SOML

So while I use this blog so that people who know and care about me can keep up to date, I often find it  tedious to keep explaining things. With that said I'm keeping this one short.  I was recently hospitalized again. I went in because of the pressure I felt to my spleen from the uterus and was riduclously scared that it was going to burst randomly. While in the hospital my spleen was checked and is still at 16cms, but my blood levels dropped dramatically and I had to get a immediate blood transfusion. It has also been decided that I will not be delivering vaginally due to the amount of pressure my spleen will have to take during pushing. This news did not make me happy. I was given steroids to grow his lungs and we are waiting to hit 32 weeks before a scheduled C-section. The hope is that I will be able to live with the pain until then, but at this rate, I'm not optimistic about that at all. The pain is astronomical and the more I deal with the pain the more upset and angr...

A few people have asked me am I going to be able to deliver vaginally. Now, I did think that I had addressed this in one of my previous blogs, but maybe I didn't. So here is the deal. Because I have Sickle C Disease, I am at a greater risk of clotting. And due to the risk of clotting associated with c-sections, this doubles my chance of clotting in my limbs and even having a blood clot travel to my lungs (pulmonary embolism) which could kill me. Therefore, I will be induced and delivering vaginally unless my team and I decide my life or the baby's life is at risk.  So, for those of you who automatically assumed I was having a c-section, you assumed incorrectly. We are getting this little man out the old fashion way!

I just spent 3 nights in the hospital....again. This time I knew the pain was inevitable but I did not expect it to progress so quickly. I had been feeling lethargic and having moderate pain since last weekend (the 15th) and knew the new cold weather was to blame. I went to a routine growth ultrasound on Tuesday for baby and the ultrasound was so painful on my left side that I nearly jumped off the table. The ultrasound tech mentioned it to my high risk specialist and he was concerned. He told me that my uterus (and baby) were pushing up against my enlarged spleen so the pressure is causing the increased discomfort and pain. I asked how baby was doing and he tells me, "It's not the baby I'm worried about."  The plan of action was to go in to the hospital if the pain was too much to bear at home and to make sure that he was contacted. I was told that I needed to make it through Thanksgiving (as I mentioned in my previous post) and that baby would be born in December ...

I was at a routine growth ultrasound yesterday (I have them every 4 weeks) and was totally surprised when I was able to have a 4D experience. I was very glad my husband was there as we just stared at our baby's face. No skeleton-hollow face to wonder at anymore! I'm so in love. It's sick. :-) On a less than enthusiastic note, my uterus is now pressing into my spleen and they are not sure how much more pressure it can take with it already being enlarged. I was told to make it through Thanksgiving, but it looks like I will be induced mid-december.

Whenever little man is ready, he can come. Sure, sure, that may be awhile, but I'm waiting. Why? Because I hurt 90% of the time I am in pain. I have been in the hospital more than I'd care to count at this time. And even though I want him to stay in until he's ready, he's competing with my enlarged spleen and liver and has made contact. Can you imagine being kicked an enlarged organ? Not to mention that he may be snatched out depending on how the rest of the pregnancy goes. Just great. Whenever and however he arrives I can't wait to meet him.

I have to say that I am sick of being sick. Tired of the hospital stays and doctors. Tired of well wishers and concerned emails, texts, and phone calls. It's not that I don't appreciate them, it's that I am constantly having to remember all the drama of this pregnancy. I live it everyday.

FML