flashback: january 6 - 14, 2009

It was the 2nd day into the work week of the new year. I was praning because I learned that a faculty in school was expecting a normal delivery but had a last minute cs. I was praning because I thought that I gained a lot of weight over the holidays, and that I might have cs too. So I thought of visiting my “other” ob at healthway after office.

“36 weeks ka na noh? IE kita.” “Po??” “Para sure lang.” It was my first experience of internal exam ever, and a very memorable one at that...”Oh my, 3cm ka na.” “Hindi nga po?” then i got scared. Very calmly she advised me to see my real OB that same night, and take a taxi home. I was very surprised because I wasn’t feeling any symptom of pre-term labor at all! In fact, my holidays were so busy that my relatives were worried for me: Enchanted Kingdom, Christmas parties, birthday parties, our 1st wedding anniversary celebration, Rands coming home, Manila Ocean Park. On my way home, that was when I realized that it must be precisely why my cervix has started dilating already!

The following day, my visit to my OB confirmed my dilatation. I was tested positive for UTI, which was the most probable cause, according to them, so I had to treat it with antibiotics. I was also given medicine to prevent my uterus from contracting because I was only 36 weeks and three days, too early for baby to survive normally. Once I reached my 37th week, it would be safer. Needless to say, I was advised to bedrest. And so it was all so suddenly that I left my tasks at the office, and that I started on an indefinite sick leave.

Our sala would be my bedroom for the next 7 days. My mom would even get my clothes and things for me from the 2nd floor, just so I could literally lie down again after eating or going to the bathroom. I was again praning to strain my bowels or laugh out loud, lest I want my baby to come out already. I even missed the chance to personally shop for my baby’s stuff; my sister did it for me a day into my bedrest ordeal.

January 14, Wednesday, when I woke up in the morning, I thought I had to go to the bathroom, but not quite.. Then I remembered what my cousin said, that the same sensation was already signalling her first stage labor for her last baby. I did not tell my mom that I was feeling this every three or four hours throughout the day. I was even able to watch TV in my room upstairs (yes, I dared!) that night, and I started wearing my watch at around 9pm so I can time my contractions. I continued to watch TV downstairs, and settled in my sofa after the evening news.

I struggled to find a comfortable position, and when I shifted, whooosssh! My water bag broke! It felt like I peed a lot in my shorts. I looked at the clock: 11:45pm. I woke my mom up, then she started to panic! She got dressed, she brought me down some clothes, and she brought down the bags too. While I got dressed, she woke my dad up, and she got a taxi.

The hospital was just 5 minutes away from the house, but the trip seemed to last for hours! I was just quietly enduring the contractions, and my parents were also quiet in the taxi. Finally we reached UDMC at 12 midnight.