Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Belly Shot Chronicles - 36 weeks


I have talent. And, apparently I am not modest. This photo was made possible by me using the self-timer on the camera while I am laid up in the hospital. Little pat on the back for me. And, now you all get to "reap the benefits" of my talent by being able to view my burgeoning belly once again. Thrilled? I knew it!

36 weeks is a huge milestone according to the doctors and to the March of Dimes. That is great news for Finnley. She continues to be a trouper and have great reports on her heartrate and reactivity during monitoring. We can't really ask for more than that.

I am miserable. But, that is the price to be paid to bring our sweet miracle into this world...and it is a price that I am willing to pay. I will complain a bit about it. I will moan and groan. I will look bad. I will shower every other day. I will do all sorts of things that are less than appealing, less than attractive...and may come off as less than appreciative. Don't ever read these things the wrong way. I couldn't be more appreciative of the coming gift. It is still our dream come true. It is just being realized a little bit differently than we had imagined. Life has a way of doing that to you, though. So be it.

I was taken off of one of my tocolytics (anti-contraction meds) as of yesterday. That hasn't gone very well. I am still on one of the meds, but it is not enough to keep the contractions at bay. I started contracting every 5 minutes starting at 2:30pm. Those contractions lasted for hours, and the doctors just let them come for a long time. After being checked (a nice term for an "internal"), it showed that I was not having any cervical change. So, the doc decided to shoot me up with sub-Q brethine yet again. This was to stop the contractions so that I could actually get some sleep last night. The contractions had been coming every two to four minutes by the time I got the shot. It was actually a relief, and I did get "some" sleep. Better than nothing, and it was certainly better than enduring the discomfort and pain of the contractions.

I woke up having contractions again today, but they weren't too bad. They eventually moved up to the bad status a little after noon. After a couple of hours, I asked to be monitored. The contractions were coming strongly every 5 minutes...so the nurse called the doc who once again ordered more sub-Q injections of brethine. Did the trick, once again.

I am coming off of the second tocolytic after my 6am dose tomorrow morning. I am ASSUMING that they will no longer give me brethine injections to stop contractions at that point. I am also ASSUMING that they will let me just contract until cervical changes DO come. I will only know these things after seeing the doc on duty either tonight or tomorrow morning. Finnley could arrive anytime starting tomorrow...or it still could be in another few weeks. We have no way of knowing.

Patience is a virtue. One that I am practicing daily...minute by minute at this point. I should be a master by the time that our little girl does decide to join our family.

Come on Finnley...we can't wait for you to meet your talented and modest parents!