The Long Story

June 11th - I found out I was pregnant! I was at work, but needed to run across town to pick up some driver's ed books for my work kiddos and called my mom, who was driving back from the lake with Renae and her kids. They both told me that I just needed to take a test. I told them I was going to wait a couple more days, but they were insistent that I buy a test. On my way back to work, I stopped at Walgreens and picked one up. I sent a snapchat to Renae and Kelsey of the positive test. I sent Dan an email (he was at work). When I left work that day, I went to Walmart and while on the phone with Jordan, proceeded to buy four onesies. I was unbelievably excited. Pretty much everyone knew within a day because I was bursting at the seams.

June 23rd - I went to bed and suddenly felt there was something not right. I got up to go to the bathroom and there was blood, lots of it. I started crying and called for Dan who immediately also started freaking out with me. I tried calling Mom and then Renae, who answered. Renae told me to call my doctor's office to get their after hours number. They connected me with a triage nurse who took down all my information. Meanwhile, Renae called Mom repeatedly. The triage nurse called me back a half hour later and said that Dan needed to drive me to the hospital. I got right in to an ER room and they asked me all of the normal questions. Renae ended up driving up to our parents' house and walked into their bedroom and woke Mom up.

June 24th - Mom showed up to the ER. They continued to do tests on me, testing my HCG and did an ultrasound. We sent Dan home to get some sleep. The ER nurse said that the report said the baby was "close to the wall" of my uterus but that it was so early that it was hard to tell what was going on. They informed me that I had a subchorionic hemorrhage and that increased my risk of miscarriage. Diagnosis: probably miscarriage. I was to stay home on Monday from work. Mom took me home and the bleeding stopped that afternoon.

June 25th - I woke up to more bleeding. I had an appointment scheduled with my OB/GYN that afternoon but called their office and they said I could come right in, but that it likely wouldn't have changed anything (this was the first thing in a long path of things that likely saved Madelyn). I went right in to the OB/GYN and Dr. Hamdi informed me that the ER doctor had not said that the baby was close to the wall, but that it was a possible cornual pregnancy. He did an ultrasound and said he couldn't tell. He informed me that in his and the ER doctor's experience of 25 combined years that they had never actually seen one, but that it was deadly and that he needed me to go to Iowa City for an ultrasound that day. I called mom and she left work to come and get me. I had to wait there until they set up that appointment. While I waited, I got to hear the office manager talk loudly and rudely about having to call Iowa City. It was the first time that I would get to deal with an insensitive person regarding my case. Mom and I drove to Iowa City and called Renae, who luckily had Kelsey at her house with the girl she babysat, so could stay and watch the kids. Renae met us at the University of Iowa. We went first to ultrasound where they diagnosed that it was a cornual pregnancy. While we were in the ultrasound room, Mom asked if the baby could possibly move. The staff doctor informed us that it was possible. Then we went to meet with the resident. She informed us that I needed surgery THAT DAY or I would likely rupture and die. They would need to take a wedge out of my uterus and my left tube. Mom asked about what the staff doctor had said regarding the baby possibly moving and Renae informed the resident that I was not the type of person who would ever terminate a pregnancy. The resident left to find someone of higher education than her. She came back a little while later and informed us that the high risk OB/GYNs were all in a meeting and they were going to discuss my case (second thing that likely saved Madelyn). It was decided that we could wait a week and see how things looked. I needed to stay close to a hospital and should not be traveling anywhere.

July 2nd - Mom and I headed down to the U of I again and this time Renae got Dad to watch the kids. We had another ultrasound and the baby seemed to have moved a little bit. At this point, it was hard to see anything. Once again the resident (a new one) told me I needed to terminate or I would die. This baby would never be viable. It was impossible. I should take methotrexate that day or I would be risking my life (and from what she said, I was also pretty stupid to not take it). I asked to wait another week and the staff doctor said that was fine but that all of my restrictions from the week before continued along with not ever being left alone. This resident also asked me if I had ever considered IVF because when my uterus and tube ruptured, it would be my only choice. I scheduled my appointment for the 9th but later that day, the resident changed it to the 12th. Between the second and third appointments in Iowa City, Mom had found a St. Jude (saint of the impossible) medal in a dryer at the laundromat. We had gone to a movie the weekend before my third appointment and when she went to give it to me, she couldn't find it, but said she would look for it.

July 12th - Renae, Mom and I once again headed to the U of I. They did an ultrasound and saw no changes. The ultrasound tech went to get the doctors and Mom remembered that she had found the medal and gave it to me. I set it on my belly so that I could look at the sonogram pictures. Ten minutes later, the doctors returned with the tech and they repeated the ultrasound. The baby was in the uterus. She had moved. The doctors were dumbfounded. They discharged me from U of I and told me to follow up with Dr. Hamdi in Waterloo.

July 25th - I had an appointment with Dr. Hamdi and he did an ultrasound and said something didn't look "quite right" and decided to send me back to Iowa City for one more ultrasound.

August 6th - I got a migraine and Dan took me to the ER to get a shot to get rid of it. After several hours they finally got it to go away and we were able to go home. On the way home I started throwing up.

August 7th - I threw up all day and Mom had to take me back to the ER because I was then getting dehydrated. Luckily, they were able to get me fluids and I could go home a couple hours later.

August 8th - I had my follow-up ultrasound in Iowa City. They realized that the baby did not move a month before when it had looked like she had. Apparently my blood clot just made it look that way. They encouraged me to terminate again. At this point I was at 13 weeks. It was decided that they would need to deliver the baby via c-section due to the risk of accreta (the placenta growing through the uterine wall and not releasing during delivery).

August 22nd - Regular appointment with Dr. Hamdi. It was decided that I would do Share-Care with Iowa City and Dr. Hamdi. They would do all the normal things at Hamdi's office with ultrasounds regularly in Iowa City.

August 29th - Appointment in Iowa City. My restrictions were lifted. I was told that I just needed to not lift more than 25 pounds and I could start traveling again. Everything looked good, so they said they would see me at 20 weeks (currently at 16 weeks). Tried to tell the gender of the baby, but she covered her privates with her hand.

September 12th - Saw Dr. Hamdi and no big news.

October 1st - 20 week ultrasound in Iowa City. Dan was able to go with Mom and I to this one. Madelyn tried to hide her gender again by sitting on her feet and facing away from us, but was bribed with a promise of a pink rocking horse from Grandpa Wayne. It worked. Conversation started about a super early delivery.

October 9th - Started getting side pain at work. Called Hamdi's office and they told me to come in. Was sent to Iowa City for an ultrasound. It was diagnosed as round ligament pain but they said that it could be worse than most women because the round ligament is attached in the same area that the placenta is.

October 10th - Saw Dr. Hamdi for an appointment. Got my flu shot. Dr. Hamdi informed me that I would need to get steroid shots to help Madelyn's lungs develop due to her early delivery and decrease the risk for brain bleeds. He also informed us that everyone going to be around her should have their pertussis shot due to the risk to her respiratory system. He informed me to plan on having the baby between 28 and 30 weeks because he didn't see Iowa City letting me go any further than that.

October 15th - Another scheduled ultrasound in Iowa City. The doctors informed me that they didn't actually have a plan because they didn't think I would make it this far without rupturing. Informed me that they would be having a meeting to discuss their plan for me in the next two weeks.

October 24th - I made it to 24 weeks! Got my first round of steroid shots at Hamdi's office and talked with him about his not wanting me to come back home after my appointment on the 29th in Iowa City. He said that he would be calling the Ronald McDonald House if Iowa City didn't want to admit me. He expressed concern that if I would rupture at home, that by the time everyone (me, him, anesthesiologist) got to the hospital and were ready to rupture, Madelyn would be a goner and I would be seriously damaged. Later that afternoon, Dr. Taylor called from Iowa City and informed me that I would be admitted to the hospital after my ultrasound on the 29th and wait out the birth of Madelyn in the hospital.

October 25th - Got my other steroid shot and informed Dr. Hamdi that I would be staying in Iowa City after the 29th. He was very relieved (I think everyone that knew about my situation was relieved).

October 29th - Ultrasound in Iowa City and admission to the Mother/Baby unit. This is where my first blog entry started.

I think that I got everything. If I missed something and realize it later, I will add it in.