Pod Alert: “Not Just Yet!”

“I can’t wait until Pod gets here!” That’s what I said at the end of my last post (I was speaking figuratively, not literally.)

“Be careful what you wish for….” This weekend I was afraid that Pod might actually get here before we were ready (she’s due around August 24th). After months of having not only normal, but actually low, blood pressure, Mandy’s blood pressure skyrocketed, and stayed elevated for more than 24 hours. This came after having to leave work early on Friday because of some major swelling. The fear: preeclampsia. To complicate things further, poor Jeromy, suffering from some really bad poison oak, had gone to a 24-hour clinic and received a cortisone shot. What no one knew at the time was that Jeromy is allergic to cortisone, and his allergic reaction caused his blood pressure to reach the highest heights also. Unfortunately, the only thing that will fix his condition is time (the shot will just have to wear off).

A trip to the hospital for Mandy resulted in some lab tests (results will be back on Wednesday), orders to stay home on bed rest, and instructions to see her doctor if anything changes. If Mandy actually gets preeclampsia, the only remedy is to have the baby. So far Pod is hanging in there, and as much as I would love to see her, we all keep saying, “Not just yet.” However, Mandy is MY baby, and her health has to be considered, too.

I spent a lot of time with Mandy and Jeromy over the last few days, and it was good to have the chance to be there with them. I’m glad that we live nearby because I would have been sick with worry if I had to rely on phone updates. It’s 104 degrees here, and typically days like that cause me to hear Montana calling. However, after this weekend, I also hear a little voice that says, “Not just yet…”