But, I'm only at 28 weeks?

WOW...I was surprised....yet not, but immediately emotional nonetheless. I went to my normal high-risk doctor appointment yesterday. To start off with the good news, my heart rate was excellent the doctor said, "If we could all have 98/64, we'd be in great shape!"

THEN, the ultrasound tech took much longer to do the cervical measurement than usual, but clueless me just thought she couldn't find what she was looking for or was simply going slow as she was training a newbie. Apparently she was just checking and rechecking, making sure that what she was seeing was actually true, before she broke the news. I'm quite certain that once the doctor veered away from her notes and started concentrating on the monitor screen, my heart rate was no longer 98/64.

Due to my history, and delivery of Tanner seven weeks early, my cervix has been measured several times via ultrasound for the last few months, just to make sure there are no changes. It has been a steady measurement of 3.3 cm until yesterday. Only God knows why, and He's not talking...but, within the last two weeks, it has decreased to a 2.7 cm!!! BIG DROP!!! When she told me what was going on, I immediately had to fight back the tears and concentrate in order to absorb what she was saying. Her words kept running through my head : "When the cervix gets to a zero, you will deliver your baby. I need to alert your OB."

Now that I have started this process, there is no turning back. All I know is that it can level out for awhile, but will continue to decrease. My cervix is still closed and that's a very good thing. But, before I could leave her office, the perinatologist insisted that I have a steroid shot in my hip to expedite the development of my baby's lungs. She said there were no drawbacks, and only 100% benefit to taking the shots; they had been giving them for 35 years. She said it would hurt like the dickens, and burn the whole time it went in, but my baby needed it so that her lungs would develop faster than normal in case of early delivery. I also had to return 24 hours later for another shot in the other hip. This was all to prevent her from being on a ventilator or C-PAP, if and when we are in the NICU again. She assuredly told me that baby girls are far more developed than boys at the same age, even in utero, so this is in her favor. Her odds are very good. They expect me to make it through June, but wouldn't commit to July, nor August. My due date isn't until August 27th. I know that it is a blessing that I am being watched so carefully, otherwise we wouldn't have a clue that I have already started to efface. I have to go back next week for another check and we'll go from there. She gave me several strict instructions about what I CAN and CANNOT do. The baby has already turned, so if I feel pressure like a bowling ball "down there," I am to go straight to Labor and Delivery. No matter what, an impending pre-term delivery is again upon us.

Here is my prayer: That God will not put her through more than she can handle, as He says in His Word. I pray that she can stay inside as long as possible to prevent any life-threatening battles. I also pray that God gives my family strength throughout whatever is to come.