Baby on Lockdown -Cerclage #2 placed

http://moresunshineafterrain.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-on-lock-down-cerclage-story.htm

I'm attaching the link to my first cerclage placement in July 2008 mainly for background info.

I have to start out by thanking everyone for your support and your thoughts/prayers. Thanks y'all!

I had my surgery scheduled for 12w4d on a Tuesday-exact gestation and day of the week as last time. Well Saturday I started feeling really sick with a scratchy throat and a low grade fever. My little one is sick, has been for awhile, but I rarely, rarely get sick. My husband says I have the best immune system. So Saturday I started thinking maybe I already had an infection...because I don't usually just get a common cold. The fever continued all day Sunday. I decided to get my husband to take me to get some Pho, vietnamese soup (chicken variety helps me when I'm sick). I make it spicy with the red sauce and some fresh jalapenos. (it comes w/those) I started feeling better but my fever was still hanging around. Sunday night I broke down and took some tylenol...I hate taking stuff when pregnant. Heck, I hate taking stuff when not pregnant. I know they do bloodwork about 48 hrs before my surgery and it came back normal, but I have no idea what they test. I'm sure they can't tell if I had/have an infection.

Well, Sunday night I had cramping too due to an irritable uterus as my little one wouldn't sleep and was screaming. My husband tried to help, but he sucks at putting little one to sleep. So, when I finally took him back...he fell asleep in 1 minute. He just likes sleeping with mama, but my husband was pissed it was so easy for me to get him to sleep as he had been trying for hours. I have a very irritable uterus and little things set it off -my dogs barking, my little one crying (I hate that it does), other loud noises.

Monday, I took it easy and took the day off from work. Over the weekend, I only left the house to go get some soup. Monday the nurse calls to tell me the directions (don't eat after 3am, etc). She asks me if I have a cough or a fever. Monday my fever was gone, so I said no. I've been having a cough in the morning...well I cough one time and I think it is allergies. I was probably more worried about having a fever and they wouldn't do the surgery.

On Tuesday, the day of surgery, I had the worst luck ever. Snow was falling on the way over to surgery and on the way back...we never get much snow. We got the most snow since 1985. Not only that, a rock hit my car and now I have a huge chip in my windshield. We get to the surgery center and I'm not nervous about the procedure, but I'm more nervous that they will detect a fever or my dr won't show up due to the bad snow. Mind you, we are not prepared for snow where I live. It is also bad luck because all the nurses are kinda distracted because of the snow falling. I think they are short stacked and they are worried that they will have to pick up their kids. I think the nurse was so distracted that she never took my temperature before the surgery. All my worry for nothing...

The anesthesiologist comes to talk to me. I see what they are giving me...never noticed last time. It is propofol (sp?). I think that is the stuff that Michael Jackson used to go to sleep. Then another anesthesiologist comes and she was the lady that I had last time. She says she will give me the exact amount that they gave me last time. When I was 12, I woke up in surgery due to not enough anesthesia. Well, yesterday apparently I started waking up, so they gave me more. ugh! I need more details. After the surgery, my dr came to update my husband but he didn't write anything down. I was still out because of the 2nd dose of stuff they gave me. I didn't have nausea this time though! Yea! I always get that.

Oh, I forgot to mention that if you read what happened last time, my husband told me I was only back there for 5 minutes in surgery. Yesterday, I reminded him of this and he says 'oh no you were back for 20-30 minutes'. Ugh, that makes more sense now. I ask the dr and he says 30 minutes and I was in surgery for 30-35 minutes. I noted the time this time.

The dr told my husband that the baby's heartrate dropped from 150 something to 140 something, but it was normal. Last time, the baby's h/r didn't drop, so of course that makes me worry. He says he could see where they placed the cerclage last time. I think there are 4 points of insertion. The dr says he put the cerclage in a different location this time. Avoided those puncture wounds from last time and did it on clean spots...Oh, the nurse did take my temperature after the surgery and it was normal. Oh, before the surgery, I asked my dr about stairs and he said I could within the next 10-14 days, but to only do it once or twice a day. He says 'well you can run a marathon now, but it will cause bleeding, but it doesn't mean you are losing the baby. But you will bleed if you do too much' He is talking about the next 10-14 days on bedrest while the cervix heals. Don't you love the comment about doing a marathon. My dr is not conservative at all. Of course, when I tell him 'I'm going home to play in the snow.' He says 'you want to take it easy today'. I told him that I was joking. :)

I hope infection stays away and that the cerclage holds until full term. Even though it worked before, I still get scared that it won't work.

If you don't want the TMI details, stop reading now. I'm writing the following info because I know people who go through cerclages want to be prepared on what to expect.
Last time, I had red spotting immediately and then pink on the day of and the next day. I had peachy spotting for one week or more. I had bad cramping the entire first day or surgery but really bad at night.

This time, I didn't go to the bathroom immediately after surgery. The nurses as I mentioned before were in a hurry to get me out. I think they should have kept me for 45 minutes after surgery,but honestly I think I was out in 20 minutes or so. They wanted to get home to their families. I had moderate cramping immediately after surgery once I woke up. All the way home, I had it...When I got home, I was able to eat lying down,but I had a good appetite. My cramping was still moderate most of the day, but I didn't take my pain meds (dr prescribed hydrocodone, but I never take this crap and didn't take it last time. I have the prescription filled just in case though.) I told my dr that I would take tylenol if hte pain was bad, but so far I haven't had to take it. My cramping stopped in the late afternoon. I still have some minor cramping when I go to the bathroom (which is less than normal right now). I'm surprised I didn't have cramping last night or through the night. Last time, it was really bad. Overall, my recovery has been better than last time. Maybe my cervix is used to the trauma. I went to sleep twice for some naps.

That is all I have, although I'm sure I will remember more later.