It took a couple of days, but I’m finally out of my drug-induced haze! (No drugs were used that could harm the baby. They just made me REALLY drowsy.) All of last week happened so fast, the whole thing just feels surreal… like I’m going to wake up and this will all have been a dream. Despite that, the procedure to put in my cerclage could not have gone any better.
The decision was made last Tuesday. My cervix had been shortening, much slower than last time, but enough to worry my doctors that I may, in fact, deliver a preemie. So, after an anxious night of no sleep, we dropped our daughter off at daycare and arrived at the hospital just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday morning. It was snowing. Hard. Sorry (kind of) news friends who had to work through that without me! But we arrived safely, and then the waiting game began. 
Dr. Donnelly prepping me for surgery.
I hate taking medicine!
When you make quick decisions, you don’t really give yourself time to realize the full scope of what’s going on. So my nerves were doing pretty good that morning.
FAIR WARNING: If you do not believe in women and flatulence, (my husband) do not read any further. STOP READING NOW.
In fact, much like last time, I was much more worried about flatulence than I was about my doctor’s ability to put in the stitch.
You see, when you first enter into operating room, everything looks “normal”. Then, after the doors close, they hoist these things that make it look like you are about to participate in an olympic event… The rings! One of my best events in elementary school. I so got this!
Sadly, that is not what they would be used for that morning. Long story short, they give you a spinal to numb you from the waist down, then strap your legs in, and everyone gets up close and personal. It is my worst nightmare to be THAT gassy pregnant lady who breaks wind in all of my doctors’ faces. I mean, I was going to be awake for this!! MORTIFYING!!
At least last time they assured me they’d blame it on the only male in the room… the surgeon. hahaha. This time, it was all ladies who would be down there, so I felt it would be best to just give them fair warning.
Fortunately for me, I was a lady even while numb from the waist down.
This time, I actually slept through my surgery. Thank goodness… because by the time we made it all the way to that room I was one anxious pregnant lady! I had gotten so little sleep the night before that the “happy” drug they gave me knocked me out. Cold. When I woke up, they were finishing up.
Dr. Donnelly ended up sewing both cervixes together since the other one was so small comparatively. She felt that tying the two together would cause the least amount of bleeding, and least amount of risk.
You do spot red blood afterwards. But it’s not much, and totally normal. In fact, it is 2 days after surgery and I’m not spotting anymore. I feel a lot more tired than I did, and my back is sore. But otherwise I feel pretty good! And now I wait.
The reality is, I still could go into labor at 24 weeks. If your body wants to have the baby, you’re going to have the baby, cerclage or not. Milestones are BIG for me from now on. 24 weeks, 32 weeks… And my goal is to make it to 36 weeks when the stitch will come out. Wish me luck!!
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