Going back to yesterday, the boys and I headed up to Boulder after they got done with nap/Q.T. Jason had dropped off my 24 hour urine and even though this is at least my sixth time doing such a test in my lifetime, I sorta forgot that there is blood work that goes along with it. No real worries, it could be collected within three days so we all talked about making an afternoon of it...hit the lab for the stick, head over to the Farmer's Market, then when Jason finished up work we'd all go out to eat up there.
Except that Jason forgot that the final game of the College World Series (starring LSU) would be on and we hadn't set the TiVo or anything. So, as I was walking into the lab he called to have to cancel our plans. Believe me, I was plenty frustrated but I went for my blood work and the boys and I turned right around and drove home during rush hour in the pouring down rain. Blessedly, they were in great moods:
And they were probably happier that Daddy would be bringing us home Noodles versus having to go to a restaurant.
When J got home with the take-out we sat on the bare living room floor, like we'd just moved in or something, and ate in front of the TV. And luckily the Tigers won. Jason wouldn't want to be paying off the "debts" he'd imposed on himself to "make it up to me" if they'd lost. ;)
With the floors so bare (because of D's bare bum) the boys "skated" around after dinner...E wore slippers and D sported cloth napkins leftover from dinner:
This morning we woke up and I left D's diaper off once again. He was standing in the kitchen and said, "Hurry! Hurry!" and ran over to his potty. Then he said, "Yook! I did it!" and sure enough he'd produced quite a bit. Hooray! That one was especially exciting because it's not like he'd been sitting there all morning watching a movie...he knew he had to go, made his way over, and went!
And just like yesterday, when I went to empty it he started yelling, "Ess mine! No, Mama! Ess mine!!!" This time I really do think it might be about the wee itself. Yikes! Bit of a dilemma. And it's not even for a #2 yet.
Speaking of twosies, the Elmo potty DVD has a segment with a bunch of kids shouting out all the names they call "what goes in the potty". Easton wanted to know what he called it when he was a baby. I said, "The same things you say now". However, he's decided that he wants us to teach Wabie to say, "Doodie". And if it's a girl, maybe also use the word "tinkle". Ah, boys. :)
Anyway, with another potty success, Nemo on the tube, and muffins in the oven, we were having a pretty nice morning. Then the phone rang...Dalton said, "I'll get it" but it was my doctor's office and I wasn't going to let him answer. This made him mad and I had to shut myself in the laundry room so I could hear the doctor amidst his tantruming. That wasn't a great sign: the doctor calling me herself instead of a nurse or secretary. Hmmmm.
So, she told me that while my recent blood work looked fantastic, the protein levels in my 24 hour urine were NOT normal. In fact, the high end cut off for "normal" regarding preeclampsia is 300. My level was 413. Lovely. She went on to say that women with my history (Easton's pregnancy) with the kidney strain/damage that went along with that sometimes just have "leaky" kidneys but she also explained that my baseline levels (which in me they check in early pregnancy) and my level at this stage in Dalton's (healthy) pregnancy was always 130s. So, most likely, it's not just the way I am or something. Great.
She asked how I'd been feeling and things like that then said that she wanted to see me this morning for an OB check and see what my blood pressure was doing. I told her I'd gotten an elevated BP reading the other night but we (Jason) tried to blame it on the heat and activity on Sunday. She said, "I'll see you soon but if your BP is elevated, I'm going to put you on bedrest."
Then I freaked out. I'm only 29 and a half weeks. I have two small kids who I like to hang out with, I have a husband, and a house. I also have very supportive family but I don't want to go on bedrest. I don't want what bedrest means for me and Wabie.
The boys and I sat down to eat (we were in a hurry at that point for my appointment) and Easton, noticing the tears in my eyes, points and goes, "What's those wet things?" Wet things? Um, how does my 4 year old not know tears? :) Actually, he does but I think seeing them coming from Mommy's eyes it disturbed him to think of them that way. Even so, I told him they were tears and he asked why. I explained that I was a little scared and he said, "You can use my Cuddles" as he handed it over. Awwwwwww. Little Diddles just kept repeating, "Poor Mama. Poor Mama."
See? I can't be on bedrest! I need my sweetiepoos!
Later, while watching Nemo on the couch while I cleaned up and sent off a few prayer requests E told me, "You're not my mom anymore" (but he said it sad, not mean) and then said, "I don't want to do anything but snuggle." I guess it's a good thing he's not used to seeing me upset, but I don't want him thinking less of me. So, we had some snuggles, got dressed and headed up to Boulder.
I was praying the whole way and doing my best to stay calm for my blood pressure's sake. Easton was not being his most cooperative self (once again!) but we made due. I got into the office and the nurse weighed me. I was the same as last week which is good in that it means I'm not likely retaining a bunch of fluid all of a sudden. Then she took my blood pressure. She was listening and then she re-inflated the cuff (freaking me out!). I was sure that she hadn't inflated it high enough to catch my high pressure...instead she was just double checking because the number she got was so low: 84/46.
Then the doctor came in and told me, "While I'm concerned, I'm not overly concerned". She checked my reflexes (hyperreflexia/clonus can be part of preeclampsia) and I assume looked at my legs for edema (I've been doing really well with the swelling, for the most part). Since I was there she also listened to Wabie real quick and measured my belly (it was 28 again...when technically I "should" be 29 but she didn't seem to care). However, I do remember this happening with Easton as well, my uterus didn't grow as much as expected and they weren't immediately concerned but we all know what happened there...
So, the plan is for me to repeat the 24 hour urine from Monday to Tuesday (that'll be exactly a week from my last collection) and then to repeat my bloodwork on Tuesday before my regularly scheduled 30-week appointment. She said, "Hopefully it's just a fluke" about the proteinuria but if my protein level goes up she said she'll probably start treating me as a preeclampsia patient no matter what my blood pressures do. :( Being treated as a pre-e patient means bedrest and twice weekly non-stress tests on the babe. So, please join us in praying that it was just a fluke although she did say that, no, nothing I ate or drank could've skewed these results. And as I mentioned, my bloodwork labs were fine, let's pray those stay that way too, please.
I know God has a plan and I'm trying my best to just find comfort in that. Pray for that too, would ya, you know...while you're at it? ;)
Anyway, thanks for tuning in. Off to "take it easy" as per my doctor's instructions this morn.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Unexpected
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5 comments:
Kristin, I am sorry your protien levels are high, but am thankful that at this point of time you don't have to be on bed rest. As I was reading your post about how you "can't" be on bed rest because of the kids, I started to get all the same emotions I had when I was but on bedrest/hospitalized with my last two pregnancies. I could feel the tears starting in (and it has been almost TWO years!). So I completely understand how you are feeling. Just know that IF you do have to be on bed rest, that all though it seems like FOREVER and you feel that you are missing out on so much in your boys lives, it really is a short time and things DO work out in the end. I ended up doing a lot of reading stories, crafts, movies and cuddling with my kids during that time. It was a different life for a few weeks and I had to depend on others to help care for my kids (the hardest part), but I was still their mommy and I realized that they did know this. I also had to remind me that I was also my unborn children's mommy and this is what he/she needed at that moment from me.
If you do have to go on bed rest, talk to your doctor about getting a steriod shot to help develop Wabie's lungs. Ya know, just in case he/she comes early.
I am praying everything works out and you can carry Wabie to full term without any interventions.
Last night was a slooooow night in the ER and everyone kept gathering in the empty patient rooms to watch the game. We were all rooting for UT, though...and you know how well that turned out. LOL.
Glad things are okay for today. I hope that trend continues!
Kristin! How on earth do you have a blood pressure of 84/48 and not pass out!? My goodness...thank heavens it's still so low though. I completely understand how you're feeling about the bedrest thing. That's what I've been struggling with due to my knee injury. Us moms have too much to do to be out of commission! And yeah, the twice weekly NST's are not fun either - did that with my last pregnancy, too.
Sending you lots of prayers and positive vibes that this was just a fluke and next week's test will turn out fine!
P.S. You are a very nice wife to let your hubby cancel your plans for a game. :)
I know you like your boys, but you'll be no use to them if your organs start to fail and Wabie doesn't do well. It's better that they see you taking care of yourself. You don't even have to say it's because of Wabie...it is so that you can get better so that you can play with them again. It is all a blessing that we have these tests to help us along.
If you need any advice about bed rest with having little ones let me know. I was on bed rest at 30 weeks with both of mine. It wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either.
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