Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
NICU - Wednesday through Monday (22-27)
After a welcomed uneventful Wednesday night, we got our stuff and headed home. We needed some food, rest, and beep beep (Auburn) time. I was able to sleep some then we got a few things done around the house. I called the hospital around one for an update. His numbers still hadn't changed, they didn't need any new blood pressure meds, and they were even able to turn back the respirator a couple of notches which was great news. We took showers, went to the grocery store, then headed back to DC to see out little man. We decided to pack bags to keep on hand in case Mason's status changed quickly or we needed to stay overnight. So we bought a bunch of travel size bathroom stuff at the store to keep bagged up. Then we put some clothes in a bag that could stay in there. Some stuff like pillows and meds we have to bring in and out of the house but everything else could stay in the car. Hopefully we won't have to use it and come home every night but we are prepared just in case.
Thursday night Ryan, Shannon, and Mom came with us to the hospital. We got a nothing new update which was music to this mommy's ears. No changes meant no set backs and one day closer to bringing him home. We stayed for a bit to visit and then came back home. Ryan and Shannon had brought us cupcakes and everyone was excited to come back and taste test. Auburn was super excited to see us come back. She is still so confused and doesn't have a clue on what is going on.
As soon as we woke up Friday we called the hospital to get an update. Mason had a good night. Nothing changed! They were able to dial back the blood pressure meds and ventilator a couple of notches. We were very surprised to hear that already. Since he was doing well we hung at the house that morning and headed to see him around 3 that afternoon. I was suppose to have a blood pressure checkup in annapolis at the ob/gyn office but I cancelled it. The nurse called back and asked to get some readings from my home machine and call back with those numbers. Unfortunately they were not good. They ended up putting me back on my blood pressure meds. I kinda figured it would happen with all the stress and lack of sleep but I hoped it wouldn't. But I have to take care of myself so I can be there for Mason.
When we went to the hospital my mom and Doug's mom came with us. He was still doing well and the nurse on duty was amazing. She talked to me about all kinds of stuff and really helped put me at ease. She even let me change his diaper and take his temperature. They wanted to do another pick line (they had to take out the one in his belly button when he got to Children's ) so we headed out. It's a long, sterile process so we couldn't be in the room. For dinner we ate Five Guys. I think my aversion to ground beef is finally over! Unfortunately I was a mess while we were eating. It was hard to see everyone living their lives with no worries in the world. It was barely over a week ago that was us. Full of happiness and just about worry free. Now we are living minute by minute, holding our breaths, and praying our poor baby boy stays stable. I just cried and cried over my hamburger and the thought of how this nightmare was going to last for longer than I would want.
Our Friday night update was a good one. Another notch down on the blood pressure meds and the ventilator. He was good and stable and that makes mommy and daddy very happy!
A coworker who lives by our house contacted Doug and said she had money for our expenses to give us. People had been asking what they could do for us so we said money for gas, parking, and food would be much appreciated. Well, my work collected money and gave it to my coworker to give us. I have blogged before about how much I love my job and my coworkers but they just amazed me! I was so amazed at their generosity and support for us during this horrible time. Between the prayers, Facebook status shares (they were asking their friends to pray for us), and the money for expenses they have been more than what I could have ever imagined. I am so extremely thankful for working where I do and with the people I work with. Everything happens for a reason. I was suppose to work where I do and gotten pregnant now. It's crazy how it has all worked out!
Saturday mornings report was another good one. They were going down on everything (the oxygen, nitric oxide, sedation, blood pressure meds, and the ventilator) and his numbers were staying the same. He was reacting to a lot more (touch, light, sound, etc) which is not something they really want as one small thing could set him back but they were overall pleased with his status. My blood pressure was also down but I was still not feeling the best (headaches and shakey). I am sure it was from exhaustion. The sleeping pills may help me sleep but they don't help me relax. I refuse to take any of those kinds of pills. I don't want something to happen to Mason and me be knocked out. I can wake up from the sleeping pills but the others I cannot.
The afternoon visit was uneventful (yay!). Little guy just slept and was peaceful. His numbers stayed strong so we just enjoyed our time with him. I still am not use to alarms going off every second. Its relaxing and nerve racking at the same time. The nurse on duty was really nice (loved them all so far!). She gave us even more information on his status and what they were planning for him. If he continued to stay strong, they wanted him off the nitric oxide within a few days. Then they would continue to lower everything else.
Saturday night's update was much of the same. They lowered his oxygen, dopamine, and nitric levels and his numbers are holding strong. They didn't have much plans for the evening other than monitoring him.
Sunday mornings update was much of the same. They lowered his dopamine and nitric levels again. Waiting on rounds to figure out the plans for the day. We went to church (Severn Run) with Mom. I knew I would cry the entire time I was there but it helped me feel more peaceful. Mom really enjoyed the service. It is a very nontraditional church but it didn't even phase her Baptist soul. We went and had Applebee's for lunch to get out of the house a bit longer. It was a beautiful day and I would have much rather spent it walking with Mason in the strollers like every other mom and child in the neighborhood. Of course, I had to potty when we were there and I left my potty kit at home (too much info to share on a blog but mom's who had a natural delivery know what I am referring to). Doug had to ask the server for a kids cup for me to use in place of my water bottle. I bet they don't see that everyday. :)
Sunday afternoon's update was full of news. His nitric oxide level was at 3 1/2. The nurse said they would take him down to 3 at 6 pm and if he did good he would be off it completely within a day or so. The oxygen level was at 26% (21 is normal room level), his dopamine was down to 6, and his sedation was low enough to where he was starting to wake up. He had been moving around more and opening his eyes and his numbers were staying the same! They were even able to take out the cathader as he was peeing in his diaper. The nurse was very optimistic and thought they would be able to continue weaning him off the rest of his meds at a steady pace.
With the good news I went and laid down for the afternoon. Doug and I had decided we wanted to stay the night at the hospital. With mom heading home Tuesday we figured it might be one of the last chances we got since mom would not be here to watch Auburn for us.
Sunday night was more good news as is nitric oxide and sedation were lowered again. When we got to the room the nurse was giving him a bath. This was great to see! Usually they tried not to touch him bc he would get so worked up when you did. The bath meant his numbers were staying stable enough when touching him that they didn't have to worry about him so much when they did. I even got to put lotion on him! I was able to pull a chair up next to his bed and love on him. His little eyes would open some but with the sedation it was very brief and his eyes would roll back. It was going to be really hard to get some sleep when I was able to interact with him more than I had in what seemed like forever. Plus, the nurse was letting me help with his checkups every few hours. I got to change diapers, take his temperature, and help rotate him.
His blood pressure meds made it all the way down to 4 before morning (5 am). The nurse said 3 was almost like not being on anything. He kept getting irritated at the ventilator tubes since he was less sedated and trying to breathe on his own. He was fighting to get them out. He was also getting a lot of fluid in his lungs from the humidity in the oxygen. Between the two the nurse really hoped they would be able to take it out before the end of the day.
When we left around 8 am the nitric oxide was turned off and the blood pressure meds were on 3! Mason was doing so well and we hoped to come back that evening to find him off the dopamine and ventilator. Since we didn't get much sleep at the hospital we went home and got in the bed.
After our nap I called to get an update and the news was spectacular! He was off the ventilator, blood pressure meds, nitric oxide, and sedation! It was a prayer answered! The nurse said that when I came in that evening I would finally get to hold him. That was icing on the cake! They still had an oxygen tube in his nose to still get him the max amount of pure oxygen but they did that for precautionary reasons and didn't think he would need it for long. That evening when we visited I got to hold him for like two hours. My arms were exhausted but it was great! That night was the first time I left the hospital and didn't cry the whole way home.
Thursday night Ryan, Shannon, and Mom came with us to the hospital. We got a nothing new update which was music to this mommy's ears. No changes meant no set backs and one day closer to bringing him home. We stayed for a bit to visit and then came back home. Ryan and Shannon had brought us cupcakes and everyone was excited to come back and taste test. Auburn was super excited to see us come back. She is still so confused and doesn't have a clue on what is going on.
As soon as we woke up Friday we called the hospital to get an update. Mason had a good night. Nothing changed! They were able to dial back the blood pressure meds and ventilator a couple of notches. We were very surprised to hear that already. Since he was doing well we hung at the house that morning and headed to see him around 3 that afternoon. I was suppose to have a blood pressure checkup in annapolis at the ob/gyn office but I cancelled it. The nurse called back and asked to get some readings from my home machine and call back with those numbers. Unfortunately they were not good. They ended up putting me back on my blood pressure meds. I kinda figured it would happen with all the stress and lack of sleep but I hoped it wouldn't. But I have to take care of myself so I can be there for Mason.
When we went to the hospital my mom and Doug's mom came with us. He was still doing well and the nurse on duty was amazing. She talked to me about all kinds of stuff and really helped put me at ease. She even let me change his diaper and take his temperature. They wanted to do another pick line (they had to take out the one in his belly button when he got to Children's ) so we headed out. It's a long, sterile process so we couldn't be in the room. For dinner we ate Five Guys. I think my aversion to ground beef is finally over! Unfortunately I was a mess while we were eating. It was hard to see everyone living their lives with no worries in the world. It was barely over a week ago that was us. Full of happiness and just about worry free. Now we are living minute by minute, holding our breaths, and praying our poor baby boy stays stable. I just cried and cried over my hamburger and the thought of how this nightmare was going to last for longer than I would want.
Our Friday night update was a good one. Another notch down on the blood pressure meds and the ventilator. He was good and stable and that makes mommy and daddy very happy!
A coworker who lives by our house contacted Doug and said she had money for our expenses to give us. People had been asking what they could do for us so we said money for gas, parking, and food would be much appreciated. Well, my work collected money and gave it to my coworker to give us. I have blogged before about how much I love my job and my coworkers but they just amazed me! I was so amazed at their generosity and support for us during this horrible time. Between the prayers, Facebook status shares (they were asking their friends to pray for us), and the money for expenses they have been more than what I could have ever imagined. I am so extremely thankful for working where I do and with the people I work with. Everything happens for a reason. I was suppose to work where I do and gotten pregnant now. It's crazy how it has all worked out!
Saturday mornings report was another good one. They were going down on everything (the oxygen, nitric oxide, sedation, blood pressure meds, and the ventilator) and his numbers were staying the same. He was reacting to a lot more (touch, light, sound, etc) which is not something they really want as one small thing could set him back but they were overall pleased with his status. My blood pressure was also down but I was still not feeling the best (headaches and shakey). I am sure it was from exhaustion. The sleeping pills may help me sleep but they don't help me relax. I refuse to take any of those kinds of pills. I don't want something to happen to Mason and me be knocked out. I can wake up from the sleeping pills but the others I cannot.
The afternoon visit was uneventful (yay!). Little guy just slept and was peaceful. His numbers stayed strong so we just enjoyed our time with him. I still am not use to alarms going off every second. Its relaxing and nerve racking at the same time. The nurse on duty was really nice (loved them all so far!). She gave us even more information on his status and what they were planning for him. If he continued to stay strong, they wanted him off the nitric oxide within a few days. Then they would continue to lower everything else.
Saturday night's update was much of the same. They lowered his oxygen, dopamine, and nitric levels and his numbers are holding strong. They didn't have much plans for the evening other than monitoring him.
Sunday mornings update was much of the same. They lowered his dopamine and nitric levels again. Waiting on rounds to figure out the plans for the day. We went to church (Severn Run) with Mom. I knew I would cry the entire time I was there but it helped me feel more peaceful. Mom really enjoyed the service. It is a very nontraditional church but it didn't even phase her Baptist soul. We went and had Applebee's for lunch to get out of the house a bit longer. It was a beautiful day and I would have much rather spent it walking with Mason in the strollers like every other mom and child in the neighborhood. Of course, I had to potty when we were there and I left my potty kit at home (too much info to share on a blog but mom's who had a natural delivery know what I am referring to). Doug had to ask the server for a kids cup for me to use in place of my water bottle. I bet they don't see that everyday. :)
Sunday afternoon's update was full of news. His nitric oxide level was at 3 1/2. The nurse said they would take him down to 3 at 6 pm and if he did good he would be off it completely within a day or so. The oxygen level was at 26% (21 is normal room level), his dopamine was down to 6, and his sedation was low enough to where he was starting to wake up. He had been moving around more and opening his eyes and his numbers were staying the same! They were even able to take out the cathader as he was peeing in his diaper. The nurse was very optimistic and thought they would be able to continue weaning him off the rest of his meds at a steady pace.
With the good news I went and laid down for the afternoon. Doug and I had decided we wanted to stay the night at the hospital. With mom heading home Tuesday we figured it might be one of the last chances we got since mom would not be here to watch Auburn for us.
Sunday night was more good news as is nitric oxide and sedation were lowered again. When we got to the room the nurse was giving him a bath. This was great to see! Usually they tried not to touch him bc he would get so worked up when you did. The bath meant his numbers were staying stable enough when touching him that they didn't have to worry about him so much when they did. I even got to put lotion on him! I was able to pull a chair up next to his bed and love on him. His little eyes would open some but with the sedation it was very brief and his eyes would roll back. It was going to be really hard to get some sleep when I was able to interact with him more than I had in what seemed like forever. Plus, the nurse was letting me help with his checkups every few hours. I got to change diapers, take his temperature, and help rotate him.
His blood pressure meds made it all the way down to 4 before morning (5 am). The nurse said 3 was almost like not being on anything. He kept getting irritated at the ventilator tubes since he was less sedated and trying to breathe on his own. He was fighting to get them out. He was also getting a lot of fluid in his lungs from the humidity in the oxygen. Between the two the nurse really hoped they would be able to take it out before the end of the day.
When we left around 8 am the nitric oxide was turned off and the blood pressure meds were on 3! Mason was doing so well and we hoped to come back that evening to find him off the dopamine and ventilator. Since we didn't get much sleep at the hospital we went home and got in the bed.
After our nap I called to get an update and the news was spectacular! He was off the ventilator, blood pressure meds, nitric oxide, and sedation! It was a prayer answered! The nurse said that when I came in that evening I would finally get to hold him. That was icing on the cake! They still had an oxygen tube in his nose to still get him the max amount of pure oxygen but they did that for precautionary reasons and didn't think he would need it for long. That evening when we visited I got to hold him for like two hours. My arms were exhausted but it was great! That night was the first time I left the hospital and didn't cry the whole way home.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Can I Lay By Your Side
I think of little Mason every time I hear this song...
"Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight "
"Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight "
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Pictures
Friday - Geared up and ready for the main event. Little did I know we were still going to be there waiting two days later.
Happy parents!
Saturday - Exhausted and ready to officially be a Mommy
Doug sleeping on the floor so Mom could sleep on the couch.
Finally! Mason made his arrival!
Can't get this face and those beautiful eyes out of my head.
Daddy holding his son for the first time.
Beautiful baby boy!
Sunday night - first trip to the NICU
Monday - out of the NICU and milk drunk
The first and only outfit he has worn
Mason LOVES to be swaddled. The tighter the better. Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy have not mastered the art of swaddling yet.
Cards and gifts for Mason's Birthday
My box of choclates from Doug
Grandma holding her grandson for the first time.
Happy boy with a full belly.
Tuesday - 2nd trip to the NICU. Now with the oxygen hood over him.
Hard to see his face due to the moisture from the humidity the oxygen gave.
Loving as much as I could on my baby.
Wednesday - After they intubated him. He has on his cool sunglasses for when they did the light treatment for jaundice.
Loaded up in the medevac carrier, ready to head to DC
The medevac crew, Mason, and all the equipment.
Flying over us on his way to DC
Mason's new home at Children's hospital
On his new Nitric Oxide treatment and getting his light treatment for jaundice
Today - fighting hard to come home with Mommy and Daddy
Thursday, April 23, 2015
the turning point
Wednesday (April 22)
We walked into Mason's room Wednesday morning for feeding and status check up to find three nurses around his bed and alarms going off. Scared the shit out of me. They were just drawing blood to run tests and had him all riled up. Just not what I expected to see at all. Unfortunately during the night his blood oxygen levels went down and he lost a lot of color in his skin. This worried the doctors because he is in the oxygen hood. The air pockets on the lungs have not decreased either. So they are did an echocardiogram on his heart to see if the heart is causing the problem. The heart could not be pumping the blood sufficiently to the lungs.
They ended up having to put him on a ventilator to help him breathe. His heart and lungs were working too hard and they could not get him to calm down. The docs sedated him a bit to get the vent in and get more tests ran. They did more xrays of his chest to make sure the tube was in correctly and get another look at the air pockets.
Diagnoses is Persistent pulmonary hypertension aka persistent fetal circulation. Lungs think he is still inside my belly so the heart sends less oxygen to them. Pulmonary pressure needs to go down so oxygen can get to lungs. If dopamine doesn't work then we have to go to another hospital for nitric oxide treatment. His heart and lungs structurely look good.
Within a few hours Mason's blood oxygen levels decreased. The decision was made to transfer him to Children's hospital in DC so he could get the nitric oxide treatment. It was another breakdown moment for me. I just knew the dopamine was going to work and we wouldn't have to leave. I just couldn't understand why. Why my poor little baby boy was having to go through all this.
They transported him via helicopter. The medivac people had the nitric oxide hooked up as soon as they got there. Within minutes his blood oxygen levels were 100%! His color came back and he really looked so much better. Even though it was amazing news, I knew it could change in a heartbeat. Literally!
The new hospital was different but we were thankful to have a private room. It even has a beautiful view of downtown DC. They had Mason set up in no time and the nurse barely left his side all night. They had to redo some of his iv lines but he was good for the most part. They had him on a cocktail of meds and heavily sedated to keep him from pulling his tubes and trying to breathe on his own. The new doctor talked to us and warned us this could still be a long, difficult road before we were out of the woods. Mason had a stable night so I was able to get some sleep.
When we got to Children's on Wednesday night I was finally able to start pumping. I was exhausted but my boobs were screaming they needed some relief. I am going to do my best to stick with the every 2-3 hour schedule but I guess Mason's status will dictate that.
5 day 4 night stay at hotel AAMC
I tried to nap before heading to the hospital at 12:15 am but my jaw was hurting from grinding my teeth the night before and i was too anxious. Doug and Mom were able to get a few hours but I laid there wide awake. Lots of anticipation for what was going to happen. Was it going to be quick or long? Smooth or complicated? Painful or pain free?
It was raining as we drove to the hospital. The roads were about empty. I told Doug it was odd being out that late and not having a bar involved with our route.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find where to park or where to go one we got there. The lady in newborn class gave bad directions. Not only was the garage name wrong but she completely left off how to get from the garage to the delivery rooms. Being a medical complex there are lots of buildings, garages, and floors. I had to call and get directions. I probably sounded like the most unplanned mom but it wasn't my fault.
My first nurse is an Alabama grad and fan. She got me checked in, in my room, iv'ed up, and the induction process started.
As always the iv sucked. I am not a fan of needles but she was good and got me on the first try. I did do "robot arm" the entire time it was in so I have a very sore arm from babying it for so many days. It hurt and made me lightheaded so I chose to not move it. Sounds reasonable to me. The only time it didn't bother me was during labor. Not sure why... :)
They started the induction medication around 1 am. I got a little crampy but nothing like I was suppose to. By noon the next day there was still no change. Not dilating enough but I was having contractions. However they were not painful.
I was very hungry and not allowed to eat. If i knew i was not going to be able to eat for a very long time i would have spent my last hours at home waiting everything in sight instead of trying to sleep! I hate jello and it was my only solid food option. My others were pop cicles, chicken broth, ice/water, or anything I could think of that was clear liquid (which was nothing ). I kept getting ticked at Doug for eating snacks in the room in front of me. Mom kept offering me food over and over, forgetting I couldn't have anything. It was mild torture.
My jaw was still bothering me from grinding my teeth. We didn't have an ice pack so we improvised... we put ice in a surgical glove then wrapped it in a napkin. It did the job and we used the technique the entire time we were there.
After a long day (Friday), the doctors took me off the induction drugs around 530. They gave me 3 options
C section now
Retry meds tomorrow then c section if it doesn't work.
Come back Monday night and start all over.
We went with option 2. Three was not an option and I was still trying to avoid the first.
I was put on meds for high blood pressure. I think between the anxiety and stress on my body the numbers started increasing. I was being checked every few hours and they never got better so the doctors started the meds to help prevent the numbers getting higher. During labor they just kept the cuff on me and checked in between contractions.
Since we stopped the meds I got to eat dinner so Doug went and got me Japanese . I got out of bed for a few and walked around the room. I tried to relax but it was hard too knowing we had to start all over in the morning.
I got some sleep that evening then the docs came in and gave me some gel to soften my cervix around midnight. Around 5 Saturday morning we started the second round of induction drugs. I was already contracting on my own around 330 and they were more painful than yesterday. So we already has promising progress.
The weather was beautiful outside. Sunny with highs in the 80's. And I was stuck inside, in a bed, with no window looking out. Maybe it was a good thing. The window would have been torture.
At 930 am the docs stopped my meds again bc they were not working. They let me eat some breakfast and then tried one other med at noon. This one was a pill inserted by my cervix that, when disolved, would soften my cervix, help it get in the right position, and make me dilate.
It was really sad when the cleaning lady came in to clean the room and was surprised to see us still in there. I guess no one gave her the difficult cervix in room 110 memo...
Thankfully I had dilated to 3 cm by 4 pm so they gave me more of the new meds to help keep things progressing. The doc was finally able to break my water around 7 pm. It was messy. I am so glad it happened at the hospital. Even the doc was surprised with the amount of water. She had to change me, the sheets and her clothes. Not something I wanted to happen on the couch or bed, at work, or out in public!
I did good until about 10 pm Saturday night. The contractions became more than I could handle and we called for the epidural. The pain and the epidural process was not fun. I was a mess. I was shaking violently and about passed out, part from pain and part from nerves. A needle in your spine is scary! The doctor was very patient with me and very slow. She warned me of everything that was about to happen and checked to make 100% sure i was feeling the right things. Doug did great staying strong for me and getting me through it. They also put a cathader in me since I could no longer feel the need to pee. Thankfully that was done AFTER the meds kicked in. :)
The lady next door had her third child naturally so we got to hear that. She was over and done with before we knew it. I was jealous of her quickness but not of the pain she went through. People are crazy! Take the drugs! Not worth putting your body through that amount of pain!
Around 6 am Sunday I got an internal baby heart rate monitor and contraction monitor. Since I was numb it was no big deal. The epidural meds made me itch like crazy so I was thrilled to get the monitor straps off my itchy belly. At this point we were still trying methods to go naturally versus c section. However, c section was starting to look like the final option.
I started feeling pain again on my right side around my pelvic area around 8 am. I flipped over and pushed the epidural button. Thanfully the meds disbursed to the right spots and i began to feel a lot better.
I was dilated to 8 cm by 10 am and Mason was dropping. They were pleasantly surprised at how far I had come. It was all happening so quickly now. I started pushing around noon and went for two hours. After that I was exhausted and he wasn't coming. I asked what my options were to help get him out and the offered the vacuum. It came with its risks but it was the best option for the point we were at. Once the decision was made the atmosphere in the room changed. It went from Doug holding one leg, nurse holding the other, and doc in the middle to a room of people. I think there were like 10 before it was all said and done. All little worker bees with a specific job to do and on a very tight time schedule.
Even with that help it was still a painful, long process (like 10 minutes). He was just to big for me. The epidural clicker was not working for some reason so i felt a good bit of pain and discomfort. I even had Doug trying to get it working and we got nothing to come out. I ripped quite a bit but he eventually came out. It was another process that tramatized me for life. I remember screaming, "Please Mason! Come out!" There were lots of tears shed. Doug did amazing up until this point. My pain and the sight of what was happening was almost too much for him. Thankfully he hung in there next to me and got me through it.
Mason took his first breath a little early so he got a lot of fluid in his lungs and airways. His color was good and he was crying but they couldn't get him to stop gurgling. After suctioning and patting him they couldn't get anymore out. So they took him to the nicu for monitoring. Thankfully I was able to hold him for a bit before they did.
Shortly after they took him I was taken to my post pardum room. Doug went and got Red Hot and Blue BBQ for dinner and Ryan and Shannon came by to see us. I was tired but still had pain meds flowing through my body. I probably over did it a bit because I could not feel the stress my body just went through. We took a trip up to NICU to see Mason and get an update on his status. All the docs were surprised how well I was doing.
The docs confirmed Mason had fluid in lungs and small patch of air outside one lung. Docs saw nothing alarming just wanted to keep an eye on his breathing since it was so much faster than normal due to fluid. It reminded me of the zombies in I Am Legend when Will Smith's character gave them the possible cures. Their chest would pound rapidly before they stopped breathing. Unfortunately the only treatment is for him to cough it up. His nurse was a UAB graduate so we know we left him in good hands!
Mason got out of NICU around midnight and they brought him to our room. We had lots of visitors overnight so we were still sleep deprived. His breathing was much better. That morning he passed the hearing test. The Pediatrician came by and did Mason's first checkup. He was pleased with his health but told the nurses to call him if his breathing started getting fast again. I was very happy the doctor I preferred to be his primary doctor was on rounds and he was the first to see him. The doctor is from Wisconsin so we figured he was the one to go with.
What we learned about Mason so far:
Loves to be swaddled.
Doesn't cry until you unswaddle
Doesn't cry when he has a messy diaper
Sleeps fairly well.
Not a big crier. More of a sound maker due to fluid in the lungs.
He would much rather sleep than eat.
Loves to eat a little and spit up a lot. He soaked his 2 swaddle blankets, shirt, hat, and bed sheets! Nurses suggested holding him upright for 20 mins after eating to help keep the formula down. They figured it was due to the fluid in his lungs.
Doug got me a box of chocolates as my treat for getting Mason back. It was wrapped in a beautiful Mom packaging.
Hospital food wasn't bad. I had:
Pancakes and bacon
Turkey sandwich and salad
Pizza and salad, chocolate ice cream for dessert
We had more visitors throughout the day on Monday. We literally had someone come in every other hour. I barely got to take a shower. Which was amazing but wore me out. The lactation specialist came to see me and I got the run down on what to do.
NICU came back and got Mason around 6. The nurse didn't like his breathing so they called the Pediatrician who suggested getting another look at his lungs. X-ray showed the air pocket was a bit bigger and causing the lung to collapse. That was causing the heavy breathing. They put him in a 100% oxygen bed and on some antibiotics. This should help the lung absorb the pocket if air. The docs planned to do another x-ray in 12 hours but they wanted to keep him for at least 48 to get a good dose of antibiotics in him.
There were really bad storms all night. After our nicu visit Doug took me to get a yummy Starbucks smoothie to help cheer me up. It helped some but I was still quite sad. I requested a cocktail of pain meds and sleeping pill to help give me a good nights sleep. It did the trick. I probably wouldn't have slept a wink if it wasn't for that.
I woke up on Tuesday, had breakfast, then started packing. We made it to the NICU by 10 for rounds. The X-ray showed the air pocket was smaller and his respiratory rate was lower. Still not sure how long he had to stay but he was looking much better. They were concerned about him being jaundice since his first night in the NICU but now they were pretty sure he was going to need some light treatment. They had not scheduled anything yet, focusing on his oxygen levels first.
It was very hard leaving the hospital without him. A car parked next to us out front had their baby. It made me cry seeing mom in the backseat next to baby when I was getting in the front. Auburn was super excited to see me. I just sat on the curb and let her give me thousands of kisses. She went nuts! It was so great seeing her. I missed her so so much! She responded very well to the smell of Mason (brought home blankets and clothes he had worn). She acted excited when she smelled it and never once acted like it was a toy to rip up or bite.
We got some lunch and unpacked a few things. I got upset again about being home without him. I went and laid down to try and rest. Auburn and Doug came up and napped with me. NICU called shortly after we dozed off and said they were letting Mason eat. So we got ready and went to the hospital for his 6 pm feeding. They let him out from the oxygen for 10 minutes so we were able to hold him while we fed him. It was hard driving back home without him
I can't get the picture of him almost smiling, looking up at me with those beautiful baby boy eyes.. I know it's for the best but still breaks my heart every time.
It was raining as we drove to the hospital. The roads were about empty. I told Doug it was odd being out that late and not having a bar involved with our route.
Unfortunately, we couldn't find where to park or where to go one we got there. The lady in newborn class gave bad directions. Not only was the garage name wrong but she completely left off how to get from the garage to the delivery rooms. Being a medical complex there are lots of buildings, garages, and floors. I had to call and get directions. I probably sounded like the most unplanned mom but it wasn't my fault.
My first nurse is an Alabama grad and fan. She got me checked in, in my room, iv'ed up, and the induction process started.
As always the iv sucked. I am not a fan of needles but she was good and got me on the first try. I did do "robot arm" the entire time it was in so I have a very sore arm from babying it for so many days. It hurt and made me lightheaded so I chose to not move it. Sounds reasonable to me. The only time it didn't bother me was during labor. Not sure why... :)
They started the induction medication around 1 am. I got a little crampy but nothing like I was suppose to. By noon the next day there was still no change. Not dilating enough but I was having contractions. However they were not painful.
I was very hungry and not allowed to eat. If i knew i was not going to be able to eat for a very long time i would have spent my last hours at home waiting everything in sight instead of trying to sleep! I hate jello and it was my only solid food option. My others were pop cicles, chicken broth, ice/water, or anything I could think of that was clear liquid (which was nothing ). I kept getting ticked at Doug for eating snacks in the room in front of me. Mom kept offering me food over and over, forgetting I couldn't have anything. It was mild torture.
My jaw was still bothering me from grinding my teeth. We didn't have an ice pack so we improvised... we put ice in a surgical glove then wrapped it in a napkin. It did the job and we used the technique the entire time we were there.
After a long day (Friday), the doctors took me off the induction drugs around 530. They gave me 3 options
C section now
Retry meds tomorrow then c section if it doesn't work.
Come back Monday night and start all over.
We went with option 2. Three was not an option and I was still trying to avoid the first.
I was put on meds for high blood pressure. I think between the anxiety and stress on my body the numbers started increasing. I was being checked every few hours and they never got better so the doctors started the meds to help prevent the numbers getting higher. During labor they just kept the cuff on me and checked in between contractions.
Since we stopped the meds I got to eat dinner so Doug went and got me Japanese . I got out of bed for a few and walked around the room. I tried to relax but it was hard too knowing we had to start all over in the morning.
I got some sleep that evening then the docs came in and gave me some gel to soften my cervix around midnight. Around 5 Saturday morning we started the second round of induction drugs. I was already contracting on my own around 330 and they were more painful than yesterday. So we already has promising progress.
The weather was beautiful outside. Sunny with highs in the 80's. And I was stuck inside, in a bed, with no window looking out. Maybe it was a good thing. The window would have been torture.
At 930 am the docs stopped my meds again bc they were not working. They let me eat some breakfast and then tried one other med at noon. This one was a pill inserted by my cervix that, when disolved, would soften my cervix, help it get in the right position, and make me dilate.
It was really sad when the cleaning lady came in to clean the room and was surprised to see us still in there. I guess no one gave her the difficult cervix in room 110 memo...
Thankfully I had dilated to 3 cm by 4 pm so they gave me more of the new meds to help keep things progressing. The doc was finally able to break my water around 7 pm. It was messy. I am so glad it happened at the hospital. Even the doc was surprised with the amount of water. She had to change me, the sheets and her clothes. Not something I wanted to happen on the couch or bed, at work, or out in public!
I did good until about 10 pm Saturday night. The contractions became more than I could handle and we called for the epidural. The pain and the epidural process was not fun. I was a mess. I was shaking violently and about passed out, part from pain and part from nerves. A needle in your spine is scary! The doctor was very patient with me and very slow. She warned me of everything that was about to happen and checked to make 100% sure i was feeling the right things. Doug did great staying strong for me and getting me through it. They also put a cathader in me since I could no longer feel the need to pee. Thankfully that was done AFTER the meds kicked in. :)
The lady next door had her third child naturally so we got to hear that. She was over and done with before we knew it. I was jealous of her quickness but not of the pain she went through. People are crazy! Take the drugs! Not worth putting your body through that amount of pain!
Around 6 am Sunday I got an internal baby heart rate monitor and contraction monitor. Since I was numb it was no big deal. The epidural meds made me itch like crazy so I was thrilled to get the monitor straps off my itchy belly. At this point we were still trying methods to go naturally versus c section. However, c section was starting to look like the final option.
I started feeling pain again on my right side around my pelvic area around 8 am. I flipped over and pushed the epidural button. Thanfully the meds disbursed to the right spots and i began to feel a lot better.
I was dilated to 8 cm by 10 am and Mason was dropping. They were pleasantly surprised at how far I had come. It was all happening so quickly now. I started pushing around noon and went for two hours. After that I was exhausted and he wasn't coming. I asked what my options were to help get him out and the offered the vacuum. It came with its risks but it was the best option for the point we were at. Once the decision was made the atmosphere in the room changed. It went from Doug holding one leg, nurse holding the other, and doc in the middle to a room of people. I think there were like 10 before it was all said and done. All little worker bees with a specific job to do and on a very tight time schedule.
Even with that help it was still a painful, long process (like 10 minutes). He was just to big for me. The epidural clicker was not working for some reason so i felt a good bit of pain and discomfort. I even had Doug trying to get it working and we got nothing to come out. I ripped quite a bit but he eventually came out. It was another process that tramatized me for life. I remember screaming, "Please Mason! Come out!" There were lots of tears shed. Doug did amazing up until this point. My pain and the sight of what was happening was almost too much for him. Thankfully he hung in there next to me and got me through it.
Mason took his first breath a little early so he got a lot of fluid in his lungs and airways. His color was good and he was crying but they couldn't get him to stop gurgling. After suctioning and patting him they couldn't get anymore out. So they took him to the nicu for monitoring. Thankfully I was able to hold him for a bit before they did.
Shortly after they took him I was taken to my post pardum room. Doug went and got Red Hot and Blue BBQ for dinner and Ryan and Shannon came by to see us. I was tired but still had pain meds flowing through my body. I probably over did it a bit because I could not feel the stress my body just went through. We took a trip up to NICU to see Mason and get an update on his status. All the docs were surprised how well I was doing.
The docs confirmed Mason had fluid in lungs and small patch of air outside one lung. Docs saw nothing alarming just wanted to keep an eye on his breathing since it was so much faster than normal due to fluid. It reminded me of the zombies in I Am Legend when Will Smith's character gave them the possible cures. Their chest would pound rapidly before they stopped breathing. Unfortunately the only treatment is for him to cough it up. His nurse was a UAB graduate so we know we left him in good hands!
Mason got out of NICU around midnight and they brought him to our room. We had lots of visitors overnight so we were still sleep deprived. His breathing was much better. That morning he passed the hearing test. The Pediatrician came by and did Mason's first checkup. He was pleased with his health but told the nurses to call him if his breathing started getting fast again. I was very happy the doctor I preferred to be his primary doctor was on rounds and he was the first to see him. The doctor is from Wisconsin so we figured he was the one to go with.
What we learned about Mason so far:
Loves to be swaddled.
Doesn't cry until you unswaddle
Doesn't cry when he has a messy diaper
Sleeps fairly well.
Not a big crier. More of a sound maker due to fluid in the lungs.
He would much rather sleep than eat.
Loves to eat a little and spit up a lot. He soaked his 2 swaddle blankets, shirt, hat, and bed sheets! Nurses suggested holding him upright for 20 mins after eating to help keep the formula down. They figured it was due to the fluid in his lungs.
Doug got me a box of chocolates as my treat for getting Mason back. It was wrapped in a beautiful Mom packaging.
Hospital food wasn't bad. I had:
Pancakes and bacon
Turkey sandwich and salad
Pizza and salad, chocolate ice cream for dessert
We had more visitors throughout the day on Monday. We literally had someone come in every other hour. I barely got to take a shower. Which was amazing but wore me out. The lactation specialist came to see me and I got the run down on what to do.
NICU came back and got Mason around 6. The nurse didn't like his breathing so they called the Pediatrician who suggested getting another look at his lungs. X-ray showed the air pocket was a bit bigger and causing the lung to collapse. That was causing the heavy breathing. They put him in a 100% oxygen bed and on some antibiotics. This should help the lung absorb the pocket if air. The docs planned to do another x-ray in 12 hours but they wanted to keep him for at least 48 to get a good dose of antibiotics in him.
There were really bad storms all night. After our nicu visit Doug took me to get a yummy Starbucks smoothie to help cheer me up. It helped some but I was still quite sad. I requested a cocktail of pain meds and sleeping pill to help give me a good nights sleep. It did the trick. I probably wouldn't have slept a wink if it wasn't for that.
I woke up on Tuesday, had breakfast, then started packing. We made it to the NICU by 10 for rounds. The X-ray showed the air pocket was smaller and his respiratory rate was lower. Still not sure how long he had to stay but he was looking much better. They were concerned about him being jaundice since his first night in the NICU but now they were pretty sure he was going to need some light treatment. They had not scheduled anything yet, focusing on his oxygen levels first.
It was very hard leaving the hospital without him. A car parked next to us out front had their baby. It made me cry seeing mom in the backseat next to baby when I was getting in the front. Auburn was super excited to see me. I just sat on the curb and let her give me thousands of kisses. She went nuts! It was so great seeing her. I missed her so so much! She responded very well to the smell of Mason (brought home blankets and clothes he had worn). She acted excited when she smelled it and never once acted like it was a toy to rip up or bite.
We got some lunch and unpacked a few things. I got upset again about being home without him. I went and laid down to try and rest. Auburn and Doug came up and napped with me. NICU called shortly after we dozed off and said they were letting Mason eat. So we got ready and went to the hospital for his 6 pm feeding. They let him out from the oxygen for 10 minutes so we were able to hold him while we fed him. It was hard driving back home without him
I can't get the picture of him almost smiling, looking up at me with those beautiful baby boy eyes.. I know it's for the best but still breaks my heart every time.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
40 weeks!
Today was my 40 week checkup and my last! Nothing new to report from the appointment. Not dilated, Mason moved around very well for the non-stress test, and my blood pressure looked good. Mom enjoyed being there and getting to hear Mason's heartbeat. The internal exam was very painful this go around. The doctor was attempting to "get things going" since I have not had many contractions. I called the doctor a very mean man. He got a kick out of that. I am definitely not the natural birth kind of a girl. I pray the epidural works and I feel nothing. If not, I may not make it through...
So the news you are reading this blog for...
If nothing happens between now and Friday we will be heading to the hospital on Friday to be induced. We are getting screwed out of a last night of sleep. We have to call the hospital at 11:15 PM!! to find out what time we have to be at the hospital on Friday. It could be from anytime starting at 12:15 am! Trust me, the first thing I asked was if the time was negotiable. Unfortunately they said no. :( So it looks like we could be in for a long weekend.
So now the prayers need to be for a late morning arrival time at the hospital and a speedy, uncomplicated, pain-free, induced labor. We will keep you posted best we can. Wish us luck!
So the news you are reading this blog for...
If nothing happens between now and Friday we will be heading to the hospital on Friday to be induced. We are getting screwed out of a last night of sleep. We have to call the hospital at 11:15 PM!! to find out what time we have to be at the hospital on Friday. It could be from anytime starting at 12:15 am! Trust me, the first thing I asked was if the time was negotiable. Unfortunately they said no. :( So it looks like we could be in for a long weekend.
So now the prayers need to be for a late morning arrival time at the hospital and a speedy, uncomplicated, pain-free, induced labor. We will keep you posted best we can. Wish us luck!
One lonely flower
How can one lonely flower bring such a smile to my face? Easy, just be my favorite flower! It's spring time so that means the daffodils are in full bloom. And they are everywhere! Some wild, some planted. Some yellow, some white. And I have one beautiful yellow daffodil in my yard. Don't know how it got there but I am very happy to have it.
When I was little Pops and I use to go on walks through the woods. We would grab our walking sticks and head out on a grand adventure. Sometimes there would be creeks and others there would be meadows. I don't remember what we talked about or where we went but I do remember having so much fun! Every time we went we would always pick some flowers for Memaw and bring them back to her. During the spring it was always a bouquet of daffodils. I don't know if they were her favorite but she always acted like they were.
Every time I see a daffodil I see her smile. I remember the walks in the woods, the peaceful time we spent there, and the joy of bringing my most favorite person in the world a "special find" from our journey. What I wouldn't give to relive some of those days! But I guess I will settle for enjoying the site of a lonely flower and the memories it brings me.
When I was little Pops and I use to go on walks through the woods. We would grab our walking sticks and head out on a grand adventure. Sometimes there would be creeks and others there would be meadows. I don't remember what we talked about or where we went but I do remember having so much fun! Every time we went we would always pick some flowers for Memaw and bring them back to her. During the spring it was always a bouquet of daffodils. I don't know if they were her favorite but she always acted like they were.
Every time I see a daffodil I see her smile. I remember the walks in the woods, the peaceful time we spent there, and the joy of bringing my most favorite person in the world a "special find" from our journey. What I wouldn't give to relive some of those days! But I guess I will settle for enjoying the site of a lonely flower and the memories it brings me.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Last day at work
Today was my last day at work. To say I was not ready is an understatement. It was a crazy week and today got even wackier! I left so much undone I considered going in next week. I hated leaving all this stuff to do with my coworker. She was really nice about it but I think I was starting to reach my limit. I left many ways for them to get in touch with me if needed. I know they won't bug me but it made me feel better. The 9 months just flew by and caught me off guard. I could have worked another month and still would have not been ready to leave.
Getting all the "admin" stuff done really made the whole maternity leave thing sink in. I had to submit 5 timesheets for my time off. I have never taken more than 5 days off in a row. Being off for more than 6 weeks is just crazy! I know Mason will keep me busy but it's going to be hard not going to work for that long. It's going to be so weird when I go back. I already have anxiety over the emails!
So everyone please say a prayer for my coworkers (especially Diana)! Lets pray I didn't forget to show them how to do something, tell them about something that needed to be followed up on, or forgot to do something before I left. And that their workload is minimal and easy while I am gone. Pray for no stress, lots of help, and no explosions or wacky days. Well... Maybe not too easy breezy. I need some job security so too easy would make me less missed. I still need to be valued. Ha! :)
Crazy 12 hours"
It all began around 6 pm yesterday after the doctors appointment. When we got home and I saw I had two missed calls from the doctors office. I was worried my pee test did not come out well so I called them back right away. Of course, the office was closed so I got the after hours person. She said there were no notes on my records saying something was wrong or that anyone tried to contact me. I was adamant that someone tried to get in touch with me and I needed to know why. The lady put me on hold and finally came back with an answer. By this time Doug and I had worked ourselves up thinking it was bad news but all it was was the dumb new receptionist calling to schedule my delivery. I told her, as nicely as I could, that I was told we would have the appointment on Tuesday before that date was determined and next time she calls a patient she needs to leave a message if they do not answer. So much for the good blood pressure.
Then dinner happened. I made a huge mess on my white shirt and countertops. Then the lettuce to go with the chicken tacos was rotted. I had just bought it on Saturday so I was not thrilled about throwing the whole thing away. And the fiesta chicken filling for the tacos preferred to be outside the tortilla than in it. It was an all around taco failure!
One of the last few things left on the to do list was to put batteries in the baby stuff (seats, swings, remotes, etc). Batteries... Easy enough, right? Not in our house. Doug started upstairs in the master since it was late(around 9:30) and I was sooo ready for bed. He sat on the floor and began to inspect the bouncy seat and bassinet. Of course, both needed a screwdriver to open the battery compartment. So he goes downstairs and gets his all in one tool thingy. You know, the one tool that has the scissors, pliers, screwdriver, and knife... Yep, you guessed it. In a hurry he opens the knife part and slices his finger with it. And he got it good too! He bled and bled and bled. We got him bandaged up then I cleaned the bathroom as blood was everywhere. He went back to put the batteries in and noticed some blood on the bassinet. After further inspection we started finding it everywhere. It was on the bassinet, bouncy chair, carpet, walls, picture frames, mirror, decorative glass table, and the ceiling! Our only guess was that when he cut himself he slung his hand a few times and didn't have the cut covered up with his other hand. So we were up until about 11 scrubbing the bedroom down.
Then the 12th hour came... I am walking out the door to go to work and look up at the ceiling. It's covered in ants! So I get the ladder and hand vac out and begin to suck up all the ants. They were coming out of the air vent so I grabbed the ant spray and sprayed down the vent. For the next half hour ants fell from the vent. It was raining ants! I was smashing them as soon as they hit the floor. After awhile I was clueless on what to do. I had to get to work but they still kept falling! So I went and woke up Doug. He sprayed some more and took over ant cleanup. He was still fighting with them later on that morning but they eventually stopped coming out of the vent. We are crossing our fingers we got them all and sprayed in the right spots to keep them from coming back.
The craziness today did not stop there but work craziness does not make for an interesting blog. And it's way more common than raining ants. :)
So much to do and so little time to do it in
So Sunday I had a minor freak out. I started thinking of all the things I wanted to do before Mason made his grand arrival. The list was long. So I went into "get'er done" mode. Doug said I had a wild look in my eyes. I made my list and started working. I couldn't even tell you all the stuff I did but I do remember attempting to scrub the moving marks off the walls. Thankfully Doug was right behind me, helping out where he could. I washed Mason's clothes and bottles, hung up his clothes, hung wall decor, put stuff together, and got Mason's room organized. It was a long day but very productive
Monday we did the yard work. We got up all the leaves, weeded, put down some mulch, and trimmed some bushes. It felt good to do some physical labor but I was tired afterwards. After the doctor appointment on Thursday we went and got some more mulch and flowers. Doug got all that put out Friday while I was at work. That was a huge check off the list.
One thing I am doing this weekend is the touch up painting. The wall scrubbing did not work very well. It kinda got the marks off but it left wet looking marks. The landlord finally brought over the right color Paint so I could get the job done. I have been dying to get it done so I am super excited to get the paint brush in my hands.
39 weeks!
Yesterday was the 39 week appointment. We had another non-stress test done. This week's motivation, smoothie! Mason reacted very well to that and did what the doctors needed him to do. They were very pleased with what they saw. My blood pressure was very good. I had been keeping an eye on it throughout the week and it stayed below 140 over 90 all week. With the good news the doctor said we could hold off inducing another week. I am still not dilated but I don't think that will matter. I have another appointment on Tuesday but they don't plan on letting me go past the due date before inducing me. They don't want to chance any blood pressure issues. So whether he or we are ready or not, he will be here in about a week. Let's just cross our fingers he continues to stay put so mom will make it up here in time.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
38 weeks!
We are two weeks away from the "estimated" due date. Time is really flying by now. We are running around doing all the last minute things to get ready. I still have to wash clothes and bottles, find a pediatrician, and make the final decision on a daycare. I know, last minute! My feet all the way up to my hips are swollen so it is making getting around a little difficult. I am trying to keep the feet up but some days it is easier said than done. Doug is being a good husband and running the house for me so I can rest as much as I can.
So today's appointment went ok. Mason behaved better for the non-stress test. I helped things along with a candy bar. :) That always gets him squirming. They liked what they saw so I was not hooked up for near as long as I was last time. I did confirm those odd feelings in my belly are contractions. Mild, short, and scattered but they are there. The doctor said I am about 1 cm dilated and baby's head is in its ideal position (aka nice and low and on my bladder!). I swear I feel like I am going to pee my pants every time I stand up.
Last my time blood pressure was high but it was much better today. Unfortunately, I have been taking it at home and those haven't been the best. The doctor was happy with my reading so I wasn't going to say anything about the others but Doug told on me. I also have some protein in my pee. So the higher blood pressure, protein, and swelling equal preeclampsia talk.
What does that mean? Well, I may not make it 2 weeks if things don't get any better. Right now we are holding off one more week to see how things look then. Of course they want me to go full term but they are not going to risk mine or baby's health at this point. So, I am monitoring the blood pressure at home and keeping an eye out for other symptoms of preeclampsia. If my blood pressure stays in the 140's/90's and I start getting upper abdomen pains , headaches, nausea/vomiting, or vision changes I am to call them immediately.
So keep Mason and me in your thoughts for the next week. We gotta hold out until Grandma gets up here on the 13th!
Next week's appointment will have another non-stress test, internal exam, and some talk about
So today's appointment went ok. Mason behaved better for the non-stress test. I helped things along with a candy bar. :) That always gets him squirming. They liked what they saw so I was not hooked up for near as long as I was last time. I did confirm those odd feelings in my belly are contractions. Mild, short, and scattered but they are there. The doctor said I am about 1 cm dilated and baby's head is in its ideal position (aka nice and low and on my bladder!). I swear I feel like I am going to pee my pants every time I stand up.
Last my time blood pressure was high but it was much better today. Unfortunately, I have been taking it at home and those haven't been the best. The doctor was happy with my reading so I wasn't going to say anything about the others but Doug told on me. I also have some protein in my pee. So the higher blood pressure, protein, and swelling equal preeclampsia talk.
What does that mean? Well, I may not make it 2 weeks if things don't get any better. Right now we are holding off one more week to see how things look then. Of course they want me to go full term but they are not going to risk mine or baby's health at this point. So, I am monitoring the blood pressure at home and keeping an eye out for other symptoms of preeclampsia. If my blood pressure stays in the 140's/90's and I start getting upper abdomen pains , headaches, nausea/vomiting, or vision changes I am to call them immediately.
So keep Mason and me in your thoughts for the next week. We gotta hold out until Grandma gets up here on the 13th!
Next week's appointment will have another non-stress test, internal exam, and some talk about
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