Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Life throws us another curve.

Writing to you from Labor & Delivery at University Hospital in Cincinnati. The unthinkable happened on Friday. We drove down Thursday from Toledo and after a series of unfortunate incidents (running out of gas, one of the kids coming down with something the hour before we left, etc.) it was almost 10:30 pm when we arrived at our hotel. We got Addison settled and got to sleep ourselves since it would be a long day of appointments and then driving home Friday night. I was so thankful Adam was with me.

Early in the morning we headed out for the Liberty Campus of Cincinnati Children's Hospital. We arrived on time and were looking for a parking spot, when I felt the first gush of fluid. My water had broken.

Because of my MFM appointment the morning before, we knew Audrina wass breech and they told me to call 911 or get to the hospital IMMEDIATELY if my water broke, because of the risk of cord prolapse from her position. Since we were in a town we were unfamiliar with, and my contractions picked up almost immediately, we called 911 to ask where the nearest hospital was with a level 3 NICU. They instead, re-routed us to the nearest hospital. We rush in, only to find out that they don't even have an OB on staff! Now they have to call an ambulance to transport me to University Hospital downtown. This process takes an hour, and then we had a 20 minute ambulance ride. Adam and Addison drove behind us all the way there. We still had not checked on Audrina yet via ultrasound, so there was no way of telling whether or not she was okay. I knew as soon as we arrived, I could be rushed into the OR for an emergency C-section.

Thankfully, when we got here, Audrina was monitored and found to be stable. I hadn't dilated any further. The bad news? I was not and would not be stable enough to be transferred home. They admitted me and let me know that I would A) be on hospital bedrest until delivery, and B) it would be dangerous to let me labor at all, so as soon as I began to have regular contractions, they would perform a C-section. My mom jumped in the car and started driving the minute she heard, so in a few hours she was here to take care of Addison.


Audrina was what they call footling breech. She actually has dropped one foot into the birth canal and I am dilated just enough for it to be stuck in there. Our hospital stay has been full of ups and downs already. They were able to get us through the first 48 hours after rupture with lots and lots of anti-contraction meds and antibiotics. I felt pretty good despite having regular contractions. They told me the goal was to keep her in my belly until 32-34 weeks and then deliver if she became unstable or I went into labor.

Friday and Saturday we spent on lots of meds and hooked up to tons of monitors while having decent contractions - but they got me through the 2 days needed to get a second dose of steroids for her lungs. We met the Anesthesia team, the NICU staff and some of the MFM doctors. Everyone was really caring and fantastic, and the nurses were just really amazing and sweet to us. They played with Addison a lot and were very on top of any concerns we had.

Sunday we we were moved off of Labor and Delivery since things seemed relatively stable. I spent less than 24 hours there before I developed a lowgrade fever and baby Audrina began having tachycardia episodes and they decided to move me back to L&D for closer monitoring. They came in and told us it appeared I was coming down with an infection called Choriamnitos, and the only fix was delivery. They told us we had to meet clinical criteria for them to deliver our baby at 30 weeks, so we were told they would just watch closely.

Monday afternoon my mom and Addison left to go back home and I cried like a baby. She's running a fever and has some respiratory junk going on... I hate not being the one taking care of her, even though I know she's in great hands. We figure its for the best if the girls all stay home with my mom this week until the baby gets here and we have a better idea what the future will hold. I am missing them like crazy.

Its Tuesday now, and I never did develop any higher fever, but Audrina failed her Biophysical Profile today. There is zero fluid left at all, and she's no longer practicing breathing on her own. They told us this morning they would repeat it and then deliver if she failed again, but she's failed it 2 more times now today - 3x in total. I didnt get a fever, but I did start to get really sick anyway, and now the pain is excruciating and I can only say it feels like I have been punched over and over and over. My abdomen and back feel bruised and tender, and every tiny movement she makes sends me wincing. Earlier today they started me on Morphine for it and that took the edge off a ton, but now since I am so close to delivery they can't risk it making her lazy when she comes out, since they are already anticipating a big intervention to get her breathing once she is out. I've been having regular contractions once again, so pretty soon I will let them check my cervix again and if any progress has been made, itll be time.

For how miserable I am feeling, it makes me so nervous that she's getting sick too from the infection. But at this early of gestation, they really can't gamble with her long-term health just off a suspicion. They just keep saying we need to hold on another day, the clinical picture looks poor for keeping her in through the end of the week, but we've already made it much further than they anticipated. She really needs to do well on her ultrasound tonight - we want to see some positive signs.

Please be in prayer for us and I will update as soon as I can.

3 comments:

  1. Oh Kim, I can't believe everything that you and your husband are going through. You, Audrina, Addison, your husband and other daughters are all in our prayers tonight and tomorrow morning. May God guide the doctors to make the right decisions for all of you and may He keep you, Audrina and Addison in good health. Hugs and prayers.

    Thanks for taking the time to post an update. Get lots of rest.

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  2. Been looking everyday for updates, this one was not what I was expecting! Take care of yourself and prayers are being sent your way:)

    Michelle

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  3. Praying and thinking of you and your family!
    Love
    Kay ( Dillon) Keck and family

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