Hospitalization & Bed rest

I never really thought I'd be writing a post from the hospital, especially this early in the game, yet here I am... unable to sleep, bored, and trying to get my mind to stop going in circles.

Thursday morning I went in for my routine check up at Maternal Fetal Medicine. My bleepin' cervix thinned out more, and is now down to 1.5... Then they monitored me for contractions, and because I had some, I was admitted to the hospital for observation. And I will be on full bed rest from this point forward. Damn. Worth it in the long run... but damn.

My stay here has been pretty uneventful so far, thank goodness. I apparently have contractions when my bladder gets full, which is more often because I'm on IV fluids and have two little dudes stomping around down there. I guess I also tend to have them when the boys move around a lot. No wonder things have progressed more, due to those two things. This whole situation is pretty unnerving, but I'm receiving support and encouraging words from the doctors and nurses. Other women have been in much more critical situations and have still made it close to full term. I hope that will be my story, too. I dread going to the doctor right now because I feel like every time I do, something disappointing happens. I don't want to dwell on it, of course. I don't want to sit here and think any negative thoughts, and with the exception of the initial realization that my cervix isn't cooperating and things could be progressing a lot more quickly than we hoped (since 24 weeks marks viability and we are less than a week from that point), I'm still trying not to get caught up in it all.

So I'm watching lots of TV, checking Facebook a ton, playing Words with Friends, and sleeping whenever I can. I got two hours of sleep, and maybe an additional hour in there before waking up to go to the bathroom...again. I have to unplug my fetal monitor and then the battery for my IV drip, wrap the cords around the little trolley for my IV, and drag it to the bathroom. Quite the process. Could be worse, though!

I'm thankful for many things, though. Awesome doctors and nurses. A nice, long visit from Keaton and Casey Thursday night which included dinner. Messages from family and friends. Offers to help with food, Keaton, etc.. The cinnamon chip scone in my purse that I bought before my doctor's appointment Thursday morning that I forgot about until later. Unrestricted diet, and room service. Modern medicine. Insurance. My amazing husband who is doing the job of 3 or 4 people right now and holding everything together. He is wrapping up one job and starting another at work the next two weeks, so timing for all of this could have been better. I'm so glad people are working with him and are understanding of our situation right now. I'm also very thankful that no matter how much my body isn't cooperating with me, the twins are doing just fine, and getting bigger and stronger all the time. Stay in there, babies! It is certainly not time to come out yet. Please wait at last 4-5 more weeks if at all possible!!!! And dammit, cervix... Get your stuff together! Literally, keep it together, would ya?? Nonetheless, thankful that they are still in there.

I think that's enough from me. Even as I write this I'm having little tiny contractions...they aren't much of anything, but the fetal monitor is right around my tummy and I can feel it tighten every now and then. Unnerving. I wish this was more of a mind over matter thing... But no luck. All I can do is sit, wait, hope, and try not to stress.

More later!

-Ashley