Adventures in Pregnancy, week 38

The adventure continues...
(I know I include a lot of details, but this is to get it all off my mind and still remember this adventure someday in the future.)

Saturday, June 22nd

After breakfast, Evan and I went on a short walk around the neighborhood. Then, we headed to Lowes...well actually Evan dropped me off to get a pedicure while he got what he needed at Lowes. Then we headed home, ate lunch, and I rested until Susan came over. She checked on Baby Boy, checked on protein level in my urine (all was good), then she stripped my membranes. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it only felt a little more uncomfortable/intense than when Baby Boy was putting pressure on my cervix. Then, Susan checked my bp: 142/78...low number really good, high number a little high.

A few hours later, as Evan was getting dinner ready, I started to feel kind of crampy. I went ahead and ate, but my lower back was starting to ache also. I decided I wanted some froyo...some peach froyo that I had had a few weeks before, so we went to Berri-Licious. But alas, no peach froyo, only raspberry peach. So, I got some peach-raspberry and some tart, topped with fruit and nuts. When we got back home, I decided I wanted to take my bp sitting outside instead of inside. I think I was starting to get a little cabin fever/stir crazy, and being outside with the breeze and sounds of nature (including cars going by) drowned out the sound of the bp machine, and just made me feel a little better.

After that, the crampy feelings seemed more like real contractions. I started to ask Evan about timing them, but I had a hard time really knowing when they ended even though they seemed to start about every ten minutes. I was on the birth/yoga ball, first sitting, then leaning my upper body on it and rocking, all the while enjoying the distraction of Castle and getting a little excited that this may be it! A little later, Evan, being the awesome Bradley birth coach he's learned to be, said we needed to go to bed, whether the contractions were real or not. If they were real, it would be good to have the rest, if they weren't real, they'd stop when I went to sleep. So, I reluctantly went to bed, thinking I don't know if I can sleep...but I did, and the contractions subsided.

Sunday, June 23rd

We went to church then had lunch with mom, who had been helping with Moore/Shawnee tornado relief with Western Heights, before she headed home. My lower back was hurting most of church, so I rested and waited for things to pick back up, but nothing. So, we headed to LifeGroup.

Monday, June 24th

Another 24-urine test. Thankfully, I had a bit of distraction from being stuck on the couch with nothing happening by watching a friend's kids for about an hour. The kids played great and it passed the time. Then Evan came home for lunch to see me. That afternoon I decided I was going to be productive, so I worked on some hot/cold rice packs that I had started last month. I finished cutting the fabric, and used a hand-held sewing machine to sew 3 3/4 of the sides. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I got 3 little ones done, except for adding the rice and sewing them shut. It was nice to feel like I had done something and not just laid on the couch all day! Added bonus, my feet, especially my right foot, seemed to be much less swollen.

Tuesday, June 25th

I took in my 2 jugs of urine and had blood drawn again...now a weekly occurrence. Then a sweet friend came over for a visit, providing more distraction. After that, I rested up because Evan had said he'd take me to visit Camp Impact! I think being stuck on the couch was more frustrating this week 1) because I felt fine and 2) because Camp Impact was going on, and I had really wanted to be there! In the midst of my rest, I got up off the couch to turn off a light and found a needle with the sole of my foot!! OUCH!! Thankfully, it wasn't in too deep, and it only bled a little when I took it out.

Evan came home around 4:15, and we went to interview a pediatrician. It went pretty well, but I still have a hard time with how fast most doctors/nurses seem to more. I understand they try to fit in as many patients as possible, but when they come in a hurry, I don't feel like I can keep up with them or remember what I wanted to ask, etc. Then, we got some dinner...I was good and got a salad from Cool Greens while Evan indulged his craving for Top That! Pizza. I might have snuck a few bites of his pizza. shh! Next, off to Camp Impact!

When I walked into the Garvey Center, all the Children's Ministers were standing there about to have a meeting. Rusty, my youth minister, saw me first and gave me a hug, and then it was a sweet exclamation of "Laura!" as they all gave me hugs. It was so good to see and hug them all! I went on into Hardeman for the Acapella concert so they could finish their meeting. It was a lot of fun to see 4th-6th graders squealing, clapping, and having fun with Acapella! As their meeting ended, my Children's Ministry friends started trickling in and I got to talk with some of them. Evan let me stay for the concert and for worship afterwards. Camp Impact worship is always one of my favorite things. There's just nothing like seeing and hearing a large room full of kids pour out their hearts and voices in worship!! I love it! When I got home that night and took my bp, it was one of the lowest readings of the past 2 weeks!!

Wednesday, June 26th

I went to Revolution Chiropractic again and then to Barnes and Noble to look for "7" by Jen Hatmaker, a study the girls in Lifegroup are starting. Then I went to lunch with a sweet friend, some of my favorite boys, and their sister. It was nice...felt like old times before my body went haywire. Then it was home to rest before an appointment with Dr. Lewis.

I went in feeling great, chatting with Evan and Susan while we waited for the Dr. Lewis. Then the nurse came in, put the bp cuff on, and hit the button without any warning! I tried to relax and slow my breathing down, but it was a borderline/high reading (143/83). It frustrates me that the nurse doesn't give me any warning before starting the bp machine, especially when that's the reason I'm at the Dr.'s office! My 24 hr urine test results showed an increase of protein in my urine to borderline of mild pre-eclampsia, and my iron was down a little bit from last week, but Dr. Lewis was still very pleased with Tuesday's bp readings and was rooting for me to have the homebirth I want. She did recommend stripping membranes again to get baby here as soon as possible and increasing my bp medicine dosage by a little bit, I think to accommodate for the rise in bp when labor starts...I think. So, Susan stripped my membranes there at the Dr.'s office (we didn't know she could until I said I'd be more comfortable if Susan did and Dr. Lewis said she could).

I left feeling more down than when I went in. Once again, there's the feeling of urgency and trying to figure out what's best for me and Baby Boy and the ever-looming possibility of a hospital stay or induction. One of the verses in my daily devotional today that I read before going to Dr. Lewis:

"You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." Proverbs 19:21

I needed this reminder today. I wish I knew what to do, what's going to happen, and when, but I trust in God, his plan, and his timing.