(This story does not have a happy
ending)
My membranes ruptured on Dec 1, 1999,
at exactly 18 wks when I got up that
morning. I thought that it was loss of
bladder control and was upset over it
(if only that is what it was!)
I thought about calling my OB, but I
had my appt and routine U/S scheduled
for the next day and decide it could
wait. I remember being a little
nervous
the next morning about the U/S and
perhaps wondered if there was more to
this loss of bladder control. The
ultrasound was a happy event with my
husband, my mom and my 23 mo. old
(full
term) son, my worry was put to rest
when we saw the beating heart. (little
did we know that the technician was
aware of the lack of fluid).
My appt with the OB followed and he
told me what was found. He made an
appt
for me to see the Perinatologist the
next day. The peri gave us the grim
situation of 20% chance and told us we
had to make a decision. My husband and
I both knew we would go for it.
We were sent over to labor and
delivery
to have a white blood count and
temperature (if I had an infection,
then they said they would have to
induce). Neither test indicated an
infection and I was admitted for 48
hrs
of IV antibiotics.
I was scared to death and to make
things worse I had never spent a night
away from my son before. I went home
after 3 nights on complete bedrest
except for bathroom and shower
privileges. My mother and sisters made
out a schedule and came in to take
care
of my son everyday. As a stay home
mom,
I had to deal with giving up complete
control over the care of my son. It
was
very hard on my husband because he was
on duty from the minute he came home
from work. The stress of the bedrest
was emonormous and each U/S showed
little fluid (which I expected since I
felt is leaking all the time
regardless
of my position).
Regardless the weeks went by,
milestones were reached and we became
more and more optimistic. I felt the
baby moving on a regular basis, which
intially we were told that the lack of
fluid may restrict movement. Two days
prior to 26 wks, I went to the
hospital
to be checked because I had some
bleeding. I spent the night on IV
antibiotics and the fetal monitor and
was diagnosis with a urinary tract
infection. I was having pain, but it
did not register on the monitor and
was
told that the bladder will often cramp
with UTIs. The baby hated the monitor
and was awake, moving all night.
I went home the next morning and two
nights later start with severe back
pain. Within two hours of the onset of
pain and with in 15 minutes of
arriving
at L&D our baby girl Katheryn was born
(she was already in the birth canal
when we arrived at the hospital) on
Jan. 27,2000. She lived for 2 hrs and
10 minutes. The neonatologists said
her
lungs were too small. We declined an
autopsy, but agreed to genetic testing
(unfortunately the tissue was
untestable). Pathology on the
placenta
showed that it was infected.
As bad as bedrest was, I would give
anything to still be there and
counting
the weeks, although the expert said
that the lungs would have been the
same
if I made it to our goal of 35 wks (I
am not sure that I believe that to be
true). I never saw or felt my baby
alive. I held her after. The night of
the UTI when she was on the fetal
monitor and was awake and moving all
night will always be our special night.
PAP PG Story
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