Today we're 12 weeks pregnant, WOOHOO!!! Like I've said before, every week is a milestone that we truly celebrate. And by this time next week, we'll be in our 2nd trimester...that's really something to look forward to. This week I've been feeling yucky at night. Just some nausea and only in the late afternoon/evening but NOTHING sounds appetizing. I've ended up eating breakfast foods for dinner (brinner) almost every night because it's the only thing I could stomach.
So yesterday was DH's birthday where he turned the big 30 so a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to him. I feel so old, I can't even remember turning 30 LOL. Anyways, we had a nice day together. Went out for lunch, picked up a cake, and had pancakes for dinner (yep, more brinner.) Just think on his next birthday we'll have a little smiling baby to celebrate with us, can't wait!
Monday's surgery is quickly approaching and I've surprisingly been able to distract myself from my nervousness. Been reading, a lot, which is one of my favorite pasttimes. Today I'm going to venture to visit the family since I visited DH's side on Christmas weekend (and my original planned trip on Monday got postponed with the snowstorm.) So I think that visit will keep my mind occupied quite a bit too.
The hospital called me yesterday and I need to be there Monday at 5:30am. The surgery should occur about an hour or so after I arrive and I'm super thankful for a really early surgery. That will give me a lot of time there on Monday to start walking around and hopefully (got everything crossed) I could be home by Tuesday morning.
Tomorrow I'll get the results from the 1st trimester blood work. So I'll let you know how those came out and I'll be sure to post the night before my surgery. Have a super Thursday!
Us
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
11w4d - NT scan looked great
Back from our appointment and everything's looking great so far. The little one was so cute again on the u/s. When they first put the u/s on, it was laying there with it's back facing us. I was scared for a second because I couldn't see the h/b, but then that beautiful flickering appeared and I could breathe again. Then for the first minute or so it wouldn't change positions so the u/s tech pushed a few times on my stomach - we needed the baby to turn into the right position to do the NT measurements. Well after one of the pushes the baby flipped around a couple times, did some kicks and then settled into the perfect position for the measurements. Nice & easy the rest of the way. The u/s tech measured the nuchal translucency 3 times (per their procedure) and the measurements were 1.37, 1.43, and 1.3mm. Great measurements for where we're at at 11w4d. And a nasal bone was present and measureable (the absence of a nasal bone can be an indicator of Down's.) The nurse then did the finger prick for the bloodwork and I should have those results by Friday. But so far, we're looking good.
Next we were onto the vitals - b/p was 122/74 which is about my usual, pulse was 75. Weight gain so far in the first trimester is 3.5 pounds. The doctor listened to my heart, my breathing, and did a breast exam...a very thorough breast exam. I was wondering what DH thought about this very thorough breast exam as he sat in the room and watched - was he uncomfortable watching that? No. On the contrary his thoughts were - "Hell yeah" (a common reaction to the sight of my rack.) This was followed by him thinking "So it ain't just me -they really are that big. They don't fit in his hands either." Good god, my husband makes me laugh!!! I love you honey!
We then met with the doctor in his office to fill out the paperwork for surgery on Monday. I should get a call from the hospital this week telling me what time we have to be there on Monday. By this time next week, I'll be recovering in the hospital (oh, how I hate trying to sleep in a hospital bed, but it will all be worth it.)
Well, here are some pictures from today's u/s.
Baby with his hand up by his mouth (we could even count all 10 fingers on today's u/s.)
On it's side. The crown rump length from this angle measured 5.47cm making it measure a few days ahead at 12w1d.
Similar shot to the one above, but you'll notice the crown rump length measured slightly smaller, dating it to 12w0d. (You can see why the measurements can be off a little.)
Pic from when they measured the nasal bone.
I seriously think I'm going to need a photo album for this baby just for his/her u/s pics!
Next we were onto the vitals - b/p was 122/74 which is about my usual, pulse was 75. Weight gain so far in the first trimester is 3.5 pounds. The doctor listened to my heart, my breathing, and did a breast exam...a very thorough breast exam. I was wondering what DH thought about this very thorough breast exam as he sat in the room and watched - was he uncomfortable watching that? No. On the contrary his thoughts were - "Hell yeah" (a common reaction to the sight of my rack.) This was followed by him thinking "So it ain't just me -they really are that big. They don't fit in his hands either." Good god, my husband makes me laugh!!! I love you honey!
We then met with the doctor in his office to fill out the paperwork for surgery on Monday. I should get a call from the hospital this week telling me what time we have to be there on Monday. By this time next week, I'll be recovering in the hospital (oh, how I hate trying to sleep in a hospital bed, but it will all be worth it.)
Well, here are some pictures from today's u/s.
Baby with his hand up by his mouth (we could even count all 10 fingers on today's u/s.)
On it's side. The crown rump length from this angle measured 5.47cm making it measure a few days ahead at 12w1d.
Similar shot to the one above, but you'll notice the crown rump length measured slightly smaller, dating it to 12w0d. (You can see why the measurements can be off a little.)
Pic from when they measured the nasal bone.
I seriously think I'm going to need a photo album for this baby just for his/her u/s pics!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Belated Merry Christmas!
Hello all! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! Mine was nice - went to the in-laws for the holiday and spent Christmas with them and some of our Rhode Island friends. Our trip was cut short slightly when we heard about the snowstorm coming so we high-tailed it home late last night. VERY wise decision...not only did we beat the snow but traffic late on Christmas night was super light. Awesome! And now we are snowed in quite nicely with nowhere to travel tonight, perfect.
Tomorrow we'll do our first trimester screening at 1pm (hmmm, I wonder if the snow will change this plan at all, I really hope not.) Anyways, I did not have these tests when I had my first two children ages ago. This test is made up of two components. A blood test and an ultrasound. The ultrasound is used to measure the amount of fluid behind the baby's neck (nuchal translucency.) A larger measurement typically equates to a higher risk of Down's syndrome, Trisomy 18, or Trisomy 13. But it's important for DH & I to remember that this is not a diagnostic test, this is just a screening test. There are a large amount of false positives in the b/w & u/s so that's something to keep in mind. If our risk is high, we could then decide to proceed with CVS (chorionic villus sampling) or amniocentesis to get an actual diagnosis (or to get the all clear.) To be honest though we most likely would not move onto any diagnostic tests. Partially because we don't want to add any additional risks of miscarriage and two, we would not terminate the pregnancy anyways unless the abnormality was incompatible with life. Hopefully we will not have to cross that bridge.
So some may ask, why bother even doing the first trimester screening? Well, it is optional so we certainly don't have to do it. However, if we find that our risk is very low we can have that piece of mind. And if we find that our risk is high, we know to look for other markers in future ultrasounds. Future u/s findings could confirm the initial screening results or completely dispell them. But if confirmed, we could begin to prepare and educate ourselves on whatever help our baby may need. So we're proceeding with the tests tomorrow and we should have the full results by the end of the week. Again, the results would not be a diagnosis. It will just provide us with our level of risk.
On another note, I can't believe my surgery is 8 days away. WOW! I can't even imagine how I'll be feeling next Sunday night. Ummm...I'll guess nervous, anxious, and more nervous. Will I be able to sleep? Oh, I so doubt it!! I'm already nervous just thinking about how I'll be feeling. I think I better dig out my old New Age CD's and get my meditation groove on.
Will report back tomorrow! For now, hope all my friends & family on the East coast are snuggling in with some hot chocolate while the snow falls and falls and falls and falls....
Tomorrow we'll do our first trimester screening at 1pm (hmmm, I wonder if the snow will change this plan at all, I really hope not.) Anyways, I did not have these tests when I had my first two children ages ago. This test is made up of two components. A blood test and an ultrasound. The ultrasound is used to measure the amount of fluid behind the baby's neck (nuchal translucency.) A larger measurement typically equates to a higher risk of Down's syndrome, Trisomy 18, or Trisomy 13. But it's important for DH & I to remember that this is not a diagnostic test, this is just a screening test. There are a large amount of false positives in the b/w & u/s so that's something to keep in mind. If our risk is high, we could then decide to proceed with CVS (chorionic villus sampling) or amniocentesis to get an actual diagnosis (or to get the all clear.) To be honest though we most likely would not move onto any diagnostic tests. Partially because we don't want to add any additional risks of miscarriage and two, we would not terminate the pregnancy anyways unless the abnormality was incompatible with life. Hopefully we will not have to cross that bridge.
So some may ask, why bother even doing the first trimester screening? Well, it is optional so we certainly don't have to do it. However, if we find that our risk is very low we can have that piece of mind. And if we find that our risk is high, we know to look for other markers in future ultrasounds. Future u/s findings could confirm the initial screening results or completely dispell them. But if confirmed, we could begin to prepare and educate ourselves on whatever help our baby may need. So we're proceeding with the tests tomorrow and we should have the full results by the end of the week. Again, the results would not be a diagnosis. It will just provide us with our level of risk.
On another note, I can't believe my surgery is 8 days away. WOW! I can't even imagine how I'll be feeling next Sunday night. Ummm...I'll guess nervous, anxious, and more nervous. Will I be able to sleep? Oh, I so doubt it!! I'm already nervous just thinking about how I'll be feeling. I think I better dig out my old New Age CD's and get my meditation groove on.
Will report back tomorrow! For now, hope all my friends & family on the East coast are snuggling in with some hot chocolate while the snow falls and falls and falls and falls....
Thursday, December 23, 2010
11 weeks - another milestone (& some pics!)
No bleeding this morning YAY!! Just the familiar brown spotting, but hey, I'm ok with that. Just no more red please! As promised, here are some pictures for you. Here is the baby at 10w6d from yesterday's ultrasound. DH & I both have "prominent" noses and it appears our baby does too.
A shot mid-wave.
And the first of many baby bump shots. This was from this morning, so 11 weeks exactly. (And no, I did not grow to be 7 feet tall, we just have a very small Christmas tree so I am taller than it.)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
All is a-ok
The spotting this week and bleed from this morning are mysteries but the baby is doing fine...phew!!!
The little one was doing great, kicking and stretching and flipping around (and DH got to see it this time.) Heartbeat was beautiful in the 160's. The cervix is closed and the length remains the same. The placenta looks good and is firmly attached - no sign of separation or anything like that. The 2nd sac is still there, still getting squeezed out of the way, but it's about the same size as last week so no real change there. It may be possible that the spotting & bleeding came with the stop in progesterone late last week, but it's hard to tell. At this point we're just relieved to hear that everything looked great with the baby & pregnancy. It won't be instant panic-mode if I have additional spotting/bleeding over the holiday weekend, thank goodness!
Tomorrow I'll post a couple pics of the baby from today's u/s and will post the first (of many to come) baby bump shots. Right now, it's nap time.
The little one was doing great, kicking and stretching and flipping around (and DH got to see it this time.) Heartbeat was beautiful in the 160's. The cervix is closed and the length remains the same. The placenta looks good and is firmly attached - no sign of separation or anything like that. The 2nd sac is still there, still getting squeezed out of the way, but it's about the same size as last week so no real change there. It may be possible that the spotting & bleeding came with the stop in progesterone late last week, but it's hard to tell. At this point we're just relieved to hear that everything looked great with the baby & pregnancy. It won't be instant panic-mode if I have additional spotting/bleeding over the holiday weekend, thank goodness!
Tomorrow I'll post a couple pics of the baby from today's u/s and will post the first (of many to come) baby bump shots. Right now, it's nap time.
10w6d - Where is this blood coming from?
So much for a quiet week with no doctor appointments. So much for a week with no worrying. Here DH & I have been admiring my baby bump and feeling more confident in this pregnancy. We listened to the heartbeat again yesterday, that reassuring galloping sound and we were going to post a picture of my baby bump tomorrow when we hit 11 weeks. But today's events and even those of the last few days remind me that this week hasn't been all sunshine and lollipops.
Let's backtrack to last Thursday morning, where on the day of my great appointment with a great ultrasound, I had a touch of pink spotting. Nothing major at all and it looked very similar to when I'd had a bit of spotting earlier in the pregnancy. That we'd chalked up to the progesterone irritating the cervix and there was no evidence of anything amiss in the u/s on Thursday so no big deal. Later that day, I finished my progesterone and hoped that the irritation to my cervix would be over now that I was no longer using the suppositories.
Well, the last few days I've had spotting, primarily brown in color, which generally indicates "old" blood. At first this didn't worry me much either because I figured it could be "old" spotting from the progesterone irritation. Or perhaps a bit of spotting after stopping the progesterone which is common also. No problem, right? Right - that is if it were not getting progressively heavier each day. This morning was the kicker though - when I went to the bathroom first thing this morning it was red and it was more than spotting. I'd call it a light flow. TMI alert - it was enough to cover the toilet paper I was using and drip red into the toilet. Now subsequent trips to the bathroom and we're back to the brown spotting, though cramping has been present all morning. So where did that red blood come from? It had pooled in there and all came out at once but where did it originate? Why am I cramping?
A call to Dr D and I'm reminded again why this guy is wonderful. The number he provides his patients forwards to his cell phone. Yes, no explaining what's happening to a nurse and then waiting for the call back. It's a direct line to him. I explained what's happening and I'll go see him this afternoon at the hospital he's at today. I've never been to this hospital before, it's a little further away but that's ok with me. If we can get any clues from today's visit maybe I can relax while we're visiting friends & family this Christmas weekend and not completely panic at every sight of blood (note, I still will panic, but will try not to completely panic.)
So, I'll post again later today once I'm back from the doctor. I seriously hope it's nothing and I come home feeling silly for even bothering him today with this. But seeing red is enough to warrant a trip to make sure all is ok. Please, please, please let everything be ok.
Let's backtrack to last Thursday morning, where on the day of my great appointment with a great ultrasound, I had a touch of pink spotting. Nothing major at all and it looked very similar to when I'd had a bit of spotting earlier in the pregnancy. That we'd chalked up to the progesterone irritating the cervix and there was no evidence of anything amiss in the u/s on Thursday so no big deal. Later that day, I finished my progesterone and hoped that the irritation to my cervix would be over now that I was no longer using the suppositories.
Well, the last few days I've had spotting, primarily brown in color, which generally indicates "old" blood. At first this didn't worry me much either because I figured it could be "old" spotting from the progesterone irritation. Or perhaps a bit of spotting after stopping the progesterone which is common also. No problem, right? Right - that is if it were not getting progressively heavier each day. This morning was the kicker though - when I went to the bathroom first thing this morning it was red and it was more than spotting. I'd call it a light flow. TMI alert - it was enough to cover the toilet paper I was using and drip red into the toilet. Now subsequent trips to the bathroom and we're back to the brown spotting, though cramping has been present all morning. So where did that red blood come from? It had pooled in there and all came out at once but where did it originate? Why am I cramping?
A call to Dr D and I'm reminded again why this guy is wonderful. The number he provides his patients forwards to his cell phone. Yes, no explaining what's happening to a nurse and then waiting for the call back. It's a direct line to him. I explained what's happening and I'll go see him this afternoon at the hospital he's at today. I've never been to this hospital before, it's a little further away but that's ok with me. If we can get any clues from today's visit maybe I can relax while we're visiting friends & family this Christmas weekend and not completely panic at every sight of blood (note, I still will panic, but will try not to completely panic.)
So, I'll post again later today once I'm back from the doctor. I seriously hope it's nothing and I come home feeling silly for even bothering him today with this. But seeing red is enough to warrant a trip to make sure all is ok. Please, please, please let everything be ok.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
10 weeks - fabulous appointment, fabulous pictures!
We're 10 weeks pregnant today and I got to take a nice long look at Baby Alvarez today!! (Unfortunately DH had to work right at the time of my appointment so he couldn't be there...grrrr!!) So I'll tell you about my appointment and then share some pics from it.
The u/s tech at the MFM's is just awesome. She was pointing out everything as she went. The doc popped in for a few minutes to say hi and see how things were looking, then let her continue on with the u/s. The baby was kicking and waving and stretching!! It was just absolutely amazing, especially considering the little one is only about an inch long. At one point when I was telling the u/s tech that DH is in the Army, the baby raised it's hand up by it's head - she's like "hey that looked like a salute!" (Oh how I wished DH could have been there to see it!) She then switched to another view to look at blood flow and you could see the heart area and umbilical cord light up. And lastly she switched to 3d a few times which was beyond cool and she gave me a couple of shots in 3d to take home. Amazing, amazing stuff! You have to remember the last time I had a baby, they did 1 or maybe 2 u/s for the entire pregnancy and they didn't give you pictures to take home. Also, the quality of the scans these days is like a million times better than 18-20 years ago so it really was astounding to see so much so soon. We could even see the fingers for crying out loud!!!
So then I met with Dr D. We reviewed my pap results and prenatal b/w results - all great - and now that we have all of my results back & saw the baby moving with that beautiful heart beating away, we've got the all clear for my TAC surgery on January 3rd. We went through my list of questions - and again I must say, I've never had a doctor take as much time with a patient as Dr D. does. While most docs rush you in and out and you completely forget what you were going to ask them in your "drive-thru" appointment, Dr D takes his time and explains everything. Then he sits back and asks "what other questions do you have?" and we move on to my next question. Never do I feel rushed and I just love that.
So we talked more about the surgery - I should be fine with an epidural/spinal type of anesthesia instead of general anesthesia which makes me very, very happy. Never having had an epidural/spinal (because back when I had kids they didn't offer it during labor like they do now) I was wondering how long it took to wear off. Depending on the type they give me, the surgery should take just under an hour, the block should wear off in 2-4 hours, and I should be out of my hospital bed and walking around as soon as it wears off. About 70-80% of his patients are discharged from the hospital in 24 hours so I'm going to try like hell to be part of that percentage. When I go for my first trimester screening on 12/27, we'll do all of the paperwork for the surgery and I'll go across the street to meet with the pre-op folks at the hospital to get that all squared away.
We also talked about those fun topics like constipation & sex...well, that's an interesting combination, huh? Right now constipation is not terrible, but history shows that surgery + painkillers are not kind to my bowels. After my last surgery in August I was eating prunes like they were going out of style and by the time I finally went, I was literally crying, I screamed once, and for a moment I thought I was going to die. (Ok, mild exaggeration on that last bit, but damnit that was fucking painful!!) So first thing I need to do is up my fluid intake to an 8oz glass every waking hour. I guess I will just move into the bathroom, but hey, whatever it takes. He also suggested having a cool air humidifier in the bedroom at night. Apparently with our forced air heat I could easily be losing a liter of fluids just breathing all that hot air at night so the humidifier should help with that. And then if I don't get enough relief with the increase of fluids & humidifier, I can add a stool softener before bed.
We also talked about sex and DH & I will continue our refrain until after the surgery. Boo hiss!! Oh, how we both miss it...I swear this is torture! But at this point it's safer for us to refrain. An orgasm on my part & prostaglandins in semen can both cause uterine contractions so we need to avoid those for now. It's been a long couple of months of waiting and we'll have to wait a bit longer, but hopefully after the healing from the surgery is done, we'll get the green light to live (and love) like a normal pregnant couple...well almost...we'll still have to use condoms to avoid the prostaglandin risk. Nothing like safe sex during pregnancy. :-)
So, onto the pics from today...
The first, a view from the side. Oh, it looks like a baby now instead of a blob!!
This one is looking straight at him/her. Love those little arms & legs. Some of the white areas on the head are where facial bones are forming.
This one is kind of looking down on him/her. Again, can see the arms and legs.
This is when the baby "saluted". Raised his/her arm up so the hand was right up by the head.
This is one of the 3d pictures. AWESOME!!
And this is my favorite. It's just an amazing picture and I could look at it all day. I love how you can see the whole baby and the umbilical cord. LOVE IT!!!
Well, I must go finish making dinner. But had to share my great appointment and great pics with you all!
The u/s tech at the MFM's is just awesome. She was pointing out everything as she went. The doc popped in for a few minutes to say hi and see how things were looking, then let her continue on with the u/s. The baby was kicking and waving and stretching!! It was just absolutely amazing, especially considering the little one is only about an inch long. At one point when I was telling the u/s tech that DH is in the Army, the baby raised it's hand up by it's head - she's like "hey that looked like a salute!" (Oh how I wished DH could have been there to see it!) She then switched to another view to look at blood flow and you could see the heart area and umbilical cord light up. And lastly she switched to 3d a few times which was beyond cool and she gave me a couple of shots in 3d to take home. Amazing, amazing stuff! You have to remember the last time I had a baby, they did 1 or maybe 2 u/s for the entire pregnancy and they didn't give you pictures to take home. Also, the quality of the scans these days is like a million times better than 18-20 years ago so it really was astounding to see so much so soon. We could even see the fingers for crying out loud!!!
So then I met with Dr D. We reviewed my pap results and prenatal b/w results - all great - and now that we have all of my results back & saw the baby moving with that beautiful heart beating away, we've got the all clear for my TAC surgery on January 3rd. We went through my list of questions - and again I must say, I've never had a doctor take as much time with a patient as Dr D. does. While most docs rush you in and out and you completely forget what you were going to ask them in your "drive-thru" appointment, Dr D takes his time and explains everything. Then he sits back and asks "what other questions do you have?" and we move on to my next question. Never do I feel rushed and I just love that.
So we talked more about the surgery - I should be fine with an epidural/spinal type of anesthesia instead of general anesthesia which makes me very, very happy. Never having had an epidural/spinal (because back when I had kids they didn't offer it during labor like they do now) I was wondering how long it took to wear off. Depending on the type they give me, the surgery should take just under an hour, the block should wear off in 2-4 hours, and I should be out of my hospital bed and walking around as soon as it wears off. About 70-80% of his patients are discharged from the hospital in 24 hours so I'm going to try like hell to be part of that percentage. When I go for my first trimester screening on 12/27, we'll do all of the paperwork for the surgery and I'll go across the street to meet with the pre-op folks at the hospital to get that all squared away.
We also talked about those fun topics like constipation & sex...well, that's an interesting combination, huh? Right now constipation is not terrible, but history shows that surgery + painkillers are not kind to my bowels. After my last surgery in August I was eating prunes like they were going out of style and by the time I finally went, I was literally crying, I screamed once, and for a moment I thought I was going to die. (Ok, mild exaggeration on that last bit, but damnit that was fucking painful!!) So first thing I need to do is up my fluid intake to an 8oz glass every waking hour. I guess I will just move into the bathroom, but hey, whatever it takes. He also suggested having a cool air humidifier in the bedroom at night. Apparently with our forced air heat I could easily be losing a liter of fluids just breathing all that hot air at night so the humidifier should help with that. And then if I don't get enough relief with the increase of fluids & humidifier, I can add a stool softener before bed.
We also talked about sex and DH & I will continue our refrain until after the surgery. Boo hiss!! Oh, how we both miss it...I swear this is torture! But at this point it's safer for us to refrain. An orgasm on my part & prostaglandins in semen can both cause uterine contractions so we need to avoid those for now. It's been a long couple of months of waiting and we'll have to wait a bit longer, but hopefully after the healing from the surgery is done, we'll get the green light to live (and love) like a normal pregnant couple...well almost...we'll still have to use condoms to avoid the prostaglandin risk. Nothing like safe sex during pregnancy. :-)
So, onto the pics from today...
The first, a view from the side. Oh, it looks like a baby now instead of a blob!!
This one is looking straight at him/her. Love those little arms & legs. Some of the white areas on the head are where facial bones are forming.
This one is kind of looking down on him/her. Again, can see the arms and legs.
This is when the baby "saluted". Raised his/her arm up so the hand was right up by the head.
This is one of the 3d pictures. AWESOME!!
And this is my favorite. It's just an amazing picture and I could look at it all day. I love how you can see the whole baby and the umbilical cord. LOVE IT!!!
Well, I must go finish making dinner. But had to share my great appointment and great pics with you all!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sorry, been a slacker!
Hi there! Long time no talk to. Well, it's been so quiet in my life, I haven't had much to report (and I actually still don't have much.)
In school news, I'm just waiting for my professor to post the final exam so I can take that and be done (my other class finished last week.) And this past weekend, we had my DD's baby shower. It was beautiful and she was soooo happy. DH & I spent the night before the shower at her house and she was hilarious. She was so excited for her shower she was literally counting down the hours until the party started.
I just worked my last day of 2010 today...ahhhhh...I am now officially out of the office until January 13th! My holiday break runs through the new year and then my surgery break will run from January 3rd - January 13th. I may not need all of that time to recover, but better to err on the side of caution instead of thinking I'm superwoman and trying to do too much too soon (wait, isn't doing too much too soon the Kling way?) Those that know my family know that stubbornly doing too much is in our blood.
Anyways, I've read many other women's blogs and stories of their TAC surgeries and many said it took them a good 3-6 weeks to recover. Most said they were able to work after 2-3 weeks so I'm thinking 10 days is a good number of days to plan to be out of work. After that I can work from my living room anyways and I'll just make myself as comfy as possible. Like I said, the incision is similar to a c-section incision but they pull the bladder and uterus out of the way to put the loop around the upper part of the cervix. Then you just have to account for the fact that I'll be 13-14 weeks pregnant during the first week or so of recovery time so that may make things a bit uncomfortable (think expanding pregnant belly pushing against c-section like incision - definitely doesn't sound like the most pleasant feeling in the world.)
So yes, the internet is both a blessing and a curse. I've read story after story of women undergoing the surgery I'll be having and it's wonderful to read so many experiences (especially the many that had the same doctor I have.) I definitely still get nervous at the thought of the surgery but every story is reassuring. So while I probably didn't need to look at pictures of the surgery with the uterus pulled out of the c-section incision (when I realized it will soon be my uterus hanging out there I realized that maybe there really is such a thing as too much information) the stories have been wonderful to help me know what to expect before, during, and after the surgery.
Lastly, we got our home doppler so we could listen to the heartbeat every few days. Last week we tried, but couldn't really pick anything up (we knew it would probably be too early.) But this week we tried again and heard that beautiful galloping sound with a reading of 155. Hmm...baby seems to like that range of the 150's which is making some people guess that we're having a girl. I think a gender poll is in order, you think?
Thursday we go see Dr D for an OB check and will get some more details about surgery prep & surgery day. Hopefully we'll get an u/s peek at our little gummy bear too. We'll be 10 weeks on Thursday so there should be lots more to see. But I'll post after that appointment to let you know how it went. Until then, thanks for putting up with my slacker ways.
In school news, I'm just waiting for my professor to post the final exam so I can take that and be done (my other class finished last week.) And this past weekend, we had my DD's baby shower. It was beautiful and she was soooo happy. DH & I spent the night before the shower at her house and she was hilarious. She was so excited for her shower she was literally counting down the hours until the party started.
I just worked my last day of 2010 today...ahhhhh...I am now officially out of the office until January 13th! My holiday break runs through the new year and then my surgery break will run from January 3rd - January 13th. I may not need all of that time to recover, but better to err on the side of caution instead of thinking I'm superwoman and trying to do too much too soon (wait, isn't doing too much too soon the Kling way?) Those that know my family know that stubbornly doing too much is in our blood.
Anyways, I've read many other women's blogs and stories of their TAC surgeries and many said it took them a good 3-6 weeks to recover. Most said they were able to work after 2-3 weeks so I'm thinking 10 days is a good number of days to plan to be out of work. After that I can work from my living room anyways and I'll just make myself as comfy as possible. Like I said, the incision is similar to a c-section incision but they pull the bladder and uterus out of the way to put the loop around the upper part of the cervix. Then you just have to account for the fact that I'll be 13-14 weeks pregnant during the first week or so of recovery time so that may make things a bit uncomfortable (think expanding pregnant belly pushing against c-section like incision - definitely doesn't sound like the most pleasant feeling in the world.)
So yes, the internet is both a blessing and a curse. I've read story after story of women undergoing the surgery I'll be having and it's wonderful to read so many experiences (especially the many that had the same doctor I have.) I definitely still get nervous at the thought of the surgery but every story is reassuring. So while I probably didn't need to look at pictures of the surgery with the uterus pulled out of the c-section incision (when I realized it will soon be my uterus hanging out there I realized that maybe there really is such a thing as too much information) the stories have been wonderful to help me know what to expect before, during, and after the surgery.
Lastly, we got our home doppler so we could listen to the heartbeat every few days. Last week we tried, but couldn't really pick anything up (we knew it would probably be too early.) But this week we tried again and heard that beautiful galloping sound with a reading of 155. Hmm...baby seems to like that range of the 150's which is making some people guess that we're having a girl. I think a gender poll is in order, you think?
Thursday we go see Dr D for an OB check and will get some more details about surgery prep & surgery day. Hopefully we'll get an u/s peek at our little gummy bear too. We'll be 10 weeks on Thursday so there should be lots more to see. But I'll post after that appointment to let you know how it went. Until then, thanks for putting up with my slacker ways.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
9 weeks today!!
It's been an incredibly busy week this week at work. After today I only have 3 workdays left in 2010 so I'm trying to wrap everything up before my long holiday break. So no lunch breaks here - instead lunches this week have consisted of scarfing down an PB&J english muffin with a string cheese on the side (or some days celery & cream cheese on the side) while I listened to a web meeting/conference call and furiously scribbled my notes. But today, I'm taking a solid 15 minute lunch break to catch up on my blog (I already ate my aforementioned PB&J english muffin with a string cheese on the side while listening to a web meeting/conference call and furiously scribbling my notes.)
So, 9 weeks today!! WOO-HOO!! Each week with this pregnancy feels like such a milestone. And I'm also enjoying a week of no doctor appointments. That's right - NO doctor's appointments this week!! I looked back on the calendar we keep hanging in the kitchen and I saw that the last time I had a week with NO doctor's appointment was the week of September 5th. September 5th?? Isn't that ridiculous?? Yes it is! But after that week of September 5th, I have had at least one appointment with a medical professional every week - whether it was b/w, u/s, e/r, e/t, physical therapy, or the dermatologist. Now you can really see why a week of no doctor's appointments is a welcome and refreshing change of pace!
I'm feeling great this week! Still craving cold fruit more than anything, not as tired (but not bursting with energy either) and my jeans are getting a little tighter. My weight hasn't gone up and I think a lot of it is still bloat (and the fact that I'm no skinny minny to begin with), but I think my time remaining in buttoned non-maternity jeans may be limited.
Ok, back to cramming in 3 weeks worth of work in 3 days. Later!!
So, 9 weeks today!! WOO-HOO!! Each week with this pregnancy feels like such a milestone. And I'm also enjoying a week of no doctor appointments. That's right - NO doctor's appointments this week!! I looked back on the calendar we keep hanging in the kitchen and I saw that the last time I had a week with NO doctor's appointment was the week of September 5th. September 5th?? Isn't that ridiculous?? Yes it is! But after that week of September 5th, I have had at least one appointment with a medical professional every week - whether it was b/w, u/s, e/r, e/t, physical therapy, or the dermatologist. Now you can really see why a week of no doctor's appointments is a welcome and refreshing change of pace!
I'm feeling great this week! Still craving cold fruit more than anything, not as tired (but not bursting with energy either) and my jeans are getting a little tighter. My weight hasn't gone up and I think a lot of it is still bloat (and the fact that I'm no skinny minny to begin with), but I think my time remaining in buttoned non-maternity jeans may be limited.
Ok, back to cramming in 3 weeks worth of work in 3 days. Later!!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Quiet and uneventful...boy that feels nice!
It's been a few days since my last post and I'm happy to report life's been pretty quiet and uneventful...nice!
Yesterday was the day of pregnancy related errands. First stop was the pharmacy up in Trenton that carries the fertility meds and related stuff. If you'll remember I'm still on the progesterone suppositories and estrogen tablets for another week and a half - until December 16th to be exact, when I will be 10 weeks pregnant. I will be sooooo happy to finish taking these meds. The progesterone suppositories are a cool $100 every week so I think my wallet will enjoy me no longer using them. I'll also be happy to ditch the pantiliners again for awhile. You can't use progesterone suppositories without "making a mess" so I'll be happy to say goodbye to daily doses of white goop. So yes, after spending another $200 at that pharmacy yesterday I was extremely happy to say thank you & goodbye to them for good!
Next stop was CVS to pick up my prescription prenatal vitamins. Interesting thing though - they are not covered by either of my insurance plans. WTF??? We encourage women to take their prenatal vitamins (I've been taking over-the-counter prenatals for 2.5 years now to keep my folic acid levels up) and yet they won't cover them under the insurance?? Weird stuff! I still wonder if the pharmacy tech screwed up, because it just seems odd. Ah well, the over the counter ones are just as good according to the doc so maybe I'll stick with them.
And while at CVS I stopped at the Minute Clinic for my flu shot. (It should have been named the 45-Minute Clinic as I was 3rd in line which meant a 45 minute wait for a 5 minute visit.) But I must say it was convenient to just walk in and get it there and not have to worry about finding a general doctor, making an appointment, etc. I've had the flu once in 20 years so I generally don't bother with a flu shot, but knowing how dangerous the flu/H1N1 can be to pregnant women, I was told to get it, and the sooner the better. So got that taken care of.
The rest of the weekend I spent writing my term paper for my art class. I should be wrapping up my 2 classes later this week. Then I probably won't take anymore classes for awhile given that life is going to change gears when the baby arrives. Hell, I've taken classes here and there over the last 20 years, what's another 10 or 20 years? I'm obviously in no rush to get a degree, it's just one of those things I'd like to accomplish before I die so I've got plenty of time.
How am I feeling in general? Really only symptoms at this point are I burp (a LOT), I become suddenly ravenous and must eat immediately, and I would like to nap every afternoon. In the earlier weeks I was craving salty stuff (green olives, spaghettios, etc) but that has changed. This last week I just cannot get enough fruit! Any kind of fruit is good but cold fruit is best: melon, a mango out of the fridge, jars of the ruby red grapefruit sections. The other day I finished the grapefruit and then stood at the kitchen sink to drink the juice right out of the jar...can anyone say attractive??
Hope everyone has a good week and for now we'll just keep plugging along quietly and uneventfully!
Yesterday was the day of pregnancy related errands. First stop was the pharmacy up in Trenton that carries the fertility meds and related stuff. If you'll remember I'm still on the progesterone suppositories and estrogen tablets for another week and a half - until December 16th to be exact, when I will be 10 weeks pregnant. I will be sooooo happy to finish taking these meds. The progesterone suppositories are a cool $100 every week so I think my wallet will enjoy me no longer using them. I'll also be happy to ditch the pantiliners again for awhile. You can't use progesterone suppositories without "making a mess" so I'll be happy to say goodbye to daily doses of white goop. So yes, after spending another $200 at that pharmacy yesterday I was extremely happy to say thank you & goodbye to them for good!
Next stop was CVS to pick up my prescription prenatal vitamins. Interesting thing though - they are not covered by either of my insurance plans. WTF??? We encourage women to take their prenatal vitamins (I've been taking over-the-counter prenatals for 2.5 years now to keep my folic acid levels up) and yet they won't cover them under the insurance?? Weird stuff! I still wonder if the pharmacy tech screwed up, because it just seems odd. Ah well, the over the counter ones are just as good according to the doc so maybe I'll stick with them.
And while at CVS I stopped at the Minute Clinic for my flu shot. (It should have been named the 45-Minute Clinic as I was 3rd in line which meant a 45 minute wait for a 5 minute visit.) But I must say it was convenient to just walk in and get it there and not have to worry about finding a general doctor, making an appointment, etc. I've had the flu once in 20 years so I generally don't bother with a flu shot, but knowing how dangerous the flu/H1N1 can be to pregnant women, I was told to get it, and the sooner the better. So got that taken care of.
The rest of the weekend I spent writing my term paper for my art class. I should be wrapping up my 2 classes later this week. Then I probably won't take anymore classes for awhile given that life is going to change gears when the baby arrives. Hell, I've taken classes here and there over the last 20 years, what's another 10 or 20 years? I'm obviously in no rush to get a degree, it's just one of those things I'd like to accomplish before I die so I've got plenty of time.
How am I feeling in general? Really only symptoms at this point are I burp (a LOT), I become suddenly ravenous and must eat immediately, and I would like to nap every afternoon. In the earlier weeks I was craving salty stuff (green olives, spaghettios, etc) but that has changed. This last week I just cannot get enough fruit! Any kind of fruit is good but cold fruit is best: melon, a mango out of the fridge, jars of the ruby red grapefruit sections. The other day I finished the grapefruit and then stood at the kitchen sink to drink the juice right out of the jar...can anyone say attractive??
Hope everyone has a good week and for now we'll just keep plugging along quietly and uneventfully!
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