To get everybody up to speed...

Just a heads up -- this one will be long (which I hope is not the norm, but no promises!)

I realize that quite a bit of activity has gone on in the Gregory household since the initial e-mail went out to fill everyone in on how my pregnancy was progressing. In order to get everyone on the same page, here is an abbreviated play by play of the last month.

After we found out that I had a partial placental abruption, I was put on "modified" bed rest -- which basically meant "take it easy" and was put on progesterone supplements to help ease the pain from the mild contractions I was having, as well as to aid in keeping my incompetent cervix as long (thick) as possible. However, this ended up not being enough to keep my blood pressure stable or me comfortable enough to work, so I was ordered off work until post-delivery.

In early August, my primary obstetrician, Terry Gibbs, informed me that the abruption would most likely resolve (yea!) or rupture (boo!) in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I wanted to live in a bubble for fear that something I would do would cause the clot to grow or that I'd somehow jeopardize the safety of our son. Just days after this starling appointment, I awoke to excruciating cramps and nausea. Jim started timing the waves of pain, and after 2 hours of waiting it out (an a failed does of Vicodin), we decided it was time to go to the ER. They immediately sent us to labor and delivery, and after assuring us that the baby's heartrate was strong and stable, we began a barage of test and ultrasounds. I was admitted to the hospital on Monday, August 6 for observation and hydration and to monitor my kidney function. It was determined that all was functioning properly, but that the baby's position is forcing pressure back up into my kidneys (so move already, kiddo!). I am now under the care of a urologist in addition to my obgyn and my maternal fetal specialist. The best thing to come out of the hospital stay was the phenomonal news that the blood clot was gone, and it appeared that the abruption had resolved.

One other complication was noted during the ultrasound, which has to do with the blood flow between the uterus and placenta. Mine is irregular, which Dr. Gibbs said not to worry about, but that it's something we'll keep an eye on. If this condition stays as it is currently, my chances for pre-term labor and/or preeclampsia increase, but, as this is something was came to terms with when we were informed of the abruption, we feel somewhat prepared for that possibility.

So, there is all the technical jargon you'll hear us spout off about in the coming weeks. My next appointments are Friday, August 31 with the urologist and Dr. Gibbs, and we have our next ultrasound on Wednesday, September 5. I'll have more pictures of Sprout then (hopefully better than the ones we got at 19 weeks), but until then, I'll leave you with the adorable shot taken at just over 16w (16 weeks).