A change of scenery

I'm on my way out!  I have had a great weekend with little to no contractions, so I am being released today.  Actually I am discharged already, I am just waiting for a ride.  My mom works across the street and she should get out at about 4-4:30 so she will bring me home to save Tim a trip to the hospital.  I had my cervical length checked just before lunch and it went up a little to 13 mm.  The baby was also measured.  He is already up to 3 lbs!  I can't believe it.  That is another goal achieved.  Since we are both doing so well, the Dr's said we can manage this from home.  So we will have a change of scenery for a while.  I will continue to have the same routine at home, only getting up to eat and go to the bathroom.  I will also have regular Dr. visits once a week.  I am scheduled already for next week Monday.  I will continue to take Procardia at home to relax my uterine muscles.  My Dr. said that 2/3 of people with shortened cervix will go on to deliver full term (over 36 weeks) and 1/3 will still have preterm delivery (36 weeks or before).  Please pray that I will continue to follow the Dr.'s orders and stay down with all the temptations that will come with me going home.  Tim already told me that he is going to lock up my sewing machine.  That might not be a bad idea!

Another year older

This is my cake that Jen ordered me from the Cafeteria.

Well, it's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to, laugh if I want to, scream if I want to, sleep if I want to, eat junk food if I want to, flush the toilet 8 times if I want to, eat a Spectrum grilled cheese if I want to, wear an adult size diaper if I want to, and not update the blog if I don't want to but it's too late because I am already doing that!  I am 28 years old and own two houses, one at Spectrum and the other in West Olive.

Enough about me.  Jen is doing ahhhh ,no Jen is doing no no he he he he  erase that. OK, I will answer for her since she can't make up her mind faster than I can type.  She is doing just fine and there are no major changes with the baby.  He continues to grow and so does Jen, just kidding, alright maybe just a little in the belly.  

Not going home yet

I just talked to Dr. Cook.  He said I could go home, but he would like to see how I do over the weekend.  So I agreed.  We will see how I do, how many contractions I have, and make sure I don't progress over the next few days.  On Monday, we can talk again.  I could have gone home, but I don't want to regret it later.  I am still at risk for preterm delivery and it is hard to know when to come in and I fear when I do figure it out it may be too late.  So I am going to stick it out a little longer.  Besides, I think Tim really wanted to spend his birthday up here on Friday - sorry Tim :o(  Our next goal is going to be 30 weeks.  I do think our little guy is ahead (don't all parents think their kids are special?).  He is a little ahead in weight, last measurement being 2 weeks ago at 2 lbs 1 oz.  He must be at least 2 1/2 lbs by now.  This is a picture taken a few weeks ago.  If you can't tell what it is, it's a foot.  A really cute foot!

Hangin' in there

Once again, things are staying stable.  I continue to have contractions, but not too many.  Today I got another cervical length measurement.  It got a little shorter, from 18 to 11 mm.  They also checked to see if I was dilated at all and I'm not.  So that is great news.  Since I have been doing so good, the Dr.'s think I may be able to go home.  I will still have the same routine at home, but at least it will be a change of scenery.  But that is still up for debate.  They are going to have me get up and walk around today.  He wants me to get up 9 times and walk around the halls for a few minutes.  Then tomorrow we will check to see if it changes my cervical length at all.  Tomorrow is a big day because we will also be at 28 weeks gestation.  Everyone is so excited about that.  It is a really big goal for us!  So we are hanging in there, taking it one day at a time.  Please continue to pray for us, we appreciate it!

To smart for my own good.....

Did you know that a pennies terminal velocity is 64 mph? I didn't know that until today and now I feel like a much smarter person! 

Did you know that coir dust is a renewable resource made from coconut husks? It was formerly a waste product left behind during coconut processing!

move over Einstein, Tim is taking over.

Remember:

When life's got you down, Gitty UP!

Self Portrait

Here is me making my best fish face.  I took a few self portraits the other day when I was bored.  I don't really have any new news to report, so I thought I would add a picture to make this post interesting.  I'm still taking procaria and the doctors say they are running out of things to entertain me with.  They let me see the NICU, talk to the NICU Dr.'s, have wheelchair rides, and put me in three different rooms, what else is there?  I told them I don't mind being boring, it's better than making them work hard!  But, I did get a good suggestion to start quizzing them everyday.  Maybe I could stump them with a difficult question... Hmmm...

TWO WEEKS DOWN

I am 27 weeks along today.  We reached our first goal!  Now our next goal will be to make it to 28 weeks.  I think we can do it.  I had another cervical measurement yesterday.  It was 16 to 19 mm in length, which is a little shorter then last time, but still within the same range.  The Dr.'s were pleased with that, so I am too.  

Yesterday I had some excitement with the McCain/Palin rally at the ford Field house.  I could see the secret service men on the roof of the building next door.  They were up there all day with binoculars, but I didn't see any sniper riffles.  

Today I got to have lunch with some of the other girls on the floor.  It was sponsored by March of Dimes and the NICU (neonatal unit here).  Lunch was brought in from Panera Bread.  I had a turkey sandwich with cheese broccoli soup - don't be jealous Tim!  It was a nice chance to get out of my room and meet other moms who are also on bed rest.  One mom has been here for 4 weeks, one 3 weeks, me, two weeks, and lots of others who have been here around one week or less.  Three of them were pregnant with multiples, and one mom is here for the third time on bed rest and made it 6 weeks and 8 weeks last time she was here.  We mostly talked about how we ended up here and how far along we are or if we had other kids at home.  I wish I would have asked what they all do to pass the time.  Maybe I could have gotten some new ideas.  Tim's friend Troy seems to think I need to learn to play the banjo while I'm here.  Wouldn't that be funny?  Hey, you never know what kind of talent I will get to thank baby DeHaan for :0).

TOO FAST FOR RADAR!

I just locked Jen out of her room so I could write this top secret message to everyone.  I made it here in 28 minutes and that is after stopping at Jimmy Johns for dinner to go because they are truly freaky fast and freaky good!  Alright, I here nurses trying to break down the door so I have to go, so please don't tell Jen I was breaking the law speeding.  I just blame it on her license plate for saying GITTY UP! 

Another Day...

I guess 5 days off any meds was long enough.  Dr. Cook came in this morning and decided I should start Procardia again.  It's just a pill I have to take every 6 hours that relaxes smooth muscles.  The uterus is a smooth muscle, so it should slow down the contractions.  He didn't seem too concerned, he just wants to be proactive.  

You must be wondering what I do all day, so here is a little insight into my day.  The Doctors and/or interns round at 6-6:30 am.  They come in and ask me how I'm feeling, if I've had contractions, check my breathing, my belly and my legs.  Then just as I start to fall asleep again, at 7:15-7:30, the nursing assistant comes in to take my vitals - blood pressure, temp, pulse, and oxygen.  I try to catch a little more sleep before my breakfast comes at 8:05.  After I eat, I get hooked up to the monitor.  The monitor checks the baby's heart rate and movement as well as contractions.  After that, I take a shower and watch the today show while I check e-mail or do a puzzle.  Before you know it, lunch arrives!  Afternoons are the longest.  I usually get a few visitors which helps to break up the day and the Doctor will come in at some point to discuss what was seen on the monitor.  Otherwise I read, play on the computer, watch a movie or take a little nap until 4:00.  That is when the Ellen show is on.  I try to watch that, it's funny.  Dinner comes at 5:15  and Tim comes at 6-6:30, depending on how fast he drives.  We hang out, play games, watch movies and eat chocolate.  During the week he tries to leave by 10:00.  I get ready for bed and read a little, I usually fall asleep between 11 and 12 at night.  Exciting, I know, but I've already made it 13 days!  Praise God, every day is a gift!  Thank you all for the continued love and support you show us.  We love you all!

Where's McDreamy?

Not much to report since Saturday, of course that is good news.  I continue to have a few contractions, but no pain.  I have been going out in the wheelchair this weekend.  My latest adventures have been to the gift shop - I didn't buy anything, can you believe it?  Well, I forgot my purse, so that kinda limited me.  I think this is the longest I have ever gone with out shopping.  It's been 12 days, that's nearly 2 weeks!  I might have to browse online this afternoon...

Today I ventured to a restaurant down stairs for lunch.  My mom, Jenn Augustine (+Cameron), Abby Lawrence and I went.  We even sat in the booth, so it didn't even feel like we were in the hospital.  

A few people have asked about my doctors.  I go to Maternal and Fetal Medicine here in GR.  There are 4 doctors in the group, Dr. Cook, Dr. Rightmire, Dr, Zuidema, and Dr. Shaik.  I like them all, but I usually had seen Dr. Cook in the office.  Now they all come visit me - along with their interns.  There are days were I feel like I am on Grey's Anatomy because the Dr. will come in the room with about 5 interns - all in lab coats with clip boards reviewing my chart, but Tori says they are not as hot as they are on TV, I agree.  And where is McDreamy and McSteamy?  It sure would make my stay much more enjoyable if I had some eye candy to look at :0)  At least my McHusband is dreamy and steamy, he, he.

WHEELCHAIR PRIVILEGES

I got wheelchair privileges this morning!  After breakfast I was hooked up to the monitor again, I was still having a few small contractions, but I am still considered "stable".  The Doctor said I can now sit up a little or have a wheelchair ride.  So, we took a tour of the NICU at 3:00 this afternoon.  They currently have 96 babies being taken care of there!  It was amazing to see.  We hope we will not end up there, but if we do, I feel very fortunate to have access to the top 10 neonatal unit in the country.  

Tim and my mom are ready to play a game of Skip-Bo, so I gotta go!

It's Friday night and I have been off all my meds for over 24 hours.  The doctor wants to see how I will do over the weekend and we will do another cervical measurement on Monday.  I am having a few contractions but they are mild.  

    

I switched rooms again.  I now own the large suite at the end of the hall, room number 4425.  It has a great view, but laying down in my bed all I can see is the sky.  Atleast it lets in plenty of sunlight.  

My favorite husband is here to spend the night, so hopefully Tim doesn't show up!!  Well, it's time to watch a movie and I chose "Broke Back Mountain" while Tim was in the bathroom.   The end of this blog seems to be a bit funny because Tim took over and started typing and he is a funny man!

Gitty up  

Do you have your bags packed?

We found out we were pregnant with baby number 2 in early April, just before Addison's original due date.  Everything was going great.  I was seeing a specialist in GR every 2 weeks for ultrasounds.  They would measure the baby for growth and measure my cervix for length.  My measurements have been from 35-40 mm every time, until last week.  

On Thursday, I went to GR for my ultrasound (US).  I new right away something was wrong.  It was the fastest US I ever had.  They asked me, "Do you have your bags packed?"  I was like no way - what for?  Well, they didn't even let me get up.  I had to be wheeled right over to the hospital.  My cervical length had shortened to 18 mm.  Which means I was about 60% effaced.  When I was hooked up to fetal monitors, it showed I was also contracting!  I couldn't even feel it!  

Since then I've been poked and pushed on more than I can count!  I have been on several different meds - Magnesium Sulfate being the worst!  I was given steriod shots to help develope baby's lungs, sleeping pills, stool softeners (I can't believe I just wrote that!) and who knows what else, but he is totally worth it.  I hope he is much easier once he comes out.  

Today has been a good day.  It is day 7 of bed rest.  I get monitored once in the morning and once after dinner.  Last night and this morning I have showed no contractions and little DeHaan's heartbeat remains strong.  They took me for another ulstrasound and my cervical length was 21-23 mm and it didn't shorten with pressure!  So I am doing great!

 

Please continue to pray for me, Tim and impatient baby boy DeHaan.  We want him to say put for as long as possible.  I appreciate all the cards, calls, e-mails, visits, thougths and prayers.  We love each and every one of you who has taken the time to let us know that you care.  Keep in touch!  This is just one more way for us to connect.  I'm sure I'll post again real soon.