Bedrest Update

Just wanted to update everyone since my last bed rest post. After five days on bed rest last time, I was able to return to work. My labs were good and blood pressures were stable. This past week I saw the dr. on Monday for my 32 week checkup. He told me I had some protein in my urine...and my blood pressure readings were running higher again. I did my first nonstress test, which was normal. And then he made me stay home the next day for another 24 hour urine. He told me that I can go to work on Wednesday but that they would call with the results - if there was protein in that urine, then I would be put on bed rest for good.

I felt fine at work the next day then went in to do my ultrasound. Baby Elliot is looking great. He weighs about 4 lbs 7oz and is measuring 32-33 weeks. My fluid is good and he is a wiggly little boy. However, my blood pressure readings were 160-170's/112-117. Super high! They were very concerned. When they checked the 24 hour urine, they told me that the protein was right under the "pre eclampsia diagnosis" mark, but I also didn't give them as much urine as they would have thought. So, if I would have...the protein would probably hit the mark. My dr. had me go to labor and delivery to get my blood pressure routinely monitored for hours.

While there, the blood pressures were originally high and then made their way back down after adding a new bp med to my regimen. I'll now be taking another med twice a day. He let me go home on bed rest and wants to buy some time to let baby cook :). I have gotten two shots of betamethasone...this is a steroid given in situations like this in case baby has to come early. It helps to mature the lungs. It appears that Elliot will most likely be coming early, but after these shots and if we can buy a couple more weeks, all should be fine. I think more than anything at this point, is the high bp effect on me.

Since I've been home, my bps have been good. Surprisingly, they tend to be higher when I'm sitting home alone. Apparently boredom stresses me out. haha. I've started my online Christmas shopping and have been patiently learning to lay back and not take control of things. This is my biggest challenge, but Andrew is doing a great job taking over the reins :). Isaac has been so good about everything. He has become my little helper, and is actually spending the weekend with Tat and Omi right now. I miss him, but I know he's having fun.

We are blessed to have family and friends helping us during this difficult time- with Isaac, or cooking food, or keeping me company. Thank you for that. I'll be doing regular updates on here from now on while I can :). From now on I'll be seeing my dr. twice and week and doing nonstress tests. I'll also be doing weekly 24 hour urines to test for protein. My next appt is Monday so wish me luck!

Halloween 2012

This year, Isaac wanted to be Batman for Halloween. Well actually, he keeps just saying "a bat" and then picked the Batman costume. I wanted to trick or treat in our new neighborhood, but instead we decided to go to my cousin's house nearby. This worked out perfectly because as mentioned in my last post, I was put on bed rest that day and wasn't able to actually go trick or treating-plus daddy had school and couldn't go either. While I sat on the sofa, my cousins helped me out by taking him (along with their kids) through the neighborhood. From the pics, looks like he had a blast and he certainly brought back enough candy for the family. haha. Thank you so much to my cousins for helping me out!! Love ya'll so much.

Bedrest :(

Hi everyone! You may have heard by now but on Wednesday I got placed on bed rest. For now, it's at least until I see the dr. on Monday. Hopefully I'll be able to work after that. On Wednesday, I felt really flushed all day-just very hot and I had a headache, nausea, and seriously swollen feet. I usually don't have any symptoms when my blood pressure is high but decided to have a nurse check it out anyway. And it was high. The highest we got was 147/109 and the lowest it got (after sitting in the dark, staying still, and turning the lights off) was 142/102. I have seen numbers higher than that but I knew that I had taken my meds and it shouldn't be that high. What also concerned me was that I had actual symptoms.

I decided to call Dr. Dutreil's office (my OB), who then told me that I needed to do bed rest. My next check up was originally set for Wednesday but since I have a cardiology follow up on Monday, we moved it to Monday as well. I'm guessing his hopes are that taking it easy for a few days will lower my bp. I've been doing my best following doctor's orders, and I've been routinely monitoring my blood pressure. It runs a little high in the morning (right after I take my meds). After that, it's been really good. No swelling in the feet and no symptoms.

I guess if I have to do bed rest, this is a good weekend to do it (hoping that it'll only be a weekend). Isaac is going camping with Nanny and Poppy until Sunday afternoon. I'm really sad about it, but it works out. In the meantime, I guess I'll just be watching Netflix and trying to come up with a baby name. I'll also be going through baby's 0-3 month clothes collection to see if there's anything else that I'll need. I've been blessed with tons of hand me downs (including Isaac's), so I'm sure he'll be covered.

Please send prayers our way in hopes that the check up goes well and I'll be able to return to work! And I leave you with a pic of my bed rest buddy...