Test Run!

This weekend was chalked full of excitement...Dave drove to Dallas in my Dad's suburban in order to drive our new glider and stroller home from Baby Bliss in Snider Plaza, and my parents and I flew SWA. Dave picked us up on Friday and then we went to the Joyner's for lunch in Richardson. Nancy fixed a great meal and an even better desert, which we all enjoyed.

We had dinner that night at Capitol Grille, it was very good, and we got a ton of stuff comped because our table wasn't ready, which made the wait worth it. Dave also had a bathroom break with Cuba Gooding Jr.

Saturday we woke up early to room service and then hit the trail to the Cotton Bowl. At first we started to sit in traffic with every other idiot, but then Dave decided to blaze his own trail, and take side streets. Which totally paid off! We got to the stadium in less than 30 mins...it was crazy! We parked right next to our entrance, and everything went so smoothly. John Greer and his Dad met us at the game and sat with us...and oh what a game it was! The weather was gorgeous and I had to pee about 10 times in the first half which sucked, but then by half time I was better.

Needless to say I was a true die hard fan at 8 months pregnant cheering on the horns to victory. The only time I got tired was when we walked back to the car, I had to take a couple of breaks, but otherwise felt good.

My parents stayed in Saturday night and Dave and I went on a sushi date (mine was cooked of course), and it was a great dinner. We are trying to take advantage of opportunities to go out like this, because we know we will be limited once little Fay is here. After dinner though, I started to have a REALLY bad pain in my lower right abdomen...it started like a normal muscle ache but then it started to BURN really bad and I couldn't walk. It basically brought me to my knees, but I wasn't all that concerned because it didn't feel like cramping or a contractions, because it was only on one side. Dave pulled the car around and got me back to the hotel, where I laid down and tried to get the pain to subside. It did a little but it still really hurt. I took some Tylenol PM and went to sleep.

Sunday morning Dave dropped us off at the airport and my pain seemed to be manageable, but once we were in the baggage line it started to BURN again and I had to be wheeled through security in a wheel chair! It was SO embarrassing...me and this 90 year old woman went through together. By the time we got to Midland the pain was still really bad, so I got off my feet and took a hard 2 hour nap, I thought if I stayed off my feet long enough the pain would go away, and Fay was acting normal, moving around and kicking the same amount as usual so I wasn't all that concerned.

But by Sunday at 7pm the pain was getting even worse, I could not walk, and I was sweating, and about to throw up it was so intense, so we called the Dr on call at the women's clinic. They told me I needed to have it checked out and to go to the hospital. Which is not what I was expecting them to say, we were on our way to Young Life leadership dinner, but popped a u-turn and headed to the hospital!

To be completely honest we were cracking up the whole time, Dave was laughing at how ridiculous I looked, and I was laughing because I couldn't believe we were pulling into the hospital. We had no idea where to go so we wondered around the hospital until we found the Labor and Delivery floor. I walked up to the nurses' station and said "Is this where you come to have babies?" (what a stupid thing to say). She looked at me, in obvious pain, and said "Yes, are you having a baby?"

I looked at Dave and said "I don't think so, but I need you to make this pain in my side stop hurting." She was really nice and took down our information, and of course none of my stuff was in their system, even though I preregistered with the hospital 2 weeks ago!

She gave me a gown and a pee cup and sent me to a delivery room...that's when we started to not think it was so funny any more. When she said they were admitting me I started to panic a little bit. I did not want her to come this early, she is only 33 weeks and her little lungs are not ready for this big world!

Once I was changed they put me in the bed and strapped the fetal monitor and contraction monitor on my tummy. It was at this point that I knew everything was going to be okay because she was moving around like crazy and we could hear every movement and beat of her heart. Dave said I was beaming even though I was in an extreme amount of pain. I didn't care...I loved getting to hear what it sounded like in her world. It was actually really special, Dave pulled up a chair, held my hand, and we didn't turn the TV on, we just sat and enjoyed the sound of our baby girl.

The nurses had a shift change and we got a girl named Amanda and she was WONDERFUL, in fact I am so glad this happened in the end because now I can request her for my delivery! She ran through all the possibilities of what could be causing this pain and talked to the Dr. on call. She told us that Fay was doing "fabulous" and that the pain was not affecting her, which is all I cared about. They checked my cervix and it was completely closed, at that point they decided it was nothing serious and gave me a list of things to look for, and when to come back if anything got worse or changed. She also told me I needed to be off my feet for a full 24 hours and to see my own Dr. on Monday.

They released us and we went home, still in pain mind you :) Monday was good, I took a shower and thought I was going to pass out it hurt so bad, then I got back in bed and waited there until my 1:30 appt. Dave took me and Dr. Doke thinks it is a severe round ligament that is spasming and I could have possible nerve damage which would explain the amount of pain and that fact that it is a burning sensation. Unfortunately there is nothing they can do for this, because of the baby pain medication is out. So, it isn't anything serious, but just something I have to deal with. He said when it starts to hurt to get off my feet immediately and just wait it out. He hopes it will get better within a week...we hope so too!

But all in all it was a nice test run...we got to experience what it is going to be like, I now know what it feels like to have my cervix checked, and best of all we got to spend some quality time as a family on the fetal heart monitor.

Thanks for all your prayers and concern...we are doing fine, I just am slow getting around!

I would like to point out that I still have not posted pictures from my wonderful shower! My goal is to have thank you notes finished today, then pictures downloaded, organized, ordered, and uploaded to the blog. Then nursery pics...