BEDREST (part 2)

Okay, where did I leave off?

We were waiting for a room to be admitted into...

Yes. So, we got a room and they set me up in a real bed.

At this point I think they took off the boys monitors and said they'd just be monitoring them

every 4 hours or so. The contraction monitor was to remain on for the duration of my stay in the hospital.

I think dinner was sent up, and I kept thinking how I wished we were back at CDH (Central DuPage Hospital where I delievered Cale....WOW they had awesome food, a flat screen tv mounted to the wall and brand new everything. We were spoiled, I realize...).

Anyway, at least we had a television and the bed was comfty enough.

A neonatologist came in to talk to us. She was very informative and kept telling us "she didn't want to see our babies yet!" I have read SO much about preemies (partly fearing I may be a preemie mom, and partly because I like to have all the information I can for what I'm going through). I can't remember if she told me anything I didn't already know, but it was mostly new info to Tim. She told us survival rates were good at this point, but the babies could have trouble with their lungs, hearts, brains, eyes...well, alot of stuff. She said that each day they spend inside would be several less days in the NICU. 32+ weeks was a much safer time to deliver! ;)

We waited to see my OB until pretty late that night. It seemed like each nurse that came in to had some trouble keeping both boys on the monitor for 20 minutes. It took them quite a bit of time to find both their heartbeats (they move CONSTANTLY!) and then keeping them in one spot for 20 minutes. I swear my stomach was gelled and exposed for 2 days!

A few times they'd come in and say "do you feel that contraction?" Nope. I'm really not good at knowing if it is a contraction or the boys moving.... Seems kinda silly NOT to know though...

But, after the doc came and said it was best to stay overnight and the rest of the next day (because the steroid shots for the baby's lungs had to be 24 hours apart), I figured there was no point in arguing. I was pretty wiped out by the time Tim left for home. I quickly fell asleep around 10pm, but was woken up almost every hour or two for one thing or the other:

Medication to stop contractions

Empty IV bag (and IV monitor beeping)

Medication for the baby's heart and lungs

blood pressure check

monitoring the boys (which was suppose to be 20 minutes, but took over an hour each time)

Honestly...it was a nightmare. I got a total of 1 1/2 hours of sleep. Broken. Sleep. I remember that at one point in the middle of the night (around 4am) I asked my nurse if I could have something to help me sleep. She said she could ask the doctor, but what they usually prescribe is something that would knock me out until lunch and she didn't think he'd give it to me then.

What's the difference, I thought. I'd be stuck in bed until after dinner at the earliest....

But I didn't get anything, and didn't sleep anymore after that.

In the morning after the nurse change I was thrown through a loop. My new nurse wasn't the friendliest of people... She did take notice that I was exhausted and pumped some Benadryl in my IV (which helped me to sleep for another hour or so).

By the way, that was the only thing they used my IV for (which is annoying, because those things hurt so bad!!)

I spent most the morning with the lights off and my eyes closed hoping for sleep. But around lunchtime I figured I could use a shower. Tim was home with the boys, so I asked my friend Alicia (who has been extrodinary during these past 2 weeks) to bring me some clean clothes and hang out for a bit after she finished up work.

We chatted for about an hour, she left, and then I think I took a quick nap before Tim brought the boys over to see me.

NOTE: my boys did fine. I'm not sure they really even noticed I was gone...but honestly, I was a mess! It felt like my arms were chopped off...they are such a part of me that I just wasn't sure what to do without them. Yes, it was technically only 2 days, but I kept wondering how I'd cope if I was here long term!! I knew they were being well cared for (by Daddy and friends) but again, I needed my arms!!

Cale thought it was great to sit on my hospital bed with me and eat his chicken nuggets while watching TV. Megersa was confined mainly to the stroller but didn't seem to be bothered by his new surroundings. Cale asked about the IV and the "jelly" on my belly. He was scared to hear the baby's heartbeats so loud (whomp, whomp, whomp)...so the nurse turned the volume down.

I felt better seeing them, but I think they may have hurt my case a little bit. When the doctor came to examine me again (and decide if I could go home) she took a glance at my wild children (who were now becoming increasingly bored by the confinement of the room) and asked about help. She reminded me that I was going to be on strict bedrest. It seemed like she wanted to know if I knew who were gonna watch my children. ...and made sure I stayed off my feet.

So, I fudged the story a bit saying we had people lined up (though a plan to accomplish that was in the works...), and despite her advice to stay another night, I insited I'd be fine to go home.

They can't MAKE you stay at the hospital...

So, 27 hours after arriving, I was on my way home. :)