4.21.2010

Do you know what a cerclage is?

Not that many people do…

Unless you have gone through it, know someone that has gone through it, or if you are a nurse in the ob/gyn field.

What kind of question is that for a title though right? It is the reason I have been down for a couple of days…

It is a procedure that I am very {unfortunately and fortunately} familiar with. This procedure involves a stitch around the cervix to help hold it closed during pregnancy. You know the drawstring bags? Where you pull the sides and the whole thing cinches together? Yep-that is what a cerclage kind of looks like except it is wrapped around the base of the cervix. And it’s not like a simple thread or stitch. It is thick and strong material. (There are a couple of types of the stitch but this is the one that my Dr. uses and is actually the most common)

Sounds gross…painful…not fun…scary…risky…

yep.

Why in the world would I be so familiar with it? When I was pregnant with Shayne, everything was going along as expected and wonderful. Until the twenty week sonogram. The only good thing about that day was that we found out we were having a little girl. The rest was…scary…painful…risky…gross…etc. The sonographer tells us at that sonogram “You are funneling. I need to talk to your Dr. now.” It wasn’t a little. It was a lot. My Dr. {at that time} was my next appointment. While I was walking in the hallway to meet with her she stopped me and said that I had to head over to the perinatologist at the hospital now. Hmm…I was kind of in panic mode. We had another sonogram and then they hooked me up to the machines and told me to wait a few minutes. The Dr. would be in soon. My Dr. and the high risk Dr. spoke. Both came in to talk to me at different points. “You are already dilating. 1cm—going on 2. And you are contracting. (apparently that’s what cramps are when pregnant?!? I had no idea! It was my first kid! And they didn’t hurt!) There are a couple of options. 1. Bed rest. 2. Cerclage 3. Cerclage and bed rest. 4. premature labor within a short amount of time and the baby isn’t viable.” Hmm…wow. They both decided that my best option was 3. So I was sent downtown to another hospital via ambulance. The EMT had her hand on my stomach and said “That tightening feeling you just had…let us know if that happens again.” She was calm. I was trying to be calm. I was busy praying that everything would be okay. Paul had to follow in the car behind the ambulance. So did my twin. Like maniacs driving around.

It was horrible. In the OR, the anesthesiologist was a jerk. He kept yelling at me to hunch over for the spinal. “OVER your stomach!!” I was crying—not loud—just the silent tears rolling down my face. The Dr. came over to me and hugged me and helped me lean the correct way. I had to stay overnight at that hospital. I was still contracting and bleeding now…thanks to the cerclage. The next day…everything was fine. I got to go home. And was on bed rest until I had Shayne only 11 days before her due date (the cerclage was removed at 36 weeks).

Thank God for this procedure.

BUT because of this emergent one…all following pregnancies mean…yep…scheduled cerclage. Usually between 12—14 weeks.

So here we are at almost 13 weeks. I had the cerclage done yesterday. It was nice that I was actually under general anesthesia this time (I was for Stormy also but not with Connor or Sage). It was fast and simple (ha). I joke with the people there that ask me if I have any questions. Nope—been there done that. Repeat offender here. 5th time for having this procedure. They all think I’m funny and are amazed at how big our family is.

But I have to take it really easy for a couple of days after. And then…just have to take it easy when I hurt. There are few other rules but you can research those on your own if you feel so inclined. This has turned into the longest post ever.

I did have Paul take my picture at a hospital after the procedure. What does a person look like that is almost 13 weeks pregnant with her 5th child, that is starving because of not being allowed to eat because of surgery, that has just come out of general anesthesia a couple of hours before?

IMG_5931   tired. And yes—the belly is showing. It’s almost impossible to hide being pregnant with your 5th child after oh—about 5 weeks. HAHA.

Wanna know where this pic was taken?

At the ER of a different hospital because of something for Connor…next post coming up soon on this event.

1 comment: