This past week on Thursday afternoon I was admitted to a hospital because I was unable to eat or drink anything for 5 days. I don't remember if I updated my blog at the beginning of last week or not, but I was in the ER twice to get fluids on Monday and Tuesday. There was still no change and I was vomiting 1-2 times every hour. Mostly stomach acid and bile and spit. So I was admitted to the family birth center (if I choose a hospital birth, it will be there.) and I was there through Sunday (June 14th). I was on constant IV 24/7. They would have me on either saline liquids or glucose IVs alternating. At the same time, every 3 hours I would alternate between 2 nausea meds. They also put a little patch on my arm to help the nausea. All those only kept me from throwing up.
I shouldn't say ONLY kept me from throwing up. Throwing up has been so painful. More painful than any other vomiting I've experienced. But even with all these bags attached to my IV pole being slowly pumped into me, I was in bed most of all of those days. I couldn't walk, talking took so much energy. Forget about thinking. My nurses were constantly asking if I wanted or needed anything and they would ask if I would prefer to try crackers or popsicles to get something in my stomach. It was hard to make these little unimportant choices.
A lot of people have told me "oh yeah I've had trouble with morning sickness too." Or "What you're going through is really very common." Today when I posted on Facebook the condition I have and that it's pretty rare, someone commented "Well Kate Middleton had it with both of her pregnancies so it can't be that rare... just saying."
Here's the thing:
1.) Hyperemesis Gravidarum IS rare. And if you have it in one pregnancy, the chances are very high that you will have it with the rest of your pregnancies.
2.) Just because a celebrity/ royalty has it does not mean it's mainstream or popular. Oftentimes we see a celebrity wearing the latest trend or we see Kate Middleton with her perfect swooping curls and then we see it everywhere else in the world. The concept is unfortunately engraved in a lot of Americans that "If a celebrity has it, it's popular [or not uncommon]." That is not true. Poor Kate Middleton went through a very hellish time with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and did it at the same time as being in the spotlight of the world because she's married royalty and carrying a royal baby.
The thing about hyperemesis is that people don't understand that it's not just extreme morning sickness, or rough morning sickness... I don't know any better way to explain it than this brilliant woman did in her post. She also is experiencing it, and her honest and open post educated me to realize that I am not just a wimp. It's not just normal or just morning sickness and I can't handle normal like others can. I felt very alone before this article. After I read it, I sent it to my husband to help him understand better and posted it on facebook for my friends to understand better. I relate to this woman so well. The only real difference is that I haven't needed a feeding tube or a PICC line. My OB at the hospital, while telling me about my diagnosis, told me to saddle up because I could very well be admitted to the hospital again for this.
**Update** Here's the link to the article. Forgot to post it in my initial post...
http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/hperemesis-gravidarum-its-not-morning-sickness.html
I would like to end with a positive outlook on things. There were some wonderful blessings while I was there. For one thing, on Friday morning we got to see our little one in an ultrasound and we learned that nothing was wrong with the baby - a HUGE sigh of relief for me. I was scared that my not being able to eat would affect the baby. We got to see our one little baby in there, and it was magical when we looked and saw a little flashing white light in the baby's chest. I remember the doctor saying "That's the baby's heart" and almost crying thinking how incredible and miraculous that a human body can create another human body. My husband was there with me for most of my hospital stay and I remember he was grinning from ear to ear throughout the ultrasounds. I felt like we really grew closer together and bonded in that moment and over the stay.
At one point on Saturday night, it was busy in the hospital and lots of women were having lots of babies in the rooms next to me. My nurse tried to come in a couple times but she was always pulled out for something else. None of us realized that I was way past due for my nausea meds. So I was feeling really miserable and about to throw up. My sweet husband did something that surprised me. I was in the fetal position trying to breathe slowly and praying in my head. He climbed on my bed next to me and gently rubbed my side and kissed my neck or head while I tried to get through it. Not that my husband isn't an affectionate or caring man... Its just that he usually only sits by the bed pressing acupuncture points with his fingers to try and relieve my nausea. This time, he comforted me without playing doctor. Usually he's scrambling to figure out a way to cure me, making us both frustrated in the process. This time, he laid next to me and helped me through it. That emotional support and love was more valuable and helpful to me than any other time he has tried to make me feel better. I thought it was a real breakthrough with our marriage. It was much easier waiting for my medicine with him comforting me in that way.
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