I typically see my OB in the mornings before work, which is before I swell up like a balloon. Friday was a very difficult day for me and I also had a list of questions that I kept forgetting to ask. It took all I had to stay at work and manage the entire day. Thankfully I made my appointment for Friday afternoon, although I didn't do it on purpose entirely for this reason, my OB was able to see just how much I swell after sitting sedentary all day. I think he was a bit surprised. First of all, there was a 5 lb. weight gain from just 10 days before when I saw him, while I hadn't really been gaining much weight, if any, over the past few weeks and that was consistent. This gain was allllll water weight. All day Friday I felt like I was on the verge of throwing up, passing out, I couldn't breathe, couldn't focus, was crabby.....etc. I was miserable, to say the least. So when my OB came in to ask how I was doing, I told him just how I had been feeling. While I hated to admit it, I just can't work 40 hours at this point, but what's strange is that I know that if my job involved more walking/standing/moving around, I wouldn't be having as many issues as I am while I sit all day long and I would probably be able to continue working full time. Our weekends are so incredibly busy and yet I feel more rejuvenated, energized, and do not have any swelling on the weekends. The very moment I plant my ass in my chair at work, I can feel the pooling in my ankles. By the end of the day I can't feel my feet. I really wasn't expecting to experience the start of swelling as early as I did (I want to say 24 weeks or so is when it began). I typically lose 3-4 lbs. of water weight over night and then we start the process ALLL over again the next day. Friday night I lost 5 lbs. of water weight and I laid in bed all day Saturday from the fatigue. By the end of the week, I can't handle it. Sitting also makes it incredibly hard to breathe. My OB was more than agreeable to restricting my work hours. At first he said 3 hours and I said "how about 4 or 5?" Although this week is the worst week possible for me to be go part time because I have so much to do while a co-worker is out, I've kind of waved the white flag and decided that I have to take care of myself first, and if that means that work comes 2nd, so be it. Today was my first real day of only working part time and it already feels strange. I took a nap when I got home. A NAP?!?! Crazy. It felt good though, once I got "comfortable". There's that "C" word again. The one I miss A LOT. I threw a roast in the crockpot before I went to work, knowing that I'd be home in time to take it out. Bam. A nap AND dinner is ready when dinnertime comes around. I can't say I'll enjoy working half days for very long, and I'm so glad to know it's very temporary, but today I behaved and did what I was supposed to and I have very minimal swelling and fatigue because of it. I am allowed to move around and do things, I'm not on bed rest, so it feels weird to say that I need to work part time to go home and be active, but I'll take that over bed rest ANY DAY. I also asked my OB if I was allowed to get the epidural catheter placed in my spine, without having the epidural medicine given at that time, because I want to go as long as I can, unmedicated, to see what "non-pit labor" is like. I also understand that I will need the epidural placed at some point, just in case I wind up having an emergency C-section. He didn't seem to like the idea, so we'll see what happens when it comes time, but he did say that I don't need to get the epidural right away and can wait until I felt like I really needed it. Then came the dreaded question that I really kind of already knew the answer to, but needed confirmation......."how many people are allowed to be with me in the operating room?" He said that 2 people would be allowed, for sure, and it would be up to the delivering OB and anesthesiologist to allow a 3rd person. All along, I've wanted both T&Y to be in the delivery room to watch their children enter into this world. I want to see their faces when they meet their children for the very first time. It's very important to me and I know it is to them as well. It will be a very magical moment and I'll cry like a baby, I know it. But, I also feel like I need Terry by my side to physically and emotionally support me through the delivery process and this means T&Y might have to pick who gets to be a part of the delivery. However, I am still feeling somewhat optimistic that the stars will align and it will be my OB who is delivering and that something will work out so that Terry, T&Y can all be in the room with me. Both babies are head down just as I have hoped and dreamed of all along, so that HAS to mean that everything will go our way in the end, am I right?!
T&Y are traveling to Canada tomorrow and when I talked with them on the phone this afternoon, they mentioned possibly cutting their Canada trip short and coming here sooner. I'm all for it! I think they are really getting anxious and are realizing that it could happen any day now. Their sweet babies will be here before we know it!
My grandma is here visiting from AZ. She is the only person that is unaware that T&Y are a same-sex male couple because she is what I would call "anti-gay" and very close-minded. My mom told me a few weeks ago that she was going to tell my grandma about the guys because she felt that she should be accepting of it and why should I feel the pressure of having to refrain from some of the things I share, just to keep her happy? I was indifferent and left it up to my mom. I wasn't told by my mom whether she had had the conversation with my grandma yet or not, but on Saturday when we went to visit and have dinner, as soon as I walked in the door and saw my grandma for the first time in over a year.....I knew my mom had said something to her. I'm glad she knows, but I can tell she doesn't agree with it and it doesn't affect me in any way.
My sister asked our grandma to teach her how to crochet, so now my sister is busy crocheting blankets for the babies, which is SO sweet! It will put my gift to shame, that's for sure. I wish I was more creative and crafty. Speaking of which, I still need to get the gifts and I really hope to do it on Saturday. I've been indecisive on what to get and want to do a few things for both babies and T&Y. This Sunday is the "Surrogate Social" that the agency has each year. It will be a fairly small gathering this year as it's a busy time of year for most, but it was fun last year and I'm looking forward to it again this year, big or small. Truthfully, I didn't even know if I would make it when we were choosing the date. I keep threatening that I can't plan on anything right now. It makes me a little anxious, but it's also kind of exciting. People keep asking me when I think "it will happen" and I have to say that I feel like the 35th week really sticks out. I would be happy to carry the babies to 36 weeks, don't get me wrong, but I'm going with my gut instinct on this one. Thankfully T&Y will be here by then.
Right now the babies move A LOT. Which is a great sign. I believe that means they still have room, so they aren't too cramped or out of space at this point. I also hope they don't move TOO much because I don't want them to flip at this point. I do feel, however, that I'm squishing them when I lay on my side at night. I can't get the image out of my head when I'm trying to fall asleep and I can feel them squirming. Are they happy in there and just moving around, or are they telling me to move so they can "breathe"? It's like they're having their own disco dance party. I'm also getting up to pee about every 45-60 minutes now and BOY is it harder and harder to get out of bed with each passing night?! Big pregnant women weren't kidding when they complained about having to roll and brace themselves on things to get out of a chair or out of bed. I waddle and don't even try to hide that anymore. I see a chiropractor to help with my upper/mid back discomfort, but the worst times are at night and it has become quite painful, most likely due to my over-abundance of pillows and lack of proper posture. I also have this weird hip muscle thing going on where, all of a sudden, one of the babies will move and I'll either have one of my hip muscles cramp up into a Charlie-horse or I'll have searing pain (sciatic pain) shooting down my leg. Again, I've realized that I am a real pregnant woman this time around. My pregnancy with Kaleb was cake. But while I carry these babies closer to term, without bed rest or any complications, I will continue to count my lucky stars.
I can't forget to mention my "after birth plans". I've been so excited about this for the past few weeks. After the babies are born, I want to order a cheese pizza from my favorite place that's just down the road from the hospital. I think once all of the pressure is off my stomach, I might be able to actually eat like a real human again! I can't TELL you how excited I am! Who woulda thunk, I shrank during pregnancy and will most likely get fat afterwards (from all the binge eating I'm going to do after having missed out). Thanks to my new addiction to Pinterest, I have plans......oh yes......I have plans :)
33 weeks.........they seem to be stretching out from top to bottom now, rather than out
No comments:
Post a Comment