History of Pregnancy

I just got an email from an old friend that didn't know I was pregnant (hi, Q!). I realized that in this blog, I haven't been very clear as to why I am on bed rest, so let me just give some background information:

12/29/08: positive pregnancy test. Holy crap, Kim and Brian are having a baby!

01/01/2009: experienced bleeding. Kim and Brian are having a baby?

01/05/2009: first dr's appointment. Lab work ordered d/t bleeding

01/09/2009: ER trip d/t severe abdominal pain. Turns out Kim had a ruptured cyst. (I didn't even know this was possible during pregnancy). Sonographer tells Kim there is a fibroid on her cervix the size of a gumball (about 3cm).

01/20/2009: First ultrasound. Heart rate low. Need to go back in a week for another ultrasound.

01/27/2009: Second ultrasound: perfect! Baby finally starting to cooperate.

01/28/2009: Sick with bronchitis

02/02/2009: Sick with a sinus infection

02/11/2009 - 02/18/2009: experienced more bleeding. Kim begins to lose her mind. Baby? Maybe?

02/24/2009: Second prenatal visit. All continues to look good. No
explanation for bleeding.

02/27/2009 - 03/02/2009: Family trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

03/05/2009 - 03/12/2009: experience horrendous GI issues. Tested for listeria since Kim ate a questionable quesidilla (queso fresca) while in Mexico. All tests come back negative.

03/24/2009: Kim reports a lot of pressure 'down there.' After the listeria scare, Kim fears her doctor thinks she is a total lunatic. He tells her that her uterus is growing, that's all.

04/02/2009: (17w, 5d) Level II growth/anatomy scan. Baby B is a boy!! Everything looks normal...except this large fibroid on cervix. Which is accounting for all of the pressure. Fibroid measures 8cm, about the size of an orange. D/t it's location and size, perinatologist (specialty doc) tells Kim to go on 'limited activity.' This means she can only go to work and do nothing else. She now needs to attend appointments with him every two weeks to measure cervical length.

04/17/2009: Second appointment with peri. Cervix shortened; Kim is grounded (unable to fly) and cannot leave the state. Kim cancels her May trip to Chicago. So much for a babymoon to San Fran or Hawaii.

04/25/2009: (21w, 1d) Terrible back ache all day. Nothing relieves it (bath, warm compresses, lots of water.) By 3pm that day, Kim was doubled over in pain. By 6pm, she was vomiting uncontrollably. First trip to L&D. They keep her overnight d/t to dehydration and to administer anti-nausea meds. Also her first experience with Ambien; consequently, she has no memory of 4/26/09. Thankfully, Brian brought Kim home safely by Monday night.

05/14/2009: (24w, 5d) Another appt with the peri. Cervix length was good, but the fibroid grew. Now almost 10cm (the size of a grapefruit) and it is pressing directly on her cervix.

05/20/2009: Diagnosed with shingles. Yes, shingles. Yes, again. (I had shingles the week before the wedding. I am now 30 years old and have had shingles twice in my lifetime.)

05/24/2009:  Cervix shortened again; doctor now wants to talk about steroid shots to help develop the baby's lungs in case he comes sooner than later. Doctor takes Kim off of all activities, prescribes ProCardia for the contractions and tells her to go on modified bed rest. Of course, Kim is in denial and doesn't cancel any of her clients. She figures she can squeeze out another two weeks of work.

05/26/2009: Second trip to labor and delivery d/t intense back pain, lower pelvic pressure and cramping. They do every test under the sun and thankfully, everything comes back negative. Kim decides to take bed rest seriously now (thank you, Fear) and cleans out her office that night. (well, Brian and some nice friends cleaned out her office, under her watchful direction). Kim is officially unemployed.

06/02/2009: (26w, 3d) Follow-up with peri. Cervix didn't change! Hooray! Brian and Kim celebrate with burgers from Tommy's.

06/17/2009: (28w, 4d) Normal prenatal appointment with regular ob/gyn. He didn't even know where the fibroid was located. Kim leaves appointment exasperated, and throws up her hands in frustration at the man she trusts to one day cut her open. Begins calling regular doc 'George Bush' and specialist 'Dick Cheney.' The specialist has all of the info...but none of the authority. Oh, the irony. 

06/26/2009: Kim goes to L&D for a third time d/t decreased fetal movements. All is well with the baby, but she breaks her toe while walking to the bathroom in the hospital.  Amie sums it up best: "Maybe God really wants you to stay off of your feet." True dat. 

07/01/2009 (30w, 4d): Another appointment with W. George finally takes Kim's concerns seriously (more pelvic pressure, decreased movements) and books Kim the soonest appt with the peri. This is where she discovers the fibroid moved (hooray!) but the baby and fluids are extra large (doh!). Still on bed rest. Kim must begin twice-weekly fetal monitoring d/t risk of cord prolapse, polyhydramnios, and of course, the fibroid.

And that, folks, is where we are today. And to think I thought I would be one of those people who exercised throughout her pregnancy. Ha!

Let's hope the next 5-8 weeks are a lot less dramatic.