"...she knows it's time to be born and she's ready."

Thursday, April 18, 1991

     Last night was another rough one.  Besides the baby kicking & moving around constantly, I was so hot and all stuffed up.  Every time the baby calmed down I'd start to drift off & then she'd start in again.  I had decided to try sleeping leaning up on my TV pillow and did ok like that for awhile, comfortable except for the baby kicking.  But eventually I couldn't get comfortable in any position.  I tried putting my head the other way & propping my feet on the TV pillow to help cool my feet off.  It helped some but it got hard for me to breathe laying flat.  I finally tried just leaning back straight on the TV pillow but it got to where I couldn't breathe so I finally woke Guy up to help me up.  He went to get me some milk.  That helped cool me off some.  He suggested I just sleep with one pillow on the arm of the TV pillow so I tried that.  The baby was finally calmed down so I finally got to sleep.  That was somewhere between 2:00-2:30.  But all through the night whatever side I was sleeping on my nose was both stopped up and dripping so I had to keep a Kleenex underneath it.  I woke up when Guy's alarm went off & he didn't hear it.  I had to poke him to wake him up & he said 'what is it!' and I said 'your alarm.' He was really out I guess.  I got up to eat breakfast with him & after he left I couldn't get back to sleep just because of thinking about everything.

     We talked a little bit overnight and before he left this morning.  I told him when I wasn't able to sleep last night I didn't know how I was going to make it to  Friday and then make it through labor & delivery.  He said he'd be there to help me and I'll be ok.  I asked him why the baby wanted to kick me so much & not let me sleep.  He said cause she knows it's time to be born and she's ready.  That's great, but why can't she have her big active time during the day instead of waiting til we go to bed to start?  And keeping me awake half the night?  I hope this isn't how she'll be after she's born.

     When I got up this morning my neck was stiff from sleeping on the TV pillow arm.  My face & ears were hurting from my sinuses and my chest had a really tight feeling.  My nose isn't quite as stuffed up when I'm up & about for awhile.  I still have to blow it a lot and I can't breathe well enough through it. My chest hurts some when I cough & every once in awhile I cough something up.  Some times there are varying amounts of blood mixed in.  Last night while Guy was fixing supper I coughed up what felt like a hard glob of stuff but when I got it out on the Kleenex it was all blood.  I wouldn't call it a clot cause it wasn't hard but it was pretty thick & stiff.  That's the only time that's happened & hopefully the last time.

     I called Dr. Baker's office yesterday & had to leave a message.  He called back & I told him I'm going to be induced tomorrow and he said he'd come check on me.  I told him about my cold & that Dr. Rand had given me some augmentin to take.  He said that was good. (I didn't start it til last night so it probably hasn't taken affect any yet)  I won't be able to take it in the morning because you have to take it with food and I can't eat anything after midnight.  Dr. Rand did say to go ahead and use my tobra, and use water to take my pills.

     I've been trying to get ahold of Dr. Lazarus to let her know I'm going in tomorrow.  I've left messages twice - they always say she's busy.  I told them I have to talk to her today.  I guess I should've tried calling her yesterday.

     I've been taking it easy for the most part today.  Since I didn't get back to sleep til 7:30 I didn't wake up til nearly 10:00.  I went over the papers the hospital sent - consent forms, etc., cleaned out & switched purses, and straightened up stuff on the coffee table.  I need to clean off the dining table too.  Guy's planning on mowing when he gets home.  I hope he's not mad that I haven't had a nap this aft.  Poor Chief has been moping all day cause I can't play with him.  He spent nearly an hour outside earlier though.  I guess I need to look like I'm relaxing when Guy gets home.

     Dr. Lazarus finally called back.  She sounded a little surprised when I told her they were inducing me tomorrow.  When I told her about the augmentin she said that once I have the baby I should start taking ciprofloxacin.  I told her I'd ask Dr. Rand to give me a prescription for it.  She asked if Dr. Baker knew I was going in and I told her I'd called him & he said he'd come check on me.  She gave me her home phone number to call in case the baby doesn't come before she leaves tomorrow.

     Well, so much for going to bed early tonight.  It's just past 10:00 & we're waiting for a load of clothes to dry.  I went ahead & washed my hair instead of waiting til tomorrow morning cause the weather's turned cool again.  Lots of people have been calling - Kathy, Deanna, Sue, Dianna.

     Everything's packed except what I'll need in the morning - I think & hope.  The baby has been moving around some but hasn't started her attack yet.  I guess because I'm still sitting up.

     I played with Chief a little while Guy went to the store after supper.  He got me some suckers & got some lap pads.  Dianna had mentioned I'd need some for the bassinet.  (They'll bring it to church Sun. morning.)  She also said you need to wash all the baby's stuff in something like Drift or Ivory Snow cause the additives in regular detergents can irritate their skin or cause an allergy.  But they didn't have any at K-Mart.

     To describe how I feel tonight, knowing the baby will come tomorrow: excited and relieved that it won't be much longer, and scared that I won't handle it very well, especially having this cold.  I asked Guy what his thoughts are tonight.  He's looking forward to holding her, and he hopes I don't have as hard a time as we think I will.

     Don't know when I'll be writing again.  But Guy's going to keep track of things as they happen, hopefully.