OK, I Admit It

So today was eventful, to say the least. We had an appointment at 2:30 with our high risk doc, complete with a consult with a geneticist. After that, we were to go to our regular OB fresh from our results with the high risk guys. Here's what really happened.

We get to the high risk doc at 2, 30 minutes early. At around 2:45 they tell us that the docs have had an emergency and were delayed. They also told us that there were two people ahead of us, at 30 minutes each. We were a bit worried, because our regular OB appt was at 3:45, and they go home at 4. So, after talking to both offices, we went to our regular OB first, at 3:10, having been told we had 30 minutes. We rushed over, and they rushed us in, no waiting. ---{we interrupt this compelling narrative to bring you these pertinent medical findings...SARAH's gestational diabetes test was negative, and her belly is similar to that of someone 38 weeks pregnant with a singleton...we now return you to the stirring play-by-play}--- While Sarah was finishing up and making our next appointment with our regular OB, I headed straight back to the high risk OBs, which are literally down the hall, to let them know we were done. This is were it gets fun. The girl at the desk tells us that they called our name, and we weren't there, so we would have to reschedule. Yes, this is the same girl who told us we had 30 minutes, something she denied ever saying. So I'm mad. I'm so mad that I walk out of the office, down the hall, count to 30, and go back in to reschedule. Shortly thereafter, Sarah catches up and is told we have to reschedule. She gets as mad as I was, but she has more hormones running through her than I do. Suffice it to say that voices were raised, denials were made, and tears were shed. Not the sad kind, the angry kind. Eventually, word comes in from much higher up than the front desk girl, and they work us in. ---{more medical information...the babies are roughly 3.5 lbs each and are still similar in size...EMMA's head pushes both on SARAH's bladder and cervix, explaining a lot of phenomena SARAH has experienced...SARAH's cervical length is roughly 0.4 cm, and a week ago she was 1.5 cm dilated...and don't tell me you don't do the metric system; the measurements are no more arbitrary than imperial measurements...if it helps, there are ~2.5 cm per inch and a quart and a liter are roughly the same size...we now join your story in progress}--- Our doc, who is very nice and helpful, is not comforted that Sarah has not yet had a steroid shot, in light of the medical findings. ---{blah blah blah medical blah blah blah...severely premature infants may have underdeveloped lungs, because they are not yet producing their own surfactant...this can lead directly to Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also called hyaline membrane disease, in the neonate...to try to reduce the risk of this outcome, pregnant mothers with threatened premature delivery prior to 34 weeks are often administered at least one course of glucocorticoids, a steroid that crosses the placental barrier and stimulates growth in the lungs of the fetus}--- So, it turns out that, rather than being turned away for another appointment, Sarah was admitted to the hospital overnight for administration of steroid shots, one tonight and one 24 hours later. They will monitor her tonight, as steroids can sometimes cause labor ---{hey! medical stuff is my job!}--- although the doc doesn't expect that to happen. He was encouraged that our fetal fibronectin test last week came up negative, and expects Sarah to be released tomorrow evening. Since we finish up 31 weeks tomorrow, my goal of 33 weeks looks better and better. We are much more at ease now that the steroids are being administered so we can get the babies out of the NICU as soon as possible after they're born. Just to be safe, though, tomorrow I'm bringing her seasons 2 and 3 of Veronica Mars and a portable DVD player, in case she has to stay an extra day.

---{LATE BREAKING NEWS!...SARAH just called from the hospital...they moved her to an antepartum room...the nurse told her that around the time her anti-contraction medicine was wearing off she was experiencing 8 contractions an hour...SARAH felt she was having 2 per hour during this time...our girl has a high "contraction" threshold}---

So, we're in the home stretch. It appears that 2 weeks is on the outside of what we have to go, but we'll take everything we can get. The babies start putting on that cute baby fat that keeps them warm from here on out, and that's very important. Every day we can delay their delivery will help, so please continue to keep us in your prayers.