Legomyago Birth Story **POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING**
Jun 7, 2016 0:31:26 GMT -5
Post by legomyago on Jun 7, 2016 0:31:26 GMT -5
This will be my first time to attempt to fully recount my birth story. I'm still processing a lot of it and some of it I'm pretty fuzzy on. So here it goes:
I haven't been feeling as well this pregnancy as compared to my first pregnancy six years ago. Nothing in particular to point to, just tired, sore, slow all the time. My doctor chalked it up as "every pregnancy is different!," but I did have some vaginal bacterial imbalance (common in pregnancy) and UTI issues. My last OB appointment was the week of May 16th, in which my OB asked if I was eating and drinking enough, as there were a few ketones in my urine. That should have been my first clue.
May 24th I had to travel for work - 2.5 hour commute each way by car for a 5 hour meeting. By the time I got home at the end of the day, my upper back hurt. I figured it was from the travel. When the backache didn't go away the next day, I let my boss know that I was going to have to restrict my travel a bit. I called my doctor because of the upper back pain and asked if she recommended I wear a maternity support band. She said yes, I could try it out.
The night of the 25th, my back pain was worsening. I tried laying in different positions and in the recliner, but had no relief. I finally woke up DH about 1:15 Thursday morning and told him I thought I may need to go to the ER. I was consulting Dr. Google and thought I may have a gallbladder issue. The pain was starting to reach around the front. I called my Dr. office on call, and my OB returned my call. She asked if I was vomiting? - no. Anything other than back pain? - no. She said I could go in for an ultrasound at the ER, or wait until morning and get an order from her office to get an ultrasound. DH and I discussed it and I determined I couldn't bear the pain, so we woke our daughter up and headed toward the hospital. No sooner than leaving our neighborhood, I vomited. Then I experienced the worst pain of my life. I couldn't hold still in my seat and was crying out. More vomiting. We got to the ER and they eventually took me back. Urine sample and four doses of morphine. Finally got my pain under control, still vomiting. First results from the urinalysis was a severe kidney infection. Okay, I can deal with that. But wait - my BP is through the roof. I don't remember exact measures, but top number was in the 200s and bottom number was in the 100s. Staff were telling me that I was scaring them with my readings. Got bloodwork back, the ER doc told me my blood platelets were low, liver enzymes were up. Asked if I had heard of HELLP Syndrome? Yes, I actually had, but didn't know much about it other than it involved the liver. He said "Well, you have it." In my drug-induced stupor, I said "Oh, that's bad."
They took me up to the birthing center and tons of people are in my room. On call OB is in there, telling me my condition is serious and they are planning to transfer me to another hospital as soon as they stabilize my BP. Told me I needed to stay calm (ironic!). I know they started Magnesium Sulfate there because suddenly I was blazing hot and my mouth was completely dry. Can I have a drink of water? No. And while we are at it, I can't brush my teeth either in fear of any type of blood loss. I had to lay on my left side to try to keep my blood pressure down. They can't get my BP stabilized, so change of plans. No hospital transfer, they will keep me there. I'm told they will induce there and I am not allowed an epidural. I don't know it yet, but I am going to labor, deliver, and remain on my left side for two days straight.
Thursday is a blur, other than they try to prepare for induction. Friday morning they break my water and start the Pitocin. I'm not allowed to labor in any position other than my left side. Brutal. They give me Staydol, though I know I don't respond well to narcotics like this. I was on a trip during my labor - it hurt like hell but I was experiencing what I imagine LSD to be like. I don't know what time they gave me Pitocin, but I remember them telling me I was dialated to a four. Then a six. No wait, still a four. I hurt like hell. I hear a nurse tell me I don't have to be at 10 to give birth. I was surprised with this information. Suddenly, during my Staydol trip, I had the most sudden urge to push. I have never felt something so clear. No one is in my room besides DH, who I yell at that "I am pushing!" He ran out to get a nurse, I keep yelling that I'm pushing. She says try to wait, I say I can't. I suddenly push DD out and the nurse catches her. I felt instant relief, but wasn't sure the baby was out. I hear her yell "The baby is here!" and suddenly the room fills with people to attend to me and the baby. I look up and see DH wide-eyed watching something over me. I ask if I pushed the baby out, he said I did. They hurry and put me on my back to deliver my placenta. The OB says I'm not out of the woods yet. I get to hold DD for a couple of minutes before they take her to NICU. I won't be able to see her for 3 more days due to my own issues with getting stabilized.
I'll continue this more later. I need to go to bed. I'll just say now that DD is doing well in the NICU and I am out of the hospital now.
Update: Back while pumping! After DD was born, I spent the next three days on magnesium sulfate and IV blood pressure medication trying to stabilize. I hate magnesium sulfate. I had to stay mostly on my left side to try to keep my blood pressure down, in the dark, and very little stimulation. They tried to take me off the magnesium sulfate cold turkey, but then when I started to react to that, they had to put me back on it and gradually wean me off. DH spent those days going back and forth between me and DD across the hall. Family tried to visit, but it got my BP up so the staff restricted it to just DH. DD went with grandparents back to their home for the week. It was truly awful. I was in the hospital a total of 8 days. I ended up seeing the baby on Memorial Day when they could wheel me across the hall to her. The Level II NICU there is literally a converted closet. The hospital is building a beautiful and accommodating Level II NICU and birthing center to open next Spring, so we won't get to take advantage of that. But the NICU nurses are so nice. Since we live less than 15 minutes away, I chose not to board at the hospital for now. I'm working on going back to work sometime this week so I can safe FMLA time for when DD comes home. She is doing great, was on room air within a day or two of being born, no longer on the bilirubin light, and is no longer in her isolette. Just got to work on feeding, which will take a while, but she is working hard on that too and has a good latch to the breast.
I think that's it. The doctors and nurses keep telling me "You are at higher risk of HELLP Syndrome for any future pregnancies..." to which I respond "Oh, this is never, ever, ever happening again!" We may be looking into permanent birth control for both of us. They also keep telling me I am very, very lucky, considering my symptoms were pretty atypical and sudden. I have no history of hypertension and my first pregnancy had no issues whatsoever. All I can say is listen to your body, and don't try to tough things out. If you are in pain or something doesn't feel right, let medical professionals know immediately. My OB even said to me "I wish I had known! I didn't see this coming." I told her that I didn't see it either, that it all happened so quickly and the typical questions asked about symptoms didn't apply to me.
If you read this, congratulations! I hope all of you have better, easier stories than me.
I haven't been feeling as well this pregnancy as compared to my first pregnancy six years ago. Nothing in particular to point to, just tired, sore, slow all the time. My doctor chalked it up as "every pregnancy is different!," but I did have some vaginal bacterial imbalance (common in pregnancy) and UTI issues. My last OB appointment was the week of May 16th, in which my OB asked if I was eating and drinking enough, as there were a few ketones in my urine. That should have been my first clue.
May 24th I had to travel for work - 2.5 hour commute each way by car for a 5 hour meeting. By the time I got home at the end of the day, my upper back hurt. I figured it was from the travel. When the backache didn't go away the next day, I let my boss know that I was going to have to restrict my travel a bit. I called my doctor because of the upper back pain and asked if she recommended I wear a maternity support band. She said yes, I could try it out.
The night of the 25th, my back pain was worsening. I tried laying in different positions and in the recliner, but had no relief. I finally woke up DH about 1:15 Thursday morning and told him I thought I may need to go to the ER. I was consulting Dr. Google and thought I may have a gallbladder issue. The pain was starting to reach around the front. I called my Dr. office on call, and my OB returned my call. She asked if I was vomiting? - no. Anything other than back pain? - no. She said I could go in for an ultrasound at the ER, or wait until morning and get an order from her office to get an ultrasound. DH and I discussed it and I determined I couldn't bear the pain, so we woke our daughter up and headed toward the hospital. No sooner than leaving our neighborhood, I vomited. Then I experienced the worst pain of my life. I couldn't hold still in my seat and was crying out. More vomiting. We got to the ER and they eventually took me back. Urine sample and four doses of morphine. Finally got my pain under control, still vomiting. First results from the urinalysis was a severe kidney infection. Okay, I can deal with that. But wait - my BP is through the roof. I don't remember exact measures, but top number was in the 200s and bottom number was in the 100s. Staff were telling me that I was scaring them with my readings. Got bloodwork back, the ER doc told me my blood platelets were low, liver enzymes were up. Asked if I had heard of HELLP Syndrome? Yes, I actually had, but didn't know much about it other than it involved the liver. He said "Well, you have it." In my drug-induced stupor, I said "Oh, that's bad."
They took me up to the birthing center and tons of people are in my room. On call OB is in there, telling me my condition is serious and they are planning to transfer me to another hospital as soon as they stabilize my BP. Told me I needed to stay calm (ironic!). I know they started Magnesium Sulfate there because suddenly I was blazing hot and my mouth was completely dry. Can I have a drink of water? No. And while we are at it, I can't brush my teeth either in fear of any type of blood loss. I had to lay on my left side to try to keep my blood pressure down. They can't get my BP stabilized, so change of plans. No hospital transfer, they will keep me there. I'm told they will induce there and I am not allowed an epidural. I don't know it yet, but I am going to labor, deliver, and remain on my left side for two days straight.
Thursday is a blur, other than they try to prepare for induction. Friday morning they break my water and start the Pitocin. I'm not allowed to labor in any position other than my left side. Brutal. They give me Staydol, though I know I don't respond well to narcotics like this. I was on a trip during my labor - it hurt like hell but I was experiencing what I imagine LSD to be like. I don't know what time they gave me Pitocin, but I remember them telling me I was dialated to a four. Then a six. No wait, still a four. I hurt like hell. I hear a nurse tell me I don't have to be at 10 to give birth. I was surprised with this information. Suddenly, during my Staydol trip, I had the most sudden urge to push. I have never felt something so clear. No one is in my room besides DH, who I yell at that "I am pushing!" He ran out to get a nurse, I keep yelling that I'm pushing. She says try to wait, I say I can't. I suddenly push DD out and the nurse catches her. I felt instant relief, but wasn't sure the baby was out. I hear her yell "The baby is here!" and suddenly the room fills with people to attend to me and the baby. I look up and see DH wide-eyed watching something over me. I ask if I pushed the baby out, he said I did. They hurry and put me on my back to deliver my placenta. The OB says I'm not out of the woods yet. I get to hold DD for a couple of minutes before they take her to NICU. I won't be able to see her for 3 more days due to my own issues with getting stabilized.
I'll continue this more later. I need to go to bed. I'll just say now that DD is doing well in the NICU and I am out of the hospital now.
Update: Back while pumping! After DD was born, I spent the next three days on magnesium sulfate and IV blood pressure medication trying to stabilize. I hate magnesium sulfate. I had to stay mostly on my left side to try to keep my blood pressure down, in the dark, and very little stimulation. They tried to take me off the magnesium sulfate cold turkey, but then when I started to react to that, they had to put me back on it and gradually wean me off. DH spent those days going back and forth between me and DD across the hall. Family tried to visit, but it got my BP up so the staff restricted it to just DH. DD went with grandparents back to their home for the week. It was truly awful. I was in the hospital a total of 8 days. I ended up seeing the baby on Memorial Day when they could wheel me across the hall to her. The Level II NICU there is literally a converted closet. The hospital is building a beautiful and accommodating Level II NICU and birthing center to open next Spring, so we won't get to take advantage of that. But the NICU nurses are so nice. Since we live less than 15 minutes away, I chose not to board at the hospital for now. I'm working on going back to work sometime this week so I can safe FMLA time for when DD comes home. She is doing great, was on room air within a day or two of being born, no longer on the bilirubin light, and is no longer in her isolette. Just got to work on feeding, which will take a while, but she is working hard on that too and has a good latch to the breast.
I think that's it. The doctors and nurses keep telling me "You are at higher risk of HELLP Syndrome for any future pregnancies..." to which I respond "Oh, this is never, ever, ever happening again!" We may be looking into permanent birth control for both of us. They also keep telling me I am very, very lucky, considering my symptoms were pretty atypical and sudden. I have no history of hypertension and my first pregnancy had no issues whatsoever. All I can say is listen to your body, and don't try to tough things out. If you are in pain or something doesn't feel right, let medical professionals know immediately. My OB even said to me "I wish I had known! I didn't see this coming." I told her that I didn't see it either, that it all happened so quickly and the typical questions asked about symptoms didn't apply to me.
If you read this, congratulations! I hope all of you have better, easier stories than me.
