I was so nauseous and tired during pregnancy. I wasn't throwing up all the time but it was more that absolutely nothing sounded appetizing. I felt so sick to my stomach all day everyday and it finally started improving at about 14 weeks. Those were some of the best weeks because I knew that being pregnant with you was the reason I was sick and that was a wonderful feeling, I was finally going to be a Mom. Other than these few symptoms I had a pretty easy going pregnancy for the first little bit and I enjoyed feeling you move and get hiccups as things progressed.
Before getting pregnant and all throughout the prgnancy I had this really horrible fear that I was going to get Preeclampsia. I would share my fears with your Dad, Grandma Reid, and my good friend Becky all the time and I am pretty sure they all thought I was a little nuts for worrying about something like that. In reality what were the chances of that really happening to me, right?
Dr. Sharp found out that I had higher blood pressure during my first prenatal visit but thought that maybe I had it before pregnancy. This immediately peaked my worries and the thought in the back of my mind instantly came rushing to the top and I could not get rid of it. I would get so anxious at each Dr. appointment after that just waiting for them to tell me that there was protein in my urine and confirm my fears. It really is so weird that I worried so much about Preeclampsia because so many women have had it and have had normal pregnancies with healthy full term babies but it did not ease my mind in the least.
The pregnancy was going along just as it should and we found out that you were a sweet baby girl when I was 24 weeks pregnant. We got some sweet pictures of you and watching you move around on the TV screen made me tear up. This was real and you were very real and we could see what you might look like. Your Dad and I were so excited to meet you come July and we loved you more than we ever thought possible in that moment.
Who would have known that only four short weeks later we would be meeting you in person?
I was 28 weeks pregnant and it was your Dad's birthday. I was scheduled to have my Glucose test that day. I talked to your Dad on the phone and told him I was thinking about canceling my appointment so we could do something fun and celebrate his birthday instead of me going to my Dr. appointment. I called the Dr's office and asked them if we could switch days. They did not have any openings that week so I would have to go in next week and I would not be able to get to see my Dr, Dr. Sharp, and would have to see someone else. I decided I wasn't interested in this and kept my appointment. I called your Dad and let him know we could go out to dinner after my appointment.
As I drove to my appointment it was the first time I felt oddly calm. EVERY single appointment leading up to this one I had had anxiety and worried about what the Dr. would tell me and suprisingly I did not feel any of those feelings this time around.
I went and took my glucose test when I arrived. Did the standard weight, blood pressure and pee in a cup bit. The Nurses Assistant that tested my urine got a concerned look on her face and I knew immediately that there was protein in my urine. I asked her with a calm voice, "There is protein in my urine, isn't there?" She told me she had to have a Nurse or Dr. look at it before she could tell me any information. Dr. Sharp came into the room a quick minute later with a concerned look on his face. The sentence that came out of his mouth was simple and my worst fear was confirmed. He simply said, "I am afraid you have the Clampsia." He then had a discussion with me how he did not like the protein levels and that my blood pressure was higher than what he was comfortable with. He asked me how I felt about going up the hospital to get monitored for a couple hours to see if they could get my blood pressure to go down. I told him I would go and he was relieved. He really thought it would be best for me to go.
I called your Dad to let him know that we may need to celebrate his birthday on a different day and let him know what was going on. He asked me if he needed to come up to the hospital and I told him that it wasn't neccsary. I told him to watch a movie and eat some ice cream and to enjoy his birthday evening.
I went and checked into the hospital not knowing that I would be bringing you into the world the very next day...
