labor, icu & more!

**I am going to post this in more than one topic, hope no one minds!**
Hi, everyone. My name is Merideth. I posted on BG a while back...until November, we moved and did not have internet access in our apartment until YESTERDAY! So , I hope to see some of the girls I remember and to everyone that is new since I have last posted, look fwd to getting to know you all.
My original due date was Feb 14. That was based on the date of my last period, and on teh actual date of conception (there was only ONE time, believe it or not, that my daughter could have been conceived!). At my 1st u/s at 12 weeks, t hey changed it to Feb 8. 
    On January14 I thought I was in labor. I had lower back pain and cramping, so we went to my dr's office and they monitored me...no labor! They told me to take the day off of work and take it easy.
 The next day my boyfriend was bringing me to work (we have 1 vehicle), and we were in a car accident! The other driver ran a stop sign!!! I was brought to the ER via ambulance, where they checked me, did an u/s to find the baby's heartbeat, then taken up to l&d, where I was monitored for what seemed like forever (given that I hadn't eaten anything all day and the dr didn't even OK it to give me ice chips!!!),. Anyway, I was ok they said, and so was baby, so we were sent home.
    
the following monday, January 21 @ 6:30 am I woke up in the midst of bounding out of bed, with a GUSH of fluid. My water broke...it was seriously like it happens in the movies.            I called my dr, she said to go to the hospital. We went to the hospital, they monitored me and the baby and took a fluid sample. They did an internal exam, and said the bag of water was still intact! With an u/s they saw that there was not much fluid, and determined that my water had broken, but the baby's head was blocking the hole. At the same time they said they kept losing her heartbeat, and decided to do a fetal heart monitor on her scalp. The dr asked me if I was ok, and I said "yeah..i'm fine" and she said I was having monster contractions...but I truly did not feel any more than some cramping and low back pain again.
            After they did the monitor on her scalp, apparently they said to book an OR...however I did not hear this. About a millino & a half doctors and nurses flooded in the room, they put an oxygen mask on me and stgarted asking me questions (the pre-anesthesia interview). I woudlnt' answer them I was so confused, and very intent on not having drugs for my labor! Finally they got it through to me that I was having a C section, and I flipped out in fear, then calmed down and answered them. My dr then explained me me that I was having the c section because the baby's heartbeat was very weak and it could become a dangerous situation.
      I was brought to the OR and got my epidural, became numkb, and she was born soon after. All told, my "labor" lasted 3 hours and 17 mins (water broke at 6:30 am and she was born at 9:47). No real hard contractions that I could feel much, no pushing, no anytyhing..just hospital and here is your baby! Well, nto that simple for the dr's, but for me it was no work at all. Adison Merideth was 5 lbs and 17 inches long. Dark brown hair, blue blue blue eyes (still blue at 3 1/2 months)! She was gorgeous...and still is obviously!    
      
They kept us in teh hospital until Thursday afternoon, then we went home with Adison. Friday we had to go to her first ped. appointment, they said she was perfect! We also went grocery shopping and to my work so I could pick up my paycheck. Later we went to my bf's parents' house to visit them. That night/the next morning (3 am) I could not get Adison to wake up to eat. her breathing sounded raspy/wheezy and shallow and very labored. She was soooo cold. We took her temp a few times (axillary) and it was low (94 degrees F). Called the ped. They instructed us to do a rectal temp...93.8 F. They sent us to teh ER. Adison was put in a warming bed. THey gave her narcan , in case my csection painkillers were going through my milk to her...that did nothing. They did a cathter for some tests...she slept through it. They tried a lumbar puncture twice, but were unsuccessful in getting fluid. Then they started her antibiotic IV. We were in the ER for over 12 hours before we were admitted to teh PICU. They had to massage her chest to keep her breathing, then administered the high flow air (nose tubes). That was not enough. She was having frequent and drawn out apnic spells (stop breathing..which is normal for babies, only a problem if it lasts longer tahn 20 seconds). They intubated her (inserted breathign tubes in her throat). We were in the PICU for 8 days. I honestly thought Adison was going to die the first day.... and she certainly would have, had we not gotten her to the ER immediately.
                               
At first the drs were really thinking she had bacterial spinal meningitis...thankfully it was not that..but we do nto knw what it was. Her prognosis was Presumed Sepsis. Basically a viral or bacterial infection that was in her blood stream. They said that it was in her system before she was born. From what our ped. office and my obgyn have told me, it appears that our car accident caused a placental abruption, and then a virus or bacteria that I was carrying was passed on to Adison, and the symptoms began showing when she was a few days old. She was in septic shock when we brought her to the ER (essentially what happens is your body starts shutting down to avoid the pain that it is in, ie: your body is trying to die). 
            
We are lucky, blessed, and so so so fortunate that we were in an amazing hospital with wonderful doctors and nurses, and that our family and friends were praying along with us for Adison's health. She recovered fully, and so far no long term effects whatsoever. I think that I am making this out to be very simple and cut and dry, but it's an experience that truly haunts me. I was too nervous to sleep for the first 6 or 8 weeks , at least. I would only sleep when my boyfriend was also home...I was so scared she would stop breathing again. Of course, I have had positive effects from her hospital stay too....I know that I will never take her for granted. She was almost gone once...now she has earned a couple over protective parents! I just wanted to share my whole story with all of you...the other thing I have taken with me is the k nowledge that my mother's intuation works! I hope everyone else had / has a wonderful labor experience and that none of you will have to go through anything thath I experienced. For those of you that are dealing with the loss or illness of a child, I am always praying for you and your child.
                 Merideth

I'm so glad they she ended up being ok! Atleast I know that it something to watch out for. I was beaten up by my husband a month ago and now I know that it can cause problems that can be unseen. I'm only 26 weeks though so I hope that nothing is going to happen to my son. I hope that your daughter continues to do well.

Congratualtions! & I'm glad your little one is ok! I would have been scared to death, as I can imagine you were!

Wow, i'm glad your little one is doing well.. Congrats on the baby.

Quoting n8ivebutterfli:“ I'm so glad they she ended up being ok! Atleast I know that it something to watch out for. I was beaten ... [snip!] ... I'm only 26 weeks though so I hope that nothing is going to happen to my son. I hope that your daughter continues to do well.”

I hope you don't take this as butting in or lecturing, mbut I hope that you are in a better situation right now than that.  I can't believe it when someone's SO hits them at all, but when you are pregnant...it's not just you that they are potentially hurting.  I would hit him twice for each time he laid his hands on you if I were there!  And thank you for your response.  I am sure that your baby will be ok, does your doc know about that situation?  I would just let htem know so they can keep an eye on it "just in case."  The infection is not something tha twould nec. happen thoguh due to the abruption, it is because I also happened to be carrying either a virus or bacteria, and I passed it to her.  It was definitely just a chain of events that all had to be ni place to make her that sick.  I really hope that you wo'nt have to deal w/ anything like that, and like I said, I am sure you won't.  Thanks again for responding!~

mommy meg & caleb's mommy- thank you both!

Quoting merbobear:“ I hope you don't take this as butting in or lecturing, mbut I hope that you are in a better situation ... [snip!] ... hope that you wo'nt have to deal w/ anything like that, and like I said, I am sure you won't. Thanks again for responding!~”

yeah I left him and he'll be going to prison for felony domestic. I did tell my doctor and the only thing they were worried about was my son's heartrate. He was stressed for about a week after it happened and his heart rate was up to 200 a couple times

Quoting n8ivebutterfli:“ yeah I left him and he'll be going to prison for felony domestic. I did tell my doctor and the only thing ... [snip!] ... was my son's heartrate. He was stressed for about a week after it happened and his heart rate was up to 200 a couple times”

I am really glad that you left him...too many women stick around to let it keep happening    You are really s trong to make that decision, especially being pregnant.  Hope this is not too nosey, but do you have a good family/friend support system near you?  You are gonna be a great mom, you are already looking out for your little bean!