I admit it - last week I had a panic attack on Wednesday. I just felt like my heart was thumping really hard in my chest, so I wanted to take my blood pressure, but I had no way to do so. This caused me to semi-panic. Plus, I was pretty tired, so that didn't help with the anxiety. RJ came home at lunch time (I was supposed to go "guest lecture" in someone's class and didn't feel up to it, but it is known that RJ and I are both versed in said topic, so no one minds who they get when they book one of us - so I asked RJ to go instead. Standing and talking for 2 hours seemed like more than I could handle - LJ sounded easier to me that day) - and I told him I was worried. Eventually, he went out and bought a blood pressure monitor. That day, my top number was mostly in the 140s, but my bottom number was in the 80s or lower. So, what the heck do you do with that? Seriously, which number matters more? If I go by the top number, I'm hypertensive. If I go by the bottom number, I'm normal. After resting all during LJ's nap, the top number was in the 120s and the bottom number normal. Thursday, my swelling seemed to be down somewhat and my BP was a tiny bit high, but not too high for me to worry.
Then came Thursday night...
I woke up for my 4th trip to the bathroom at around 3:00 am. I couldn't fall back asleep and I just didn't "feel right". I felt like there was a lot of pressure in my head and the baby was flutter kicking - which this one doesn't seem to do...this one is a "roller". So, I get up and decide to go check my BP - it is 148/87 - ok, I've been resting for 5 or so hours...I can't really get more rest than this and my BP is elevated. What the heck? I get a drink (of water) and wait about 10 minutes and take it again...127/65. Ok, at this point, I've decided there is no use. I don't know what to do with this information anyway - so why have it? and I go back to bed.
I saw the dr. the next morning. She said that taking my BP is fine, but only worry (and call her) if the bottom number is above 90 3x in a row. Ok, now I know what to do. In waiting for her to come into the exam room, I had the need to go to the bathroom (I had already left my urine sample) and on that trip I peeked to see if my sample was still in the "wall safe". It was, with the dip stick already done. So, I matched the green - protein test and the blue - glucose test to the colors on the bottle of chemicals and already knew that I had neither in my urine when she told me. See, I could be a doctor! Or, I could at least do that urine test. All of this to say, she didn't seem any more concerned than she was earlier in the week, nor did she seem any less concerned. She just seemed concerned that I was panicking.
You know, I think I'm more worried about this pregnancy than I was with LJ. You would think it would be the other way around. But, with LJ, I had no idea what to expect, so for all I knew, everything was normal. This time around, if it isn't like it was with LJ, I think something is wrong. Think how I'll be at the hospital!
So, for now - I'm just trying to rest and WOW am I tired today. I don't know why it is like this some days, but today is a day that I have little energy. I don't know if LJ senses this and that is why he is being rambunctious or if he is being normal and it just seems rambunctious to me? RJ is on his way home from an overnight bachelor party. He is the best man, so he had to plan it and go. We've known this for a long time and I'd mentally prepared to be at home - 37 weeks pregnant...with a 2 year old and on semi-bed rest, but you can't mentally prepare for such a physical impossibility!
Many of you have sent e-mails to me - expressing your empathy, sympathy, directives to rest, etc. I appreciate them all and I do plan to reply...but my leisure time on the computer is compromised as I must rest while LJ is napping - and LJ's nap time is my leisure computer time. So, I'm not ignoring you - I just have to rest!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Dr. Threatened Bed Rest...
Medical information follows, so don't read if you don't want to know!
Well, it wasn't really too threatening, but...
In the last few days, my ankles - and then hands - and then, yesterday, face have been (what I consider) alarmingly swollen. So, I decided to go ahead and see the Dr. even though I have an appointment on Friday. I wanted to be assured that my blood pressure is not high and that there is no protein in my urine (these are symptoms of preeclampsia). My blood pressure is a bit high for me - I'm usually 110-120/70-80. Yesterday, I was 130/90. The Dr. said she wouldn't worry about it until the bottom number is 100 - that would be too high for me. No protein in my urine - yea! But, I've gained much more weight in 2 weeks than is "possible" and she agrees that I am pretty swollen...which for sure indicates fluid retention.
Through some discussion, in which I convinced her that going to work in the morning is much less physically stressful than being home with a 2 year old, we came to compromise. I can still go to work in the AM - unless my blood pressure rises. When I'm home in the afternoon and LJ is napping - I have to lay down the whole time - on my left side (this allows the kidneys to process fluid more efficiently - so they say). I had to promise to call if I get a headache, see flashes of light or get dizzy. If my condition doesn't worsen, she'll go with this "schedule", but if it worsens - she says we have to get a sitter and I have to stop working.
OK, so - this is kind of the worst thing that's happened while pregnant...I'm not sure how serious it really is. Since my blood pressure is ok and I don't have protein in my urine - I'm thinking it is "ok", but I need to take it easy.
Yesterday, this worked fine - LJ napped for 3 hours, but played in his crib before and after sleeping for about another hour...so, this netted me 4 hours of laying on my left side. He's a good sleeper...thank goodness! My swelling did go down. But, with a trip to the library and the pharmacy, I was swelled up again. At the pharmacy, by blood pressure was 112/72 - who knows how accurate that is, but it can't be THAT inaccurate, right?! My pulse was 76...this is high for me - my pulse is usually 50 - 60, but I was having to keep LJ from putting things from the shelf into the trash can, so I imagine this might raise my pulse.
This morning - puffy feet, puffy hands, puffy eyes.
Well, it wasn't really too threatening, but...
In the last few days, my ankles - and then hands - and then, yesterday, face have been (what I consider) alarmingly swollen. So, I decided to go ahead and see the Dr. even though I have an appointment on Friday. I wanted to be assured that my blood pressure is not high and that there is no protein in my urine (these are symptoms of preeclampsia). My blood pressure is a bit high for me - I'm usually 110-120/70-80. Yesterday, I was 130/90. The Dr. said she wouldn't worry about it until the bottom number is 100 - that would be too high for me. No protein in my urine - yea! But, I've gained much more weight in 2 weeks than is "possible" and she agrees that I am pretty swollen...which for sure indicates fluid retention.
Through some discussion, in which I convinced her that going to work in the morning is much less physically stressful than being home with a 2 year old, we came to compromise. I can still go to work in the AM - unless my blood pressure rises. When I'm home in the afternoon and LJ is napping - I have to lay down the whole time - on my left side (this allows the kidneys to process fluid more efficiently - so they say). I had to promise to call if I get a headache, see flashes of light or get dizzy. If my condition doesn't worsen, she'll go with this "schedule", but if it worsens - she says we have to get a sitter and I have to stop working.
OK, so - this is kind of the worst thing that's happened while pregnant...I'm not sure how serious it really is. Since my blood pressure is ok and I don't have protein in my urine - I'm thinking it is "ok", but I need to take it easy.
Yesterday, this worked fine - LJ napped for 3 hours, but played in his crib before and after sleeping for about another hour...so, this netted me 4 hours of laying on my left side. He's a good sleeper...thank goodness! My swelling did go down. But, with a trip to the library and the pharmacy, I was swelled up again. At the pharmacy, by blood pressure was 112/72 - who knows how accurate that is, but it can't be THAT inaccurate, right?! My pulse was 76...this is high for me - my pulse is usually 50 - 60, but I was having to keep LJ from putting things from the shelf into the trash can, so I imagine this might raise my pulse.
This morning - puffy feet, puffy hands, puffy eyes.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Daylight Savings Time (and more)
We've officially lost the hour - the hour "they've" decided to take from us earlier than usual this year. Sure, it is great that LJ slept until 8:00 this morning, but since it was really 7:00 - it is no big deal. One good thing is that LJ seems to know when it is "light enough" to call for us, so maybe he'll sleep until 7:30 or so...for this week. Then he'll adjust and it'll be back to normal I'm sure. It is nice that DST ushers in Spring Break this year...it makes the change much less pronounced.
Speaking of Spring Break - we have a few projects lined up. First, we need to complete "the move". I believe that will begin to happen today. (Yesterday, RJ worked on a car) This part of the move will be a big mess as we have to take everything out of our closets, RJ has to build some shelves and decide on the way to maximize space in the closets, then we have to put things back in the "appropriate" closet. LJ will love the activity and it is likely that there will be articles of clothing we will never see again as LJ will "put them away" somewhere.
We were going to put a fence up between us and our neighbors (that is sure to make a statement) - who are college students...the 4th group to live there since we moved in. The fence is designed to be 1) a visual block so we won't see their slovenliness, 2) a noise block and 3) a trash block as they aren't real good at not putting trash in their yard?! But, this project will not happen this week as it will take 14 days for the fence materials to come in - once they are ordered...and they are not ordered. Along this same line - we are going to fashion a sort of "storm window" which we hope will help with the noise...not only of the neighbors, but of the trains that come through all the time.
There are other projects, but I won't bore you with all of those details.
I am not sleeping well, cannot get comfortable most of the hours of the day and night, am tired and puffy, and have heartburn all the time, but - hey this is par for the course at this point, so everything seems to be normal.
LJ loves his new shorts and t-shirts which I bought at the re-sale shop. I think we are finished with the heater this season as we've had our AC on for about 2 weeks now. It is pretty warm outside, so I decided I'd better get LJ his "summer" wardrobe while I still can. We went to the "new" park yesterday. The "old" park was very crowded, so we went to the park at the school near our house...very fun and LJ ran himself to tired-ness...which is a good thing for a 2 year old!
Speaking of Spring Break - we have a few projects lined up. First, we need to complete "the move". I believe that will begin to happen today. (Yesterday, RJ worked on a car) This part of the move will be a big mess as we have to take everything out of our closets, RJ has to build some shelves and decide on the way to maximize space in the closets, then we have to put things back in the "appropriate" closet. LJ will love the activity and it is likely that there will be articles of clothing we will never see again as LJ will "put them away" somewhere.
We were going to put a fence up between us and our neighbors (that is sure to make a statement) - who are college students...the 4th group to live there since we moved in. The fence is designed to be 1) a visual block so we won't see their slovenliness, 2) a noise block and 3) a trash block as they aren't real good at not putting trash in their yard?! But, this project will not happen this week as it will take 14 days for the fence materials to come in - once they are ordered...and they are not ordered. Along this same line - we are going to fashion a sort of "storm window" which we hope will help with the noise...not only of the neighbors, but of the trains that come through all the time.
There are other projects, but I won't bore you with all of those details.
I am not sleeping well, cannot get comfortable most of the hours of the day and night, am tired and puffy, and have heartburn all the time, but - hey this is par for the course at this point, so everything seems to be normal.
LJ loves his new shorts and t-shirts which I bought at the re-sale shop. I think we are finished with the heater this season as we've had our AC on for about 2 weeks now. It is pretty warm outside, so I decided I'd better get LJ his "summer" wardrobe while I still can. We went to the "new" park yesterday. The "old" park was very crowded, so we went to the park at the school near our house...very fun and LJ ran himself to tired-ness...which is a good thing for a 2 year old!
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