Happy Mardi Gras and Lost Pee

Happy Mardi Gras - it's a wet one.  Being on bed rest, I'm not missing any fun activities outside with the parades.  So, hey, if I have to be stuck inside, at least I know it's not sunshine and rainbows out there.  :)

Ok, during the Thursday-Sunday stay at the hospital, a couple of things come to mind...

First, I truly believe if my bp was low during the pregnancy specialist appointment on Thursday I'd still be a "go" for delivery on Feb 28th, but instead, because of a "snap shot" moment, everything is being moved up.  I'm not happy about that, but my emotions will be for another post....

First thing about the hospital stay - once my pressure went down and it was ok for me to eat, the nurses brought me supper.  Greg was flabbergasted!  He said, "You are giving FRIED chicken to someone who has blood pressure problems!"  He has a good point.  They have a separate menu for diabetics, what about those with chronic high blood pressure?  But the nurse said, "The doctor didn't limit any type of food."  Wow...

Second thing about the hospital stay  - we felt as though it was a 3 ring circus.  Not the nurses, but with the doctors.  My OBGYN, Dr. Wild, was out through the weekend.  Once I left Dr. Chau (Pregnancy specialist doctor) and was admitted to the hospital, Dr. Chau was unavailable through the weekend.  We ended up with an on-call doctor while there, who could give information about the test results, update on blood pressure, etc, but really couldn't make a call on "send home" or "not send home."  And if that wasn't bad enough, the on-call doctor changed each day!  So, each day it was "ok, everything looks good..." but "... no, I can't make that call.."  Frustrating to say the least,

Third thing about the hospital stay - they lost my pee.  Seriously?  I had to do the 24 hour urine test.  Where for 24 hours, I had to pee in a cup (they had a cup guard that goes in the toilet and collects it without having to deal with holding a cup and worrying about "cup overfloweth")....  so I do the 24 hour collection and it's brought to the lab via the non-fashionable "notice the pee" bright orange container.

Only, somehow the sticker with my  name on it got loose and even with the head nurse going into the lab to verify it was my sample, I had to do ANOTHER 24 hour urine test.  When I heard this news, coupled with no doctor really giving me any plan of action, this is when my blood pressure spiked the second time to 160/100.

Fourth thing about the hospital stay - I know my husband loves me.  Even though it was freezing where his bed/sofa was located, he stayed all days/nights with me.  And when the new maternity bra that I bought and tried on (the kind that looks more like a sports bra) started making my back hot and itchy, my husband helped me take the bra off (at the time, I was strapped into the nst test and couldn't move).  And when I wanted white panties.. Ok, I have to stop there for a moment and explain.

I like decorative, colorful panties.  Makes me feel pretty.  BUT... I didn't want to wear those pretty panties in the hospital.. not when the hospital gowns open in the back, felt kind of weird.  My husband went to Target to buy white panties for me.  He took pictures of the types of panties in the women's section to find out what kind I wanted.  That's love.

Fifth Thing about the hospital stay - it's difficult on family when your doctor says "keep everything low keyed.  Rest, lights out and no stress."  It's stressful enough to be told not to stress, but when you know family  worries, and you don't want them to worry.  It's difficult not to worry even more.

Flowers my parents brought to the hospital to brighten up the room.