UGH!!!! What is wrong with me?!

Sigh.... its more "vent" time....

Well the night ended "ok" my blood sugar was under control and I was following my diet to a "T". I even put all my food options on a HUGE poster board in the kitchen so picking out foods would be easier. After working on the baby's blanket for awhile (I am half way done YAY!) I went to bed in a pretty good mood.

Well all that was about to change as soon as I woke up. As I woke up this morning I felt "ok". I was a bit uneasy but nothing to bad. The energy level seemed moderate. Mia was the reason I woke up, she was chatting in her room so I got up to get the day started. Since she tends to take a LONG time getting up and going in the morning I decided to make myself a quick breakfast so I wouldn't delay my meals to much. So I took my blood sugar (which I always have to when I wake up) and to my shock it was 84! No that is not high, but my average has been 75! I was pretty bummed about it but I went on my morning. I made myself two toasts and 1 egg and scarfed them down fast so I could get Mia out of her room before she started crying or making a fuss. I thought maybe I had eaten to fast because I started to get a horrible stomach ache! It was in the pit of my stomach and hurt pretty bad. I ignored it and started out day.

I fed Mia some breakfast and right around that time, about 20-30mins after eating my own breakfast I felt the all too familiar feelings. I started to get winded, low energy, high pulse rate, and wooziness. I couldn't understand why! I attributed those similar feelings yesterday to what I ate and since I avoided it today I thought I would be ok. I soooo wasn't. It began to get worse and at my 1hr mark it was time to test my blood sugar again. It was high... 146 (they don't want me any higher than 130) I was devastated. I ate exactly what they told me to and still it read high and now I was feeling really bad. Also a new symptom popped up. My stomach ache turned into a full on pain! My whole stomach hurt and what hurt most was the area around my C-Section scar! I tried to take it slow the rest of of the morning but of course Mia wouldn't allow that.

Then the light headedness got worse and worse and I soon felt faint. I got scared I wasn't sure what was going on. I checked my pulse rate with Adrian's blood pressure machine and it was high and fluctuating rapidly. The other thing that caught my eye was my blood pressure was VERY low. I tend to have low blood pressure while pregnant but this was really low. Out of three back to back readings the lowest was 102/65 (normal blood pressure reads at 120/80) Thats when I got really concerned and decided to finally wake up Adrian so he could take care of Mia and I could lay down. I wasn't "tired" but I didn't want to be doing anything else but laying down. He jumped right in on helping out and I laid in our bed for the next hour.

I did manage to take a small nap before I was awaken by Mia refusing to go down for a nap. I was also hungry and 30 mins past the time I was supposed to eat lunch. So I got up and made myself a small lunch according to my meal plan. My stomach still hurt and ached but my wooziness was gone. After I ate I began to feel better, I wasn't so tired, the wooziness was gone but my heart rate was still elevated and my stomach hurt REALLY bad! Now it started to concern me, so I busted out my maternity belt and that seemed to help, however, the pain around my C-Section scar continued.

Well about an hour after lunch I checked my blood sugar and it was 104 Extremely good. I feel alright, the only thing bothering me is the pain in my stomach. Adrian took Mia out for the day to shop so I am going to try to relax a bit, take a hot shower and see if that helps. I know the baby been more active today than in a LONG time and at one point kicked my cervix so hard I jumped in pain!

Well this little guy is definitely keeping me on my toes. I am not sure whats wrong with me or why I feel so awful. I thought for sure the blood sugar was the culprit but its not looking like its that so much... and if it is, its not the only thing wrong. I contacted my mid-wife/OB a few days back with my concerns with these feelings and she right away got concerned. She referred me to my "baby doc" and his office called me up and scheduled me an appt in a couple of weeks ( I wasn't supposed to see him again till Sept). Both offices are pretty concerned about my symptoms and my OB put in a request to get more blood work done to check for anemia as well as my thyroid. I was going to get that blood draw today but with my stomach I can barely walk, so looks like I will be getting it done this Monday after Mia's 2year old appointment check up.

Hopefully we will find out what is going on with me. I meet with my diabetes consultant AND dietitian this coming Thurs. to see if I need to make tweeks to my meal plan. UGH! This is so not fun... but I just have to do what I always do... take one day at a time....

Diabetes Update

Well I had my class yesterday and I learned alot. They put me on a horribly strict diet plan. I was a bit discouraged by it. It is so restrictive its unreal. I don't know how people who have real diabetes do it because its awful!

Well today was my first real day to trying to work with my new meal plan and for the first time in 3 days I was getting normal blood sugar readings!! well all but this mornings... but I think it was due to my error.. I ate something I wasn't supposed to eat first thing in the morning.

This gives me a bit of hope... maybe just maybe I can get through this... and what is also encouraging is that I am starting to feel a bit better too! Not so light headed, tired, and woozy not to mention I am no longer so winded! Maybe it was my blood sugar all along?!

Kasier Check-Up Info

General information

What:

Allied Health/nurse Visit with JOSEPHINE CELIS RN

When:

Wednesday July 28, 2010 2:00 PM

Where:

• MEMBER HEALTH EDUCATION (VAN BUREN MEDICAL OFFICES U-VNBU)

Phone:

866-883-0119

Vitals

Height:

5' 0" (1.524 m)

Weight:

186 lb 3.2 oz (84.46 kg)

Follow-up instructions

Return in about 8 days (around 8/5/2010).

I feel so awful!

I am not sure what is going on, if its anemia creeping back, my blood sugar levels, sleep, pregnancy or what but I have been feeling so blah lately and I mean really bad!

I mostly happens in the mornings and lasts through the afternoons. It doesn't matter how much sleep I get the night before I still wake up feeling weak, tired, and light headed and sick. After eating I sort of perk up but within an hour my head gets foggy, dizzy and I get light headed. I have to sit down and can't really play with Mia. My energy level gets zapped and that lasts for another hour or so. By then Adrian wakes up, Mia goes down for a nap and so do I. I ended up sleeping for 2 hours today and I still woke up feeling blah.

I emailed my doc to see her opinion on it. I took my very first blood sugar test today (I was too chicken to prick myself so I had Adrian do it haha) and it was 124. I don't think thats high but I don't know what that means. I go for my 2 hour diabetes class tomorrow so hopefully I will learn.

Ugh I just don't feel good at all. And when he moves around alot it increases my heart rate which also doesn't help. I get winded and light headed and often find myself trying to get him to settle down. I feel so guilty that I am not enjoying this pregnancy as much as I did with Mia's, but I can't help it. So many negative things keep happening to me and my body its hard to sit back and really enjoy him. I know though, I will make it up once hes here... till then I guess I just have to take one day at a time.

So seriously bummed....

This gestational diabetes is seriously, SERIOUSLY bumming me out. I am feeling more and more depressed. I am trying to do the right thing and eat right but its so confusing, I don't know if I should listen to my body like I always have, listen to books and go by what they say or what. Its so hard!

Today was the worst yet... I cooked Adrian his favorite caserol and though I don't care for it much it called for white rice. I LOVE white rice, especially pipping hot right out of the steamer. Well of course that type of rice is a no no and I can't have any. It was so hard to watch Adrian and Mia enjoy it and I couldn't even have a bite. It was worse when I had to turn down Mia's offers of it. Ugh! I don't know how I am going to get through these next few months. I should be enjoying my final months of pregnancy not hoping they zoom by!!!!

Well for my boy I will do anything and if it means to suffer through this, then so be it. I rather him be healthy than anything else and no amount of food could ever EVER compare to that.

THIRD TRIMESTER!!! 28 Weeks

Wow, it is official, I am in my 3rd Trimester now! WOW! Getting so close to the end now I can feel it. You would think I would be in a better mood than I am but I am seriously bummed. Not about the milestone, just by the fact I was diagnosed this week with Gestational Diabetes. That totally threw me for a loop. I totally didn't see that coming, but ah well. So my mood has been heavily effected by this. Especially today, when I keep wanting to eat something but then realize I can't have it. This is worse than dieting because at least when you diet you can cheat. I cannot cheat on this diet because if and when I do I harm the baby and myself. The risk is just to high. So its a bit hard on that part. Everyone has been really supportive of me, but its me that takes the brunt of it. No one really knows what I am feeling and cannot relate. All I pray is that my baby boy will be born happy healthy and strong just like his sister was.

CRAVINGS:

Pineapple is out the door. I still love my nectarines but they are high in sugar so I have to back off on them. Not to mention I am restricted to ZERO fruit in the morning which majorly stinks! Zuchinni still rocks, I just hope I don't get burned out on it. I have been craving a nice cold ice drink, smoothie or milkshake all day and I can't have one at all. So much for spoiling myself and indulding in my pregnancy cravings.... bummer

NEW SYMPTOMS:

Well I was diagnosed with GD as I mentioned before. I also am more light headed and woozy and way more sensitive to the heat and stuffiness now. I am swelling alot more in my feet and my tummy is getting bigger and bigger. He is very active now but its more of a pushing rolling type thing. He rarely kicks like Mia but he is awake alot more and for longer periods of time. My Dad came down for the week to help out a bit and he got to feel him move for the first time. He was so excited about it and couldn't stop talking about it. Hes so proud of his first and only (at this time) Grandson.

I am also becoming more and more comfortable with naming him Alex. Well Victor Alejandro ... but we will call him Alex. The name is starting to sink in and I really think thats that one.

I have gestational diabetes

Sorry for not writing in a while. I know, I should have but I have been extremely busy not to mention depressed lately with the outcome of my 3 hour glucose testing. As you can tell from the title of this blog, the results were not good.

Once I found out that I had it my whole world seemed to stop. Not only am I worried about my baby but myself as well. There are so many risk factors involved with having this condition and it just takes a few careless mistakes to increase that risk. Luckily, for most women, the condition clears up after birth but for some, it sticks around or worse yet, leads to type 2 within 8 years. Scary thought. Not to mention the increased risk of having a HUGE baby! Ugh....

I have a 2 hour meeting to go to on Wednesday so they can teach me about diet changes and how to use my new blood sugar monitor. I never thought I would be doing this. I thought for sure that I would be negative like Mia. I guess I should take note because they said there is a BIG chance that I will get this same condition with all future pregnancies. This leads me to believe more and more that this little guy is the last....

Well the diet stuff is going "ok". I have researched online and the nurse gave me some ideas but its hard to stick by. I am still trying to figure out, what, how much, and when to eat. Once I get a groove though I think it will get easier.

Well Mia is awake now I need to go get her, I just wanted to write something about it. I am sure I will write more. I am still pretty bummed about it ....

GlucoseTesting

Well I am here at Wildomar… again… but this time I am up bright and early. We got here alittle before they opened at 7:30am. They being, myself and my Dad. I have been dreading this so much and again I woke up starving and queasy.. bleh.

7:42am
The first blood draw wasn’t to bad, but they made me drink another drink. I wasn’t expecting that. It was a clear fluid that tasted a lot like Sprite. The taste was a lot better than the glucola (Orange drink) but still didn’t settle to well on an empty stomach. It was loaded with sugar so that was another negative for me. High sugar drink + empty stomach + pregnancy = one sick Angie. After the blood draw my Dad hung out with me to keep me company which was really nice. We later walked to the car to relax and wait for the next hour. However, the more and more time passed the more and more queasy I got… yuck!

8:42am
Second blood draw. This one was alittle more stingy when she removed the needle and tape. I know I will be seeing a nasty bruise later today from that. Infact it still stings! I hate when nurses are so rough, ah well….

Well my Dad had to leave to make sure he was home when Mia woke up so I am here alone sitting in the waiting room in the lab. It has only been about 5 mins and time seems to be CRAWLING! I still have 2 more hours and 2 more blood draws before this nitemare is over. My heart is racing from the sugar and I am so tired from getting up so early. I am not a happy camper. I just hope the next 2 hours will go by fast for me.

9:42am
Third Blood Draw. Well I just finished my third blood draw and as my Dad says I am 75% done! One last one, but I know this hour is going to drag worse than the last hour. This past hour was awful! I am really starting to feel sick and nearly throwing up. My heart is constantly racing which doesn’t help. The baby is going nuts in my tummy and that also elevates my heart rate which really stinks. I am woozy, hungry and tired. I can’t wait for this torture to be over. One last hour.. I can do this. To help kill time I have borrowed Adrian’s MP3 player and been working on the baby’s blanket. Now I am to dizzy and tired to work on the blanket but I can still listen to the MP3 player thankfully.

My Dad gave me a call about 5 mins till I had to test. He said Mia was ready to go in the morning. When he walked into her room she was already standing next to the door and ready to start the day. She said “Bye Mama” on the phone and that put a huge smile on my face! I love that little girl so much.

Well I have 1 more hour… please oh please let it go by fast!

10:42am
I’M DONE! I’M DONE!!! Just took my final draw!!! Thank GOODNESS this is over. Now is just waiting for the results. I pray I don’t have GD. Well the final hour wasn’t as bad as I thought. It did creep by for the first 20 mins but after that it sped up. Thankfully!!! It seems the first two hours were the WORST and the last one wasn’t as bad. All I know is that I NEVER want to go through this AGAIN!!! UGH! It was awful. Well I gotta get going, my Dad and Mia are about 3 mins away and I want to run out to the car so I can get something to eat!!!

ARGH!!!!

Sigh… more like UGH!! I am sitting here in the waiting room at Wildomar Medical Offices and I am MAD!

I was supposed to take my 3 hour glucose testing today. I have been dreading this day since the day I found out I was pregnant. Well when my labs came out high and it was confirmed I had to take this 3 hour test I was seriously bummed. I was told by the scheduler not to be here any SOONER than 9:30am and I had to fast for 8 hours. YUCK! Well I knew Adrian wouldn’t be able to take care of Mia in the morning without totally disrupting his day so I asked my Dad for some help. He came down last night and I started to fast at 1am. When I woke up I instantly already felt sick, and felt like throwing up. All stinky smells were amplified and I just wanted to get the test done. Unfortunately, after having a awful night, I slept in a bit and didn’t wake up until alittle after 9am. I rushed around a bit and got ready. Mia woke up so my dad got her breakfast. He then offered to drive me, incase I felt even worse after this whole test was done. I agreed because I remembered from last time, I was really out of it after the test and barely made it home. So we packed up Mia and off to Wildomar we went.

After I was dropped off I said by goodbyes and ran upstairs to the lab. There were TONS of people but the line wasn’t to bad. Eventually it was my turn and I was ready to go. Then they told me the worst news ever! I was to LATE to take my test!!!! WHAT?!?!? They said I should have arrived no LATER than 9:30am and it was already 10:30am! I explained that I was told to be here no sooner than 9:30 but it didn’t matter they couldn’t do it. GREAT! Now I have to come back, but that’s not even the worst part…

Now I am stuck here with no car. My Dad forgot his cell phone at home so I am hoping once he gets back with Mia he will see that I called. I am a bit concerned because it only takes 20 mins to get here from my house and its been over 30 and still no call back. I am afraid he might have taken Mia somewhere to eat breakfast or to pick up something. I called Adrian but hes still sleeping….. Oh wait I just got a call from my Dad hes coming to pick me up! PHEW!

Well this is not a good start to the day. Not only did I not get good sleep I am STARVING! And for no reason! Luckily I packed a nectarine in my bag just incase I had to wait to get picked up. The nectarine was good but didn’t phase me. My tummy is still growling, my head is starting to hurt, and the baby is making my heart rate jump due to all his activity. I am not a happy camper, but what can you do right? Oh well…. I just had to vent.

So looks like I will be here tomorrow 7:30am sharp! That is when the lab opens… UGH the saga continues…

27 Weeks!

Wow I am 27 weeks now! This is the final week of my 2nd Trimester! Little Pumpkin's arrival is just around the corner now! EEEK! Its both exciting and scary. I am excited to finally meet our little baby boy but scared about how in the heck am I going to balance a 2 year old and a newborn! YIKES! Talk about the challenge of my life! But hey, I am used to being challenged and I usually come out victorious. Hopefully, I will find a nitch and things will be fine.

Well this week has been pretty interesting. We are going through a massive heatwave right now and mixed with pregnancy that is not good for me. We attempted to go to Adrian's company picnic but after reaching 105!!! We only lasted an hour and left. Well "I" only lasted an hour. Once I got there and felt the heat I knew I was in trouble. I am sooooo not doing that again.

Names, names, names! I know I know, you would think by now we would have a concrete name for little pumpkin. Well we sort of do. We are still stuck on Victor Alejandro Cardoso "Alex", but I am still not 100% I mean picking a name is a HUGE responsibility! Whatever we choose will follow him the REST of his life! There is no going back once you sign the birth certificate and if he grows up to HATE his name I will feel so bad. I would probably drive him to the court house myself to get it changed! haha

I really don't remember going through this much torment with Mia's name picking, however, Mia's name was a bit easier. Girls names are always easier to choose for some reason, plus she was our little Maui baby so we already had a clue on what to name her. Mia Leilani Cardoso is her name which means "My Heavenly Flower", can't get more perfect than that. As for pumpkin, well I always liked the name Victor. Its a strong masculine name, but for me not so fitting for a newborn or little kid. I also don't care for the name Vic! and I know people will shorten the name to that.. UGH! As for Alejandro ... well that is more of Adrian's idea. Since I picked out Mia's name, I have to give him room to choose what he would like for our son. He insisted we choose a spanish sounding name. His ideas were pretty radical and the only name we agreed upon was Alejandro. I liked it because you can call him "Alex" for short. Alex is short and pretty common and cute. I can see a tiny newborn as Alex. So I dunno. Why not name him Alejandro Victor then? Well it doesn't flow as much as if you turned it around. So thats where we are. Oh, I also like Victor because of its meaning. I LOVE putting meaning to things (hence Mia's name) and Victor means "Champion, or victorious" which in way he sort of is, hes the first Grandson in over a total of 7 granddaughters!!! and the first boy in 34 years on my moms side. Also, V is for Vegas, his conception place haha So I dunno. Somedays I like Rubien some days its back to Alex. I think I will just go with my gut and stick with what we agreed on originally and be done with it. I am sure we will all get used to it and he will grow into his name. ACK! The pressure!!!!

CRAVINGS:
I am still hardcore into nectarines, I can't eat enough of them. Poor Adrian has to buy them by the dozen and I still polish them all off within the week! ALONE! Pineapple is slowly fading but is still really good to me. I have also noticed my craving for zuchinni!!! Any way I can get it, fresh, cooked, BBQ'd! That little green squash is AWESOME!

NEW SYMPTOMS:

Exhaustion! I am constantly winded now and I don't even have to be doing anything. I can be sitting on the couch minding my own business not moving and all of a sudden my heart starts to race and I feel winded. Its so bad it gets to the point where my speech is affected. Its like I just sat down from running around the block!! UGH!

I think anemia is starting to set in. I was anemic with Mia towards the end and had to take Iron Suppliments. I think I need to talk to my Dr again about that, I am so tired and have no energy ALL the time! Its crazy!

Sugar is continuing to have a bad affect on me. Every time I eat or drink something sweet I feel woozy, light headed and my heart goes nuts! I go in this week for my 3 hour glucose testing, we will see if I have gestaional diabetes. Wish me luck that I don't! I really don't want to give birth to a HUGE baby!

My belly is HUGE!!! I swear I am the size I was with Mia's when I was full term!!! I am constantly bashing it into things and its hard to give hugs without bashing it against someone! Its crazy!! Hes getting so big and I constantly feel him moving all around all the time. He isn't as active as Mia but pretty darn close! I know I will have my hands full with him once he is born!

Pumpkin's First Gift

I have been meaning to pick something up for Pumpkin but unfortunately I have been unable to. Plus with money being as tight as it is, I can't really afford to splurge on him as much as I did with Mia. I am, however, making a blanket for him which sort of counts doesn't it?

Well he did receive his very first gift this past weekend. My Brother and Sis-in-law decided to surprise us with a little present for him. Adrian and I were both shocked and so surprised by the nice gesture. We haven't even officially bought him anything, but it was nice to know that they were thinking about him enough to get him something. How sweet is that!!

He not only got a blue onesie set that came with a hat but his very first pair of blue sneakers!!!!!! They are soooo adorable!!!!

Wow its really beginning to feel even more real!!! Just a few more months and I will be holding my bouncing baby boy in my arms!

26 Weeks

Well I am a few days late writing this blog. Pumpkin's big sister Mia celebrated her 2nd birthday this week so things have been busy busy Busy! So, ya its Wednesday and I am half way through week 26 but thats ok I am still determined to write this blog anyway!

This week has been HOT HOT HOT! It is sure heating up in our area and summer is officially here. I am not sure how in the heck I am going to make this through this summer being pregnant, whenever I am the least bit over heated I get dizzy, sick, queasy and moody... yuck!!! I still have a few months to go! At least, unlike with Mia, the baby will be born in fall so things will be cooler. He won't have to be a "nature boy" like his big sis was haha.

This week was also another check up week. Everything checked out good but she did mention some of the pains I have been getting may be due to him being big! Uh-Oh! So NOT what I wanted to hear.

I took my glucose screening and unfortunately I scored high ... again. So I have to take the dreaded 3 hour one!!!! I am planning on attempting that next week, we will see how that goes.

Cravings:
PINEAPPLE! Especially pineapple icecream!!!!! I have been craving pineapple sherbert forever but when I had some it was to sweet for me to eat.. NOOOOOOOO!!! But pineapple milkshakes sound soooooo gooooood!

I still want Thai food and I am craving Agua de Jamica SO BAD!

New Symptoms:
Hip and lower back pain!!!! UGH! This is in full force and even worse than ligament pain! It lasts all day and hinders me walking long distances. The hip pain is so low that not even my maternity belt helps. Nothing provides relief other than sitting down. Sometimes even laying in my bed aggravates it, its awful and NOT fun!

The news I DIDN'T want to hear

Well as you know I took my glucose tolerance test yesterday. I was hoping to score low so I wouldn't have to take that dreaded 3 hour fasting one. I even cut out all sweets for two days prior to the test and for me that is hard since juice is the only thing I can really drink since water makes me queasy.

Well all my efforts were in vain, I still scored high. UGH! I was lower than I was with Mia (172) but I scored a 160. You are supposed to be 130 or lower. So it doesn't mean I have gestational diabetes but it does mean I have to take the horrible 3 hour test that was just HORRID for me the last time I had to take it.

Ah well, what ever is best for the baby as I always say....

25 week Check- Up

Hello!!! Today was another baby check up day! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going! I am already in the mid-20s!!!

Well they told me I had to do the glucose tolerance test between July 6- July 26 so what better time to do it than before my appointment?! UGH! Bad Idea, I should have known better, the drink made me feel light headed, woozy and sick, BLEH!

Adrian and Mia were planning on going with me but Mia woke up in such a bad mood that I spared me the stress and left her home with Dada. I felt bad Adrian would miss a second appointment but with the way the morning was going with Mia I had no choice.

So that is another reason I figured I would do my glucose testing today. So I drank the yucky orange drink they gave me and headed off to the lab. I cannot eat or drink anything after drinking the drink and I have to wait an hour exactly before getting my blood drawn. Luckily I made it to the lab on time and I got my blood drawn, then I headed off to my appointment.

I was there a bit early so they didn't take me back right away. Instead I sat in the waiting room watching Toy Story and feeling BLEH!!! When they called me back they took my blood pressure and vitals. My blood pressure was a bit low again but my pulse rate was high 117! I have been noticing my heart races for no reason, just like it did with Mia which is no fun. My weight is still very good and I am happy with it. After taking a urine test they put me in the room.

I waited only a short while before my OB came in. She was happy to see me. I told her that Adrian and Mia couldn't make it due to Mia's mood and her coming into her "Terrible Twos". We joked a bit about that and shared some stories and had a good laugh.

I then told her some of the concerns I have been having lately. Especially with the fact the baby is so low and sometimes really feels like hes on my cervix directly or my bladder. She said that was normal and not to be concerned, unless I was spotting or cramping. I also told her about the horrible side pains I have been getting and she mentioned that is the result of him just laying in a odd position and the fact hes probably big! (GREAT!) I told her about the discharge I got a couple of times last week and that concerned her alittle bit, so she ordered a urine test for to take (GREAT another visit back to the lab) to rule out any possible bladder infection. I also mentioned about my increased moodiness and irritability. She just said I need more sleep and to get out of the house for a 30 min walk once a day. As for the racing heart, she said that might be a sign of anemia (Ugh! I had that with Mia... no fun!)

That was about it for the advice. She then measured my tummy and we got to listen to the baby's heart beat. Its 144 and strong as usual! YAY! She then insisted that I should take a short little rest or nap, and that she would tell the nurses she was doing some blood pressure measurement! HAHA! I told her it was ok but she really wanted me to get some rest. I told her I would but I had already been gone so long from Adrian and Mia and I needed to get back home to help. It did sound VERY tempting though! haha

Overall the visit went GREAT! I have another visit in 4 weeks and other with my actual baby doctor in 8. Wow the time is creeping closer and closer! I can't believe it!!! EEEEK!

Kasier Check-Up Info

eneral information

What:

Ob Office Visit with RITA T MURRAY NP

When:

Wednesday July 07, 2010 2:10 PM

Where:

• OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY (WILDOMAR MEDICAL OFFICES U)

Phone:

866-984-7483

Vitals

Blood Pressure:

115/79

Pulse:

117

Weight:

189 lb 9.6 oz (86.002 kg)

Patient instructions

Your Kaiser Permanente Care Instructions


Weeks 24 to 28 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit

Your Care Instructions

As you enter your 7th month of pregnancy, your baby's lungs are growing stronger and getting ready to breathe. By now your baby weighs nearly 1½ pounds and is about 11 to 14 inches long. You may notice that your baby responds to the sound of your or your partner's voice. You may also notice that your baby does less turning and twisting and more squirming or jerking. Jerking often means that your baby has the hiccups. Hiccups are perfectly normal and are only temporary.

This is a good time to start thinking about whether you want to have pain medicine during labor. Talk it over with your doctor. You may also want to consider attending a childbirth preparation or Lamaze class to learn how to breathe and relax during birth.

High blood pressure in late pregnancy can be a sign of preeclampsia. Make sure to watch for signs of preeclampsia, because it can harm your kidneys, brain, eyes, and liver. It can also cause problems with your babys growth. Watching for signs of early labor is also important. This care sheet can help you know the signs of preeclampsia and early labor.

As with every stage of pregnancy, this one can bring new discomforts. You may feel painful kicking, pelvic pressure, or pain; leak urine when you laugh or cough; or have swollen feet, ankles, hands, and fingers. Lying on your side can ease pelvic pressure. This care sheet has tips for how to ease other discomforts.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor if you are having problems. Its also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Pay attention to your baby's movements

- You should feel your baby move several times every day.
- Your baby now turns less, and kicks and jabs more.
- Your baby sleeps 20 to 45 minutes at a time and is more active at certain times of day.
- If your doctor wants you to count your baby's kicks:
- Empty your bladder, and lie on your side or relax in a comfortable chair.
- Write down your start time.
- Pay attention only to your babys movements. Count any movement except hiccups.
- After you have counted 10 movements, write down your stop time.
- Write down how many minutes it took for your baby to move 10 times.
- If an hour goes by and you have not recorded 10 movements, count for another hour. If you do not record 10 movements in either hour, call your doctor.

Ease discomfort from your baby's kicking

- Change your position. Sometimes this will cause your baby to change position too.
- Take a deep breath while you raise your arm over your head. Then breathe out while you drop your arm.

Do Kegel exercises to prevent urine from leaking

- You can do Kegel exercises while you stand or sit.
- Squeeze the same muscles you would use to stop your urine. Your belly and rear end (buttocks) should not move.
- Hold the squeeze for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds.
- Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times for each session. Do three or more sessions each day.

Ease or reduce swelling in your feet, ankles, hands, and fingers

- If your fingers are puffy, take off your rings.
- Do not eat high-salt foods, such as potato chips.
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.
- Put your feet up on a stool or couch as much as possible. Sleep with pillows under your feet.
- Do not stand for long periods of time or wear tight shoes.
- Wear support stockings.

When should you call for help?

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

- You pass out (lose consciousness).

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

- You have any vaginal bleeding or belly pain or cramping.
- You have a fever.
- You notice that your baby has stopped moving or is moving much less than normal.
- You have burning or pain when you urinate.
- You need a pad to keep your underwear dry.
- You vomit for more than an hour and have pain and fever.
- You have cramping or swelling in your leg that will not go away.
- You have signs of preeclampsia, such as:
- Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
- New vision problems (such as dimness or blurring).
- A severe headache.
- You have signs of preterm labor, such as:
- You have regular contractions. This means about 4 or more in 20 minutes, or about 8 or more within 1 hour, even after you have had a glass of water and are resting.
- A backache that starts and stops regularly.
- An increase or change in vaginal discharge, such as heavy, mucus-like, watery, or bloody discharge.
- Your water breaks.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if you have any problems.

Where can you learn more?

Go to http://www.kp.org

Enter G264 in the search box to learn more about "Weeks 24 to 28 of Your Pregnancy: After Your Visit".

© 2006 - 2009 Healthwise, Incorporated. Care instructions adapted under license by Kaiser Permanente . This care instruction is for use with your licensed healthcare professional. If you have questions about a medical condition or this instruction, always ask your healthcare professional. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Follow-up instructions

Return in about 4 weeks (around 8/4/2010) for ROB with me, 8 wks Dresbach (repeat c/sec ).

Routine orders

Name	Type
URINE CULTURE (IN PREGNANCY)	Lab

First Big Stomach Pain Scare

I know I am out of the woods for a miscarriage, the bigger thing I am worried about is pre-term labor!!! Adrian insists I have nothing to worry about, but its always in the back of my mind especially the closer and closer I get to my due date. So with any unusual pain or funny feeling I get uneasy. Well what happened yesterday really took the cake.

I was feeling fine all day, pain wise. I was a bit queasy and tired so I didn't join Adrian and Mia on a grocery store run. However, with them out of the house I took the chance to cook up some Caldo De Papa undisturbed.

So I prepared the veggies, cooked it up and did my thing. I was using my tall soup pot where I can't see over the rim so I had to constantly get up and down from the kitchen stool. Just when the soup was just about done I noticed that I started to get some pain on the lower part of my stomach. When the pain increased I tried to hurry up and finished the soup but was forced to sit down. Eventually the pain traveled to my right side where the baby hangs out the most.

Soon the pain got so bad I couldn't walk around. Thats just about the time Adrian pulled up with Mia. I went to greet them at the door but didn't even make it, I ended up having to sit down on the stairs. Adrian came in with Mia and some groceries and I went to help him put them away but I could no longer walk, I was hunched over in pain. The pain was so great! I eventually told Adrian and he insisted I sit down and rest. I tried to but the pain increased even as I sat on the couch!

It eventually peaked at a level 8 pain and we started making plans on how to get me to the hospital, either by ambulance or him driving me in. I tried drinking some water thinking it could be to dehydration. The pain was weird, it was only one one side from the front to the back. It almost felt like when you run to much and you get that cramp on your side.

Eventually almost an hour after it started it started to ease up a bit. I quickly put on my maternity belt and rested some more. The pain didn't go away entirely until about 2 hours later, but it did go away.

During the pain episode the baby was doing fine. He was squirming and kicking like normal so that was a relief to me. Not sure what brought on the pain, I think I just need to slow down a WHOLE lot more.. but its so hard when you have to run a house hold. Ah well, what can you do... I guess I will just listen to my body more when the pain starts so it doesn't get worse.

25 weeks!!!!

Happy Sunday and Happy 4th of July Everyone!!! What a good week this has been, granted poor Adrian is still sick, Mia and I are feeling great. Man, that was one heck of a cold I battled I am just glad its over.

Two of my pregnancy books say that this weeks marks the first week of my Third Trimester!!! I kind of find that hard to believe... other websites say that the beginning of my 3rd trimester starts at week 28... either way this pregnancy is starting to fly by and its SCARY!!! haha

CRAVINGS:

Nectarines are still YUMMMY! in my tummy! But lately its been Drunken Noodle!!! OMG I want that so bad, we tried to get some today but failed!! UGH! I still want some!!! I am still loving salads and veggies!

SICKNESS/TIREDNESS:
Both have been great!!!!

NEW SYMPTOMS:
Braxton Hicks have started! Ugh! And this little guy is getting more and more active every week. He is rolling, punching and kicking like crazy!!! He still stops whenever Adrian puts his hand on my tummy ... not sure why he likes to hide from Dada??? haha

My belly button is starting to pop out more too! EWWW GROSS!!! I know it wasn't that bad this early with Mia!!!

He is also going lower and lower!!! That is a bit concerning, I am going to talk to my doctor about that on our next appointment which is on Wednesday, maybe have her check my cervix just in case. He constantly pounds on it and it hurts! It worries me that it might trigger pre-term labor!!

The ear stuffiness that I mentioned last week is GONE!! WHOOHOO!!! I guess it was all just the cold... THANK GOODNESS! It was driving me NUTS!

Overall, I am feeling pretty good and getting more and more excited that the big day is getting closer and closer!!!!