Missed my baby shower

Five years ago today, on Saturday, March 23, 2002, I was still in the hospital being treated for contractions. The doctors had already given me my first round of steroid shots and I was to have another shot that day. I was still on Magnesuim Sulfate, one horror of a drug, and I was awaiting the results of a test called the Fetal Fibronectin test. This test predicts with some accuracy if delivery is most likely going to happen within two weeks. I was hoping and praying for this test to be negative, all the while being so worried about keeping my babies in my tummy. The neonatal doctor came in my room that day to let me know how well 29 weeker babies fare, and the news wasn't so good. Breathing problems, vision problems, bleeding on the brain, cerebral palsy....the list was so long. I was scared. And because I was so scared and the only thing on my mind was those two little girls in my tummy, my thoughts were not focused on my baby shower that was scheduled for that afternoon. Invitations had been sent out over three weeks prior, and it was too overwhelming to think of how to contact everyone and tell them not to come. I told everybody to just have the shower without me. And they did! Everybody came, not knowing that the guest of honor, me, was going to be absent. They ate, drank, and had a merry time opening my gifts. Near the tail end of the shower, I got the news that I was hoping and praying for....the fetal fibronectin test was NEGATIVE! That meant that I shouldn't be delivering those babies for at least two more weeks. I was elated! In the late afternoon, the magnesuim sulfate was turned off, and I started to feel better. The contractions had slowed considerably, and I was one happy mom-to-be. Little did I know, that much, much later, after the girls were born, I would cry many, many tears of sadness because I missed my baby shower. And little did I know that I had only 72 hours left of being pregnant, that my world would soon come crashing down.