Ultrasound #....? I don't know. I lost track. Everything seems to be fine. Not great, but good enough. Dr. G said the Dopplers were different, but still nothing to be alarmed about. Baby B is now 2.5 weeks behind instead of 2.
B=1 lb 13 oz
A=2 lbs 11 ozs.
There is almost a pound difference. My thought is that if the doctor isn't alarmed, then I won't be either. I trust my doctors at Clarian. I don't have the same feelings about anybody I have encountered at Community, however. Allow me to vent in detail about my lovely day at the hospital today.
*******
I woke up this morning, still exhausted from my journey to Clarian in Indianapolis. I rolled out of bed to get my second non-stress test for the week at the Community hospital in town. Remember last time it took 2 hours because the babies kept moving. This time I had one nurse start out finding the babies' heartbeats. As she was looking, she asked me if the babies were in separate sacs. I said, "One placenta, two sacs." She replied with confidence, "Oh, so they're not identical." Pause. I said, "Actually when they share a placenta it means they are identical." It felt wrong to explain that to an R.N. working in labor and delivery.
Anyway, I was watching the monitor and it looked like she had both on there. Good start! For some reason, she came back and started messing with it again, saying, "I think I'm picking up the other one's heartbeat instead." I thought that seemed kind of odd, but whatever. She brought another nurse in to figure it out. Apparently, they were searching for a different heartbeat for almost half an hour until the first nurse finally said, "She only has one placenta. They might have similar heart rates." Well duh!!! I could have told them that! So since the babies had similar heart rates, the nurses thought they were picking up just one baby, when the entire time they had both on the monitor. I was there for much, much longer than I should have been for something really simple. I left feeling stressed out, which is not good for me or the babies.
Wait, there's more.
I also needed to get my glucose test today (measures your blood sugar levels) to test for the possibility of gestational diabetes. My doctor told me not to drink or eat anything sweet two hours before I went in. Just in case, I called the lab beforehand and asked them what is safe to eat and drink. I ate some toast and drank some water, as directed, then went in for my test. For those of you that know me, I cannot drink carbonated beverages; they upset my stomach. I asked the receptionist if she has a solution that wasn't carbonated. She said, "It's not very fizzy." A couple minutes later, she brought out an orange drink, very carbonated, and gave me these instructions: "Here. Drink this. You have five minutes, then we'll draw your blood in an hour." I drank the stuff, and put a piece of sugar free gum in my mouth. Uh oh. Apparently I wasn't supposed to do that but didn't know it.
During that hour, I wanted to cry. My head was still hurting, my back was killing me, I was hungry, tired, and I just wanted to go home and sleep. They finally called me back, took my blood, then the lady who took it informed me that since I had gum in my mouth my results might end up funny and that I might have to retake the test. I was FURIOUS. I told her, "Oh, that would have been nice to know BEFORE I took the test!" All she said was that the receptionist was supposed to have told me when she brought out my drink. That lady's reply? "Oops. Haha." I don't think I should be at fault if no one told me something as simple as that. I mean, really, do I have to Google everything because I can't get information out of these people?
This probably seems like no big deal to you, but for an extremely uncomfortable and hurting and hormonal pregnant lady with twins who is supposed to be on bed rest, it is a big deal. I think I might be switching over completely to my specialist ASAP.
I'm done complaining. I promise. I'll go sleep it off.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
28 weeks
It's been a while. I have officially entered the third trimester. Even though I'm on bed rest, I dont find it easy to sit at the computer anymore. It's actually a lot more difficult to sit in an uncomfortable computer chair to write a blog. I'm borrowing a laptop for now, so I'll try and squeeze in as much as I can before I give it back.
The babies are doing ok. Baby B is still 2 weeks behind, but her growth is consistent. I'm still going in for ultrasounds every week. Last time I went into my regular checkup, the doctor said my belly is measuring at 37 weeks for a singleton pregnancy. I can't believe how huge my belly already feels, and I'm only 7 months along. They say that by this time the babies aren't moving as violently anymore because they are short on space. So far I haven't experienced that relief. These babies find a way to sucker punch whenever they can. It seems the bigger they get, the harder the kicks, space or no space. I went in to get my second non-stress test (monitors the babies' heart rate, my heart rate, and contractions). What usually takes about 20 minutes took 2 hours because they were moving around so much!
Last week I had my first non-stress test. Apparently, the movements I was feeling during the previous three weeks were contractions. I learned that quickly when the test was recording that I was having them irregularly. They say four in one hour is cause for concern. I had at least that many in 20 minutes. So I was put on a medicine called Brethine (Terbutaline Sulfate) to reduce contractions. It wears off two hours before I can take it again, but it works for the most part.
In general, I am very uncomfortable and tired and sore. Bed rest is becoming something I appreciate more and more. Trying to get out is not even appealing to me. Taking a shower is one of the most exhausting activities of the day. I don't know which is worse at this point: exhaustion from taking care of two babies, or exhaustion from being pregnant with them.
Allan is feeling the pressure of getting the house done for us. The clock is ticking. I could have these babies any day now, although for their sake I hope they hang in there for at least four more weeks. Allan is also ready for me to be done with pregnancy, He has been working so hard at work, on the house, and taking care of me. It will be nice for him when I can finally do things around the house. I know I won't have much time or energy while I'm taking care of the babies, but I'll be able to do more than I can now.
We picked out names! Too bad you can't find out until the babies are born. Sorry. Everyone knows so much about this pregnancy that we would like to keep something secret!
Melody
The babies are doing ok. Baby B is still 2 weeks behind, but her growth is consistent. I'm still going in for ultrasounds every week. Last time I went into my regular checkup, the doctor said my belly is measuring at 37 weeks for a singleton pregnancy. I can't believe how huge my belly already feels, and I'm only 7 months along. They say that by this time the babies aren't moving as violently anymore because they are short on space. So far I haven't experienced that relief. These babies find a way to sucker punch whenever they can. It seems the bigger they get, the harder the kicks, space or no space. I went in to get my second non-stress test (monitors the babies' heart rate, my heart rate, and contractions). What usually takes about 20 minutes took 2 hours because they were moving around so much!
Last week I had my first non-stress test. Apparently, the movements I was feeling during the previous three weeks were contractions. I learned that quickly when the test was recording that I was having them irregularly. They say four in one hour is cause for concern. I had at least that many in 20 minutes. So I was put on a medicine called Brethine (Terbutaline Sulfate) to reduce contractions. It wears off two hours before I can take it again, but it works for the most part.
In general, I am very uncomfortable and tired and sore. Bed rest is becoming something I appreciate more and more. Trying to get out is not even appealing to me. Taking a shower is one of the most exhausting activities of the day. I don't know which is worse at this point: exhaustion from taking care of two babies, or exhaustion from being pregnant with them.
Allan is feeling the pressure of getting the house done for us. The clock is ticking. I could have these babies any day now, although for their sake I hope they hang in there for at least four more weeks. Allan is also ready for me to be done with pregnancy, He has been working so hard at work, on the house, and taking care of me. It will be nice for him when I can finally do things around the house. I know I won't have much time or energy while I'm taking care of the babies, but I'll be able to do more than I can now.
We picked out names! Too bad you can't find out until the babies are born. Sorry. Everyone knows so much about this pregnancy that we would like to keep something secret!
Melody
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