Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Week 8

Hi all,

Megan asked that I write an entry to let everyone know that we are fine - for the most part. She is right on track with the increased nausea, fatigue, and sore/increasing breasts that was promised in the weekly update she gets from the http://www.babycenter.com/ website, so that's all kinds of fun. In addition to all of the exacerbated pregnancy symptoms, there are some new changes being made at her work and my entire family is set to start arriving for a week and a half long stay beginning this weekend. Needless to say, she is quite tired and feeling overwhelmed by everything - but, she's still pregnant and in the end, that's really the most important thing on which we're focusing.

She wants to let everyone know she will be replying to any emails you might have sent as soon as she gets enough energy and time to sit down and write. So, maybe in another month or so :)

I can't say that I have any of the same reasons for not responding to emails, but do have to cater to her every whim and whine which is keeping me quite busy. I am greatly looking forward to the end of the first trimester of her pregnancy as I am quite excited by the prospect of the second trimester being pretty much the complete opposite of the first. Aside from her appendectomy a few years ago, she's never really had any significant or long-lasting health concerns. Therefore, the last couple of weeks have taken me by surprise in regard to her not feeling 100% all of the time. Seriously, you'd think that she could have prepared me for that just a little bit more. I can only assume this is a fraction of what it'll be like when the baby is here, so I guess I'm getting in a little bit of practice.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Ultrasound #2

Just a quick note to give you all an update. We had a second ultrasound done on Friday, the ultrasound technician wasn't really allowed to tell us what he saw except that the baby looked fine and that the heart rate was 128 (which is good, we wanted it to be over 100). Also the growth rate from Monday to Friday looked good. Our midwife got called into a birth Friday night and left us a voicemail at 10:30 p.m. as the results had come in (can I mention how much I love that she would do that!) and we got the message yesterday that the hematoma has shrunk which is great news. I also stopped bleeding on Wednesday/Thursday. We have our first prenatal appointment on Tuesday and I will have more information then on what this means etc. We also go the first picture of the peanut which I will try and scan in soon. This is a big relief although still a little stress as this does put me into a "higher risk" category for some things. Thanks again for all of your support, e-mails, kind thoughts, and love. We appreciate it.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Update

It continues to be a stressful time for us but we are trying to keep calm. The emergency room had given me the name of an ob/gyn to make an appointment to follow up with. I called on Monday and made an appointment and called yesterday to ask questions about the appointment. I was told that they were planning on calling me to cancel anyway because I had made the mistake of saying that I was planning to see a midwife and they have a policy not to take new patients if they don't plan to stay with the practice for the whole pregnancy. I then was subjected to a few minutes of this nurse telling me how cool the practice is and how they are in the top 100 Portland doctors. I am not sure if this was to try and interest me in the staying...although I didn't feel welcomed...or to tell me how busy they were. I could have a scan at work but they can't follow my care so that was out. I pretty much broke down and called Taylor crying.

We had decided to go with Alma Midwifery that morning so Taylor called Laura, our midwife, to see if she would be able and willing to work with us. According to Taylor (and Laura) she was comfortable managing my care. She went ahead and scheduled me for another ultrasound on Friday and an appointment with her on Tuesday. I have to get my records from the emergency room and have them for the appointment on Friday for comparison. What we would like to see is the bleed shrinking and the baby growing. This does mean that I have a higher chance of bleeding and a second trimester miscarriage, something I don't really want to think about. I am taking some supplements to help with clotting and have worked a half day yesterday and today. I am not feeling great but the bleeding has slowed and is dark brown which is a good sign as it indicates old blood.

I will try and keep the site updated as we get new information. We are feeling a little reclusive so please don't be offended if we take a little while to get back to e-mails and calls...unless you want to bring us food and then we will probably answer the door!!! Taylor doesn't cook and I can't get off the couch so we are doing the take out, frozen food thing. Emotionally I think we both are dealing but having typical "why isn't the world fair" thoughts and are of course very worried about the baby. Think good thoughts.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Scary Mother's Day

Not so good news for our "first" mother's day. I started having some spotting yesterday around noon and it increased and became red by the evening. I spoke to some phone nurses and my boss, the former suggesting I go see a doctor (on Sunday this translates to the emergency room) and the latter suggesting that I wait until today so I could have an ultrasound done at work. We decided to wait but I woke up at 2:30 a.m. with more cramping and I was passing some tissue. We went to the emergency room at that point convinced that the pregnancy was over. Taylor was very good about processing her emotions (crying, being supportive etc.) while I seemed (and still have) to have turned off my emotions altogether. We spent three hours in the emergency room and the ultrasound showed good things: there was still a baby, in the correct location, with appropriate growth, and most importantly a heartbeat. Apparently I had what is called a subchorionic hemorrhage which does not mean that this pregnancy can't continue; a lot of pregnancies do but did seem to suggest that it might mean a higher chance something might be of concern. We are just really tired and trying to be cautiously optimistic. :)

Friday, May 9, 2008

Me Hungry...

Remember how I was analyzing IF I had pregnancy symptoms.? Yeah, it is pretty apparent now. I am more exhausted then I can remember being...and yes, i know it will most likely continue, I have what I think exceeds "breast tenderness" in the fact that at times I want to rip them from my chest given the burning pain, and I have instant ravenous hunger if not fed every few hours. I mean, I have to eat NOW or I feel like I will die, hunger. I have taken to carrying snacks with me or in low moments eating stale cookies out of friend's purses (thanks, Mandy).

I crawl to the couch or the bed as soon as I get home and forget exercising so far although I do hope to join a couple prenatal classes when I get the energy up...and through all of this I am just so ecstatic that we are going to have a baby. It still seems unreal and I think it will until I can see my belly grow.

We have our second of two interviews with a midwifery practice on Monday and I plan to post our decision. Otherwise, the embryo and I are good and slowly figuring out how to coexist...with Taylor figuring out how to be supportive or at least stay out of the way when I need to feed.

Much love and Happy Mother's Day!!