Bed rest

From my very first doctor's appointment in July when the doc first confirmed the pregnancy and checked my blood pressure, he straight up told me bed rest was going to be a possibility "after Christmas". Well, I made it exactly a month past Christmas. At our doctor's appointment last week, my blood pressure was a little elevated and wouldn't go down, so the doc sent us downstairs to the hospital for observation "for a few hours" just to make sure everything was ok.

What?! I'm going to the hospital?! CUE THE STROKE. My blood pressure went from slightly elevated to through the roof in two minutes flat. I was immediately surrounded by doctors and nurses asking me over and over and over again if I was having headaches or seeing flashes of light or having contractions or bleeding. No. No. No. No. No. **between tears** I just want to go home.

Wrong.

They ended up admitting me and keeping me there allll weekend. They put me on blood pressure medication and checking it every four hours (after we were initially out of the woods) for three days. "Sort Of Kind Of Maybe Mild Pre Eclampsia" was the diagnosis, depending on which doctor you asked. My actual doctor had left to go out of town to a conference about thirty minutes after I was admitted-- so we got the fun experience of dealing with on-call docs all weekend. If I've never impressed upon you the importance of healthy relationships and the importance of choosing the right life partner, PLEASE, listen to me now. It is probably the most important thing I've done in my life-- choosing to marry P. He slept in a chair in the hospital for three days when he didn't have to. He brought me every meal so I wouldn't have to eat the nasty hospital food. He rubbed my shoulders and ran his fingers through my hair during blood pressure checks to help me calm down. (I have a bit of White Coat Hypertension- and the baby is just adding to the higher numbers.) And now he's waiting on me hand and foot, while doing dishes, laundry, and picking up the house, now that I'm on strict bed rest. I don't know how single people, people with rocky marriages or less considerate husbands do it. It is not lost on me how unbelievably lucky I am.

While I'm not thrilled about having to leave school three weeks earlier than planned, I am grateful for the rest. I've lost five pounds in water weight just being off my feet over the weekend. When I saw the doctor yesterday he noted how I even looked different since all the swelling had gone down. And my blood pressure was fine, so we're just going to keep doing what we're doing.

As usual, this kiddo is super healthy and happy. He's just upside down in my belly kicking away night and day. He's never shown even the first sign of distress. He's such a trooper. And if things keep going the way they are now, positively, he'll be able to arrive on his own time whenever he's good and ready. This is really important to me, so I hope it works out that way. If my BP spikes and we do have to induce, I'll understand, but I REALLY prefer that not to happen.

We are SO ready for kiddo though. Everything is set. Bags are packed, car seat is in the car. Diapers are ready; his bed is ready. I can not wait to meet him and for the first time see the precious face of this little boy that I've been talking to and feeling wiggle around inside me for the last nine months. I want to hold those little hands and kiss those tiny feet that have been poking out through my stomach the last few weeks. And it's almost time. It's just a matter of days now.

So excited!