Week 33 Check Up

We had another doctor appointment today. Apparently the Procardia is working because I only had 2 contractions while I was there. Dr Jordan was very happy with how I am doing. She said Levi is between 4 1/2 and 5 pounds right now. She said he is growing perfectly and is on target to be between 6 and 7 pounds at birth. He is head down and is really, really low in my pelvis. She said that even though I am really tiny he has plenty of amniotic fluid and is growing right on target.

On my part I am done with being pregnant this time. I cannot wait to eat, sleep and feel normal again - and not have to pull an IV pole around with me. My pole is always getting caught on everything and I am always running into things. I have been so hungry lately and carbs just aren't cutting it. Dr Jordan was concerned because I lost 5 pounds since my last visit. I don't really know why that is - but at least I am still 5 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.

Today we were about to leave for church when I noticed that my left arm (with the PICC Line) was purple and tingling. My Matria nurse told me to go to the ER right away. At the hospital they did an ultrasound of my arm to see if there were any blood clots. After waiting a really long time - my arm had gone back to looking and feeling normal - they came and told us the PICC line was healthy and there were no clots. We were thankful that they didn't have to pull the PICC line and do a new one.

Right now I am taking Procardia orally to stop the contractions - I will continue to take it until I am 34 weeks next Tuesday. I have to take it every 6 hours. It makes me so sleepy and out of it. I don't like how it makes me feel but it is probably good because it makes me stay off my feet. I just want to paint Levi's room and go out and do things!!

My weight is down and I have now gained only 5 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I don't know why it dropped again but it is still progress. I am definitely ready for Levi to come join us!! My body is tired of all this - I am ready to feel like a normal person again!!

Baby Shower, Pack n Play, Levi's Room!!

My friend Kelley and her mom threw us a baby shower on Sunday! Here are some fun pictures!!




MOM, ME, GRANDMA, AUNT KAY


KELLEY AND I!! DUE DATES 11 DAYS APART!!





Next we came home and went through all the gifts and John and I put together our fun Pack N Play!! It took awhile!!





John got a "Proud Daddy" Hat!!







Levi's room is coming together!!
We aren't done painting bubbles and circles on the walls but here it is so far!! We don't have a chair yet, so we are still rearranging the room. I am in love with it so far!!

Discharged!!

Dr. Jordan just came by and said that I am looking stable and can go home. I will continue to take Procardia (anti-contraction) medicine for the next 2 weeks. She said that after 34 weeks it isn't a big deal if I am having contractions - it would be fine if I had the baby after that point. I am on "house rest" - not as strict as bed rest. I have to stay down as much as possible and really pay attention to the contractions. Originally they saw fluid coming down into my cervix - which can be a pre-cursor to dilating. Dr. Jordan said that the contractions must have pushed the fluid back up because it isn't there anymore. So I am heading home to get hooked back up to my IV and meds there!!

LEAVING THE HOSPITAL

Yesterday was a non eventful day here in the hospital. I still cannot feel my contractions, which is good. This morning at 6 am they came to my room and did an ultrasound to measure my cervix. It is supposed to be longer than 3 cm - it was 3.3 this morning. That is good news. They did a culture which will tell them if my body is planning on having Levi within the next 2 weeks. I am just hanging out waiting to hear from my doctor this morning. I am hoping I can head home in the next few hours.

On another note - I am now 9 pounds above my pre-pregnacy weight!! I gained about 5 lbs in just the last week. Nothing is new with my vomiting or what I eat - so it has to be Levi growing like crazy!!

NST, Contractions & My Bedtime Lifesaver

Non Stress Test at the Doctor's office

Monday morning we started the day with a Non Stress Test (NST) at the Doctor's office. The results showed that I was having contractions. Dr. Jordan did an ultrasound and checked me out. She said my cervix was thinner than it should be and there was fluid in the cervix - which can cause you to start dilating. She sent us to get checked into the hospital so that I could be monitored more closely. They did another vaginal ultrasound at the hosptial and told us that they could see Levi had a good amount of hair on his head (they showed me but I couldn't see it - John said he could tell)!!

After many tests they determined that my cervix is now looking long enough - but that the fluid and contractions are a concern. I am hooked up to monitors to show contractions and Levi's heartbeat, as well as, my IV fluids and meds. I have been getting shots in the butt of steroids - this helps Levi's lungs mature in case he comes early.

Overall, we aren't concerned. Dr. Jordan wants to take every precaution since this has been such a strained pregnancy for us. Other than the uncomfortable hospital bed, being woken up every two hours - and having to tug 5 cords into the bathroom with me - things are good.

Thanks for the prayers!! Levi is making his mark already!!

THIS IS MY LIFESAVER:

This is not a picture of me, but it is a picture of my new Snoogle Total Body Pillow. After struggling to get comfortable with 5 different pillows every night I was not a happy camper. This pillow is the best ever - it is big and bulky - but so practical and supports you in all the right places!! I brought it to the hospital with me and don't know what I would do without it!!

After being off the Zofran for 5 days I began to get so nauseous that I couldn't handle it anymore!! I had to make John leave the room everytime he was eating a meal because I couldn't stand the smell. Thank the Lord that Zofran helps take that sensitivity away!! We decided I had been off the medicine for long enough and restarted last Friday.

We had another Dr appointment yesterday. I have gained 3 1/2 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight - which is exactly what Levi weighs right now!! The doctor is happy that I'm not still losing weight. I am going to be having weekly appointments from now on. She will be doing an ultrasound at every appointment. I will be going in 30 minutes early for a Non-Stress Test - they put a device over my belly to monitor Levi's heartbeat and movement, as well as, to detect any contractions I might be having.

Yesterday my doctor was surprised to learn that I am STILL throwing up daily. Apparently I forgot to tell her that fact. I eat only crackers, popsicles, toast and some rice - how I miss protein. John has learned to offer me only 1 or 2 bites of his meals. If he offers more than that I WILL take it - but then I am guaranteed to be throwing up in a few minutes. Every single time he shares something with me I decide that whatever he is eating will be my first meal when I can eat again!! Everything tastes and looks so good to me!!

I am still on the Zofran pump that continuously administers doses through my PICC line all day. I am never off the Zofran pump - it has a little pouch that I carry it in and take it with me everywhere. My IV runs continuously when I'm at home. I am only off the IV when I go out. If I am going to my parents or a friends house I will take my IV pole with me and hook up there. I actually took my IV pole and set it up at Kelley's baby shower last weekend. I felt so silly sitting there next to my pole but was glad that I took it with me. When I get dressed I have to thread my IV bag, Zofran pump, and all the lines hooked to my left arm, through the arm hole before I can put anything on. This greatly limits my desire to change clothes. 98% of the time I get the shirt on and it is on backwards - then I have to backtrack and put the shirt on correctly!!

The home health care company taking care of me delivers my supplies weekly. We get boxes of IV bags (they are called Lactated Ringers), Multivitamin supplements, Pepcid supplements, IV lines and Zofran syringes. We have had to designate a corner for all my supplies. Yesterday John looked around at all the medical supplies and my IV pole setup and said, "You are so high maintenance right now with all your medical stuff. This is not how I pictured our pregnancies." Isn't that the truth!! There is always a bag to refill, a syringe to change, an IV line to purge or a sick, pregnant (usually grumpy) person to hug and feed. Crazy.

Today we went to a baby shower for my friend Kelley. She is due 11 days before me!!

These days I take a shower once a week. Showers are triggers in HG for vomiting. It isn't uncommom for women with HG to rarely shower. For those of you who know me you know how strict I am on cleansing and moisturizing morning and night - you would be shocked to know how many mornings and evenings I have NOT washed and moisturized. It is amazing how HG takes all your strength.

Today Shelley came to change the dressing on my PICC line. I am having some skin breakdown from having my skin covered with tape consistently. She had to change the positioning so that some of the skin can recover. I have to look away when she is changing it, and if I do look down at what she is doing, I have to hold my breath. She cleans it off really good, repositions it, and then fastens it down again before taping it back up.

Finally!!

We have finally decided on Levi's middle name!! It is quite different but we really like it and we LOVE the meaning!! Ready...here it is...

Levi Asher Williams

Levi means "United" "Joined in harmony"

Asher means "Happiness" "Blessed with Abundance" "Royal Highness"

We originally thought of this name because it is a family name on John's side - and Asher is in the Bible (Jacob's 8th son Asher, was promised a life blessed with abundance). One of the things I prayed for consistently since middle school, is that our family and home would be filled with laughter, joy and dancing.

Medicine "Holiday"

Jen with Matria is amazing - she has my back!! She called and told me to stop my Zofran pump and take a Medicine "Holiday" to clear my system of the Zofran. She said that sometimes your receptors become used to the medicine. I will continue my multivitamins in my IV bag. Tomorrow night we will see how I am feeling. She has ordered Benadryl and B6 to be added to my IV fluids. I have tried these orally but they didn't help - so we'll see if they work intraveneously.

The medicine comes in little vials and I have to individually add them to every new IV bag with a syringe and needle. I am just thankful the needle isn't going into my arm. I keep trying to show John what I have to do each time so maybe he can prepare it for me sometimes - but that hasn't happened yet. :) I will keep working on him.

Here are the vials I have to add to each bag along with the syringes!

My PICC site is looking a lot better. I have been keeping ice on it and wrapping it up to keep pressure on it - so far I haven't had anymore bleeding!!

Doctor Appointment

We had a doctor appointment today. Since I haven't gained any weight Dr Jordan said that she is going to do an ultrasound once a month from now on to monitor Levi's growth. He is 3.5 pounds right now - which is ahead of schedule. The doctor was happy to see that he is growing fine - he is just taking every good thing from me!! Dr Jordan was going to confirm Levi's sex - but he had his legs crossed and would kick her every time she tried. She said he must be a shy one...to which I commented that he must be like his daddy...because that is not my personality at all!! :)

On the way to the doctor's appointment I noticed that the site where they inserted my PICC Line was bleeding, it was dripping down my arm! This has happened once before. We think that I must be laying on it when I am sleeping which causes some bleeding. Shelley, my Matria nurse, was able to come and change the dressing and clean it up this afternoon. They have to keep it very clean and sterile so that there is no chance for infection.

I have started hanging up the clothes we already have for Levi. Oh my gosh!! We have so many clothes already - he could come tomorrow and we would be ready in the clothing department!! As I mentioned before I don't like cutsie boy clothing. This is the test I gave to my family...before buying something for Levi ask yourself, "Would John wear this? If he wouldn't, don't buy it!" Who knew I would be so picky!!