07 Nov 2003 - 4:13pm - A Scare - But Thankfully All Is Well

I'm home now, back from the hospital, and while feeling drained, tired, and achy, thankfully that is all I am feeling.

I went into work this morning, and around 11am I felt a pain so sharp in my lower abdomen that it had me doubled over at my desk. I could barely breathe, let alone speak, it hurt so much. And I'm sure the pain was only aided by the instant fear of "oh my god, what's happening? is the baby okay?" I could barely stand, let alone walk, but somehow I made it to the bathroom, and was able to get one relief: I wasn't bleeding, and there was no watery discharge.

So I tried walking for a few moments, and when that didn't ease the pain at all, I called my doctor. She was in with another patient, and so I spoke to a nurse. All the time I continued trying to walk, but I was almost doubled-over, and it was all I could do to keep my voice somewhat steady and answer questions. She told me to keep walking and that they would call me back.

I kept walking and started guzzling water, if mostly to keep my mind off my fears. I sent my husband a quick email to tell him to turn his cellphone on; he called me immediately after that.

The doctor returned my call twenty minutes later, and asked how I was doing. The intense stabbing pain was gone, but I continued to have dull yet profuse pain in my lower abdomen, and now felt a band tightening across my waist, that would loosen and tighten and loosen again. It was uncomfortable to be walking, and I was feeling light-headed and fatigued.

She told me that she wanted me to go to the Emergency Room. She was calling over to tell them that I was coming, and they wanted to monitor me for premature labor.

If those aren't words to inspire a bit of hysteria, I don't know what is. I desperately wanted John there, right then and there; I didn't want to be alone.

I don't honestly know how I made it out of my workplace in one piece, without breaking at all. I pulled my boss aside, told her what was happening, and then left. I was on the phone with John as I was out the door, and then it was a quick ride to Wellesley to get him, before dashing off to the hospital.

The pain was less by the time we got there, though I couldn't walk fast or well without feeling the same tightening pains and dull aching. It was better sitting, though I still felt achy and would occasionally feel a bit of tightening.

They sent us up to the maternity ward, where I was hooked up to monitors (one to monitor contractions, the other to monitor the baby), and had several samples taken for tests and an exam done. And then it was the long waiting for the test results, and the assurance that I was not, in fact, in premature labor.

Several hours passed; finally, everything came back negative. I was told to take it easy and get some rest, and not really do anything physical.

The doctor said that she believed I had 'lateral muscle strain' and that the ligments and muscles in the abdomen and area can spasm and effectively charlie horse. I likely had some Braxton-Hicks Contractions that caused my muscles to charlie horse, which then strained them - causing some to remain in tension, and resulting in the pain I was feeling whenever I stood or walked. I'm to call again if I get the same pain again, but thinks look good and okay at the moment, and they are not worried.

Still, it was one hell of a scare. And I cannot begin to say how relieved I am that it turned out to be a false alarm; "Relief" is not strong enough a word.

But now I am feeling overwhelmingly emotionally drained, and I think I am going to nap.