Rachel came to see me yesterday with Victoria (her babysitter). Rachel is into drawing and coloring these days. She found a pen on my bedside table (I use it to mark my menu every day) and I had some sheets of paper on a clipboard. She happily drew on the paper for a while, then turned her attention to another medium for her artwork – my stomach. She pulled up my shirt, and after a quick greeting to baby Gaby, she went to work decorating me.
A couple of hours later the nurse came in to monitor me and the baby. She was rather surprised by what she saw (Rachel’s artwork on my belly). But she nevertheless went ahead and put the monitors on. An hour or so later when she took them off (no contractions, ergo no terbutaline) we saw that Rachel’s belly art had transferred onto the monitors. Now there is pen markings all over the face of the fetal heart monitor. Rachel has literally left a mark around here.
Dr. Case came in to see me this morning. I was on the monitor at the time, and the first words out of her mouth were “Do you feel those contractions?” My answer “Kind of.” Long story short, guess what they gave me. Starts with a “T” and ends with “erbutaline.” You got it, another shot of terbutaline. The nurse said that at first I was fine, but as time went on, the contractions were getting more frequent. She also said that she thought my cervix was more open than it was when I first arrived since I have had so many contractions since I’ve been here, and they only give me terb when I’m on the monitors. What about when I’m not on? So we’ll see if I get to go home at 34 weeks (next Monday) or not. These are the kind of mysteries that keep my life exciting.
Baby sitter??
Yes. Jeff’s cousin moved home from college for a while this summer, and she is now our regular babysitter until all of this is over.
We don’t get to see any pictures of her artwork on your tummy?!
The suspense is too great!! What will happen next?!
Well, Rachel’s first masterpiece was her best! About 3 or 4 mostly circular strokes with some points. Today’s was just a stroke up and down… not quite as good. However, she did leave a few good red marked lines. It didn’t look like Noelle’s tummy enjoyed that very much.
Well, you know, May 9 IS a good day to be born! : )
Next time Jeff needs to bring a pack of markers, and then take pics of your multi-colored belly to put up on the blog! SO, does that mean you made it through one day without a shot of your favorite drug? I really am getting worried about the fact you can’t feel those contractions. Mar and I were laughing that it would be just your luck to be in the hospital all this time, and then end up having the baby in the car, because you can’t get to the hospital fast enough. . . :)Not to stress you out or anything, but you have to admit that the irony of it would be rather funny. . .
Not that funny!
And I had two shots of terb Wednesday – a morning dose and an evening dose.
Noelle – I have been thinking about you and hope that all is well. You are truly an example of ENDURANCE.
I think your title was rather rude. I saw it and was thinking, “Oh my gosh, did Noelle go into labor?! How come no one told me?”
I will say I’m glad baby Gaby is hanging in there (you’re not doing so bad yourself, Noelle).
I agree with everyone else too… I want to see Rachel’s artwork!!