Home. My German-language-filled Holidays.

I've been home now for 1 week. Where was I? Someplace warm? Someplace exciting? Well, no, not really. I was admitted on the afternoon of December 24th, just as I was beginning to prepare the evening meal to share with my inlaws, to the Uni-Klinik in Muenster for observation.

Minimum 2 day stay.

They did not like the 24-hour blood pressure test results. What is that you ask? Because I am high-risk, the perinatologist (high-risk OB) wanted me to track my BP for 24-hours. I went to my local Hausartzt (regular doc) who fitted me with a BP cuff and a machine that would track the measurements. It went off every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night.

As I was admitted, they placed an IV. Thankfully, the doc who placed the IV admitted it would hurt. And it did. They started a magnesium sulfate drip - to prevent strokes and seizures for my sporadically high BPs. (We're talking 5 times in a 24-hour period of 180/130 BPs. Yikes!)

Then they sent me up to ICU. Where I was hooked up to all kinds of machines for monitoring.

They ran lots of lab work.

And came back and explained they were treating it as severe preeclampsia and would back off appropriately.

I stayed there for 2 weeks. Of the 2 weeks, I was on an IV drip for 12/14 days.

During that time, my german language skills improved so much that I was able to watch german TV AND understand it enough to laugh! Seriously. Of course, I tended to watch cartoons - Sponge Bob is still funny in german.

After nearly 1 week of good labs, I begged them to let me go home.

I've been home now 1 week and in a state of hibernation. I guess you could say I was/am in shock from it all.

While there, we toured the NICU, met with the neonatologists who explained what we could expect from a baby born at 28/29 weeks gestation, met with the anesthesiologist, was re-explained what a c-section is and how it is done in Germany, had daily NSTs (sometimes more than one when little girl was sleeping) and shared a room with strange German women.

I had a follow-up appointment today at the Klinik. My dx is officially mild preeclampsia. I'll be seeing the peri every 2 weeks and my regular OB every 2 weeks - basically one appointment per week.

So far, I'm okay and little girl is okay. Tomorrow is 31 weeks gestation. I'm so thankful to still be pregnant but recognize that the road ahead is quite long. Lots of time for lots (either good or bad) to happen.

I've ordered 2 prenatal yoga dvds to help me STOP stressing (he he - yeah, if you know me you can imagine how obsessed I've become with this all). Hopefully they'll arrive within the next 2 days - amazon.de and amazon.co.uk ship amazingly fast.

For now, I'm enjoying my time with Bubba Joe. Oh - and loving the household help that has taken over all household chores - laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. I really am able to just relax and enjoy my family.