26 weeks 3 days

This week has gone smoothly so far (I would knock on would but am surrounded by laminate). Her NST went well with several mini-accels and a big whopper of one. She has now settled into regular periods of activity during the day. I can count on a lot of movement in the early morning, late afternoon and then the big finale at 10PM. I really enjoy that time with her.

The only discouraging part of the week has been increased fluid leakage. This is the longest period I've gone with such constant fluid loss. I have had very leaky days in the past but it usually slows down within a day or two. I keep hoping that she will change positions and act as a "cork."

My gestational diabetes has been easily managed with diet. If you are what you eat, then right now I am well balanced, boring and repetitive. My issues with the food service here have really improved. I had complained enough to earn a red mat on my tray, meaning every meal sent up is checked by a supervisor first. Normally I would feel self-conscious about complaining but now I see it as necessary to my survival.

I also spoke up for myself yesterday and asked to have my overnight nursed changed. The nurses here have been overwhelmingly wonderful with minor exceptions. Even the nurses I do not feel a bond with I trust are competent and I feel confident in their care. There is just one nurse that makes me want to hide in the bathroom when she enters my room. The morning of my oral glucose test she drew my blood twice. She missed once and fished around (not so pleasant in a hand stick). The next time she was able to get into a hand vein but then panicked. She demanded I hit the call button, yelled at me when no one answered and kept asking "didn't you hit it???!!!" (a little snicker here for a nurse being on the other end of the call bell during shift change) After screaming into the hall she was able to get someone's attention. She never attached the plastic hub the vacutainer tube fits into-she never even brought one into the room. I got to sit with a painful needle in my hand for several minutes while she tried to procure one. Anyhow, this did not leave me feeling very warm towards her, especially as she snapped at me and never apologized for her mistake. I had her as my nurse once after that and she got upset while taking my blood pressure because the sign over my bed says "no BP on right arm." I had to explain that when she is facing me her right is my left. I really wish I was making that up. The next night I asked to be switched rather than endure another 12 hours worrying that I would be depending on her in an emergency.


Anneliese is doing well and enjoying her days in the care of family members. She has become a staff favorite during her visits and clearly enjoys the attention. Somehow Steve has managed to hold himself together while being pulled in many directions. I am, as always, grateful for having such a wonderful husband. I would say right now I am not even taking things one day at a time-it is much more like a few hours at a time. I can't explain the stress of living with this much uncertainty compounded with the stress of being hospitalized long term. I look down at my stomach and tell her this is an act of love. I want nothing more right now than to see my daughter survive. This is the hardest journey of my life but worth every bit of increased chance it gives our baby girl.

Thank you again for your continued support and prayers. It helps to carry us along.