At my normal 32 week appointment the doctor came in and told us he wasn't happy with my typical tests in the office. He told us we needed to go to the hospital because I might have something called PREECLAMPSIA:
Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.
At first I was real scared, and being at the hospital was even scarier. The nurses and doctors were flooding us with all kinds of information. Worst case scenario was that they would deliver on Monday and best case was a couple of weeks more time. WHAT? They gave me a steroid shot for Brooks' lungs that night and the following night just in case they had to deliver that weekend. I did a 24-hour urine test, and that confirmed that I had preeclampsia. The doctor told me that because my levels were so high that I needed to stay on bed rest at the hospital for the reminder of the pregnancy. He told us he didn't know how long that would be and they would continue to monitor my levels. He said a week would be great, and two would be better. He was doubtful we would make it another week. Well, God has his own plans and we are still here (14 days later). Things are looking great - so we might make it a while longer. The docs said that they will take him at 37 weeks no matter what because then the risk to me becomes too high, and it's a safe gestation to deliver Brooks (that would be June 23rd).
Right now we do fetal monitors daily and often we get to see him on the sonogram; and Brooks is looking fabulous - PRAISE GOD!
