Friday and interesting last two days

Kind of crazy last few days. Both some really great and some really not so great news. Good news first is Brynn had her growth scan and is thriving away like a champ. She showed good growth of a couple of more ounces from her previous scan which was only days before. So that is wonderful. Our little girl looks great on the monitor, and passes with flying colors.

Bad news is a complete change of plans in the works, or else rather that the plan seems to change day by day which has me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster I believe. While Brynn's health is thriving, mine is slowly continuing to slip.

I'm currently having problems eating things still and am spilling large amounts of ketones in my urine. These ketones are not due to dehydration or problems with elevated blood sugars that some people have. Basically I am not able to get enough glucose or sugar sources orally without vomiting that my body is breaking down all of my protein from my muscle. If I can't keep jello and water down and my electryoltes get way off - they may likely stay that way even for a tad
bit after Brynn is born. And that doesn't leave me very stable for a C-section if it is needed. Basically in medicine you always try to "optimize" the patient, and get as many problem fixed as possible before surgery or a major even like a birth is coming up. And as long as Brynn looks okay and is thriving, and not in distress....then they will keep her in and can't actively induce labor or do a c-seciton if I don't go into full blown labor on my own. Baby before mom has always been the practice often in medicine if it's not life or death situation. And that is the case here - not the best, but could always be so much worse I keep telling myself. So they are trying to keep me "optimized" right now. If I can't keep jello and water down (I can a bit somewhat today) then they can increase what they give me through this IV or PICC line (peripherally inserted central cathetar) if they need to put one in on the weekend. Basically it's a central line inserted peripherally.

You can see where I am going with this. My IV access has also been a major problem. Normally I am an easy stick - but with everything that has happed recently - even my CRNA and anesthesiologist friends have had some trouble placing the common peripheral IVs patients recieve. They're currently discussing placing a PICC line if need be since I'll need a dedicated line for labor anyways (independant of my current nutrional status). Once this is in they can even give you something called TPN and lipids through the PICC line. This would be the most extreme case and only if my health continues to deteriorate. This is not something I want at
all, but since things may not improve for a few days even after her delivery and because placing me in a good nutritional state also places her in the best nutritional state ...this makes me realize what I need to do. Besides to not is to basically say I would rather make myself extremely ill - and waste away in an anorexic like state. And I know that doesn't make sense either. Plus if it
gets me better in the long run - I have to do whatever it takes I guess.

If you want at little too much info: TPN = total parental nutrition (basically a big old yellow bag of vitamin water and iron) and lipids is a white bottle with fat in it. They run it through an IV - PICC line. Sounds appetizing. I wonder if it comes mexican flavored through the IV - or if I could order a margarita to be mixed in "on the rocks, salted glass?" Maybe I could take my TPN in a key lime ice cream flavor.....hhhhmmmm???? I'm hoping it doesn't come to this. But if it did - I don't think it would be for a few more days. And I may need this whether Brynn is born in 4 days or 10, you know? GI doc thinks the lining of my stomach is all inflamed due to the constant vomiting and may take a bit to calm down. And that the constant vomiting was due to contracitons and the position of the uterus near my bowel and bladder. Things are a bit squished down there I know due to the pregnancy. Plus I have a right pelvic kidney just to cram stuff in more. But with the UU I know I should be happy at least I have two kidneys and not one. They started a new IV med to help with that as well today - so I can only hope? I'm already taking Zofran and Reglan around the clock as well as Bendadryl so hopefully the newly added med with this will help.

Thank you for all of your help with prayers and kind words. They are really appreciated - especially now. They have done wonders for Brynn, and I know that if they can help her....then all of the support helps me as well. I keep thinking that the end is still in sight, I'm trying not to get hung up on details of exact time frames. Just one hour at a time. That is manageable. I just want to be a good mom for our little girl, and all the bumps are worth it. Yesterday I had an extremely down day - but I know I can't stay that way either. So forward we go...and thanks for following along with us as we do so. You are all truly the best! (And Meredith - as always...thank you for your being my constant lifeline and connection to the outside world!)