KAISERSLAUTERN ZOO

My AMAZING neighbor mentioned in a previous post coordinated a trip to the K-Town Zoo on Sunday. T'was nice to get out of the house, Nathyn had a blast, and I met a couple nice new chicks. Really, I don't call girls "chicks".. Anyways, I forgot my camera so these are stolen from Marsha (the kick ass neighbor!).

I LOST MY HEART

She packs. She moves. She follows. Why? What for? How come? You may think she's lost her mind. Actually,she's lost her heart. It was stolen from her by a man. A man who puts duty first, who longs to deploy, who salutes the flag, and whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Army Man, She will remain his Army Sweetheart.

RANDOMNESS AND SUCH

• Nathyn has bronchitis so he's home from school all week. He has more energy than ever in between coughing and wheezing. Crazy kid.
• Since changing the dosage on my blood pressure medicine I've been feeling a bit better, but still not 100%.
• I go in today for a blood pressure check to make sure it's not going up. Hopefully all is well.
  
• On 26units of insulin, my fasting blood sugar was finally where it needed to be. Still having a bit of trouble finding the right breakfasts to get my blood sugar down after that. It's not too terribly bad though.
• My next OB appt is October 20th. Next high risk appt is November 14th. WIC, January 5th.
• I technically have 16 weeks left of this pregnancy. I'll schedule a c-section 1-2 weeks early, so it actually will be only 14 weeks left. I'm wondering if this baby comes early like Nathyn did. Then only 11 weeks left. And I've read a TON of cases where Mothers who had preeclampsia and delivered early in the first pregnancy actually deliver earliER in their second. So it COULD be less than 11 weeks. That's scary. I need to get on the whole baby shopping thing!
  
• Terry left last Saturday for the field. His command didn't honor the note from my doctor; we're both pretty upset. He's supposed to be back on my Birthday. I hope the schedule doesn't change. If he's not back for my birthday, he will be missing 3 years in a row (last year, this year and next year thanks to the upcoming deployment).
  
• I've been driving against doctor's advice but I really have no choice.
• Life would be SO much easier with Terry around right now, especially now that my lovely son has shared all his sick germs with me. But I'm glad he's getting the training he needs.
• I have an amazing friend downstairs who has been a HUGE help to me! I'm definitely thankful for her. It's very comforting knowing I have someone so close that I can go to for darn near anything. It doesn't hurt that my kid AND dog love her and her whole family too!>

And at this very moment Nathyn is trying his hardest to get his "Baby Bear" from out of my closet. It's one of those fur real friends that he got for Christmas last year. It's in the closet because he says it talks too loud at night and keeps him awake. I told him if he wanted it, he had to get it. He is one determined little boy! :)

SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM?

You know the feeling you get when you ride on an AWESOME roller coaster? Lots of speed, twisties and turnies and loop-da-loops? You hop off the ride and for just a few seconds your head is spinning, can't really walk straight, a bit of nausea creeps up, you can't catch your breath and sometimes you even see spots? It's the BEST feeling in the world, right?? Well, I've had that feeling for 11 days now. I've seen 4 doctors and no one knows what's wrong. They've checked all they can think to check (as far as they're telling me) and so far everything comes back perfectly fine.. blood, urine, blood pressure, blood sugars, even an EKG for good measure.

I came home the other day and decided to look up a few of the medications I've found, most specifically, the Labetalol for my blood pressure. On Sept 22nd the doctor increased my dosage from 100mg twice a day to 200mg twice a day. The next day I started feeling like crap. Here's what I found pertaining to side affects...

• slow or uneven heartbeats;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
• swelling or rapid weight gain; or
• nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
  

Less serious side effects may include:

• tingly feeling in your scalp
• dizziness, spinning sensation;
• mild nausea, upset stomach;
• tired feeling

My scalp isn't tingly, definitely haven't lost my appetite, and my poo isn't funny colors, and I'm NOT yellow. Other than that... I pretty much have all of these symptoms. I've whacked into a few walls, taken 2 falls, I can't drive and I'm constantly feeling like I'm bouncing all over the place when I'm sitting still and it's making my sick to my stomach! I've complained and complained and NOTHING. Yesterday I called Labor & Delivery and told them what I FEEL is wrong so I went in, went through a BUNCH of tests and after everything came back normal, the doctor decided to lower my Labetalol back to my original dose. I really hope this works. Suppose I'll know by Thursday.

Because of all the problems I've been having,and the fact that I just started insulin shots, my doctor wrote this letter for me.

Terry was due to leave Saturday the 2nd back to the field for a month but he turned this in to his command so that he can stay back to take care of us; make sure Nathyn gets to school, do the cooking since I've had trouble standing that long and help out with driving me to me appointments and to do the household shopping. He also wouldn't get any cell phone reception where he's going, so there would be the constant worry between us the whole time.

Terry left Saturday the 2nd at 0630. I was pissed. He was pissed. I'm home with Nathyn, he's sick, I feel like I'm on drugs, and the house is a mess. Thankfully I call from him yesterday and he does in fact have reception where he is [enter sigh of relief here]. Hopefully I find the strength to make it through this month, but it's gonna be tough.

22 WEEKS @ HIGH RISK SPECIALIST

Today was my 2nd appointment with the high risk specialist. I hate the drive out there (about 40 minutes total) but I LOVE that I get to see my baby so often.Gavin is growing right on track so far which is quite relieving. I'm nervous he'll be big from the diabetes, and worried he'll be small because Nathyn was so small. These "checks" are a real nerve settler.

So far every thing with Gavin is perfect, heard his heart beating and watched it pumping away, say his tummy, legs and arms, and a few other parts. He bounced around and put on quite a show for Daddy and I.

My blood sugar levels aren't exactly where they want them, meaning not as low, but they are keeping me on the same medication dosage for now. My blood pressure isn't coming down either which is what I'M most worried about (because of preeclampsia) so my doctor doubled my dosage and sent me home with a blood pressure taker and I'm instructed to turn my numbers in in 2 weeks.

But for now, no major worries, thank God. :) Next appointment with the regular OB is in 4 weeks, and then back to the high risk specialist 4 weeks after that.

PELVIC PAIN, ANXIETY & THANKSGIVING

At 13 weeks pregnant I made a trip to the ER. When the triage nurse asked what I wanted to be seen for, it was hard to explain. The best I could come up with is, "My vagina hurts". Still, 9 weeks later, I have a hard time explaining it but after much thought I came up with this...

You know when you're about 12 years old and you think it's funny to ride on a littler kid's tricylce? So you hop on, your knees touching your elbows and you pedal like a mad man while the wheels peel out a few times underneath you. After a few seconds, the tricycle has had enough... it jumps out from in front of you! Bike goes forward [after your wheels finally get good traction] but your body doesn't move. WHAM! Your ass hits the concrete. Now, your tailbone is bruised and it hurts to walk for a week.

Yeah, it's something like that. Only, when that tricycle flew out from underneath me this time, somehow my vagina hit the concrete instead. Yes, it feels like I bruised my tailbone... in my vagina. Getting out of bed is painful, sitting at my computer desk hurts, making left or right turns in the car is uncomfortable. I asked the doctor about it, they have no answers. It's getting worse. It puts me in a bad mood!

I'm 22 weeks pregnant now, which normally leaves about 18 weeks left. However, I get to schedule my c-section 1-2 weeks earlier so I have about 16-17 weeks left. I'm excited. I want to hold my baby, I want to witness the love and passion in my husband's eyes when he holds his beautiful creation, I want to see Nathyn shine when he finally meets his little brother.

Every time I think about the birth of this baby it makes me nervous. Anxiety kicks up, I panic a little bit, my day is ruined and then I cry. I don't want it to be this way, and in no way to I regret having another child. Terry deploys somewhere about a month or so after Gavin is to be born. It breaks my heart to know that my husband will be gone for a whole year. I think about all the things Terry will miss, I wonder how the baby reacts when he's finally home, how Terry will adjust to coming home to a wife and TWO kids instead of one. I hate thinking about it, but I can't help it.

And lastly... I'm hungry! I can't help it, but I am! I still haven't gained any weight and actually have lost 14 pounds since my initial pregnancy weigh in. WOOP! I want Thanksgiving SO bad, and I think I might not be able to wait the 9 weeks to make it. Too bad Terry leaves in 2 weeks for another month. So my newest assignment... finding someone to eat my Thanksgiving in October! YUMMM!

SETTING CHANGES

Changed a couple settings. Most important is not accepting comments from anonymous people anymore. I've gotten a few rude ones, and TONS of comments from people that don't sign who they are. If you're an anonymous commenter, then please create an account. It's easy to do, and you can comment all you want! Thanks!

IS IT THAT TIME ALREADY?

Today was Nathyn's FIRST day of school! Pre-school anyways, but school none-the-less. He's been begging me to let him start for over a year already, so today was very exciting for all of us! Terry even was lucky enough to get off of work to drop him off and pick him up for his very first day!

And of course... PICTURES!

MEET THE NEW LIL' MISTER!

This is Mr. Gavin James Bolton
Blowing kisses to Mommy! :)

And the little man's goods. A bit impressive for just 18 weeks, eh? haha

ANOTHER CALL FROM THE DOCTOR...

I've never had a doctor call just to say hi, to see how I'm feeling, or ask me to coffee. Actually, I can't ever recall having a doctor call me before in my whole life.... until this pregnancy. It's to the point now that I never want to answer the phone. :(

First call... my glucose tolerance test came back icky. Was referred to a gestational diabetic specialist to start the finger poke 4 times a day to confirm whether or not it was gestational diabetes or not. I hate poking myself. It hurts. A lot. And it doesn't get easier as time passes. 4 times a day. I hate it.

Second call... I need to make an ultrasound appointment for the lump in my breast. My reaction? OMG, it's cancer! Made an appointment, it's a month out. Gotta love stressing for a month.

Third call... my pap test came back abnormal. Again, my reaction? OMG, it's cervical cancer! The best part about it... there is NOTHING we can do until 8-12 weeks POST-PARTUM! In the meantime, I stress about WHY it would come back abnormal.

Fourth call... Boob ultrasound came back fine. Well, kinda. It's not a breast lump (thank God), it's a piece of my rib sticking up under my boob. No idea why. Apparently I could have broken or fractured a rib some how without knowing. I guess I gotta get that checked out now. But hey, at least it's not cancer, so this isn't all bad.

Fifth call... Today the diabetic lady called me about the blood sugar readings I sent her. I definitely have gestational diabetes. CRAP! I didn't want that at all. I'll be started on a medication similar to the metformin on Wednesday.

Needless to say, I'm frustrated. Irritated. Completely overwhelmed. With all this medical stuff, with things going on where I live, and a million other things. Not to mention the 1/4 of a tank of gas it takes to get to and from just one doctor's appointment. *sigh*

GOOD THINGS THOUGH, I have another ultrasound on August 25th (Terry's birthday) for a fetal growth scan with the high risk specialist. They want to be sure the baby is growing as well as it should be so I don't have another itty bitty baby like Nathyn was. He was just under 4 pounds. From the conversation with the doctor today I pretty much got that I'm gonna be at the doctors A LOT with the goals of carrying to 40 weeks and delivering a big healthy baby. We'll make plans to keep my blood pressures low to avoid preeclampsia if possible and keep my sugars as low as possible so the risk of preeclampsia doesn't raise even more.

This would be easier if Terry was home. But I'm not going to complain too much about that. I like that he goes to field training and learns all that he does. I want him to be as prepared as possible for the upcoming deployment.

That's all I know for now. I'm sure there's much more to update about after the next couple of appointments and I'll have more answers.

HELP! I NEED A MAKEOVER!

I need a bloggy make-over! Who designed your blog? Who would you recommend? I just don't have it in me and I need

HEEELLLLPPPP!

Please, thanks, and have a GREAT day!

OOOOH, BABY!

Terry left today for the field (boooo) and my ultrasound to find out what the baby is was scheduled for when he'd be gone (another boooo). So we decided to get one early. BUT, stinky, stinky baby didn't want to cooperate. Anywho, here's a few pictures and a little video to share. :)