Life these days is certainly becoming more interesting. After the events of week 24 Meg has been placed on bedrest. The bedrest was in part our decision based on how we felt about Meg's job and just her challenges in carrying our babies. With each passing week we are more and more sure of that decision. Contractions have continued to be a frustrating, confusing component of pregnancy. There are bursts of time where Meg will have an unusually high number of contractions and other times where she won't have any for hours. But at what point do you get concerned? How many is too many? This past Sunday presented exactly this question. In the evening she was having 6-8 contractions an hour and after a couple hours we decided to call the doctor. We called at 8:00. Thanks to the wonderful service we receive on our cell phones with ATT we didn't get to speak to the doctor until 9:30. And of course by this time the contractions had slowed down. We got to stay home Sunday night. Of course Monday is a new day. Late in the afternoon Meg's contractions pick up again. We decided to go visit Dr. Cowles thinking she might be bored and need company. Meg got on the monitor and we got a chance to see two beautiful strong heartbeats. What a relief it is to see this in a time of stress and concern over the contractions. The doctor decides to try to slow down the contractions with a different medicine this time. After about four hours they slow down and Meg got to go back home, only this time with a new set of guidelines.
Apparently Meg had not become closely enough acquainted with her bed or the couch during the past month. So they decided she needed to spend more quality time with them. In an effort to give her body the best possible conditions they have restricted her bedrest. No more going out, no more cooking, no more cleaning. And they are having her stay on the meds to stop contractions.
We also got the opportunity to experience Walgreen's 24 hour pharmacy at midnight! I would recommend calling in your emergent prescriptions even at such wee hours as we got to wait over an hour to fill a seemingly simple prescription.
Patience. Lesson of the month? Treating contractions with patience vs anxiousness. Not complaining when we have to wait an hour for a prescription. Playing the waiting game in the hospital trying to get contractions to slow. Hard lessons to learn. Lessons with somewhat minimal consequence right now. Having patience with a crying baby or even TWO BABIES carries a lot more consequence. (we're having twins if you haven't heard) Testing always has a purpose. Finding the purpose in the midst of the challenge...
Prayer request for this post: Even today we are faced with new challenges. Please pray that the contractions are controlled by the medication and Meg's uterus somehow finds a way to expand even more to provide time for growth. Please pray that we find peace in a stressful time and that we practice patience to grow the character God is refining.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
25 weeks
Meg had her monthly ultrasound/checkup on wednesday. I almost made a joke to her before we went about what new concern would present itself today. It seems that today's technology is a mixed blessing. On the one hand we have access to amazing information. Information that can be life saving or life altering in positive ways and information that is hugely inspirational to curious parents/loved ones. At the same time this information is more than we may ever need to know. Example of the week. Our girl apparently has a bladder with walls like Fort Knox. As they are scanning around they find she has a very full bladder. They wonder if she just has not relieved herself or if maybe she cannot relieve herself. So they check her kidneys and fluids and everything there looks fine. Basically, they think she just needs to empty her bladder, but they will make a note of the finding and check in the future to see if it remains an issue. If we had been scheduled for a 9:00 ultrasound instead of 7:00 would we even have something to be concerned with?
Second example: while Meg was in the hospital they were using your standard baby monitor to make sure the babies were doing well. These monitors are little saucer shaped sensors they lock in place on your belly. They don't move; babies do. Obviously, as a baby moves or mom moves or the air conditioning blows the babies are not evenly monitored. The little machine that displays the reading thus bounces all over the place. Our little ones normal heart rates are at about 140-150 beats per minute. This machine erratically bounces up into the 200's, down into the 70's, 50's, 90's, and occasionally just shows lines as though there is no heartbeat. Next to this displayed number is a flashing heartbeat. The heartbeat only flashes if the machine is picking up the actual heartbeat at a measureable pace. They decide its good if dad can see this machine. Maybe they have found it is a great distraction for dads so they don't bother the nurses or doctors, because if that machine is visible I just sit fixated on those bouncing numbers. Everytime it moves from 150 I start getting my own irregular heartbeat. I have decided this machine needs a daddy mode where it just displays a constant beating heartbeat even if the machine is not registering that. If there is a problem the machine can just tell the nurses at the desk.
So...technology is great. I don't want to sound sour, because I think ultrasounds are amazing. I think they are a glimpse into the miracle of creation that previous generations were not afforded. I think they are a great tool in the fight against abortion, and may cause the eventual equivalent of the emancipation proclamation. Each time I get to see the rapidly beating hearts growing inside I am excited, assured, and inspired. And thus, we march on. We continue to pray for the Lord to protect the babies inside Meg's womb and to allow them to continue to grow staying inside. We pray for His blessings on their new lives, that they may be ready to follow and serve Him upon their arrival.
On a different note, Meg and I have completed one of the baby name books that we have. We did not add but a couple names out of that whole book to our list for the baby girl. As such, suggestions and bribes are still readily welcomed. We have a second book claiming it has 25,000 names. Bribes sound much better.
Second example: while Meg was in the hospital they were using your standard baby monitor to make sure the babies were doing well. These monitors are little saucer shaped sensors they lock in place on your belly. They don't move; babies do. Obviously, as a baby moves or mom moves or the air conditioning blows the babies are not evenly monitored. The little machine that displays the reading thus bounces all over the place. Our little ones normal heart rates are at about 140-150 beats per minute. This machine erratically bounces up into the 200's, down into the 70's, 50's, 90's, and occasionally just shows lines as though there is no heartbeat. Next to this displayed number is a flashing heartbeat. The heartbeat only flashes if the machine is picking up the actual heartbeat at a measureable pace. They decide its good if dad can see this machine. Maybe they have found it is a great distraction for dads so they don't bother the nurses or doctors, because if that machine is visible I just sit fixated on those bouncing numbers. Everytime it moves from 150 I start getting my own irregular heartbeat. I have decided this machine needs a daddy mode where it just displays a constant beating heartbeat even if the machine is not registering that. If there is a problem the machine can just tell the nurses at the desk.
So...technology is great. I don't want to sound sour, because I think ultrasounds are amazing. I think they are a glimpse into the miracle of creation that previous generations were not afforded. I think they are a great tool in the fight against abortion, and may cause the eventual equivalent of the emancipation proclamation. Each time I get to see the rapidly beating hearts growing inside I am excited, assured, and inspired. And thus, we march on. We continue to pray for the Lord to protect the babies inside Meg's womb and to allow them to continue to grow staying inside. We pray for His blessings on their new lives, that they may be ready to follow and serve Him upon their arrival.
On a different note, Meg and I have completed one of the baby name books that we have. We did not add but a couple names out of that whole book to our list for the baby girl. As such, suggestions and bribes are still readily welcomed. We have a second book claiming it has 25,000 names. Bribes sound much better.
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