Uh Oh

Well, so much for the odds being in favor of normalcy. I have once again been diagnosed with preeclampsia. At my 25 week appt last Friday my blood pressure was 100/80, and my protein screen was normal. I had put on 16  lbs since my last appointment, but the midwife told me that it is normal to see that large of a jump. I wasn't sure that I believed her (I hadn't really eaten enough to warrant it, but it IS possible).  Yesterday morning I woke up with swollen hands and face, with no noticeable swelling anywhere else. I tried to stay calm, but I knew that those were tell-tale signs of the condition I dreaded. I called the midwife and they asked me to come in right away. My bp was 160/100, my protein screen was bad, and I had gone up 6 lbs since Friday. All VERY bad signs. They sent me to labor and delivery at Finely to start a 24 hour protein screening and bp monitoring. After 2 hours of bed rest in the hospital the high risk doctor decided that I needed to be where there was a NICU because I AM going to deliver early. So, the news got scarier. I was put back on magnesium sulfate, an anti-seizure medicine, given steroids to mature the baby's lungs and sent on a 90 minute ambulance ride to University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.

Upon arrival at UIHC I was directly admitted to Labor and Delivery and placed right next to the c-section room in case an emergency c-section was needed. There was some concern that my water had broke during transport, but it was a false alarm. I had an ultrasound to see how the baby was doing, and just as last time, my placenta isn't doing its job, and baby is measuring 2 weeks smaller than she should, at about 24 weeks instead of 26. The upside is that she is amazingly resilient and handling the stress of my condition very well. They have told us that she is 'acting' like she is 26 weeks, which is a fantastic sign knowing that she will be very early and living in the NICU for some amount of time. I've also been told by more than one doctor that it's good that I'm having a girl because they handle early births better than boys.

So, as of right now I really have no idea what is happening beyond the next few hours. They are doing everything to prep me as though I could have the baby at any time. However they are no longer treating me as a seizure risk.  I was taken off Magnesium yesterday afternoon, got my catheter out around midnight, and had my iv shut off shortly after that. My BP is stable now that I'm on bed rest, and it sounds like I will be moved to a 'regular' room today.

So, I promise to update as often as I can with whatever information I have. I really appreciate all the well wishes and prayers. Thank you!