Crunch Time !

Here is an update on my wife and myself. A lot has transpired in the last week, and haven't really had a chance to call or tell anyone. Jen and I went in on Wed the 26th for the babies weekly stress test (they monitor the heart beats for 30 min or so). They checked Jens blood pressure and it was high. After checking several more times, the doctor felt Jen may have Pre-eclampsia. This is a very serious illness, dangerous to both Jen and the babies. They immediately admitted her and began a 24 hour urine protein test. This came back 290 (300 is considered positive). So Jen was border line. The doctors and us agreed it would be best to keep Jen in the hospital until she delivered. They warned us that Pre-eclampsia progresses and we would probably be delivering in the next couple of days. Jens blood pressure kept varying, sometimes high sometimes low. She did not have the ankle swelling that commonly goes with Pre-eclampsia. But did have other symptoms, such as headache and blurred vision. So now the doctors were calling it episodial Pre-eclampsia. It is now Saturday. Jen is still at the Hospital. I somehow managed to work my shift for 12 hours Thurs and Friday and I'm leaving at two o'clock today. I have been spending the nights sleeping at the hospital while my mother in law is watching my daughter. Thank God my work week is almost over and I can take care of my wife. Jen is OK and it looks as if we will make it to at least Tuesday Without delivering. She is scheduled to have her cerclage removed on Tues. I am hoping to talk the doctor into delivering on Tuesday. We already have a tenitave C-section scheduled on that day at 2:30, just in case she starts to dilate when they remove the cerclage. In my opinion waiting only increases risk since pre-eclampsia causes blood platelets to drop and can prevent blood from clotting. This can cause complications during C-section. Jens blood is good now, so we should just do it. 36 week babies are considered full term and usually do very well. Jen told me that the doctor wants to try and get her to 37 weeks, but from 2:30 on I will be there with her and can be involved on the decision making. Jen has been through the ringer. Its time for her to hold Josh and Lilly in her arms rather than her belly.