Friday I wake up to cramping again and I call out of work. I search all over for an elective ultrasound spot that would book me for an appointment today. I knew it isn't a diagnostic appointment but regardless I wanted to see my little one and make sure he was okay.
I ended up making an appointment and I got to see my boy all happy and bouncing around. I got some really cool 3D shots of him and a whole video of the ultrasound. I ended up filling the tech in on my history and she was baffled that I would be released given my history and what is currently happening. During the ultrasound she asked if I had a cerclage in place and I said yes. She also stated that she was worried that my cervix shortened even more and that she isn't a nurse or a doctor even but if she were me she would push to be looked after. (She used to work in an MFM office). I told her I agreed.
After the ultrasound she asked if I minded her looking at my cervix I said no, have at it. She got a measurment of 1.4cm abdominally (which I know has a margin of error) so that was okay with me. She was poking around and asked if I were bleeding and I said no, which I wasn't. I thanked her for being so awesome and asked if she had anyone she could refer me to since she had experience in that area. She gave me a number of a place and I left.
Cramping continued off and on throughout the day. I planned a night out with my boyfriend. We were going to have dinner and go to the nearby casino for a few and head home. We had our dinner and as I was walking to the car I felt a little gush. I thought it might have been just a little discharge so I got in the car and we drove the 5 minutes over to the casino. Once I got out of the car I felt my leggings and noticed I had had blood on my hands so we rushed over to L&D again.
I figured wow now I'm being taken seriously. They get me back there ASAP after taking my weight and vitals. I get undressed and given hospital undies and a pad. I was told I couldn't eat or drink anything (luckily I had just has dinner so it wasn't that big of a deal). An hour or two go by and still no doctor to be seen but now I'm gushing blood and this point and I call the nurse in. At this point she goes someone really needs to get down here.
In a matter of 15 minutes it went from zero people in the room except for my boyfriend and I to 5 additional people in this tiny room. I have 2 OBs in the room, 2 Senior Residents and a nurse. They explain they are going to do a speculum exam to check out whats going on. One of the senior residents informs me to avoid have a child with serious health problems they could perform a D&C and terminate my pregnancy (uh no thank you).
So they check out my cervix it is closed and the stitch looks great (as it has been thankfully) they are seeing the bleeding and are really worried about it and aren't sure if its just blood or if my water had broken. They tell me they will perform a bedside ultrasound to see how baby is handling things and how everything else is looking.
Baby is doing great despite the bleeding, the placenta looks great, his fluid is a decent amount it isn't extrememly low but not very high either. They couldn't tell from my ultrasound for certain that the water has broken or not but they can see blood on the ultrasound. I then was told it would be best to admit me and to be monitored. I was also told Saturday morning that I would have a more detailed ultrasound and we would go from there. As of that moment the cerclage stays put and we're just letting the bleed run its course.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Monday, February 25, 2019
Exhausting
Where do I even begin?
I was released from my MFM to my OB on Monday, February 18th. It wasn't the appointment I hoped for. I brought my daughter along thinking I'd get a final look over meaning checking by ultrasound that placement of the cerclages were good, a final check of the cervical length and to make sure baby's fluids were good where they should be.
What I got was a nurse practitioner asking how I felt, and that I wouldn't be seeing my doctor because he was out on vacation or any doctor because there would be no exam done unless I had a concern. I did, I wanted my discharged checked to make sure all was normal. So the on call doctor came in and she checked my discharge all was normal and my stitches looked good. I expressed my concern about a final ultrasound check and I was refused one so I left pretty angry and hurt due to my history.
Fastforward to Thursday at about 3am I get up to pee with a pretty good soreness in my bladder. I go to work and it doesn't let up I end up cramping off and on all day with no relief after peeing. I leave work a little early to see my OB, at this point the pain really isn't there too much but I keep my appointment. They take my urine, do a speculum exam and tell me that my cervix and stitches look fine and I'm free to leave.
Around 7pm is where the pain hit me again and it's rolling pain come between 3 and 4 minutes apart. I call my OB after hours for the on call OB and get her opinion. I tell her about my symptoms and my visit earlier and she instructs me to go to L&D. They would be able to get a fast turn around on my urine to see if anything is up. I go down and give my urine, after waiting a while the doctor comes in and states there is nothing much they could for my cramping or anything due to me being so early at 22 weeks they wouldn't do anything to help me or save my baby (which is bullshit since the NICU works on 22 weekers). They perform a speculum exam again and all looks good to them. My urine comes back fine and I'm free to go without any explanation or solution.
I was released from my MFM to my OB on Monday, February 18th. It wasn't the appointment I hoped for. I brought my daughter along thinking I'd get a final look over meaning checking by ultrasound that placement of the cerclages were good, a final check of the cervical length and to make sure baby's fluids were good where they should be.
What I got was a nurse practitioner asking how I felt, and that I wouldn't be seeing my doctor because he was out on vacation or any doctor because there would be no exam done unless I had a concern. I did, I wanted my discharged checked to make sure all was normal. So the on call doctor came in and she checked my discharge all was normal and my stitches looked good. I expressed my concern about a final ultrasound check and I was refused one so I left pretty angry and hurt due to my history.
Fastforward to Thursday at about 3am I get up to pee with a pretty good soreness in my bladder. I go to work and it doesn't let up I end up cramping off and on all day with no relief after peeing. I leave work a little early to see my OB, at this point the pain really isn't there too much but I keep my appointment. They take my urine, do a speculum exam and tell me that my cervix and stitches look fine and I'm free to leave.
Around 7pm is where the pain hit me again and it's rolling pain come between 3 and 4 minutes apart. I call my OB after hours for the on call OB and get her opinion. I tell her about my symptoms and my visit earlier and she instructs me to go to L&D. They would be able to get a fast turn around on my urine to see if anything is up. I go down and give my urine, after waiting a while the doctor comes in and states there is nothing much they could for my cramping or anything due to me being so early at 22 weeks they wouldn't do anything to help me or save my baby (which is bullshit since the NICU works on 22 weekers). They perform a speculum exam again and all looks good to them. My urine comes back fine and I'm free to go without any explanation or solution.
Monday, February 11, 2019
Wednesday Follow Up
My follow up appointment on Wednesday wasn't a good one. The ultrasound showed baby with a great heartbeat and being cute as anything. As soon as she inserted the trans-vaginal ultrasound I saw the funneling right away. My cervix shortened from 2.8cm to 2.1cm.
I rememeber saying "Oh, that's not good," while the tech replied "You still have some length left though." That doesn't help when you've already been there and done that.
The doctor came in shortly after I broke down for a second and said "So we will be considering a cerclage, is that right? I replied "Yep." The surgery was scheduled 2 days later (Friday) at 20 weeks 1 day. I quizzed him on everything I have come across, studies and what not.
I brought up what type of stitch he would be doing and if it were possible to go higher than a macdonald, a cerclage pessary combo, double cerclages, administering antibiotics, bedrest. I was shut down by their aren't any studies that have proven this or this works BUT I did get my way with a couple requests.
Surgery day I go in fill out all the paperwork and finally speak with the doctor once again. We agree in antibiotics, and he agreed to place 2 macdonald cerclages but after his "studies this and that and higher risks speel" I was on the fence. he left and came back and asked me if I wanted the two because if I did he would do it for me. I told him I was on the fence still, he then said well if you don't say ONE I will do two. He ended up doing two.
Here I am 3 days POST OP and just like before I'm terrified of everything. I have no idea what cervical length was left at placement. I never got to see baby surgery day but I did hear his heartbeat. I have no idea if there is any less funneling or more. I don't know how high he got the stitches. Maybe it's better not to know?
I will go in tomorrow for my follow up and if things look good in his words I will be released to my OB and continue about my pregnancy, no extra monitoring because they have done all they can for me and the hope is that I remain asymptomatic until delivery.
I rememeber saying "Oh, that's not good," while the tech replied "You still have some length left though." That doesn't help when you've already been there and done that.
The doctor came in shortly after I broke down for a second and said "So we will be considering a cerclage, is that right? I replied "Yep." The surgery was scheduled 2 days later (Friday) at 20 weeks 1 day. I quizzed him on everything I have come across, studies and what not.
I brought up what type of stitch he would be doing and if it were possible to go higher than a macdonald, a cerclage pessary combo, double cerclages, administering antibiotics, bedrest. I was shut down by their aren't any studies that have proven this or this works BUT I did get my way with a couple requests.
Surgery day I go in fill out all the paperwork and finally speak with the doctor once again. We agree in antibiotics, and he agreed to place 2 macdonald cerclages but after his "studies this and that and higher risks speel" I was on the fence. he left and came back and asked me if I wanted the two because if I did he would do it for me. I told him I was on the fence still, he then said well if you don't say ONE I will do two. He ended up doing two.
Here I am 3 days POST OP and just like before I'm terrified of everything. I have no idea what cervical length was left at placement. I never got to see baby surgery day but I did hear his heartbeat. I have no idea if there is any less funneling or more. I don't know how high he got the stitches. Maybe it's better not to know?
I will go in tomorrow for my follow up and if things look good in his words I will be released to my OB and continue about my pregnancy, no extra monitoring because they have done all they can for me and the hope is that I remain asymptomatic until delivery.
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