On my 24th week, I had a check-up with my OB to make sure that I'm ready to go back to work by the following Monday. Two weeks prior, she already saw that my cervix was funneling a bit. Bed rest was advised to give way to my cervix hopefully closing.
When Dra. Manalo did the customary ultrasound, she said that I'm giving her a heart attack because the cervix is now not only funneling, but opening from inside out in addition to already having contractions of an early labor. She immediately discussed that she wanted to do a surgery to close my cervix as soon as she is able to stop the contractions. Uh oh. Major dilemna again and no one was with me at that medical appointment.
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| Asian Hospital |
Thankfully, Noel arrived to bring me to the Genesis Birthing Center at Asian Hospital at once. I was immediately hooked up to a fetal monitor and an IV line for more drugs. We barely slept inside Genesis, with the other laboring moms, the extremely cold air con and the constant monitoring of nurses waking you every few mins. Very much appreciated also that my parents and in laws helped my husband keep an eye on me while inside. Buti na lang Genesis wasn't really crowded that time so they were not strict with us. We were able to sneak in a laptop to entertain us with our downloaded movies while waiting.
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| Fetal Monitor to measure baby's hb and my contractions |
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| Labor Room |
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| Noel slept in this single bangko, really appreciate it! |
The cerclage surgery was scheduled 11pm the following day. It's a surgical procedure to save an incompetent cervix by stitching the opening area of the cervix. Anyone who knows me would be aware how terrified I am of needles, hence, the thought of a spinal anesthesia was seriously freaking the hell out of me. I kept on picturing it on my mind the whole day. May countdown pa akong nalalaman. Noel made me watch Tagalog films at the laptop to relax me, but my countdown to Zero hour continued.
As they wheeled me inside the operating room, I saw my OB in pink scrubs and the anesthesiologist in dark blue. I was in a panic mode, but Dr. Gui assured me that everything will be fine. They can't give me sedatives because they need to keep the baby awake, hence to expect chills after the spinal. They can also only give me paracetamol and no painkillers after the operation to protect the baby. I must admit, ang galing ng Anes ko!!! I barely felt the spinal! The skin test for allergies before the operation was 10x more painful than the spinal! Yey!
The cerclage only took 15 minutes. I felt that I was in good hands as my OB was even belting out songs during the surgery. Super happy to see my husband, mom, dad & mother in law at the recovery room afterwards :)
The stitch didn't really hurt, but I had honest to goodness regular contractions 12 hours post surgery. Maybe this was a dry run for things to happen when I actually give birth in a few months time.
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| You get to bring home the pillows in your room too! Hello outside world* |
This whole unforseen scenario really changed all our plans for the last trimester. It derailed my back to work plans. It would also mean tightening up a bit on finances since our one income household will be staying put for a year from the start of my work leave of absence.The scary pre-term labor also attached me to the bed indefinitely, most probably until I give birth.
It also opened my eyes that anything can happen at any given time. Months ago, both my husband and I decided that our priority for the next few months will be having a baby. Maybe it's a reminder that God gave us this baby as a blessing and we are all supposed to guard it with our lives (especially me). The whole ordeal also taught me that my life is not entirely in my hands, unlike before wherein all decisions are by me alone, ngayon hindi na pwede. It hasn't been an easy ride the past 6 months from fertility treatments, subchorionic hemorrhage, low-lying placenta, and now incompetent cervix + pre-term labor. Still considering ourselves lucky because not many doctors can detect an incompetent cervix before the miscarriage ensues. Lucky me, lucky baby :) We are blessed.
Really hoping and praying that the next couple of weeks will be better.
We're currently staying at my parents' house for the time-being or until my condition is more stable.
Hope we get past 28 weeks, then 32 weeks and really crossing my fingers we reach 36 weeks <3
PS Super thankful to all my relatives, lola, titos, titas, cousins, friends, officemates, etc who visited & called and to my family who were with me throughout
