Life at the Hospital...

10 nights ago, on Sunday evening, my contractions wouldn't stop once again. After calling the doc and maxing out my Procardia (oral meds to stop contractions), they kept coming every 2-3 minutes. We headed to Labor and Delivery and I haven't been home since. Terbutaline shots helped for the first 2 nights, but after 2 phone calls during the night, my OB showed up at 5 am to check my cervix. It had shortened a little to 3.5 cm in length and dilated to 1 cm at my previous appointment and was holding steady at that. But at only 26 weeks with contractions every 2 minutes that terb wasn't touching, and with my history, he started me on magnesium sulfate.

Magnesium sulfate is an IV medication that effects the central nervous system and can be used to stop contractions. It weakens your muscles and makes it hard to get up all the time to use the bathroom, so I had to have a catheter put in. It also has other side effects for the mother so they have to keep an eye on me, but so far so good.

It worked and the contractions got under control, they did have to go up to 3 grams at one point as I was contracting right through 2, and at that dose I felt like I was going to melt into the bed. Thankfully, we've been holding steady at 2 now. I am able to handle these side effects much better...I'm sleepy, my eyes burn, I'm flushed and hot and have a general feeling of being out of it, but I can see straight as opposed to at the higher dose. It's hard to concentrate on things. It has weakened my muscles, but I have proven that I can get up to use the bathroom and take a 3 minute shower in a chair, so he let me get the catheter out yesterday! Yeah, that was driving me nuts.

Most importantly of all, the baby is doing well and I'm still pregnant! After consulting with my high risk OB, they have decided that the plan is to leave the meds right where they are for at least a few days, and then try to wean me off (which so far hadn't been successful). If I can't get off of it, I might be stuck here until 34 weeks. But whatever it takes.

The hardest part is I miss my boys. We have decided that they will just stay with their dad, who has been pretty accommodating through all of this...he even brings them up to visit me. That makes things a lot easier on Brett, who cannot possibly do it all right now...life goes on and he still has to work as well. This way the boys' life will be a little more structured without as much running around...and I will still get to see them several times a week.

This is not easy, but it sure beats the alternative. At 26 weeks, we were given a survival rate of 60-70% by one of the NICU doctors up here. Of those that survive, 60-70% will not have any long term complications. Now that we are past 27 weeks, we are at the 80% mark! We have several things in our favor as well...I got the steroid shots to mature the lungs, girls do better than boys when born early, and we are already in a hospital!

That about sums it up for now...keep checking back for updates. And thank you to everyone who has been praying for us. We strongly believe in the power of prayer and each and every one you send up there is much appreciated!