Catching up.

Alright, so I've been derelict in keeping everyone informed. My bad. So, let me catch everyone up.

On Jan 10th we had a doctors appointment to have an ultrasound and check on the baby. Amniotic Fluid levels at that time were down to 5. Our doctor was still unconvinced that Helen was ruptured and leaking amniotic fluid. So he did a second ferny test, where they swab a sample of the fluid vaginally and examine it under a microscope. If it looks like a fern, it's amniotic fluid. And again, he said it came back negitive.

So the last definitive test that could be done to determin if she was ruptured was to actually inject a dye into the amniotic sac. If we see blue dye... she's ruptured. Okay, lets do it. But he wanted to do that the following week.

After another sleepless night, Helen told me that she wasn't comfortable with having to wait another week. Helen called the Dr to see if there was a way to have to procedure done earlier. He had some time that morning if we could make it. Basically, it's similar to having an amniocentesis done, they use a long skinny needle, poke through her abdomen, uterus and into the amniotic sac to inject the dye. We were told that "Most women find that the anesthesia more painful than the procedure." Yeah right, how many of these women have had it both ways to have a decent frame of comparision.

Apparently, it hurt. A lot.

It's not a procedure that they advise doing unless it's a last resort since there could be serious potential problems. The fluid levels were so low, that the doctor had to place the needle into an area roughly the size of a 50 cent piece. If he missed or slipped, he could hit baby, ambilical cord or placentia. That's bad by the way.

Thankfully, everything went "normal" and we were put into another room for monitoring. Then sent home and told that if she saw blue, give him a call. Sure enough, 2 hours later... blue dye.

Essentially, the response we got was a "my bad" from the doctor but in his defense all the tests that were done previously had come back negitive. Except for the whole fluid leaking out and hey look at that... the level of amniotic fluid is going down too.... nah... can't be the same thing.

Now, there is a word I used to describe our doctor and the whole experience upto this point. And if ou're a fan of that 70's show and my favorite character, Red Foreman. You know what it is. If now, watch an episode of the show and you'll know what it is.

So... Helen's in the hospital.

Again.

But the hospital that we're at, this doctor isn't authorized to practice in.

So some changes have been made to accomedate for this. I'm taking a semester off of school, moved from night to days with less hours, stopped teaching and we have people from Church volunteering to babysit during the day. I get Ben ready and to school at 8 o'clock, Josh ready and on his bus by 8:15 and Morgan to the sitters by 9am for work. Then I pick Josh up from school at noon take him to the sitter where Morgan is at and go back to work till 2. Then pick up Josh and Morgan from the sitters and Ben from school.

Usually we'll go to the hospital and spend a couple of hours with Helen come home, have dinner (which is brought to us Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) get the kids to bed and do it all over again.

So how are we doing?

Eh... we're getting by.

We're not sleeping much, stressed and emotionally drained but at least Helen and the baby are in 24 hour hospital care and that's reassuring.

Being Mr. Mom isn't easy but I'm getting better. The kids are fed, clean and for all intensive purposes, happy. The house is presentable, trash is out, there are dishes that need to be done, our washer is frozen (we have people helping with laundry) and that's about it.

If you are in the local area, Helen would love visitors. She's at Utah Valley Regoinal Hospital in room 502. You can call her there or on her cell.

There you go... now... of back to work!

Thanks for all your help!