29 Weeks, Hospital and Pre-eclampsia!

Well I didn't get around to doing my 29 week update...it was a hectic day and I was treated to a wonderful baby shower at work by my wonderful team and colleagues.  Wow, the twins were so spoilt with some amazing gifts - so so special. I fully intended to do my update yesterday...but...

Was so swollen when I woke up and had a splitting headache again and white spots in front of my vision...so I suspected this was not good.  Asked DH to take a BP reading and it was 154/101, a tad high and not to be ignored.  DH suggested I stay at home with my feet up, but no...I went to work.  I emailed my Dr telling her about the symptoms and BP reading and she replied saying to go have a protein urine test straight away.  So I popped down to the Dischem to see the sister there. And there it was...pissing protein in my urine - +2 instantly...not good...so I called Dr H and she told me to please get to the hospital immediately to be admitted as it was clearly pre-eclampsia symptoms. NO!

I got back to my office in a state, trying to sort a few things out while trying not to cry uncontrollably. I got to the hospital and was taken straight to the labour ward!  The labour ward!!!! I was put onto an NST monitor immediately to take the babies stress readings. And my BP was measured again - still high.  Blood was taken to check for my liver and kidney function as this is the biggest risk to me - due to the high BP, your kidney starts leaking protein.  The babies can also be affected as blood flow through their placenta's can be compromised. So with serious pre-eclampsia, it is a waiting game to see who gets worse first.  My BP can be treated with meds and potential seizures with magnesium sulfate etc, but if me or the babies goes into distress, they come out immediately. 

My Dr told me that in her experience this doesn't get better, only worse, but that they try to stave off labour for as long as possible. She also said that if we needed to deliver this weekend, she would come in to do it. I had my first steroid shot of 2 - another one today just in case to help develop the babies lungs. Dr H also said that she didn't think we would make 3 or 4 weeks which would be best case scenario...but to take one day at a time...

I was quite calm...perhaps in shock....perhaps in denial....thought I was okay until I was admitted to my ward when I promptly dissolved into tears. It was a lot to take in...the prospect of delivering our precious babies so small with a 10 week at least stay in NICU - so not what I wanted for them or us.

Had a terrible night of poor sleep as I woke up at 2am and then couldn't get back to sleep - processing the information, the possibilities, work planning, lists, and other tangents of rambled thoughts...eventually I nodded off at about 4h30 only to be rudely awoken again at 5am for tea.

What is amazing is that I am sharing a room with another 29 week mommy to be, who is actually in our dog training class, also with a ridgeback!  Her membrane has ruptured and she has been on watch for the past 10 days. She almost had a caeser yesterday but her white blood cell count dropped so it was cancelled - such a relief for her!  Her biggest risk now is infection, so she is also hoping for a few weeks more before they have to deliver her little girl. But at least we are in the same boat and both 29 weeks pregnant so we can share this scary time.

My Dr called me this morning to say she was happy that my BP was stable, even if a little high.  My blood tests had come back and my liver and kidney function is fine.  The babies non-stress tests are doing fine - they are not in distress. So all very positive.  She even said that maybe just maybe I could transfer to strict home bedrest if I carry on like this. YAH!!!!!! So I am just focusing on this fulltime now - I so would love to be home.  It will be a little chaotic though as I would need to come to hospital for blood tests, NST tests and to see her three times a week - she warned me that this route would be costly as currently everything is being covered by med aid. 

But I think it will be worth it, just to be home.  I wouldn't be able to drive myself so DH would need to do that - could be tricky, but even if for next 4 weeks I think it will be worth it.  But she said let's not jump ahead, we would discuss this on Monday.  We also have to wait for the 24 hour urine protein test which we would only get sometime next week - this will give a better picture of the whole story. The on-call Dr, explained to me that it could possible be gestational hypertension with a little protein leak rather than full blown pre-eclampsia.  Oh how I hope he is right.

So for now...here I am in my hospital bed...bed-resting...and talking to my babies and my body and asking them to work together so they can stay in for at least another 4 weeks!