Wednesday, September 29, 2004

5 weeks of bedrest

Hello, just thought I would update all and discuss if you reply or post a comment (see the comment section below this post). Since I did not mail out the last email, I hope this is not something new to some of you, and if you are wondering who dotcom is, let me know and I will tell you the story (or see the previous entry), but essentially, it is the generic (we aren’t finding out the sex) name we have given to the baby I should have in January. Well my surgery is over and done with, it was on August 27th, and not the date that got typed in the email, my error, so sorry.

The good news is that everything seems stable and I go to a doctor’s office every week. I have been on bedrest for 5 weeks now. I see a doctor every week, one week I get an ultrasound, where they measure me to see if everything is looking good, and most importantly to check to see how the baby is doing. I am on Ibuprofen and it seems that that reduces amniotic fluid, but it helps prevent or reduce contractions. The next week I see my OB where they do a physical exam and probably another ultrasound. I will probably continue with these alternating appointments until November where I may see my doctor every week and continue to get digital ultrasounds every other week.

Now for the good news, I can shower everyday now, I can drive to my doctor appointments if needed (not much more driving though both offices are very close), I can go visit people in their homes on occasion if I get a ride. This makes me so happy! Small blessings count for so much in times like these. I am still supposed to recline all the time, no cooking, no cleaning, no clothes washing… which has created a bad lower back pain, but it is related to sciatica and not contractions. I have a whole bunch of ultrasound pictures, but no scanner at home, so I will email some as soon as I get the chance. Anyway, the news is good; I will take stable any day! Plus, I am working from home, and it is such a pleasure to have something to do everyday. I have women from the Junior League of Phoenix visit and help out by bringing meals and spending a few moments chatting, which makes life so much easier and really makes a day go by faster. We hired a cleaning service to come and help keep up the house, I don’t think I realized how much the little housekeeping I did do before helped, they start today and I am so excited to have a clean kitchen and bathrooms, and a tidier house.

I lay on my couch during the day and am glad I have a picture window, even if it needs washing. The birds like our lawn and I have noticed that at different times we get different birds hanging out.

Interesting things I have learned…. Those new pillows you can get that have itty bitty foam balls in them are great, so are the Swedish foam pillows… Learning to take your time with things is tough when one is a do it type person, but it can be oh so valuable a lesson. Doing nothing is exhausting work. People want to help, and it is OK to ask (a tough lesson to learn, still working on it as a matter of fact). Gestures of kindness and support mean a lot, and even more so in times of trouble.

Well, that is all I have to say for now…

thanks for reading!

Blair