Day 23: T-12 hours

This is my last second trimester post... Wow... I can't believe I am on the verge of that elusive third trimester... 12 more weeks to go to a full term birth. It is bittersweet. Today, I am remembering and I am hoping. I know that you all remember and hope with me. You remember my babies and your own. And you hope for that "happy ending" that we long for- for all of us.

I saw Dr M this morning. She said that, in her opinion, my Wednesday ultrasound looked better than the other two and she is really pleased about that since that is with using the potty chair, using the actual bathroom partially, and showering daily. My blood work came back... NORMAL. So, I have no outward signs of preeclampsia, nor am I showing any internal signs. My kidneys are great. My liver function tests were great. And my thyroid function is under control. She said that while she is not too concerned about the betamethesone screwing with my autoimmune disease, she is glad we have a base reading beforehand and, if I start to feel "off" next week, to ask that the thyroid panel be run again, to make sure that things are okay. The only test she was quasi concerned with was platelets. My platelets were 129, which she said, while still in the normal range, is low. (Platelets, nonpregnant, are usually 150-400 (million per ml of blood) but in pregnancy can drop slightly to as low as 100 and are still considered "normal"). The real issue comes when you drop down to numbers near 50... Not good. Low platelets become a problem because they could indicate a clotting problem, so heavy bleeding could occur especially with a c-section and would prohibit me receiving an epi or spinal in the event of an emergency c/s (I'd have to have general ani and be put out). It can also be a sign of HELLP/preeclampsia/underlying clotting issues. So, she would like to have Dr B continue monitoring it, especially prior to delivery. But she stressed that my count is still normal and to not worry about it; she just would rather be safe than sorry.

Dr M also said that she told the nurses to let me sleep tonight. They normally give the steroids at midnight but she said that she thinks, unless there is an emergency, that that isn't needed, especially since they will be in here a while getting ready, monitoring, etc. So, she wrote the order for 6am instead. I'm okay with this. I rarely sleep through the night because of having to pee all the time and, since I dont feel labor is imminent (as in RIGHT NOW!), I dont think that waiting 6 hours until the sun comes up is a big deal. However, unlike with the P17 shots, Peter will not be permitted to give me the injections. (It is actually against hospital policy for him to give me the P17 but the doctor mistakenly wrote "patient provides medication" for my P17, so he has gotten away with it- which is good because I prefer him). But, for these two injections, the hospital policy wins and a nurse will be giving me the injections. I will still ask for a trusty ice rub down prior to the injection and have Peter ready the heating pad for afterwards! I mean, hey, if it works, why change!

My MIL brought me fig newtons yesterday... Mmmm... I love them... (Although, I'm sure they are no longer "fat free" if you eat half the container... oops!) I'm not starving, that is for sure (even if I have grown awfully tired of not having home cooking every day...)

And here, for your viewing pleasure is my 6 month belly shot, taken today. Those stretch marks sure are sexy, eh? My poor hands are no longer big enough to make a heart shape!