I always have mixed feelings on appointment days. Seventy five percent of me is nervous and anxious and the other twenty five percent of me is excited to get out of the house and interact with people!
Monday's appointment began with a urine collection (still negative for protein!) and then off to my non stress test. I didn't have anyone with me, because I was feeling pretty good - my fingers weren't swollen, I hadn't been having any headaches, but I did get on the scale and had gained 2 pounds since Wednesday, so there was a little bit of uncertainty whether my blood pressure would be down.
BUT... NO WORRIES! My highest blood pressure reading was 110/58!!!! What a relief and answer to prayer! Weston wasn't cooperating during the test very well, so the nurse buzzed him a little in the tush to get him excited and then his heart rate accelerated beautifully after that. This appointment was going GREAT!! And I got a little cocky and posted on Facebook how wonderful things went! The ultrasound portion - hmm... the sonographer said that everything looked good, but when I met with the OB (Dr. Harms was booked solid and couldn't squeeze me in), she said my amniotic fluid had dropped since Wednesday from about 13cm now down to 7.1cm. When I have the ultrasound done, they measure all the fluid in the four
quadrants of the uterus and that's how they come up with the numbers. And technically, according to the OB I saw - things STILL continue to look good and everyone is healthy... it's just that I'm not quite out of the danger zone (and may never be until this little guy is born). Anything below 5cm, and it's delivery time! Yikes!!!
Hmmm... I was so concerned about my blood pressure, but now I have to worry about my amniotic fluid? I thought things were going so well....
Here's what Dr. Harms has to say about low amniotic fluid off the Mayo Clinic website:
"Amniotic fluid provides a cushion that protects the baby and allows room for growth, movement, and development. It also keeps the umbilical cord from being compressed between the baby and the uterine wall. In addition, the amount of amniotic fluid reflects the baby's urine output - which is an important measurement of a baby's well being."
And what's even more frustrating is that there's not a whole lot I can do. She recommended that I hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and eat plenty of fresh fruit. I'm not sure what the fresh fruit has anything to do with it, but from the limited searching I've done on the internet, it sounds like rest and hydration MAY help.
So what made my fluid levels drop? Most likely, just the high blood pressure... even though I'm on a medication and it's been regulating my blood pressure well... the medication masks other symptoms... So while my blood pressure is terrific, there are still other things could be brewing that may cause me and little Weston harm. But, that's why I'm going in twice a week - continuing with close observation and it's a huge relief to be cared for at the Mayo Clinic.
The OB wanted me to meet with the OB anesthesiologist to evaluate me, discuss options, and prepare me for the worst case scenario. I was massively impressed with the anesthesiologist and he didn't mind my endless questions. I'd rather be prepared for the worst and pray for the best.
Regardless of what happens, I have more reassurance that God is in control and I have more peace of mind. I could literally drive myself crazy thinking through every scenario, but at the end... regardless of what happens... God will never leave me or forsake me.
With all that being said... you can continue to pray for my blood pressure to remain low and my amniotic fluid to GO HIGH! :-)