NST, Clinic, and 36 weeks- oh my!

Okay Folks, it’s getting crazy around here.

I’m still feeling under the weather. Hence, the WORST weekly picture ever! I experienced my ‘classic’ lung infection signs over the weekend of some low-grade fevers, and coughing till I vomit. I was fever free Monday and Tuesday, so on Tuesday CF clinic day, I figured I had turned the corner.

I spent the majority of my day at the Hospital getting various tests done and seeing various doctors. Non-stress test was pointless as usual. This week little lady was “sunny side up” meaning her back was against my back; not an ideal labor position, but at least she’s staying head down.  I didn’t cough nearly as much this time which is nice because coughing during a NST always messes up the monitors. The doppler tends to lose track of the baby’s heartbeat when I cough, so it screws up the data collection as it monitor says “80, –45,— 245” and then finally finds her heart again and it’s back to it’s normal beating. The only thing I think that is handy about these NST is the fact that I’ve witnessed the faulty monitoring while I’m coughing, so if they think they can use those numbers while I’m in labor to pull one over on me, they’ve got another thing coming. =D

Next appointment was my PFT. I had a new tech, who after asking how many weeks along I was gave me a concerned look and asked if “we should really be doing this on you, normally we don’t do PFT’s after the 4th month of pregnancy…” Appreciate the concern, but this is rather important, I know how to do the test and I promise I won’t pass out on you.

Lung function was down a few points. I went from 83 to 78. I wasn’t too surprised and I wasn’t too upset either. I’ve got a baby squashing my diaphragm, and I just got over bronchitis/cold so I was pretty happy with 78.

I’m finishing up my week of Cayston and then starting inhaled Vancomycin back up. If I feel like I’m not picking up as quickly as I’d like to on the Vancomycin we’ll add in inhaled Tobi since they target different cultures in my lungs (Vanc. targets the MRSA & Staph while TOBI & cayston target the Psuedomonos). Usually you avoid Tobi during pregnancy as it’s known to cause fetal harm, but at this point she’s fully functioning and the effects of tobi would be minimal. (Tobi mainly causes auditory and sensory malfunctions.)

Wednesday I had an ENT appointment and my sinuses looked better than last time, so I made another followup appointment for December. You know, december– the month where I’ll have a 6month old? WHAT?

I also had a fever wednesday again. BOO. And felt pretty crummy. Around 4 I started feeling better and around 5 I started having some consistent braxton hicks contractions. They didn’t hurt, but I did have more than the recommended 4 per hour. I drank lots of water since I hadn’t had much water that day, and then just finished sweating a slight fever out, and it was quite warm. I figured I was probably just dehydrated. Well well well, to my surprise I continued to have contractions for the remainder of the night. I called around 7 since the hospital handout dictates that I should call for more than 4 contractions in an hour (and I figured I just had two hours of more than 4) but the on-call doctor didn’t seemed concerned since they weren’t painful, and I didn’t have any other actual ‘labor’ signs. I got the advice to ‘drink lots of fluid, and keep an eye on them.’ Along with the advice that if I was even slightly concerned I could come in whenever I wanted and get checked out.

Instead we went grocery shopping. While leaving a woman checked my belly up and down and made her guesses, “That’s a 4 month, 5 month, maayyyybe 6 month belly on a good day… and it’s a boy.” Both Kyle and I laughed aloud because here I was 9 months, having consistent contractions all night, with a girl. We told her she was close, but it was a girl! Her response was, “alright, alright, but ooooh she’s so low! She’s hanging low!”  Yea, because she’s trying to get out! hahaha.

Leaving the grocery store I was pushing the cart back to the cart house and I gagged. I said to myself, Oh, I might throw up, wouldn’t that be something. So, I sat in the car and asked Kyle for the bag he always carries (he’s so sweet!) because “No big deal, but I think I might throw up.” We had started driving at this point so he asked if we should just pull back over because it’d be a lot more difficult to throw up on the highway vs. the parking lot. Good call Husband, good call. Hesitantly I agree, “well, alright, I guess you can just pull over there.” I still wasn’t convinced I was actually going to throw up.

As he pulls over, I open the bag- just incase- and then open my door for some fresh air… I gagged and leaned over the side of the car and then BAM full on throwing up. BUT at this point in time I’m laughing between heaves because I’ve simultaneously managed to PEE my pants. Which is even more hilarious because we put down a waterproof pad and a towel “just incase” since I was having consistent braxton hicks.  I managed to laugh out why I’m laughing, since it’s not often I laugh while vomiting.
Blah blah “I PEED!”
Blah blah “I JUST CANT STOP PEEING!”
blah blah blah “THIS IS SO GROSS HAHAHA”
Blah “WHY DID WE EAT GREEN BEANS! HAHAHA ” BLAH.
“Phew! Well, I feel better. Good thing we put this towel down. Now take me home I need to change my pants! hahaha. “

Oh what a night!

So far, only a few contractions in the morning today, again, nothing painful, no other signs of labor. I’m just taking it easy and hoping I start to feel better soon, because the last thing I want is to feel sick while laboring.

You may also like

1 Comment

  1. Hahaha, yikes. The joys of pregnancy 😉 The week after I gave birth to K everything was so weak I peed my pants when I coughed, or laughed, or even tried to sit up! Luckily, the first week postpartum I was wearing GIANT pads anyway.

    You are in the home stretch!