The Story

Okay, most of you know what happened but here's how I remember it...

I've been monitoring my blood pressure since the middle of May and if it gets too high then I have to go to the hospital. On Wednesday June 27, my blood pressure sky rocketed to 142/102 so around 1pm Steven took my to the hospital. I had been there before for the same problem, and they hooked me up to the fetal monitor, took blood, took urine and monitored my blood pressure. We were in the hospital for about 5 hours and all the tests were fine except my blood pressure wasn't going down. The doctor released us because a) the tests were fine and b) I had a doctor's appointment the next morning at 9am.

We went to the airport to pick up my sister Dawna, who was coming for a visit and to help out before the baby came. Then the next morning, I had an ultrasound appointment and my doctor's appointment. I also had a list of things that I wanted to get done to prepare for the baby. Dr. S decided that I was to be induced either that day (Thursday) or the next depending on when I could get into the hospital. I was 37 weeks and 3 days. I had an appointment to get induced on Friday June 29 @ 715am.

Holy shit. Ask me if I got any sleep that night. Go ahead, ask me.

Oh yeah, and my mom & my other sister also came to town to help out before the baby came. Not knowing that instead they were going to be there for the birth! Steven decided to go to work the next day so Dawna drove me to the hospital for my appointment. (My other sister Cindy was taking my mom to her cardiologist appt) At the hospital, they inserted the gel, I was hooked up to the fetal monitor and my blood pressure was monitored for a couple of hours. I was released around 11am with instructions to return at 4pm unless I went into labour or I started discharging blood or my water broke. Steven called me and he decided to leave work because he couldn't concentrate on anything anyway.

Nothing happened.

We went back to the hospital for the 2nd insertion. Again I was hooked up to the fetal monitor, my blood pressure monitored and this time Dr. G when she checked my cervix (I was 2cm) she also separated the membrane. Can I say painful? Holy crap. We were released after a couple hours with the same instructions to return in 6-8 hours.

Not much happened then I started having contractions. Nothing regular, nothing huge, yes it was painful but I knew it wasn't "active labour".

Steven was sleeping.

We went back to the hospital around 1am.

Same routine. They monitored my blood pressure, hooked me up to the fetal monitor. They were going to send me home but then they checked my cervix and I was still only 2cm dilated but blood started gushing out. So, they sent Steven to admit me and then they proceeded to try & draw blood, mop me up and start an IV. At this point, I was in pain. And to top it all off, they couldn't find a vein to either draw blood or start an IV. I was poked 5-6 times until finally the anesthesiologist came and froze my arm and found a vein. yipee!

I was moved to a birthing room and had a blood pressure cuff placed on my arm to continously monitor, the doctor came and broke my water and also inserted a fetal monitor to the baby's head to get a better heart rate reading. After my water was broken, the contractions were stronger and closer together. I got out of bed and rocked back & forth with help from Steven. Poor Steven, all the promises about staying "north of the shoulders" weren't honored. Everytime I stood up, more fluid gushed out of me. At that point, I didn't really care who saw me, I just wanted to get thru the next contraction.

...to be continued.