29 week update

I really need to post more often.  Too many things happen within one week to really be able to write about in just one post.  First of all, I got a call last week from the OB's office to go and repeat partially the ultrasound because they saw "some abnormality" on the fetal spine.  Gulp!  I called the receptionist back and made her read to me the ultrasound, she did not know where to start, but I realized it was a skin structure, probably a skin tag, that worried them.  I then went to see the OB as I had a scheduled appointment the next day anyway, and read the report myself, which said that on one of the views the skin tag looked like it was there, at the base of the spine, but on the other views it was not, so most likely it could be artefact (in other words, not real).  I was a bit stressed at that appointment, and my blood pressure was higher than normal, 110/85.  He repeated it a few times, and the diastolic (second number) stayed highish, at 85.  My prior BP measurements showed a diastolic of 70-75.  This is definitely not good news.

I have repeated my BP during the week with my home monitor, and it is around 79-88, most often around 82-84 during the day, and lower if I rest, especially lying down.  If it reaches 90 or over consistently I will have to be on medication.  I did not have proteinuria, and what makes this whole thing so bizarre is that this is my second pregnancy with the same partner, hence the risk of developing a hypertensive disorder is very low in general.  Apparently beware, when something rare can happen, it will happen to me.

I had the followup ultrasound today, and the neuro radiologist herself scanned me and showed me the whole spine.  There is no skin tag, no tethering, nothing to note other than a very normal looking baby. She did say that the anterior uterine wall looked very thin, but not in the lower segment, rather in the uterine body.  My prior tear due to the cerclage and the c section cut are both in the lower segment, and that is where the weak spot of the uterus is if anything should happen.  Hopefully there will never be any labour and hence no opportunity for a catastrophe like a uterine tear.

I am worried, of course, because I am now in the third trimester, and things can go more wrong around now.  I am worried about the blood pressure increase and the swelling of my hands and face that I woke up with today (swelling likely due to too much salt on Sunday at church lunch).  I am also worried about the uterine integrity and prior injury and hence relative weakness.  But despite this worry, I am also preparing for a baby.

I am getting my maternity photo session done this weekend, and also the baby shower is this weekend. I am so excited about seeing newborn cute clothes and having a newborn glued to me again.  It will be blissful.