"Nothing Is More Important Than This Day." --Goethe

In January, 2007, Marc and I found that we were going to have another baby...ANOTHER baby...??? :) I wont hide that I was in a self -induced denial until about my 4th month, which coincidentally, was when trouble began. Who was pregnant? Not me!! I'm not the sickly type so much, so it was fairly easy. Just a little overwhelmed, I think...but by the beginning of the 4th month, everything was falling into place, and I was making plans for another GIRL, ha. Movement was happening and everything was good, and my first ultra sound was scheduled for the first week in May.

Then on April 27th, I was doing my yoga planks at the gym after some seriously (seriously) weak arm work...and my water broke. There I was, spread out like Superman flying over Metropolis, with a trainer standing there timing me, and Jackson decides, "Yeah, Why Not? "

SO a call to Dr. Reisig's office later (after Star, one of the nurses exclaims, "You were WHERE? Doing WHAT??" ) and we were at the hospital and the ultra sound confirmed, hardly any water at all (Uhhh...check my bladder), but baby still kicking, with a great heartbeat. But not much of a surprise that later when Dr Reisig called to check in, it was pretty much assumed that I would miscarry within the next 48 hours...being that I was only 18weeks along. Dr. Reisig apologized so sweetly and said there was just no way my body would be able to hold out, maybe if I had been 25, 26 weeks along, she said, but not this early...and to call once the cramping started. Seriously, has she not heard of the Ivey girls? We don't care to do much unless you tell us we cant...it's what we live for...:)

So, that was the beginning of many weekends on the couch...many days, hours...movies and a couple of books...The cramping never came. That was a Friday, and Monday we went back in and again she checked the heartbeat, it was great. I wasn't dilated, but still, it was probably going to come, and to just relax and be prepared. Can I just say, if you are going to go through a tragic event...these are the people you want to tell you when it's on the horizon. It was like a loving fairy Godmother breaking the news, and her little angels in her office helping you along...

So we waited. Went in again at the end of the week; heartbeat good, no cramping, but still losing water...which meant it had to be replenishing some. Then it became routine, twice a week doctors visits, heartbeat usually in the 150's or 140's and blood work done also twice a week to check for infections. I hate needles.....I hate needles. I hate needles. Twice a week.

Dr. Reisig didn't really know what to say or think. We did a few ultrasounds throughout this time, and all were basically the same. When they could find a pocket of water to measure, it was between 1 and 3 centimeters, which made even seeing anything hard for the technicians. It wasn't until the end they caught a glimpse or two of it being a BOY! Everything looked normal, the baby was developing at a normal pace since it was able to get enough water to swallow and digest.

Then one Sunday in May, I really started losing a lot of blood heavily, throughout different times in the day. Another ultra sound showed I had placenta abruption; the placenta was pulling away from the uterine wall, and why wouldn't it, I essentially had been in labor for weeks, that's what it's suppose to do. So, I was put on stricter bed rest, so as not to induce it more. My "bed rest" had become laxed, I'll admit, in the later couple of weeks before this...so I reacquainted myself with the couch. It was getting frustrating.."We were having ANOTHER baby?!?!?" to..."Cool, we're having another baby" to..." We're not having a baby..." to "Seriously...are we having one?"

The whole time, the doctor thought I would be more comfortable at home, plus it was cheaper, etc. But she always said if I felt like I wanted to check in, that it was totally up to me. We had thought home was best, until a routine Friday report of my white blood cell count was showing to be a little high, and then on the next Tuesday, a little more, but not in a dangerous range. It had been elevated before, but usually came back down fast. It was really Marc that made the call to have me check into the hospital. So Wednesday June 20th I checked in...my white blood cell count was 13.1 that evening, and by 8am the next morning it was 17 something. I was prepared to stay at the hospital for some weeks, I had my I-pod loaded, books, even my hairdryer (what else was I going to do up there?) and Dr. Reisig came into my room and broke the news, it was time.

Had I not gone to the hospital for whatever reason on that Wednesday, I wouldn't have known about my white blood cell count until late Friday afternoon after my usual lab work, and it could have been very high by then...and because I checked in Wednesday afternoon, I was able to get the two steroid shots that are given to help develope premature babies lungs before birth...one that night and one the next morning. EVERY day makes such a difference when you are talking about an unborn baby, Ive realized.

I was in Barnes and Noble grabbing some books on my way to check into the hospital, when I saw the quote on a journal that has become my first thought every morning when I wake up since Jackson has been born...

"Nothing Is More Important Than This Day."


Crystal