there's a first for everything (my first trip to the ER)

...what a day! Well, what a last almost twenty four hours! :)

Last night after dinner, I decided to head off to take a shower. It's my evening ritual. I can't tell you how nice it is to have just those few minutes to myself. Most days, I have someone with me 24/7...and it tends to make one feel like they are a three year old. ANYway...when I went to the rest room, I noticed a little spotting. I (of course) let it freak me out, even though Dr.G had told me Monday morning that I may bleed after my pelvic exam.
Shortly after I started to experience some light cramping in the bottom of my stomach, close to my csection scar (where I had cramping about six weeks ago), and then sharp pains in my pack that came around to my pelvic region.
Clif called the hospital, and had the doctor on call paged. He called back withing ten or fifteen minutes. "He" being Dr.F. Clif told him about the spotting, and explained that it was very little, that I saw it when I went to the restroom, and that I had only seen it the one time. He didn't seem concerned with the blood, especially after we told him about the pelvic exam from the previous day. I won't go into the details that Dr.F did... but let's just say that he said that it (blood) can get "trapped" inside, and take a while for it to come out. Ew.
When we told Dr.F about the cramping & back pain, he was convinced that I was in labor and told me to start timing them (if timeable). He then hurried off the phone saying that the nurses were calling him to deliver a baby...he later explained that the head was crowning. Again...ew. :)
He called back and we told him that the "contractions" (if that's what you want to call them) were anywhere from 5-15 minutes apart, and that they had finally quit. He seemed to think that everything was "okay"...but suggested that I call Dr.G first thing in the morning to let him know what was going on.
So... I called the office at 8:30 this morning to talk to my nurse, J. As soon as I told her what the deal was, and that Dr.F had thought I was in labor last night...she didn't even consult with Dr.G...she told me to be there by ten.
We got there, sat down for a few minutes...and was called back. I lost two ounces since Monday (water I'm sure), and believe it or not... my blood pressure was actually decent! They took a urine sample, and surprise surprise there was blood in my urine (not visible). They said that it could be left over from the pelvic exam, or maybe even a bladder infection type deal. Nothing to be concerned about.
My nurse, J, informed me that Dr.G told her this morning that if I came in and was the least bit dilated that the babies would be born TODAY. Poor Clif almost had a heart attack. I joked with all of them saying that Dr.G was going to make me sit in the chair, and Clif lay on the examination table on his left side. :)
Dr.G came in and did another pelvic exam... no dilation, but my cervix has shortened. Whatever that means, I don't know really. Maybe that the babies are moving down some? Anyway...so I have a shortened & soft cervix...but no dilation yet.
:) I love how concerned my doctor is over me. He said that with all these symptoms, and me never experiencing them before that he wanted to go ahead and get me the steroid shot. So we were told we were going to hang out at the office until the medicine got there, and that Miss V would squeeze me in for an ultrasound while we waited. They called two pharmacies, and no one had it in stock...and couldn't get it until tomorrow.
Dr.G came out of his office and announced that he thought it would be better that I go over to the "Triage" and be monitored. I think he was concerned that I was having contractions, and didn't know it. Plus... that way we could have the babies monitored for a few hours.
So...off we went to the ER. :) Fun stuff. I wasn't really as nervous as I thought I would be. All three babies were moving good, so I was as calm as possible.
We got to triage, they had me undress...and in came the nurse to take my blood pressure and hook me up to all the monitors. Aka, my worst fear. It wasn't until we reached that point with Lilly's pregnancy that we were told that they couldn't find a heart beat. So it was a little stressful for me.
I told her where the babies generally are, and she went to work. She picked up Mr.Eli first try. Easton...not so easy. He had JUST been moving before she walked in, but after ten minutes of trying to pick up his heart beat - she called in another nurse. Exactly what happened when we were in the hospital for Lilly's delivery. All I could do was hang on to Clif''s hand for dear life and pray.
The second nurse came in, tried for a minute and then realized... oh hey, this lead isn't WORKING! Really? They had been trying for almost fifteen minutes to pick up my baby boy's heart beat with a DUD monitor. They brought in a different one, and BOOM... there he was, healthy and happy as could be. Geez. Clif explained to the lady how that it was torture for me, because it was at that point that we were told we had lost our first baby. Whew. Elliana wasn't a problem picking up - then I was left to be monitored.
I am told that I'm not in labor...and I'm not having "labor contractions". But I am experiencing braxton hicks contractions. They are generally only lasting about 10 seconds, and they never did tell me how close together they are (not that it really matters). Babies heart rates are great...all the nurses and Dr.G said that everything looks great. OH, did I mention that Dr.G was on call today AND he's on call all weekend? Thank you God! :)
We waited for my steroid shots to arrive, I was given one... Dr.G came in a second time to check on me... and then he released me to go home. It's a two part shot, so I have to go back to his office tomorrow afternoon for the nurse to administer the second portion.
Dr.G says I have a 50%  chance of making it to my scheduled csection date. Could be today...could be three weeks from today. I think that secretly he was hoping it would be today... and I have to admit, so was I.
I'm still experiencing some discomfort with the BH contractions...so we will be keeping an eye on them for the rest of the evening.
*sigh* Whew. On a funny note...Dr.G was doing the pelvic exam this morning, and he went a little further than Monday...and when he did. Either Elliana or Eli kicked his hand. TOO funny. He was like, oh...well...someone doesn't like me, because I just got kicked. The weirdest part was the I FELT the baby kick against his hand. Yes, that deserves a third "ew".
Finally...a friend just texted me about my hospital adventure - and mentioned today's date. 7/13. Nineteen months since 11/13/09. This friend says that Lilly must have been watching out for us :) I agree.
Well...that's my update for now. We go back for the shot tomorrow, Prenatal Center on Friday morning, and then back to Dr.G's office (to see T) on Monday morning. Fun stuff. :)
(Oh, and ironic that the nurse that took care of me in Triage today told us - after learning about Lilly - that her first pregnancy was with triplets, that she miscarried <3)