Not the greatest week

Since I had the cerclage (about 2 weeks) I've had a couple contractions every day. They are completely painless and I just feel a strong tightening in my lower abdomen. On Tuesday I started getting a lot more of them closer together. We called the OB on call and she said to drink a ton of water and lay on my side and if it didn't get better call back. They did get better until the next morning when it started again. So they sent me back over to the hospital for monitoring. What I find very odd about Labor and Delivery at the hospital is that they don't let you eat or drink anything for hours! Especially when drinking water is the first thing everyone normally says when you complain of contractions. And we are talking about pregnant women here who aren't allowed to eat? Craziness.

Of course 8 different people all ask you the same questions and all give you a different impression of what's going on. I think I am getting more used to this now and I think I will only be paying attention to what the attending doctor says from now on. Otherwise you end up completely confused, overwhelmed and frustrated with the conflicting answers. Oh and I think doctors should have to wear their rank and how it relates to the hospital hierarchy.Apparently I asked the wrong level of doctor a difficult question because she said "well your level of complexity is way above my level of training and practice." I am pretty sure I saw 4 different doctors in the 5 hours I was in the hospital and it would be a lot more helpful if you had a better idea how they fit into the picture. Just saying :)

After they ran a whole bunch of different tests they decided I have a minor infection that may be causing the uterine irritability and a little medication would hopefully clear it up. Yay - a possible reason and an easy solution, you can't ask for much more than that!

The next day at my regular (weekly!) OB visit and ultrasound the news was all bad. My cervix was continuing to shorten and had noticeably done so since the previous day at the hospital. It looked to be funneling even past the cerclage stitch. She said all sorts of sucky things like having to take the stitch out if it continues, preterm labor, more infections. ACK!! Oh and the best part was they said we'll have to wait and see what happens. "Since the babies aren't viable yet there really isnt much else they can/would do. Oh but stay positive cause stress won't help the situation." Right, of course, let me sing my happy song now.

I went home and pretty much glued myself to the couch. I didnt want to do anything to make the situation worse. The next day I called the doctor I know the best and trust and she gave me a few words of
encouragement and said that really keeping as much pressure off the cervix as possible can help. She suggested stricter bedrest and going on leave from work. She also called in a prescription for me to help with the contractions. I've been trying the stricter bedrest for a day and half now and it seems to be helping... but of course there are no guarantees.

I'm doing my best to give my body a pep talk and give it nothing to stress about but growing babies and keeping them inside. Any prayers, positive thoughts, good karma you want to send this way would be appreciated. :-)