We had a weekly doctors appointment on Wednesday this week - changing things up a little. I've had a little trouble motivating myself to sit down and blog about the day - I am sure it just because of how crazy busy I've been!! I mean let me tell you...sitting around on your tush will really take it out of you!! Between the sitting, reclining, laying down, sitting, sitting and more sitting I have just not made myself sit in front of the computer....Well have no fear because on this very exciting Friday night....guess what I'm doing??? Yep, blogging!!
So, back to Wednesday. It was a big day! Not only my weekly outing to the ROC group (that's the high risk doctors) but I also had an appointment with my regular OB (who is the doctor that will actually deliver me when the time comes). First up...ROC
So, my appointment was at 8:00 (yep, right at the height of rush hour when every other human being in Jacksonville is also trying to get downtown for work - oops!!) Of course please remember that I'm only allowed to get ready in 15 minutes increments so an 8:00 appointment also meant I got up at 5:30 to shower (yes I'm totally serious) and then climbed back into bed to sleep for my 45 minutes before I was allowed to get back up to finish blow drying my hair and getting dressed. What is even more pathetic than the fact that I actually got up at 5:30 was that I had no trouble getting up at 5:30 - didn't even hit the snooze - jumped right out of bed....this is the one time in the week I get to leave the house and I had to look put together!!
I'm not sure if the different doctor had something to do with it, or maybe it was because my appointment wasn't first thing Monday morning or just maybe it was because Mary (the nurse coordinator from Vanderbilt) called and told them how this was going to work but whatever the change I'll take it!! Our overall experience this week was leaps and bounds better!! They were prepared with the appropriate form (even though I had brought another just in case) :) and did a thorough ultrasound without nearly as much prompting from this over-protective momma!! They had us in the room with their newest ultrasound machine - this thing seriously was able to zoom in enough to see the sutures on baby boys back - I'm not kidding!! It was incredible! The "bubble" that we noticed last week had decreased in size significantly (so much so that they weren't really even able to measure it this week) - which is obviously a good thing!! My fluid level was 17 (yes I'm totally patting myself on the back for that one - it only has to be 10 to be considered normal) and the doctor comented about what a beautiful NORMAL looking brain this guy had!! It appears that the cerebellum (ok - stay with me....that is the very back part of your brain. Remember way back before surgery we talked about little guy having "banana sign" where his cerebellum, instead of being straight across was being pulled down and looked more like a banana. This happens because of the traction being caused way down the spine at the site of the spina bifida defect and they call this whole thing Arnold Chiari)
Ok, so back to what I was saying, the doctor said that his cerebellum appears NORMAL!! No more "banana sign" which means that the Chiari is RESOLVING!! That is huge - something that they sometimes see as a result of this surgery (once the tension is removed because things are put back where they are supposed to be it allows the brain to pop back up to where it should be) HUGE praise!! God is good!!
Little guys ventricle size was increased slightly - which we expected but still well within normal limits and he was totally showing off - he got an 8/8 on his bio-physical evaluation. I'm not totally sure of all the things they look for with these but either way, he got an 8/8 (which would be 100% just in case your keeping track) so woohoo!! They were thrilled with results and sent us on our way.
Downstairs I went :) It was glucose screening day.....insert scary music here - because what pregnant woman really wants to be told that they have to WATCH WHAT THEY EAT while they are pregnant - hello...the best part about being pregnant is NO guilt when you go back for the 2nd cookie (and the 3rd and the 4th - the baby wants what the baby wants!!) I passed with flying colors and was told to go forth and eat whatever I want (insert giant pregnant girl sign of relief here!) Nothing else exciting at this appointment - all the cool stuff happens up at ROC!
I decided to break the rules a little after my doctors appointment and used my "I'm allowed to be up 15 minutes of every hour" to walk across the street to work. I spent about an hour just socializing with co-workers - keeping them from being productive :) which I am so good at and I know they miss me for!! Had several people comment that the office has been "so quiet" since I left...Not sure how to take that.....
Got to show off some pictures from surgery and even got to hug and smooch on some of my favorite kiddos (that I miss so much!!) It was a nice change of pace!! It didn't last long though - home I went...back to the four walls that consume my days....to wait and look forward to another outing next week!! (Thanks for the ride Dara) :)
Oh, Wednesday was so good....Thursday on the other hand.....
See, I knew I should have written an update on Wednesday after I had such a good day because now I have to ruin the good vibes from above with the cruddiness of Thursday :(
I did not sleep well on Wednesday night, despite my exhaustion (getting up at 5:30 and then going to 2 doctors appointments will take it out of a girl!!) so I woke up feeling kind of yuck anyway. Add to that the fact that it was totally rainy and overcast outside and I think we all would agree that anyone would have trouble finding a sunshiny mood!! Add to that pregnancy hormones and things can get ugly fast! It was just a bad day for sure - lots of feeling sorry for myself, being annoyed that I can't get comfortable at night (or during the day for that matter) and get a good nights rest and general pregnancy tears. Then I threw in a hand full of Braxton Hicks contractions and I was totally over the edge! I had myself totally convinced that I was having a baby at 26 weeks yesterday. After two different nurses and a doctor talked me off the ledge I was able to calm down....Chalking it up to overdoing it on Wednesday (bummer cause it was totally like the best day ever), not drinking enough water and being a little stressed....
I didn't move my tush off the couch ALL DAY yesterday, drank water like a crazy woman and cried several times....but today I am feeling like a new girl. Only 2 visits from good old Braxton today and I'm feeling much more like myself -
Glad that mess was short lived!! I don't like hormonal, contracting, grumpy, pregnant Kristin (I'm willing to bet my husband would second that)
Today was fun :) My sister was in town - only for the day but have no fear she will return next weekend! She drove down from DC - yes, she is a CRAZY woman - and spent the night and most of the day here before continuing down farther south for the week with mom and dad. She was my eyes and feet today at Hobby Lobby (oh how I miss that place) and did some damage for me getting me party supplies for the boys birthday party - and a few other necessities for some other secret projects that I'm working on :) Now I have plenty to keep me busy! On to a long weekend (Stephen has off Monday) full of well....probably nothing but more sitting around on my behind - oh well, this is life on bed rest I guess.
Doctors appointment isn't until Friday next week but I'll try to return with some fabulous stories of my exciting life before then.....Until next time....Thank you for the prayers, food, lunch dates, rides, texts and phone calls!! I look forward to them!! God is good (the fact that I haven't killed myself or someone else yet is proof of that!!)
Love and Hugs