C is unable to post at this time. More info to follow soon.

From C's hubby

At least I can admit it!

I've come to the realization that I absolutely, positively hate being away from my husband. In fact, I honestly and truly need my husband. Of course, I realized this a long time ago. We are never away from each other for more than a few days (when I am visiting family and friends in Toronto or Montreal, taking students on field trips all over Ontario and Quebec...or when he's traveling for something work related or attending conferences off-island). Junior and I made it another week. 27 weeks and 4 days, baby! Our first week on hospital bed rest at Mt. Sinai went by faster than I thought it would. Thank you to my friends and family who have come by to visit and keep me company. You are the best! Thanks also to my bloggy friends! You've made the days go by faster as well! Canine, I hope you're not sick of me yet! ;)

I wasn't going to post any hospital photos, because I look really icky. Hubby was pretty tired too from the driving back and forth to visit Junior and yours truly. Don't you just love the sexy hospital gown? :) It gets better! I've been prescribed some compression stockings! Nice, eh? Though I have absolutely no signs of swelling, this is precautionary since pregnant women on bed rest can get blood clots. Blood clots = no good, hence the stockings. Oh, how sexy will I look dressed in a hospital gown and compression stockings!?!?!

(Image of my sexy compression stockings found here)

I didn't realize it would be so hard to be apart from Hubby like this. Again, for the most part I am fine. The baby is healthy, strong and doing great! It's just the worry that I may deliver any day or week! How do we know this?

1. The cervix is already effaced.

2. Baby has turned in head down position (though I realize he or she can flip around still, but for the most part, he or she has stayed in the head down position for a while now). Does this mean Baby is getting "ready"?

3. In the past two days (and sorry if I'm grossing you guys out with TMI) I've noticed mucus. Icky. I freaked out in the bathroom, thinking I had lost my mucus plug! Again, sorry for totally grossing you guys out! ;p

Ummm...Signs of labour there!? Scary! I just hope that if I do go into early labour, Hubby will be able to make it in time for the birth of our first baby. Remember, the Island is 6 hours by car from Toronto!

Anyway, like Fancy Pantsy was telling me when she visited me the other day, "Just take things one day and one week at a time". Of course, with all of these things happening way earlier than they are supposed to, naturally I feel a bit scared and overwhelmed. Okay, "a bit" would be an understatement. I'm scared out of my mind. My only consolation is that Junior is healthy, strong and developing well and I am in one of the best places in the world for dealing with high risk pregnancies like the one I have.

Apart from my husband, I also need...a nail clipper! Not to sound gross, but my talons need some filing down! Seriously, it's quite disturbing. I would love a pedicure! Hubby, if you're reading this, could you please bring me a nail clipper when you come visit us next? Thanks! ;p

...other than be a couch bed potato. Get it? Mmmmkay, so I'm not that funny after all.

It's hard to believe that it's been one week since I was air lifted to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. One week already! It's even harder to believe that it's been three weeks since my bed rest began. I am 27 weeks and 2 days pregnant. That's another week that Junior has stayed "inside". The doctors and nurses keep reminding encouraging me that every week day inside helps significantly. I really, really hope and pray that Junior doesn't arrive too early.

My mind is still swimming from the events that have unfolded over the course of the past few days. It still seems somewhat surreal to me that I was told a little over two weeks ago that my cervix was thinning already and that I'd be delivering my baby earlier than expected. It seems like just yesterday that I was told I would have to be on strict bed rest at home. No sitting. No walking. No going up and down stairs.

(Lucky Bamboo from GadgetGirl)

It also seems like a crazy dream that I was sent to the hospital on the island and then to the one in "the closest city" to said island...and then air lifted by air ambulance to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. It just seems so crazy! Everything happened so quickly.

I've been at Mount Sinai since Thursday night. That's almost five days now. I'm starting to get used to the idea of having to stay here until the baby is born. I'm trying to be positive and I'm trying to focus on making Junior stay in longer!

(Goodies from my aunts)

AvoidEverything's wife, SillyLizard visited me at lunch. Shortly after she went back to work, AvoidEverything showed up for a quick visit. Flowers from AvoidEverything and SillyLizard.

My aunts came by to spend some time with me before they had to catch their flight back to Montreal. It was a pretty good day.

(A piece of "home")

I spoke to some of my doctors today. I got hooked up for my morning and evening fetal monitoring. The baby is doing great and I haven't been having any contractions.

One of the really nice nurses here told one of the other expectant moms to come visit me (since I'm on bed rest and cannot wander the halls). Mom2be was really nice and the funny thing is that she turns out to be from "the closest big city" to the island! Too funny! What a small world! Mom2be introduced me to another expectant mom. They were giving me the ins and outs of life on the 7th floor. These ladies are seasoned pros! They've been here for WEEKS! Seriously...one of them has been here for 18 weeks! Here I am, complaining about having been on bed rest for 2 weeks! Anyway, Mom2be2 is probably going to deliver tomorrow. She was supposed to deliver today, but the NICU is FULL! Apparently there are lots of women on our floor who have delivered multiples. With all those twins and triplets, that totally occupied the entire NICU! I'm so jealous...Mom2be and Mom2be2 are allowed to go OUTSIDE!!! They went out for dinner tonight! They also told me there's a lounge and a pantry with water. There's a communal microwave and a fridge. No one told me that! Probably because I'm not allowed to leave my room in the first place. Don't tempt the bed rest lady.

To make the days go by faster (since I'll be on hospital bed rest until the baby is born), I've devised a little "bed rest plan".

6:30- wake up

7AM- check e-mail

8AM- eat breakfast (1 serving Bran cereal, 1% milk, fruit, yogurt)

8:30- nurse takes vitals and hooks me up to the fetal monitor

9AM- read, read, read. Finished Eclipse and must start Breaking Dawn.

12PM- eat lunch
Vegetarian Dahl, rice, peas, carrots, whole wheat roll, tossed salad with Italian dressing, 1% milk, water, tapioca pudding (which I didn't eat since I'm not much of a dessert person).

1PM visitors

2PM- talk to doctor

3PM- take nap

4PM-surf the internet, blog, catch up on fave blogs, try not to do too much research on preemies and possible health issues of babies delivered preterm.

5PM- eat supper

Hawaiian meatballs, steamed broccoli, whole wheat roll, vegetable soup, 1% milk, apple sauce.

5:30- phone calls, text messages, etc.

6PM- visitors

8PM- shower, get ready for bed

9PM- talk to Hubby on phone

9:30PM- nurse checks vitals, listen to baby's heart beat, check for contractions

10PM- internet/work related stuff

11PM- sleep

When I break the day down into hours like this, it sounds so tedious. It really does help make the day seem like it's going by faster when I set time for different "activities". Ha! "Activities" sounds like such an odd choice of word to use since I'm not supposed to partake in anything active. *groan* If I were at least able to walk around and do things, I'd feel much better. Nope. Not allowed, lest the cervix gives way completely and Junior ends up being born too soon as a result of me not being able to stay still for a few weeks. *sigh*

How funny is it that the first song that popped into my head when all my visitors left my hospital room last night was this one?

I was in luuuuuuuuuuv with Jani Lane and the rest of Warrant when I was a teenager, remember?! Don't laugh! I honestly thought Jani was the hottest guy on the planet! What was I thinking?! Too funny :)

Many people have been asking me how I'm doing, how the baby is doing, how bed rest is going, how everyone at the hospital is treating me, and how I've been able to have the energy or desire to blog at a time like this. To be honest, blogging has actually been a good distraction. I still haven't had much time to be online much other than to write a quick post or send an e-mail or two. Hopefully once I've established a routine or schedule, I'll be able to do more online. I still haven't had a chance to visit any of my favourite blogs yet. I'll be doing a lot of catching up this week though since most of my visitors will be at work during the weekdays.

I've had visitors pretty much all weekend. The nurses are pretty lenient with visitors coming and going all throughout the day. I think it's because the floor I'm on is a high risk floor where all of the patients are expectant moms who are going to deliver preemies (many of the moms are 23 to 32 weeks pregnant), are having complications with their pregnancies, are delivering multiples, etc. I think they realize how important it is for us to have our support network right now. The nurses and staff are all really great. My night nurse couldn't find a spare cot or comfortable chair for Hubby to sleep in (they were all in use) so she told him to crawl into bed with me.

There are a few things I am struggling with right now:

1) When all my visitors go home and I'm left alone to my own devices, I tend to over think things. I tend to dwell on all the possible health issues Junior may or may not end up having since he or she will definitely be a preemie. I worry about potential blindness, intestinal problems, neurological issues, developmental problems, respiratory problems...

2) I also worry about going into labour with Hubby being 6 hrs away by car. Will he be able to make it in time for the birth if I go into labour soon? Will he miss the birth of his first child? Who will I have as my support/labour coach? Mrs. Hollywood and Mr. Hollywood were here yesterday and it as decided that if Hubby couldn't make it in time, Mrs. Hollywood would be there. She can get to Mount Sinai Hospital in 20 mins from where she works.

3) I really, REALLY miss my husband. He was here on the weekend and will try to get to Toronto as much as he can. It's quite the commute from the Island though. I don't imagine he'll be able to make it every weekend.

Canine Cologne gave me a great idea. I think I'll start posting about the hospital food while I'm here. The food is actually decent here. It's far better than the food at the hospital they air lifted me from. At least with all the craziness happening with Junior and this pregnancy, I don't think I'll be short on what to blog about for NaBloPoMo! Don't worry, I won't post only about my time in the hospital and what's going on with Junior every day for the month of November! I'll try to give you some variety :)

If you're doing the NaBloPoMo challenge too, let me know and I'll check you out!


View my profile on NaBloPoMo
P.S. Does anyone know how on earth we can add friends on NaBloPoMo? I'm stumped! Rosie, Starshine, Veronica and Trish, I tried to add you but can't figure out how to.

and wireless networks!!! Now that I'll be in the hospital until the baby is born (which could be in 2 to 4 weeks instead of 13weeks and 2 days to go), I'll need something to help make the minutes, hours, days, and weeks pass by a bit faster. My family and friends have been amazing and have brought me lots of reading material. Unfortunately, I tend to devour books. I've got a voracious appetite when it comes to reading. I'm almost finished the third book out of the Twilight Saga. I've got tons of books that were given to me, but that should last me a week or two.

This baby definitely likes to keep us on our toes (errr...actually, he/she is keeping me off my feet). Needless to say, this is totally not the way I had envisioned my first pregnancy being. The past few days especially have been somewhat of a blur to me.


The doctors at the hospital in "the closest big city" to our island informed me that my cervix was dangerously thin and it was imperative that I immediately be air lifted from their hospital to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. They were worried I might go into labour and at 26 weeks, they wanted to make sure I was at a NICU that was prepared for babies that young. I needed to be in the best place possible with the medical team and technology that I'd need to care for a baby that young. For them, that perfect place was Mount Sinai.


Junior went for his/her very first plane ride. I'd never had to be on a stretcher or ride in I think I was more worked up than anything and ended up falling asleep from all the exhaustion and craziness that when I opened my eyes and looked out the window, the first thing I saw was the CN Tower. An ambulance met the plane at the HQ and brought me to the hospital.


Hubby wasn't with me and he had to drive the 6 hours from the Island. That first night was the hardest. I was in tears, mostly from worrying about the possibility of giving birth so early. The nurses were great in getting me to calm down and not hyperventilate. I know my being so worked up and stressed wasn't good for the baby, but it's hard to control all those emotions and all the anxiety.


I've been on strict hospital bed rest for 3 days and I have to keep telling myself that this is a good thing that I'm here. It's for the baby. The baby is in the greatest place right now with a medical team that specializes in delivering premature babies.


I have also been lucky that my SIL (Hubby's youngest sister) came up the first morning I was there. She totally made my day. That first night was so scary and lonely. When one is left alone with one's thoughts, it isn't always a good thing! I kept thinking of all the things that could go wrong...all the health problems Junior could have, etc.


Not only did Hubby's sister stay with me for the day, but Gavie's Gal rushed to the hospital with her little one in tow! I spoke with her in the morning to tell her I was in Toronto and she came and visited me. That was a really wonderful distraction. I really love Gavie's Gal and am lucky to have her as a friend. I can't believe we've been friends since 2000. So much has happened since then and now she's got two beautiful babies and I've got Junior on the way!

The good thing about being back in Toronto is that some my friends and family are here. There's something different and special about the friends you've had for years and years and the new friends that you've made. I think there's that history and years of shared experiences. I love my new friends, but there's just something about the friends you've had for years. Does that sound weird?

Yesterday, Hubby's youngest sis was able to sit in on the ultrasound with me and hear the baby's heartbeat. I was shocked to see that Junior had gained 3 oz in a matter of two days! At our ultrasound on Tuesday, Junior was 1 lb. 9 oz. Yesterday, he/she was 1 lb. 12 oz. Crazy! I guess that's a good thing since if he/she will be arriving soon, he/she needs to pack on some weight! The baby looks great, but it was discovered that my cervix is now open. Open cervix=not good. Open cervix=baby can come very, very soon!


The doctor from pediatrics came to talk to me about what to expect from here on. Junior will definitely be a preemie. There's no way with my cervix being the way it is right now that I will carry to term. I may have 2 to 4 weeks if I'm lucky. So far, my mucus plug is still intact and my water hasn't broken. I haven't had contractions. This is a good thing. I'm just sitting here waiting.
Today took me by surprise. Hubby finally arrived! All of a sudden everything seemed better. Weird how him just being here was reassuring enough. The doctors spoke to us a bit more about preemies and what to expect. It really is scary to think of what health issues preemies can have.

Hubby's youngest sis stayed for a bit and then my uncle popped by to drop off some things my aunt had bought for me. My long time friend, AvoidEverything and his wife came to visit me too. It was so great to see them. AvoidEverything and I have been friends since we were in college. We met when we were 17 and he and I have seen each other through the best and worst of times! We were militant enviro freaks, artsy vegetarian Liberal Arts students...and just plain wacky. I'm so glad we've been friends for so long! I sometimes laugh when I think of all the crazy things we used to do when we were in college. He was always like a big brother to me. Oh, and I absolutely adore his wife. SillyLizard is quite the breath of fresh air. I love that girl!


Another thing that made my day was that Fancy Pantsy Momma visited me too. I love talking to her. If you read her blog, you'll know why! She's always so well-informed on topics of all kinds and she gives great advice. I just love her. It was reeeeeeeeeeally great to see her. The last time I saw her was at my bridal shower! BTW, Fancy looks absolutely stunning. I'm so glad I got to see her and her 7 month baby belly! She's due in December! So exciting!

My cousin and his girlfriend also dropped by for a visit. It felt really good to see my family again! The great thing about being in Toronto is that I've got a great support network here with all my friends and family. The only part that isn't great is the circumstances we're under. Ideally, I'd like to be in Toronto to spend time with my family and friends, catch a few films, go shopping, eat at all my favourite restaurants (oh, how I miss Japanese, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Middle Eastern, Korean and Caribbean food)!!! Oh, well! Junior has other plans for us :) I'll just sit back, lay low and pretend I'm at a spa for the next few weeks. Well, Mount Sinai is sort of like the Ritz Carlton of hospitals ;)

The final surprise of the day was seeing two of my mom's sisters enter my hospital room around supper time! I was so shocked to see that they had flown in from Montreal to see me! That really brightened up my day. I cried because it really showed me how lucky I am to have such wonderful family and friends. I'm fortunate to have people in my life who would worry about us so much and come out to spend time with us. One of my aunts said that she was sick with worry about the baby and me, and with my Mom being in the Philippines, she felt badly that I didn't have my Mom with me. She was pacing around her house for the past few days and when my other aunt said, "I'm going to Toronto to see Chrissy. Want to come?", my aunt immediately packed her bags and they were here the next day.

I still get the occasional bouts of weepiness. Mostly because I am a bit worried about Junior being born so soon. I also hate to think of having to leave the baby in hospital after I give birth. I'll be released, but Junior will have to be kept here for a while. That just tears me up. Another thing that concerns me is having to deliver the baby without Hubby being here. It's a 6 hr drive from the Island to Toronto and if I go into labour, will he have enough time to get here and be in the delivery room to witness the birth of his first child and be my support/labour coach? I know I'm in the best care here, but I still worry about a lot of things regarding delivering a very premature baby. Preemies are just so small and so frail.

Anyway, we'll worry about those things when we get there.