Still In The Hospital

Gah, I'm still in the hospital. I really have no idea when the baby's going to be born, but there are certain circumstances which will guarantee a same-day (but not emergency) delivery:
-If his fluid levels drop
-If my blood pressure goes too high
-If my labwork comes back silly again, especially my liver
-If a 24 hour urine screen shows a large amount of protein in my urine
-If I experience a severe headache or vision disturbances, which are indicators of worsening preeclampsia.
The specialist who has taken care of us the whole weekend, Dr. McDaniel, swears I'm going to develop severe preeclampsia, so he wants to keep me here until I have the baby. It's OK with me, and I know it's the best idea for both of us right now, but I'm so bored I can't handle myself. And I've only been here since Thursday at 11AM! The food's not too bad, though, and since I'm off the magnesium I can drink whenever I want to and get up to pee with relative ease. I'm still hooked up to the IV for fluids, and the baby monitor (of course.) I can shower, though, which will rock, and I have the laptop with Internet and Morgan brought the DVD's from home. And, of course, I have the goldfish for company, and a singing bear my Mom bought me.

Heh, I had an amniocentesis today. There are certain proteins in the amniotic fluid which can determine approximate lung development. If the level is over 55, the baby should do very well being delivered at that time. There's also one other item they check for, which is a positive, negative or neutral result. Positive is the best of those three. So if the result is over 55 and positive, delivery would be fine. Heh, our result was 12, positive. Grrrrrrrrrrr. So he gets to remain where he is to fester for a bit longer. The doctors both said even if he has to be born this week he'll be OK, but he'll probably be on a respirator and have to spend more time in the NICU than if we can keep him inside another week. Yes, another week. I could wind up spending almost a month in here if the baby decides that's what he wants to do. I receive the results of my labwork every morning around 9AM, and the ultrasounds are performed around 8AM during the week, around 10:30AM on the weekends. Those are the two things (lab results and ultrasound fluid level) which determine if he stays put, or if he makes his debut.

Now, just because I'm that bored, here's a list of shit they're giving me/have given to me while I've been here:
Thursday I arrived and they started the magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures, and started the IV fluids as well. Then I received the first of two steroid injections to help develop his lungs. Saturday I stopped the magnesium, and began blood thinners since I'm sitting around doing nothing. I'm still tethered to the IV for fluids, and I have also received 4 shots of insulin because the steroids made my blood sugar go crazy for a couple days. Currently I'm on antibiotics to prevent a bladder infection, the blood thinner injection every 12 hours (10A and 10P) and my prenatal vitamin. I get stuck once a day for labwork, usually around 6AM, and I have a daily pimp ultrasound as well. The poking has greatly decreased since I got off the magnesium, for which I'm eternally grateful. My right hand is so tore up right now; I look like a long-term IV drug user. Oh, and we can't forget about the delightful 24 hour urine screenings. I've completed two since I arrived, and have to begin my third in the morning. I won't know how to act when I can pee without either collecting every drop, or measuring my "output."

Speaking of peeing, I think I need to do just that, for the billionth time today. And, for everyone keeping track at home, I have the "comfort" capacity of 400 CC's in my bladder, which I guess is pretty good. I rule, and so does my bladder.

Additionally, I am completely healthy and disease free, which is nice to know. In addition to being checked for every STD and blood panel thing know to man, I was checked for all the hepatitis family, and all are negative. Yay me.

That is all.