Tuesday, March 4, 2014

And So It Begins...

Yesterday, Becca ended up taking me to the emergency room for fluids. I was dehydrated after days of vomiting and so weak I could barely get out of bed. I felt like we were there for the longest time as the doctors monitored me and gave me multiple bags of fluid. Even with the intravenous anti-nausea drugs, I was still dry-heaving and then vomiting any water or crackers I was given. I can't say that I expected anything different.
The ER doctor wanted to admit me because of my inability to keep water down, but I let him know this was typical with my pregnancies and briefly explained my history of hyperemesis. He called Dr. Warner (my favorite doctor in the world) and discussed my situation before feeling comfortable with me going home. The two of them arranged for me to get set up on IV therapy starting today, and I am relieved to know I will not have to continually go to the emergency room for fluids before the IV therapy starts. These doctors definitely weren't messing around! I am so grateful I didn't have to beg and plead for help this time around.

Bring on the fluids!

And in other, more amusing news, the twins did this to their room today when I tried to enforce nap time in their new beds. I thought they would possibly nap because their big boy beds are so cute and inviting, but I was certainly wrong about that. You see what I mean when I say there is definitely no time for throwing up these days?

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Whelp! Here It Is!

I'm finally going back and publishing some of the posts I had written months ago. And I've got to say...this is a pretty exciting post :)

So.....

I'm pregnant!

The back story to this pregnancy is incredibly long, but I want to have it recorded for my children (and myself, I suppose). So, here it is!

When the twins were just a few weeks old, Nathan had a pretty strong impression that we were going to have another baby. Ezra and Elliott had a doctor's appointment, so he loaded their carseats into the minivan and sat down in his seat. As he was preparing to start the car, he looked back in the rear view mirror at Eliza's empty carseat and had the distinct thought that another child would sit there some day. Because the boys were only a couple of months old, he did not immediately tell me about his experience. I'm sure he thought I would panic if he even breathed the words "another baby."

A couple of days after Nathan's experience, I also had the distinct feeling we would have another child. I was taking a shower (I always joke that my profound thinking and spiritual experiences occur while showering because it's the only time I ever have alone) and suddenly had the words, "There's another" pop into my mind. I had just gotten over mastitis, and I have to admit that I wasn't jumping for joy when I had the impression. In fact, I felt overwhelmed and then guilty I wasn't excited about the idea.

Of course, I immediately talked to Nathan about my feelings because I process things by talking about them. He then told me about his experience earlier in the week and my heart started pounding as I realized that we would probably be completely crazy and have another baby some day. I knew it was going to happen.

Two years later, I found myself sitting in my doctor's office, discussing fertility issues. I assumed I would have no trouble getting pregnant with our last child, but I was wrong. In August of last year, I was again diagnosed with ovarian cysts (and told I had many of the symptoms of PCOS). My left ovary is twice the size of my right ovary due to the cysts, and my doctor felt this condition was affecting my fertility. After two months of daily ovulation tests and not one positive test, I decided to take Progesterone for 10 days in order to regulate my body's hormones. My doctor explained that the Progesterone would essentially help my body "start over" and perhaps trigger ovulation. If the Progesterone didn't work, the doctor then recommended doing a round of Clomid.

On February 13th, day ten of taking the medication, I had an appointment to have my teeth cleaned. For some reason, the hygienist took my blood pressure before I had an x-ray of my mouth done and was alarmed by the results. My blood pressure was so low that she called another nurse over to retest me. Again, my blood pressure was 85/60. She asked if I had a history of low blood pressure, and I explained that while it was always low, it was only that low when I was pregnant. I then laughingly joked that being pregnant wasn't possible.

However, the seed of "maybe" had been planted in my mind.

Nathan was working from home, the children were in bed, and I decided I would take a pregnancy test. I was so sure the test was going to be negative that I didn't even tell Nathan what I was doing. Two minutes later, I stood staring at the positive test with a ridiculous grin on my face. I couldn't stop smiling! I kept thinking, "HOW!?" and laughing at the irony that I was already pregnant when I met with the doctor about my fertility problems.

Nathan was helping a student with accounting as I walked up to him and showed him the test. His jaw dropped and he said the same thing I was thinking, "WHAT!? How!?" I guess those ovulation tests were wrong! My doctor later said that my ovulation window could have been so small that a test would have missed it. Whatever the case, we feel incredibly blessed. I'm not sure how far along I am, but we are guessing this baby will be born in October or November.

Hooray for miracles! Hooray for another little one!

The baby is the wonderful news. The bad news is the fact that I'm already incredibly sick. Things were going fine until earlier this week. I gained a few pounds and a small bump incredibly fast. Only a week after finding out I was pregnant, I definitely looked like I was going to have a baby. I was feeling so fabulous that I thought something might be wrong. And then, the morning sickness/all day sickness/hyperemesis began.

This is the difference 10 days can make. February 21st and then today!

I am praying that I begin to feel better soon. Mothering two toddlers and a four year old is extremely difficult when I can't even take care of myself. It's only been four days of nonstop vomiting, but I don't know how much more I can handle until I'm going to the hospital for fluids.

My friend Marie sent me some essential oils and sea bands to help battle the nausea. Something has to help this time, right?!

To the Park We Go

Going to the park every day has become a crucial part of our daily routine. Once Nathan leaves for his afternoon classes, the children immediately start asking to go outside and "walk." Ezra and Elliott still aren't talking very much, but they continue to go over their letters repeatedly every day. I think a huge reason why they love the park so much is the fact that we practice our letters there on the giant letter caterpillar. We've also started practicing our colors and shapes while there and the boys might have a new obsession (or another one, at least).