8.16.2005
Doctor's Visit Today
Good News! Our OB, Dr. Blue Eyes, is back from vacation; and she agrees that Kristin's blood pressures are TOO HIGH. So...
They're inducing tomorrow night. Our baby should arrive sometime Thursday. Arrive. As if she's coming from far away. As if instead of going to the hospital, we should go to the airport or train station to pick her up. As if she's coming to us via mass transit and the hospital is just some way station. Well, I guess in a way it is, and we do. Though it's only centimeters away, it might as well be in a completely different universe. No worries, no trauma, no alarm clocks, no people with bad breath getting in your face... shit, why are we forcing her out? Oh yeah, that's right, she's killing her mommie.
Ok, well, she's not really killing her. At least not yet. Kristin shed more blood today so they can check her liver functions and what not. I'm sure those tests are going to turn out fine (just like the ones she's taken every other time her bp has shot up) but if not, they call us and we go in tonight. We were also warned that if her bps go up just a tiny bit more and remain there during the labor that she'll be put on Magnesium. To keep her from having seizures. It's a very nasty substance to be pumped into your body, but worth it to keep her from having the siezures that high blood pressures can bring on during labor. Dr. Blue Eyes comforted us by saying that they rarely have patients OD on it anymore. Sheesh. Cold comfort. I am resolutely NOT googling it. I will have faith.
It's the end of a very long 9 months, and I am so speechlessly proud of Kristin for carrying the baby to full term. I know that her complications are nothing compared to some, but they've been scary enough for us, and she's defied the expectations of Dr. Blue Eyes and her office. Sure her blood pressures have gotten high, but she hasn't actually develped preeclampsia, and that is a fucking miracle. Now we just have to get through labor and delivery.
I was reading A Little Pregnant, and she mentioned the discussion on birth plans taking place on The Leery Polyp. We made birth plans, too. When we were planning this pregnancy, we wanted to have a home birth. Then we found out that her insurance wouldn't pay for a home birth and that home births are technically illegal in Utah, so we decided on a midwife at a birthing center. Then we found out that with her complications a birthing center,let alone a midwife, wouldn't touch her. OK, the hospital, and an OB specializing in high-risk pregnancies. Still, we'll be hypnobirthing, goddamnit! Natural labor is rare at our high-tech hospital, but not unheard of. They even have big jacuzzis for labor. On our tour we asked if we would have a problem getting a room with the big tub and they laughed "we save those rooms for women who want to go naturally, they're almost always empty." Hmmm. Well, anyway. Our Ob is very supportive of our hypnobirth plans even as we begin to toss them (and our high-falutin' ideals) out the window... "Stripping the Membranes? Well, if we have to. Pitocin? Ok, if you think it's best. Magnesium? Sure, why not? Heroine? Bring it on baby!" But I spent an hour making my hypnobirthing sign, so by golly, I'm hanging it on the door! (even if I end up crossing all of our requests off one by one -- no IV, no pitocin, no continuous monitoring -- the first three all scratched off and we haven't even started!)
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Hooray! Sending good thoughts for a quick, easy, and uncomplicated delivery. I can't wait to see baby pictures!
Hypnotism and related relaxation techniques should work wonders for keeping her blood pressure down. Great idea.
Wow, you're gonna be mommies tomorrow (today, in one minute)! Congratulations. Please let us know when the stork shows up.
This is so exciting!
Good luck!
good luck! good luck! good luck! can't wait for the news!!