Only 10 more weeks to go, and starting to get overwhelmed. This rib incident is kicking my butt, and I'm not sleeping at all. It's starting to effect me at work, as well as driving to and from work.
I can't really complain since I had it so easy in the first two trimesters, although it doesn't make this any more fun. I feel bad for daddy. He had an opportunity to go out tonight with friends that he hasn't seen in a long time, but he didn't want to leave me home alone. He's definitely ready for this little miracle to be born, and he shows me that everyday by his actions.
I ended up back at the doctors office today, which is getting kind of old, but I guess the farther along you get, the more concerns they have as far as pre-term labor.
Last night I felt like I was getting sick. Mike told me to go lay down and relax. Then this morning at around noon, I started getting this abdominal pain all over my uterus. I had a call into the nurses this morning anyways, since Mike wanted to know if I could take Tylenol PM to help me get some sleep throughout the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy, and I wanted to ask about going out on disability since I noticed driving and work was starting to be a problem. I know something is up when work is starting to be affected. By the time the nurse called back, the Tums had about an hour to settle in, and it just wasn't cutting it. I started worrying that it wasn't just indigestion or gas, and something more serious could be going on. So I added my stomach pain to my plethora of issues. She said stay away from Tylenol PM, and instead take Benedryl if I needed assistance sleeping, and if I needed to take something for pain, stick to regular Tylenol. She asked if the pain was constant, or did it come and go, and she asked if my stomach hardened during the pain. I told her the pain was constant, and it was only about a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. As far as my stomach being hard to the touch, there is a baby in there, so it's pretty hard to begin with, but as far as tightening, I was pretty sure I was in the clear.
She asked if I would be able to head to the office if she was able to fit me in today, and said if I wasn't able to get an appointment, she wanted me to head to the hospital. Great, just what I needed to hear at 2pm on a Friday afternoon! I started to think she was wondering if i was already going into labor, even though I was pretty sure these weren't contractions. But....how am I supposed to know? I'm a first time mama! She put me on hold for a moment and transferred me to the front desk. They asked if I could come in now, and I said I could be there in 45 minutes, not realizing Friday traffic was already stacking up at two in the afternoon.
I had just finished dropping off my leftover syringes, and used shots to add to their huge, red, biohazard bins at Shady Grove Fertility. Boy was that bitter sweet to get rid of! It only took 20 weeks from my last shot! Maybe I was hesitant to let them go, thinking something would go wrong, and I'd have to start from scratch with those horrible injections. But boy do I remember that awesome feeling when I got the email from Jan that I could start my first shot.
I had just gotten off the phone with Ruby Tuesday's to put in our lunch order. Sarah and Ms. Garland were excited about their Mini's, and all I could think about was eating another cold meal because I had to head to the doctor's office yet again. My last cold meal was California Pizza Kitchen's phenomenal spring rolls! Baja and Thai are the best! But, for those of you reading this, I guess it sounds like we eat pretty good in the badge office at DOE.
So as I sat in my car at Shady Grove Fertility in Rockville, and hung up with the nurse, I pulled out of the parking lot, and headed up 270 to pick up our food. I texted Sarah, and explained I was headed to the OB again. Man, she must be a mother, because she has the patience of a goddess! She asked if I wanted her to pick up the food, and I told her no, I'd be fine. I called Mike to tell him the exciting news, and he didn't seem too happy. I think he was frustrated that every time I called with a question, it was another visit to the OB. I told him better to be safe then sorry. I pulled up to Ruby Tuesday's, and sat up at the bar and waited as the bartender finished making a mojito. He rang up our order, I grabbed the food, and headed back to work to make the delivery.
Traffic was an absolute delight, but I made it to the doctors office in less then 45 minutes. Woo Hoo! Mike had been sitting in his car for about 15 minutes before I had gotten there. I signed in on the clip board, and waited our typical half an hour wait until I got to pee in a cup, and head back to a room. The nurse took my blood pressure, tested my urine, and asked what I was there for. Mike asked the nurse if we could get an ultrasound, since all they seem to do normally was check the heartbeat, and measure my belly and send me on my way. The nurse said we could talk to the doctor and see what she said, but Dr. Tufau planned to do a pelvic exam to check for dilation and discharge, and I should undress from the waist down and put this sheet over me. Way to go Mike! Thanks a lot!
So, in walks Dr. Tufau...kind of dull, but she seemed to be the only doctor working that day, so I don't blame her for not being so bubbly. I told her what was going on. I mentioned I wasn't feeling too hot last night, and I felt like I was coming down with something, then I started to get this constant pain in my abdomen at around noon. She did the internal exam, and told me I wasn't dilated at all, and I wasn't effaced one bit. She pulled out the doppler...the heartbeat was a steady 155, and my belly was measuring exactly 30 weeks. She said it could be Braxton Hicks, and there was really nothing I could do to relieve the pain.
I told her about my sleepless nights, and my excruciating rib pain. She informed me since pregnancy wasn't a medical condition, disability wasn't an option for me. She did however give me a referral for physical therapy 2-3 times per week for the rib pain, and said I could take a benedryl to help me sleep at night. Nothing new for me and Mike!
Well ladies and gents, we are back to square one. Overwhelmed, tired, and ready for our miracle baby to be here. But, she needs as much baking time as possible, and I guess 10 weeks out of the rest of my life is nothing.
But....I will tell you how much respect I have for moms! We really go above and beyond for these little tikes, and we wouldn't change it for the world.
I love you Alexandra Leigh Huntemann! Mommy and Daddy are patiently waiting your arrival. Enjoy Mommy's warm, cozy belly while you can, but we have your little crib all set up for you in your room when you are ready to come home to Middletown.
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