Sunday, April 24, 2011

Big Bleed

I started gushing bright red blood yesterday afternoon, about 4pm. No spotting or cramping leading up to it, just blood running down my legs and everywhere. I screamed. Brian had to take the children out to the back garden. An ambulance was called and arrived in record time. I took the first ambulance ride of my life all alone while Brian stayed home with the girls.  The EMT's were very nice, but not very good at venipuncture. They couldn't get an IV into my hands and they dug and dug. I am a "hard stick" I admit, but these guys... just awful. I threatened a smack and they left me alone until we arrived at the hospital. The benefit of arriving to the emergency room by ambulance and not by car .. you get a room right away. Last time I presented at this same hospital with threatened miscarriage, I had to wait SEVEN HOURS to be seen. A kindly house keeper brought me a commode and stood over me while I peed and bled into it for a while. I had no less than 3 additional health care professionals try to get IV's in and blood samples from me. They finally had to call in a venipuncture specialist from the hospital and a phlebotomist. The charge nurse had no luck. I lost count at 6 stabs but my arms are all bruised and sore. After they finally got these things accomplished the nurse catheterized me to get a clean urine sample and the 12 year old resident doctor made his appearance. He wasn't 12.. but perhaps a young 27. I did ask for an OB but they told me not on Easter weekend. Ghost staff at the hospital and mine wasn't on call. The resident gave me a pelvic exam and took some swabs. Found a good sized clot in my vagina and removed it. I asked about my cervix, and he said that the cervical os was closed. I asked what this means and he said it probably meant that I had already miscarried and it had closed back up! what a ding dong!! I explained that i would have certainly bled longer than a couple of hours if miscarrying a nearly 11 week fetus. I had high hopes of being sent to ultrasound to get a good look in there and check for a source of the bleed.. but that was not to be. An hour or so later he dug up a dusty old portable machine with no vaginal probe. The doctor reckoned we wouldn't be able to see much with the abdominal transducer.. but the very moment he put it on my skin the gestational sac was visible, and the bub AND his little heartbeat. My urine tested clean and my HCG was 140,000 which is on target for how far along I am. I have had no cramping and am still feeling quite sick to my stomach.

And of course now we wait and see. Threatened abortion. Brian is taking a few days off of work.. more if the OB prescribes bed rest. I suggested to Brian that the girls go into shelter care for a few weeks while I resolve this one way or the other but he said over his dead body.  I will get another beta tomorrow and see the OB either then or Tuesday.

please think a good thought for us. I am so weary of everything having to do with pregnancy loss. I told the admitting nurse at hospital that I might end up a psychiatric patient before this is all over, and she thought I was joking. I don't think its funny.

4 comments:

  1. Oh honey... many, many, many good and positive thoughts heading your direction. Make sure you rest, and relax (as far as possible). I Hope tomorrow brings happier tidings and that you actually see an OB.
    Take care of yourself and Brian, and those girls.

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  2. Ugh... this makes me feel sick at my stomach too. I am so sorry you had such a traumatic day. Try to rest. I'm sending prayers and positive energy your way.

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  3. That sounds so scary! I am so happy that little baby is in there growing away! I just wish you didn't have to have so many scary times. Hang in there, I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way!

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  4. Well I sure am glad to read that all is well in there. Stop scaring me!!

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