My new home--the hospital!

May 1, 2010:

Wow-is it May already? Where has the time gone? I guess when your daily expectations are to lay around and the only thing going on are future doctor appointments-you lose track of days of the week!

I was readmitted to Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin yesterday due to a positive test for amniotic fluid when assessed in the triage area. And yes, I drove myself to the hospital as Kris was gone for the morning. Immediately tears came down my face as I did not want to go back to stay in the hospital and because I knew it was too early for the babies to be coming. I was shuffled to my new room and various doctors and nurses came by to see me and get me settled. I think that they expected me to go into full labor yesterday by the way the nurses were talking and asking questions. Thank goodness that was not the case...

I was told that the goal is to get me to 34 weeks (I turned 29 weeks yesterday to be exact). When I asked my doctor the average stay in the hospital after rupture with someone in my situation-10 days with the goal again to reach 34 weeks as a best case scenario. So, needless to say, I will NOT be going home until these babies are born. An NP from the NICU came by to explain what would be happening from their perspective in regards to the babes. I guess twins here get a private room for the two of them in the NICU and parents can sleep and stay in there with him. Plus, the moms are encouraged to breastfeed and can store all of it in the fridge in the room even if the babies aren't ready to take it yet. Sounds to me that babes at 29 weeks are still really sick requiring either ventilator or cpap support as well as lines. And of course, they would have to stay here for quite some time average 34-35 weeks depending on how they do.

I'm holding up okay. Disappointed that I have to go through this again, yet settling into my old routines at the hospital. I have to be on continuous toco and baby monitoring which means alot of nursing visits to the room as the babes do not like to trace so nicely all the time. I maybe got a good 3 hours of sleep last night in between all of the wakeups, bathroom trips, etc. I guess that means nap time for me today--yes, something to kill some time!

Kris and his mother are busy at our home organizing the boys' room getting everything ready to go. It's really nice because I will eventually get to go home someday and the room and supplies will be ready! I've made notes as to what we still need and she is going out to buy it all today.

Many of my former annoyances working as a nurse in the ER have come back to haunt me. All of those pesky requests patients ask--not pertinent to the medical side of things, really make a HUGE impact on your hospital stay. For example, that bedside table a little too far out of your reach with your cell phone, laptop, book on it, or your call light that has fallen conveniently on the floor and under your bed, or your lunch that is over an hour late and your water continues to sit empty or warm, are all small nuisances. Getting your position correct in bed and enough pillows-big difference!! Ugh! I guess I should know better.

Lastly, the conversation factor. I guess I really didn't notice it--but Kris pointed this out to me the other day. Understanding that medical personnel want to take in a good history and so forth--everyone wants to know what you do, what your spouse does, where you live, etc. etc. He feels it is a rude question. I can't talk because I'm used to asking people about their occupation, where they are from, if they have grandkids because it is better than having pure silence. I know people are simply trying to be nice and identify or get to know you. But is it rude? Perhaps. What other profession quizzes you so much on what you and your spouse does? Let alone--where is that husband of yours, you are sitting by yourself! I guess I don't let it bother me. Ahh-the joys of my new home!