Phoenix Trip...Re-Routed!

On Thursday January 26th I packed the kids and My self into the van and headed to Calgary. I was preparing to leave the following morning on a 7:00am flight to Phoenix to go visit family and participate in a race (don't worry, i wasn't actually planning on running, just a nice long walk in +20C degree weather) for my 4 year old niece who has been diagnosed with Leukemia. I had made arrangements with my sister, Kristi, to watch my children while I was away.

During the drive to Calgary I started experiencing some discomfort in my abdomen. Two nights prior (Tuesday) I received food poisoning of some sort and thought it was just some "after math" from that.

As the drive continued it became more painful and uncomfortable. I just kept my destination in mind and that's what I aimed for...I wasn't stopping for anything. For the last 45 min of my drive I was in excruciating pain! I had to talk my self through it, tell myself not to tense up & just try to relax. It got to the point that I had to remind myself to breath. By the time I was reaching the outer city limits of Calgary I kept thinking to myself that I would way rather be in labour, because this was the most incredible pain I have ever experienced! Even just moving my foot from the gas to the break hurt. By this time I was in constant prayer with my Heavenly Father pleading with him to just let me make it to my Aunts house (in very south Calgary). It was about 5:00pm by the time I reached city limits. I had to make a decision; 1-Continue onto McLeod Trail or 2- Exit onto 22X and go "the back way". I chose 22X as I thought it would be a little faster and I didn't want to get stuck in rush hour traffic. As I'm driving up the ramp to get onto 22X all I can see is BACKED UP TRAFFIC. I almost loose it. I plead with Heavenly Father again to be with me, take this pain away, I can't do this by myself! Meanwhile trying to appear as nothing is wrong for the kids and trying to answer question after question.

As I kept in constant prayer the pain seemed to lessen some, and traffic never came to a dead stop, it kept in constant crawling mode. I knew I had help from above.

When we finally arrived at my Aunts house I was so relieved! As soon as I pulled into the driveway and parked the van I immediately felt light headed and extremely nauseous. With everything I could muster together I asked Marshall if he could go into the house and see if Nannie (my Aunt) or Auntie Lacey (my Sister) were home. He stood in the middle of the van with a pale face and wide eyes. I guess I didn't hide the fact that something was wrong well enough.

Again I asked him the same thing. He just cautiously asked if I was okay. I told him I wasn't feeling well and that I felt like I was going to throw up.

I realized I was just going to have to get the kids out and head for the washroom, fast. Every second I stood there trying to un-buckle Paisley felt like an eternity. Finally I got her out and half carried her into the house, with Marshall right behind me.

I took my shoes off and headed to the bathroom while "ditching" my kids at the door. My aunt realized I was in pain and went to help the kids, but Paisley of course started crying and didn't want anyone but me. I could hear Marshall say something to the effect of "Mommy wants to throw up, her tummy hurts"

Within minutes they were both by my side in the washroom, my Aunt tried to convince them that coming and playing with toys would be much more enjoyable!...Neither one of them took the bait.

The Nausea soon faded, but the abdominal pain was still there. I sat on the thrown for a while, and then it was as if my intestines were just filled with air! After I released the air/gas I was SO relieved. ALL the pain and discomfort was gone. I still felt a bit achy, but hey, I could deal with that!

At this point I just thought it was something I had eaten, and vowed to only eat "plain & boring" foods for the next little while, as to not have a repeat!

I then continued to get myself all packed up (I was borrowing a suitcase, as all of ours were smokey from the fire)

The kids and I ate supper, visited for a little and then headed over to Kristi's house where I was dropping the kids off. We arrived just after 9pm and was trying to give Kristi and Curtis the run down for the kids as quick as possible, without missing anything. I still needed to get over to my cousin Angela's house, as we were flying out together and had to be at the airport at 5am.

Curtis was brushing the kids teeth while I finished up with Kristi...and then, I felt like I had perhaps peed my pants, I anxiously waited for them to be done, and went in immediately after.

I then saw what no pregnant woman, no matter how far into the pregnancy they may be, wants to see...fresh, deep red, blood.

I was in shock! At first I didn't know what to do, and then I started panicking. I called my sister into the bathroom, she was just as shocked as I was. I then called my Aunt for advice (because anytime I don't know what to do, she will!) 

She told me to first call Health Link, and if I got through to talk to them, but if I couldn't get through right away head to the nearest hospital! All we got through Health Link was elevator music...so to the hospital it was.

Upon arriving at the hospital and explaining why I was there to the ER Triage Nurse I was told to go immediately up to Labour and Delivery, Unit 51 and they would let them know I was coming.

I was taken into an assessment room where they wanted all the details of the situation at hand, info on my two previous pregnancies, and my "life history".

It was decided that they would take some blood & test it, do an internal exam & do a "mini" ultrasound (I call it mini cause the whole machine was on a portable cart & they were only checking to see if they could find any obvious signs/reasons for me to be bleeding)


*The rest is a compilation of notes I took on my iPod while in the hospital so I could keep track for myself what was going on...when you're in the hospital for any length of time the days & nights all melt into one big looooooong day*


Friday January 27, 2012

2:00am - After hearing the babies heart beat, checking my blood pressure and checking my cervix it was decided that I would stay overnight. They said my cervix was shortened and there was a small tear in my uterus. They also did a quick ultrasound to see if they could see anything. They kept talking about "lakes" and said my placenta looked thick which sometimes means it didn't implant securely enough. At this point they just have to assume that my placenta is/has detached(ing) or torn. I was told I would be put first on the list for ultrasound in he morning.

3:00am - A nurse came in, woke us (kristi & I) up and said something about us going home and coming back in the morning for the ultrasound. We were confused and told her that I thought I was staying over night and having it in the morning (because the bleeding had not stopped). She went to go talk to he doctor and came back apologizing and told us to go back to sleep!

We were lucky enough to be able to fall asleep the first time. Keep in mind we are still in the Labour and Delivery unit...so just as your eyes are starting to droop, and sleep tries to overtake you, the scream of a woman mid-labour/contraction/push makes any hope of sleep disappear. Also take into account that my poor sister is trying to sleep in a chair made for sitting...not even "slouching friendly" & I am trying to sleep on an assessment bed much to short for my height...with a mattress...well I wouldn't consider it a mattress as i have bruises on my behind to prove there wasn't any 'comfort' to it at all.

8:00am - A nurse came in and told us that I was first on he list for the ultrasound

9:30 am- Still waiting for them to come get me for the ultrasound

10:15am - Went to the washroom, and talked to a nurse on the way back. Apparently someone said I was sleeping and so they pushed me back in the "ultrasound line"...but that I was NOW first in line. Someone should be in to check babies heartbeat and my blood pressure.

11:00am- Finally taken to have the ultrasound. The technician doing it was AWESOME! I could see the whole thing too! Even for ultrasound pictures, he was so stinking cute! The technician was talking to him as if he was already born, asking him politely to move his arms or hands out of the way, or to not turn away from us, calling him sweetie...etc. I could see and feel him move at he same time...I feel like I connected a bit better with my boy today.

The obstetrician that "read" the results right in the ultrasound room made everything sound good, baby is right on target, according to their measurements he was in the 65 percentile for every measurement (head circumference, stomach, length, weight, bone size...etc). They could not find where I was bleeding from. They said the placenta looked good, but if it was torn/detached a little bit they wouldn't be able to see it anyways. She wants me to have follow up ultrasounds every 4 weeks for the rest of the pregnancy, just to monitor the growth of baby and placenta and to see if they can find any tears/detachment.

They took me back up to my room (referred to as the "closet room" by the nurse that wheeled me back up) where I waited to be seen by the obstetrician (same one that saw me the night before). She came in, I think fully ready to let me go home, but then she asked to see my pad, and there was fresh blood...soooo I'm now in the hospital until I haven't had any fresh blood for 24 hours. She then continued to explain that if something did happen before I was 24 wks, that there was nothing they could do for baby as 'it' (he) is not considered viable before 24 weeks. I tried to hold it in...but I couldn't. Hearing that there was possibility of loosing my baby, or just knowing that if for some reason I did go into labour before Feb 05th that there was nothing they could do for him...hit me!


For the rest of the night my bleeding was inconsistent. It would appear to be slowing down, and then not.

Saturday January 28 2012

7:00am- The laboratory came in and took some blood (just one vile this time)

9:15am- The Doctor on call saw me, said I'd be here a couple days as I was still bleeding, and am only almost 23wks so they needed to monitor me.

10:20am- The same Obstetrician that saw me the previous night after my "mini" ultrasound came and saw me and said I could go home if I wanted to, because they aren't doing much for me here anyways. If I was over 24 weeks they would probably keep me in case something happened then they could do something immediately for baby. I need to continue to monitor the bleeding and if it gets worse than I need to come back.

I am on moderate bed-rest (I assume for the remainder of the pregnancy), with the exception of this week where I am basically on complete bed-rest to hopefully re-assure baby makes it to 24 weeks! She wants me to stay in Calgary for at least a month, and I have an Ultrasound set up for February 6th, with a Follow up appointment for February 7th.

I am happy to report that there has been no fresh bleeding since Saturday night (the 28th)