My first ride in an ambulance was a bumpy one. Literally. It was not worth the $1800 they charged me for my ride to Augusta. However, we did make it there in record time. I was pretty nervous and my legs just kept shaking. I was trying to have a conversation with the EMT. We talked about our lives, she showed me pictures of her children, and I showed her pictures of Dub. I was really just trying to keep my mind off of the HUGE fact that I was so VERY uncomfortable because I really had to use the bathroom! Again, this had them worried. I could tell by the look on the EMT's face each time the blood pressure cuff would come on that my BP was rising. I couldn't see the numbers, but she had it scheduled to take my BP every 5 minutes. It was rising each time and not decreasing despite the mag I was on.
Once in Augusta we had a bit of trouble finding the correct elevator to get to labor and delivery. If you visited GRU then this is no surprise AT all! Once in labor and delivery the first team came in to do a work up. GRU is a teaching hospital. This means there will be about 2 doctors and 10 student doctors and they all want a turn working on you and questioning you. As a teacher and once student teacher I was totally fine with this. I just made conversation with everyone and asked about where they were from and such. (If you are in the hospital, make friends with everyone. You will get the hook up!) I really can't remember much at this point of the evening other than the sweet angel that cured my need to go to the bathroom. She was the hero of the night. They also asked if I wanted or needed any pain medicine. I informed them of my wishes that I didn't want any medicine that I did not absolutely have to have. Sadly I HAD to have the mag, so that was it.
The head of the NICU came up to discuss some options with me. She informed me that any baby born at 33 weeks would go to the NICU, but really had great odds of not needing to stay long. She wasn't saying I was going to deliver, she was just informing me of how things at GRU worked. She was very young, pretty, and very nice. I told her my plan was to NOT have a baby at 33 weeks and I appreciated her informing me because I hated not knowing what was going on.
Then about 15 students came in to ask their million and one questions. I prayed that I could help them and never get frustrated with them. I was once a student and had great student teaching experiences so I wanted to remember that.
The nurses were amazing. My favorite from that room was Amanda. She was great and always so nice! I'm telling you... make friends with the nurses!
Then around 1am Coach FINALLY made it up to the room. He was ILL. Apparently he had some issues with the elevator. Bless. He was grumpy. I remember him snapping at a nurse, and me apologizing over and over. Ha! I am the nice one in this marriage!
The nurses asked if I needed anything to help me sleep or anything before we tried to get some sleep. I declined and just tried to get some rest. We didn't get much because apparently when your BP is at seizure level, you have to have an examination every 2 hours. Plus. I was on a 24 hour urine test, so there's that...
Coach didn't sleep at ALL. Along with the million other reasons I wanted to deliver in Vidalia there was one major reason... the rooms are very nice in Vidalia and offer great sleeping accommodations for the spouses. Augusta.. not so much. The rooms are very small and the "chair" that turns into a bed is pitiful. (Since returning home I have had to fill out three surveys. I have mentioned the sleeping arrangements in all of them.)
Doctors do their rounds at 6am in Augusta. ( I feel so Grey's Anatomy with my knowledge of the words!) The head of OBGYN came in Wednesday morning at 6am to inform me of my current situation as well as options and a plan. Up until now I had been praying that I could go home on this day. I thought they would let me go home on bed rest and I could sneak up to the school in the afternoons to work on cross country.
This was when I was informed that I indeed had pre-eclampsia and it was pretty intense. I had two options. (A) I could deliver Baby Cain at 33 weeks and 4 days . This would mean I would send Baby Cain to the NICU for an unknown amount of time or (B) I could sit in Augusta for 2 weeks and then deliver at 36 weeks. Which this choice would most likely eliminate a NICU visit entirely.
This was the first time ever we had to make a decision as parents. I did what any person would do. I called my mom. Then I called my BFF. Then I called another great friend (who was a true life saver) that works in a NICU.
Here is what we decided: I would sit in Augusta for 2 weeks and try to cook Baby C a little while longer. The justification was simple. I could not knowingly send a precious baby to the NICU. I honestly had never seen (in person) a NICU baby. However my dear friend told me it was not a choice I would WANT to make. If I HAD to make it without an option.. that was one case. However knowing I sent a baby down there would be hard on me. It would be hard to properly recover if I was going back to the NICU daily.
I can never thank this sweet friend enough for her help and guidance throughout this WHOLE process. Coach was on the phone with her on HIS way to Augusta as well. She was so helpful and talked me out of every emotional catastrophe in this whole journey. She really was our rock in this situation.
Our decision was made on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 8am. I would wait.
Or..... so we thought.
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