Encouraged

So when I looked at these two photos the other night it was a great visual for me to really understand how much my hemorrhage has healed.  The top picture is from this Tuesday when the hemorrhage measured 7.4 cm.  The bottom picture shows the hemorrhage at 13.9 cm which was down from the original of 16cm.  The hemorrhage is definitely easier to see in the bottom picture.  It is the big black space underneath the baby.  See how that big black space in the top picture is half of what the bottom picture shows.  It is only on the bottom left underneath the babies head and much skinnier.  Now some of you may be looking at this and going what is she talking about?  The sonographers always amaze me with what they see but now that I have watched them multiple times it is easier for me to look at these pictures and decipher things. 

Today, I also received a call from the OB who originally saw me the day we came into the office with the hemorrhage.  She wanted to let me know that they had received the report of Tuesday's ultrasound from Dr. Stettler's office.  She told me she was very encouraged from the way the hemorrhage was healing.  At this point she said that beyond decreased activity there is nothing else we can do.  However, there is a big difference between strict bed rest and decreased activity.  I am hoping at next Wednesdays appointment that my doctor will loosen up the bed rest to decreased activity. 

We are kinda in limbo with what my decreased activity will look like.  This pregnancy is really a day to day thing.  That means what does bed rest look like and how long will bed rest last?  What does this mean for my job.  Currently I am on leave until October 21st.  Good news is that I have 63 1/2 days of sick leave accrued.  That is what working in the same district for over 11 years awards you.  They will allow me to use all of this time which could afford me 12 weeks of leave being paid full time.  After that, I would move to long term disability which would be 60% of my pay.  My doctor in the hospital told me that I wouldn't go back to work until after the baby was born.  I asked Dr. Stettler, the high risk OB, the same question on Tuesday.  He wavered a little bit in his response.  He is concerned about pre term labor.  His area of concern is that contractions can be caused by women who are more tired.  So we still have no answers, but at least I work in a job that has amazing benefits.  I also have a husband who has been working tirelessly as a mom and a dad for the last two weeks.  I know it will all come together and we will do what is best for the baby, but being in limbo is never an easy thing.