From: griffith@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Pam Griffith)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Update on my preterm labor: bed for the duration
Date: 19 Nov 92 02:33:09 GMT
Organization: Boeing Computer Services

In article <1ebcumINN1v3@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> larrabee@cse.ucsc.edu (Tracy Larrabee) writes:
>Well, I'm still in bed.  And the way it looks, I'll only get out of this
>bed before Christmas if I do it to give birth.

I know how you feel, I was in a similar situation not too
long ago and I certainly sympathize with you.  I did not have preterm
labor - my membranes ruptured at 16 weeks! (more on that later..)

>I'm glad I have computer access...
>...I almost let my fear of appearing
>hysterical keep me from getting help, and that would have been very,
>very bad.  

I did the same thing, it was my first pregnancy, so I really didn't
know much about anything, if I hadn't mentioned to the nurse by chance
that I was dripping just a little bit, who knows what would've happened.
I have since learned to tell my doctor every little detail and let him
decide whether it is of any concern or not.

>...  In any case, as
>many of you have told me: six weeks will have been a very short time
>to have invested in a healthy son. (If I just *knew* he would be OK, I
>think it would make the whole thing quite a bit easier.)

That is definitely true - as I said earlier, I ruptured at 16 weeks - so
early that I wasn't even showing yet.  That was about Christmas last
year.  My husband and I were planning on driving to the Bay Area to see
our families at Christmas time, and so we went ahead and did that - this
was with the doctors' blessings, I was to find out later that the doctors
really didn't have much hope for my baby because I ruptured so early.
I'm still really mad about this becaused I think I had the right to know
no matter how bad it looked.

Anyway, we DROVE to CA from Seattle, I kept leaking the whole time, and
when we got back home, they did an ultrasound and found that my fluid
level was unchanged.  We then got the bad news that I would most likely
loose the baby.  They didn't offer us any thread of hope and said that
even if I went on total bedrest, chances are not good at all.

Well, I went on bedrest anyway, but like the doctors said, I kept on
leaking...my husband also took over all the household duties and had
to take care of me, it really is tough on the men too.  Anyway, after
about 4 weeks in bed, I started to bleed at little bit, which really
freaked me out.  We went to the hospital right away, and I was not
allowed to leave - that was on Valentines Day.  I stayed in the hospital
for 9 weeks, until I was 34 weeks along, the whole time all they
did for me was put me on the fetal monitor several times a day, and
check my temperature to make sure I don't get infected.

I was so bored, and scared, and depressed, I'm amazed my husband lived
through all the whining that I did.  Luckily, the hospital was right
here in Seattle, so he could pretty much come see me everyday.  I met
some women here on the "bedrest ward" are live farther away - one as
far as Alaska!  I'm also lucky that this was my first pregnancy, so I
don't have other kids at home to worry about.

Anyway, my son was born at 34 weeks gestational age.  We had a real
scare because he was born with pulmonary hypertension because his lungs
just could not develop without the all important amniotic fluid.  There
were about 7 days where they thought we would loose him, but he's such
a tough kid - he had to be to make it this far, and I'm glad to say
he got through that rough patch in record time too - he only had to
stay in the hospital for 20 days! And he is perfectly normal now - except
he has a really bad cold right now, but other than that, he's just
beautiful!!

Anyway, I didn't mean to drag on and on about this, I just wanted you
to know about a case with a very happy ending.  We did have several
rough patches, but in the end it all worked out.  I'm praying for a
similar outcome for you.

>You will probably hear from me again.  I hope I don't get too 
>repetitive.

Please do keep us posted on your condition.
>--
>Tracy Larrabee		larrabee@cse.ucsc.edu

I hope this goes out OK, I've been lurking for a while, but I've never
posted before.
-- 
Pam Griffith	Boeing Computer Services	ppg1998@bcstec.ca.boeing.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids