of my legs and my fiance the other. My mom and fiance got their cameras ready to get the first pictures of the new baby, and the doctor told me how to start breathing. Because everything was so early we never had time to take the routine pregnancy classes normal first time families take. Needless to say I really had no clue what was supposed to happen. We were taking everything right as it came.
I started the paced breathing and the doctor told me to push. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Breath out. "Take a breath," but I was ready to keep going. The doctor said we should see the head with the next push. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Breath out. One more time. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Breath out. And there she was. My beautiful baby girl. The doctor held her up for me to get a peek.For a moment everything was silent until we all layed eyes on her. They joy poured out of my body and I instantly started crying.
Before I even had time to say hello she was whisked away to the scurry of nurses in the corner. The nurses began looking and prodding her. One nurse began looking down her throat, but there was a problem. The device she was using had a faulty light bulb. She needed this to check her breathing. But the light bulb was out. She quickly fixed it and performed the routine to make sure she was ok. No one spoke this whole time. The only noise was the nurses during their routines. I had no idea how she was doing. I couldn't tell if she was breathing, and she didn't have the typical crying normal babies do when they are born.
After what seemed an eternity they finally wheeled her over. The nurse tilted her slightly for me to see her, then the mass of people began to file out. The nurse wheeled her away and my fiance followed. My mom left to tell everyone she had been born, and the doctor followed behind her. The nurse stayed to help me clean up and get me situated to rest. After she helped me get comfortable my mom came back into the room to soothe me. We talked for a little while then I started getting extremely sleepy.
As the epidural started to wear off, the horrible side pain began to return. As it did so did the dry heaving because of the intensity. The nurse came back in and the doctor was quickly called. You could see the wheels turning in his head. He truly had no idea what it was. Because he didn't have the answers he found someone who may. He called a General Surgeon. I told him my symptoms and he ordered a few tests be performed. To top it off it was thunder storming outside and I had visitors in and out of my room all day. Visitors are nice, but when you are constantly dry heaving and you haven't had anything to eat for two days, people trying to be in your space is the last thing you want.
Between the visitors I went to the tests the surgeon had ordered. A few of the tests were repeats from the first time, but there were a couple I hadn't had before. One test required me to fill six different shaped and sized vials for blood tests. One required a special fluid be injected through an IV, and another had me inhale a certain gas. Having all of these tests forced me to be unable to do the one thing I had been lookinf for since I knew I was pregnant. I couldn't pump to provide the essential nutrients for my baby. The days leading up to the birth that was all every nurse and doctor had said could be the biggest contribution I could give to my daughter. Now I couldn't.
Thankfully after all of this hell they had found the problem. It took the help of six different doctors and a medical book to find it out, but they had the answer. Over the weekend my adrenal gland was hemoraging. Your adrenal gland is located right above your kidneys. Because of my enlarged uterous all of my organs were pushed up leaving a slightly different looking anatomy. This could be one reason it was difficult for the to diagnose. Another could be the extreme rarity of this problem. The doctors had to look in a medical book to find this diagnosis.
The next step was to find out how to fix it. An endocrynologist was called and she came with all of the answers. She said that it would heal on its own. This was unasuring. To me this curious thing that was causing me the most exrusiating pain I have ever felt in my life was just supposed to go away all by itself. But it did and with the help of pain medicine to help me the few days it took I felt extremely better.
Now, because of the rarity of all of this, I will be in a medical journal. Every doctor that had seen me had no idea what it was. Hopefully with the posting in a medical journal it can help the unique individual it gets next.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
To Hell and Back
Guests had been by all day, and I had told them the promising news the doctor had passed along to me. If all went well over the weekend then I would be able to go home on Monday. Needless to say my hopes were up.
By Friday evening it was as if I had entered a completely different world. It was around dinner time when I began to get the most horrible pain in my right side under my boob. It was like nothing I have ever felt before in my life. It was a mix between a stabbing and ripping feeling. I tried waiting a few minutes to see if maybe it was some kind of weird cramp from laying in bed for so long. When it didn't pass I called for the nurse. She entered and asked the usual questions, " How do your rate your pain?" and so on. There is no number that would have rated my pain at that time. Not really knowing what to do next the nurse called my doctor.
It was apparent, when she returned, that my doctor didn't realize how bad the pain truly was. The nurse came back with constipation medicine and milk of mylanta. I took they trying not to doubt my doctor. They didn't work. When things continued to worsen, more nurses entered my room to put their two cents in. My IV had been taken out earlier that day, and they needed one now. At this point the pain had grown significantly worse. It was so horrible I began to black out. Patches of consciousness leaked through. I remember nearly six different nurses attempting to get an IV in my arm. Later I found out they had to get someone for the lab to finally get one in. While all of this was going on a lady came in to get an EKG. All I remember from her was the fact that she had no idea what she was doing. She continually asked me to stay still when the even thought of moving made the pain peak to an unbareable level. She eventually gave up and left.
After this commotion began to die down the doctor finally came in to assess the situation. He had no idea what could be causing all of this pain. Because it was the middle of the night by now, there weren't really any tests that could be performed. He ordered some pain medication to get me through the night and we would try to find out the problem in the morning.
The next morning at six the hell began. The phlebotomist came in to take blood for labs. It was difficult for her to find a viable vein to use so it took her a little longer than usual. A little later the doctor came in to explain the plans of finding the pain culperit. He listed the many different tests that would be perforemd and then I was taken to the first one of the day. Each of these tests had to be handled with care to be sure there wasn't any harm done to the baby. When all of the tests were done and there still was no answer I began to worry. These people were doctors how could they not have the answer. I couldn't be like one of those people on Mystery Diagnosis, could I?
By that evening blood work was done again. The results were returned quickly and they provided bad news. The doctor came to explain. She said an indicator of infection is a lowering in white blood cells. From the labs my count was considerably low. She further explained what the plan of action was going to be. I was to be transfered to a triage room and my cerclage was to be removed. After this it was unclear exactly what was going to happen next. It was for sure that I would be going into the delivery process, but how fast or slow was still unsure.
Because the baby was still so small I only had to dialate around eight inches apposed to the usual ten. As the time progressed we realized it could be quite a while before it was time. An anestesiologist came in after a little while and administered the epidural. Contrary to the rumors I had heard it really wasn't that painful. The medicine began to kick in and I was able to get a little rest in. Occassionaly the nurse would enter to check my vital signs and check my dialation. Things seemed to be progressing slowly.
I had fallen asleep, my mom had gone to the waiting room to get some rest, and my fiance had just turned out the lights to get some rest as well before the nurse entered for another assessment. When she woke me up something very unusual was happening.
I asked her to check my dialation because it felt as though it was time. She checked and sure enough the baby was ready to go. I yelled at my fiance to wake up and in his disoriented sleepy state he ran to get my mother. The nurse called for the doctor who had spent the night and a multitude of other nurses were called in as well. As the room began to fill I felt as though the baby was going to fall right out. The doctor barely had her gown tied, my mom and fiance had just entered the room, and the nurses had just barely had their things ready to go. It was time.
By Friday evening it was as if I had entered a completely different world. It was around dinner time when I began to get the most horrible pain in my right side under my boob. It was like nothing I have ever felt before in my life. It was a mix between a stabbing and ripping feeling. I tried waiting a few minutes to see if maybe it was some kind of weird cramp from laying in bed for so long. When it didn't pass I called for the nurse. She entered and asked the usual questions, " How do your rate your pain?" and so on. There is no number that would have rated my pain at that time. Not really knowing what to do next the nurse called my doctor.
It was apparent, when she returned, that my doctor didn't realize how bad the pain truly was. The nurse came back with constipation medicine and milk of mylanta. I took they trying not to doubt my doctor. They didn't work. When things continued to worsen, more nurses entered my room to put their two cents in. My IV had been taken out earlier that day, and they needed one now. At this point the pain had grown significantly worse. It was so horrible I began to black out. Patches of consciousness leaked through. I remember nearly six different nurses attempting to get an IV in my arm. Later I found out they had to get someone for the lab to finally get one in. While all of this was going on a lady came in to get an EKG. All I remember from her was the fact that she had no idea what she was doing. She continually asked me to stay still when the even thought of moving made the pain peak to an unbareable level. She eventually gave up and left.
After this commotion began to die down the doctor finally came in to assess the situation. He had no idea what could be causing all of this pain. Because it was the middle of the night by now, there weren't really any tests that could be performed. He ordered some pain medication to get me through the night and we would try to find out the problem in the morning.
The next morning at six the hell began. The phlebotomist came in to take blood for labs. It was difficult for her to find a viable vein to use so it took her a little longer than usual. A little later the doctor came in to explain the plans of finding the pain culperit. He listed the many different tests that would be perforemd and then I was taken to the first one of the day. Each of these tests had to be handled with care to be sure there wasn't any harm done to the baby. When all of the tests were done and there still was no answer I began to worry. These people were doctors how could they not have the answer. I couldn't be like one of those people on Mystery Diagnosis, could I?
By that evening blood work was done again. The results were returned quickly and they provided bad news. The doctor came to explain. She said an indicator of infection is a lowering in white blood cells. From the labs my count was considerably low. She further explained what the plan of action was going to be. I was to be transfered to a triage room and my cerclage was to be removed. After this it was unclear exactly what was going to happen next. It was for sure that I would be going into the delivery process, but how fast or slow was still unsure.
Because the baby was still so small I only had to dialate around eight inches apposed to the usual ten. As the time progressed we realized it could be quite a while before it was time. An anestesiologist came in after a little while and administered the epidural. Contrary to the rumors I had heard it really wasn't that painful. The medicine began to kick in and I was able to get a little rest in. Occassionaly the nurse would enter to check my vital signs and check my dialation. Things seemed to be progressing slowly.
I had fallen asleep, my mom had gone to the waiting room to get some rest, and my fiance had just turned out the lights to get some rest as well before the nurse entered for another assessment. When she woke me up something very unusual was happening.
I asked her to check my dialation because it felt as though it was time. She checked and sure enough the baby was ready to go. I yelled at my fiance to wake up and in his disoriented sleepy state he ran to get my mother. The nurse called for the doctor who had spent the night and a multitude of other nurses were called in as well. As the room began to fill I felt as though the baby was going to fall right out. The doctor barely had her gown tied, my mom and fiance had just entered the room, and the nurses had just barely had their things ready to go. It was time.
Could this be time?
A week had gone by at home and we were beginning to get settled into our new home. Everything was finding a place and preparations for the baby were in the beginning stages.
It was the day of my first doctor's visit with the new doctor. My appointment wasn't until later in the afternoon so I figured a morning spent sleeping in was in order. Unfortunately my bladder had other plans. At around nine in the morning I made my way down the hall to the bathroom. In the way I had a very unusual feeling. It was as if I was wetting myself. Did I really need to go that bad? I made it to the restroom and sat on the toilet and that is when it all hit me. I looked down and all I could see was red. My heart dropped and I had no idea what to do . In a flurry of emotions I screamed for my fiance who was still sound asleep. He ran down the hall, my phone in hand, to find out what he needed to do. I instantly called my mom to see what her input would be. Luckily she had the answer.
She had called the doctor's office and we had an emergency appointment. She came home and picked us up and we were on our way. At the doctor's office the doctor performed an exam to see if my water had actually broke or if this was something far worse. He was unable to come to a conclusion. It was apparent this didn't sit well with him and he quickly ordered for me to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
In a way i was extremely nervous, but in a another I was kind of excited. Nervous because of the unknown and excited for the same reason. The EMT's wheeled the stretcher into the small office. They manuvered it in front of the room my family and I were in. At first I was a little upset. It seemed a little unnecessary; I could walk just fine, but after I layed down on it I enjoyed the free ride. The EMT's pushed me out of the office and into the waiting room where I was greated with the eyes of many other prenant women waiting for their routine check ups. After this embarassment we made our way to the ambulence. Pictures were taken, goodbyes were said, and I was on my way. I felt extremely lonely, but the occasional contraction reminded me that I may have an unexpected visitor very soon.
On the drive my head began to wander. In total the drive was probably about 15 to 20 minutes, but so many things were going through my mind I really don't remember much of it. I do however remember trying to imagine where I was on the familiar drive through town with only the bright blue sky to aide me. I also remember the sirens; something that is completely different from the inside.
Before I knew it we were at the hospital and I had an IV in my arm. They pulled me out and wheeled me in through the emergency entrance. We made our way to Labor and Delivery on the third floor. I was then transfered to a hospital bed in my own room. The nurse came in and began asking a slew of medical questions. Two questions in the parade f family began to file into the arlready small room. The craziness just seemed to continue to build. It was all just extremely overwhelming.
After the guests started to die down, the soctors and nurses bega to file in. It seemed they all had the same questions to ask. After a while I was sent to a special room to get another check done to see if this doctor could determine if my water had broke or not. She too could not tell if it had so the next step was to have an ultra sound. The results were not promising. It seemed that the amniotic fluid had gone down considrably, but there was still enough to sustain the baby. The doctor decided from these results that I would stay on bedrest at the hospital for a few days. They were looking to see if the good would happen; my amniotic fluid would go back up. Or if the bad would happen; I would get an infection that could possibly pass to the baby.
A few days went by and things were looking pretty good. The doctor decided that I would stay over the weekend to make sure everything was still well and to allow my amniotic fluid to go up a little more. That was Friday morning. By Friday evening things had changed dramatically.
It was the day of my first doctor's visit with the new doctor. My appointment wasn't until later in the afternoon so I figured a morning spent sleeping in was in order. Unfortunately my bladder had other plans. At around nine in the morning I made my way down the hall to the bathroom. In the way I had a very unusual feeling. It was as if I was wetting myself. Did I really need to go that bad? I made it to the restroom and sat on the toilet and that is when it all hit me. I looked down and all I could see was red. My heart dropped and I had no idea what to do . In a flurry of emotions I screamed for my fiance who was still sound asleep. He ran down the hall, my phone in hand, to find out what he needed to do. I instantly called my mom to see what her input would be. Luckily she had the answer.
She had called the doctor's office and we had an emergency appointment. She came home and picked us up and we were on our way. At the doctor's office the doctor performed an exam to see if my water had actually broke or if this was something far worse. He was unable to come to a conclusion. It was apparent this didn't sit well with him and he quickly ordered for me to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
In a way i was extremely nervous, but in a another I was kind of excited. Nervous because of the unknown and excited for the same reason. The EMT's wheeled the stretcher into the small office. They manuvered it in front of the room my family and I were in. At first I was a little upset. It seemed a little unnecessary; I could walk just fine, but after I layed down on it I enjoyed the free ride. The EMT's pushed me out of the office and into the waiting room where I was greated with the eyes of many other prenant women waiting for their routine check ups. After this embarassment we made our way to the ambulence. Pictures were taken, goodbyes were said, and I was on my way. I felt extremely lonely, but the occasional contraction reminded me that I may have an unexpected visitor very soon.
On the drive my head began to wander. In total the drive was probably about 15 to 20 minutes, but so many things were going through my mind I really don't remember much of it. I do however remember trying to imagine where I was on the familiar drive through town with only the bright blue sky to aide me. I also remember the sirens; something that is completely different from the inside.
Before I knew it we were at the hospital and I had an IV in my arm. They pulled me out and wheeled me in through the emergency entrance. We made our way to Labor and Delivery on the third floor. I was then transfered to a hospital bed in my own room. The nurse came in and began asking a slew of medical questions. Two questions in the parade f family began to file into the arlready small room. The craziness just seemed to continue to build. It was all just extremely overwhelming.
After the guests started to die down, the soctors and nurses bega to file in. It seemed they all had the same questions to ask. After a while I was sent to a special room to get another check done to see if this doctor could determine if my water had broke or not. She too could not tell if it had so the next step was to have an ultra sound. The results were not promising. It seemed that the amniotic fluid had gone down considrably, but there was still enough to sustain the baby. The doctor decided from these results that I would stay on bedrest at the hospital for a few days. They were looking to see if the good would happen; my amniotic fluid would go back up. Or if the bad would happen; I would get an infection that could possibly pass to the baby.
A few days went by and things were looking pretty good. The doctor decided that I would stay over the weekend to make sure everything was still well and to allow my amniotic fluid to go up a little more. That was Friday morning. By Friday evening things had changed dramatically.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Taking it from the top
My fiance and I had just finished a great winter break and we were geared up for the up coming semester. A few weeks in to the semester things began to slow down very quickly. My days began to feel long and sleepy. There were days when I didn't want to get out of bed. After a week or so of this extreme slow down curiosity began to creep into my fiance's head. He promptly one night proposed the possibility of pregnancy. Unable to get this out of my head we made a midnight trip to the local Wal-mart. Three positive tests later, we were on our way through an extravagant journey.
Next there came the joys of telling the grandparents, finding a doctor, and figuring out how the next few years were going to pan out. Luckily both my parents and my fiance's took it extremely well. The town we were in didn't have much selection when it came to doctors, but we found one that we came to love. Little did we know that later on in the pregnancy our baby's life would be in his hands.
Our first ultrasound was scheduled and things went extremely well. Or so we thought. We found out we were having a baby girl despite our assumption of a boy and we got to walk out with more than a handful of pictures. All seemed well. A few days later the nurse called with a seemingly innocent request for a follow up visit. The next Monday we went and received some horrible news. In the ultrasound the doctor could see that my cervix was shorter than usual. To fix this problem he wanted to do a common procedure called a cervical cerclage. This procedure involves placing a stitch in the cervix to keep it closed.
This surgery was to take place the next day. My emotions were going crazy. I had never had surgery before, and now, while I am pregnant with my first child, I had to have my first time. That night I did the surgery ritual of no food or drink and the next morning I had the pleasure of bathing in the packet of hospital issued soap and shampoo. Then bright and early we made our way to the hospital. I dressed myself in the hospital gown and watched nervously as the nurse placed the IV in my arm. A slew of nurses and doctors came in to tell me what was to happen next. Then before I knew it I was being wheeled down a freezing corridor to the surgery room with only a kiss from my fiance to comfort me.
As I was rolled into the room people were busselling all around me to prepare. I received the spinal block and things began. I was probably 10 minutes into the supposed 25 minute procedure when the doctor said the most horrifying words I have ever heard in my life. He uttered " Oh no, this is not good. This is not good at all." My legs in the air and nurses stroking my hair, my heart dropped so low in my chest I don't remember if I was breathing. He poceeded to explain after what seemed a century that I had dialated 1 1/2 inches further over night. Now that I was over 2 inches dialated I had something refered to as hour-glass membranes. This is when the embrionic sack begins to fall out of the uterous and it forms the shape of an hour-glass. This is extremely extrodinary, and from the facts I have heard it is very rare to have a baby survive when this occurs. Luckily my doctor was able to gingerly push the membranes back into my ueterous and get the stitch in.
The surgery was over, but the hospital stay was not. Over the next week we had some ups and downs. Underlying all of this stress was the worry of semester finals. Finally, I was able to go home but under strict orders to stay on bedrest. In the beginning this sounds amazing to people. To most it seems like a leisurely vacation from the world with the ability to stay in the comfort of your bed. This couldn't be farther from reality. Imagine laying in bed and only being able to get out of that bed to use the restroom or take a shower every other day. Now imagine having to repeat this for the next 5 months. At times I felt like I would go crazy if I spent another minute in that room. When this happend I delibrately rebelled against my doctor's orders and went for a drive around the city just to maintain my sanity.
Nearly two months later our lease on our apartment was coming to an end. Instead of staying in the small town we decided to move back home where we had the help and support of many family members and friends. Little did we know we were leaving our freedom behind and entering a world we thought we had left forever.
To Be Continued.....
Next there came the joys of telling the grandparents, finding a doctor, and figuring out how the next few years were going to pan out. Luckily both my parents and my fiance's took it extremely well. The town we were in didn't have much selection when it came to doctors, but we found one that we came to love. Little did we know that later on in the pregnancy our baby's life would be in his hands.
Our first ultrasound was scheduled and things went extremely well. Or so we thought. We found out we were having a baby girl despite our assumption of a boy and we got to walk out with more than a handful of pictures. All seemed well. A few days later the nurse called with a seemingly innocent request for a follow up visit. The next Monday we went and received some horrible news. In the ultrasound the doctor could see that my cervix was shorter than usual. To fix this problem he wanted to do a common procedure called a cervical cerclage. This procedure involves placing a stitch in the cervix to keep it closed.
This surgery was to take place the next day. My emotions were going crazy. I had never had surgery before, and now, while I am pregnant with my first child, I had to have my first time. That night I did the surgery ritual of no food or drink and the next morning I had the pleasure of bathing in the packet of hospital issued soap and shampoo. Then bright and early we made our way to the hospital. I dressed myself in the hospital gown and watched nervously as the nurse placed the IV in my arm. A slew of nurses and doctors came in to tell me what was to happen next. Then before I knew it I was being wheeled down a freezing corridor to the surgery room with only a kiss from my fiance to comfort me.
As I was rolled into the room people were busselling all around me to prepare. I received the spinal block and things began. I was probably 10 minutes into the supposed 25 minute procedure when the doctor said the most horrifying words I have ever heard in my life. He uttered " Oh no, this is not good. This is not good at all." My legs in the air and nurses stroking my hair, my heart dropped so low in my chest I don't remember if I was breathing. He poceeded to explain after what seemed a century that I had dialated 1 1/2 inches further over night. Now that I was over 2 inches dialated I had something refered to as hour-glass membranes. This is when the embrionic sack begins to fall out of the uterous and it forms the shape of an hour-glass. This is extremely extrodinary, and from the facts I have heard it is very rare to have a baby survive when this occurs. Luckily my doctor was able to gingerly push the membranes back into my ueterous and get the stitch in.
The surgery was over, but the hospital stay was not. Over the next week we had some ups and downs. Underlying all of this stress was the worry of semester finals. Finally, I was able to go home but under strict orders to stay on bedrest. In the beginning this sounds amazing to people. To most it seems like a leisurely vacation from the world with the ability to stay in the comfort of your bed. This couldn't be farther from reality. Imagine laying in bed and only being able to get out of that bed to use the restroom or take a shower every other day. Now imagine having to repeat this for the next 5 months. At times I felt like I would go crazy if I spent another minute in that room. When this happend I delibrately rebelled against my doctor's orders and went for a drive around the city just to maintain my sanity.
Nearly two months later our lease on our apartment was coming to an end. Instead of staying in the small town we decided to move back home where we had the help and support of many family members and friends. Little did we know we were leaving our freedom behind and entering a world we thought we had left forever.
To Be Continued.....
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