March 31, 2011

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Today was better than yesterday.  Thank goodness.  I was able to get up with less pain – still a lot of pain – but less.  I had the second IV removed – no more IV’s now.  Freedom!!

The bruises by her eye, that we thought would look horrible by today, didn’t appear.  So lucky.  She still has an indentation from the forceps, but that will go away soon enough.  Her face is already looking much much better.

We finally figured out who this little girl is!  Woo Woo!!  I don’t know if I’ll tell.  Eh, of course I will!!  Her name is Ashlin Cerys (keh-ris), it means a dream or a vision of love.  First name is Gaelic, second is Welsh.  We had quite a debate on spelling.  Do we go traditional (Aislin) or do we use an Anglicized version.  We went with the Anglicized version, it will be easier on her as she grows up.

This name truly fits her.  After all the issues we had getting her here, up to and including her birth, she is a vision of love.  Although the other names we had would have worked, they wouldn’t have suited her nearly as much.  I’m glad we took the time to give her a deeply appropriate name.

Today’s OB visit was interesting.  They each give me a bit more information about the section.  Today, found out that often, in situations like mine, a woman could use lose* her uterus.  Oh!  It may have been an episode of ER.  LOL.  They are very concerned about postpartum depression.  It is usually  more prevalent with second pregnancies, with c-sections, with traumatic procedures.  Again, I have the trifecta.

I do know that right now, it’s just the “baby blues.”  Those lovely hormonal swings that you get, that you can’t control.  As the pregnancy hormones leave your system, they get better.  With Teagan, it took about 3 weeks, honestly, to not cry at a Hallmark commercial, or a sweet moment.  It’s when those baby blues don’t go away, when they get stronger, that you need to worry.  There are lots of medications you can get to help, and the OB’s will help.  Pediatricians will help.

We’ll just keep an eye out.  Shall we?

* Thanks Stu!  LOL!

March 29, 2011

Baby Girl!

Born at 11:52am

Weight: 7 lbs 11 oz

Height: 19.25 inches

Head Circumference:  14.25 inches

So, she was born this morning! The labor /delivery nurse was the same person as when I labored for Teagan, as well as when I was sent to L&D a few weeks ago.  Nice.  I actually enjoyed her much more when she wasn’t pushing any pitocin

The procedure wasn’t fun, but it’s over now.  The anesthesiologist was very nice, and talked me through all the different bits.  The doctors ended up needing to use forceps on her to get her out.  She wasn’t engaged (it is early)  and they couldn’t get a grip on her to get her out.  Stu said they were “in up to their elbows” trying to get her.  I asked if she was jammed up into my ribs so as to not get out.  LOL.  There was also a large fibroid in the way.  Her eye got a bit bruised, but should be just fine in a few days .  We were told to expect it to look bad tomorrow.  You could see it worsening as the day progressed.

She ended up being 7 lbs 11 oz.  Not too big, just about what they estimated her last week.  She looks simply tiny.  She ended up having some breathing issues – a bit raspy, due to the c-section not squashing her respiratory track like a vaginal birth does.  So, they let me see her, give her a kiss or two and then whisked her away to newborn care – not NICU.

You can see mark from the forceps on her eye.

Turns out that it was a good thing I didn’t birth vaginally,  even though she wasn’t anywhere near as big as they thought she’d be.  I may have something to be grateful for in that damn placenta/overlying vessels.  That large fibroid down near the cervix, would have made it impossible for her to fit out.  The Doctor ended up needing to remove it, and I ended up with four bags of blood, two bags of plasma.  I lost track of how many bags of saline and “stuff” they pushed into me.  I think the process (which started early) lasted about an hour longer than they said it would, thanks to the complications.

While they were getting the fibroid out, and then sewing up layer after layer of me, I got the shakes very badly.  So the anesthesiologist gave me a Behr hug heated blanket over my arms that helped a bit.  I then got another one back in recovery.  Ended up staying in recovery for about 2 hours.

They ended up keeping her until about 9pm (where’s my baby!?!) because her glucose level kept dropping.  She got about 60ml of formula, a bunch of glucose.  Her level would be good, then bad.  Stu went to go see her while I stayed in recovery.  He brought me back pictures of her.  She has a lot of black hair!  OMG!  I got to see her and hold her around 4pm.  Too long of a wait.

First time being held by mama

We ended up cycling my parents and sister through the newborn room to see her and then up to visit with me.  They sort of forgave us for not calling earlier once they found out that I’d only seen her for about 10 minutes.

They finally released her to us around 9pm, after I went down stairs in the wheelchair.  Yes, I got up!  The nurses helped get me out of bed and settled in the chair.  I didn’t push them to go, they actually said I needed to get up anyway.  It hurt a lot but I really wanted to see and hold my baby.  When we got down there, they said they were just about to send her up.  Sometimes it’s the squeaky wheel.

It felt so good to hold her.  It took about 10 hours,  but she’s finally up with us.

Now, to figure out who she is.  LOL!

March 28, 2011

Tomorrow.  Eviction notice will be given tomorrow.  OMG!  I know I’m not ready for it to be TOMORROW!  Yes, I know it could have been any time, but still.  I thought I had more time.

I need to get baby clothes washed, put away.  Dresser put together, car set put back together (it’s washed now!).  Find the bases for the car seat, but that’s a bit less urgent. Get the pack n plays put up (yay! One has a changing station!).  Move the armchair into the living room, so I have a chair that’s easy to get out of.  Oh, just so much stuff to do.

I tried to schedule myself more time.  (April 1st!)  No luck :o

My parents are coming down early enough to send us off.  I guess I can understand that – wanting to see your baby before surgery.  Ok.  They better not call while I’m being stitched up! 

I packed my bag this morning – before the Amnio.  Just in case.  It ended up being a toothbrush and then electronic stuff.  LOL.  What does that say about me?

The Amnio went ok.  Easier, actually, than the CVS.  Faster.  Less painful.  The Doctor that did it said she would use about the same gauge needle as the Lovenox shots, though longer.  CVS needles are a bigger gauge.  They didn’t even put a band-aid on the stick spot.  Amnio results came in late today – lungs are mature!

Monitoring went ok, though it was the first time (and only time.  lol!) at the MFM place.  After about 10 minutes, 3 people come dashing in to adjust the transducer and check readings.  They were worried about the baby’s base line.  I did mention that she runs a bit low, but my OB, and then L&D weren’t worried.  She’s just a chill kid. 

Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.  I wouldn’t want to get my hopes up too much.  What are the odds that we’d be so lucky as to have a second wonderful baby – kid – as Teagan.  We’d be too blessed.

I am looking forward to meeting this little girl that’s been torturing me these past months.  I will not miss the heartburn, the aches, pains, nausea, fatigue, blurry vision, stuffiness, bleeding gums, the injections (oh those damn shots!), bruises from the shots, itching, swelling, clumsiness, varicose veins, insomnia.  Basically, I will not miss being pregnant.  I will miss, however, feeling her move.  Even though her movements are so strong now as to be painful. 

I worry about my recovery, how quickly I’ll heal, get back to a new normal.  one that includes two kids.  OMG, I’m going to have two kids tomorrow.  How am I going to survive??  I just hope I do an ok job.

March 21, 2011

So, today’s news wasn’t good.  The placenta hasn’t moved, and probably won’t.  It’s still marginal.  Even if it moves a lot, there’s still the issue of all the blood vessels that are there, and cross the opening of the cervix.  No escaping it, I will be having a c-section.

Visit to the High-Risk people was a bit odd today.  They did everything backwards.  I met with the doctor first, when I usually see them after the ultrasound, so there’s something more to discuss.  The doctor was nice enough.  Asked how I was doing, checked swelling, recommended unisom for my sleeping trouble – but nothing for the pain.  It’s the pain that’s keeping me up, not just a simple insomnia.  Then, the conversation sort of floundered – He didn’t check the baby’s position, we couldn’t discuss birthing options, as we didn’t know where the placenta was.  I, of course, had questions after the ultrasound, but didn’t have a doctor then to talk to.

Then I got to sit with the nurse to have heparin training.  I’m being switched to heparin from Lovenox.  The heparin is two shots a day, and you need to fill the syringes, they don’t come pre-filled like the Lovenox do.  I hate doing the shots, but if I have a choice, Lovenox is the preferred shot.  Rum or lemon drops would be better, but that’s a different story.

The heparin training went well.  I remembered most of it from last time.  I joked that she prescribed me 100 needles and 60 doses/vials.  Better safe than sorry.  I’m sure they’ll put me back on Lovenox after delivery anyway.  This time around, they can actually take the extra doses of heparin and Lovenox, and get them to people who need them but can’t afford their medication.  There wasn’t something like that last time.  That makes me feel good…  Sort of recycling for drugs.  LOL.

Finally, the ultrasound tech is ready for me.  Back we go.  I get situated on the table and she lubes up my belly.  Scanner on!  She confirms that the baby is indeed head down, and her feet and hands are off to my right – around 3:00.  The little one is still a bit oblique, but yay!  Head down!  Next, off in search of the placenta, which is still covering the cervix.  Wonderful. 

By this time my back is beginning to scream.  The tech notices I’m very uncomfortable.  I ask if I can sit up for a minute and she said it was fine.  We chat about babies, and sizes and things.  I tell her about how I can’t sleep on my left or even reclined thanks to my stupid hip.  That I get to go to the chiro after we’re done there.  We start off again, as she said she could get most of the measurements while I lay on my right side.  Oh, the relief!

An ear with hair

Watching the measurements on the screen was a bit freaky.  They were all 2-3 weeks ahead.  This baby has become freakishly large again.  A watermelon.  LOL.  She’s back up in the low 90th percentile.  As the tech gets a head measurement, she comments that the baby has a lot of hair.  LOL.  That explains the almost non-stop heartburn.  Though Teagan had a bit of hair, and I had horrible heartburn with her too.

We then take a break, and swap to the wand to get a good view of the placenta previa.  Fun.  LOVE that wand.  A resident comes in to evaluate the situation.  Marginal.  Still.  Great.  The resident then calls a doctor in to confirm.  The two of them discuss, remeasure, discuss.  All the while my back is killing me.  After about 20 minutes, they have enough shots of my cervix and the placenta.  His recommendation is to do a c-section, scheduled at 37.5 weeks.  Amnio before hand to check out lung development. 

Crap!  That’s next week!

Measurements for this not-so-little one put her at 7.5 lbs at 36 weeks.  In four weeks she’ll be quite large.  Mid 11 pounds.  I may be happy for a c-section in the long run.  LOL!

Truth be told, I’m a little freaked out.  I called my OB to set up an appointment tomorrow to discuss things with an OB, they’ll be the ones that actually do the section, not the people I saw today.  I’ll be able to ask all sorts of questions, and maybe I’ll come out of the appointment with an actual date.

Is it the birth I want?  No.  But circumstances are what they are.  It’s not because of anything I did, or didn’t do.

March 18, 2011

Am I allowed to love two inanimate things?  Today’s chiro appointment was at a different office, where they have “drop away” tables.  OMG!  It was awesome.  The doc showed me how the table works – a bit freaky, as it just drops down – and then did the adjustment.  Oh, it was great.  I’d like to have the next treatments done there, thank you.

Last night I slept better than I had for most of this week.  Yes, I was doing stretches and sitting on a yoga ball at 4am, but I did sleep most of the night.  Lovely.  I got up around 6:30 am and something felt different in my hip, less tension or something.  The Chiro noticed as well, my hip was much more flexible today than it was.  Maybe it was results from all the adjustments.  Doesn’t matter.  It was better.  Is better.

I think that, combined with the table, that things will improve.  He said that my “pain to treatment score” or whatever the insurance uses was 65, where 0 is the goal.  They approved all the treatments to date.  I retake the questionnaire and depending on the improvement, they approve more, or not.  I have an appointment tomorrow.  That will make 9 treatments in 11 days.

I feel better.

March 16, 2011

So, the Chiro thinks I’m right… the baby has turned.  She’s not in a good position, she really can’t be with the torsion that hasn’t released yet.  She’s sort of lying at a 45° angle.  But at least she’s head down and trying to get in the right position.  Encouraging.  Just need to pop that hip and get the placenta to move!

So, another trip to the Chiro, with little joy.  My hip is being very stubborn.  I had to stop the session at least twice, because the stabby pain was just too intense.  He’s going to have me come to a different office, where he as a drop away table.  He thinks this will be better to adjust me on, than the cut out pillows.  We’ll see.  Right now, I just want the pain to stop.  Sleep would be nice too.

I did get a bit more sleep last night though, which was nice.  Maybe it was the mix of a bit of beer, (yeah, I had some beer), some benedryl and tylenol.  And 4-5 nights in a row of no more than 1 hour of sleep followed by 40 minutes of stretching, tossing and turning on the sofa.

I can’t sleep on my left side (the twisted hip), nor on my back (inclined, of course, flat is out of the question now).  The recliner that was such a lovely thing with Teagan has become a cushioned Judas Chair.  I have this small window of slight comfort on my right side, that I can’t seem to find in bed.  The sofa seems to be the only place I get any sleep.

I want to get as much sleep now as I can.  It’s going to be in short supply soon enough.

March 15, 2011

I think I’m in love.  With my new yoga ball.  I hope Stu doesn’t think I’m cheating.  It feels fantastic to sit on the yoga ball.  No, not like that!  But when I do sit on it, my back doesn’t hurt.  The pain melts away.

It was something the Chiro suggested doing two visits ago.  When I mentioned I didn’t have one, he said I could use the kitchen counter – hello lovely island! – instead.  The ball is better.  Much better.

At the end of this morning’s adjustment session he had me sit on one for a few minutes before I left.  The session was quite painful, actually.  I had to have him stop three times, my hip was throbbing so badly. 

Again, my hip didn’t pop.  After almost 30 minutes he apologized a bit, saying that he couldn’t keep pounding on me.  I know.  I’m frustrated about it as well.  The hip that has the torsion is the one that will usually pop at the drop of a hat, when I’m not pregnant. 

He’s asked me to come in every day this week – probably until we get the torsion out.  Hopefully tomorrow and the rest of the week won’t be quite as painful.  But after the ball, and 20 minutes of heat – have I mentioned how I LOVE the heated seats in my car? - everything was much better.  

I went out and got me a yoga ball as soon as I could.

March 14, 2011

So, last night was not a fun night.  I fell asleep on the sofa – yay, almost a nightly occurrence though – and moved up to bed around 11.  I slept about 40 minutes, but  woke up again, thanks to my back.  Stupid SPD and torked hip are throbbing.  I get up, get a pillow to put between my knees to see if that helps.  It doesn’t really.  I try a rolled towel.  That doesn’t work either.  Stretches, nope.  Eventually Stu came up and suggested I see if I could take an Alieve.  Nope.  Can’t take them.  I did take two Tylenol though, and was able to get back to sleep until about 2:30am. 

So, I go downstairs to see if watching TV will distract me enough from my back pain to go back to sleep.  I watched two Top Gear episodes.  LOL.  (Last time, it was Gordon Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares).  Weekend late night TV sucks.  Not having WTNH sucks.* 

So, up this morning at 6am, and watch some news.  Put Teagan’s blankie back on hoping she sleeps at least another hour.  Try to fall asleep in bed as I’m upstairs.  Nope.  Doesn’t work.  Get up just before the alarm and shower.

Stu gets himself up and goes down and makes me some coffee – sweetheart he is.  I dash out to my Chiro appointment – I was late for it :(  I called to let him know I’d be late.  We go through all the adjustments – left hip, no crack.  Right hip, crack.  Midback - crack.  Upper back – crack!  Neck left – Crack!  Neck right – Crack crack crack!  Pubic symphysis - OUCH!  I don’t think that cracked.  Chiro has me go back to my right side so he can try to crack and straighten my left hip.  Again, no luck.  By then, I’m nearly in tears.  I try to tell him it’s not him, just me, overtired, in pain, ready to be done with it all.

He asked if I could come back tomorrow.  I said yes.  I hope he can fix my hips.

~~~

I spent quite a bit of tonight leaning against a heating pad.  I really enjoyed having the heated seats this morning/early afternoon in the car.  Stu hunted down the heating pad for me.  Most of this afternoon I spent doing Cow/Cat stretches, tilts, open knees chest and then the crazy eight hip thing.  Trying to prep my hip for being popped.  I couldn’t sit once I got home from dropping off Stu at the car place, and our taxes off at the accountant.  We had lunch at our favorite pizza place, where we haven’t eaten since we’ve moved.  We can’t find good pizza at the new house. 

I really want my back to feel better.

———

* PS.  It’s BACK!!!  WTNH is back on Dish!  Woo Woo!!!

March 10, 2011 ~ The Karate Kid

Image via Wikipedia

Today, while grabbing screenshots for a PowerPoint for work – Yes, PowerPoint.  Snag-It is my friend – I watched the Karate Kid.  No, not the one with Ralph, but the one with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, and is about learning Kung  Fu not Karate.  It was ok, not bad.  I kept thinking the kids were just too young.  Maybe Ralph played the same age kid, but just looked older – wasn’t he 30 when he did the movie?  LOL.

Anwway, it made me cry.  I’m going to blame it on hormones though. The commercial for U-Verse (it’s not overdone, it’s a job well done! ) also makes me cry.  I suppose if I thought about it, I get misty for the cheese commercials too.  Behold the power of cheese.

I don’t remember the hormones making me this emotional last time.  At least not while still pregnant.  Maybe they did…  I do remember getting angry easily enough… Postpartum, that’s a completely different story.

March 10, 2011

Last night was a long night.  Started off watching Bubba Ho-Tep with Bruce Campbell.  I had heard/read that it was good, and it has Bruce – how could it be It was horrible.  Then the head cold that just won’t go away, that I’ve had since Sunday, doesn’t seem to respond to Benedryl any more.  (Yes, I had to take something, anything, it was so bad).  Eventually,  the Benedryl finally knocked me out.  Knocked me out so much I didn’t hear Teagan wake to a night terror or something.  Stu said she was sobbing horribly.  I didn’t hear her.  I may have noticed (a little) when he came to bed.

Around 1:45 I did wake up, in pain.  My back was throbbing.  First thought I had was that it was contractions.  I’ve been having Braxton Hicks and random contractions for three weeks or so already *.  It wasn’t that though, thankfully.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get back to sleep, I couldn’t find a position in bed that would make it go away.  Down to the sofa, where I sat up for a while, as even reclining hurt.

As as aside, I’m pissed at Dish TV right now.  They’ve stopped carrying WTNH, which was the only station that had any sort of news at 3am.  Other than the cable news stations, of course.  So, there’s nothing to watch at 2:30, other than The Daily Show and The Colbert Report and then 1000 Ways to Die.

Sometime around 4am I finally fall asleep again.  The alarm went off way too early today.

I had another Chiropractor appointment this morning.  I told him about the pain.  He gave me some exercises to do that may help – one to stretch my lower back, one for my legs and one for the SPD.

So, again, left hip joint whatever doesn’t crack, but almost!  There was movement today, right one does.  Mid-back cracked, and that felt good.  Neck was uncomfortable, but feels better now.  My lower back is still bothering me, I’ve been sitting up most of the day, doing some cat/cow stretches as well, they just feel so good.

I have another appointment for Saturday morning.  Fingers crossed that my back is ok until then.

~~~~

* The Braxton Hicks are getting more and more painful.  I can’t walk fast or I’ll contract.  Sometimes just bending over will start one up.  Sometimes they’re 4 minutes apart, sometimes as much as 30 minutes.  They’re not real contractions that the midwives are worried about.  I haven’t needed to breathe through them, so, it’s just practice.  I’m tired of practice.