The Unbelievably Strange Pregnancy in Adventures of New baby and family

Its one of those.....I look back… Really did that happen???
Last year was a strange year. I had a job for almost 5 yrs at the same company. The company got some new management and well things got rather dicey. Suddenly they looked at everybody’s credentials and that’s when things got bad. They even said ‘except you have been doing the job for the last 3 yrs.’ You see I’m a Respiratory Therapist surrounded by nurses. I was nothing in their eyes. I could tell by the way the manager was acting towards me that was the case. They made my life hell and that they wanted me to quit or get me out.
So I got another job.....hated it. Still gives me the willies just thinking about it. It finally got to the point I couldn’t take it anymore and quit. I knew I couldn’t get unemployment and I didn’t care. It was a relief.....I had time on my hands and well......along the way I got pregnant.

Now I’m 41 years old and know how that works although have been having cysts lately and was thinking between me and my partner lets face it… we are OLD. He’s 51 yrs old so here I am pregnant with no job and no health insurance etc.... The first month I knew before I took the test I was pregnant. I waited as I thought it wouldn’t last. I was cramping and had spotting never fresh blood or I would have gone to the hospital. Hell this is TMI even mucous. So I did make an appointment expecting me not to make it till the first appointment. If I did I figured something was wrong anyway and would have the testing to see. I know my chances are higher when I’m older of having something wrong with the baby, not just down’s.

I went to the first appointment. In the meantime I did find a new job and it was a work from home. Actually I was offered 2 jobs and one paid better than the other. I took it but was skeptical of it.

I went to the first apt. I had to find a new doctor at this point as my last only did GYN no OB. So I took the first place I could find that would take me and the insurance I managed to get off the Obamacare kind of site. Not one of the closer places but I went. I got to meet with the doctor that day and liked him instantly. He grew up in the area were I am currently living. He put you at ease. I got the paperwork and looked at the hospital and other office and thought. Crap not really were I wanted to go but I like the doctor so I will stay and the other office… as they did the sonograms there… what maybe 3 times tops.. Yeah famous last thoughts on that.

First screening went well. Had a hard time finding the heartbeat but it was there.
They asked if I wanted other screenings: CVS, amniocentesis. I said yes. Knowing my age and the unusual symptoms: cramping contractions, spotting etc.. I thought it wise not to mention my age and partners age.

They tried to do the CVS.......I had contractions so bad they couldn’t do it.
Sometimes the uterus does that the doctor says and it doesn’t mean anything. I suppose not as I have been having them for weeks and all is well, I told him. So I agreed to the amniocentesis in a few weeks. Still not convinced that there wasn’t anything wrong with this pregnancy and fetus. Also I would know the sex although I was pretty sure it was a boy.

So the amniocentesis was preformed and everything went well. He made it look easy and almost as an afterthought he told me to come back next week to check the viability. I had an incident during that week that I kind of ignored. The kind of embarrassing type I woke during the night as I had to go to the bathroom and you know you linger there as you are hoping its not that bad and you don’t have to get up but know you do as that’s why you woke up but its not urgent. As I laid there awake I felt liquid come out. Not a lot but enough to make me change my pants. Didn’t get on the bed. I just thought..I’m older and that’s older too. WELL..... there was a reason. My amniotic fluid was leaking. When I went to the next sonogram the fluid was low. Few days later , it leaked a lot. I figure that was it its done. I went to the hospital, apparently one that doesn’t do “babies” they ship them out to other hospitals. They did an ultrasound and it was still at the same low level it was Monday they released me. That night after that I had the beginning stages of labor. The contraction were enough to wake me up and coming at timely intervals. I had an appointment the next morning with the OB/GYN so I figured I would rest and if they needed to tell me to go to the hospital as I miscarried so be it I wasn’t going back tonight.

Next morning....at the office the contractions stopped. The fluid was a bit better than last night but still low. They scheduled me for another sonogram in a few days and to meet with the doctor. Whom at this point I had only seen once.

I met with him......it was a hard appointment. He still likes to be as optimistic as possible but also giving the hard truth. I’ve only had time happen once he told me. She made it till 27 weeks, the baby was small and was in the NICU for awhile but survived. You know your chances of infection are increased with this and if that happens now the baby isn’t viable. If you get to 24 weeks will probably but you in the hospital on bedrest. I asked about the amnio as I didn’t have the results. Do you want to know what it is? XY chromosomes. Its a Boy. He’s healthy, everything checked out okay. Somehow the way he said it you could tell it made it harder for him to tell me what this little guy was up against. I know doctor I’m an RT I know what goes on in the NICU and so forth. It did scare me. Its one thing it being someone else’s baby but mine (cringe). I remember this is one of several times he put his arm around me as I was leaving to comfort me. Several times because of the hardships I kept facing.
Week by week went by. Same shitty news each time facing more and more obstacles. IUGR- the grow was restricted, possible clubbed feet, etc....but at the same time I kept going to appointments. Same questions, leaking fluid, how much? contractions? fever? yes, some, every so often and no were my usual answers. Every week there was always something that made me think this was going to end sooner than it did. I would leak more at various times.While buying a TON of baby stuff as I’m checking out I’m leaking fluid. One of the scary ones as I had to get all that stuff in the car by myself as I was and thinking WTF am I doing this for Its not going to happen I’m wasting my money.

23 week came and I was told time to go to the hospital. I talked to the midwife before and told her I just couldn’t do it. Be in the hospital for that long. She told me she would talk to him and he would get back to me. Of course he didn’t as he didn’t want me home. Subtle isn’t he? That day he told me to go over to the hospital. I really didn’t put up a fight with him I knew he was right. I knew he was pushing it hard knowing I had pushed back. I knew I wasn’t going to do it either. I knew if I did I was no longer under his care or the practice. He wouldn’t have been able to deliver me at the other hospital with the higher level of NICU. I cried on and off for 2 days before I finally went in and got the shots and told them no I was not staying. They got ahold of him and told him my plans.

Well ,he told me, I guess we aren’t going to do it that way and that was the end of that conversation. I’m grateful he didn’t make me feel guilty about it. At the end I felt like a genius but at this point....HELL no I felt like I was doing something majorly wrong. So at this point they scheduled me for weekly sonograms , blood tests and doctors apt.

Few more weeks go by and he laughs as I leave. ‘I can’t believe this he said your still pregnant and doing well.’

Another goes by and tells me keep doing what you are doing. I laugh Smoking 2 packs a day and drinking a 6 pack he says being funny. I laugh Like I do that even if I wasn’t pregnant.

Another week or 2 goes by and says to me laughing again’ old lady gets pregnant water breaks at 15 weeks, here we are at 30 weeks.’

Everybody began to apologize to me for making me come in all the time and having to wait for the sonograms. I chose this I told them. It was this or the hospital. They all agreed it was a good decision. None of them knew how hard this decision was
on me. Even my parents didn’t know.

Only concerns now is the umbilical cord and it getting nutrients to the baby. Fluid levels start to rise. Still no fever. Baby is still small and jokes with me that he will be easier to get out. Even the umbilical cord although not at 100% was still doing the job.Then at 31 weeks they think I have placenta accreta and want to send me for an fetal MRI. Now its me that’s the problem.

After screwing with the insurance company I went to an apt after Andrew was sick the day before. I didn’t feel well at the apt but wasn’t sick yet. My stomach was off and I pretty much knew I would have it and I did. The MRI was scheduled for the next morning they called me to tell me but unfortunately ended up in the hospital with dehydration and missing the apt. and having to reschedule and having to screw with the insurance company again.

I saw him and told him when it was scheduled and he laughed don’t get sick. I’ll try not to this time. I wasn’t feeling well when I saw you last. I told him.

It end with the test being positve and going in for a c-section I will never forget. Wrote about that already

Last updated June 08, 2016