One week on hospital bedrest - as slow as 4 weeks in the real world?

I have officially been in the hospital for a week! Before this, I could probably count on 2 hands how many times I had been to the hospital to visit family and friends and certainly had never been admitted myself. I am torn between hoping that we have Lucy TODAY and wanting to keep her in a few more weeks. Some have told us that one day inside saves 2 days in the NICU on the outside, so that motivates me to tough it out. However, I have not been prescribed any medication since I got here and my blood pressure and proteins have stabilized over the past few days, which makes me think I should either be able to go home, or we should just have her! I cannot imagine sitting in the hospital until I am full-term.

At this point, the doctors have told us that if my blood pressure gets too high (consistent 160s/100s), they will deliver and that the ultimate goal is not 40 weeks, but probably closer to 37 weeks. So, I guess we are looking at a maximum of 2 1/2 more weeks. I can handle anything for 18 days, right? At the beginning of this whole journey, we were so focused on Lucy and what her long-term prognosis will be that I have to remind myself to get back to that, since that is what is ultimately important.

Jason continues to split his time between the hospital and home so that he can work from his office part of the time and maintain our home responsibilities. Between cancelled work trips, road construction, hail storms and a laid-up wife, he may have higher blood pressure than me by the end of this!

I have been granted more independence since I've arrived. I am now allowed up to 2 hours of pool time a day, in the therapy pool, with other ladies also on bedrest. I can walk out of my room to the kitchen (5 doors down) and get ice and water. Jason can also take me on 2 30-minute wheelchair rides/day, as long as we stay on the hospital grounds. There is something very humbling about not being able to do very much for myself.

I have discovered that there are 4 women on our floor on bedrest right now and I have meet them all. All of our stories are different, but the expected outcome is the same - wait and see! I am the furthest along, so that is encouraging to all of us and as a group, we have begun to celebrate the daily milestone of still being pregnant together.

A HUGE thanks to USA Wrestling for the fun gift that Haley, Jaimie and Sonja dropped off for us yesterday (see picture at the top of the blog). It was great to have some visitors bring me lunch and interrupt the day for a bit.

Until next time...