Sorry, this is going to be a very long
story. But, I have a great need to
write it all down. This pregnancy and
birth was a very emotional event in my
life.
This was my second pregnancy. My first
had absolutly no complications and was a
text book case - Sarah actually came on
her due date. My second pregnancy
started out with problems. I had light
bleeding at 10 weeks and every week
there after until the 24th week. I was
initially diagnosed with placenta previa
and told to take it easy, pretend I had
two broken legs. In the 21st week they
told me that my placenta was unusally
large and thin and spread out all over
my uterus. At 27 weeks, the doctor told
me that the placenta had "moved" and I
no longer had previa but that the
placenta was still large and unusual
looking (via ultrasound). He said there
was nothing to worry about until
delivery as such a thin placenta may
have difficulties detaching from the
uterus. Another thing to worry about!
From the ultrasounds, the baby was doing
very well and looked healthy. With
doctor's permission, at 29 weeks my
husband, daughter, in-laws and I went
out to Calgary to visit family. We were
having a good time although my daughter
had a bout of the flu and wasn't
sleeping well. I was a little tired from
some sleepless nights....
I will never forget for the rest of my
life that Easter weekend of 2002. We
all went to the local mall for some
shopping. My brother-in law had
commented on how old fashion my
maternity clothes were (I had a lot of
hand me downs). So I decided to head
over to Thyme (a Canadian maternity
store) and purchase some hip new
clothes. Well, I picked out some pants
and was about to try them on in the
change room. Just as I bent down to
take off my old pants, I felt a little
gush. I thought that maybe with the
baby sitting on my bladder and bending
over that I had a little accident. I
couldn't imagine that it could be
anything else - although PROM did pop
into my mind. But, really, after all I
had gone through already - I couldn't
believe my water broke. I quickly exited
and headed to the nearest washroom.
Fortunately, I had some panty liners in
my purse. I continued shopping for
another hour and then headed back to my
sister-in-laws.
That afternoon, with my daughter down
for a nap, I decided I needed one too.
I got a good hour in and woke up
refreshed. I got out of the bed and
began to walk to the washroom... but I
could feel this big gush coming out of
me. I ran to the toilet and there was
no denying now what had happened.
Fortunately, my sister-in-law lives near
one of the best hospitals in Alberta,
Calgary Foothills. I was given an
internal exam and a fern test was taken.
The whole time I was in the L&D I was
leaking fluid. It was very scary. After
about 45 mins, the intern came in and
told me that I had indeed broken my
membranes and that he would proceed to
induce me. I was completely shocked. I
said "but I am only 30 weeks....!!!"
"Oh" he said. He thought I was full
term. To this day, I wonder if I hadn't
spoken up if he would have proceeded to
induce me.
I was on bed rest for 10 days at
Foothills. I was given antibotics that
made me violently sick with horrible
diarreha. At one point, I was in so
much agony, I thought I was in labour.
They also gave me steriods for baby lung
development. The whole time I was in the
hospital I had fluid leaking.
Fortunately, my baby was doing well and
growing. I was replacing all the fluid
that I lost and was losing.
After 10 days, my doctor released me to
go back to a Toronto hospital. He said
I was fine to take a commercial airline,
but I was to go straight from the
Calgary hospital to a Toronto Hospital
(he had it all arranged). Of course,
our major concern was that I would go
into labour enroute (although our doctor
said he would never release me if he
thought this would happen). Anyway, one
of the weirdest events happened next.
Since I was in a wheel chair I was
allowed to board the plane first. I
watched all the other passengers board.
And to my surprise, the fourth
passanger to board was my Calgary
doctor! He actually had seats in front
of us! He was on his way to a
conference in Italy by route of Toronto.
It was completely chance that he was on
our flight! I am totally astounded to
this day. What a peace of mind knowing
that if anything was to happen that
there was actually somebody there that
knew my case and could help me. It was a
real relief.
Well, I made it to Toronto with out
incident. However, the time from the
Calgary hospital to the Toronto Hospital
took 8 hours (which incendently was
longer than my labour - more details to
follow).
I was checked into the North York
Hospital on bed rest for a day and a
half. They sent me home (Thursday
afternoon) for bed rest. They told me
that I had to come in every second day
for a stress test, once a week for an
ultrasound and once a week to see my
doctor. It seemed like alot of walking
and moving around for somebody who's
supposed to be on bed rest.
My first stress test was on Saturday
evening. Every thing looked good. No
problems. And I felt really good and
positive.
Well, the next after noon, I wasn't
feeling all that well. Of course part
of the care of PROM is to take your
temperature every hour to make sure you
didn't have a fever. I was told that if
I showed any signs of flue like symptoms
to come back to the hospital. By 3 pm,
I had a slight fever of 99 oF. By 6 pm
it was 102 oF and I was vomiting.
I was back at the hospital by 8 pm.
They did an internal exam (which I
thought they weren't supposed to do if
you have PROM..!) and there was no
indication that I was in labour -
absolutely no cramping, contractions,
softening of the cervix, dilation or
anything. They put the monitor on and
baby was fine except an accelerated
heart beat due to my fever.
At 9 pm the doctor came in and said that
I did have a fever but I wasn't in
labour and the baby looked fine. He
said that as a percaution they want to
admit me for monitoring. However,
should I go into labour, there was no
room in the NICU for my baby. They had
to call around to find a bed... and I
might end up in Kingston, Ottawa,
Hamilton or Buffalo (all long ways from
home). Fortunately, the Newmarket South
Lake Regional Hospital had space and it
was arranged for me to go there. IT's
about 30 minutes away from North York
General.
Well, by 10 pm I was starting to feel
some cramping. I went to the washroom
and there was a bloody show. The nurse
checked me and I was 1 cm! By 11 pm I
was having contractions EVERY minute. I
was in agony. The ambulance arrived to
transport me. There was a student on
board and one of the paramedics told him
that he might like to sit in the back
with me. I guess they thought it might
be a learning experience should I have
the baby in the back of the ambulance!!
I thought no way in hell was that going
to happen....!!!! The next 30 minutes
felt the longest in my life.
By 12 pm I was 3 cm. Southlake was
expecting a stable pregnant women with
PROM and a fever. They were surprised to
get a pregnant women with PROM, with a
fever in full labour.
By 3:10 am I was fully dilated and ready
to push. My labour lasted 5 hours.
Rachel Grace entered the world at 3:27
am weighing 4 lbs 4 oz and 17 inches
long. She had APGAR scores of 6 and 8.
She was so tiny and had so much dark
hair. She only needed a bit of
pressured oxygen for about 12 hours.
The L&D doctor said that he was glad
that mother nature took over other wise
it would have been his decision to make
whether to induce me or not.
When the placenta came out - there was
one main area and 4 succatariate lobes.
It was very strange looking. But it did
it's job.
Rachel was in an incubator for a week
and was tube fed for two weeks. We took
her home after 2 1/2 weeks in hospital.
She was 35 weeks corrected age and
weighed 4 lbs 9 oz! She was so tiny and
so precious. By her due date she was 8
lbs 2 oz.
Rachel is now 10 months actual age and
is a whopping 19 lbs! She is absolutly
beautiful with no indication that she
was born 8 weeks premature.
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