Krober Happenings: 35 weeks 3 days

The goal was to make it to 36 weeks but we fell a few days short!

At about 1:30am on Thursday, February 6^th, while sleeping in bed, I felt a gush and immediately thought my water broke. Well, my water broke but so did Kate’s placenta J I suffered a placental abruption (I didn’t know this until after delivery). I was pretty sure what was happening wasn’t normal but I didn’t know how serious it really was until after delivery. I woke Tim up and we headed to the hospital, leaving a huge mess in the bathroom (thanks to my mom and aunt for cleaning it up). I assumed because I wasn’t at 36 weeks I’d be transferred to Spokane to deliver. However, there wasn’t time to transfer me so I was able to deliver in Moses Lake.

The nurses immediately hooked up heart monitors on the babies and both were doing great! I was beginning to have some contractions but nothing major. I was planning on having a C-section because at the last ultrasound both Kate and Grayson were showing breech. They began prepping me for surgery and wheeled me into the operating room. The Respiratory Specialist informed me that because of the preterm labor there was a strong possibility that both babies could be transferred to Spokane shortly after delivery and that I might not get to really see or hold them. I prayed that wouldn’t be the case.

From that point on it seemed to go quickly. Tim joined me in the operating room and Mom was waiting outside the door. I was awake and could feel tugs and pulls but nothing hurt. Tim and I were prepared to not hear the babies cry because we were only at 35 weeks. However at 3:07am we heard a strong cry from Kate and at 3:09am a strong cry from Grayson. Both babies were rushed from the room with Tim on their heels so they could be evaluated. It took about 30-45 minutes to finish the surgery and then I was wheeled to the recovery room for 1 hour.

This was my first surgery so I found it kind of interesting. Before surgery began everyone in the room introduced themselves (I don’t remember any names) and towards the end of surgery I could hear the nurses counting the instruments and sponges. I had seen this process done on TV many times (love Grey’s Anatomy) but didn’t realize it really happened!

After recovery I was moved to my room. The epidural made me terribly sick and I couldn’t quit throwing up/dry heaving. I was being given Zofran via an IV but it wasn’t working. The nurse finally gave me a shot of a high powered anti nausea medication and that did the trick instantly. The epidural also made me itch all over for about 24 hours (I had been warned this might happen).

Tim was keeping me updated about the babies. Kate was breathing great but wasn’t keeping her temperature up enough to leave the nursery. She had swallowed quite a bit of blood during delivery so was put on a 5 day antibiotic to keep an infection away. Grayson was struggling with breathing on his own and also wasn’t keeping his temperature up. He was also put on antibiotics to keep infections away.

At about 11:00am the nurses brought Kate into my room so I could meet my little girl. She was with me about 10 minutes then taken back to the nursery. She needed to keep her temperature up on her own for 3 hours before she could stay with me. She did it! By mid afternoon Kate was hanging out with me in my room. Grayson wasn’t doing well enough to leave the nursery and there was a strong possibility he would need to be transferred to Spokane for more support.

By evening I was being strongly encouraged to get out of bed and take a short walk. I did it under protest but I really wanted to see my baby boy. So I took the short walk to the nursery and saw Grayson for the first time. I wasn’t able to hold him and didn’t stay very long because I was hurting and tired.

Since Grayson couldn’t leave the nursery the nurses allowed Kate to stay in the nursery with him over night so they could sleep together and I could get a decent nights sleep. Tim went home to sleep so he would be well rested IF Grayson needed to go to Spokane.

Friday morning at 4am the nurse from the nursery came in and told me Grayson had struggled during the night. He was stable but wasn’t improving and she was sure the pediatrician would send him to Spokane.

The pediatrician came in about 9am and confirmed what we were afraid of…MedStar would fly Grayson to the NICU at Deaconess. He had developed a pneumothorax (a collection of air in the pleural space that separates the lung from the chest wall which interferes with normal breathing). The doctor felt he could be better treated at a larger facility. Tim went home and packed a bag to follow in the car. Mom came down and stayed with Kate and I in the hospital until we were discharged on Sunday, February 9th.

Even though the delivery didn't go as we had hoped we are so thankful to the Lord for his protection. It could have gone much worse. I'm thankful it didn't.