OMG could I have been stuck any longer?

... at the hospital?

Today was a quiet day in the classroom while I rearranged some of the work and art projects that desperately needed to go back to the kiddos after the medieval feast (I was even sending back a map of the Roman Empire - Ch. 1; I'm not the best at getting piles of work back).

I left about 20 minutes before release time so that I would make it to my prenatal appointment on time. It usually takes 70 minutes but I was allowing for some traffic due to the rain. Well, my trip down I-5 was fine, but the minute I got on to I-80, I saw nothing but tail lights all the way to Roseville. I knew by 4pm that I would not make it by 4:30 so I called the office to let them know. Got there at 4:50. Holy cow. The receptionist was rather biz-natchy about my being late. I did have one of the latest appointments and I was 20 minutes late. "Oh I don't know if they'll see you. We may have to reschedule." I told her that I had called ahead to let them know and that I would wait until they called me in. "Well, I don't know..." was her response.

Of course my doctor saw me. She's been my Ob/Gyn since I was *cough*cough* years old (yeah we're almost going on 2 full decades now). BP was much better this time. 121/79. Time for an internal!!! Basically, I'm 2.5cm dilated and 90% effaced. Baby's head was right down close where she could feel it, but his butt is still up in my ribcage so I think he's all backbone. Gonna be long; but doc is NOT concerned about size being too big with the GD. Then the heart monitor...very faint, very slow. She actually took my pulse while we were listening.

"I want you to head over to L&D for fetal monitoring right now. I'll let them know you're coming." Okay, well that answered the question I had about if I'd need an NST soon.

This was 5:20. Walk passed the pharmacy and there is NO WAY I'm picking up Jon's Rx before going to triage. Walk in, the nurses are obviously busy, there's a gal sitting in the chair, a doctor sitting a command console that reminded me of Star Trek (obviously checking on fetal monitors). I guess when it rains (literally), it pours because they had been bored and quiet for the last 2 days there until about 4:30 today. Me and the other gal had been sent over from the clinic. 2 others were already in triage for labor. They put me in a room and hooked me to the fetal monitor by 5:40. I didn't get the actual "admit" until 6. Then the OB on call swings by at 6:10 and says it'll be about an hour. An HOUR!!!

Had some mild contractions (no pain, just tightening). Baby's heart rate dropped a couple of times down to 112 and 116, but if I shifted to my side, he'd perk back up. No drop of heart rate during contractions. Another gal got admitted because I could see her monitor. Finally, when no one had come in by 7:25, I called the nurse and asked to go to the restroom. I had a splitting headache from lack of food (we eat lunch at school at 10:54) and squinting at the odd angle of the television. Got to go pee. Then the OB came back in and said he wanted to check the fluid levels. Their portable u/s was really powerful. I definitely saw umbilical cord and a very well formed baby hand all bunched up. Fluid levels are fine! He said I might consider a scheduled induction since this is Baby #2, my cervix is ripe, and we live/work over an hour away. Ugh, I do NOT want another pitocin induction :(

Then he leaves and leaves the door open. Another gal gets admitted in the room next door because I could hear the nurses kick her family out of the room. I heard a nurse running down the hall. Then a tour comes through and the gal says "let's peak into room #6 for a moment" and I can hear footfalls in the doorway of my room (#5). Finally I call the nurse again and was going to ask if I could get my pants back on and go; she came in with my discharge papers all ready for me to sign. Time to go home 7:55. Stopped by the pharmacy and got Jon's meds.

At my car, I finally had the chance to call my dad and let him know why I didn't get to his house earlier (I was supposed to stop by for a visit at 6:30), but said I'd still stop by with the cookies I made for his birthday. Got a burger at Jack in the Box and checked my blood sugars before I ate. 70!!! No wonder I had a headache. Visited with dad for only about 30 minutes then went home. Got home just a few minutes ago. I'm exhausted.