Week 1 DONE!

Baby and I have officially made it past 1 week in the hospital! YEAH!  Feels good to check that off the list!  We are now 32 weeks, which means we are pretty much in the clear for a lot of the major medical issues that could arise with baby coming early!  Feels good to know that pretty much anything with encounter from here on out, and easily be "fixed."  As in, most babies this early cannot suck, swallow, breathe together making eating hard, but they will put in a feeding tube so baby can eat, and they will swab baby's mouth with breast milk so it still gets all the wonderfully good antibodies my body has made for it! Then as baby masters this wonderful technique the feeding tube can come out!  Baby may need oxygen at this point, but again that is another pretty easy, and non-permanent fix!  It just feels so much more reassuring knowing that most things at this point can be treated and solved with little to no issue for baby or I!

(This sweet face! I am so in LOVE!)

Our hospital stay for the most part has been fairly uneventful-with the exception of Tuesday afternoon!  Tuesday I got out of bed to go to the bathroom, and found I couldn't walk!  That is how this pain thing seems to work-ZERO pain all day, and then suddenly BAM knocks me on my feet (almost literally that day!).  The nurses up here where amazing, they had me down to L&D in less than 5 minutes!  I was down in L&D for 10 hours that afternoon.  I have never been so happy to come back to my cozy room up here!!  They had me hooked up to all the monitors, did an ultrasound, and tried to keep me as comfortable as possible.  They came to the conclusion that my pain is probably just coming from my old scar tissue (along my old incision line), trying to stretch, and grow with the rest of my uterus and body. BUT since it is scar tissue it can't really stretch like the rest of me, meaning it is going to feel painful!  The best thing they likened it to is the following (Just to give you an illustrations as to what is might feel like!)  You fall when your little and scrape your knee-bad enough that you get a nice scab on the top of your knee.  Now that  you have this wonderful scab on your knee walking isn't so easy- it hurts when you bend  your leg, or feels tight when you stretch it out because you have that scab sitting on a place that used to be flexible and just move where ever you did.  Essentially what that means is I have a nice "scab" on my uterus, and as it is stretching it is pulling on it! Make a bit more sense?! I hope!

We have officially spent our first "couple" holidays in the hospital, and they weren't all that bad!   I say couple...We were here for Thanksgiving, which also happened to be my hubby's birthday this year! Poor guy!  He came up here for the day, and we spent it just chilling and hanging out. SOOO very different from every other year, where I am up early and in the kitchen all day-or at work all day to come home and get to work in the kitchen!  Very, very relaxing.  They served Turkey for lunch and it really was pretty good, especially considering it was hospital food! They gave me pumpkin pie (which is Greg's favorite!), he got to have that and call it his birthday dessert! THEN a wonderful friend of mine (who is ready to pop any day herself!) Brought us up a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving feast for dinner! Oh my goodness, it was AMAZING!  It was beyond sweet to have a home cooked meal, and homemade pie for dessert, Apple and Pumpkin.  Needless to say, I think we both were in heaven with this meal!  Greg got to spend the night Thursday and Friday since the weather was bad!  He is home now-that way he could keep an eye on the dog and not get stuck here if the weather got worse!  It was so nice to have 2 days to spend with just my hubby.  We may have been stuck in a hospital, but we got to talk without much interruption-he got to see the baby on the ultrasound, and we got to just hang out! It was amazing! We finished our first puzzle in like 5 years! Which really brought me back to our early marriage when it was just the two of us...we would spend almost every night working on puzzles together in the dining room after dinner! Always had a blast! I enjoyed getting to do that with him again. I will say I think I am totally out of puzzle practice though-puzzles these day consist of match the shape, or object, or alphabet, or letter, etc.  doing a "real" puzzle really stretched my brain power! LOL!

I honestly thought I would be more bored up here than I am!  Which is a huge answer to prayer! Anyone who knows me knows, I CANNOT sit still!  I, however, have been able to be still.  And in fact have come to like some of the quiet!  I have had more adult interaction in the past week, than I probably had in the past 5 years (since I don't have to stop and chase kids in the middle of conversations and such!).  I have gotten 4 knitting projects done, finished 2 books, made all my kids a mommy loves you bracelet (and the girls a necklace-per the princesses request!), finished a puzzle with my hubby, and had a couple naps! I even have gotten to have my quiet time in *gasp* the quiet! All in all a good week!  I miss my kids like crazy, but I'm sure that goes without saying!  I am able to skype them and have done that several times since being here.  They seem to be doing quite well, and are having a good time with all the family they are getting to see! Their Mimi even lets them color with markers *gasp*! (<---Mommy usually saves those for special occasions, making this a very big deal for them!)

Thank you to everyone who has made my stay here great!  I have had many wonderful friends visit, bearing wonderful gifts, and food, and goodies!  I cannot say thank you enough.  It has meant more than you will ever know, and makes me feel so very loved!  Also, to the people who have helped watch our pet babies so Greg could come up here, you are also amazing, and we wouldn't know what to do without you!  I know a lot of you have also donated to our gofundme account that my friend set up for us, and I cannot thank you enough for that as well, since I will be out of work for at least 12 weeks, and we were really only planning on 6, every little bit helps!  All of the love you have shown us, in so many different ways has truly touched our lives! To our family, who stepped up and took in our kids for such a long period of time, so we wouldn't have to worry about who was going to watch them when!  I know they are happy and feeling loved as well, and as their momma this makes me feel at ease, and able to rest!  Thank you for everyone who has prayed for us!  We need that the most! Just keep praying the kiddos will behave, this little one will stay put, and I will continue to stay "busy!" And Greg will continue to maintain the home front!(which is sounds like he is doing quite marvelously!)  We love you all, and I thank God for you all daily!

Our little Surprise!

This is about the best title I can come up with for this blog post! This one has been a surprise from the get go!

A recent pic of our sweet angle's face! (and big belly!) Look at those chubby cheeks! 

Let me give you a little background for those of you who keep asking...Are you ready? There may be some TMI, but people are asking so I'm just gonna answer all the questions I have gotten here, and maybe that will make it a bit easier for everyone!
1. Why on Earth did you have them so close together? Didn't you know that would cause so many complications?  Well there are several answers to this question.  Although I HATE this question and really don't think it is very kind of people to ask, here are the many answers to it! Number 1: we believe in this family that all children are a gift, and are put into our lives for a reason.  NOW with that said, this was the first pregnancy we were trying really hard NOT to have. Not that anyone should need  to know, but because everyone wants to know we were on two different forms of birth control (if you count all the old wives tales-well that brings that number to about 4-5! But those are old wives tales!) Yes, we still got pregnant. And that brings us to baby #5! God's obviously chosen baby just for us.  Our little surprise! Our special miracle! And that is something this baby will always be to us, a miracle and a gift no matter the outcome!
2. Did you know you would be put on bed rest?  Call it mommy intuition, but I kept telling people I didn't for see them letting me go (as hard as I do) for my entire pregnancy.  I had a feeling I would probably be told I couldn't work any more as we got closer to the due date, but I never dreamed I would be stuck in a hospital at 30.5 weeks, and stuck there until delivery date!
3. Why are you there? What happened? This is a good question...I am here for the moment strictly on precautionary measures.  I got here under somewhat false pretenses (meaning I didn't think I would be staying!) Story Time:  Thursday I was having some pain along my old incision line in the morning.  It went away and I thought I was in the clear. HAHA, NOPE came back with a vengeance that night, and it hurt to walk.  I just had this feeling something wasn't right.  Knowing I was high risk, but not wanting to freak out, I called the hospital.  They put me in touch with my Dr. since it was after hours.  My Dr. decided it was best that I come in for an ultrasound, that way they could check out my uterus and the baby and make sure all was good!  Well, as you know we have 4 small children, so I hollered down the stairs to my hubby that I was going to the hospital for an ultrasound and would be back soon.  They just wanted to take a look on the inside and make sure all was well.  YES I drove myself to the hospital, what else do you do when it is bedtime, and someone has to be with the kiddos? Plus at this point in time, I really just thought it would be an ultrasound, everything would check out, and I would be on my way home, and told to take it easy! I get the hospital, they check me in, and start me on fluids, and the baby monitor until the ultrasound tech can get there.  Dr arrives and notices I am having some contractions.  She ordered a shot to stop those in their tracks...Here I sit by myself thinking, well baby is fine so far from what the monitors say, they have given me fluid so there is no way I'm dehydrated, they have now stopped any hint of contractions I was having, so let's get the ultrasound done, so I can go home and go to bed (I had planned to go to bed early tonight, and I really didn't want to miss my early bed time HA!) Ultrasound comes in, says baby looks healthy and fat (estimated size at 30.5 weeks was 4lbs 5oz, which is a good sized baby for as many weeks as I have left!)  Now I'm really feeling good, ultrasound looks good, baby is more than healthy! I can go home now,...NOPE.  Dr comes in and says she is going to consult her friends and fellow Drs in Wichita just to make sure we aren't missing anything.  She then orders me a steroid shot, and Mag. (BOTH nasty drugs!) She returns about 10 minutes later, and says "Well we are sending you to Wichita via Ambulance.  Would you like to call your husband and let him know? We want you with a neonatal specialist there, and we are thinking we need to monitor you for 24 hrs, and we will know more." OK?! Small freak out moment, I thought this was just an ultrasound now like 4 medications in, an ultrasound, and like 7 sticks later, I am headed to Wichita via Ambulance, not really how I had my evening planned.  Time to call Greg..He of course stays calm, he gets to work on finding someone to come stay with the kiddos. (HUGE shout out to Aly for coming and staying overnight with them, so Greg could be with me in the hospital on such short notice!) Fast forward and we are in Wichita.  This means more Mag in the IV, more IV fluids, people come in and check on you every 30 minutes, I have strings and things attached to every place on my body.  Drs come and go, another ultrasound, and finally it is 330AM!, unable to sleep because of the constant interruptions and all the cords going every which way.  The kind nurse offered to bring me some benadryl to help me sleep! I have never been so excited to hear that I got to take a medicine in my life! LOL! They still continue to check on me, but luckily the benadryl has take a hold and I hear them talking, can answer about 1 word answers, and am back asleep! Thank goodness for some good rest.  530 am, Greg's alarm goes off, and he gets ready to head back home to take care of the kids for the day.  Again, we are still just thinking I'm here for 24hr observation and should be home by tomorrow am(Saturday!) at the latest! I tell Greg I will keep him posted, and to love on the kiddos for me, and tell them mommy will be home soon! (HA!) Can you see this just keeps getting better? 630am Drs begin their rounds, I start by meeting the residents.  Then about 730 the Neonatal Dr comes in.... Very nice Dr, but he gets to drop the bombshell, he says I will not be going home! Wait, what?! Did I just hear that correct, I am NOT going home until I have this baby?  You know I'm like almost 31 weeks, but that is a LOOOONG hospital stay, and I don't sit still well! He tells me why, and I have to agree that his reasons are correct, and it really probably is the best thing for baby and I, I just hate to admit it! Well, now it's time to call Greg and update him to the "new" plan! He takes it well, and says as long as you are ok, and baby are ok, we will figure it out.  I love my cool calm and collected man.  Well I can be a spazz, and he is just always so calm and put together.  God knew I needed that in a man, and what a special man he gave to me!! Now we get to work calling family, now that we have the story, and know the long term goals!  LONG story thanks for hanging in there, but now you know ;)
4. What are they watching you for?  They are watching me for any signs of any more pain (No I am not taking pain medication, as they want me to feel even the slightest change in my body!).  They are doing daily ultrasounds to monitor both my uterus, and the baby.  This is so if they see any change what so ever in my uterine thickness or in baby's movements, or detect a leak they can get to work immediately.  They are mostly worried since I started having pain that it is a symptom that my uterus is weakening.  They don't want me and baby an hour away and need emergency surgery.  So I am here, and being monitored and watched through out the day.  I am instructed to call with any change in anything, and if the pain strikes immediately to just pull the call light out from the wall, and that signals emergency, and everyone will come running!
5. What are the plans?  I am currently 31 weeks pregnant, they would obviously like to see baby in there as long as possible. NOW if something is to happen today or tomorrow they would get baby out ASAP! BUT the goal is to make it until at least 34 weeks with no baby (hence the strict bed rest, so I can't upset anything!) The Dr  is thinking that he would like to see baby here no later than around 36 weeks though, because they just don't think my uterus will be able to hold onto baby much longer than that, and they don't want me to go into any kind of labor on my own for fear of uterine rupture!  What this means is that I am stuck here for at least the next 3-4 weeks, and at the most about 6-7 weeks.  That is a lot of sitting for this momma, who is used to staying so busy!
5. How am I doing with all this? Glad you asked....I am doing really well.  The hard part: Being away from my family! I hate not being able to see them all day long, and give them hugs n kisses n snuggles whenever I want.  My kids and my husband are my world, and being far away from them is the HARDEST part of all! Other than that, this hospital gets boring, but when Greg gets back I am going to hopefully talk him into bringing me up something to do!  I know I am in good hands, both here with the hospital team and with GOD.  He has held me since day 1, and I know he will continue to hold me.  He gave me this miracle child, and I expect that he will show us all the way to the end, whatever and whenever that will be!  I have complete faith in him, and from the time I pulled into the hospital for my ultrasound to this very day, the song "Be Still and Know that I am God" has been stuck in my head.  And I can only guess it is there for a reason!
6. How are the kiddos? They are sooo excited.  They came up here yesterday to say good bye to me, and all they could talk about was going to see all their grandparents and great grandparents! They also talked about how excited they were that mommy was going to have a baby, and they can't wait to see it.  They are all rooting for a boy (it is a surprise!) so we shall see.  They are really being troopers, but they have been able to have daddy with them during the day,and now they get to be spoiled and loved on my family and friends, so they see nothing wrong with their end of the bargain!

 

7. How is Greg? He is good, he is such a calm quiet man. He can be hard to read.  But he is a rock that is holding this family together, and keeping us all in order.  He has arranged transportation to get the kiddos to MI to be with family.  He has brought me things that I need, and I'm sure come next week when he can chill a bit he will be thankful, and able to soak more of it in!  For now, he just tells me he is all good, because he knows the kids will be taken care of, he can still work, and baby and I are in good hands here in Wichita! What would we do around here without this wonderful, strong, quiet man, by our sides! I'm sure we would all be lost!

Well there is the really, really long version of our story.  I will keep you posted as we know more!  I have noticed I haven't updated this blog in forever so while I sit, with little to do, I will probably go on blog overload with updates on all my kiddos, and putting things up that I missed! Here is your warning! If you have any questions, I never have any problems answering.  Just know that I work in the medical field and nothing scares me, so your answer may be blunt or contain TMI but I will answer it to the best of my ability!