Dear Stella Rose,
That's right! Homebound to finish bedrest again! After Wednesday's ultrasound and biophysical exam, Dr. K thought it was a safe and good idea for mama to go home and "nest" for the next couple weeks. Since your fluid was 13cm, she felt really comfortable with letting you and mama leave the hospital. Plus, with you being full term on Sunday, there wasn't a risk of preterm birth anymore. At least if you and mama went home, the next time you came back to the hospital would be for your birthday!!
Mama and papa actually felt more comfortable about going home this time. The last few times it was an option, they both had a an iffy feeling about leaving. Grumpa and Lola felt better about it also, which was important since they would be the ones helping out every day.
Dr. K said you guys could either leave that night (Wednesday) or the next day. They decided on the next day just to have more time to pack up all the things that had been accumulated in the past 2 months. Plus, papa wanted to go home and clean the house and the sheets since the dog and cats had been jumping on their bed while they had been gone! He sure is a good hubby! Mama also needed to get educated on how to manage her gestational diabetes.
While papa was home getting the house ready, Grumpa and Lola helped mama get everything packed up to be taken home. The whole cart was full of stuff, and there was still more to be taken home! The next cart full would just have to wait until the next day.
That night was the last night to be monitored at 10:00. It was weird for mama and papa to think they were actually going home! Being at the hospital had become so routine. They were looking forward to finally getting to sleep next to each other in their own bed after TWO months!
Yesterday morning was the last morning to be woken up at 6:00am to get monitored. And the last blood draw for the preeclamptic lab work (which came back normal, again). Dr. K stopped by at 6:30 before she went home after being at the hospital overnight. She confirmed that it was good to go on going home. She even told mama to go home and start sewing!
It was only 7:00am, but mama was wide awake, so she got up for the day to start her daily routine she had established. Bible reading time and calling in her usual breakfast order: an English muffin with butter and diet jelly, scrambled eggs, 2 orders of bacon, 2 decaf coffees and a newspaper.Then there was a little bit of hiccup in whether you guys were going to get to go home yesterday or have to wait another night. The Diabetes Care Center couldn't get mama in for an appointment to learn how to take her own blood sugar readings and give herself insulin injections until the following day. Mama's nurse didn't know if the diabetes doc would want mama to go without insulin to cover dinner and the long acting insulin for bed time. Plus, she would miss her breakfast dose, too.
Mama was a little bummed because she had gotten her hopes up about going home. Thankfully, the doc said it would be okay to still go home and go without insulin for that period of time.
Mama ordered her last cafe menu lunch and got on the monitor for the last time at 2:00. No more hour long monitoring 3 times a day was going to be strange for mama.
The first picture below shows your heart rate on the left and mama's contractions on the right. In the second picture, the top graph is your heart rate and all your wonderful accelerations they look for. The bottom graph shows mama's contractions. It looks like she had a big one, but mama hasn't had the painful ones, yet!
After the monitoring was over, mama jumped in the shower and finished getting things packed up. Papa got to the hospital a little after 4:00 and he took another cart full of stuff down to the car. Once they made sure they had everything, mama called her nurse to get ready to discharge her. It was like de ja vu, because mama had the same nurse who discharged her the last time she got to go home!
It really was weird for mama to be leaving. She would miss not seeing all her nurses she had made friends with, but it wouldn't be much longer until she was back and they would get to meet you! Even the car ride felt funny. You thought so, too, because you were rumbling all around in mama's tummy!
Mama was so excited to walk in the door and see Paoli, Zelda and Bandit! They sure were happy to have us home! Zelda was Lil' Miss Cuddlebug when it was time for bed! She hadn't slept up there with them for two months! Mama was surprised she didn't act mad like she usually does if mama and papa leave for the weekend.
Mama didn't need a nurse to wake her up at 6:00am today to get monitored. Between her body being used to waking up at that time and Zelda wanting to cuddle, she was woken up anyway. At least she was able to fall back asleep for a little bit longer before she had to get up and get ready to head to her Diabetic Care Center appointment at 10:00am.
Grumpa took mama to her appointment, where she learned how to test her blood sugar after meals, give herself insulin injections before meals and at bed time. This is only a 2 1/2 week supply! Mama sure is glad she won't have to do this after you are born! However, those who get gestational diabetes have a 50% chance of getting diabetes when they are older if they don't make lifestyle changes in eating and exercise habits. Mama is actually going to make eating healthy and exercising a priority (once she gains her strength back from being on bed rest, of course!)
When mama got home, her home health nurse called to come by to bring the monitoring machine, fill out all new paperwork, check mama's vitals and put you on the monitor. There it is to the left...the $5000 machine! You looked great on it, too!
It wasn't too much longer until papa would be home from work. He was tired. and so were the kitties!
Mama sure has missed this!
So that was the first 24 hours back at home in a nutshell! Steak on the grill for dinner tonight! You and mama didn't get that in the hospital!
Love,
Mama & Papa
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