Yep, the title of this post pretty much describes the theme of my life for the past 24 hours. Yesterday I officially hit 34 weeks, so all of the meds that I have been taking for the last month to stop my contractions ended Tuesday night. We knew that Wednesday was probably going to be an "interesting" day, but I'm not sure we realized exactly how interesting.
I started having regular contractions at about 12:30 Wednesday afternoon and they were coming about 5 to 6 minutes apart. It actually worked out well because we were heading to our appointment with the perinatologist for my weekly sonogram (which happens to be in the same building as the hospital) at 2:00. The sonogram showed that my cervix had shortened back down to 20 mm (down from 40 mm the week before). After confirming that everything was wonderful with Cooper, he sent us down to Labor and Delivery to get monitored. By the time we got down to L&D, not only were my contractions coming 5 minutes apart, but they had increased quite a bit in intensity.
I got all situated in the not-so-flattering hospital gown and got hooked up on all the monitors (which I think I could probably do on my own by now), and Nurse Ratched (as I quickly nicknamed her) looked at me and said, "Wow. . .you are contracting". It seriously took all the restraint I had left in me not to reply back to her, "No sh*# Sherlock"! I mean SERIOUSLY. . .why did she think I was there?? She called the doctor on call from the practice I go to (of course, my doctor is on vacation this week) and they monitored me for about an hour then "checked me". Now, those of you who have had babies and know how "fun" it is to be checked can understand what I mean when I tell you that if felt like her fist was going to come out of my throat. At that point, I was barely a fingertip dilated. She called the doctor back. . .two more hours of monitoring and then they were going to check me again. At this point, my contractions were literally off the charts and I was threatening to stretch Sean's genitiles over his head. . .especially when he was watching the monitors and would say, "That contraction was not so bad". SERIOUSLY??
At 6:00, Nurse Ratched checked me again and indicated that I had not made any progress, but I was bleeding a little bit which was not surprising (back to the whole fist coming out of my throat thing). She said two more hours of monitoring, and then another check. UGH!! Thank goodness they had shift change at 7:00 and I got a very sweet nurse named Abby. By this point, all the other patients that had been in "triage" had long since gone home, so I was the only patient. Abby was wonderful about getting me what I needed and making me as comfortable as possible on those slats of wood they try to pass off as beds.
At 8:00 it was time for another "check" and apparently my cervix WAS residing in my throat, because Abby could not get to it. . .so she was off to get the doctor who was running back and forth between a c-section and another delivery. If you are thinking that this sounds like a scene from Father of the Bride 2, you are exactly right! We finally saw Dr. Light at 9:00, she checked me very quickly and indicated that I was now to 2cm. YEA!! I figured that was great news and we could get admitted to Labor & Delivery (with real beds). . .but no! She decided to wait 2 more hours, pump 2 bags of IV fluids in me and check me again at 11:00. THEN, she and Sean proceed to start a conversation about what they are going to have for dinner since it appeared we were going to have a long night ahead of us!! SERIOUSELY?? Keep in mind that I had no eaten anything since 9:00 in the morning and I was STARVING. But of course, I was not allowed to have anything beyond ice chips. There are just some things that should not be discussed in front of a woman in labor, and food is one of them.
Dr. Light thought that the IV fluids might settle my contractions down in the case that I was hydrated, but they didn't. In fact, they started coming on even stronger and closer together. She checked me again at 11:00 and then got this "look" on her face which I have learned is never good. She said, "Well, this is not what I expected" and indicated that it felt like my cervix had started closing up. SERIOUSLY?? Another topic not to popular with a woman in labor!
By this point, we had been in triage for 7 hours (which I think may be a record). Dr. Light was not comfortable sending me home because my contractions were still coming very quickly. However, since I was not making progress, she could not admit me to Labor and Delivery. She decided at that point to go ahead and admit me to the hospital and start me on some medication for the pain and something to help me sleep.
By the time we got up to my room, it was after midnight and I have no idea how Sean and I were even still functioning at this point. They got me settled and I sent Sean home to get some rest. Once I got my cocktail of narcotics injected into my IV, I was LOVING life. I know I had a conversation with the nurse as she was injecting the meds, but for the life of me, I have no recollection of what the conversation was. It was like she was pouring a bottle of my favorite wine into me!
I think it was around 1:00 am when I passed out and did not feel anything until around 5:00. I waddled back and forth to the bathroom with my IV pole and had a few contractions, but nothing significant. I did get a wonderful breakfast tray of Jell-O and chicken broth. . .not exactly what you want at 8:00 in the morning when you haven't eaten in 24 hours! I saw the doctor around 8:30 and he said because the contractions had pretty much stopped, he was going to go ahead and send me home. We had a long discussion about what happened the night before. Basically, he indicated that if I had been 38 or 39 weeks, they would have broken my water and Cooper would have arrived. However, since I am only 34 weeks, the could not do anything to help my labor along. He said that we may be in to quite a few more nights like what we had just experienced until Cooper actually arrives or until my c-section, whatever comes first!
Sean came and picked me up and I was completely exhausted, sore, frustrated and HUNGRY. My sweet husband went through the drive-thru at Chick-fil-a and got me a chicken biscuit, and I don't think that I have ever inhaled food so fast. As soon as we got home, I fell into bed and stayed there until 4:30 this afternoon.
As things stand right now, the contractions have tapered off for the most part. We have an appointment at 10:30 tomorrow morning with my doctor who will be back from vacation (YEA) and will go from there. Until then, back to bed rest for me and trying to hang onto the tiny sliver of sanity that I have left.
Thank you for all of your sweet notes and continued prayers.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Cooper
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Home Sweet (but crazy) Home
I know. . .I know! I've been home for a week now and I have not blogged at all. My apologies and hopefully I will get better about this. After all, what else do I have to do. . .right?
I made it home last Wednesday and it was the best feeling in the world! Even though I am on strict bed rest, it's wonderful to be able to cuddle with my girls in bed and give them kisses anytime I want to! Physically, it's much harder than being in the hospital because there are so many temptations. . .I just want to get up and get things done. However, emotionally I don't think I could have made it another day in the hospital. I just needed to get home to my family.
The first night I was at home was a very restless one for ALL of us. Sean has to set the alarm for 2:00 every morning for me to take my medicine which doesn't bode well when we typically don't go to bed until 11:30 or 12:00 in the evening as it is. Between Cooper doing the River Dance on my bladder, the thunder storms early that morning and just the pure excitement of being home, I think I got about 3 hours of sleep.
Meghan woke up Thursday morning complaining of a headache, and we just chalked it up to not sleeping well. When she crawled into bed with me and fell asleep for two hours, we knew there was a problem. When she woke up, her temperature was over 101 degrees. . .ugh!! We called the pediatrician because with the anti-inflammatory medicine she is on for her arthritis, we weren't sure what we could give her for the fever. Our pediatrician steered us in the right direction and told us that if she was still running a fever on Friday to bring her in. She slept off and on most of the day Thursday and as much as Daddy was trying to keep some distance between us so she wouldn't get me sick, there is nothing like cuddle time when your baby is not feeling well.
Friday we woke up and Meghan was still running a very high fever, so Sean scooped her up and headed into the doctor's office. While he was there, we got a phone call from Sean's brother (in Colorado) informing us that he and his wife were in the hospital. Now, let me fill in the holes here on this story. Sean's brother Paul and his wife Kathy found out they were expecting around the same time we did. Kathy's due date is EXACTLY one week earlier than mine, but they also found out that they were having TWINS! About three months ago, they found out that one of the twins had not survived. However, for the safety of the surviving baby, Kathy was going to have to carry BOTH babies until she delivered. OK. . .so back to last Friday. Kathy had not felt Amelia move in about 12 hours, so Paul took her to the hospital. After blood work and monitoring, they determined that Amelia was in distress, so the doctor decided to do an emergency c-section to deliver both babies. Now keep in mind that Sean's mother, who lives in Colorado, is here with us because it looked like Cooper was going to be arriving early. Now we get this call that Amelia is arriving early, and Sean's mother is here in Texas. . .UGH!! I think I cried all day Friday because my heart was breaking for Paul and Kathy and because I felt so guilty that Sue could not be with them. It was a very bitter sweet day, but Amelia Susan Reynolds arrived safely into the world Friday morning weighing 4 pounds 11 ounces. She was immediately sent to NICU, but is doing great. She is now off all of the monitors, and now they are just trying to get the feeding process down.
Our pediatrician tested Meghan for strep, the flu and mono. . .all of which came back negative. However, she did see some puss pockets on her throat (sorry for the gross factor) and based on her blood work, it looked like what she had was bacterial, so she was put on a course of antibiotics. By Saturday, Meghan was feeling much better, I had stopped crying, and all seemed to be much better with the world.
My contractions for the most part have not been bad since I have been home. I have my good days and bad days. . .Sunday and Monday were both pretty bad days for me. But I learned a lot of "tricks" while I was in the hospital for keeping the contractions at bay. It's so funny now listening to Dr. Sean when the contractions start. He asks me (typically in this order) how far apart they are, what the intensity is on a scale of 1 to 10 and if it's time to go to the hospital. I think he must practice in his sleep!!
Yesterday I hit 33 weeks and my doctor is THRILLED that I have made it this far. Cooper is doing great and is weighing in at 6 pounds 4 ounces. I love it when we have a new doctor/technician that does my sonograms, because I get to watch the expression on their face when they calculate Cooper's weight. They typically look at the screen, look at me, and then look back at the screen again. Then, without them even having to ask me, I say, "Yes, my due date is right and yes, I know how big his head is". Based on all the measurements they took yesterday, Cooper is in the 86th percentile and I should actually be 37 or 38 weeks along. . .LOL!!
After the sonogram, we went for the appointment with my OB/GYN who informed us that because of his size, Cooper will be delivered via c-section. I was disappointed, but completely understand that it's what's best for both of us. Kaleigh was a c-section and Meghan was a VBAC (Google it if you are not sure what that is), and I was really hoping to have another VBAC, but the chance of my uterus rupturing is too great based on the pure enormity of this baby! One of my friends told me that instead of a VBAC, I will be having a CBAC. . .I thought that was pretty clever!
So. . .where does that leave us? I go off the medication that is stopping my contractions next Wednesday (34 weeks). I will stay on bed rest until 36 weeks and, if Cooper has not made his arrival yet, I imagine my c-section will be scheduled for sometime around 37 or 38 weeks (we'll probably be scheduling the date at my doctor's appointment next week).
Sean's dad comes into town this Saturday (I have LOTS of projects scheduled for him) and then he and Sean's mom will leave next Saturday (the 15th) to head home to Colorado. I am so thankful that Sean's mom has been here with us and she has been a HUGE help with running errands, entertaining the girls and getting me whatever I need. We continue to be blessed by all of our friends who are checking in on us, bringing us meals, and helping us out in any way possible. We are very lucky to have such a huge support system, and this little guy has no idea how much he is already loved!
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Super Chunk!
I made it home last Wednesday and it was the best feeling in the world! Even though I am on strict bed rest, it's wonderful to be able to cuddle with my girls in bed and give them kisses anytime I want to! Physically, it's much harder than being in the hospital because there are so many temptations. . .I just want to get up and get things done. However, emotionally I don't think I could have made it another day in the hospital. I just needed to get home to my family.
The first night I was at home was a very restless one for ALL of us. Sean has to set the alarm for 2:00 every morning for me to take my medicine which doesn't bode well when we typically don't go to bed until 11:30 or 12:00 in the evening as it is. Between Cooper doing the River Dance on my bladder, the thunder storms early that morning and just the pure excitement of being home, I think I got about 3 hours of sleep.
Meghan woke up Thursday morning complaining of a headache, and we just chalked it up to not sleeping well. When she crawled into bed with me and fell asleep for two hours, we knew there was a problem. When she woke up, her temperature was over 101 degrees. . .ugh!! We called the pediatrician because with the anti-inflammatory medicine she is on for her arthritis, we weren't sure what we could give her for the fever. Our pediatrician steered us in the right direction and told us that if she was still running a fever on Friday to bring her in. She slept off and on most of the day Thursday and as much as Daddy was trying to keep some distance between us so she wouldn't get me sick, there is nothing like cuddle time when your baby is not feeling well.
Friday we woke up and Meghan was still running a very high fever, so Sean scooped her up and headed into the doctor's office. While he was there, we got a phone call from Sean's brother (in Colorado) informing us that he and his wife were in the hospital. Now, let me fill in the holes here on this story. Sean's brother Paul and his wife Kathy found out they were expecting around the same time we did. Kathy's due date is EXACTLY one week earlier than mine, but they also found out that they were having TWINS! About three months ago, they found out that one of the twins had not survived. However, for the safety of the surviving baby, Kathy was going to have to carry BOTH babies until she delivered. OK. . .so back to last Friday. Kathy had not felt Amelia move in about 12 hours, so Paul took her to the hospital. After blood work and monitoring, they determined that Amelia was in distress, so the doctor decided to do an emergency c-section to deliver both babies. Now keep in mind that Sean's mother, who lives in Colorado, is here with us because it looked like Cooper was going to be arriving early. Now we get this call that Amelia is arriving early, and Sean's mother is here in Texas. . .UGH!! I think I cried all day Friday because my heart was breaking for Paul and Kathy and because I felt so guilty that Sue could not be with them. It was a very bitter sweet day, but Amelia Susan Reynolds arrived safely into the world Friday morning weighing 4 pounds 11 ounces. She was immediately sent to NICU, but is doing great. She is now off all of the monitors, and now they are just trying to get the feeding process down.
Our pediatrician tested Meghan for strep, the flu and mono. . .all of which came back negative. However, she did see some puss pockets on her throat (sorry for the gross factor) and based on her blood work, it looked like what she had was bacterial, so she was put on a course of antibiotics. By Saturday, Meghan was feeling much better, I had stopped crying, and all seemed to be much better with the world.
My contractions for the most part have not been bad since I have been home. I have my good days and bad days. . .Sunday and Monday were both pretty bad days for me. But I learned a lot of "tricks" while I was in the hospital for keeping the contractions at bay. It's so funny now listening to Dr. Sean when the contractions start. He asks me (typically in this order) how far apart they are, what the intensity is on a scale of 1 to 10 and if it's time to go to the hospital. I think he must practice in his sleep!!
Yesterday I hit 33 weeks and my doctor is THRILLED that I have made it this far. Cooper is doing great and is weighing in at 6 pounds 4 ounces. I love it when we have a new doctor/technician that does my sonograms, because I get to watch the expression on their face when they calculate Cooper's weight. They typically look at the screen, look at me, and then look back at the screen again. Then, without them even having to ask me, I say, "Yes, my due date is right and yes, I know how big his head is". Based on all the measurements they took yesterday, Cooper is in the 86th percentile and I should actually be 37 or 38 weeks along. . .LOL!!
After the sonogram, we went for the appointment with my OB/GYN who informed us that because of his size, Cooper will be delivered via c-section. I was disappointed, but completely understand that it's what's best for both of us. Kaleigh was a c-section and Meghan was a VBAC (Google it if you are not sure what that is), and I was really hoping to have another VBAC, but the chance of my uterus rupturing is too great based on the pure enormity of this baby! One of my friends told me that instead of a VBAC, I will be having a CBAC. . .I thought that was pretty clever!
So. . .where does that leave us? I go off the medication that is stopping my contractions next Wednesday (34 weeks). I will stay on bed rest until 36 weeks and, if Cooper has not made his arrival yet, I imagine my c-section will be scheduled for sometime around 37 or 38 weeks (we'll probably be scheduling the date at my doctor's appointment next week).
Sean's dad comes into town this Saturday (I have LOTS of projects scheduled for him) and then he and Sean's mom will leave next Saturday (the 15th) to head home to Colorado. I am so thankful that Sean's mom has been here with us and she has been a HUGE help with running errands, entertaining the girls and getting me whatever I need. We continue to be blessed by all of our friends who are checking in on us, bringing us meals, and helping us out in any way possible. We are very lucky to have such a huge support system, and this little guy has no idea how much he is already loved!
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Super Chunk!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
WOO HOO!!
God is good. . .all the time!! I had my weekly sonogram this morning, and we got some great news. My cervix has actually lengthened back out to 25mm, so it looks like I am going home!! I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am!
I got a HUGE lecture from my perinatologist. He wants me on bedrest until 36 weeks and I can basically go to the bathroom, take a shower and go to the sofa. Anything that has me on my feet for more than 3 to 5 minutes (other than a shower) is out of the question and once I get to a spot (like the sofa), I have to stay there for several hours. . .I can't be going back and forth. Those are definitely sacrifices I am willing to make in order to go home. My doctor is actually not here today, but my awesome nurse Lauren is going to try and get the doctor on call to release me today!
Cooper is doing so amazingly well and I just want to cry every time I see his precious little face. He had the hiccups this morning which was so cute and was trying his hardest to get his foot up to his face. He now weighs 5 pounds 7 ounces. . .and I still have 8 weeks to go!! I just laugh whenever the sono techs look at him and look at me because I know what is going through their minds. . .there is no way she is getting a 10 pound baby out of that body!!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We are so grateful for what everyone has done for us!
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
I got a HUGE lecture from my perinatologist. He wants me on bedrest until 36 weeks and I can basically go to the bathroom, take a shower and go to the sofa. Anything that has me on my feet for more than 3 to 5 minutes (other than a shower) is out of the question and once I get to a spot (like the sofa), I have to stay there for several hours. . .I can't be going back and forth. Those are definitely sacrifices I am willing to make in order to go home. My doctor is actually not here today, but my awesome nurse Lauren is going to try and get the doctor on call to release me today!
Cooper is doing so amazingly well and I just want to cry every time I see his precious little face. He had the hiccups this morning which was so cute and was trying his hardest to get his foot up to his face. He now weighs 5 pounds 7 ounces. . .and I still have 8 weeks to go!! I just laugh whenever the sono techs look at him and look at me because I know what is going through their minds. . .there is no way she is getting a 10 pound baby out of that body!!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We are so grateful for what everyone has done for us!
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Today marks two weeks since I was admitted to the hospital, and we are all still standing (well, except for me who doesn't get to stand too much). In one respect, it has seemed like an eternity. However, in another respect, it's hard to believe that I've been here for two weeks. It's amazing how staring at the same four walls 24 hours a day will mess with your mind!
Sean and the girls are doing well and I count the minutes every day until they come and see me. Kaleigh broke down for the first time last night when they had to leave which KILLED me. I think she's been holding it in, and last night she just hit her breaking point.
We received some news yesterday and we are remaining cautiously optimistic. My doctor is pleased with how my monitoring has gone the past few days. I'm still having pretty intense contractions, but they are spreading out which is good. He said that IF my sonogram tomorrow shows that there has not been significant change in my cervix and if my monitoring stays stable over the next few days, he will consider sending me home at the end of the week!! YEA!! I will still be on medication every six hours and strict bedrest at home (only able to go to the bathroom and take a shower), but I would MUCH rather be on bedrest at home so I can at least be with my family.
Sean's mom gets here this evening which we are SO excited about. She will be here for about two and a half weeks which will get me to week 34. At week 34, they will not stop my contractions and all bets are off. The fact that she is going to be here to take care of everything at our house may clench the deal for me to go home this week. I think my doctor will feel much more comfortable releasing me knowing that somebody is at home with me all the time.
We also find out tomorrow how big Cooper is. . .and we are expecting some big numbers. My belly has gotten significantly larger over the past two weeks (which my husband has no problem commenting on), and my doctor says it's all baby. We suspect that he is currently pushing 5 pounds with 8 more weeks to go! I'm pretty sure that a c-section is in my future if I make it remotely close to 40 weeks!
I saw the funniest thing the other day when I was looking on the internet for diaper bags that I just have to share. I was on a website and looking at their list of baby necessities. On their list. . .I kid you not. . .was a Baby Instruction Manual!! SERIOUSLY?? I had no idea they came with instruction manuals!! Apparently they sell for only $11.99!! That just made me crack up when I saw it!
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers. My sonogram will be between 8:00 and 9:00 tomorrow morning, so extra prayers during that time would be greatly appreciated.
Much love,
Laurie, Sean, Kaleigh, Meghan and Super Cooper
Sean and the girls are doing well and I count the minutes every day until they come and see me. Kaleigh broke down for the first time last night when they had to leave which KILLED me. I think she's been holding it in, and last night she just hit her breaking point.
We received some news yesterday and we are remaining cautiously optimistic. My doctor is pleased with how my monitoring has gone the past few days. I'm still having pretty intense contractions, but they are spreading out which is good. He said that IF my sonogram tomorrow shows that there has not been significant change in my cervix and if my monitoring stays stable over the next few days, he will consider sending me home at the end of the week!! YEA!! I will still be on medication every six hours and strict bedrest at home (only able to go to the bathroom and take a shower), but I would MUCH rather be on bedrest at home so I can at least be with my family.
Sean's mom gets here this evening which we are SO excited about. She will be here for about two and a half weeks which will get me to week 34. At week 34, they will not stop my contractions and all bets are off. The fact that she is going to be here to take care of everything at our house may clench the deal for me to go home this week. I think my doctor will feel much more comfortable releasing me knowing that somebody is at home with me all the time.
We also find out tomorrow how big Cooper is. . .and we are expecting some big numbers. My belly has gotten significantly larger over the past two weeks (which my husband has no problem commenting on), and my doctor says it's all baby. We suspect that he is currently pushing 5 pounds with 8 more weeks to go! I'm pretty sure that a c-section is in my future if I make it remotely close to 40 weeks!
I saw the funniest thing the other day when I was looking on the internet for diaper bags that I just have to share. I was on a website and looking at their list of baby necessities. On their list. . .I kid you not. . .was a Baby Instruction Manual!! SERIOUSLY?? I had no idea they came with instruction manuals!! Apparently they sell for only $11.99!! That just made me crack up when I saw it!
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers. My sonogram will be between 8:00 and 9:00 tomorrow morning, so extra prayers during that time would be greatly appreciated.
Much love,
Laurie, Sean, Kaleigh, Meghan and Super Cooper
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Today is a New Day
Thank you for all of your kind words, comments and emails after my last post. I greatly appreciate all of the wonderful friends that I have and everything you are all doing to take care of me and our family during this time.
Yesterday was a very quiet day and I had a lot of time to myself which is exactly what I needed. I had a chance to go through all of our mail (ugh) and watched Nights in Rodanthe (very disappointing. . .I didn't care for it at all). Sean and the girls came up here last night and we had a WONDERFUL time. We played cards, watched tv, and I got to hear all about the slumber party that Meghan went to on Friday night. For those few hours last night, I felt like myself again.
My monitoring actually went really well last night. I didn't have any contractions-we just couldn't keep Cooper still. He was very active and all over the place. As uncomfortable as it is when he does his water aerobics, it always makes me smile because I know that he's healthy and thriving.
We are counting the hours until Sean's mom gets here. She is going to provide us some much needed relief on so many levels. I told Sean that I was going to try and convince my doctor to send me home next week since Sue will be at our house and can keep a tight leash on me. Sean doesn't think it will work, but I've been known to pull off a few Academy award-winning performances!! Sean has already filled her in on the new Super Target, and I do have to admit that I am jealous that she will be able to go shopping there before I will!
I know that my house is a train wreck right now and normally that would make me come out of my skin knowing that we are having company, but I'm actually ok with it because I know that there is nothing I can do about it and that Sue will not even think twice about it. Those of you who know me well know what a HUGE step that is for me :-)
Today I am going to try and get some Saving Dinner work done, visit with Sean and my sweet babies and try to sneak a nap in all between medication and monitoring.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Yesterday was a very quiet day and I had a lot of time to myself which is exactly what I needed. I had a chance to go through all of our mail (ugh) and watched Nights in Rodanthe (very disappointing. . .I didn't care for it at all). Sean and the girls came up here last night and we had a WONDERFUL time. We played cards, watched tv, and I got to hear all about the slumber party that Meghan went to on Friday night. For those few hours last night, I felt like myself again.
My monitoring actually went really well last night. I didn't have any contractions-we just couldn't keep Cooper still. He was very active and all over the place. As uncomfortable as it is when he does his water aerobics, it always makes me smile because I know that he's healthy and thriving.
We are counting the hours until Sean's mom gets here. She is going to provide us some much needed relief on so many levels. I told Sean that I was going to try and convince my doctor to send me home next week since Sue will be at our house and can keep a tight leash on me. Sean doesn't think it will work, but I've been known to pull off a few Academy award-winning performances!! Sean has already filled her in on the new Super Target, and I do have to admit that I am jealous that she will be able to go shopping there before I will!
I know that my house is a train wreck right now and normally that would make me come out of my skin knowing that we are having company, but I'm actually ok with it because I know that there is nothing I can do about it and that Sue will not even think twice about it. Those of you who know me well know what a HUGE step that is for me :-)
Today I am going to try and get some Saving Dinner work done, visit with Sean and my sweet babies and try to sneak a nap in all between medication and monitoring.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, July 24th
My apologies for not updating for the past few days. It's been a rough week, to say the least. I think Sean and I both hit a wall this week. We were both really hoping for more optimistic news on Wednesday, and the thought of me being in the hospital much longer is taking its toll.
I was on the monitor for over an hour and a half this morning, and the contractions started coming 5 to 6 minutes apart and were very intense. I just wanted to cry. . . not because of the pain, but because I knew that put me one more day behind possibly going home. The nurse and I tried everything. . .emptying my bladder (sorry if that's TMI), getting me on my side, laying the bad completely flat, and nothing was working. She called my doctor to get the shot of Terbutaline ordered, but before she could give it to me, the contractions started settling down. I think Cooper hates that stuff as much as I do!
After talking to my doctor this evening, it's looking more and more like I will be here until 34 weeks. He said that I need 3 to 4 days straight without any contractions before he will feel comfortable sending me home. At 34 weeks, they will send me home and won't try to stop the contractions. He said that based on the rate that Cooper is gaining weight and my delivery preferences, my ideal delivery date would be at 37 weeks. Of course, now that he has said that, it won't happen!!
I have started to settling into what I have accepted as my "norm" for the next few weeks. My mornings seem to go by really fast. By the time I get up, have breakfast, get showered and have my morning monitoring (which seems to be lasting longer and longer) it's time for lunch. After lunch, I usually try to rest most of the afternoon. The last time I remember being this exhausted is when the girls were newborns. I was so tired yesterday that I just started to cry. . .I'm sure you mommies remember that feeling! The nurses have really started tightening the leash as far as visitors and phone calls which I understand is for my own good. They've unplugged my room phone and make me turn off my cell phone when I rest in the afternoon. They have not restricted my visitors yet, but I get "the look" from them whenever they come in and there is a lot of activity in here.
Sean is starting to settle into his new schedule as well, and I am really proud of him for how well he is handling everything. His mom is flying in Tuesday night, and I know she will provide some much needed stability at our house.
The girls are doing as well as can be expected. Meghan seems to be struggling the most (besides Max). She is very much a "Mommy's Girl" and just wants me to come home. I will more than likely be spending her 7th birthday in the hospital, and the thought of not being able to spend her special day with her just breaks my heart. If in fact I am still in here, I may have to see just how much we can bend the rules here so I can have as much time with her as possible on her special day.
Max has started eating and is actually sleeping in the bed now, so he is making progress. Sean said when he came home from the hospital the other day and I was not with him, Max cried for about an hour. I do miss ALL of my babies!!
Surprisingly enough, I am not as bored as I thought I would be. The nurses are in and out of here frequently with medication, monitoring and water. I am working on Saving Dinner menus and I have become addicted to the USA network. I also have lots of books and magazines that friends have brought by when my brain starts turning to mush from all the tv. One of my friends also gave me her Netflix login so that I can download movies to my computer. . it might be a good time for me to catch up on those "chic flicks" that I know Sean would not want to sit through.
The hardest part of all this is being away from home and not being with my family. The physical part of this. . .all the contractions and discomfort. . .I can handle. The emotional part of this is what's so hard.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Much love,
Laurie, Sean, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
I was on the monitor for over an hour and a half this morning, and the contractions started coming 5 to 6 minutes apart and were very intense. I just wanted to cry. . . not because of the pain, but because I knew that put me one more day behind possibly going home. The nurse and I tried everything. . .emptying my bladder (sorry if that's TMI), getting me on my side, laying the bad completely flat, and nothing was working. She called my doctor to get the shot of Terbutaline ordered, but before she could give it to me, the contractions started settling down. I think Cooper hates that stuff as much as I do!
After talking to my doctor this evening, it's looking more and more like I will be here until 34 weeks. He said that I need 3 to 4 days straight without any contractions before he will feel comfortable sending me home. At 34 weeks, they will send me home and won't try to stop the contractions. He said that based on the rate that Cooper is gaining weight and my delivery preferences, my ideal delivery date would be at 37 weeks. Of course, now that he has said that, it won't happen!!
I have started to settling into what I have accepted as my "norm" for the next few weeks. My mornings seem to go by really fast. By the time I get up, have breakfast, get showered and have my morning monitoring (which seems to be lasting longer and longer) it's time for lunch. After lunch, I usually try to rest most of the afternoon. The last time I remember being this exhausted is when the girls were newborns. I was so tired yesterday that I just started to cry. . .I'm sure you mommies remember that feeling! The nurses have really started tightening the leash as far as visitors and phone calls which I understand is for my own good. They've unplugged my room phone and make me turn off my cell phone when I rest in the afternoon. They have not restricted my visitors yet, but I get "the look" from them whenever they come in and there is a lot of activity in here.
Sean is starting to settle into his new schedule as well, and I am really proud of him for how well he is handling everything. His mom is flying in Tuesday night, and I know she will provide some much needed stability at our house.
The girls are doing as well as can be expected. Meghan seems to be struggling the most (besides Max). She is very much a "Mommy's Girl" and just wants me to come home. I will more than likely be spending her 7th birthday in the hospital, and the thought of not being able to spend her special day with her just breaks my heart. If in fact I am still in here, I may have to see just how much we can bend the rules here so I can have as much time with her as possible on her special day.
Max has started eating and is actually sleeping in the bed now, so he is making progress. Sean said when he came home from the hospital the other day and I was not with him, Max cried for about an hour. I do miss ALL of my babies!!
Surprisingly enough, I am not as bored as I thought I would be. The nurses are in and out of here frequently with medication, monitoring and water. I am working on Saving Dinner menus and I have become addicted to the USA network. I also have lots of books and magazines that friends have brought by when my brain starts turning to mush from all the tv. One of my friends also gave me her Netflix login so that I can download movies to my computer. . it might be a good time for me to catch up on those "chic flicks" that I know Sean would not want to sit through.
The hardest part of all this is being away from home and not being with my family. The physical part of this. . .all the contractions and discomfort. . .I can handle. The emotional part of this is what's so hard.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Much love,
Laurie, Sean, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
D Day Update
Well, apparently my cervix doesn't listen too well to my pep talks! I had my sonogram this morning, and my cervix has shortened from 19mm to 12mm in a week. The Perinatologist said that equates to about 50% to 70% effaced. Cooper is still doing great and we got to see those fat little cheeks of his. But they feel that it is still too risky to send me home at this point. He did say after 32 weeks they are not so much concerned about how much my cervix is shortening, but more about my symptoms (i.e. contractions). SOOOOO. . .it is possible that next week, even if my cervix continues to change, they may consider letting me go home if my contractions have stabilized. Until then, lots more of this wonderful hospital food (it's really not too bad) and re-runs of NCIS!
Love,
Laurie
Love,
Laurie
It's D Day!
Well, I guess it's actually "S" Day for sonogram day. I should hopefully be heading over for my sonogram within the next couple of hours to see how much "damage" I have done over the past week. I am trying to remain optimistic that things have not changed too much and that MAYBE my doctor will consider sending me home. Negative Nelly (that would be my husband) doesn't think there is any remote possibility of that happening, but I am remaining optimistic. I know he is just worried about getting me home and then having to turn around and bring me right back up to the hospital. . .but what would our lives be without some excitement!
Yesterday was my one week anniversary in the hospital. I enjoyed getting some rest and making use of some quiet time. My anniversary was complete with a beautiful plant from my friend Kelly and her girls and a HUGE piece of yummy chocolate cake that came with my lunch. I do have to say that one of my daily highlights is seeing what yummy dessert I am going to get with my meals. . .sad, I know.
The girls spent the day with our friend Amy, her husband Kevin and their daughter Anna. They had a BLAST swimming and playing and Meghan was very adamant about informing me that the turtle they were playing with in the pool was not a REAL turtle! I am glad that she reassured me, because I don't know if I would have been able to sleep otherwise. . .LOL! Today they are heading to Wacky Wednesday with Ms. Lezlie, going to play with Tyler and Parker at Ms. Courtney's and then will be heading back into town this evening with Ms. Teri. I don't know what we would do without our amazing friends helping us get through each day. I know for sure that the girls are having MUCH more fun right now than they would be if I were home and NOT pregnant. While I know they miss me, they having a blast and I think that's providing the distraction that they need right now.
Sean's mom should be here sometime around next Wednesday or Thursday. Unfortunately, my timing of landing myself in the hospital happened to coincide with Sean's parent's trip to bring his grandmother's ashes to Wisconsin. After they get back, she will be turning around and heading out here. Regardless if I am home or not. . .every son needs his mother (I don't think they ever outgrow that) and I know that Sean will feel a huge sense of relief when she is here.
That is the latest and greatest and I promise that as soon as we know something from the sonogram, I will let everyone know! Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Yesterday was my one week anniversary in the hospital. I enjoyed getting some rest and making use of some quiet time. My anniversary was complete with a beautiful plant from my friend Kelly and her girls and a HUGE piece of yummy chocolate cake that came with my lunch. I do have to say that one of my daily highlights is seeing what yummy dessert I am going to get with my meals. . .sad, I know.
The girls spent the day with our friend Amy, her husband Kevin and their daughter Anna. They had a BLAST swimming and playing and Meghan was very adamant about informing me that the turtle they were playing with in the pool was not a REAL turtle! I am glad that she reassured me, because I don't know if I would have been able to sleep otherwise. . .LOL! Today they are heading to Wacky Wednesday with Ms. Lezlie, going to play with Tyler and Parker at Ms. Courtney's and then will be heading back into town this evening with Ms. Teri. I don't know what we would do without our amazing friends helping us get through each day. I know for sure that the girls are having MUCH more fun right now than they would be if I were home and NOT pregnant. While I know they miss me, they having a blast and I think that's providing the distraction that they need right now.
Sean's mom should be here sometime around next Wednesday or Thursday. Unfortunately, my timing of landing myself in the hospital happened to coincide with Sean's parent's trip to bring his grandmother's ashes to Wisconsin. After they get back, she will be turning around and heading out here. Regardless if I am home or not. . .every son needs his mother (I don't think they ever outgrow that) and I know that Sean will feel a huge sense of relief when she is here.
That is the latest and greatest and I promise that as soon as we know something from the sonogram, I will let everyone know! Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday, July 20th
Whew. . .sorry this post is getting up much later than usual, but yesterday was a very busy day, and I am paying the price today!
I had some wonderful visits yesterday and I am so thankful to all of you who came by. My sweet neighbors came to visit, then my precious friends came and brought my baby shower to me in my hospital room (complete with AWESOME cupcakes). Next, my sister and nephews came by. . .that was fun. My youngest nephew, Drew, kept saying "I can't believe that big bump is a baby in your belly". I kept thinking to myself, "I'm glad it's a baby, or we'd have much bigger issues". All I can say is thank goodness I have Disney Channel in my room, or it may have gotten ugly. Finally, my sweet friend Jennifer came by (in tow with a Sonic Diet Coke with Lime). I cherished every second of my visits but after six hours straight, I was WIPED out!
Last night was a pretty quiet night and Cooper did pretty well. We fell asleep around 11:00 after our nightly love fest with Ambien and straight through the night. This morning's monitoring went pretty well. . .only about 4 contractions.
Sean had to go to a client site close to the hospital today, so he came by at lunch to see me. His timing was perfect. . .shortly after he got here, my doctor came by to review my monitoring strips from the weekend and visit with us. . .and he actually mentioned the "H" word. . .HOME! Right now, basically two things have to happen before he will even consider sending me home: 1) The result of my sonogram on Wednesday needs to be good and 2) I need to start having some consistent "good days". Right now, my contractions are too erratic and he is concerned that if he sends me home, I will end up right back in the hospital in a short amount of time. So, we are just looking to see what Wednesday will bring us, and then go from there. He also said that if I do get to go home, I will be on strict bed rest and he has to be confident that I will behave. I told him that I would behave, but I'm not sure if he was too convinced (he is a very smart man).
The girls are coming home this evening from Grandma's and they've had a wonderful time. They got pedicures and manicures, went shopping, and basically got spoiled rotten. . .but isn't that what grandma's are for?? I can't wait to see them tonight and apparently they've been working hard on lots of pictures to decorate my hospital room!
Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. I know that God has me, Cooper and the rest of our family tightly in His grasp.
Love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Cooper
I had some wonderful visits yesterday and I am so thankful to all of you who came by. My sweet neighbors came to visit, then my precious friends came and brought my baby shower to me in my hospital room (complete with AWESOME cupcakes). Next, my sister and nephews came by. . .that was fun. My youngest nephew, Drew, kept saying "I can't believe that big bump is a baby in your belly". I kept thinking to myself, "I'm glad it's a baby, or we'd have much bigger issues". All I can say is thank goodness I have Disney Channel in my room, or it may have gotten ugly. Finally, my sweet friend Jennifer came by (in tow with a Sonic Diet Coke with Lime). I cherished every second of my visits but after six hours straight, I was WIPED out!
Last night was a pretty quiet night and Cooper did pretty well. We fell asleep around 11:00 after our nightly love fest with Ambien and straight through the night. This morning's monitoring went pretty well. . .only about 4 contractions.
Sean had to go to a client site close to the hospital today, so he came by at lunch to see me. His timing was perfect. . .shortly after he got here, my doctor came by to review my monitoring strips from the weekend and visit with us. . .and he actually mentioned the "H" word. . .HOME! Right now, basically two things have to happen before he will even consider sending me home: 1) The result of my sonogram on Wednesday needs to be good and 2) I need to start having some consistent "good days". Right now, my contractions are too erratic and he is concerned that if he sends me home, I will end up right back in the hospital in a short amount of time. So, we are just looking to see what Wednesday will bring us, and then go from there. He also said that if I do get to go home, I will be on strict bed rest and he has to be confident that I will behave. I told him that I would behave, but I'm not sure if he was too convinced (he is a very smart man).
The girls are coming home this evening from Grandma's and they've had a wonderful time. They got pedicures and manicures, went shopping, and basically got spoiled rotten. . .but isn't that what grandma's are for?? I can't wait to see them tonight and apparently they've been working hard on lots of pictures to decorate my hospital room!
Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. I know that God has me, Cooper and the rest of our family tightly in His grasp.
Love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Cooper
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 19th
Yesterday was definitely full of excitement and surprises. I absolutely loved the time I got to spend with the girls before they headed off to Grandma's they brought me lunch and showed of their new shirts that Jennifer (their new surrogate mother) bought them. Kaleigh seems to be handling all of this pretty well, but Meghan is struggling a bit. She really wants me to come home.
Shortly after my lunch and wonderful family visit, I got an amazing surprise. Three of my sorority sisters who I have not seen in YEARS showed up to visit! I was in complete shock, and I am surprised that it did not send me into full labor. They brought me a TON of goodies including letters of well wishes from some of our other ADPi sisters across the country. I cannot even begin to put into words what the visit meant, and it just goes to prove that there are bonds that no span of time can break. Among all of the amazing items they brought were place mats, glasses, silverware and a flameless candle for my date night with Sean last night (more on that later). To all my ADPi sisters reading this, HUGE Violets and Pi Love from me. . .you are the best!
My sister arrived around 5:00 just in time for our late afternoon ritual of Cheez-Its (she goes and gets them from the vending machine every day) re-runs of NCIS and timing contractions! While she was here, they were coming about 7 minutes apart for a good 2-3 hours, but she had brought me brownies, so the contractions didn't seem to phase me much.
At about 8:00 is when things started really getting exciting. Sean called to tell me he was on his way with MEXICAN FOOD for our date night. . .YUMMY!! My nurse went ahead and put hooked me up for my nightly rendezvous with the monitor so that I could get that over with and enjoy my time with Sean. Well, Cooper had other ideas! When she got me all hooked up, the contractions started coming 2 to 3 minutes apart, and this as after my medicine had about an hour to start working. She contacted the doctor on call, and they decided to keep me on the monitor for another 2 hours with plans to move me down to Labor and Delivery if things got too bad. So much for our wonderful date night. When Sean got here with the food, I was pretty much horizontal with not a lot of room for movement. He ended up having to feed me chips and queso, enchiladas and I did attempt to eat my rice (which ended up in some very odd places). It was not romantic by any stretch of the imagination, but it was pretty funny and something I don't think we will ever forget! Cooper did finally settle down and at about 11:00, I got two Tylenol, two Ambien and Sean got the boot!
The nurses up here are absolutely wonderful and I am starting to really bond with some of them. My night nurse lastnight was amazing and despite the fact that our date night had turned out to be a bust, she tried to keep the evening light and entertaining for us so that we did not stress too much about what was going on. Come to find out, she lives in Sachse (Woodbridge) and we have some common acquaintances...very small world. Before I went to bed, she told me that she had put in a request to be my nurse during her shifts for as long as I am in the hospital, and that really made me smile. I know someday I will forget about all the contractions and being pumped full of meds, but I will never forget the wonderful people that have taken care of me and the relationships I have formed with them.
I am expecting some more special visitors this afternoon, so I am going to try and get a little bit of rest. Continued thanks and appreciation for all of the love and support we are getting from everyone.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Shortly after my lunch and wonderful family visit, I got an amazing surprise. Three of my sorority sisters who I have not seen in YEARS showed up to visit! I was in complete shock, and I am surprised that it did not send me into full labor. They brought me a TON of goodies including letters of well wishes from some of our other ADPi sisters across the country. I cannot even begin to put into words what the visit meant, and it just goes to prove that there are bonds that no span of time can break. Among all of the amazing items they brought were place mats, glasses, silverware and a flameless candle for my date night with Sean last night (more on that later). To all my ADPi sisters reading this, HUGE Violets and Pi Love from me. . .you are the best!
My sister arrived around 5:00 just in time for our late afternoon ritual of Cheez-Its (she goes and gets them from the vending machine every day) re-runs of NCIS and timing contractions! While she was here, they were coming about 7 minutes apart for a good 2-3 hours, but she had brought me brownies, so the contractions didn't seem to phase me much.
At about 8:00 is when things started really getting exciting. Sean called to tell me he was on his way with MEXICAN FOOD for our date night. . .YUMMY!! My nurse went ahead and put hooked me up for my nightly rendezvous with the monitor so that I could get that over with and enjoy my time with Sean. Well, Cooper had other ideas! When she got me all hooked up, the contractions started coming 2 to 3 minutes apart, and this as after my medicine had about an hour to start working. She contacted the doctor on call, and they decided to keep me on the monitor for another 2 hours with plans to move me down to Labor and Delivery if things got too bad. So much for our wonderful date night. When Sean got here with the food, I was pretty much horizontal with not a lot of room for movement. He ended up having to feed me chips and queso, enchiladas and I did attempt to eat my rice (which ended up in some very odd places). It was not romantic by any stretch of the imagination, but it was pretty funny and something I don't think we will ever forget! Cooper did finally settle down and at about 11:00, I got two Tylenol, two Ambien and Sean got the boot!
The nurses up here are absolutely wonderful and I am starting to really bond with some of them. My night nurse lastnight was amazing and despite the fact that our date night had turned out to be a bust, she tried to keep the evening light and entertaining for us so that we did not stress too much about what was going on. Come to find out, she lives in Sachse (Woodbridge) and we have some common acquaintances...very small world. Before I went to bed, she told me that she had put in a request to be my nurse during her shifts for as long as I am in the hospital, and that really made me smile. I know someday I will forget about all the contractions and being pumped full of meds, but I will never forget the wonderful people that have taken care of me and the relationships I have formed with them.
I am expecting some more special visitors this afternoon, so I am going to try and get a little bit of rest. Continued thanks and appreciation for all of the love and support we are getting from everyone.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Saturday, July 18th
Greetings from Hotel de. . .ugh!! Who am I kidding? This is nowhere close to a cute boutique hotel!
Yesterday was a fairly quiet day. My contractions were pretty much under control until last night. After getting my meds and getting on the monitor, they were coming a couple of minutes apart. The nurse then gave me the Ambien in hopes that it would settle things down. It not only spread my contractions out, but it spread me out as well!! I think she had to wake me up to take me off the monitor and I honestly have no recollection of how I got my pajamas on and got back into bed. I guess my body has finally reached the point of pure exhaustion where it's going to stop fighting and actually let me get some rest!
Cooper is getting quite the reputation up here as being a little stinker. I have to get monitored at least twice a day for contractions, and they monitor his heart rate during that time as well. By the time the nurse finds his heart rate and gets me hooked up (which is quite an event), he moves to a completely different location. They typically only need to monitor me for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, but by the time we go through the process of playing "hide and go seek" with Cooper, it ends up being about an hour and a half event! When I get a new nurse, the first thing she usually informs me before hooking me up is that she has already heard the stories about Cooper!! I have a feeling we are going to have our hands full with this little guy!
My doctor seems optimistic about how the change in my medication is helping with the contractions. However, I am getting a feeling that the chances of me leaving the hospital anytime soon are slim to none. . .and slim has not only left the building, but he is on a one-way flight to Tahiti with one of those little umbrella drinks!
I had a WONDERFUL visit with the girls last night. They both curled up in bed with me and I don't think I have ever enjoyed watching Hannah Montana so much! They filled me in on all the fun things they have been doing. They are both so anxious for me to get home, and I am not sure if they understand what a long haul we are in for which breaks my heart. They are getting spoiled rotten by all of our wonderful friends helping to take care of them, so they may quickly realize that this is not such a bad gig after all!
Sean and my step-mother are heading up here today with the girls to spend some time with me before the girls head off for a weekend of fun with Grandma. They already informed me that pedicures are going to be involved in the weekend festivities, and I can only imagine what else is in store. They will actually be there until Monday evening which will give Sean a break as single dad. Sean and I actually have a date night planned for tonight complete with our pick of a very select variety of in-room movies and dinner shared on the crisp white linens of my hospital bed! I'm actually really looking forward to it!
Thank you for all of you continued thoughts and prayers. We continue to feel so blessed by how much we are loved and cared for.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh Meghan and Baby Cooper
Yesterday was a fairly quiet day. My contractions were pretty much under control until last night. After getting my meds and getting on the monitor, they were coming a couple of minutes apart. The nurse then gave me the Ambien in hopes that it would settle things down. It not only spread my contractions out, but it spread me out as well!! I think she had to wake me up to take me off the monitor and I honestly have no recollection of how I got my pajamas on and got back into bed. I guess my body has finally reached the point of pure exhaustion where it's going to stop fighting and actually let me get some rest!
Cooper is getting quite the reputation up here as being a little stinker. I have to get monitored at least twice a day for contractions, and they monitor his heart rate during that time as well. By the time the nurse finds his heart rate and gets me hooked up (which is quite an event), he moves to a completely different location. They typically only need to monitor me for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, but by the time we go through the process of playing "hide and go seek" with Cooper, it ends up being about an hour and a half event! When I get a new nurse, the first thing she usually informs me before hooking me up is that she has already heard the stories about Cooper!! I have a feeling we are going to have our hands full with this little guy!
My doctor seems optimistic about how the change in my medication is helping with the contractions. However, I am getting a feeling that the chances of me leaving the hospital anytime soon are slim to none. . .and slim has not only left the building, but he is on a one-way flight to Tahiti with one of those little umbrella drinks!
I had a WONDERFUL visit with the girls last night. They both curled up in bed with me and I don't think I have ever enjoyed watching Hannah Montana so much! They filled me in on all the fun things they have been doing. They are both so anxious for me to get home, and I am not sure if they understand what a long haul we are in for which breaks my heart. They are getting spoiled rotten by all of our wonderful friends helping to take care of them, so they may quickly realize that this is not such a bad gig after all!
Sean and my step-mother are heading up here today with the girls to spend some time with me before the girls head off for a weekend of fun with Grandma. They already informed me that pedicures are going to be involved in the weekend festivities, and I can only imagine what else is in store. They will actually be there until Monday evening which will give Sean a break as single dad. Sean and I actually have a date night planned for tonight complete with our pick of a very select variety of in-room movies and dinner shared on the crisp white linens of my hospital bed! I'm actually really looking forward to it!
Thank you for all of you continued thoughts and prayers. We continue to feel so blessed by how much we are loved and cared for.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh Meghan and Baby Cooper
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday,, July 17th
Good morning from Hotel de Presbyterian (it sounds much better to me when I say it that way. . .almost like I am staying in a cute little boutique hotel instead of a hospital)! Cooper and I had a MUCH better night last night. My doctor has doubled the dose of my Procardia which seems to be helping. I am still taking it every six hours and the contractions seem to kick in about the last hour before I get my next dose. They are considering bumping it up to every 4 hours, but I guess we'll cross that bridge if we need to. Apparently the next step if the Procardia does not keep the contractions at bay is to hook me up to an IV to pump me full of fluids and narcotics. I definitely want to avoid that if at all possible!
I think I actually got about 6 hours of sleep last night. . .that's 3 times as much as I had gotten the night before, so I am VERY excited. The nurses have threatened to cut my visiting hours if I don't start resting more, so I am trying to be good. Apparently lack of sleep can contribute to the problems I am having. As I know a lot of you know, it's VERY hard to get any sleep in a hospital. I do get a dose of Ambien at night, but I think the dose is pretty low and my body just laughs at it. In addition, my room is right next to the nurse's station, so it is not the quietest place on the floor. The good news is that I get all of the updates on Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson as well as John and Kate Plus 8 without having to open a tabloid magazine!!
Speaking of my room, it has turned into a Diet Coke and chocolate wonderland! I had some very special visitors yesterday, and all of them walked in with an armful of goodies. . .THANK YOU! The nurses kept laughing when they walked into my room, but I think they were really trying to figure out how to get their hands on some of my goodies! I enjoyed all of my visits yesterday and it was wonderful to catch up with some friends that I had not seen in a while.
I had a very special visitor yesterday who I was VERY excited about. For those of you who attend Wylie UMC, Ben and Sandy Brown's daughter, Lauren, is a nurse in Labor and Delivery here. She came by my room yesterday to check on me and she is just as precious and funny as you would expect. We had a wonderful talk, she answered a lot of questions for me, and has become my guardian angel. Apparently she is rallying the troops to make sure I am very well taken care of while I am here and when I deliver Baby Cooper. In case Lauren is not on duty when I deliver (which I pray she is) she is taking care of hand-picking who my labor and delivery nurse will be. My dear friend Lorna told me how amazing Lauren is, and now I understand why!!
Sean seems to be hanging in there on the home front as best he can. He is burning the candle at both ends between trying to manage the girls, work from home and worrying about me. A huge THANK YOU for all of our amazing friends who have come to his rescue and helped with dinners taking care of the girls. Sean is A LOT like me in the respect that he has a hard time asking for help, so you will literally need to just tell him, "This is what I am going to do". (Sorry honey. . .I now you will be reading this, but you know it's true). I know that he greatly appreciates all of the outpouring of support and love that we are receiving. If you call either one of us and don't hear back from us for a while, PLEASE do not take it personally. We are receiving a ton of phone calls and messages and we are still trying to figure out this whole thing. Just know we love and appreciate all of you and we promise to let you know how you can help.
Meghan seems to be doing ok. She was experiencing some swelling and pain yesterday which is to be expected after receiving an injection in her ankle and then having it wrapped in a bandage for 24 hours. She started her anti-inflammatory prescription, so hopefully we should start seeing some improvements soon. It is SO hard for me to be stuck here and not able to take care of my baby, but I know that Daddy is doing an incredible job.
Our dog, on the other hand, is not doing quite so well. Max (our sweet beagle) is having a very hard time with me being gone. Apparently he is moping and watching the door waiting for me to get home. He lost his feline friend last week and I think that me mysteriously disappearing has sent him over the edge. Imagine what will happen when I return home with a little person. We may need to call The Dog Whisperer!
I think that is about all of the updated news I have. I am sure my doctor will be by soon, so if he has any earth shattering updates (other than how he spent his day off yesterday), I will be sure and update the blog.
Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers. We greatly appreciate all of the love and support that we are receiving.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
I think I actually got about 6 hours of sleep last night. . .that's 3 times as much as I had gotten the night before, so I am VERY excited. The nurses have threatened to cut my visiting hours if I don't start resting more, so I am trying to be good. Apparently lack of sleep can contribute to the problems I am having. As I know a lot of you know, it's VERY hard to get any sleep in a hospital. I do get a dose of Ambien at night, but I think the dose is pretty low and my body just laughs at it. In addition, my room is right next to the nurse's station, so it is not the quietest place on the floor. The good news is that I get all of the updates on Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson as well as John and Kate Plus 8 without having to open a tabloid magazine!!
Speaking of my room, it has turned into a Diet Coke and chocolate wonderland! I had some very special visitors yesterday, and all of them walked in with an armful of goodies. . .THANK YOU! The nurses kept laughing when they walked into my room, but I think they were really trying to figure out how to get their hands on some of my goodies! I enjoyed all of my visits yesterday and it was wonderful to catch up with some friends that I had not seen in a while.
I had a very special visitor yesterday who I was VERY excited about. For those of you who attend Wylie UMC, Ben and Sandy Brown's daughter, Lauren, is a nurse in Labor and Delivery here. She came by my room yesterday to check on me and she is just as precious and funny as you would expect. We had a wonderful talk, she answered a lot of questions for me, and has become my guardian angel. Apparently she is rallying the troops to make sure I am very well taken care of while I am here and when I deliver Baby Cooper. In case Lauren is not on duty when I deliver (which I pray she is) she is taking care of hand-picking who my labor and delivery nurse will be. My dear friend Lorna told me how amazing Lauren is, and now I understand why!!
Sean seems to be hanging in there on the home front as best he can. He is burning the candle at both ends between trying to manage the girls, work from home and worrying about me. A huge THANK YOU for all of our amazing friends who have come to his rescue and helped with dinners taking care of the girls. Sean is A LOT like me in the respect that he has a hard time asking for help, so you will literally need to just tell him, "This is what I am going to do". (Sorry honey. . .I now you will be reading this, but you know it's true). I know that he greatly appreciates all of the outpouring of support and love that we are receiving. If you call either one of us and don't hear back from us for a while, PLEASE do not take it personally. We are receiving a ton of phone calls and messages and we are still trying to figure out this whole thing. Just know we love and appreciate all of you and we promise to let you know how you can help.
Meghan seems to be doing ok. She was experiencing some swelling and pain yesterday which is to be expected after receiving an injection in her ankle and then having it wrapped in a bandage for 24 hours. She started her anti-inflammatory prescription, so hopefully we should start seeing some improvements soon. It is SO hard for me to be stuck here and not able to take care of my baby, but I know that Daddy is doing an incredible job.
Our dog, on the other hand, is not doing quite so well. Max (our sweet beagle) is having a very hard time with me being gone. Apparently he is moping and watching the door waiting for me to get home. He lost his feline friend last week and I think that me mysteriously disappearing has sent him over the edge. Imagine what will happen when I return home with a little person. We may need to call The Dog Whisperer!
I think that is about all of the updated news I have. I am sure my doctor will be by soon, so if he has any earth shattering updates (other than how he spent his day off yesterday), I will be sure and update the blog.
Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers. We greatly appreciate all of the love and support that we are receiving.
Much love,
Sean, Laurie, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Thursday Morning, July 16th
Greetings Friends and Family,
I decided to create this blog to keep you posted on everything going on with me, baby Cooper, and our entire family. It's been a roller coaster of a week, so I will do my best to get you caught up!
Over the weekend, I started experiencing some contractions and back pain. My contractions were not really regular, but Pappa Bear (aka Sean) finally put his foot down on Monday and made me call the doctor. We were sent to Labor and Delivery for observation. When we got there, my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. They gave me an injection of Terbutaline to stop the contractions and sent me for an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed Cooper was safe and sound and that nothing was going on with my cervix (nice and long at 48mm). I was sent home with an appointment with OB first thing Tuesday morning.
When I got to my doctor’s office Tuesday morning, I had already started contracting again. He sent me back down to Labor and Delivery, and my contractions were 3 to 4 minutes apart and growing in intensity. I got another shot of that wonderful Terbutaline (that stuff is absolutely horrible) and was admitted to the hospital. I continued to be monitored in my hospital room throughout the afternoon/evening they started administering Procardia orally (much better than the Terbutaline). My doctor scheduled and ultrasound for first thing Wednesday morning, and I seriously thought they were going to tell me that everything was still fine, and then send me home. Well, the news was not what we expected. In less than 48 hours, my cervix had shortened from 48mm to 19mm. . .NOT GOOD!! The wonderful news is that Cooper is amazingly healthy and is no immediate harm.
My OB and Perinatologist have now confined me to hospital bed rest for more than likely the next 4 weeks. I hit 30 weeks yesterday, and the goal is to get me to at least 34 weeks, but would ideally like to get me to 37 weeks. We are taking everything a day at a time, and my doctor has set some "mini goals" so that this does not seem so overwhelming. Iwill have another ultrasound next Wednesday to see if there have been any changes and I am getting steroid shots to help develop Cooper’s lungs. My doctor did do a Fetal Fibronectin test on Monday which is a test to predict preterm labor. The test result came back negative which is good. That basically means that there is a 98% chance that I will NOT deliver in the next two weeks, so we are hanging onto that hope right now.
We did have a rough night last night. I started contracting really bad at about 8:00 and it took the nurses about 3 hours and LOTS of meds to finally get the contractions under control. At one point, the contractions were coming so close together that I had resigned myself to the fact that Cooper was coming whether we were ready or not! He seems to be behaving right now, but Kaleigh has already nicknamed her brother “Troublemaker”!! LOL!!
As if that were not enough, we found out yesterday that Meghan (my youngest daughter) has been diagnosed with Juvenilte Idopathic Arthritis in her right ankle. She has been under the care of Scottish Rite hospital for the past two years with a lot of unanswered questions. Yesterday, Sean took her in for an appointment with the arthritic specialist, and they were able to diagnose her almost immediately. She got a steroid shot in her ankle and has to stay off of it for 24 hours (not easy at all for a very active 6 year-old). She starts on anti-inflammatory medication today which she will be on long-term. She will go back for her follow-up visit in November and then will start physical therapy to regain the range of motion in her foot. She will also be under the constant care of an ophthalmologist because one of the side effects of this juvenile arthritis is that it can cause problems with the eyes and eventually lead to blindness if not treated. We are extremely optimistic now that we have an answer and a course of action.
Needless to say, this has been a very stressful time for our family, but we continue to remain blessed with so many friends and family taking such good care of us. Sean has been my rock through this entire process and continues to take each piece of news in stride. My sister and step-mother have pretty much dropped everything in their lives to help us with the girls. I know that many of you have reached out and asked what you can do to help. First and foremost. . .we need lots of prayers. Not only for Cooper's safe and hopefully not-so-early arrival, but also for the rest of our family to survive such a tubulant time. Our dear friend Courtney has set up a care calendar with all of our needs (or at least those that we know of). You can access the calendar at:
http://www.carecalendar.org/logon/19415 and enter the following
information in the appropriate spaces:
CALENDAR ID : 19415
SECURITY CODE : 2222
When you log into the calendar, please scroll down on the left and read under “Latest News” tab. This is where Courtney will post any updates on our needs.
Some of you have also asked if you can come and visit me in the hospital. . .ABSOLUTELY!! I am at Presbyterian Dallas in Room 452 (Margot Perot North). I am not sleeping well (if at all) at night, so I do tend to nap during the day. However, if you come by (especially if you are armed with Diet Coke with lime and snacks. . .LOL), I will happily wake up to visit with you.
Thank you again for all of your love, thoughts and prayers.
Laurie, Sean, Kaleigh, Meghan and Baby Cooper
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