4 Days, 1 Hr, 19 Min :)

Hey Everyone,

So I had my last check-up at the doctor before my c-section on Friday! She said I've definitely dropped, but I'm still kinda closed, but close...having contractions everyday now, real ones- not braxton hicks...so I guess if they come regularly I need to go to the hospital.

I'm very excited for Friday, but scared also. I can't believe I will meet my little boy!!! It's so strange to me (still) that I'm going to be a mommy! It seems just like yesterday that I was peeing on that pregnancy test...scared to death! LOL....longest yet shortest nine months of my life!

So how am I feeling?

I am very tired lately and I ache...especially my right ribcage where he likes to kick...and then my right hip (the replacement) has been giving me some pain the past few days. The doctor said thats probably because he's dropped and he's SO low... I've just got to take it easy this week.

Jim and I made two trips to the hospital this last week...one was Wednesday night. I thought my water had broke...It's so weird being pregnant with your first...you have no clue what you're doing or what things feel/should feel like. Anyways, obviously my water had no broke...I probably just peed LOL.

The second trip to the hospital was on Saturday night. I was having really painful contractions, ten minutes apart for two hours straight. We called the doctor at like 12- midnight and the on-call dr said to go to the hospital for a labor check and check to see if the baby was ok- so that it would be stressed out. That was scary to hear. I'd hate for Baby Jack to be stressed out- his heartrate dropping or whatnot. But, that wasn't the case. His heart rate was fine and the contractions actually stopped once I was in the room....which I hear is actually really common--- your adrenaline starts kicking in and you want to run away so your body stops labor I guess? Who knows....either way they monitored me til about 2 am...then sent me home. She offered me some Demerol for the discomfort, which I was hesitant about but took because I haven't been sleeping well at all and in pain. OMG I love that stuff....made me feel happy LOL. I woke up the next morning wide awake, feeling like my old self. :) It was nice. Of course, I'm back to being uncomfortable but that's expected....just something I have to deal with :)

My mom, sister and stepdad come into town tomorrow! I'm so excited--- and I get a twinnie day with Nicole on Wednesday :) YAYS!

36 Weeks, 5 Days, 24 Days Left

YAY- So, yesterday was a full day- two dr appointments.

First, we had our last ultrasound with Dr. Helm. Jack is basically out of room LOL…sad for both him and I…he’s cramped and I’m hurting from his strong movements. Their guess-estimate for his weight is 7lbs, 1 oz. The ultrasound was a little painful for me because of the PUPPPS rash that I still have…with that and the stretchmarks, my skin is super sensitive so the goo they use for the machine kind of burned the entire time! And these aren’t normal ultrasounds…they take like 30 minutes. But, it was the last one, so it’s over with J

Our second appointment, we finally got to meet the doctor who will delivery Jack. I love this new office that I’m going to now…Fresno Women’s Medical Group…They are really nice and really listen to what you have to say- concerns and all. My doctor looked over my chart before meeting with me, asked me about the surgeries I’ve had and my past and examined my range of motion that I have now with the hip replacement and determined that a c-section would be her recommendation…which is excellent for me because that’s what I want. If she would have done the same routine and recommended a natural birth, I would be scared to death, but would have accepted it because, unlike the other doctor I had, this woman LISTENED to me and really looked at all aspects of my body- that means so much to me as a patient.

Anyways, Jack will be here on November 4 J My surgery is at 11am…so Jim and I have to be there at 9. It is another surgery, but I really don’t care about that…I really think the surgery will be less nerve-racking than the thought of my hip being damaged or having any other kind of complications that will put me in recovery even longer than a c-section.

One downside to yesterday was that since I am having the c-section and I’m pregnant, my chances for a blood clot go up even more, so I DO have to go on the Lovonox injections in my stomach L It’ll only be once a day for ten days…but I guess I have to compromise somewhere, right? I’m going into the office tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon before our baby class to get a small “tutorial” of how to give myself the injection…I’ve had Lovonox before when I got a blood clot after my hip replacement, but I didn’t give the injections to myself…I barely even looked at the needle…I had my mom do it for me. Jim said he could probably help me out but I do want to know how to do it myself in case I need to. Just the fact that I have to stick a needle into my stomach…with jack there…freaks me out so much L But, again, if it was dangerous for baby, I know the doctor wouldn’t allow it…so it should be OK. I just have to get over the fear and do it.

34 Weeks, 6 Days, 37 Days left!

UPDATE :)

Ok, so I finally got in to see the new doctor yesterday...kinda...I saw the nurse practitioner, but she and everyone in the office are just really nice-- not like the other office I was going to. The appointment was very long because I had to wait- they were waiting for my records to be faxed over but they never came in...luckily, they saw me anyways!

She examined my Puppp- which is now basically chest-toe...hands, arms, legs, feet, belly, etc etc. Luckily, my face, neck and private areas have been spared. Needless to say, she was shocked that my previous dr had prescribed me the clobetasol...and highly recommended that I stopped using it...so thats what I've done. She said benedril should work just fine, even though it'll make me tired, and it has! The benedril actually works better than the clobetasol, lasts longer, and I don't have to worry about harming Jack.

Then it came down to getting all my past surgery information and instead of just repeating a long list of operations, I handed her a list I had written up for her-- it's easier :) Then, she asked me the most amusing question: "So, did you have a scheduled c-section planned with your previous doctor?" HAHAHAHA EXACTLY! I explained the problem I was having with the other doctor and explained further that I really just wanted a second opinion on the c-section idea...someone's opinion who would listen and examine my case/past rather than just going off of "old-fashioned" ideas. So, I meet the actual doctor next week and we'll discuss the c-section then :)

overall, I really really like this office better and even though it is late in my pregnancy, I am happy I switched :)