Arm Bands

I had to stay home from work today, this picture was taken this afternoon. The sweater is one that I am knitting for the baby due in approximately 18 weeks. The wrist bands are from the two trips to the hospital that I have taken since becoming pregnant. Two of three times that I have EVER been in a hospital since birth.

The first visit, the yellow wrist band, was a Sunday emergency room trip for severe cramping at 8 weeks. The worry was ectopic pregnancy, an ultrasound confirmed it was not and we were happily sent on our way having actually seen the blob growing.

Yesterday’s trip, the white arm band, was much scarier. I fainted at work. Thankfully I was standing next to someone and therefore, did not fall. I have never fainted. It was scary in and of itself but when you add the fact that you’re carrying a human inside of you that could be hurting. Well, there are no words. I hadn’t felt the baby move in about 23 hours. My blood pressure remained low and the RNs at work (I work in a hospital) decided that I should be send to the OB Triage and/or Emergency Room of the hospital next door (my work hospital is a specialized outpatient hospital) via ambulance.

I laughed.

An ambulance to go across the street. Dude, I could walk there faster. I could take a wheel chair over there faster. My coworkers and OBs office supported the RN’s recommendation. If I fainted again I would be with people who could take care of me and, more importantly, the baby. So, I was loaded up onto a stretcher, pushed past people in our lobby who are sicker than I would wish on my worst enemy and loaded into the ambulance.

Baby’s first ambulance ride, Wendy’s first ambulance ride. What a bonding experience.

We drove, oh 3 feet, into the ambulance bay of the adjacent hospital and I was wheeled up to the OB Triage…a place where babies go to be born. A premier women’s hosptial. My nurse, although at first gruff, was great. Rob arrived in a panic shortly after. I was stuck with an IV, given fluids and put on a fetal monitor. The heartbeat was there. Phew. It was dipping a bit but an ultrasound confirmed that she was okay.

Rob and I spent about four hours there yesterday. Mostly waiting, me resting, we were forgotten a few times (not unusual in a hospital of this size), and ultimately assured that everything looked okay. We heard babies cry, ate really good cookies, and dozed.

The ultrasound tech gave us some more pictures of the babe, seen in the picture above. She is the most photographed baby ever. Her features are more pronounced and we have determined that she has Rob’s lips and chin.

My OB was on call at the hospital so I got to see her. Judging from my bodies reaction to the fluids and the results of a blood test I was dehydrated and a bit anemic. That could have caused the episode. I have been instructed to attach a water bottle to my body, take iron supplements (in addition to the prenatal vitamin I am already taking), and eat regularly. I was told to stay home today and go in for a check up tomorrow. We already had our monthly visit scheduled for that exact time.

I haven’t done much today which is unusual for me. I spent the day seaming the sweater above and wishing I could know that my body won’t fail again. I had no warning. It just happened. The people around me, my coworkers, thought I tripped. I thought I was going to puke. Thank goodness it was just a normal everyday faint, I didn’t even totally black out. However, I was out of control and that is a sucky feeling. Truly. I suppose it’s the beginning of a long line of lessons that teach me to let go…