My daily visit from the OB while in the hospital yesterday brought amazing news.
The doctor walked in, asked how I was feeling, asked if I had felt any more contractions, and asked when I was told I might be discharged.
“No one told me,” I said. “I was hoping you might have an idea.”
After a quick check of my cervix to make sure I wasn’t dangerously dilated and that no babies could be felt, he announced that I was safe to go home.
Providing I had no problem with following orders for strict bed rest.
“None whatsoever,” I told him.
And thus began the couple-hours-long process of getting me my Get Out Of Jail Free card.
First, I had to meet with the endocrinologist. As I said before, I borderline (really – it was by a stupid smidge!) failed the three-hour glucose test for gestational diabetes the day before I was admitted to the hospital for preterm labor. Once in the hospital, various medications I and the babies needed sent my blood sugar into a frenzy, and I’ve been on insulin to control it since then. The amazing staff worked with me around the clock (no, seriously – you should have seen my fingertips from getting pricked every hour to test my blood sugar) to determine a diet and insulin regimen for me that would accommodate the changes my body has been through in the last few days.
Thankfully, things have calmed down to the point at which I only need two NPH doses of insulin a day, and I only need to check my blood sugar before and after meals and before bed. My fingers are singing hallelujah choruses. Do you hear them?
Once the endocrinologist was done, I had to wait for the diabetes education folks to visit and teach me how to manage the GD. Luckily, the dietitian had visited me earlier in the day, so I didn’t have to wait on her.
Before all this, GD sounded like a royal pain in the ass. Everyone made the diet sound restrictive and difficult. My reality? It’s really easy. I’ve been cut off from white starches – including my beloved taters – but as a veteran of a low-GI diet (which I did to help control my PCOS), this new diet I’m following is actually more lenient. They’ve got me on a high-carb (high for the diet, not high in normal standards), double protein Jovanovic diet. I am actually almost having a hard time eating as much as they’re requiring me to eat.
I can no longer eat whatever I want, whenever I want. This new food regimen requires planning and good timing. It might be a pain in the ass if I had normal life to work around, but since I’m on strict bed rest, the planning is probably a good thing. It gives me something do and look forward to!
I am no longer on any regular doses of medication, but I have terbutaline pills to take should I feel any contractions. It’s a small safety net – and one that wouldn’t be used without a call to my doctors – but it’s the very drug that worked best on me in the hospital.
So what does strict bed rest mean? Again, not as bad as it sounds. I’m to keep my butt planted and my feet up as much as possible, but I can do that in bed, on the couch, or in my lovely recliner, Betsy (I really need to show you a picture of the pretty girl). I can be up and on my feet 10-15 minutes at a time to shower or retrieve something I may need from the kitchen, but I’m mostly to just stay stationary and cook babies.
Lucky for me, I have a decent to-be-read pile already waiting for me on my bookshelf. I also have a decent little pile of PaperBack Swap credits to cash in when my pile finally runs out, with a long list of books I’ve been wanting to read. What does that mean? Bed rest entertainment shouldn’t cost me an extra cent! Well, I do want to pick up a copy of “Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares,” by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (they wrote “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist), but that’s just one teeny book. It’s too new for PBS, and I can’t wait to read it.
Being sent home is an amazing answer to our prayers. It may seem like it’s all about personal comfort. I won’t lie and say it isn’t amazing to be sleeping in my own bed, hanging out with my pets and being surrounded by my own things.
On a much larger scale, though, being sent home means we’re that much further from danger. I have an amazing team of doctors who are actually quite cautious folks. I know they wouldn’t send me home if the babies and I weren’t safe. Sitting here at home is the biggest confidence booster and tension reliever I could have hoped for.
I’m 26 weeks, 2 days pregnant today, and I love my three amazing little babies more than potatoes and being in public and freedom to do whatever I want.
p.s. Rob and I are eternally grateful for all the thoughts and prayers dedicated to us and the babies, from family and friends and complete strangers alike. If I could, I would hug each and every person who has taken time from their lives to care about us, but no amount of hugs or brownies or cocktails or Rob’s homemade chocolate chip cookies could ever cover how grateful we are. Just know how humbled we are and how much we appreciate all you’ve done for us.
I’m so happy to hear you are home, safe and sound. Enjoy your time resting…it may be the last time you get to relax with your feet up for a while (er…several years).
I’m so glad you’ve been released and are back at home! Wishing you a restful and uneventful remainder of your pregnancy. You, Rob and the LOs will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
I baked chocolate chip brownies in honor of PB&J on Sunday night, the moment I read that you were home safe! Prayers answered! Wishing you a restful easy to handle bed-rest!
This entry brought tears to my eyes. I love you and those three babes.
I hope your ass is sore as hell when I come visit in a few weeks.
[…] Original post by Jenny […]
That is such great news! I am so glad that you are home and able to relax!
Complete stranger sending hugs your way! You will be so much more relaxed at home – and that is good news for PB&J! Keep us posted over here. I am living for updates!
I am so glad you are home!
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by katherineklegin, Jenny. Jenny said: Home sweet home: http://bit.ly/9lluBB #pretermlabor #ptl #triplets […]
::sniff:: It’s not every day you get to witness a miracle. You my friend are truly blessed.
So happy to hear you are home and the babies are doing well!
I will continue to pray for everyone’s health and wellness.
(And chocolate chip cookies are sounding really good night now;) )
That’s great news! I hope you have weeks and weeks and weeks of uneventful bedrest ahead of you!
Mmm chocolate chip cookies.
I am so glad you’re home (duh)!! And yes, like tiffany says, these weeks of rest will likely be the last rest you ever get again. lol
Rob’s cookies!!!! They’re a start 😉
love love love you.
Oh good, I’m so glad you’re home now. Sounds like you are in really good hands with those doctors and nurses who are watching over you. And I have a feeling “the big guy” as I like to call him is watching over all of you as well.
I thought I would let you know that a former coworker of mine delivered triplet babies at 26 weeks, 1 day. Aside from wearing glasses all three (boys) are 5-years-old now and just started kindergarten. I don’t know if that helps. I mean, of course we want your babies to bake as long as possible. But I thought I’d give you a positive story of trips being born early
I am so so happy that you’re home. That is amazing news. Your attitude is so incredibly positive, I love it!
I am keeping you, Rob & PB&J in my thoughts. I hope you get through your entire to-read list and get bored those babies cook so long.
So happy to hear you are home, and everything is under control. Enjoy the rest!
Yay for being able to go home! Keep on cookin’ babies! Let us know about the fabulous books you are reading
Yay for cookin’ babies at home. Enjoy the rest as best you can. Happy reading!
I’m so glad that you are home! Have fun reading! If you need any extra PBS credits, let the Nesties know, I am sure others would join me in donating some!
home sweet home!
focus on lazing about-it’s your job for the next several weeks!!!
I am so so so glad/thankful that you are doing well, but I keep thinking “I think we will need to find a bootleg copy of HP7 when it comes out, so you can see it!!”
Carrie – I normally HATE the idea of bootleg movies – especially one that I really want to financially support. But dude. I am going to have to wait so long to see HP7 in theaters. I already avoid all the commercials I’ve seen for it because I hate spoilers that much. Avoiding all the talk and increased commercial coverage is going to be torture. So. I may just have to be bad just this once. Think JKR & company would mind?
Aww that is so awesome! Have the read the Lisbeth Salander series (the girl with the dragon tattoo, the girl who played with fire, the girl who kicked the hornet’s nest)? If not, they are amazing and you won’t be able to put them down.
Glad to hear that you are home. Keep those babies cookin!
I’m so glad you are home and bedresting! <3 you and PB&J and also wouldn't mind a few of Rob's cookies if he's in the mood to ship them. ;-D
This is the best thing I’ve read all day!
Now… what goes into a Strict Bed Rest care package…… 
So glad you are home!
keep cookin’ mama
COOK PBJ COOK!!!!
So glad you are home. Drop me an email or an IM if you get bored and wanna talk books. I can’t nest at work but I can email and IM. Hugs! Enjoy all the resting and reading while you can!!!