A Very Long Week

The past week has been a very difficult one for us, and we appreciate all the prayers and support from our friends and family.

I went in Monday morning for my first routine doctor's appointment and she quickly discovered that I was already dilated and effaced, and the membranes surrounding the baby were visible. After some quick ultrasounds, the doctor told me to immediately get over to the university hospital downtown. We called one of our friends who happened to have the day off, called my parents to see if they could drop everything to come stay with the boys, then headed over to the hospital.

Once there, we were given pretty depressing news. Basically we were told that if we did nothing, odds were stacked way against the baby's survival. If they tried to perform a cerclage (where they stitch the cervix closed), the odds were high that they would rupture the membranes in the process. They let us go home for 24 hours and think about it, which gave the doctors a chance to evaluate me later and see how things were progressing.

I went back Tuesday night for antibiotics before the surgery. Wednesday morning, I went in for the surgery and they found that the membranes were actually protruding. He asked me if I wanted to go ahead despite the even higher risks now, and I didn't know what to say. He replied with, "Hey, we'll give it a shot!" Not really something you want to hear right before surgery. My spinal anesthesia didn't take effect right away so I got some Ketamine, during which I had a conversation with the ceiling. I was awake by the end of the surgery to hear that everything went well and the cerclage was in place.

After 24 hours of observation, I went home on Thursday only to return on Friday because of some leakage. The doctors were concerned that the bag of waters had ruptured during the surgery, but then determined that everything was fine. PHEW!

Now we're all home and I'm on a modified bedrest where I'm supposed to take it easy and I'm not allowed to pick up Graham. Hopefully that is the last time we'll be in the hospital until the baby is ready to be born.