for those asking about our mod/maintainer, Jenna-
Well, my life is never easy, eh? Especially when it comes to making babies. Well, baking them at least. Haha!
On Friday April 20th (I think that's the date). I had a regular OB appointment. I had been feeling very, VERY run down and had what I've always known to be systoms of liver trouble. I asked my OB to check my liver and she acted like I was worring over nothing. She decided to do the test- I think only to prove me wrong.
All weekend Vinny was in the field and I was feeling really shitty. On Monday morning my phone rang and woke me up at 8 AM. I don't do mornings, nor do I answer the phone when people call so early. Well, the caller tried again three times in a row so I picked up. It was my doctor telling me to come in to Labor & Delievery right away. She said my liver enzymes were at a very high level. Surprise? I think not. Why don't people ever listen to me? :P
I dropped Geoff off at my girlfriend's house (thanks Jen!) and went in for "further investigation", as the doctor called it. That meant getting an I.V, having my blood pressure checked every 5 minutes for hours, collecting my urine (ewww) and more blood tests. I, and the doctors found it a big shock that my blood pressure was at a severe level. Around 160-something over 100-something. I normally have LOW blood pressure. Typical for me is 115 over 50 and at times even lower.
The doctor came in to tell me I could plan on staying in Labor & Delievery for at least 12 hours. That's when the urine test would determine if I had protein in it (a sign of VERY EARLY pre-eclampsia --SP?). Thankfully Vinny came home from the field that day and came straight to the hospital. Geoff also came along.
They decided to keep me over night and told me if I did have protein in my urine in the morning and my blood pressures stayed up I would be flown to Anchorage to have my baby delievered via C-section at only 26 weeks! That is a VERY young preemie! Anchorage is 8 hours South of where we live and the only city in the state with a NICU (newborn intensive care unit).
Morning came and I was told I'd be sent to Anchorage and to plan on having the baby that night or the next morning. Shit! Vinny couldn't fly down with me (it was an emergency medical flight). After a lot of drama the military paid for Vin and Geoff to fly down on Alaska Airlines.
I was given a shot of steriods to help the baby's lungs develop and given magnesium by I.V (which makes you feel like SHIT) to keep me from having dangerous seizures. Then they put a cath in my bladder (HOLY GOD THAT HURTS) and I was transferred by ambulance to the airport where I was carried, tied to a strecher, and put on a teeny tiny plane bound for Anchorage.
I hate flying! It was a long hour! I got to fly over Denali (MT. Mckinnley) which the nurses seemed to think I should get excited about- but they didn't have a tube in their bladder nor were they strapped to a table- KWIM?
Arriving at the hospital in Anchorage I was met by a Doctor who was excited to see my blood pressure had remain normal through-out the flight. She repeated all the tests and told me I wouldn't be delievering right away, I could come off the mag, and get the cath out. Yay! However, she doubted I'd make it to 30 weeks before having my baby.
The next day I got moved to the prenatal unit (from the labor and delievery/NICU room). I stayed there until last night. They have run a million tests on me and told me to plan on staying in the outpatient hotel (connected to the hospital) until I give birth- which could be at anytime.
Now my liver is under control thanks to a medicine that helps flush out bile. My spleen and kidney are a little questionable by ultrasound so they are keeping an eye on them. Protein in my urine has decreased but is still present. Oh, and I have mono. Who knew? Not me! They tested me for it and it was positive. They say that could explain the spleen thing.
Thanks to those of you who emailed me after getting my Mom's message. :) They REALLY made my days!!!!! Now that I am in the hospital hotel I can reach Myspace (the hospital is VERY Catholic and has almost everything blocked on the computers inside).
I'll keep everyone posted.
Jenna
I think it would be really great if we could all pull together and do something for her, but i'm not sure what. Just something to let her know that we are all thinking of her. Any ideas?