My membranes ruptured completely at 20
weeks (it was very obvious). I went
to the hospital, and they told me I
would deliver any time. When I didn't
deliver that night, they suggested
induction. After one suppository with
no results, they tried another, still,
with no results. That's when they
said I had three options - a D&E, keep
trying to induce, or do nothing. I
chose to do nothing. I was a single
mom at the time.
I went home, they got me a hospital
bed and a nurse came every day to test
urine and blood for infection. I had
ultrasounds a couple times a week, and
wasn't retaining any fluid. I was
home for 7 weeks, then they
recommended I go to the hospital. I
was there for another 8 weeks. (The
longest 8 weeks of my life).
I never went into labor. At 35 weeks,
they did a lung maturity test, and
deteremined my son was ready for
delivery. I had a c-section on
1/3/97, and Benjamin weighed in at 5
lbs 8 oz. He had severe pulmonary
hypoplasia, a club foot, and midline
cleft of his forehead and nose. He
was very, very ill for the first week
of his life. They had trouble with
maintaining blood pressure, oxygen
saturation, temperature, etc. They
had to paralyze him and put him on a
high-frequency vent. He had 4 chest
tubes to drain the fluid from the
pleura. He swelled up to 6 pounds 3
oz. It was awful. They didn't think
he was going to make it, and if he
did, they weren't optimistic about his
quality of life.
But Ben is a miracle, and a real
fighter. He came home after 19 days,
and stayed on oxygen for 9 months. He
had surgery for his club foot at 9
months - a total success. He does
have a speech delay, but is just about
caught up now, at age 5. He is going
to have surgery this summer for his
midline cleft. His first year, he was
in the hospital as much as he was
out. And even now, every time he gets
a cold, he gets pneumonia. But it
gets better with time!
All in all, I wouldn't trade him for
anything in the world, and I would do
it all over again. I am now married,
and want to have another child, but
the doctors think I'm nuts. Anyone
else experiencing this?
I know 16 weeks with no fluid is
extremely rare, and would love to find
others like me!!
Best of luck to everyone, God Bless!
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