Since last Friday I had been having contractions, some times it was very strong. I hadn't had an FFN test the week before, probably because I had the boys with me but I'm unsure. I didn't know if I was another two week window when the baby would arrive but the contractions did not stay consistent, they were just strong and sometimes increased. I went about my routine but rested when I could in the afternoon.
On Tuesday night, I went to Elaine's Mary Kay party. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to receive my things. I was having contractions every few minutes but they weren't strong and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. On the way home, I almost had to pull over because one caught me by surprise. I called the office and Aldrich wanted me to go in to be monitored. I tried to convince her I would be fine until my appt. at 9:30 the next day. No luck.
I made it to the hospital around 10. I was having contractions every 5 minutes. The dr. decided to give me terbutaline. I told the dr that it doesn't work for me and sure enough, I was contracting every 2 minutes with no end in site. I was then given Procardia. Imagine the following scenario on top of having hard contractions every 2 minutes:
Terbutaline gives me a rapid heartbeat, jitteriness, and restlessness.
Procardia makes me lightheaded and dizzy. It also makes my face feel like it's on fire for a while.
By 3 am, the nurse said, "you are contracting like a bat out of hell and we don't know if you're progressing and don't want to check you in case it makes things worse." Swell.
The room became a buzz of activity with three nurses. I was hooked up to an IV for fluid. Then I had the Group B strep test done (joy), a Foley catheter inserted, and two more medications were added: penicillin and magnesium sulfate. I was officially bed bound and miserable yet the fun was to begin. I also received steroids for the baby's lungs. I am grateful I have that in my system. Poor Elaine was there while I got that awful burning shot in my leg.
I tolerated the mag pretty well until later that afternoon. On top of the side effects from the other medications which they continued to give me because I was having "break through" contractions, I had yet more side effects from the mag. These side effects were: muscle weakness, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, and headache. I also had tingling in my face, vomiting, and confusion. The medication made me extremely emotional.I begged the nurse to make me feel better. They had to run a test to see if I had too much mag in my system and then lowered the mag when it came back high.
I continued to have smaller contractions this morning (and some whopper ones) but they took me off the mag and sent me home on complete bed rest (I'm not allowed to leave the house until my appt. next Friday) and Procardia.
I also had another FFN test done and it was negative so the hope is that I'll remain pregnant until week 32 when another test can be done. That will be the last FFN test that can be given so I hope for another negative FFN and I would be headed to 34 weeks, at the very least.
I would not wish the experience of mag on anyone but I am glad it is there to help mothers because it is frightening to lay in a hospital bed knowing your 30 week baby can arrive at any minute if something does not work. It was out of my hands and lack of control is not something I deal with well.
Thank you for the phone calls and emails. I can not tell you how much it means to me to receive even a small note. My visitors were amazing - thank you Elaine, Michelle, and Maggie. I am blessed by such good friends.
