Our Journey Part #8

I remember sitting on the couch like usual about 23 weeks in. I was watching the same television shows and my belly did something weird. I can't really explain what it felt like. It didn't hurt, but I couldn't control it. Like a twitch that won't go away. I didn't think much about it. Rob and I went to bed like normal but something wasn't right. I laid there like every night too uncomfortable to sleep. That sensation kept coming over me. I started thinking it might be contractions. Any mom who had a high risk of preterm labor knows what happens after that.

The stress and anxiety of a few contractions causes more contractions. Around midnight I decided to call Tanya. She had had experience with this kind of thing and she is a nurse to boot. I was so upset when she told me it was contractions and I should call Dr. Turnquest. I remember telling her that I didn't want to wake Rob up because he had to get up at 5:30 a.m. to go to work. I was such a worry and burden to everyone around me that I didn't want to waste any one's time with false alarms. After some persuasion, Tanya convinced me to wake Rob up and call the doctor.

Like I suspected, she told me to count the contractions. If I had more than 4 an hour I had to go in. So, tried to rest and count and it was a big mess. I was so scared that I couldn't tell you what was a real contraction and what was my imagination. Have you ever had that overwhelming feeling like God made a mistake by giving you such a huge responsibility? I had absolutely no idea what I was feeling. That scared me more than anything. Come to find out, I had been feeling these contractions since about week 18 and never figured out that it was a contraction. Around 4 a.m. we called Dr. Turnquest back and confirmed that I had more than 4 in an hour and she made us make the drive to the hospital. Luckily it was after 5:00a.m. when we got there. Otherwise we would have had to go through the ER and that would have cost us $100 up front. We went straight up to labor and delivery.

I was amazed at how together they were. They already had my room reserved and ready. They didn't even know I was coming! Once I got to the hospital the contractions slowed down. The nurse told me that is typical because I felt safer once I was there and my nerves calmed down. I was having more than they wanted so I got a shot of terbutaline to slow the contractions. They warned me what would happen, but I didn't think it would be as annoying as it was. terbutaline makes your heart race really fast and you feel like you have had 100x the caffeine as you should have. It is really uncomfortable. Another shot of terbutaline and 48 hours later we were on our way home again. That was a big scare. If I had waited and gone into really active labor, they may not have been able to stop it. My kids wouldn't have survived if they had been born. Whew!!!

Thank you God for watching over my sweet little ones. I am so thankful that when I know I have no control, you have complete control. Your hand was on my sweet miracles inside me. I had no idea what great miracle you had in store for us a few short weeks later. You are an awesome God! Thank you Lord!