The Scariest Day

Isn't it funny how you think you know exactly how your day will go, and then it takes some really unexpected turn and you have no idea where you are? Today was such a day.

I thought that tonight's blog entry was to be about the Hurricanes' season opener. Hockey is back and we are excited and we played Pittsburgh. They are a team that has Crosby, rookie to end all rookies. Just so I at least accomplish one thing I set out to do today... I'll tell you it was a great game and we won in a shoot-out. Very exciting.

Now, on to how my day was/is scary. I felt pretty crappy all day... just not enjoying being pregnant at all... bloated, crampy, icky. At about ten minutes of three, I knew I had to get back on the Circulation Desk for two hours, so I did what any smart pregnant woman would do. I went to pee. Here is where it gets scary.

Without giving you all sorts of details you don't want, I'll just say that I discovered I was bleeding. Quite a lot. So I did what any smart pregnant woman would do. I panicked and freaked out.

The true panic only lasted a moment before reason took hold, and I ran to a phone to call the doctor. I told my coworkers I would probably be leaving and they were quick to understand and cover the desk for me. I LOVE my coworkers. You couldn't ask for better people, really.

The nurse said I would certainly need to come in, but she said she wanted to confer with the doctor and then call me right back. I believe they needed to decide whether I should come into the office or go to the hospital. I called Chris to tell him what was happening and then read up on what bleeding during pregnancy meant on the internet to pass the time. The nurse called back fairly quickly and told me to come into the office. This, in itself, was reassuring.

Okay, long story short... baby looks good (I could only see the top of his/her head in the ultrasound, but saw a little reflection of a heartbeat). The placenta is where it should be (i.e. not over the cervix), but the equipment they have in the doctor's office dates back to Noah, so the pictures weren't crystal clear. There is possibly a blood clot on the placenta, which would explain the bleeding. However, it was hard to tell from the fuzzy picture. Most of the time, these clots go away on their own. Rarely, they cause the placenta to separate from the uterus, instantly terminating the pregnancy.

So, now I have an appointment for a better ultrasound on Tuesday afternoon. If all is well, it will take the place of the appointment I already had scheduled for two weeks from now for the routine ultrasound to check for problems/etc. I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime, the doctor did not put me on bedrest... but one step up from it. I was allowed to go to the hockey game (yay), but I was instructed to get to my seat slowly (i.e. don't walk fast and do anything considered aerobic exercise), sit there, do not cheer, do not stand and sit repeatedly, and when the game is over, climb back up the stairs slowly and leave. Then, the rest of the weekend, I am to "take it easy." No lifting, exercise, strenuous activity, etc. In fact, she encouraged me to do nothing but lie around the house. I am also allowed to go to work on Monday, but no lifting, bending, etc. Not sure what I will do all day in the library with these restrictions, but I suppose it will give me a chance to clean out my email box.

So that's the news. I'm still nervous, but hopeful. Thought you all would want to know. :-)