Warning: long post going into lots of details.

I went in for my normal 37 week check-up (sometimes hard to believe we've really made it this far!!) yesterday. My mom had picked me up from work to take me, bless her heart.

Some background knowledge: pre-pregnancy I was diagnosed with borderline high pressure. I took pills for a couple months for it before we got pregnant. I then stopped, and my blood pressure has been fine/great throughout the whole pregnancy: 120's/80's. The doctors kept warning me that it would probably go up about 28 weeks. When it didn't, I was told probably around 30 weeks. When it didn't, probably around 34 weeks, etc.

Yesterday morning I actually had my blood pressure taken at work (LOVE working in a building with a full-time nurse who knows me and keeps an eye on me!), and it was still great (110/76)!

Six hours later, not so much. 146/90-something. What?! Why had it skyrocketed so much in such a short time??? No one really had an explanation. They tested it a second time a few minutes later, and it was still high. Knowing now what all I had to go through because of it, I would have asked for a) a different nurse, b) a different cuff, and c) for it to be used on my left arm (isn't that standard?!).

These doctors of course want to play it safe!! But I was really surprised when Dr. H. said he wanted me to go to the hospital! I clarified, "Should I call my husband and tell him to bring our bags to the hospital?" No, not necessary yet. He just wanted me to be monitored more and have more lab work IE blood tests taken. Ok.

Sidenote: since Tuesday I have felt like maybe our baby had dropped. I've felt a lot more pelvic pressure and pressure on my bladder. Still no easier to breath like they say it should be when she drops, but I think that is because of my pregnancy induced asthma. So, as much as I do not enjoy the cervix checks, I wanted Dr. H. to check me. Sure enough - I'm actually 1 cm dilated and starting to efface!

Before I left the clinic they monitored baby's heart rate for the NST (non stress test that they have done for the last 3 appointments), and everything was good.

So, Mom took me over to our hospital. We entered through the ER, did paperwork and then got wheeled up to the 4th floor. It was good to get a sneak peek of how it's gonna work when we're in labor. Now we know exactly where to go and what to do and what to expect - something I very much enjoy!

I spent the next 3 1/2 hours in triage on the labor & delivery floor. Josh came after work, and Mom left to go on to her evening activities. I was on the machine to monitor baby's heart rate and my contractions continuously, and my blood pressure was checked automatically every 15 minutes. After awhile that sucker really started killing my arm. Grrr...

Eventually a phlebotomist arrived and got blood out of my right hand - worst place possible. Thanks for more pain!

We did lots of waiting, answered a lot of questions, saw 3 nurses, 2 doctors, watched some HGTV & TLC.

The blood pressure was totally back to normal and fine. Baby was doing GREAT. All the labs came back great. All the questions they asked I answered "correctly" (for example, any headaches, blurred vision, spots in vision, sudden swelling of hands, face, or feet, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, cramping, etc? No!). Preeclampsia isn't happening. That's what all the tests and questions were trying to determine. I was even told by the 2nd doctor that I was his most simple patient!

So, we're being given our discharge instructions:

Call your ob/gyn for a follow-up appointment Monday or Tuesday.

Ok. Our 38 week check-up is already scheduled for Wednesday anyways.

Drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Duh.

Don't smoke.

Did she really just tell me that? I couldn't help but start laughing out loud. I think Josh started laughing too because it was just so ridiculous. The student nurse going over our instructions started laughing. Not sure if it was because she realized how obvious that was or if it was just because she was nervous and unsure what was going on. The other nurse just looked at us.

The next thing she said though didn't sit so well: You should be on strict bedrest now.

WHAT?!?! Because of one high reading?? And this from a doctor who didn't even see me???!!! Did he even know the results of all my other blood pressure readings??

Yah, the dr. on call from our clinic wasn't even at the hospital. I asked to speak with him, and they paged him. But after awhile I was dressed and ready to go, tired of waiting, and so hungry for dinner that I said I'd just talk to him when I go into the clinic Monday. Whatever.

So, here I am now on strict bedrest with permission to only use the bathroom (showers are ok if done in under 15 minutes) so I expect they will wheel me out of there just like they wheeled me in there. Nope. They let me walk out on my own. What the heck?! So much for "strict bedrest." Ha!

So, good BP in the morning, then I worked all day. Had high BP. And then a dozen good BP readings after resting at the hospital. I have definitely felt in the last couple days that things were getting more challenging physically, but nothing felt abnormal yesterday. Could it have been a bad cuff or a false reading at the clinic? Or have I suddenly reached a point where just walking from one class to another is enough to send me over the edge?

I will have to take all of Monday off work since I don't know when they'll be able to schedule me for a check-up. And then assuming a good BP read, they could respond with either, "Ok, good, you're cleared to go back to work" or "Ok, good, the bedrest is helping you. Stay on it for the rest of your pregnancy."

We will find out.

For now, I rest. Currently lounged on the sofa with a tv tray set up next to me with water, cell phone, hot tea, Burt's Bees lip balm, Trader Joe's frosted maple and brown sugar cereal - ya know, the important things I may need.

Josh has already been beyond helpful throughout this whole pregnancy. I am so grateful I have him as my husband!!! Sometimes I just feel bad asking for more from him when he's already done so much.

Surprisingly and fortunately, we didn't have a lot planned for this weekend. Watching the ND game today, church tomorrow, and then a visit from Roomie Becky. We can still watch the game, and Becky can still come over. I will miss going to church. Baby and I always enjoy the service. She loves the music, as well as hearing our pastor Sam talk.

I will point out: Remember this? I was so glad to get our maternity photo shoot rescheduled. Guess what: today was the day we were supposed to have it originally! I picture the photographer coming to our house and taking pictures of me laying down with Josh kneeling beside the bed. "Ok, now let's move to the couch to take some there!" Ha ha!