On Friday, May 2nd, at 32 weeks, I monitored in the afternoon as usual and everything was pretty normal -- 3 or 4 contractions. Later that evening, I felt a contraction or two, then a few more, and all of a sudden I realized that I had felt a LOT of contractions. So I got on the monitor to check it out and sure enough got a call back -- 11 contractions, twice the normal amount. The nurse told me to drink a quart of water, take a terbutaline pill, then remonitor. By the time I drank the water, took the pill and waited a few minutes for it to take effect, it was 2 a.m. and I was watching The Last Seduction on HBO. Mark had a feeling something was up, so he took a shower and a nap, just in case.

He was right. I remonitored, but I was really into the movie and not really paying attention to the contractions. As soon as I sent off the 2nd strip, the phone rang. 15 contractions, do not pass go, go straight to the hospital. So at 4:00 a.m. we left the house for the hospital. I had thrown a nightgown, toothbrush, and contact lens case into my Mickey bag, just in case they kept me overnight. Little did I know that it would be 3 weeks before I would come home again.