Stop squishing me

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.  Last weekend was a crazy cleaning weekend to get the house ready for my mom's visit and the baby.  My mom will be getting in from Qatar on Saturday and will be at our house through the whole month of April.  Also, my keyboard is on the fritz so I can really only type on D's computer which he is on often when I would have time to post.

36 weeks u/s face pic 1- "Please stop squishing me!"

36 weeks u/s face pic 2

37 week u/s face pic 1

37 week u/s face pic 2

37 week u/s face pic 3

We've had the 36 week and 37 week appointment since I last posted and I'm currently at 37 weeks, 4 days so we have no more than 4 1/2 weeks left (to 42 weeks).  Both appointments went well.  I'm Group B Strep negative so I don't need antibiotics during the birth (which is extra good since I don't want to have an IV).  I was about 1 cm dilated and slightly effaced at my 36 week appointment, and I was a looser 1 cm dilated and about 50% effaced at today's 37 week appointment.  Everything is going pretty well, but I think both the baby and I are started to get uncomfortable.  It's mainly my ribs and sharp elbows and knees trying to poke out of my skin.  I'm not really too uncomfortable other than that and some reflux (not really heartburn, since it doesn't hurt).  The baby looks pretty squished in the u/s pics (thus the title).

I'm officially full-term as of this past Saturday, but I'm not really having any signs of the birth being soon (no Braxton Hicks or anything).  I know that the baby could wait until 42 weeks to come (and it's only at that point that D and I will discuss induction without any imminent complications necessitating it) and that's Holy Saturday.  I would prefer the baby to avoid the Triuduum, so that I can go to at least some of the Masses/services.  I'll try to keep updated a bit better since we are getting close and D and I will have the computer at the hospital when the baby does come.

OB Appt

I had my ob appt today at 30 weeks, 3 days.  My fundal measurement is only 28 cm and I didn't gain any weight in the last two weeks, so my ob wants me to have a measurement ultrasound at my next appointment which is in 2 weeks.  I'm trying not to worry too much about it; I called TCIE and she reassured me.  Plus, the baby is traverse and that can make the measurement a little smaller than it could be otherwise  The other thing that we found out at this appointment is that Baby Blondie may be a girl.  The position for all the other ultrasounds up to now made it so that we couldn't really check since the 16 week appointment.  I guess we'll be looking again at the next ultrasound in 2 weeks and see what the between the legs situation looks like.  It's just kind of weird since we've been calling the baby he and by the boy's name we picked out for about 14 weeks now.  We do have a girl's name picked out.

This week so far has been a bit stressful.  I couldn't find my requisition for progesterone draw so I had to call PPVI (twice) to get it faxed over.  I misplaced my Hypn.obabies book and spent a couple hours looking for it (D finally found it).  I thought that I locked myself out of my house, but I had actually just forgotten which door I went out.  Thankfully I've had the last few days off because I don't know if I could have dealt with everything and worked too.  Oh, and my mother sent me a text about something completely unimportant at 5 am and it woke both D and I up.

"No Photos Please"

I had my appointment yesterday at 21 weeks, 3 days as well as my glucose tolerance test.  The glucose tolerance test drink was so disgusting; I hate fake orange flavor and I just barely finished in it the 5 minutes they allow you.  I was a bit worried I'd vomit and have to redo it later.  The good news is that I seem to have passed since my ob said they would call only if I didn't and they should have had the result by the afternoon (actually by lunch really).  The appointment went well.  Baby Blondie is looking good, but he was hiding his face behind his hand and the placenta so we didn't get a good profile shot (thus the "no photos please" title).  He also was keeping his boy parts hidden so no confirmation today on that.  My next appointment is on December 28 so I'll be 25 weeks, 3 days and D will hopefully make it to the appointment (he's going to try).  I actually lost the u/s photos for a while yesterday (they blew out of my purse when I was leaving the building, but I went back after I realized they were gone and found them.\

My progesterone is 44.2 ng/dL (20 weeks, 2 days), which is at least a rise from the last draw but it's still Zone 2.  I'm pretty sure I'll be on PIO until 36 weeks at this point.  It's funny that my level at 20 weeks is barely 3 ng/dL high than at 4 weeks (with quite a few drops in between).

We have the baptism seminar at our church this evening, so hopefully D will be off work in time (he's tends to have to work late on Wednesdays).  His baptism will be in Houston at the church where D and I got married on June 5 (so that my parents can be in the country...it's just before my brother's wedding) during one of the Masses.  He'll either wear my little brother's baptism outfit or D's family's baptism gown (depending on how big he is...he may even wear both).  I'll post pictures of each when I have them.  We have decided on his godparents but haven't asked them yet.

It's a...

BOY!  We have the name picked out, but we won't be sharing it with everyone until birth.  His initials are SRS.  He's looking really good, and measuring 17 weeks, 2 day (I'm 16 weeks, 4 days).  His heartbeat is 160.  D was able to come to the appointment, which was great.  I'll post the alien face picture by next week some time.

Updates and finally 10 week u/s pic

I've been reading the blogs, but I've been a terrible commenter due to lack of time, feeling tired and nauseous, and not really having much too say.

I had my ob appt today at 12 weeks, 2 days.  Everything is looking good.  The heartbeat is 169 bpm.  The baby was stick its little bottom forward today so the pictures weren't that great.  The doctor has a suspicion as to the sex of the baby, but it's too early to be sure.  We hopefully will find out at my next appointment at 16 weeks, 4 days (October 27) which will be the big u/s with the u/s tech (the doctor does the u/s during the regular appointments).  Hopefully D will be able to go to the appointment, but it's the morning before we leave in the evening for his cousin's wedding in NJ.  

I finally got on some anti-nausea medication (generic Zofr.an) and I'm feeling so much better.  I have nausea still without the medication, but the nausea on it is only if I don't eat frequently enough.  I haven't had any vomiting since starting it and I was having quite a bit before starting.  I can also eating a bit more variety and can open my fridge without gagging.  

I still have a lot of fatigue and I'm trying to nap almost everyday (I nap when the little boys nap when I'm working if I can).  I was off today, but I couldn't get a nap due to timing of stuff.  

10 week ultrasound

Tummy Troubles

The main problem that I've had in healing from my surgery is stomach issues.  I had some serious constipation on Friday (4 days out from surgery), and my stomach has continued to have difficulties (mainly nausea) since then.  The nausea was still around a bit as of yesterday, so I've had a really hard time eating much since the surgery.  I've lost 10 pounds in the 10 days since the surgery and I really need to gain it back.  I'm hoping that the nausea issues are finally done so that I can get back to the Endo Diet since you've got to pretty much eat whatever you think you can handle when you are nauseated.

I haven't really had issues with the actual incision or much pain.  I stopped taking the Dar.voc.et on Friday since it can slow your digestive system.  I took ibuprofen and tylenol for a couple days, but I haven't even take those in 3-4 days.  The only time that I really have pain is when I laugh or cough.  I did have a rash near my incision, but I'm not sure if it was an adhesive allergy or if I had an weird immune reaction to the surgery.  I do tend to get a rash on my hips whenever I get sick, and no doctor that I've talk to has any idea what could be going on.

I had my follow-up with Dr. H on Monday afternoon.  He was really happy about how my incision is healing and with how the surgery went.  He says our odds of getting pregnant are up to about 75%.  I have to call PPVI on this coming Monday and then in another 4 weeks.  The 6 week post surgery call, on Monday, April 12, is when Dr. H will let us know exactly what we are doing moving forward.  He did say that he'll be order some bloodwork, but I don't know how extensive it'll be yet.  He'll also have me start on the Pain & Brain supplement, which is supposed to help with inflammation.  Since my hormone levels were good (and will be tested again), his main concern now that the endo is out is the signs of inflammation that he saw inside my uterus.  The hydrocort is supposed to help with that too.  Dr. H also briefly mentioned the Endo Diet, but said that he hadn't had time to really research it yet.  

The pathology report from the surgery confirmed that the 8 spots removed were endo, plus I had a benign growth on one of my ovaries removed as well as the cyst on one of my tubes removed that had be weighing it down.

I haven't really had any peak-type mucus yet even though I'm on CD 16, which isn't very surprising since my body has been under a lot of physical stress in the last 10 days.   

Feeling sad

I think a lot of the sadness I'm feeling today comes from the fact that I had my annual well woman/pap this morning at my ob/gyn.  Going there is disappointing.  I had hope that the Clomid would help me get pregnant, and they also never found a cause for the bleeding I was having a few months ago.  Also, when I went last November, I never thought that I'd be going back the following November and not be pregnant.  

I was not impressed with the comment that I got from the NP when she was asking if we were still trying to get pregnant.  She said the famous "I bet if you stop trying it will happen then".  I replied that I'm pretty sure that there is something causing our problems and it needs to be found and treated.  Everyone who works in a ob/gyn's office should have to take a workshop on things that help those who are infertile and what not to say.  I also wish that I hadn't had to sit and look at the bulletin board of birth annoucements.  By the time I left, I was distracted enough that I forgot to request copies of my medical records to send to Dr. Hilgers.  I have to remember to call tomorrow.

I'm feeling sad and cranky right now and D's at basketball and won't be home for a couple more hours.

Dr. appt...5 DPO

She thinks that my bleeding is due to poor ovulation, and that's it probably not endo. I'll be getting my progesterone bloodwork done on Saturday, and I'll have the results Monday (9 DPO). I don't know what to do since we can't afford to go to an RE yet, and I'm not sure right now that I want to do the 4th round of clomid. I guess if the levels are low, we'll end up doing it but it may not be until the following cycle, not this next one. One good thing is that the bleeding has slowed from yesterday.

I'm really sad and frustrated right now. I don't know what to do. I really wish that D was home because I need a hug, and he's not a big phone talker.