24 Week Steroid Shots

Two weeks ago the MFM nurse said they'd give me the steroid shots at 23w5d and 23w6d. I asked about it yesterday, and she said they were planning to give it to me this Wednesday and Thursday since they have me as hitting 24 weeks on Friday. I told her yesterday that if you go by my egg retrieval date, my due date is 10-3 (they have it as 10-5), which means I'm 24 weeks on Wednesday (today!). So she changed the orders, and I had my first shot last night and will have my second tonight. It is a big deal that I made it to the 24 week mark. Now he has a 50% chance of surviving in the NICU (compared to less than 25% a week ago). Of course we're hoping he'll stay in a lot longer for many reasons. First and foremost for his health and well being. Second, if he can wait until at least after July 1 then I can have him at Geisinger (30 minutes from our house compared to 105 minutes away). Third, if he can wait even longer than that then I can use some paid leave in the fall. I didn't get any paid leave for Nadia because she came exactly 8 weeks before the first day of the fall semester. I had 2 weeks of paid leave with Ian because he came 6 weeks before the first day of the spring semester (had he come on time I could have had 8 weeks of paid leave). If this one waits until at least 34w5d, I'll be able to take 8 weeks of paid leave, which would be a big help to us. I asked for this shot with Ian when I was in labor at 33 weeks, but the fetal fibronectin test was negative so they were sure I wasn't going to give birth within the next two weeks. Unfortunately the fFN test was wrong, and Ian might not have had Respiratory Distress Syndrome if I had the shot 7 days before he was born. They don't give the shots past 34w so it wasn't an option for Nadia at 36w.
They failed to mention the side effects other than that the medication would burn when injected. I couldn't sleep! I was wondering why I was having so much trouble sleeping, and then it hit me that steroids usually lead to some sleeplessness. I googled the drug (betamethasone) at 4am, and immediately saw sleeplessness listed as a side effect. I was really tired at 8:50, but I thought it was too early to go to bed (ironically I didn't want to wake up too early). Then I got a second wind as I was hooked in the book I was reading. I stayed up to finish the book and went to bed a couple of hours later. I am regretting that choice as it took me forever to fall asleep, and I didn't stay asleep for very long. It didn't help that a nurse came in and woke me up to ask me some questions (ex. are you bleeding, are you having contractions, etc.). I wanted to say, "I promise if I have any of those I WILL call you right away. Please don't wake me up to ask me those questions!" The previous night my nurse let me sleep. She never woke me up for vitals or anything, and I went to bed a little before 10pm that night. I guess I should avoid the expression "went to bed" since I'm in this bed almost 24 hours a day. I should say, "went to sleep for the night." If I feel tired at any point today, I am going to nap. I also finished my last book last night so I'm left with my laptop and tv for passing the time today. I did some grading last night and can finish that today.

I haven't seen any more blood. The next time (after the time I saw red blood) I had some pink, and after that nothing. I have had some discharge the past few days that I hadn't been having yet this pregnancy, which I only had with Nadia and Ian at the very end (within 2 weeks of my water breaking both times). I'm hoping there is some other explanation and that it's not because I'm losing my mucus plug. I'll be asking the doctor about that today. It had me rather upset yesterday. I remember seeing pictures of your 26 weekers, Regina, and I'm scared to death of seeing the one I'm carry in the NICU at 24 or 25 weeks. He looks cute in the ultrasound pics (in one pic his face looks more like Nadia and in the others he looks more like Ian), but I think my heart will break to see him out of the womb that early. Please stay in several more weeks, little one! I'm scared of having to wait a long time until I can hold him, which would happen if he came at 24w. That sounds so very hard, but if we have to go through that, God will give me the strength I need.

I really want to attend Nadia's gymnastics showcase on the 16th and see Jonah at Sight & Sound (her birthday celebration) on the 21st. I'm going to see on FB if anyone near us has a wheelchair they could loan us for those two events. Paul would be driving. I have an appointment down here in Harrisburg on the 21st. Hopefully that appointment won't take 2 hours as previous ones have as the appointment is at 10am and our show starts at 1pm (and the two locations are about 50 minutes apart). I'm thinking I'll ask either my parents or Paul's parents to pick the kids up here at the hospital and take them to lunch and to the show to make sure they aren't late. Hopefully Paul and I will also make it to the show on time.