Back to the Doctor

Things were pretty uneventful today, which was good, I guess. It was a simple NST, so they hooked me up to the monitors and let me hang out for half an hour. Jellybean did get her two accelerations, but they were right at the end - I honestly didn't think she'd get there. However, she did it, so that's good for the doctors. I did hear her movements a bit more, which was certainly nice since she's still being a bit quiet. She perked up quite a bit last night, so that was also good.

I had a lot of contractions going on during the NST that they called "irritability," (and ask me how "irritable" it makes me to hear them call them that!) because they weren't a minute long each time. Apparently, it's only a contraction if it's a minute long - anything less than that (and they were pretty precise - 50 seconds was my average) is just "irritability." They advised me to hydrate (as if I humanly could injest any more liquid in a day - I'm on my fifth liter already) and reminded me that if I could get them to become regular, they wouldn't stop them. Ok - like I'm in control? I haven't been in control of a darn thing yet. I just hate that they phrased it all as they did, but, of course, my meeting was with the nurse practitioner again and I just don't care for her attitude in general. She did show the strip to the doctor and she said she "was ok" with what she saw, so we go on.

It was good in that there really isn't anything to worry about (and nice that my body finally cooperated enough to show the doctor's office all the nastiness it's been providing me for weeks), but I still wish it could all be over. I always have a fleeting hope when the contractions start or when I have an appointment that this will be the time that we get to go deliver. One of these days we will (certainly, in 15 days!).

However, just to be a bit trickier, I can NOT go into labor in the next couple of days. My youngest brother finally graduates from the police academy tomorrow night (after trying to get this job for two years and working really horrible jobs for a landscaping company - he's been so patient and overqualified). He graduates at 9pm (which seems odd to me, but I don't make the rules) and my Aunt is coming in to visit from Ohio (she can only make it out once a year). Tomorrow is the graduation and Saturday they're having a party for him and all the people who were references for him or helped in other ways. So, my parents informed me last night that they could make it up Sunday night or Monday, but if anything happens before then, they'll have to settle for pictures.

Of course, this is not what you want to hear in this situation - obviously, I would MUCH rather my parents be there; however, this is certainly Mark's time and he deserves it. More than anything, I would hate to go into labor and steal any of his spotlight - the poor kid has sat through so many graduations for my brother and I that it is only fair that all eyes are on him for the weekend. On the one hand, since we hadn't dilated further and nothing seems to be changed (other than dropping), I think we're ok; on the other hand, the gods of irony and really bad timing would seem to command that this would be the exact time it would happen. So, we'll see. I'd be happy to have her out and hold her, but I would feel really badly for my brother and very sad my parents couldn't be there.

And so we continue to play the waiting game. Doctor appointment on Tuesday. Having a lot of trouble getting the Heparin injections, so I'm still on the Lovenox which makes me uncomfortable - every day on the Lovenox is a day I potentially have to have general anesthesia for the birth. Walgreens won't fill the Heparin because they say they need the doctor to contact insurance and get it approved. As far as we know, the doctor has done this, but insurance is able to take up to a week to decide if they want to approve it. I consider this all uselessly silly since a one month supply of Lovenox is $900. One month of Heparin (and we only need two weeks) is $218. Uhm...I'm pretty sure one of these is a much better deal for the company. *deep sigh* Medical bills and insurance are so fun. Especially as I make my way into "unpaid leave" territory ;)