Heart Reflections Live
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A Hospital Stay, 2 Blood Transfusions and a Slightly More Energized Mama...
What an eventful week it has been, and the last thing I anticipated was ending up in hospital at 26 weeks pregnant...
I'd been having a lot of trouble getting around for the last couple of months, but never having carried twins before, I thought this was normal. I survived homeschooling through the "throw-up" season, and was really looking forward to a great second trimester where I could get my neglected house in order and indulge all my nesting urges, but it never happened. I had a couple of good weeks last school holidays where I went on a cleaning frenzy, but then I caught a simple headcold and it totally floored me. I started getting breathless a LOT, and kept feeling like my legs were giving out. I nearly collapsed in our local Christian bookstore over a month ago, and hubby had to find me a chair fast. This soon became a daily occurrence. I would homeschool sitting down, and then really struggle to do simple meals, wash up and keep up with the laundry during the rest of the day.
My obstetrition said that breathlessness was common, and being 40, I was probably having a greater struggle. He assured me I'd be due for blood tests soon and we'd discount other factors.
Anyway, while making the breakfasts at the start of the week, I developed a terrible pain in my lower abdomen, behind my major scar. I had to lie down and hubby finished the breakfasts. In about 20 minutes it stopped and the babies were kicking well, so I forgot about it. The day before I went to hospital, we were shopping in a huge craft warehouse, and of course I was on the lookout for seats along the way, as I hopped on the last one I had a minor faint, but felt OK after a while and sat and waited for my hubby as he bought something for our Church. An older lady walked past me and stopped and said, "Are you all right?" I assured her I was- just a bit out of breath as I was carrying twins. She said,"I'm a mid-wife. If you get any pain or bleeding make sure you get straight to the hospital. Are you right to get home?" I said I was with my family, and that my husband was driving me home and all was well.
I believe this was a preparation warning from the Lord, as the next day as we finished homeschool, the pain came back, and waned and intensified in waves for about 6 hours. Hubby was at a meeting but we kept in touch by mobile phone, and since I wasn't bleeding, and was managing to keep myself comfortable and that the pains didn't feel like contractions, we agreed we would go down to the hospital to get it checked when he returned.
By the time we got to the hospital, the mysterious pain had gone. They confirmed that I wasn't in labour, nor was I in danger of rupturing via my scar, but blood tests confirmed I was severly anaemic. My haemaglobin levels had dropped from 120 at the start of my pregnancy, to a mere 75. The babies were doing fine, I was not bleeding internally, and although they could find no logical reason for the drop (I had similar strange blood readings during my first pregnancy), they said they'd keep me under observation, and I ended up having 2 blood transfusions. The morning after my release from hospital, I woke feeling FANTASTIC!
I'm still a bit breathless, but that's mainly due to the Queensland heat that's been creeping in with our glorious Spring days. I hope to have a bit more energy now to carry these precious babies through till the end of November.
I'd been having a lot of trouble getting around for the last couple of months, but never having carried twins before, I thought this was normal. I survived homeschooling through the "throw-up" season, and was really looking forward to a great second trimester where I could get my neglected house in order and indulge all my nesting urges, but it never happened. I had a couple of good weeks last school holidays where I went on a cleaning frenzy, but then I caught a simple headcold and it totally floored me. I started getting breathless a LOT, and kept feeling like my legs were giving out. I nearly collapsed in our local Christian bookstore over a month ago, and hubby had to find me a chair fast. This soon became a daily occurrence. I would homeschool sitting down, and then really struggle to do simple meals, wash up and keep up with the laundry during the rest of the day.
My obstetrition said that breathlessness was common, and being 40, I was probably having a greater struggle. He assured me I'd be due for blood tests soon and we'd discount other factors.
Anyway, while making the breakfasts at the start of the week, I developed a terrible pain in my lower abdomen, behind my major scar. I had to lie down and hubby finished the breakfasts. In about 20 minutes it stopped and the babies were kicking well, so I forgot about it. The day before I went to hospital, we were shopping in a huge craft warehouse, and of course I was on the lookout for seats along the way, as I hopped on the last one I had a minor faint, but felt OK after a while and sat and waited for my hubby as he bought something for our Church. An older lady walked past me and stopped and said, "Are you all right?" I assured her I was- just a bit out of breath as I was carrying twins. She said,"I'm a mid-wife. If you get any pain or bleeding make sure you get straight to the hospital. Are you right to get home?" I said I was with my family, and that my husband was driving me home and all was well.
I believe this was a preparation warning from the Lord, as the next day as we finished homeschool, the pain came back, and waned and intensified in waves for about 6 hours. Hubby was at a meeting but we kept in touch by mobile phone, and since I wasn't bleeding, and was managing to keep myself comfortable and that the pains didn't feel like contractions, we agreed we would go down to the hospital to get it checked when he returned.
By the time we got to the hospital, the mysterious pain had gone. They confirmed that I wasn't in labour, nor was I in danger of rupturing via my scar, but blood tests confirmed I was severly anaemic. My haemaglobin levels had dropped from 120 at the start of my pregnancy, to a mere 75. The babies were doing fine, I was not bleeding internally, and although they could find no logical reason for the drop (I had similar strange blood readings during my first pregnancy), they said they'd keep me under observation, and I ended up having 2 blood transfusions. The morning after my release from hospital, I woke feeling FANTASTIC!
I'm still a bit breathless, but that's mainly due to the Queensland heat that's been creeping in with our glorious Spring days. I hope to have a bit more energy now to carry these precious babies through till the end of November.
Labels: pregnancy
posted by Father's Grace Ministries at 8:16 pm
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