recaps of the last six weeks

1.  The Hospital Stay 

The stay at the hospital was not what I remember from the prior two pregnancies.  I actually enjoyed the visits, and the food, and the TV, and the serenity.  This time around, not so true.  In fact, it was the worst experience EVER.  And this is probably not even the worst it is going to become once the "new health care" kicks in. 

The shifts between nurses did not TALK to each other.  Each time the shift changed, I had to explain my situation to the new incoming nurse.  Thank God I was in the maternity ward so that was a little bit self-explanatory!!  I would not have wanted to be on a different floor with an unknown situation. 

The time it took for the nurses to move me out of labor/delivery to the recovery room was HOURS.  Like 2:00am to 10:00am.  All I wanted to do was sleep and the nurse kept me awake because she kept promising to move me.  That never happened.  As did the sleep, that never happened either.

So, with ZERO sleep and within hours of delivering a baby who weighed 7 pounds of my 11 pound weight gain.  Plus the placenta.  My blood pressure stayed extremely HIGH.  Is it any wonder?  I am a nervous/anxious person without pregnancy so why is it a surprise that my blood pressure was elevated?  And WHY does the NURSE insist on taking the blood pressure when I am COMPLETELY pissed off at the SHIFT for their neglect, disorganization, and unprofessionalism. 

I held my breath during blood pressure readings.  Result:  HIGH.  I was full of anxiety.  Especially when they would take the reading and the cuff would reset itself... I knew then that the reading would be higher than normal. 

The nurse took my new baby and did not return her for HOURS.  I called the nursery every 30 minutes.  How long does it take to give her a bath?  In fact, when she was returned to me... she was still messy.

The on-call Doctor was a b***h.  She would not even give me a moment of her time.  She did not even check in on me over the next 12 hours.  She poked her head into the room ONCE... and it was to ask the nurse a question.  Where oh where is my beloved doctor???

Finally moved to the recovery room. 

OKAY, who was SICK?

Was it the person who delivered my meal from the cafeteria?  Was it the Tech or Nurse who didn't bother to show up for work the next day?  Was is the other Nurse?  Was it the other Tech?  Was it the lady who came around to educate me on State Immunizations?  Was it the chaplain from the hospital?  Oh, and why is that person here??  Was is the Lactation Consultant?  Was it the hospital photographer? 

My doctor showed up the next morning.  Thank God.  He left orders with the nurses regarding my discharge.

On my last day, the day of discharge from the hospital, the nurse nor the tech even bothered to show up for work.  Not one person followed my doctor's orders.  In fact, I did not see one person for 12 hours.  Someone finally returned my baby again.  After another 12 hours!! 

The nurse who happened to be there (just never seen) upon my discharge was more concerned with the tightness of the carseat straps than my discharge orders.  I could have had a serious blood-clot or hemorraging condition and that did not even matter compared to the carseat situation. 

I finally arrived home.  I was very happy to be in our safe, quiet haven.   I would have been in a strait jacket by morning had I had to stay one more night in the hospital.  I arrived home about 9:00pm. 

Until I woke up at 11:00pm with the FLU.  The FLU.  YES, that's right, the FLU!  Again.  This was bad.  My baby is 2 days old and I have the FLU. 

I spent the next two days in bed at home.  Trying to isolate myself from the rest of the family. 

It did NOT work.  Because my FLU transformed itself into another viral form and was passed along to daughter #1. 

Daughter #1 was rushed to the Emergency Room at 4:00am because she could not breathe.  When a child tells you that he/she cannot breathe -- there is no waiting around.  She was admitted to the same hospital I just left a week ago.  She has the CROUP.  And some Resistant Airways Disease.  My FLU gave Daughter #1 the Croup.  UGH.

Three days later, the incubation period, Daughter #2 came down with the Croup.  This time I knew what to do without going to the Emergency Room.  Luckily.  But this is so not fun!

So far, Daughter #3 is somewhat safe.  Although she has horrible nasal congestion.  And when her breathing becomes labored, we go and stand in the steamy shower for five minutes so that she can breathe.  I cannot bear to stick her head in the freezer after the steam.  So I just let the cool humidifier blow air on her.  She is just one week old at this time.  She is on the verge of becoming ILL.  So I am doing everything I can to prevent a full blown case of RSV or Croup or whatever other illness we could possibly catch. 

And three days later after Daughter #2, my mother comes down with the FLU.  The adult version of the Croup -- which is what I had. 

The only Flu escapee is my husband who was currently working out of town!!

We spent the first two weeks of baby girl #3's life -- fighting the FLU. 

The only positive aspect of this situation was that I lost all plus more baby weight in 5 days.  I packed up the maternity clothes on day 7 when I could slip into all my prepregnancy clothes.  So for me, nursing doesn't take off the baby weight  -- it was the FLU -- compliments of my hospital visit.