Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia: A disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.

In the grand scheme of good days and bad days, today isn't falling any higher on the list than the last few.

Kristen has been officially diagnosed with preeclampsia. If I had to explain this too simplistically it basically means that her kidneys aren't doing everything they are supposed to, so protein is being left in the urine (sorry Kristen), water isn't being disposed off the body the way it is supposed to and eventually the blood will not be cleaned properly becoming poisonous for both mother and child.

There are two things going on. High blood pressure is a symptom of preeclampsia due to the extra fluid in the body. High blood pressure is also... high blood pressure, unrelated to preeclampsia, the two are treated differently and mean different things, none of them good.

If Kristen's blood pressure was high just BECAUSE of preeclampsia the numbers that were being read at the hospital today are levels which equal Severe Preeclampsia, severe is when they deliver the baby, regardless of development. Kristen, only during pregnancy, has also been having elevated blood pressure. This can happen even if you don't have preeclampsia. Kristen's blood pressure eventually went back down a little today when they had her lay in the best positions for awhile. When preeclampsia is not an issue, the next step for the high blood pressure is to go on hypertension (high blood pressure) medication, which means she has to be hospitalized so she can be monitored closely while on those medications.

The only treatment for preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. It only gets worse.

Kristen was really close to being admitted today at the hospital.

Her bed rest has been upped to very strict. She can no longer go any where, get up to make herself food, or answer the door. She can lay, lay on her left side, lay on her right side, lay some more, and go to the bathroom... and that's all. The doctor is letting her come in twice a week for continued monitoring, if he doesn't like what he sees then she will be admitted. Wolverine's heart rate was higher than they liked today.

The doctor told us today there is very little chance we will go full term, almost none. He will be surprised if we make it to 34 weeks, he would like us to make it to 32, which is 3 and a half more.

Either way it looks pretty sure that we will be having a premie. The basic rule of thumb is that premies stay in the NICU for as long as they normally would've been in the womb. There a million factors and that is never exactly the case. But if we did have to deliver this week he would probably be in the NICU at least 3 months before being able to come home.

On the right you'll see I posted a list of the rest of July and a place to enter in who can come and get lunch for Kristen. I am really uncomfortable being this forward, but we sure could use some extra hands. I'm supposedly still going to school right now, any day we can't find someone to come in, I'll just stay home, which will make the school thing more difficult...

So man, please let us know precisely when you can come, if you can.

I'll be leaving the side door unlocked, so enter through the garage, knock and come on in. (If you are a thief reading this I have a very large mean attack animal strategically placed, death is imminent if you get close to my wife).

Kristen is very very uncomfortable being waited on, so you'll have to say things like, STAY THERE!, frequently while you're at the house. We have freezers full of frozen lunch items, and lots of different quick and easy things to make for lunch. Hopefully you can stay long enough to remove the crazed glassy-eyed stare she will be developing over the next who knows how long of bed rest.

To schedule, either call the house, or best of all leave a comment. You can also email me at calvinbii@yahoo.com

Many people have offered, so now we are accepting any help you can give us.... thanks in advance, I hate being the acceptor

We'll keep this updated

Just because there wasn't enough going on, I decided to ram into the back end of a complete stranger's car on the freeway today.

Luckily Kristen wasn't with me.

His back fender only had a scratch he didn't care about enough to report. My hood has been remodeled a little in the front, not bad enough that it is very high on my list of things to spend time fixing or spend money on right now.

On the way home from the hospital a black cat literally ran right in front of my car, staring at me with those accusing bright yellow eyes as I foolishly drove right over it's path..... great

I need to find some salt to throw over a shoulder, or two....