Preventative Cerclage

I realize that all my research about incompetent cervix did not prepare me for the roller coaster of another pregnancy. I'm just as lost as anybody else. I question everything and find everything frightening. Baby B has survived the first trimester.

I had the cerclage placed on August 5TH. I went in at 5:30am. My nerves were completely shot. I felt like I might throw up. I had asked my OB ahead of time to give me antibiotics following the procedure but he refused. I cried about it the night before. I was frightened of infection. I was determined to talk my OB into giving them to me.

The first couple of hours were spent getting changed into a gown, getting an IV, and waiting around. Just before I was taken to the operating room for the procedure the nurse tried to listen to the baby's heartbeat. She couldn't find it. My heart began to pound. My doctor took the doppler and attempted to find the heartbeat. I couldn't even speak. I was so afraid. I lay there while they located a portable ultrasound machine. I don't think I took a breath while I waited to see the baby come into view. Then it was there, moving with a lovely little heartbeat.

I was taken to the operating room. The anesthesiologist was there to give me an epidural. Because of my past experience, I knew that she might have difficulty placing the spinal in the usual place I let her know that previously they had place it higher. I wanted to avoid the multiple sticks I endured the first time. She felt my spine and said she could feel some scoliosis in the area they normally place it and she placed it higher. I still wouldn't call it loads of fun, but she got it in fairly quickly. I laid back on the bed and scooted into position. Then I had a moment to talk to my OB as he prepped. "Please let me have antibiotics." He refused. "Please, I'm frightened of infection. Can you just give them to me to ease my mind?" I pleaded and pleaded but he refused. They strapped my arms down and my OB began his work. Everything seemed surreal. Everyone was talking and laughing, but I don't have a clue what they were saying. I lay there with tears streaming down my cheeks, helpless to wipe them away. The nurse would ask me every so often if I was alright and I would tell her that I was just nervous. Everyone's words blended together so much that my OB had to say my name several times at the end of the procedure to get my attention. "I was able to get 3cm of cervix. We'll have none of that hourglass opening this time." I'm not sure if I replied or not. Then it was over. I was moved to a bed and rolled into recovery.

I don't remember anything about my emergency cerclage or the recovery time after the cerclage that I had placed when I was pregnant with Jamie. I just remember waking up in my hospital room needing to use the restroom. This time I was fully aware of everything. I kept feeling my legs because it still felt like they were in the stirrups. The monitored my blood pressure and heart rate. Matthew was brought in to keep me company and my breakfast was ordered. After about an hour I began to feel really trapped by the inability to move. I wanted to bad to roll over on my stomach and go to sleep. There was no television for a distraction. I began to feel a little panicked. I struggled to make my legs work, but it was no use. I had Matt call the nurse and they helped move me up in the bed so that I could work the bed controls and change my position.

It took nearly five hours for me to regain any movement and nearly six before I could walk and go home. I was told to stay on bed rest for twenty-four hours and then "light activity" for the next couple of weeks.

That night I had a lost of cramping and a pinching feeling in my vagina. I have continued to have cramping and occasionally that pinching feeling. I've had quite a bit of cervical mucus. There was enough that I even became concerned that my membranes might have ruptured and I went to the OR to let them check. Better safe than sorry. I saw my OB again on August 12TH. He checked the baby with the fetal doppler and this time was able to pick up the heartbeat just fine. He did a manual exam of my cervix and said that my cervix was closed. I had lost almost four pounds and he lectured me on increasing my calories.

My next appointment is September 9TH. I couldn't believe it was so long until my next appointment. I don't think I've ever had to wait that long. On top of that I won't have an ultrasound until the week after that. I've always wanted a "normal" pregnancy, but I don't like this part of it!! Knock on wood. I don't want any complications.