Fears. I has them.

I must have fears of my doctor.  I don't feel like I have fears but every time I go, my blood pressure shoots up.  WTH body?  To prove my point, I give you this example from today.

I had an NST at 1:30.  I was running late by about five minutes and worried that I was going to put the very nice NST lady behind schedule.  I got in, sat down, hooked up, and then nice lady took my blood pressure.  118/84.  Perfect she said.  She looked back over my charts and noted that my blood pressure has never been high there.  I could tell she was kinda wondering why exactly I was there since she hadn't seen any reason for it.  But she didn't say anything.  The rest of the NST went well.  Baby's baseline heart rate was around 120 with really good accelerations up to 154.  Go baby!  And all my fluid levels are "perfect."  So, good to know I'm not leaking anything that shouldn't be leaking yet.

Jump to my doctor's appointment.  I had run some errands in between the two appointments so I was feeling pretty proud of myself.  I was running late but not worried because the office is ALWAYS running behind.  I signed in, sat down, and waited while reading my book.  I got called back maybe 10 minutes later.  Sat down on the table and the nurse took my BP.  140/90.  WTH!?  An hour ago it was perfect!  What do you people do to your blood pressure cuff?  It can't be me, right?  I think I must have a fear of the table.  Yeah, that's it.

Other things learned at this appointment: The doctor will allow me to go one week past my due date without induction "unless my blood pressure skyrockets."  In which case, he wants me to deliver at 39 weeks.  That would make May 22nd.  To which my thought is, "Which BP readings are we using?"  Because, as we have just learned, my BP is only high at YOUR office.  At home I'm great.  NST's office is perfect.  So let's just hope he'll take that into account.  I REALLY don't want to be induced.  Especially since it doesn't seem to be necessary.

Woohoo!

The roll must have meant a yes!  My doctor's appointments went really well yesterday.  The baby didn't really want to cooperate with the ultrasound tech though.  She wouldn't face the camera and she was hiding her girly parts so we couldn't really get any good pictures.  Oh well.  She's measuring right on target and they say she weighs 5 and a half pounds.  WOW!  Go baby!

Then, off to the NST.  They hooked me up to the monitors and her heart was just beating away.  Everything went up and down the way it was supposed to.  And I'm having contractions.  Who knew?  We watched them come and go and make those little hills on the monitor paper. Mike was kinda freaking out because they were happening pretty often and all he kept saying was "Aren't they supposed to go away when you lay down?"  (We learned this in our birthing class.  Good to know some of it stuck with him.)  So, we asked the nurse.  She said it's all normal and nothing to worry about.  I know what they feel like now and am feeling them quite often.  They come and go and aren't painful at all but it's strange.  I'm not ready for her to make her appearance though so these need to go ahead and slow down.

Last was the actual doctor's appointment.  We actually got in pretty quickly (a rarity at this office) and our appointment went well.  I didn't get to keep my clothes on though.  Boo.  They did the group B strep swab thing and the doctor did an internal.  OUCH!  I'm "half a fingertip dilated" according to the doc.  Good.  Just stay right there. Oh, and my blood pressure?  NORMAL! (124/72).  Yaaay!  So, biggest news:  The doctor decided that I get to be a regular pregnant person now.  No more worries about pre-eclampsia or hypertension.  I don't have to go to the NST's anymore (but I chose to keep one per week just for my own peace of mind) and NO MORE PEE COLLECTIONS!  You have no idea how happy I am about that.

So, there you go.  A very good update.  Next up:  the nursery.  We're getting the paint and all of the tape and stuff tomorrow.  Then, we'll tape things off and hopefully get things done by next weekend.  ::fingers crossed::

It's been so long I've forgotten

I have no idea where I last left you guys off.  Was it two weeks ago?  Three?  I have no idea so I'll just start with basics.  

Everyone here is good.  Baby is growing, I'm growing, Mike's growing (much to his displeasure).  I swear, his belly wass keeping up with mine until about a month ago.  Haha!  I would love to update with pictures, but alas, my camera cord has completely run away.  We can't find it anywhere.  ::sigh::

I can't believe how close we're getting.  A little more that 5 weeks and she's due to be here.  WOW!  And we have almost nothing done or ready for her.  Alright Kate, get on top of things.  Our plan is to paint the nursery this weekend and get all her furniture set up.  I think once that's done, I'll feel I have things more under control.  My showers are coming up.  Work shower is at the end of the month and family/friends shower is the second weekend of March.  I'm looking forward to them. Then I can start sorting and returning and washing and all that fun stuff.  ::deep breaths:: We'll make it.

My blood pressure has continued to be high at doctor visits.  Last time was 142/91.  When I take it at home though, it's all good.  I told the doctor that it's just them.  They freak me out.  Still no protein in my urine.  No swelling.  Nothing other than the high bp for any signs of pre-eclampsia. So that's all good.  

The doctor is still being very jump-the-gun proactive about it though and has me doing twice weekly neonatal stress tests.  I get to go in  lay on a recliner hooked up to belly monitors that check for her heartbeat and any contractions.  Plus I get a spiffy little push button thingy to click each time I feel her move.   So far all's well.  Her heartbeat goes a little low at times but then shoots right back up so no one is concerned as of now.  We'll see what happens in the next few weeks.

In other news, we got rear-ended today.  Before anyone freaks out, we're all good.  My car is fine except a small dent and crack in my bumper.  I'm just freaked out.  I'm worried about every twinge that *might* not be normal.  Mike's pretty calm about the whole thing.  I have a feeling that by tonight we'll be making a trip to l&d.  I really don't want to be *that* pregnant lady but I would rather be safe than sorry, ya know?  I'll let you guys know what happens.

Now, I'm going to go lay down and rest with a good book, a cuddly pug, and two protective kitties.

Yup, still high.

And it's been a completely crappy morning.  Arg!

The bottom line is, my bp this morning was 140/70 and I'm "borderline" and need to get a blood pressure cuff to keep track at home.  I'm not on bedrest but I need to "take it easy." (as if I've been oh so busy up to now.)

And now I need to vent.  I'll completely understand if you want to just skip over all of this.

Added stress #1 -  I drove Mike to work this morning.  Then had about a half an hour before I needed to head over to the doctor's office.  I thought about going in to school just to settle the room a bit more for a sub but I was afraid I'd get stuck there.  So I went to the store to get some shopping done.  I get all my stuff scanned then go to pay with my debit card.  Oh fabulous - it's in Mike's wallet.  Thank goodness I had a credit card on me.  I hate putting stuff on the card.    

Added stress #2 - I packed up all the stuff into the car and headed to the doctor.  I decided to call work just to make sure they had received my sub plans.  No.  The office manager is not in today and they can't get the plans from her e-mail.  Can I please send them to someone else in the office?  Umm, no, I can't.  I'm in the car on my way to get a blood pressure check which I'm sure is skyrocketing right now.  I decide to flip around and print off the plans myself at school.  Then I'll be sure they're there.

Added stress #3 - I get to work.  At this point it's 8:00 and I should be at the office. I walk into the office and run into my principal.  She asks "so, your blood pressure's ok?"  "Um, well, I don't know yet.  My sub plans didn't get printed so I'm here to print them then I'll go to the doctor." She looked confused and I walked off.  I headed into the office and asked the clerk if I could use her computer to print my sub plans.  She stared at me like I had three heads.  I repeated my question.  She said,  "well, can't you just use your printer?"  I answered "well, I supposed to be at the doctor right now and I need these printed."  "Why can't you just use your printer?" "FINE, I'll use my printer" and I turned and stormed out.  Yes, looking back it was a little melodramatic but WTF?  Couldn't she just stick in my flash drive and print up the stupid plans?

Added stress #4 - So I head all the way out to my room (it's in an outside building) and boot up the computer (which takes FOREVER and a day).  It was finally ready to go and I stuck in the flash drive and go to print the plans.  Oh look, your computer and printer aren't talking to each other.  OF COURSE!  I started messing around with settings and junk, yelling at the stupid printer and computer, and 20 minutes later, I had plans for my sub.  I would have been done in 3 minutes if the clerk had just let me use her printer (I'm still bitter.  Can you tell?)  Off to the doctor now.

Added stress #5: I get to the doctor's office at 8:35 and tell the nurses I'm there for a blood pressure check with Vivian.  "Oh, she's not at this office today."  Are you fricking kidding me?! "She's at our other location.  Can you go there?"  I asked "Isn't there a nurse here that can take my blood pressure reading?  Really, that's all I need."  At this point, I'm fighting back the tears and a scream is lodged in my throat.  "We'll call Vivian and see."  The answer is yes, another nurse can do it but they're all in a meeting right now.  "We'll call you when someone's available." Thanks.  

I finally get called back about 15 minutes later and tell the nurse that I've had a really stressful morning.  She takes the reading and I'm at 140/90.  I break down crying and mumble "damn." She's really sweet and says "Ok sweetie, just calm down and we'll take it again in a few minutes." She brought me a glass of water and let me sit for about 5 minutes then took it again.  It was down to 140/70.  So, better but still high.  She would call it in to the doctor and they'd get back to me.

So I head out and cling to my phone.  I'm dying to know what they're going to say.  I call Mike and tell him what's up.  Then, I wait. And wait.  And wait some more. I try calling my mom when I get home to give her the update.  I can't phone out.  Um, ok.  Then I get an e-mail from Mike about an hour and a half later - my phone isn't working.  I can't call out and apparently no one can reach me either.  Great. Luckily the doctor has his number and got in touch with him.  They're not putting me on bedrest but I need to take it easy.  I also need to get a blood pressure cuff and start taking my blood pressure at home.  If it goes high and stays high, I need to go to L&D.  (let's hope that doesn't happen)  

Anyways, that's my update.  Hopefully my phone starts working and I can try to call the doctor myself.  All in all, it could be worse but I'm still worried.