31. Walking pin cussion on night 1 in hospital

First of all, this needs documenting. I tried to climb into the minibus last night to come here, and I couldn't bend my legs enough to do it without James shoving me up with his shoulder. Right in the middle of this drama, our neighbour who is a good friend drove up. What a sight to see! Haha!!

8 am Monday morning update.

I'm here, all moved in and wired up. 

We got here just after 6pm and I was shown to my own room which has a small fold out bed if James wanted to stay, and my own bathroom. I couldn't believe it!! I was fully expecting to be on a ward being woken by the hustle and bustle of hospital life, as well as the blood sugar checks. I had brought ear plugs and an eye mask in preparation too!

James went home around 7.45. There's no point in him staying too. He needs rest to look after Jack, and it meant Lynda can go home too. It's nice that there is the choice for people who want it though. He will come back this afternoon with Jack.

Last night, all that happened was having my BP checked and my canula put in. Someone came to explain that we are waiting for the doctors who are having a busy night on the ward. One nurse wrestled my compression socks on for me, which was equally painful for both of us I think. But I do feel like my feet have benefitted from them a little. 

I decided around 10 o'clock to call it bedtime and hope that I could squeeze an hours sleep in before it all kicks off at who knows what time. 

I woke up shortly before 2am needing a wee, and it was just minutes after this that it was time for lift off. 

A midwife checked for 3 little heartbeats with a doppler then administered my first steroid shot into my bum. Soon after, the doctors came in with the ultrasound gear to check the babies. It was pretty painful again, but it was only a quick scan. They think that baby C has dropped down, so now all three are in a line now accross my tummy. 2 with feet down, breech, and baby B is still head down and the lowest. It's cute to think of them all lined up together. 

I asked about my legs and the scan. They had a look and said they would put me down for an urgent scan as an inpatient. They also ordered another jab for me which was administered a few minutes later. 

For the next 3 hours I dozed a little between blood tests and PB tests. Everything coming back normal until 7 am. The nurse said it can sometimes take a few hours before needing insulin. Sure enough, I had some breakfast and my next test went up, so I'm currently wired up to my first dose of insulin. 

Lunch time update 

This morning has been non stop! A doctor came to see me to talk about tomorrow and my legs. He explained that we need a scan to confirm if it is DVT or not. The injections I've had are fine, but they are blood thinners and they don't want my blood thin for the surgery tomorrow. If it is a clot, they just need to plan the cesarean around the jabs, or vice verse. And if it's not a clot, we can look at other possible treatments. He explained that finding someone to do the scan is the tricky bit as there is nobody available but they are working on it, and will find someone. He said he was chasing it up as did the midwife, they are all on a mission. 

I have had my appointment time confirmed for this afternoon so we will have answers then.

I recieved a phone call a short time later asking if I can get to Whalley for the appointment. I explained my situation and she was responding to the Friday night referral. They are all on it!!

My legs do feel a little better today. Still very painful, but standing isn't nearly as difficult as it has been for the last couple of days, and straightening them is much easier. Part of this may be the compression socks shrinking my ankles a bit and making them a bit more mobile. 

 

After the doctor visited, I was put on for baby monitoring, and frankly, it was hilarious! Look at the state of that tummy!! They used a doppler to find a heartbeat and placed a monitor on there. This obviously happened 3 times, and an extra one on top. 

As soon as these monitors were strapped on, the babies thought it was play time and went nuts! All the straps and monitors were bouncing and rippling around, and the midwife had to keep coming in to look at the results on my screen, it was difficult to tell on hers, and looked pained every time she saw it. I would feel a kick and hear the thud on the monitor, which made me smile. But each time they did this, they confused the monitor which looked to jump to whichever heartbeat it found first. I didn't see the graph, but they brought a doctor up to see the results, and her expression was equally as pained. They could see 3 separate heartbeats, but it would switch to two being the same, then back to 3, then back to 2 the same. 

She asked if they have a quiet time of day. I've guessed late afternoon but before dinner time. They will try again then. Nobody is concerned, but they want a better reading. 

Bloods

They jumped up slightly a couple of times, but since the insulin has been well and truly flowing, they have dropped back down and the nurses have dropped my dose twice now.  We expect it to go up now that I've had some lunch. 

Messages

I have been inundated with messages from people sending love, luck and all sorts of other lovely messages. It's been great, and relieving the boredom. I have never spent so much time looking at my phone! Good job I have my own, built in shelf to rest my arms on! Haha!

Afternoon updates. Scans.

I managed to lie down for the hour before James and Jack came to visit. I didn't sleep, but just shutting my eyes was nice. It had been a busy morning! And night!

Jack's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets when he walked in and saw all of the alien equipment. He immediately asked what my insulin drip was. I told him its medicine that comes out of here, down the curly wirly pipe and into mummy's hand. He then told me about it lots of times. 

He stole most of my snacks and took a big bite of my apple and tried to pour my glass of water back into the jug, not realising it had a lid on. 

He then climbed onto my bed for a cuddle and daddy made the bed fly up into the sky, which he absolutely loved. 

He was fascinated watching the midwives do my obvs, bloods, injection in my bum and doppler baby monitor. And then it was time for my scan! 

We all walked together down to the ward where I said my goodbyes. 

Scans.

The lady I saw is one I've had a few times. I think her name is Suzannah. I had been dreading the scan all day, but was very thankful it hadn't been yesterday or the day before. 

Suzannah and 2 others were running from room to room with various bits of equipment. She told me they were trying to figure out which machine, and therefore, which room is going to be best.

I had my first scan and she explained that this screen doesn't have the colour she wants, so the picture isn't very clear. She poked and prodded and made me yelp and jump a LOT, but she said she can't see anything that looks like DVT. But, would I mind just going to the other room with different equipment so we can do a second scan. As long as she was happy to put my trousers back on, of course!

More jumping and yelping later and she said the same thing. We said our goodbyes and I waddled back up to the ward with my trusty drip. I had been an hour and a half, and apparently, Justine had called 3 times to find out the results! 

My back was pretty sore and I was exhausted so I flopped into bed hoping for a bit of a rest. About 10 minutes later I was offered dinner! Too right! I was starving!! I went for some water and a wee and as I was approaching the steaming hot plate of food next to my bed, my midwife said "don't sit down!" Wheeling in a chair. Noooooooo!!! Suzannah wanted me back! I was devastated, but clearly pleased that she is so thorough. 

I was taken by wheelchair this time to a room in a different area, but with the correct gear apparently. She told us she wouldn't sleep tonight if she hadn't just had another look. Uuuuurgh. But bless her, she had officially finished work now and it's her own time she is using to check me out. 

Lots more yelping and jumping happened on an even more uncomfortable bed, but this time she was happy. No DVT, but incredibly inflamed tissue. 

She asked if I've got a breech baby. I told her 2! She then said "oh, well I will see you again because I'll scan their hips." So that's nice to hear. 

When I got back to my room, my back and ribs were really huring. I ate my meal and finally lay down. The babies were doppler monitored again and the midwife loved how easily she could feel them all. 

When the student midwife came to do my obvs and bloods again, she needed to monitor my breathing again as its so short. She told me I am amazingly calm. She sees mums of singletons with all the drama and I'm just so chilled. Haha. The lady this morning said I'm putting everyone else to shame by getting dressed too! Ha! Winning on ward!

As always, the staff have been incredible. I can't fault a single thing. Apparently they have all been talking about the triplet mum coming in for days! 

I'm absolutely exhausted now and have tried to sleep a couple of times but my back and ribs have stopped sleep so far. I decided to write this entry now to try and clear my mind a little.

I've been actively thinking about meeting the babies today, and each time I've had to fight back tears. I'm going to be a wreck tomorrow when I finally see them!

The midwife tonight has told me she will call NICU at 2am to confirm space for us before banning my food in the morning. God I hope they do have space. Everything has gone so swimmingly up until this point, it would be such a shame for this last little change of plan. Although, a 24 hour delay wouldn't be the end of the world. And being sent to another hospital wouldn't either of course, it would just be very inconvenient. Especially with Jack at home. 

But, it will be what it will be. 

Now, I'll try to sleep before being jabbed in an hour.