My Premmy Story. warning, scarey to some.

Hi Guys,

Not sure if i'm supposed to post in here, but thought i would share with you what happened with my son some 11 years ago.
i'll start at the beginning.

late Nov 1995 i discovered i was pregnant. i was wrapped, as was my long time boyfriend, but things didn't stay happy for long. i had violent morning sickness that put me in hospital on a drip because i was dehydrating. after a 4 day stay, they let me go home again. things got bad with my OH. he started getting violent and instead of leaving or showing him the door, i decided it was my fault that he hit me and if i didn't upset him, it wouldn't happen. you know the delusional stuff you tell yourself.

when i was 26.2 weeks pregnant, we got into an argument and i got kicked repeatedly in the stomach. that was on the wednesday night. at 10am on the thursday morning, i went into labor. contractions started at 9 minutes apart and i panicked. i got my mum to take me to hospital.
i got to hospital and they put a foetal monitor on me and did an examination. they discovered that my waters were leaking. then it was their turn to panic, and i kinda wish they'd hidden it because it did nothing for my blood pressure.

anyway, next minute they said i have to go to melbourne (i was in east gippsland), and i found myself in an ambulance. then i was on a plane! they told me to relax, but here i was freaking out at being in labor, knowing my waters had broken, in a very strange/scarey environment and hadn't been on a plan. fat chance i was going to relax :lol:

anyway, we arrived at what i later found out what the royal womens hospital in melbourne and they did a series of tests. put the monitor back on, gave me an injection in each leg because of my sons lungs not being developed enough. i dont remember what it was called. anyway, they also gave me ventilon to stop the labor, but that only gave me heart palpitations. they did an exam, this was early afternoon saturday. they put the monitor back on and said that he was in distress, and that i was 3cm dilated, so bub was obviously coming out. so we went off for a c-section.

afterwards, i didn't get to see him for 3 days, it was bloody hard. i cried constantly. eventually i was allowed to see him on the 9th floor, and was allowed to hold his hand in the humidicrib. at 5 days old i got my first cuddle, my mum was there and she said he was dressed up like krusty the clown in his IV suit.
he weighed 2lb 2oz, (1016grams).
at 6 days old he got septicemea (sp?) and stopped breathing, he was 3 weeks old before i got to cuddle him again :(
the doctors did an ultrasound on his heart and he was found to have a murmur, from a valve not closing in his heart properly. they tried medication (indecid) to see if that would work, which thank god it did because he avoided surgery.

a couple of things i forgot, he started on 1ml of milk per hour, and a great weight gain was 24 grams overnight. actually, any gain was great!

we had a few more ups and downs, but finally they let my boy come home, 3 days before my birthday!

today, he is 11 years old, still has a slight murmur but is otherwise a healthy boy!

im sure i've forgotten heaps, but thats my story.

funny, i feel strangely relieved for putting this all down. maybe i needed to!

hope i haven't bored you guys

Jenna

Wow you did so well Jenna to make it through such a hard experience :hug: which you had to endure through absolutely no fault of your own. That is fantastic that your son is a thriving 11-year-old despite his early arrival. My daughter was born at 27 weeks after my membranes ruptured for no apparent reason, but she is doing well too and its always good to hear of older kids who are big and healthy now despite being born so early. Take care.

Jenna, thank you for sharing your story with us huni. What a scarey time for you.
I am so hoping that you got rid of that boyfriend and are on to happier times now sweety.

Hi Jenna,
Glad you found your way here!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It must have been such a scarey time for you, not only having to deal with an abusive relationship but then having to cope with the trauma of premature birth and all that comes with it.
I am so glad that your DS is now a healthy 11 year old!

Welcome Jenna and thanks for telling your story! It's great to hear that your DS is now a happy healthy 11 year old.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm so happy everything worked out, it must have been so hard for you. :grouphug:

Wow, you're amazing. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks guys, i owe everything to the RWH in carlton!

Im not with that guy any more thank god, havent seen him since my daughter was 14 months old, she's now 8!

Im in a very strong, loving relationship, and am just soooooo lucky!

Jenna

Wow what a story. Thank you for sharing it with us

Hi Jenna,

Thank You for sharing your story with us. You went through so much with your son being born premmie aswell as the emotional and physically abuse you received. Im happy to hear he is long gone and you are in a happy loving relationship again!
How far along in your pregnancy are you? and was your daughter born at full term?

Hi Nickers,

Im 8wks 2 days into this pregnancy. My daughter was born at 36.5 weeks, via c-section and perfectly healthy.

Jenna

Tunsa congrats on your 3rd little miracle :)
What an amazing story - I'm 27 weeks & yesterday heard of 2 babies being born one at 29 weeks & the other at 24 weeks(1 of a friends relative & at the hospital Dp works at) which sent me into panic just thinking about it.