Hidden blessings...

So as many of you know, Brett and I had quite the scare this week. I've been measuring big since week 23 or so (extra amniotic fluid) so my doctor had me start going to get weekly NST tests (non-stress tests). Tuesday was my first one. I had been at work all day, and I left a little early to make it down there, thinking nothing of it. I was just going to be hooked up to a monitor to check the baby's heartbeat and make sure everything looked ok. No big deal, totally routine. I felt fine, 100% normal.

So the lady hooks me up to the monitor and after about 20 minutes she says, "Are you aware you are having contractions?" NO! I mean I kind of felt them since I had a band around my belly to monitor the baby and my stomach was pressing against the band, but I didn't think anything of it. Well she decided to call my doctor and I overhear her saying I'm having contractions TWO MINUTES APART! WHAT?! She was really calm, and acted like it was no big deal, but she had to send me down to labor and delivery. SO I'm all alone, since the test was just routine Brett didn't come with me. The tech tells me not to worry and to go downstairs to just be checked out. On my way I call Brett and tell him what's happening, he just kept saying, "Tara, that's not funny." Well I didn't think it was funny either!

I walked into labor and delivery thinking I will just have a quick test of some sort and be sent home. That did not happen. They checked me in and gave me a room. Then they tested me for the protein that tells whether you are in labor or not, and guess what, I was positive for it. AND, I was dilated. Not cool when you are 32 weeks and 6 days pregnant. The baby is too young. So they admitted me and started pushing some serious drugs to stop the contractions. At first the drugs made the contractions worse, so they had to up the dosage. Finally the contractions stopped and things started to seem like they would be ok. But I didn't sleep at all that first night, it was awful. I was poked and prodded and left with zero modesty! The next day I was still on the meds, which made me feel so sick, but my doctor was hesitant to take me off of them. She said had I not had that NST test I would have had this baby! Talk about a blessing that I had that test. So I stayed on that medicine until Wednesday night. Once they took me off, I started to have contractions again. The oral medication they were hoping to switch me to wasn't working. I also started with a fever and shivers, something was not ok. The nurse we had wasn't too comforting either. She was acting really nervous and then asked us if we had talked to anyone from the N-ICU! WHAT!? So I started bawling, of course. The nurse tried to tell me everything would be ok, but she went to get the doctor and another nurse to check me out. The others came in and decided to up oral meds to stop the contractions and give me a strong dose of antibiotics. They assumed I had some infection which was irritating my uterus causing the contractions. So after taking all the meds and finally getting the chance to take a bath, everything settled down. Friday late afternoon the doctor let me go home.

She told me I had to be on strict bed rest until I go to see her again on the 30th. I will have to go for NST tests every week, as well. Once I go back to see her, if I haven't had the baby by then, she will take me off the medication that stops the contractions and let my body do what it wants, since the baby will be almost 37 weeks.

So, here I am, thankfully without a baby yet, but laying in bed, sick and sore from spending the last week in the hospital and dreading the next few weeks of lying here. I am, however, so thankful to everyone that has called and sent flowers and worried and prayed for us. I know we were truly blessed to have to take that first NST test, without it I would have had the baby and she would be in in the N-ICU right now. So that's my story for now. I will keep everyone as updated as I can.