I went with my sister-in-law Andrea, who is also pregnant, to her regular check-up and took the chance to talk to her doctor about my little episode in the hospital.
He said that spotting is common in about 40% of all pregnancies and when his patients have it, he tells them to take it easy and rest for a week, if it continues after that, he takes action, if not he tells them to continue life as usual. Because my spotting was only one night, he said he didn't think it was too serious.
In addition, he said that contractions are normal, even up to 4-6 an hour. The key is to listen to your body, sleep or drink plenty, and if they don't go away, then take action.
As for the cervix, if it's only softening and not thinning, then it's okay. From what I understand my cervix was only softening, but I used the term thinning, because I didn't know there was a difference.
He said I could make an appointment to see any of the doctors there if I still felt I needed to, but that most of them would probably say I was fine and normal.
So the plan is to return to Peru and my honey as scheduled. I'll fly out April 21st.
Thanks to all for your concern and prayers. Please continue to pray that things will be fine as well as the insurance/billing from my little spell.
Thanks again!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Life in These United States
The day after Nelton didn't get his visa, he suggested that I still make a trip to the States for a couple reasons. First, we still need to raise support to move ahead in the ministry. Second, he wanted me to have time with my family. and Third, it's easier to travel before the baby comes.
Sooo... the biggest news for me is that I am state-side!
I would have put it in my last newsletter to let everyone know, but since I had such a short-time to plan, I decided to come as a surprise for my mom's birthday. She was surprised! Along with everyone else. I only told those I needed to tell in order to line up a schedule to speak in churches.
I have been going, going, going since I've been home. I got home April 19th, and since then until today, I have spoken at four events and visited daily with one or two different people, at the least. I have been busy! Last night I was scheduled to speak in Edgewood, IA, but we had to cancel due to more complications in the pregnancy.
I came over here on Tuesday, March 30th, to spend sometime with Kevin and Sherri Kubly. Tuesday night I began spotting, which made me a little nervous, but since we were going to the hospital on Wednesday morning to pray with Sherri's sister before her surgery, we didn't worry too much. We thought we'd just ask a doctor there.
When we got there, we asked a nurse, who didn't know much, but never saw the doctor we hoped to see and ask. So while we were in the waiting room, Sherri called her doctor back home and asked her about it. She said that I should get in to a doctor right away. Sherri said we were at the Finley hospital in Debuque and she said, get in and see someone.
I really did not want to go in, because since moving to Peru, I don't have American insurance. Sherri convinced me there are options, so we checked-in, which turned out to be a good thing.
The doctor came in to give me an exam and said that I haven't been resting. I'm like "yeah, how do you know." She said that my cervix is thinning and at a point it shouldn't be for another month and a half at least. Basically, had I kept going at the rate and speed I was chances are my water would have broken before the end of my trip and I would have been delivering a premie baby.
She wanted me to stay and rest for a few hours and then check me out again before deciding if I could go home or would have to stay. They had me hooked up to the machine that monitors the baby's heartbeat and watches me for contractions.
When the nurses switched duty, the new nurse came in and her first question was if I was having contractions. I was like "NO! Why? Should I be?" I figured she thought I was in to deliver and made it clear I was only there for a check-up. She told me it was just a routine question and not to worry.
A little bit later the doctor came in and asked if I was having contractions, I said "no." And she's like "well, that's funny, because you're having a pretty big one right now." "REALLY?!," I said, "So that's what that is. I thought it was just the baby moving like crazy, doing flips or something." So turns out I have been having warning contractions for a little over a week now because I have not been resting enough, which is probably why my cervix is thinning.
The nurses were all great and took so much time to talk to me and answer all my questions, which was my crash course in child-birth. The funny thing is, we were in the hospital for more time then Sherri's sister who had surgery and was released, and we had the same doctor!
They released me, but I have to rest, rest, rest. They are treating it like early labor, or something like that.
So it turns out that it's a good thing that I didn't announce I was coming home, because chances are I'd be even more booked, and now I'm just having to take traveling a day at a time. And it's a good thing I came home, because hopefully due to that episode she won't be a premie.
Please be in prayer for the duration of this pregnancy that things will go smooth and I'll learn to say "no." If not for me, for my baby. Also be in prayer for insurance stuff. I have no idea what that afternoon bill will come to, but we don't have the means to pay the American rates. We have some leads, but that means... (my favorite) more paperwork!
Sooo... the biggest news for me is that I am state-side!
I would have put it in my last newsletter to let everyone know, but since I had such a short-time to plan, I decided to come as a surprise for my mom's birthday. She was surprised! Along with everyone else. I only told those I needed to tell in order to line up a schedule to speak in churches.
I have been going, going, going since I've been home. I got home April 19th, and since then until today, I have spoken at four events and visited daily with one or two different people, at the least. I have been busy! Last night I was scheduled to speak in Edgewood, IA, but we had to cancel due to more complications in the pregnancy.
I came over here on Tuesday, March 30th, to spend sometime with Kevin and Sherri Kubly. Tuesday night I began spotting, which made me a little nervous, but since we were going to the hospital on Wednesday morning to pray with Sherri's sister before her surgery, we didn't worry too much. We thought we'd just ask a doctor there.
When we got there, we asked a nurse, who didn't know much, but never saw the doctor we hoped to see and ask. So while we were in the waiting room, Sherri called her doctor back home and asked her about it. She said that I should get in to a doctor right away. Sherri said we were at the Finley hospital in Debuque and she said, get in and see someone.
I really did not want to go in, because since moving to Peru, I don't have American insurance. Sherri convinced me there are options, so we checked-in, which turned out to be a good thing.
The doctor came in to give me an exam and said that I haven't been resting. I'm like "yeah, how do you know." She said that my cervix is thinning and at a point it shouldn't be for another month and a half at least. Basically, had I kept going at the rate and speed I was chances are my water would have broken before the end of my trip and I would have been delivering a premie baby.
She wanted me to stay and rest for a few hours and then check me out again before deciding if I could go home or would have to stay. They had me hooked up to the machine that monitors the baby's heartbeat and watches me for contractions.
When the nurses switched duty, the new nurse came in and her first question was if I was having contractions. I was like "NO! Why? Should I be?" I figured she thought I was in to deliver and made it clear I was only there for a check-up. She told me it was just a routine question and not to worry.
A little bit later the doctor came in and asked if I was having contractions, I said "no." And she's like "well, that's funny, because you're having a pretty big one right now." "REALLY?!," I said, "So that's what that is. I thought it was just the baby moving like crazy, doing flips or something." So turns out I have been having warning contractions for a little over a week now because I have not been resting enough, which is probably why my cervix is thinning.
The nurses were all great and took so much time to talk to me and answer all my questions, which was my crash course in child-birth. The funny thing is, we were in the hospital for more time then Sherri's sister who had surgery and was released, and we had the same doctor!
They released me, but I have to rest, rest, rest. They are treating it like early labor, or something like that.
So it turns out that it's a good thing that I didn't announce I was coming home, because chances are I'd be even more booked, and now I'm just having to take traveling a day at a time. And it's a good thing I came home, because hopefully due to that episode she won't be a premie.
Please be in prayer for the duration of this pregnancy that things will go smooth and I'll learn to say "no." If not for me, for my baby. Also be in prayer for insurance stuff. I have no idea what that afternoon bill will come to, but we don't have the means to pay the American rates. We have some leads, but that means... (my favorite) more paperwork!
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