A Bit of a Scare..

Last Wednesday, I had a unplanned visit to the doctor's office. On Tuesday night I noticed my feet, ankles, and legs were severely swollen. They looked like balloons! Ugh! At the time, I didn't really think much of it, considering it was a very warm day and we had just returned from the boy's T-Ball and Baseball Games. However, after sleeping a full nights sleep with my feet prompted on a pillow all night, the swelling had not gone down at all. I became a bit worried because of my history of preeclampsia. I called the doctor's office around mid morning Wednesday, not really sure if it warranted a phone call, but I wanted to at least ask about it. Of course, they wanted to see me.

Unfortunately, I do have other symptoms of preeclampsia. I've had a rapid weight gain in the last week. Since my last visit 4 weeks ago, I have gained 8 pounds - you should only gain a pound per week at this point in pregnancy. My current weight is 151. :/ Not liking that number at all! I've had blurred vision and puffy eyes. And as I've already mentioned, I've had severe swelling in my feet, ankles, and legs.

My blood pressure was good at that visit, which is great news! The doctor sent me down to the lab to have other tests done. They took my blood to run some tests on my kidneys and ordered me to do a 24 hour urine test over the weekend. yay. fun stuff right! They want to do the 24 hour test to see if there is any protein or sugar in my "fluids". The protein would indicate preeclampsia. The sugar would be a positive sign of gestational diabetes. Either one is bad and could be dangerous to me or the baby.

While I was at the doctor's office on Wednesday, I mentioned that I had noticed that his movements have slowed down quite a bit. Byrson has been very active, and I normally know what times of the day he will move the most. Tuesday night I hadn't felt him move at all. Wednesday morning when I first woke up.. nothing. I felt him a little while in the waiting room at the doctor's office. From the time I left the office (around 2:30), until I went to bed that night, I did not feel any movements from him. Nothing. I woke up on Thursday morning still not feeling any movements. I drank a glass of orange juice to try and get him going. He moved a bit at around 9:30 on Thursday morning. Then, nothing. I drank a small chocolate shake during lunch. Nothing! When I arrived home at around 5:00 on Thursday evening, I tell my worries to Dan and he encouraged me to call the nurse at the hospital to ask her opinion. She said to eat something sweet and lay down for an hour. If I didn't feel him move 10 times in that hour than I needed to come in. An hour went by, and I only felt Bryson three times. So, it was off to Corbin to the hospital. They hooked me up on a monitor and monitored his movements for an hour. The first half of the hour, he was pretty calm and still. The second half, man this little boy began going crazy in the womb! I think he was doing flips and jumping jacks in there. Of course, I was very relieved, but I was also a bit embarrassed and frustrated. But, at least he was ok! Dr. Parent still ordered a biophysical exam for Friday morning, since Bryson hadn't been very active over the last couple of days. The exam was a four part test. They checked the amniotic fluid, his breathing exercises, his movement activity, and his muscle tone. Everything came back perfect! Bryson is still very healthy and growing rapidly in my womb! Thank You Lord!

Monday morning I was back in Corbin for my regular appointment --- and to drop off my "fluids" test! I had my glucose screening test on Monday and should know the results sometime this week.

After last week, I am tired of the doctor's office! But, now my visits go to every two weeks because today marks the day I begin my third trimester!! OH MY! Can you beleive it?!?! In 10 - 13 weeks we'll have a baby!! I can't wait to meet our Bryson!