Next month, I am definitely going to request my breakfast tray even on brunch day. We were summoned to the lounge at 11am, but I'm not exactly sure what time my plate was served. It was way too late for breakfast, especially as I had been up since 4am. I had eaten a banana at 5am and some cereal at 9am, but it wasn't enough. I had french toast, which I often have on my breakfast tray; so it didn't really seem that different than a normal breakfast. The potatoes were better than what they usually serve on the trays. I was one of nine antepartum patients there for the brunch. I hadn't eaten in the lounge since June 1 because the other Fridays I was either at home or on the 8th floor. Part-way through the meal I began to feel light headed, and finally I decided I just wanted to go back to my room. I had been trying to stay until the cinnamon rolls were served, as that isn't something we normally get for breakfast. They noticed that I wasn't feeling well and had me lie down for a minute on a couch in the lounge and then took me back to my room by wheelchair. By that time I also felt like I was going to throw up. They took my blood pressure, and it was up to 150. During the time I've been on Procardia (since July 5), my blood pressure rarely gets over 100. My top number is often in the 70's, 80's, or 90's; so 150 was a big jump. They turned out the lights in my room, gave me a cool washcloth, and said they were ordering me some anti-nausea meds for my iv. The next time they checked my blood pressure, it had come down a lot. They gave me a different anti-nausea medication than they gave me last Friday morning because they knew I hadn't slept well and Phenergan is supposed to make you drowsy.
Shortly after they gave me the medication, my mom and brother arrived in my hospital room. If I could go back in time, I would have either passed on any medication OR asked for the one they gave me last week. I didn't like the effect the Phenergan had on me. Maybe if I had been able to sleep it off, I would have felt differently, but I didn't want to take a nap when my mom and brother were here. Awhile later my mom gave me some Saltine crackers, and I felt much better after eating those. I truly think the Phenergan made me feel much worse rather than better. I felt better as the day went on, but I never felt back to normal. I went to bed before 8pm and thankfully slept until 5:30am (minus the 12am vitals and medication interruption). I woke up feeling back to normal. It was great to see my mom and brother. I only wish I hadn't been under the effect of Phenergan while they were here. I asked the nurse to make a notation in my record that I never want that medication again. The other one cured my nausea without any side effects. It was so nice to have some company after three days alone in my room. They brought me a stawberry milkshake from McD's. I enjoyed it later in the day when my stomach was feeling better. It was great to be able to see my brother one more time before he leaves to teach at Amazon Valley Academy in Belem.
I wish I had thought to give my mom my dirty laundry. She could have washed them and brought them back to me on Sunday when they come to pick up Nadia and Ian. Last weekend Paul took them on Friday and brought them back on Saturday after his aunt washed them for me. Originally, he was going to come down this Saturday and go back on Sunday so I thought my laundry could be done on Saturday night, but after realizing how stressed out he was, I suggested that he ask his parents if Nadia and Ian could stay with them Thursday morning through Sunday morning, and then they could bring the kids down to the hospital to spend a little time with me before they went to Maryland for six days with my family. This means he'll go nine days without seeing the kids and fourteen days without seeing me, but hopefully he can make a lot of progress on his article during those nine days. I hope so as I've never gone anywhere near fourteen days without seeing my hubby before!
This morning they needed to take my iv tube out. They were going to put a new one in, and I asked if I could go without any. Amazingly, they said yes! We shall see how many days I go without an iv in my arm. The next time I start bleeding or Oliver needs another transfusion, they'll be putting another one in. I'm going to ask today about discontinuing the Procardia. I don't enjoy the side effects, and preterm labor hasn't been my problem. I'll have my eleventh P17 shot today.
Yesterday I learned that we are allowed to request things from the 11th floor cafe. I was given a menu and told I can request something off that menu if I don't like any of the choices on the food service menus. I wish they had told me about this several weeks ago, but I'm glad to know it now. I had originally ordered a ham and cheese wrap for dinner tonight, but this morning I changed that to a taco chip salad and refried beans, which sounds yummy. It will be nice to add a little variety to the weekly routine because usually there's only one thing I like for each meal so I end up picking the same things each week. Now I know to ask for both menus each week. Maybe I should start asking for the menus today to make sure I get them on time.
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