Reduction Amnio

We left for Pensacola at five thirty in the morning and managed to still be fifteen minutes late to the appointment. Dr Dobak was swamped yesterday though, so it wasn't any great detriment to him or his staff. Donna, the nurse who always takes my vitals, talked with me a bit in the beginning of the visit. We joked about her funky socks, discussed the pains of the pregnancy and I was horrified to find that I had gained six pounds in just under a week. The buildup of fluid was stacking at an unimaginable rate. Six pounds doesn't seem like a lot, but when you add it to the amount of fluid I already had and consider that it was all packed into my uterus, it's a terrifying reality.

We waited a while more after meeting with Donna, then were put into a room with two ultrasound students from the nearby university. They talked back and forth about lunch plans, recording their hours.... things I couldn't believe they were chatting about while in an enclosed room with a frightened mother of a dying baby. I guess they hadn't been through their sensitivity training yet. They were decent gophers, however, and fetched me water a few times throughout the visit. We sat for nearly an hour in preparation. An ultrasound technician and a second nurse finally came in to start the fun. We have new pictures of Beckett thanks to the tech, though there was so much fluid that most of each shot is just blackness. The nurse was a great help in relieving the tension. She joked about the forms we had to sign and the warning symptoms of infection.. she seemed generally concerned for my well-being, and not just physically. She promised me motrin after the procedure, showed me all of the equipment and was very sweet about answering all of my silly questions.

When Dr Dobak made it in, we got the same tempered, compassionate treatment we always get from him. He sees a lot of very scary things every day and he seems to understand that each of his patients need to be sheltered from that and comforted at every turn. He told us exactly what was going to happen during the procedure and explained things to us as they were going on. They continuously monitored Beckett to make sure she stayed safe. The first step was to clean the skin on my belly to protect from infection. Then, a quick bee-sting shot to numb the first few layers of skin against the enormous needle they were going to stick me with. A few moments of waiting, then the big needle - at first it was nothing, and then this gigantic popping sensation and a pain I've never felt in my life. My legs went numb, my eyes flashed white and I was sure I was passing out. Imeediately, the fluid began to flow out of the needle and it soaked my left side. A clear tubing was placed on the needle and led the fluid into a series of glass bottles for measurement. The pain never let up and was soon accompanied by a severe, constant cramping. Terrified, I babbled on and on, trying to stay conscious. The procedure halted for a moment or so as Beckett became curious and reached for the needle. Everyone got quiet... he moved the needle and watched the monitor, and eventually, Beckett moved on and let him continue his work. In total, they removed two liters of fluid from me. Her 'pool' had been filled with 39 units of fluid in the beginning (anything over 30 is dangerous) and was down to a meager 26 by the end of the twenty minute ordeal. It ended with a sort of draining noise that reminded me of a bath tub.

The change was immediate. My stomach was four or five inches smaller and I could actually see my belly-button. My clothes no longer fit, I could barely walk and the contractions started without a moments hesitation.They cleaned me as best they could, bandaged me and put me in a room to monitor the contractions. We stayed there for an additional hour, gritting through the pain and watching as my body struggled to return to normal. It was scary to think that Beckett could be born right there if my body reacted too drastically. We had just messed with the delicate balance of the womb and it was a very real possibility that the stress would just be too much. Thankfully, the contractions waned out to several moments apart and became bearable. There was still pain, but I wouldn't be delivering on that day.

We left the office a memento - a Beckett bear, from Borders. Dr Dobak and the nurses that worked with us were happy to have the stuffed animal and displayed her proudly on the front station. It was nice to know that she'll be there with them through their difficult careers. Donna hugged us before we left, wishing us the best of luck, just as Dr Dobak had.

I could barely walk when it was all said and done. The contractions, though lessened, continued through the day. We managed to drop off the books and toys we brought to donate to the children's ward and that made the day so much better. I could finally breathe without the pressure of all that fluid and my hips no longer hurt under the strain. My stomach was sore and bruished, but I could take in a breath, stand up straight and even bend to buckle my seat belt. It was amazing.

Leaving Pensacola wasn't a sad event like it usually is. I was glad to be less full and excited to see my toes. I could cross my legs in the car and for that I was seriously grateful. I slept better, even laying on my back for a few minutes, and could stand without issue. I'm still terribly sore, but I was able to get out in the backyard and play.. even if only for ten minutes or so. I walked around in a store (not sitting in a wheelchair like usual) and danced in the aisles. I haven't been able to do that for weeks.

The tightening in my stomach is threatening to return, though. I'm afraid Dr Dobak may have been painfully accurate in his estimation that the fluid reduction will only provide me relief for four days, or so. Beckett is a pro at creating the fluid around her. It poses a whole host of issues I'm not ready to get back to. Early birth, organ obstruction, fatality... We have enough to worry about without the threat of amniotic fluid doing us both in.

For now, Beckett and I are going to bed, along with two Beckett Bears that happened to make their way into our room. :) Things, for now, are okay.