Expecting the Unexpected...

Well a lot was going on, but then it all came to a halt last week. The last few weeks I have been "cramping," but just figured it was Braxton Hicks. I didn't cramp with Ry so it was foreign to me; however, I didn't want to be a worry wart, so I figured I would discuss with my doctor at my next appointment as opposed to calling or going in. I got done with my appt last Wednesday and did one of the "by-the-way" questions. The doc decided to check me just in case and much to my amazement, I was experiencing true pre-term labor, was dilated to a 2+, 50% thinned, and the doc could feel the baby's head. Immediately she sent me to labor and delivery to see if we could stop labor since I was only 32 weeks. After two days of being in labor and delivery, being pumped with a zillion drugs, we finally got things under control with the last resort...magnesium sulfate. Can I just tell you that is the worst drug ever. I felt horrible, but it was worth it if the baby wasn't delivered. I was then moved to postpartum with the intentions that I could go home in a couple days on bed rest. Here it is Thursday and I'm still at the hospital. My body has continued to dilate and thin, so yes, we have been back to labor and delivery since last week's episode. Contractions are anywhere from 3-5 minutes for a couple hours and then we're able to get them under control for a few hours, but then they are right back again. We really thought we were going to have her Tuesday night, but finally around midnight they gave an extremely large dose of the mag and things started to calm down. It's kind of funny because when the episodes start and they need more resources than what postpartum has they wheel me over from my postpartum room right to the labor and delivery room. It's pretty sad when you have two rooms at the hospital.

Yesterday the doc had us tour NICU and meet with the Neonatologist here at McKay. Some of the babies were older than what ours is and they are still so small. Regardless of how worn out I already feel (and boy is contracting days on end pretty wearing and tiring) I'll do anything I can to keep her in. They've given me a lot of steroids to try and get her lungs developed faster and as of our ultrasound yesterday, she is looking great...still not ready to come out, but if she did her lungs are more developed than what they would be without the steroids. She sure is a teeny thing, though, around 3.5 lbs. (Did I mention that steroid shot is pretty painful and I thought I had a high pain tolerance)

As for what the future entails, the doc said we're just taking it day by day. I'm hoping my body will miraculously stop contracting so I can at least go home on bed rest, but as of today no such luck. My days pretty much consist of going stir crazy and missing Ry Ry like no other aside from the monitoring, drugs every four hours, contracting, etc. Sometimes as a parent you think of how nice just a little break would be. After about a day of this I decided I would much rather be up chasing around Ry than lying in bed. One good thing that's happened is I have been authorized one 15 min wheelchair ride a day so that has helped keep my morale a little high. I just have to pick and choose when I want to take it, which to be honest, is a tough decision.

As for the location of Ry Ry, we were supposed to leave last Thursday to go on our annual camping trip with Jared's immediate and extended family. We didn't make it, but Jar's parents offered to take Ry since my fam is in Hawaii. They still aren't back yet and we are missing her like crazy. What makes matters worse is they aren't in cell phone range so we are unable to call and check on her. I can't tell you how many times Jared has been tempted to leave and go pick her up. We hear she's having a blast riding the four wheelers and playing with the cousins and I've figured it's not fair to her to have to sit up in this little room all day everyday, but I'm having major withdrawals. It might be different if Jared and I were on a vacation, but just sitting up here doesn't feel like one and seeing Ry makes my days that much better.

I had to post some pics of Ry Ry. She has a new thing lately, where she gets the camera (yes, she already knows where we keep it), brings it to you, and then smiles. That's not the end of it, though, the smart little cuss knows that if you turn it around you can see the picture that was just taken, so she will sit there and point until you show her the picture. It's the silliest thing ever. She sure makes us laugh. I cant' believe she turns one on Tuesday, it is crazy, time has flown by.

Well, that's pretty much what's been happening in our neck of the woods the last little bit. We will keep things updated as the situation changes. Right now I'm just counting my blessings that my body has allowed me to buy another week with the lil' one inside (I would call her a name if we had one, but we are a little unprepared). We've decided everyday counts and as miserable as bed rest is (I think it's even worse in the hospital), if it means I'm able to keep her in I will do it. It's a small price to pay for a lifetime.