Hello hospital

The last week has been kinda weird in that last Tuesday night I started having contractions, which are called Braxton Hicks, but mine were a bit stronger and scared me a lot. I've been having these for the last few weeks, which is normal and the nurse from my antenatal class told me that it is to be expected. I hadn't worried so much about them until the other evening when I was at the grocery and my stomach started tightening up and letting go to the point that I thought I was going into labor. It had been doing this, at this level, for two days, so... I went to the hospital/drs. ofc. and was admitted that night so that they could monitor me, give me meds to stop the contractions and make sure everything was ok. I got a shot/injection that nearly knocked me out, meds to strengthen the baby's lungs and another med to stop the contractions, which it did... the meds to strengthen the baby's lungs were a precautionary measure - just in case I delivered. That way, the baby would be - hopefully - able to breathe on his own and such.

Thankfully, the baby is ok, I'm ok and the contractions have stopped - for the most part. I've been having a few today but nothing like last week. I'm on bedrest until Sat. I go back to the dr. then to make sure all is fine. If I had the baby now, he'd live, but the bad thing is that I wouldn't be able to bring him home immediately, and I wouldn't be able to have him in the hospital of my choice. The only hospital equipped to handle a premature baby is Salmaniya - the govt hospital here, and I DO NOT want to have the baby there! So... inshallah (God willing), the baby waits and will be ok until my 38th week.

I've decided to have a c-section. I was gonna try for natural birth, but because of my age and because I've been having some probs w/ gestational diabetes, it'll be easier to have a c-section. Plus, I can arrange for that to be done and don't have to worry about anything. Or at least I hope :) From what we've gathered, looks like I'll have the c-section around Feb. 5th... so that means we're having an Aquarias baby! I was first thinking we'd have a Picses, but not now. I've read all sorts of things about young Aquarians and it seems as though they can be pretty stubborn and such, which isn't anything new cuz both me and the hubby are stubborn as all get out. In the Chinese calendar, we're having a boar. So w/ the mix of each of these and the mix of our genes, I'm hoping that we have a creative little spirit that loves music, art, animals and life. But don't all parents want their children to love what they love?

I haven't been doing a lot except watching TV. We decorated, or rather the hubby decorated, the Christmas tree lastnight. It's beautiful. I'll take a pic and post it the next time. I haven't wrapped my family's presents, but will have to do that tomorrow or the next day so that we can get this stuff in the mail.

The meds I'm taking make me really tired, so I haven't been online at all or reading blogs - which I miss a lot. Really, I haven't been doing a lot of anything. I get rather paranoid any time I feel tightening in my stomach .... afraid that I'm going into labor. But, thankfully, it hasn't happened and hopefully wont until it's time.

Oh... when I went to the hospital last week, I sent a message to my director to let him know what had happened and that I wouldn't be at work the following day, well.... the hubby goes to work the next day and says that I was in the hospital and what does everyone say and start spreading around??? That I had the baby. I got I don't know how many msgs asking if I had the baby and what was the sex or that they had heard I had the baby and wanted to know the sex. For some reason, it really pissed me off. I guess w/ the stress of everything, I couldn't appreciate it for anything other than gossip, which I loathe. I don't understand ppl saying something for the sake of saying it when they have no solid evidence or information. Yeah, maybe it's that ppl are excited or such... but I don't see it as that. Again, I'm sure the stress of it all, combined w/ the fact that I have three more months left, combined w/ the fact that I do not want to have the baby YET.... combined w/ ... IF I had had the baby, they would have known.... well... you get the point.

anyway.... this has been the exciting news as of late. I wanted to post about "The Opera in the Park" we went to two Thursdays ago, but I haven't as of yet. Thought Olivia might be interested in that. It was wonderful. We took blankets, sat under the stars, and listened to some beautiful singers from the UK and a pianist turn out some of the best tunes.... so.. when I get a few minutes of wanting to write, then I'll post some of the info on that for any of you that might like it.

Take care... and I hope to get around to some blogs that I dearly love in the next day or so. I miss all of you! :)