Last night the dream was about false/preterm labor bringing me to the hospital where they were testing me for everything they tested me for when I was admitted. The best part of the dream was when they successfully placed an I.V. in a better spot than in my wrist like last time. The remainder of the dream was randomly spent driving to costco to get my friend Tamara contacts.
I'm so thankful for Ambien. I know I can't sleep without it; believe me, I've tried several times. My body is just way too uncomfortable at this point to sleep through the night without assistance.
I've decided that when I get checked in for real labor I'm going to make a big fuss about who puts my i.v. in and who draws my blood. Last time nurses who weren't well practiced in drawing blood or i.v. placement poked me about 3 more times than necessary because they couldn't get into my veins. I have something that some call rolling veins or collapsing veins which is exactly what it sounds like. The nurse will stick the needle in towards a vein and the vein collapses or rolls away from the point of entry. In some instances the nurse will keep the needle inside me and dig around in my skin trying to get into my vein. No Fun!! I found that the phlebotomists from the hospital lab always got it right the first time when it came to drawing blood, and the charge nurse was best at placing an i.v. I'll have to tell Larry my opinions on the matter because I may be in too much pain to explain myself when I'm there.
Bedrest at the hospital was definitely much easier than at home for several reasons:
It's easier to get out of a hospital bed to go to the bathroom, to sit up to eat and receive visitors.
Food is prepared for you and snacks are available upon request.
The view from the hospital room was nicer than the weeds in our backyard.
The rollaway tray put everything I needed within close reach.
There were plenty of seats for guests to sit on while visiting.
The adjustable bed made it very easy to stay comfortable throughout the day.
The physical therapist would see me several times a week to make sure I was keeping up on my exercises and she would offer solutions to the new aches and pains I was experiencing.
The shower had a seat I could use while showering which kept me from experiencing the excruciating round ligament pain I get now while stand up showering at home.
Visitors could show up any time at the hospital and it was always a welcome surprise.
At home I have to receive guests in the living room while laying on my side because sitting up is very uncomfortable and brings on contractions.
Time went by faster in the hospital because there was a regular schedule to each day.
The pros of being home are:
I get to sleep in the same bed with my husband.
Larry has much more time to get things done around the house because he's not having to rush back to the hospital to be with me.
I was allowed to direct the organization of the nursery from a rocking chair.
The toilet is 6 feet closer to me than it was at the hospital.
I don't have to wear hospital gowns.
In spite of the fact that me being home creates more work for Larry, he prefers it to the hospital hands down. When we were at my last appointment Dr. Winkler commented that I'm probably much more mobile at home than I was at the hospital. I responded by pointing at Larry and saying "That's not the case with me, he won't let me." Dr. Winkler commented on how lucky I was because most husbands expect their wives to go back to semi-active duty once they're home and then they end up right back in the hospital on bed rest or active labor.
In conclusion I'm going to try to create a daily schedule (for the days when I don't have guests) which includes: meal times, pill times, nap time, internet time, reading time, and shower time. This way I'll be able to fill the day before Larry returns home and I won't be focused on how uncomfortable I am all day long.
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