Health Update...

I'm thinking a separate post for all of this medical jargon would be best, there's been so much happen in the last two weeks that we are quite overwhelmed. Munchkin man is doing great and as of yesterday weighed in at 4 lbs. 3 oz. (huge, huh?!) but he is really doing a number on my body and I'm exhausted from it.

We'll just give the quick run down.... well, as quick as I can make it.
We've been to the doctor with tons of contractions for the last three weeks, only so far it's just contractions and not labor. The boy is breech and this may be why I haven't gone into labor yet since my muscles can't get him moving in the correct direction (stubborn already!).

Almost two weeks ago I started being tested for Preeclampsia (thanks to some protein and vision issues), only to discover that because of my "unique" uterus that I would likely have a persistent bladder infection until the baby is born (thanks to his position) and that it will take a round of strong antibiotics postpartum to return my protein levels to normal. Something with my blood work was still "off" but no one was ready to make any guesses past my bladder issue.

Then last week I was back at the doctor and when asking about some allergy issues, I mentioned my hands and feet itching. It was like I pulled one of those levers that stops a train dead in it's tracks, the itching made my blood work mystery make sense. I have Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP). Which basically means that my liver is not functioning properly, and will not until several days after I deliver. My bile is thickened to the point that it cannot flow from the bile ducts to be excreted by my body. This makes you itch, constantly, mostly on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet and feel like overall crap. It has also made me very anemic, which has made me very tired because without vitamin K being processed properly in my liver, my body cannot properly process and absorb iron. The Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor put our

I really think my Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor would like to put me in a glass house and study me, when we reviewed my appointments he was cursing just as much as he was fascinated that so many things could be happening to me in these final weeks. But in theory, I should have already had our little man. It is VERY VERY rare that anyone with a uterine deformation as sever as mine makes it past 30 weeks of pregnancy and it is what we prepared for over the last few months. However, as long as the baby looks good and my blood work keeps coming back within a "reasonable" range they will let me stay pregnant to term. We are looking into a 37 or 38 week c-section though because he is breech and has run out of room to flip and with the ICP he doesn't feel I should carry to a normal 39 week c-section. But I really could go into true labor at any time with all of the contractions that I have and my body being generally tired of me being pregnant so I will be going to Jacksonville for an appointment every Monday and to my regular OB here every Thursday until 38 weeks or I go into labor, which ever comes first!

Thanks to everyone for all of the good thoughts and prayers for this little guy, the great thing is that he doesn't seem to know any of this is going on and that it's only taking a toll on me. He is worth every second of it though and I know how happy Alan & I will be to have him here and how great it will be to feel like myself again! Really, what's five more weeks at the most!

Much love,
Carole, Alan, and Little Man

33 Week Survey

(Me with cake at my Shower!)

How far along? 33 Weeks!!!
Total weight gain/loss: + 10
Maternity clothes? Yes, and outgrowing some of them!
Stretch marks? Amazingly, still none!
Sleep: Craptastic... Thanks to cholestasis I itch, toss, turn, and get up constantly.
Best moment this week: Knowing that most everything online about cholestasis isn't true. The Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor put our minds at ease about a lot of things.
Food cravings: Cantaloupe & NC Strawberries
Gender: It's a boy & we couldn't be more excited!!!
Labor Signs: Lots of contractions, but still no real labor.
Belly Button in or out? Pretty much flat at this point.
Wedding rings on or off? Still rockin' my rocks! I've been very fortunate with my lack of swelling!
Weekly Wisdom: If it's not one thing, it's another. Seriously.
Milestones: Put the car seat in my car, made it to 33 weeks (no doctor thinks I should still be pregnant!), finishing up things in the nursery (thanks to my awesome baby shower!). Most importantly, we're zoning in on a c-section date for munchkin man!

Umm, well, at least the sun is still shining!

Just when you think things have you so down and flustered it can't get worse, you are reminded that it can! We got a phone call yesterday that Alan's step-Dad was going in the hospital for a possible heart-attack or collapsed stint. We're still waiting for this mornings test results, but please say your prayers that he isn't in need of another surgery (he's had so many on his heart). Same phone call, we also found out that Alan's Grandmother was being placed in a short-term physical rehab facility for a surgery that she had on her upper back and neck (which no one called to tell us about or tell us when we spoke with them, grrr...), so hopefully she'll be recovered within the next five or six weeks, just in time to see the Baby Boy. We'll try to see her by the weekend and we're checking into Sandy (the pouch) being able to visit too. Trust me, she'd rather see the dog than us! They love Sandy and she gets treated like a princess every time they are around her! Spoiled little girl that she is!

We've also got sweet, dumb, and lovable Shamrock until Wednesday afternoon. He has a tag with my phone number on it for when his Mom and Dad are gone and he's with us. Yesterday, just before lunch I got a call that my dog was sleeping under a some kid's swing set! Sandy? No, your dog Shamrock, oh, I'll be right over! He let himself out of the back yard and was just letting himself into the neighbor's yard! I took Sandy over and left them at Shamrocks house to play for the afternoon - with the gate locked of course!

A small work update, and a small victory for me! Treat me like a blond dummy, and I'll squish my huge pregnancy boobs together, bat my eyes, and twirl my hair and use it against you. And I WILL WIN (because all of that air you think is in my head is full of brain cells), and did, yes, even pregnant! After a sweet convo with a higher power this morning, we reached a very amicable agreement, for all and a promise to get me what I need before I go on leave, also a promise to find out who wasn't doing their job! See I can do it while looking cute and not tossing anyone under the bus!

We'll just keep trucking along here until Friday, the weekend can't come fast enough!

Much love,
Carole, Alan, and Baby Boy

Aggravated and Agitated.... and a Little Sad

Well, I'm aggravated, agitated, and could use for the sun to shine because nothing seems to be going my way, and there has been quite a bit of sadness around me lately.

Before I delve into my self-pity party, I realize the world doesn't revolve around me and there are two very special people that I asked everyone to pray for and I'd like to update you all on them, though not the updates I was hoping to give. Our neighbor, Doris, went to be with our Father in Heaven early Saturday morning. Easter weekend was a fitting time for her to go, she was a true warrior for Christ and touched so many lives with messages of God's love for all. The second update is for precious Megan Grace and can be found in her blog. I am sad that her Mom and Dad did not get the answers that they prayed for, but I continue to pray for their strength and comfort now and in the time ahead and ask you to do the same.

Now for my own bought of pity. It's mostly work related, and a little baby related.

Baby boy is doing great, Mom could use a lot less pressure on her back and a good stiff cup of coffee to keep her awake though. But as of Monday we are almost certain that I will be scheduled for a c-section. This was not what I wanted or how I've envisioned my delivery and yes, I still get a beautiful baby boy in the end, but I was truly hoping he would arrive in his own time and that the delivery would be the way Alan and I hoped. I do see and fully understand what my doctors are saying and by the end of next week we'll have a final decision and possibly have picked his birthday. Alan is pulling for a June baby still, but Munchkin Man seems to be looking at a late May arrival! I'll keep everyone posted as to what is decided, I know we need to do (and will do) what is best for me and Little Man, and that I shouldn't be a brat about it.

And while I shouldn't blog much about work, this has to go somewhere, and you all get to be my sounding board (poor you). I'm tired of a particular middle-age, village idiot (with a horrid horrid vomit inducing cackle) causing me problems. When I asked for something to be done in January, she didn't bother to follow up on it until mid-February. And still I do not have and am no closer to having what I need.
Now, with state budget issues and people walking on pins and needles since we can't even buy a pack of pens without a Gubernatorial decree, it's looking very doubtful that I'll have what I need by the time my maternity leave starts (I should add here that what I've asked for doesn't cost one red cent, just someone in Raleigh doing their job). If only she'd have done her job when originally asked and I wouldn't have members of the public breathing down my neck for things I can't give them because someone else wouldn't do her job. Even more aggravating is that she has gone behind my back up the chain of command to say she isn't sure what to do and hasn't kept me informed of what is going on because she "thinks I'm to young and impatient to keep things in perspective" - oh yes, she said this to me, well is waiting from January to mid-April really THAT impatient.
I really get tired of being treated like a young set of boobs with blond hair by several of the other women around here, grow up people. I work very hard to do my job and keep people happy, it is my job to make nearly 10,000 people from the public happy each year (not always a cake walk when you work for the Government). So when people start to interfere with that it brings out a bit of a bull dog in me (not always good), but I try to keep the package cute and looking good nonetheless. I've worked out what I hope is a temporary solution, but I won't know for sure until Monday. So until then, pray for my patience and that I don't toss someone out a second story office window because I'd hate to prove her right!

Prayers and More Prayers...

Alan and I know that we have tremendous blessings in our lives to be thankful for, we are so very blessed in so many ways that some days I know we have no way of counting all of our blessings! With that I'm asking for prayers for two very, very special people and their families.

First, our neighbor Doris is nearing the end of her battle with cancer. She is an amazing woman with an amazing family. Rarely have I ever seen anyone so close in their walk with God and their ability to share and care for others as she does. She is so well known and loved in our little town that we can't even begin to count all of the cars and people in and out of their house over the last week. Alan and I love them very much. When we told them that we were expecting the broke out the nicest bottle of wine and toasted to getting to be grandparents again, they are just wonderful people. I went to visit her yesterday after work and she told me again that she is tired and ready to go home when the Lord is ready for her. I reminded her that people as special as she is take a little extra preparing for, even in Heaven. So please keep Doris and her family in your prayers as they end their journey here together and she leaves us for her Heavenly Home.

And again, I ask for prayers for little Megan Grace. I've thought so very much about her Mom and Dad all week knowing that they are preparing to go to Johns Hopkins for a second opinion from some of the top doctors in their field about the diagnosis of skeletal dysplasia given to Megan Grace. They meet with doctors on Good Friday, and I pray that their prayers for an Easter miracle are granted to them.

We are thinking about and praying for these two very special people who have touched so many lives, one without even knowing it. And we're praying for their families that they find peace and comfort in whatever God has in his plan for them.

Much love,
Alan, Carole, & Baby Boy

Stroller... check!

The stroller has been a great source of stress in my house hold, how to pick one for where we live and how to get the most out of it, buy a stroller for each function we need (and Alan thinking I had stroller envy of every kind of stroller didn't help!)? Alan was all but ready to say we just would carry the kid around when, with the help of a friend, he was convinced that a jogging stroller like hers was the way to go!

So today I ordered our InStep Safari Jogger! It will hold a car seat, go on the beach, be great in our neighborhood and hold this child for quite some time! I can't wait for it to get here, I also ordered our crib aquarium because it's been discontinued and I didn't want to miss out on it, but today was a great day to order it because it was on sale and for ordering a Fisher-Price toy, I got another Fisher-Price toy of the same or lesser value free, with free shipping on the toys! Little man is racking up already in the toy department and I can't wait for the stroller to get here!

Dear Little Man...

Dear Little Man,
Mommy loves you so very very much. Could you please do Mommy a favor and move your head out of my ribs because it hurts to breathe? Mommy is having to be a bad ass at work today and it's hard to do when you are low on oxygen! I'm sorry that you are running short on space already but it's only for a few more weeks (okay 7 to 10 we hope, but it's really not that long). If you flip around we'll both be able to breathe a little easier.

I love you and I'll see you soon!
Mommy

30 Week Update...

Well, I'm giving a 30 week update early. We've had so much going on and next week isn't any better, so I'll give the scoop a few days early (though there isn't much scoop to give).

Alan has the boat at Jarrett Bay Boatworks getting new motors and some other work done to the Frequent Flyer. I'm trying to do the job of at least two people and the moral of that story is that bad help is sometimes worse than no help. If I start down the path of this story, I'm not sure I can return from the dark side of it, but we'll say it's been a busy and overwhelming week for me at work.

We started our birthing classes last night too! Last night's topic was breastfeeding and there were even boobie cupcakes to celebrate. I really wanted to pull my phone out and snap a picture, but something didn't seem right about that! Alan wouldn't eat them, he thought it was odd (white boobs on top but chocolate cake, it really threw him!). Wonder what kind of treats you get on video night?

We've got another jam-packed weekend coming up. Tomorrow is the Stop-n-Shop sale fundraiser for the March of Dimes and Kim's wedding shower at the house. Sunday is book club and Alan and I have youth group in the evening. Sometime we're also supposed to do laundry, clean the house, all that other fun stuff! All of this leads right back to Monday and back to another busy week at work. I've really got to get on preparing for maternity leave so my boss is able to survive without me (he's even admitted to his concern over this), even though I'll be working from home some during my time out! I'll be sure to update sometime early next week with pictures from the weekend!

Much love,
Alan, Carole, & Baby Boy!

How far along? 30 Weeks (well, almost)

Total weight gain/loss: + 12

Maternity clothes? Yes, and outgrowing some of them!

Stretch marks? None yet (please let those creams and lots of water work!)

Sleep: Ok. Waking up 2-3 times to go to the bathroom. And there seems to be an issue with a cat using my head as a pillow!

Best moment this week: All of the movement that Alan can feel! He's a wild child! If he would just remove his head from my ribs!

Food cravings: Nothing. Really, I find this odd about myself, but I have a lack of appetite for the most part.

Gender: It's a boy & we couldn't be more excited!!!

Labor Signs: No, thank heaven!

Belly Button in or out? Still somewhere between in and flat.

Wedding rings on or off? Still rockin' my rocks! I've been very fortunate with my lack of swelling!

Weekly Wisdom: I'm not sure that I have any! I'm starting to really get nervous about being prepared, so we'll go with that. Be prepared!

Milestones: Mystery leg cramps common with pregnancy (really, I get those and had kidney stones, oh goody!). Started our birthing classes last night!