Updates 18 Weeks 6 Days (08/08/13)

It’s been a while since I’ve posted.  Sorry for the long absence.  My blood pressure was officially listed with Dr B as high and put me on meds for it.  So far I show no protein in my urine as a sign of Preeclampsia (or whatever the latest name for the condition is).  My thyroid levels are good so that shouldn’t be the issue.  At this point, I just have high blood pressure. 

The meds Dr B put me on for BP have given me an unfortunate side effect (or coincidence), my nipples randomly feel like they are burning.  They are rock hard, turn darker purple and feel like they are being poked with a red hot rod.  It can be one or the other or both a few times a day and lasts between 5-10 minutes.  I’ve been using a lanolin cream which helps a bit, but not totally getting rid of it.  Dr B didn’t seem concerned, as long as my BP is coming down, was at 135/100.  For one appointment it was at a great 120/90, next appointment though back up to 145/100. 

My nausea is minor here and there, but still there.  The prenatal vitamins aren’t helping and causing constipation.  I have made an agreement with Deb, I will take them Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, Saturdays are debateable.  Right now my iron levels are good, so I’m not too worried.  I’ve taken to drinking two glasses of milk to help with calcium and vitamin D and what not, on top of the various veggies we have to help keep a balanced diet, and we try and keep the salt to a minimum, but that has never been a big additive in our lives.  I have noticed mood swings and easily getting annoyed with things.  I try and keep it under control, to not perpetuate my high blood pressure, but it is hard to do, feeling constantly on PMS. 

The last of my pregnancy complaints is; my ankles are swelling by the end of the day.  Not a pretty sight. Plus I'm fairly tired again.  

Here are the two more recent weekly photos

I seem to be more bloated at week 17 than 18.  

Liebster Award (07/25/13)

My nomination came from The Gayby Project: Making the next Generation of Fabulous.  Thanks for the props.  

This is a way for small bloggers to give recognition to other small bloggers (200 followers or less). Here’s how it works:

Copy & Paste This Whole Post and Replace All Your Information — who awarded you, for example.

The rules:

1. Thank the Liebster Blog presenter who nominated you and link back to their blog.

2. Post 11 facts about yourself, answering the 11 questions you were asked and create 11 questions for your nominees.

3. Nominate 11 blogs who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.  I don’t know if I have 11 blogs to add, but we’ll see how we do. 

4. Display the Liebster Award logo.

5. No tag backs meaning you can’t just re nominate the person who nominated you.

As Solo the First put it “The real purpose behind these nominations are not only as an accolade from a fellow blogger and let’s face it, nothing gently strokes our little writer hearts more than someone telling you they appreciate your work.  In addition to the back patting we need to receive from time to time, it also allows us to get a little more personal as we get to know our increasing blogging community. It also helps drive traffic to your site as we reference one another.”

The questions put forth to me (with my answers) are as follows:

Here are my 11 questions:

1)  What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever created?  The baby growing inside me.

2) If a movie was made of your life, who would play you? Melissa McCarthy

3) Most memorable dream ever?  Recently my most memorable dream was being buried in sand.  Not nice, that night was a lot of not nice dreams. 

4) Creamy peanut butter or smooth. And WHY? I don’t see much difference between creamy or smooth peanut butter but I do have a preference when it comes to crunch or smooth.  It depends on what I am having it on.  I’ll have smooth if I’m having it on toast or bread as the crumbles apart slightly with the crunchy peanuts.  If I’m having it with Carrots or celery then I prefer crunchy, but we usually don’t have that on hand, so I settle for smooth.  Crunchy also gives the lovely peanuts when added to baking cookies. 

5) The literary character you’d most like to hang out with?  At this point Sherlock Holmes is the only name that is coming to mind. 

6) Words of wisdom for the next generation?  Enjoy your youth for what it has not what it doesn’t. 

7) What song is currently soundtracking your life?  To Fell This Feel – Netty Mac with Tammy Christiansen.   My wife and I first heard this song during our first month or so of dating/living together.  We felt it was our song right away.   This was our first dance at our wedding too.   

8) What quality about your parents do you have but wish you didn’t? Being a bit too naive about people and situations. 

9) What do you want to be when you grow up?  Retired.  Until that point, adulthood is optional.  I’ll need to re learn how to use my imagination again once the bean arrives and second bean gets here. 

10) How do you take your coffee?  Right now I don’t.  Pregnancy hasn’t let me enjoy coffee.  But when I did I had some cream and sugar. 

11) If you could live in any time period (excepting the present), where and when would you live?  Possibly in ancient Rome, when sexuality wasn’t limited to hetro views. 

Here are my nominations (In no particular order!) I also have no idea how many followers these people currently have, but I love reading them! Also I might be re-nominating you so just take it as the compliment it is, ok?  Also if you are not wanting to continue the tradition, I understand, as I was in a bit of a debate myself, but I do believe the following blogs are worth the read, so I'm giving a little advertising (to what audience I have).  

Perfection is Possible

Two Crazy Canadians

Two Moms to Be

Welcome to Brielle’s World

Wiegand Writes

Mom, Mama, and Drew

Two Moms Make a Right

Diaries of a Nearly Dead Man

Mommy & Mum Dream of a Baby

Here are my 11 questions:

1)  If you could travel the world, go to a favorite destination over and over or stay close to home, which would you choose?

2)  Do you believe people can change?

3)  What was is your favourite restaurant?

4)  What question do you like to ask people?

5)  What was the last concert/performance you went to?

6)  (This is a good one that was passed to me, so I will pass to you.) Words of wisdom for the next generation?

7)  What was the last book you read?

8)  Name one thing on your bucket list.

9)  If money was no object, what frivolous item would you buy?

10) What was the last movie you saw in Theater? 

11) Antique or Modern?

15 Weeks 4 Days (07/16/13)

On Friday I had a prenatal appointment with my doctor.  Once again I was a little annoyed with the fact that I had an appointment and they were putting walk in’s ahead of me.  I explained to Dr B that the OB won’t see me before 20 weeks without an additional note from him, and at this point they may or may not be able to fit me in.  So seeing things seemed to be going well, I had figured one more appointment of checking my pee, weight (Up about 2 pounds from last appointment) and blood pressure would be a quick in/out and seeing the OB can wait till next month.  Dr B almost forgot to take my blood pressure but when I reminded him he did.  At which point it was 160/110.  For people that don’t know, that is HIGH.  Last appointment I was about 128/85.  He had double checked and got the same number.  So he then said, come back and get blood work done tomorrow and see me Monday and we will check again, if it is still high, we can put you on medication to lower your blood pressure. 

Cue Saturday morning.  If you’re at all familiar with the Labs around Calgary, without an appointment you are waiting a long time, so I got there pretty early, around 9.  At 10:30 I get a call from Dr B.  He explained he was worried and would like me to go to emerge and have my BP taken again and if it is still high, they can deal with it as needed.  I explained to him I was still waiting for getting in to have my blood drawn but afterwards I would go to the Urgent Care center in the building I was in.  He instructed me to give him a call afterwards. 

By the time I got my blood drawn and down to Urgent Care, it was about 11:15; once again to wait some more.

After waiting in line to be seen by the nurse my BP was 144/90.  Better, but still a bit high.  The difference though, my doctor doesn’t have the extra large BP cuff, the one he used is just big enough to fit my arm.  On the same note that is the same one that he used and got the 125/85.  The nurse suggested I see someone at the center to make sure things are good.  So I was back to waiting.  First waiting to get my arm band, then waiting to get into the room in the back, then waiting to see the nurse to get my BP done again, 138/85, getting better after a lot of sitting, then waiting to see the doctor, then waiting to get the results of my blood work, then waiting to see the doctor again.  After all is said and down, the doctor said my resting BP was ok, and most of my blood work was normal, nothing to be worried about.  So I left at about 1:45.  It was a slight waste of the morning. 

On Monday I went to see Dr B again, and once again my BP was 160/110 and today I wasn’t upset about the travel or appointment etc.  Even after resting for a while, it was still the same.  I did ask him to check baby’s heart beat.  He brought in the Doppler and I was excited at the possibility of hearing the heart beat for the first time.  He gelled me up, got new batteries for the Doppler, and put it on, I heard nothing and my heart skipped a beat, but then he said the heart beat was 137.  He must have had the sound turned down/off.  But at least the baby’s heart beat is in a good range. 

So he prescribed something for the high BP and ordered a test on my thyroid levels, as that can cause issues with my BP, the doctor at Urgent Care also mentioned I should get that retested.  So in the end I’m hoping I just need to increase my synthroid to level off that, give me a bit more energy, and hopefully lower my BP.  The medication he put me on for BP is a level C for pregnancy, but is at a very low dose.  On the up side my Iron levels are good, so even though I have missed a little while on iron, and some prenatals, I’m not anemic.  I’m now trying yet another prenatal called Materna, recommended by my GI specialist.  Fingers crossed this one is better for my stomach.  

Of course this all happens while Deb is out of town travelling with her mom.  She was very worried for me, and I was kind of sad not to have her there with me.  Under her ordered I did almost nothing else for the weekend, and just sat and relaxed.  Now she is home, and won’t leave again during pregnancy.  We want to be together for all these ups and downs.  

14 Weeks 4 Days (07/09/13)

Up to now I have only worn my maternity capris a couple times.  As of yesterday I have resigned that I can only wear maternity pants.  I don’t know why I was so reluctant to make the switch.  Today I’m in maternity pants and much more comfortable.  As far as weight gain goes, I haven’t been doing too badly.  Last week I was craving carbs; bread, pasta, pretzels, potatoes, we even splurged and had pizza.  I’ve tried to make sure I also get fruits and veggies and protein.  On last week’s weigh in on Saturday I had gained 1.8 pounds.  That was a bit of a shock; however as of Sunday morning it was down again, must have been extra water weight, to a gain of .4 pounds.  But my stomach still feels bigger and harder. 

Here’s the updated pictures

   Week 12.  Still no noticeable difference

The Tummy is starting at week 13

Maternity Pants are here at 14 Weeks.  Doesn’t look like they should be though.

13 Weeks (06/28/13)

The past couple weeks have been a whirl wind; the trip to England especially.  We got there on Monday and it was a long day in which Deb hadn’t slept in about 36 hours and I had only about an hour sleep in that time.  M & P met us at the airport to lead us from Manchester to Doncaster.  M checked that Deb was a good driver, and off we went.  That was an experience, driving on the opposite side of the road and traffic circles everywhere, and M weaving in and out and between traffic.  We later learned he is a rally race driver, and we were following that kind of driving.  We made it in one piece; Deb a little frazzled, but made it none the less. 

The flight there was nice to the fact we had three seats to ourselves.  However there was a screaming child that just wanted to sleep and the parents (mostly the dad) kept waking her up.  She was asleep, he took her pillow, repeat screaming.  As the mum is trying to get her to sleep she kept nudging her shoulders or something and disrupting rem.  Once again the girl about 2-3 years old was asleep, and the dad shook her “Are you ok?”  A few people had asked if the mum needed assistant getting the child to sleep and the mum said no.  After the pillow incident, there were a couple guys near the dad that warned him if he touched the child, follow up wouldn’t be good.  We almost had mutiny on the flight.   So of the 8.5 hour flight the last 2 hours were peaceful.  The child just was TIRED and wanted to sleep. 

We were in England for 5 days and travelling for two.  We crammed a lot of things into 5 days.  Of course main agenda was visiting grandma at the hospital.  She was a lot worse that I was originally prepared for.  Her hair was wisped, teeth out, large gash on the forehead, barely able to speak, tubes up her nose for feeding, oxygen tubes for breathing and left side paralyzed.  It was a shock to the system.  Her mind was 100% there though.  Some hallucinations though, probably medication induced though. 

Other highlights included, my cousin’s wedding, P’s birthday, visiting Cusworth Hall and getting a private tour, visiting Chatsworth Hall/Gardens, getting lost in a town called Chesterfield, Doncaster Markets, downtown Doncaster shops, visiting my Auntie, having lunch with my Uncle, and visiting with P & M & J.  Luckily, the adrenaline of keeping busy kept me awake.  Just the week before pregnancy fatigue had me napping at any given/allowable moment.

Once home it took me a week to get over the jet lag.  Once again I needed to randomly nap.  On the slight plus side, even though I can’t drink coffee, I can drink Tea, good old English Typhoo tea.  Mmmm.  Surprisingly I didn’t gain weight in England.  I think it is mostly due to the fact it was my most active week in months, we did have a lot of naughty foods, ie, chocolates, Fish & Chips with scraps.  Not all bad, but more than normal.

The week after we got back I also had my first ultrasound.  It was great to see baby in there, and a bit of a shock, it became a little more real.  The heartbeat was at a constant 163.  All my chromosome markers that they tested for came back great.  At that day I was then technically 12 weeks from LMP, but they ran from insemination date which put me at 11 weeks and 5 days.  Baby measured to be 11 Weeks 6 Days; so pretty much right on par.  Here are some pictures. 

I’m a little behind on my belly pictures, but really no change from outward appearance.  I’ll post them shortly.  

10 Weeks 3 Days (06/07/13)

From the comments on my last post, I would like to note, I am not trying to lose weight.  I know some weight gain is probably inevitable.  The reason I got worried is because I gained 8 pounds in the first 2 weeks of knowing.  My health and the baby’s health won’t benefit from me gaining 80 pounds.  With that being said, I am eating healthy, same as I have been before getting pregnant, but a bit more of it.  I have not had any energy for exercise though, I’m hoping I am able to do light exercise in my second trimester at least, as I am now noticing I am getting winded a little easier than I should be.  So whatever weight gain happens, will be, and I will deal with it in the aftermath. 

General dietary changes have been, No more coffee (Even Decaf), the smell churns my stomach, and I have been eating more fruit lately instead of things like pretzels or crackers for snacks.  Other than that things are about the same, and I am making sure I get enough calories for baby and me.  I will admit, I have not been logging my food in My Fitness Pal lately.  It is pretty daunting, but I think I will return to logging after England. 

Some food smells, other than coffee, also churn my stomach, the smell of raw onions is a no, we occasionally use a sweet chilli sauce on things, I can’t stand the smell of that now.  We used to have broccoli somewhat consistently, but now I haven’t tried to eat it, but it doesn’t appeal to me at all.  Interesting on how some things effect you and others don’t.  Cravings for things haven’t been bad.  The ones I cater to are fruit and veggies.  Occasionally I get a hankering for something, but I haven’t made Deb do a run out for anything yet.  One of my current is Tempura Vegetables, still haven’t caved into that one yet though, or a fruit smoothie/milkshake made at home, (we have done that once). 

The past couple days has been a bit better as far as fatigue.  It hasn’t felt like I want to nap at every given waking moment.  Plus the nausea has been different.  Not as much all day, but when it is there it is a bit worse.  It’s a give take kind of thing I guess. 

Tonight I have my 2^nd pre natal appointment with my regular doctor.  I hope I don’t leave there in total frustration again.  I haven’t done a mid week weigh in, so I’m not sure if I will have gained or lost from my last appointment.

  

This photo didn’t turn out too well.  It was a late night photo, our work center has crashed from the wall, and the Iphone flash wasn’t enough light.  I guess morning photos are better.  

Nine Weeks 5 Days (06/03/13)

Here is a quick update.  The past few weeks have been extreme fatigue, napping whenever I get the chance.  Things on that are getting a smidge better.  Nausea is still a fighting battle, still using Jolly Ranchers, ginger, and crackers to help that. 

On the weight gain, this past week I was down a bit, so that is a bit better.  The ticker is correct now. I go in for my second pre natal appointment this Friday.  I had the mass blood work done, that tests for blood pathogens, ultrasound stuff, and general counts, this past weekend.  I don’t know the results yet. 

This past weekend we had a good trip to Lethbridge connecting with an old friend of mine from high school.  It was a good visit. 

On May Long weekend, my Grandma had a major health incident.  She had a massive heart attack, which caused an ischemic stroke, in which she collapsed and hit her head on the side table, giving her a large gash on the forehead.  At 90, that is a good thing she was able to survive that to begin with.  Recovery has been a bit hit or miss, but it seems things are getting a bit scary for her, and she is hallucinating again, not sure if that is from the stroke or the medications.  So Deb and I are doing an emergency trip to England, in hopes of getting a last visit in, even if sitting bedside in the hospital.  Maybe that will help her spirits for recovery. We are hoping for the best, preparing for the worse I guess.