Drama in Labor and Delivery

Okay, so I tend to post a lot about absolutely nothing. But now that something potentially substantial happened, I'm hesitant to post. It's just that it was so anticlimactic {ahem, that's what she said} that I feel a little dorky about it. I don't know. I'm in somewhat of a funk post-nap today, so maybe it's just that. Anyway, I journaled this and will just copy from the entry. Be warned, though, that I tend to be long-winded anyway but especially when it comes to my journal. Really. It's bad. So be prepared to read a ton. Sigh... okay... here 'goes:

[Note: Journal entry written today, 01/12/2010 while the incident happened Sunday, 01/10/2010]

"On Sunday night James had gone to bed, Derek was watching TV, and I was downstairs at the computer doing digital scrapbooking stuff. I've been pretty excited about scrapbooking lately, and I was pretty into the page I was working on (one of Derek and James in the snow... titled "Let it Snow"-- it turned out pretty cute). All of the sudden (or it felt that way, anyway) I thought, "Oh, dang. I really need to pee." I got up, went, and came back to the computer. Soon after I thought, "Wow. I really need to pee- ow!! Again??" So I got up again, tried to go but really couldn't and came back. Confusing. Then my back started hurting a little... then WHAM! It started hurting a TON! Within a matter of minutes, I was shaking, sweating and crying in agony. Nothing relieved the immense pressure and just outrageous pain going on in my back (mostly the left side) and pelvic region- and on one spot of my belly, which was weird.

"I crawled up the stairs to Derek and started bawling. I was scared. I was confused. But mostly, I was hurting like hell. Derek didn't know what to do. He asked if I wanted to go to the hospital, but I really didn't know. I had no idea what was wrong with me, so I didn't know if they could help me. I figured I should call someone, but I wasn't sure who (seriously- pain apparently clouds my thought processes, because I was not doing too well). I didn't want to call either of our moms because I couldn't stop crying and didn't want them to panic. Eventually, I thought to call Dena. She'd been in early labor and had kidney stones fairly recently (both of which I had considered as sources of the pain); she'd know what to do. So I called. I tried to make small talk but mostly just broke down. She basically told me to get my butt to the hospital and convinced me why this was honestly not in any way a bad decision. So- we called Kurt (really, Kurt and Bonnie have a special place in Heaven thanks to all they do for us- even if no other aspects of their lives are considered), and he came right over. We left the second his car pulled in the driveway. Oh and PS- I know I was hurting pretty badly based on what I left the house in. I did put on a bra, but that was about as much as my vanity could accomplish. Besides that, I was wearing jammie pants, a non-matching, scrubby t-shirt of Derek's, stripey heart socks and (ugh- the combination) backless church shoes. Yeah. I know.

"When we got to the hospital, they had us fill out paperwork. I was shaking so badly I wasn't sure I could sign my name. Why were they stalling? Come ON, people! Finally, they let me in. (Really, they weren't bad. I was just panicky because I worried I would pass out or barf and couldn't see a good place for either.)

"I got into a room immediately, got into a gown, tried hard to give them some pee in a cup (luckily four drops were sufficient), then was asked to lay down on the bed (AAHHH! Agony- really- AH!) and suffer miserably while they tried to figure out how to fix me.

"Ugh. This is sounding super drawn out and miserable- which is good since it accurately represents... but I'm annoying myself, so I'll try to get to the point.

"They hooked me up to the monitors. Baby was fine, but I was contracting regularly (every 2-3 minutes). Then I started hurting worse, and my contractions started coming every minute. That's labor, people! And that's not something they like to see at 34 weeks. The question du jour was: Was the pain causing the contractions, or were the contractions causing the pain? (They never really figured that out, though they were thorough and did try. It was just really confusing for everyone.)

"So they tested my urine and found no evidence of kidney stones. They did find a handful of white blood cells (8?), which could mean an infection but still wasn't highly indicative. (FYI- a UTI/bladder infection can trigger labor.) They did a feberfibernectin (sp?) test (think: pap smear) which came back negative. And they checked my cervix for dilation (think: ow). I was 3 cm with 90% effaced- but only at the front of my cervix, if that makes any sense.

"Then. Finally. They gave me Lortab (hydrocodone).

"Sigh.

"I cannot even tell you how grateful I was for modern medicine at that moment. My entire body untensed (is that a word?). The pain pretty much went away. And I was practically giddy with relief. Really- ahhh, bliss.

"They kept me hooked up to the monitors, and the contractions kept coming. My back would hurt a little and I'd think I needed to pee- but then I'd realize I was just contracting. When the contraction went away, I was better. Because the contractions weren't going away on their own, they gave me a shot to stop them. It made me jittery and shaky, but it did stop them- for a while. When the nurse checked me again (still 3 cm and 90% effaced- but still not all through), though, they kicked back up again. Now what?

"They considered giving me a shot to strengthen the baby's lungs in case she came, but decided it was unlikely that night, so they'd wait. They also were seriously considering keeping me overnight- not wanting to send me home only to deliver the baby. Luckily, they decided against that. (Really- what would we do with James? We were pretty much unprepared in every way.)

"Instead, they gave me a shot in the butt of antibiotics (that really quite hurt, and is still pretty sore). They hooked me up with a couple more Lortabs- with orders to set my alarm and take one in the night. And they gave me a prescription for both Lortab and Macrobid- to cover all of their bases, really. And then they let me come home... just cautiously.

"So there you go. Drama. It was painful to be so impatient for labor only to have it stopped. But it was good... we really don't want her out quite yet. Now I'm a worried wreck, though. All of my plans could be crap. Things might happen spontaneously (I don't do spontaneity)- and before we're all ready for them. We just got mom's tickets on Saturday (go figure, eh?). Who's gonna take care of James if she isn't here yet? Ugh. For a control freak- even an impatient one- this is torturous. I guess things happen when and how they happen. And waiting, sadly, is often necessary. But really, I might just go nuts in the process. I guess we shall see..."