Friday, January 30, 2009

Day 7 @ Presbyterian


Tonight it will be a whole 7 days I've been in this hospital. I'm actually finding that my tolerance is high for just being stuck on bedrest. Although some may say "Ugh, I'd go crazy" or "You poor thing, you must be getting bored", I actually have SO much to be thankful for in here.

*Most of my necessities are at my fingertips
*I have a tray-table that rolls wherever I need it and it holds almost everything I need for the day
*I get 3 meals a day including a few choices for each...and I get to ask for certain snacks whenever I want.
*My nurses are always so nice and are willing to make me comfortable in any way
*My window view is of the outside world from the 5th floor
*My bed is comfy and includes little feet circulation pumps I can connect to so I don't get blood clots.
*All the pillows I can possibly use to make me comfy.
*Cable TV
*Heating or A/C that works
*My laptop w/ internet connection that's not as slow as dial-up....and includes a camera!
*MOST OF ALL, I have my Abba, Father who Loves Me so much and sustains me each day with breath of life as He also cares for my baby...and Who has given me all of you who Love me so much and pray for me....my husband...and Malakai.
God Bless You!
~Today's prayer request: First, Praise and Thank God that He is in control and has given Malakai another day to develop. Second, that my womb continues to stay as stable as it's been and continues to nourish little Malakai.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

27 weeks...& on bed rest!


I know, I know. It's been a while since I've given a status here. For those of you who know my current situation, this may be redundant.
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Well, there I was Friday the 23rd at my 4:00 ultrasound appt. I had invited my mom to come along w/me too! I got the ultrasound tech I asked for too...Kym! She's so nice & let's me see everything she's measuring on the monitor. So the last thing she measured was my cervix, which she made a comment on & said it was measuring a little short. She went to call my Dr. to see what she'd advise me to do...Kym came back in & said my Dr. wanted to see me right away. I'm like..."Now, now?!" I guess I wasn't understanding how serious "measuring short" meant. So I'm off to my Dr.'s office a block down the Rd. & she examined me right away, had a concerned look on her face, said I was 3cm dilated....even the nurse who she was showing gave me a weird look of concern. Once my Dr. started instructing me on what to do next, I was beginning to get scared. Basically, get to the hospital into Labor & Delivery, they'd get me on meds, then I'd be taken by ambulance to Presbyterian in Albuquerque! Woh, I was about to freak out & I began to tear up...but I couldn't, I shouldn't...I needed to focus on what to do next & keep my head clear on what I was instructed to do. I prayed that the Lord would keep my head clear & guide me & protect me on my way. Once I got to the hospital parking lot, I didn't even want to walk to the doors! I took the elevator, prayed the whole way, got to registration....called up Leon to leave work to get to the hospital right away! By then it was about 5 til 5:00...registered & waited for a nurse & wheelchair to take me up and by that time Leon got to the hospital.
So sparing some details, it was a night of many "firsts", as I've shared w/some of you...First I.V., first time being admitted, first time catheter, first time in a helicopter....yup, a helicopter! Once my Dr. got to the hospital & made the call to Presbyterian about me, the Dr. (Joffe) advised not to transport me by ambulance but by all means the helicopter. I was pretty scared about that at first! Wow, would I ever get such an opportunity...Ha, I'm calling it an opportunity! It took about half an hour before they came to get me to board the heli, so I left the labor & delivery room in Santa Fe about 7:20pm.
I began to just be excited about the flight but I was bummed that Leon couldn't go with me. He would have in a heartbeat, but there just wasn't any room...at all; myself on the stretcher, the pilot & 2 EMTs. What a ride though! It was SWEET. Once I gave my fear to the Lord, I had such peace about it & I enjoyed the trip. I couldn't hear anything or anyone talking to one another w/the headpiece they gave me....so...it was just me & the Lord all the way. What a beautiful night to fly too. The weather was perfect & not even windy. I could see the city lights as we approached Albuquerque, which was nice. So we landed fine, I thanked the pilot, and was wheeled into Presbyterian.
I had no idea where I was being taken & lost my sense of direction as they took me through hallway after hallway. I got to Labor & Delivery, which was a good size room, 2 windows, nice monitors, a bench bed at the window...but as I found out, the bed was sooo uncomfortable. My mom met me at the hospital as they rolled me in to L&D.
Once the doctor met with me, he examined me & did an ultrasound, said I wasn't dilated any further (whew) and baby Malakai was perfectly fine. It was me who was at risk of dilating further. So just in case, I was given steroids through IV for my baby's lungs to develop faster if he should be born any time soon. I was also given Magnesium Sulfate to prolong or stop my mild contractions. Boy, that stuff made me so unfocused. It didn't make me so much tired, as it made me look, but I had a hard time focusing on people's faces. The doctors & nurses understood that of course, especially when I would close one eye just to focus on what they were saying to me when I was spoken to.
Sunday came along and I was beginning to get confused about what I took at what time and what time this nurse came in or left. Good thing my husband was with me to take in everything and my mom too. Sunday night was the last night I needed my 2nd dose of steroids for the baby and the last night I'd need Magnesium. I think it was Sunday or I should say Monday at midnight that they moved me to the Maternity Care Unit just down the hall.
The room was so much smaller and I had the same 'ole view of the other wing of the hospital. I thought I would get a better view for sure...and from what I was told by some of my nurses, Maternal Care rooms were nice & the beds were much more comfy. Well, the bed was Much nicer, but my room was much smaller. So Tuesday night, I had a really nice nurse who asked me when I was moved to my room I mentioned that I thought I was going to get a different room....so she told me if I wanted to move I could because there were some rooms available. I was so Happy! Not even 10 minutes later, they began getting my things and preparing to move me across the hall. Now I can see the interstate, the weather...life going on outside! God is Good. My nurses have been so nice too.


So here I am, another day without further dilation, no increased contractions...stable. I've been saying this to everyone who gives me encouraging words....I don't care how long it takes for me to be here, how bored I get, how miserable things can get...it's not about me...it's about my baby Malakai! God knows I want my baby to keep developing in the best incubator there is...my tummy! I've given all my worries and anxiety to God. HE will be glorified through this, whether Malakai is early or whether he's close or right on time. It's about God's perfect timing.
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So as I close this long entry, I'll share something in transparency...This morning, I purposed to read scripture out loud to Malakai (and my soul of course)...I hadn't really ever done that, but hey, I wasn't alone! Since I've been meditating on Psalm 139, I read it out loud.....I never would have thought I'd cry so hard as I read God's promise for me...for Malakai. I especially cried and was touched on verse 15: "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."
Until next time, God Bless and THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your thoughts & prayers!
~Sonya

Friday, January 9, 2009

Not a New Due Date

So when my nurse called me this week, I told her that the ultrasound tech had given a different due date of April 20th according to the baby's measurements. But, the nurse said they still want to stick with the first due date given, which I think was April 29th. She said that's usually the most accurate.
Well, the baby has been kickin' around like crazy lately & I Love It! Right now, he should be almost a foot long, like an ear of corn, Heehee.

Baby's taste buds are beginning to develop and his lungs too. Leon is so amazed when he feels the baby kick hard enough to feel from outside my belly!

So here's a photo of a 24 week baby fetus...