11/29/2011 Complications at 26 Weeks

This is Brian writing, so I know it will not be as eloquent, but I am stepping up under the circumstances.  Cassie will be 26 weeks tomorrow.  Monday afternoon we got a major scare and are still in the midst of it.  I was home from work and Cassie was lying down on the couch. She told me that she was having painful pressure and cramping.  She really didn’t want to call the doctor because she was certain she would make her come in.  To be safe, Cassie called and described her situation.  The nurse told her to come in to Baptist OB Triage.  Cassie was smart enough to pack a bag, thinking that by preparing for the worst, she would just be checked-out, everything would be fine and she would be sent home.  At the hospital the nurse starts to monitor Cassie’s contractions and the heartbeats of the boys.  She was contracting every 30-45 seconds.  The nurse said the contractions weren’t big, but caused by an irritated uterus. 

Before the nurse did any other checks she told us that we would be staying the night at the hospital.  When she checked Cassie’s cervix she was able to tell that it was open and there was pressure.  This brought on the emotions.  Frustrated and scared were the first ones. We will love these boys beyond measure when they get here, but they do not need to arrive in this world for quite a few more weeks.  If I get to pick, a minimum of 6 weeks and we would be happy for 8 more weeks of cooking at this point.  Upon discovering the dilation, the nurse shifted into a faster gear and told Cassie about the wonders of Magnesium Sulfate and all the side effects it would have on her.  The point being, to calm everything down, relax the cervix and stop the contractions, but all the while putting Cassie through hot flashes, nausea and as discovered today, body aches.

From the monitors on the babies and then the ultrasound we were given some good news.  The babies’ heartbeats were good, they looked fine and Cassie’s cervix was still long.  By the way, don’t let all the terms fool you, I am just trying to repeat some of the things I have heard, and it may mean something to half the population. 

The good news that the babies didn’t seem too effected by everything going on helped us.  Around 7pm Monday night, Cassie had an IV for fluids, Magnesium Sulfate and had been given a steroid injection to help develop the boys’ lungs.  At this point I asked the next important question for Cassie….when can she eat.  The answer was more bad news….not while on the Magnesium.  As I am writing, she hasn’t had real food since 3pm Monday.  Yes, that is a very long time for anyone….especially a beautiful pregnant lady of triplets.  She has been given various other drugs like pepcid and raglan for heartburn and today they added antibiotics.

It has been an adventure but things do seem to be continually improving.  The same nurse has helped Cassie on the night shift last night and tonight and has been awesome.  Cassie was told she would get to stop the Magnesium and may be moved to a step-down room Wednesday.  Hoping and praying all goes well and that she gets to go home and rest soon.  Cassie said she is more than willing to just lay around at home just so she doesn’t have to be in the hospital with all the contraptions and to keep the boys cooking as long as possible.

Continue to pray for the babies and Cassie.  Specifically, that all the contractions and irritation will stop, allowing the babies to stay put, growing bigger and healthier as long as possible.  And don’t forget to pray for me and Brock, it is time to put our organizational, care-taker, home-manager skills to the test.  I pray that Brock is not adversely affected too much by all the changes now and in the future and I pray that I have the strength, energy, and knowledge to do what needs to be done for my family. No more time for procrastination.