May 25, 2011

Today started off as a normal day. I got ready for school, dropped KK off with my RR, went to school, tried to pick up KK (who was with JM), didn't want to wait until they came back, went home, started laundry, and got a call from my mom. "C, we are heading to the hospital, KK is with RP, JM is in labor!" Wait WHAT!? Now let me pause for a second. JM is 29 weeks and 5 days, she had a routine check-up yesterday which raised a little concern and they decided to get her in today for an ultrasound. JM brought KK with her to the ultrasound (that's why he wasn't at the house when I got there after school). At the ultrasound the doctor told her to get to the hospital, JM called Mom and viola...that's how we get to the part where JM is in labor! I talk to RP and ask if he can watch KK for a couple of hours while I go to the hospital to see what's going on. At the hospital I find out that since she had been spotting and has been having sporadic contractions the physician wanted to get her into the hospital for monitoring. After the monitors were placed on her and ultrasounds were done I find out that JM's cervix is too short. For a pregnant woman her cervix should be over 2.5 cm, JM's was 3 mm, which is WAY too short. The physician thought that a bedrest for 48 hours and some medicine to try and help stop preterm labor might do the trick but once she checked JM and realized that she was 95% effaced and dilated to 3 she decided a different approach...Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4).

MgSO4 has some pretty neat qualities, such as it is the component that absorbs sound in the seawater. It's anhydrous, meaning that it is a drying agent. MgSO4 is used in bath salts. MgSO4 is used as a tocolytic medicine, which means that it is used to stop or slow down the uterine contractions for a day or two. JM was given MgSO4 because she was also given a steroid shot to help the baby's lungs to mature. MgSO4 is thought to work with as a calcium channel blocker...there needs to be calcium for the uterus to contract. One good thing about the MgSO4 is that it can help reduce the risks of cerebral palsy which is a risk when delivering a preterm baby. Another preterm risk is cerebral hemorrhage.

After JM was put on the MgSO4 she started to feel very woosy and sick, which is normal. But what was not normal was the weather. There was severe weather...it was so so severe in fact that the hospital staff had to move all of the Labor and Delivery (L/D) patients into the triage area. There were women who were IN labor and having their baby's and the only thing separating us was a thin curtain. JM was a priority though because she needed constant monitoring. After the storm JM was put in her room again and I took off to pick up KK, knowing that I would be back soon. I was also hoping and praying that the baby stayed inside JM.

I did not know how bad the storm was until Mr H. described to me what the streets looked like with pitted grounds from hail and trees uprooted. He told me that there was hail the size of baseballs at my parents and that cars were damaged. I was grateful that my car, JM's car, and my parent's truck were at the hospital and untouched by the storm. RR wasn't so lucky; she was at work and her car was hit badly by the hail. It requires over $4,600 worth of work.



When I drove home it was later in the night and I was not able to see all of the damage along the streets I drove, and when I got home and parked in our garage I could see most of the damage left by the hail. But the next morning it was apparent it was worse than was once thought the previous night.




I was so exhausted from the days events that I just totally fell asleep the moment I walked in the door.