I'm Back!

Turns out they DO have wireless internet connection in the hospital rooms here. Whew. My thumbs were getting quite the workout on my blackberry!

Yesterday was was quite a day. I had a pretty active weekend with contractions - I did some extra monitoring, had some change-ups with the t-pump program. The nurses I talked to all mentioned a growth spurt with the babies. Oh - and one also said I had some "full moon action" going on. I've been so clinically minded with this process - imagine the look on my face when she brings the phases of the moon into the picture. I make fun but several nurses will swear on the crazy stuff they see when there's a full moon.

I was admitted yesterday to GHS and when they put me on the monitor I was having contractions about every 8 minutes. Not painful contractions, just tightening. So they monitored me for the next several hours calling my doctor every hour to let him know what was going on. Man - the battery of medicine they've had me on. But over the next few hours it brought my contractions down to about 3 in 3 hours and then everything looked great this morning - none were showing up.

My doctor came by this evening to check on me. They've stopped the t-pump since this afternoon. I'm taking 2 other meds to relax the smooth muscles and one I have to stop after tomorrow. He stopped the pump so it can clear out of my body so that when we start it back up tomorrow night, it'll be more effective. I've had a few contractions since we've stopped the t-pump, but most of them aren't registering on the monitor. (As an aside, the monitor that measures contractions is called the toco monitor. When I first saw it written in my chart, I thought it said taco monitor. Leave it up to the pregnant woman to put everything about food, right?!) He also told me that I should "hang around here" for the next 2 weeks. To be honest, I was relieved. I feel so much more comfortable resting at the hospital. He took me off the IV and reduced the amount of time I need to stay on the monitor. Basically - I'm to chill out.

I've had a good day today. I had a knock on my door this morning around 10:30 or 11 and I looked and JBE was standing in the doorway. I had to do a double take - he had hopped in his car and had driven down from Charlotte to spend the day with me. What a surprise! Leslie came by at lunch and my sister came by after work as did my aunt and uncle. Of course mom and D. A great day - thanks so much to everyone for visiting and for all the e-mails with your thoughts and prayers. We have such a great group of family and friends and your support means the world to us.

So. First milestone of 24 days is done and we're looking to week 26. We've stopped asking for estimates of how far the doctor thinks we can get, but I asked him what our chances were to get to a place to have healthy babies that have a great chance to come home with no health problems. That he could answer and he said our chances are really good. We may have some time in the NICU, but I think these girls are going to be fine. Dr. G is going to send one of his ultrasound techs to the hospital on Tuesday to do an anatomy exam on the babies. He's such a great guy - he asked what time we could do the ultrasound so that D could make it.

We're cautiously optimistic but it was a good day and I'm ending the day by sitting here watching my belly bump and move with both girls doing a little kicking and stretching.

Until next time!
A