The Least Fun Sleepover Ever!!

After being super dedicated to another week of bedrest I went for our weekly checkup with Dr. Robison at 2pm.  My mother took me (Shane as at work) and she insisted that I not drive.  We have our ultrasound cervical check and found that this week the cervix had gone from 12mm to 4.8mm.  This did not make me happy.  And my mother was a nervous wreck.  Them we they checked my blood pressure it had gone from 140/80 to 167/97.  At this point my mom started to cry.... I waited until last night.   Dr. Robinson called in a blood pressue medication, Aldomet, and told me to stay down some more.  We set up an appointment for the following week, he gave me his personal cell phone (my Grandpa Romrell was his dad's Explorer leader after all) and told me he didn't want to see my face until next week.  He gave me lots of specific things to watch for (regarding pre-term labor and pre-eclapmsia) and said not to hesitate to call but resting at home was a lot more comfortable and less expensive that resting at the hospital.   Our ultra-sound tech, Darla, said during the ultrasound cervical check, "they better have given you the steroid shots already!" - which they did 2 weeks ago - but the more I thought of her comments then the more worried I was that we weren't going to be able to last much longer.

My mom took me home, went and picked up my prescription, bought me and Shane a Jamba Juice (he has been pretty ill), Shane called from work to check on the update and I was laying down, a little frustrated that my bedrest doesn't really seem to be working.  At about 6:30pm, Dr. Robison called my cellphone to say that he had a change or heart in regards to managing my care and wanted me to go spend the night at EIRMC to monitor my blood pressure over night.   He told me they were waiting for me in Labor and Delivery.

I called Shane at the jail and he told me to go up with my mom - he didn't want me to wait until he got home in an hour.   I packed a bag and in I went.  I told the nurses I was here for a slumber party -- they said, 'You must be Sara".  They got me all hooked  up to the monitors (blood pressure, some monitor which measures contractions, and a heart monitor on both babies.  The last time we had checked our Baby Boy was breech.  They found our daughter's heart beat right away and then couldn't find our son's heartbeat.  After several minutes I was getting very nervous and it was all I could do to keep calm as the charge nurse went to find a different nurse to see if someone else would have any luck.  The other nurse took several minutes and then did find it - waaayyy down low.  Apparently - our little boy isn't breech any longer.  What a relief to hear to rapid little heartbeats.  They told me that I was having contractions - which I could not feel. 

Shane arrived and it was sooo good to see his face.  There is something about having him there that I need so much.  I can't really put it into words.  He also - for the record - looked very handsome.  He had changed out of his uniform and taken a quick shower and then put on a blazer.  Maybe he thought we would be getting pictures taken!  :)  I love that man!  He went and got us some dinner and my mom left to go relieve my dad, who had been tending Leah's Olivia while they went to the much coveted  Richard Marx concert!  :)

It was a pretty quiet night.  The staff could monitor all my monitors from the desk and once the lab had come and they had given me an Ambien (which didn't work that well) they left me to sleep until morning.  Shane gave me a blessing and rubbed my back until I was good and sleepy and then went home to sleep himself. 

At about 7:30am Dr. Robison called me to tell me everything looked more stable on my blood pressure - it was down to 138/78 - still high but less worrisome.  The nurses said that they had been watching the babies heart rhythms all night and they were much stronger than they expected for 27 week twins - it was our first proud parenting moment!  :)  Shane arrived, they served me breakfast and discharged me to go home and get more bedrest.  My Aunt Karleen, who works in the NICU, came down and visited with me for a while and I asked her lots of questions about babies that arrive this early.   The nurse that discharged us told me to keep my monitor bands in our hospital bag and to bring them next time and we wouldn't be charged for them.  I hope we don't use them for a month.

I know that Dr. Robion and Shane and I want to hold out unttil we are 35 - 37 weeks - but I asked him what he thought would happen - he said it was hard to predict as everyone and every pregnancy is so different. He has seen women whose cervix had thinned out completely still hold on for several weeks - so that is what we are hoping for.    We feel glad to have moved out of the "cusp of viability" range to a gestational age where the babies should live - but with months and millions in the NICU and possible long term health problems - and are hoping to meet the 28 week marker, the 30 week marker and beyond.  We have lots of family and friends praying for us and know that we are in the loving care of our Heavenly Father - however difficult it it so remember that emotionally at time it is.

Here are some photo ops from our slumber party:

Such a beauty picture I deleted my own face.

Probably the most expensive bracelet I've ever had!

 Lots of monitors!