Just released from labor & delivery

Today was an interesting day.  I woke up just fine but started to get a very bad headache a few hours into work.  In addition to the headache, I became very emotional.  One minute I was frustrated, then angry, then upset, then anxious, then fine...it was a very strange experience.  I had this once previously and it was on the day of my appointment where I had high blood pressure so I decided (with the prodding of a coworker) to run to Safeway and check my blood pressure.  Sure enough it was high.  The first time I took it, it was around 150/88.  I decided to sit down for 5-10 minutes and try and relax and then took it again.  The second time it was 146/92.  Again, I waited for 5-10 minutes and took it again.  The last time it was 148/98 which is alarmingly high.  After calling my mom and Diane, I decided to call my doctor's office and let them know what I was experiencing.  They asked if I could come in around 2pm that afternoon and I, of course, agreed to do so.

Matt was driving for work and I really didn't want to make him leave early because he has been extremely busy so I was intending to take myself.  I let Diane know that they wanted me to go in at 2 and sweet Diane offered to take me so I didn't have to go alone.  So Diane came to pick me up and we headed off to my appointment.

As we arrived, we were waiting in the waiting room and I made Diane feel my stomach and asked, "Is this a contraction?" She said it was.  I was experiencing a tightening of my stomach but didn't have any pain with it so I wasn't quite sure what it was.  Apparently I had been contracting for some time and just didn't know.  Anyway, we finally were called back to the office and they took my blood pressure again and it was still high and I was still experiencing a pretty brutal headache.  After listening to the baby's heart and taking my fundal measurements, they had my doctor come in and talk to me.  She said she would feel most comfortable if I would head over to labor and delivery and let them monitor me for a bit.  She explained that I was showing symptoms of early preeclampsia and she was most concerned with my headache. 

She went on to say that if all of my labs came back ok and they were able to get my headache to go away, they would let me go home but if they weren't able to make my headache go away they would be inducing me that night.  She was still concerned about letting me go too long with these kinds of symptoms so she said if I got sent home tonight that she would want me back in on Sunday to deliver on Monday when she is on call.  I had a slight breakdown and cried a little bit in the office.  I knew this was a possibility and frankly I wanted the baby out but the looming reality of having a baby within 72 hours was a bit overwhelming and scary, especially since it was for "medical reasons".

Anyway...Diane and I headed over to labor and delivery and I was monitored for about 4 hours.  My urine came back without protein, which is great.  My labs came back with elevated liver enzymes but the uric acid was normal so they weren't too concerned with that.  I was having consistent contractions every 2-5 minutes but again, they weren't concerned because they weren't causing me discomfort.  Lastly, they gave me a pain med and asked if my headache had subsided.  It definitely wasn't gone but it was sort of better so they finally released me.  I felt horrible for Diane because it was awfully boring but she was amazing and supportive the whole time!  Matt also wrapped up work, knowing he wouldn't be there next week, and joined us around 6pm.  After all of that, the doctor came in and said she was comfortable releasing me but told me what to watch out for over the weekend and urged me to come right back if I experienced any of those symptoms over the weekend.

So...at the end of all of this, we finally know when baby is coming...we are scheduled to go back to the hospital at 8pm on Sunday evening where they will begin the induction process and then pitocin will most likely begin on Monday morning and hopefully little Stella will be joining this crazy world sometime on Monday.  If everything goes as planned, she will be born on 5/2/2011.

I am home now with strict instructions to rest, rest and rest so that is my plan for the weekend!  My parents are planning on driving over tomorrow morning so it will be good to have them here.

Say a little prayer for us this weekend and I will make sure to keep you all updated on how everything progresses.