My Second Doc Appointment

On the 26th of April I got to go see my doc for my first monthly "tummy check."  Brandon didn't get to make it no thanks to some buttholes who managed to wreck out on the highway and make him late enough he was unable to come. :( He was sad, but at least it wasn't an important doctor's appointment. He didn't get to hear the cool part, but the rest was relayed to him probably in more detail, by me, than he'd ever care.

As usual, they were running a bit behind (my appointment was at 9 and I don't think I saw my doc until 9:30...), but getting me back to pee in a cup and check sugars and protein (at least that's what I assume the dipstick was about) and take my blood pressure at least helped the time go by until I saw the doc. (oh, and don't worry, I really won't blog about every single doc appointment...because I imagine they'll mostly all be similar...but 2nd time hearing the heartbeat was nice.)

What was funny was the first time the nurse took my blood pressure, it was with the automatic machine and it read systolic of 160! That's too high for me, lol. I told the nurse, "That's not right." And she agreed and did it manually. The second reading was something like 138/78. 138 is actually still a tad high for me, but soooo much more normal of a blood pressure. Granted, I had just finished a 12 hour shift where I was in charge, which always makes me apprehensive, and had a patient we had to do a lot with, which is not normal. I'm sure I was still amped.

Anyways, fast forward to the good part. Doc came in to see me and she had this little hand held doppler machine, put some goop on me, and, viola, baby's heartbeat! It was perfectly quick and made me happy to hear it. I didn't realize how sometimes since I have mild to no symptoms (especially moving into the 2nd trimester, now) how I felt I needed that little sound to reassure me all was well. I mean, I feel normal...except I haven't gotten my period and I feel fatter, lol.

She did mention that they ran extra blood tests on me because I work in health care and that I'm immune to Parvo (which made me think of the dog disease and how the hell did I get immune to that...but then I realized it was the human parvovirus, and, whatever, no big deal lol). However, and I knew this before they drew my blood, she was not so thrilled that I have no immunity to CMV. I knew this since before I got pregnant, I gave blood regularly. The technicians at Carter Blood Care had already told me that my blood tested CMV negative, which meant my blood was able to go to babies in need of transfusions (which was AWESOME in my book). They had also told me that most people end up with immunity to it, not because they got sick with CMV or anything, but, like many things most of us are immune to and we don't know it, we were exposed to it, our body fought it, we didn't get sick, and immunity was created. It's not like the doc wants to put me in a bubble or anything, but she just said to be extra careful with the sick patients. Lucky me...we usually don't get patients like that. I can go into details about why...but we just don't. 

What I was a tad surprised the doc didn't bring up was that I was Rh Negative (not a big deal, but it buys me extra shots throughout this pregnancy and any further ones...especially since hubbers is Rh positive). But she said all of my blood work looked great, my weight was fine, and my blood pressure was good (thank God for the recheck). She told me I was making it too easy on her. Hello? Could I have a luckier pregnancy so far? I think not.

Anyways, that was that. Like ten minutes with the doc and I was outta there. I have another "tummy check" in four weeks and in five weeks my next ultrasound! Which will be super awesome since not only will we get to see the little minion again...we'll get a guesstimate on what gender our baby is! Let us pray the kiddo cooperates and we get a clear look-see.  

We figure after we find out the sex...we'll start looking at buying baby crap! 

Not that I believe in signs, but...

And by signs, I mean if I dreamed I was having a girl, then it must be a girl. That kind of thing.


Side note:  I don't know if anyone tried to be clicky and vote on my silly little poll...but I don't think it was working anyways. It wouldn't let me vote! Lol. It should be fixed now...in case you cared. It let me vote...


However, what I've found to be a bit amusing is Brandon's recent Pei Wei trips.


Now, if you've been to Pei Wei and grabbed one of their fortune cookies, then you'll know they give some random comment (where a fake fortune USED to be, no thanks to whoever whined so much that their "fortune" didn't come true), some lottery numbers, and on the other side, a word and how to say and spell it in the language. (I assume it is Chinese...but if it is Japanese, I'm sorry. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to know for certain with somewhat generic restaurants like Pei Wei...though I love them!).


Anyhow, back to the topic at hand, Brandon REALLY loves Pei Wei, and he frequently orders take out or eats there. Well, a few weeks ago, I get a text message from him including a picture of what the word of the fortune cookie was.


Here it is:

So, needless to say, we thought this was highly amusing and will be so tickled if the baby turns out to be a boy, after all. Let me remind you that this is the part of the "fortune" that is teaching you how to spell and say the word, not the fortune. Just in case you didn't catch on.


Well, fast forward to tonight, and Brandon gets sent home sick. Stupid pollen. But he stops and grabs some Pei Wei on the way home. When I get back from eating at my grandma's, I go and sit with him and he offers me his fortune cookie. Of course, I want the fortune cookie. I make a joke about how I'll scream if it teaches us the word girl now. But, alas, this is what came out:

It seems, according to Pei Wei, we're having a boy and he'll join us in October, not November. I guess I need to save up a little more vacation time to stay out through New Years!

Weird symptoms & Dopplers?

Everyone seems to know all the usual symptoms: nausea and vomiting, peeing all the time, sore boobs, crazy sense of smell, and emotional.


While I have a couple of those, and some pretty mild, what I didn't expect with pregnancy was my skin to freak out! I thought you were supposed to have this great skin, hair, and nails (what I'm learning is that many women, once they start the prenatal vitamins, get this...but I was already taking vitamins so mine didn't change). Instead, I feel like a damn teenager again. And not the simple, oh lets pop that real quick pimple...but the "under the skin," swollen, and painful nodules that fester and take forever to go away. Ugh.


I've already really mentioned this on my main blog, but what I didn't mention about it is it's everywhere! My face, my back, my chest, and my upper arms!!! (wtf, upper arms?) It isn't that bad, really, but when you go from nothing to something, then it's shocking enough. And I'm a picker! (I know, I know, bad, bad Kim) Or, if I'm concentrating on something and, say, my arm itches, I'll scratch it, right. But then I'll feel a little bump and I'll scratch at that, because, well, it's small and whatever. Next thing I know my upper arm is reddened because I've started scratching at all the wanna be pimples trying to sprout. I frustrate the crap out of myself.


So, now that some of the exhaustion is relieving (thank God!), I'm being much more aggressive at skin care. I can't stand it! Hopefully, this will all clear up nicely and quick.


Instead of getting nausea, I had a gagging feeling. Like something in my throat wanted to make me gag. And, for a while, it was when I thought of eating, then that slowly went away. Then, it was only certain things that somehow elicited the gagging feeling. But, although almost all of the gagging feeling is gone now, I still have a hard time with one thing...


Little back story: when I first found out I was pregnant, I went batshit crazy looking up cloth diaper websites and found tons of blogs and random people that were giving away free "fluff." (definition of fluff: another name for cloth diapers, and, yes, I'm hoping to cloth diaper) I signed up to follow their blogs, I liked them on Facebook, I signed up for all the giveaways. I wore myself out doing that, but, hey, free stuff is free stuff, right? Anything to save money!


In comes gagging phase...and every single time I saw a Facebook post from a cloth diaper person, or a blog update about cloth diapers, or anything of the sort...I wanted to gag. Yes, I found a random aversion to cloth diaper sites. It expanded to almost anything pregnancy. Any emails I got related to pregnancy, I wanted to gag. The thought of going on TheBump.com made me want to gag. I had to delete following the blogs and remove those diaper people from my Facebook. I couldn't' stand it. I had not the energy or the gag tolerance for all the jazz. Next thing I know...it was starting to affect anything related to Brandon and I buying a house! But, thank God, it never got that bad and I could muscle through those websites.


So, chalk one up for most random aversion ever. Not food, not smell, but a theme...I guess is the best way to call it?


Well, I was reading the birth month board on TheBump that I belong to, and, someone posted about finding the baby's heartbeat on her home Doppler. What? She has a home Doppler? Why? So I looked at it and found out you can buy a home Doppler machine. Other than searching for a baby's heartbeat, I am CLUELESS as to why you'd want one of these. (I'm just saying I can't fathom another reason...but I'm sure there are other reasons for them...)


Then I thought, if she has one, it can't be very expensive. We're all saving to buy a ton of crap for a little one, so no way would anyone would spend a good amount of money on a Doppler when they're planning to spend so much on baby stuff. I thought, if it isn't expensive, it might be fun to play with, that's all. Because, really, who wouldn't want to hear that extra, super fast heartbeat anytime you wanted? (assuming you were of sound enough mind that, if you couldn't find it, you wouldn't freak because sometimes babies are elusive) She had linked the site from where she bought the Doppler, and I clicked it. On discount, it was $63. I would NEVER spend $63 on something so very random. Really, what else are you going to use it for? Maybe I'm too frugal, but I'll pass. However, now you know, if you didn't, that you can buy one...if you want...and find whatever use for it you'd like! How many onesies could you buy with $63? Or, baby wipes, diapers, toys, blankets, etc? Ya, pass for me.


But, as I'm rounding out week 10 and looking forward to week 11 (and really looking forward to finishing week 12 and officially entering SECOND TRIMESTER), I feel good. I think lately I've been sleeping a lot, not because I'm tired, but because I know I'll get hungry and I don't feel like figuring food out...so I'll go back to sleep. Bad, bad me.


And no pictures. Sorry. I pretty much look exactly as I always have (no belly yet), and the next doc appointment is April 26, and even then I don't know what we'll be doing. I think the next ultrasound is at 18 weeks...so, that isn't April 26 lol.

First Appointment

It was awesome!


As usual, I had to wait some until I got taken back. Brandon was with me. It used to make me want to giggle seeing the boys in the waiting room while I was waiting for my annual and this time he was there! So was another dude with his wife, but I'll do my usual thing and comment about that later...because I'm a pain in the ass, as we all know.


Anyways, I went back, talked to the nurse, and had to pee in a cup. I don't usually have to pee in a cup, but I just knew I'd have to do so today. This is where I'll reference that first couple for the first time. While we were waiting in the waiting room, I noticed her drinking some water. It looked like a little cup the airlines give you when you're flying, and I thought to myself, "Omg, I bet she peed before she came in and is now trying to load up to pee in a cup. Dumb." Of course I don't KNOW that was what she was doing, but who else sips water from a little plastic cup in a waiting room waiting for a doc to put his/her fingers up your hoohah? Not me. Not unless I need to pee and I've timed it badly.


Back to the appointment, I got to do the usual strip down and put the gown on backwards and sit cold on the table. I'm always cold in there. To their credit, in the colder months, there is usually a heater. I don't think they expected me to get cold, but, I was. I usually have to wait a little more time before seeing the doc, but Brandon was with me this time. That didn't really make a difference since, almost naked and waiting for a doc to look at my private parts isn't the most stimulating time to converse, he just played on his phone and I did the usual stare at everything in the room hearing every sound in the office that passed through the walls.


Oh, we also got to stare at an ultrasound machine with a super long condom (seriously, it was a condom. maybe they don't call it that, but the extras were rolled up like one and it looked exactly like one...except the length) on a wand thing that could only go in one orifice. Yep, there. I looked at Brandon and said, "That's gonna go in me." I was scared because holy S it was long.


Then a knock! Oh, just the other nurse taking the ultrasound machine and it's condoms to be used elsewhere. Ok.


Finally, the doc came in. I really don't know how long we waited. It honestly could have been 5 minutes...but it always seems longer. It was time for my annual (and I don't know if she'd have done this stuff whether it was time or not) but I got the usual exam. The little scraping all of us girls know they take hurt more than usual, but I'd read about that already. That area is apparently more soft and tender now, and I was warned there may be spotting so don't freak, I'll be ok and so will the baby.


Then my nurse came back in with the ultrasound machine, again, and I learned that not much of the length of that wand was used. Phew. I really was scared about that!


What was I expecting about the ultrasound? I knew it was a tad early so they wouldn't be putting a thingy on my tummy, but that it would go where it went, so that wasn't a surprise. I thought I'd be like Rachel on Friends when she was crying because that little blob thing on the screen that she couldn't see was her baby. I was expecting that.


What I was not expecting? To totally recognize my baby on the screen and know that those little protrusions I saw were the baby's arms and legs!!! I'd been reading the week by week in my books and saw the little pictures they included, but I didn't know I'd be able to decipher it myself when I saw it on the screen! (of course when I show you the pictures they won't be as awesome as the real time view, as since it is 2D, she had to adjust the angles to show how the arms and legs were longer and easier to see, but they're there!)


What else was I not expecting? To hear the baby's heart beat!!!  Oh my gosh, I know it's so cliche to be all excited about hearing the whump-whump-whump on the ultrasound machine (and trust me, I've dopplered a crap ton of pulses on surgical patients in my time. It's just a freaking heart beat, right?), but it was a heart beat from a less than 2 centimeter little head, body, arms, and legs that is nesting somewhere between my hip bones this second! Me and Brandon made that! And you could SEE the heart beat on the ultrasound! (not so noticeable on the pictures, obviously, as they're not really flash images that move, ya know.)


Doc said the baby is measuring "right on the money," and that made me very happy. She printed off some pictures for us and her, and sent me off for lab work. Oh, and gave me this huge book written by a doc in the office (who happens to be either a professor or an associate professor for the school associated with my hospital which was also just ranked as the #1 hospital in my city!), and some other junk.


Now, back to being Kimish. We just had to go across the hall to the lab, sign in, and wait to be called. That chick who was drinking the water was in there writing a check for her lab fees. (I guess her insurance or whatever has her do it that way, no idea). It was only a little annoying because I'd have loved to just signed my freaking name on the sign in and go sit down...but I had to wait. But I'm not going to harp on that too much because it really is a lame thing to get annoyed by. I just wanted to sit because I'm lazy. So she finishes and they tell her she can come on back and she says, "Can my husband come back there with me?" REALLY? It's a teeny tiny needle that will be in your arm for less than 30 seconds most likely, then you're done to go. I look at Brandon and say, "Uhm, you can sit here if you want...Do you even want to go back there? I'm a big girl and I don't feel like I need you there for that." I got chastised for my "big girl" comment, as obviously I was passing judgement on that chick, but maybe she doesn't remember how small the rooms are like I do...maybe she's a blood-a-phobe, though I'm not sure what the moral support will help with other than to stare at you as you pass out in the chair you're sitting in. And in my experience, boy aren't that much help when it comes to needles because they are either a) so interested in the needle or other aspect of what's going on that they forget to adequately distract you from the event, or b) are phobes themselves and thus aren't any help at all because they'll likely be the ones passing out.


Anyways, from here on out the doc said she'd see me about every 4 weeks. I think my next ultrasound is at 18 weeks and I THINK I'll get to find out the gender of my little minion at that time. At some point the appointments will be every 2 weeks, then every week until the minion arrives.


So, this was a big part of our journey! And it satisfies everyone who doesn't seem to believe or whatever that you're pregnant until you see the doctor, because somehow everyone is convinced that over the counter pregnancy tests are associated with high false positives (not true, especially of pink dye tests). If the docs don't want to see you until you're about 8 weeks pregnant, I think it's safe to assume you are. Besides, if that one big indicator, your period, never shows in that time? You're so pregnant.


Ultrasound picture time!!!


Some state measuring 8w1d and another at 8w3d...but I'd say our due date is holding steady at beginning of November!

This one is when we got to hear the heartbeat! On the right is the heartbeat's signal.

See the perfect little baby?! (of course I'm freaking biased!)

Does this help with what you're looking at?

I'm Pregnant!

Yes! Believe it! I'm SO excited!


Since this is an entirely new area, and one that sometimes can involve a lot of "needless" jabbering (not that I don't do enough of it on my life's blog), I decided to make a new blog to contain all things baby. Though it will be very much a part of my life, I think it deserves its own little niche, to dedicate enough blog space to it and allow other parts of my life their own glory, too. 


Moving on. To answer a few questions I've been asked: Yes, we were trying. Yes, we plan on getting a new home (see main blog about that). Due date is November 1, 2011. No, we haven't thought of any names yet. We're waiting to find out the sex to hash that out. Yes, we intend to find out what we're having. 


I started writing this when I was 4 weeks, 6 days pregnant, knowing I wouldn't post it until after our 8 week appointment. May seem silly, especially since I had told some people already, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it until after this appointment. So, my plan was just to add tid-bits to this blog as time went on in case anyone was curious...and if you're not, you can quit reading! lol Since you've clicked over here to read about Kim's baby crap, I'm assuming you were sorta interested. Otherwise, you were warned.


And, because I'm a tad control freak and strive for "efficiency," I definitely bought into the charting method. Charting (or Fertility Awareness) is actually really cool (call me a nerd, but it was to me). Many people use it for birth control (it is NOT they rhythm method). For me, being a tad not regular (like a day or two off), it's not the most awesome, but if you want to avoid hormones and such, its nice. You'd just have to abstain or use protection during a certain few days that you learn to pin point by watching what your body does. The most annoying part? Taking your temperature first thing when you wake up, trying to do it at the same time every day, and after at least 3 hours of sleep. (If you were to ask me, I think same time every day trumps 3 hours of sleep, but take that for what you will.) After 2 cycles of trying, I got knocked up. That's efficient for you (and lucky, because healthy couples really only have a 20% chance each cycle to get pregnant.) 


Side note: I used Taking Charge of Your Fertility, well, really the book, as well as Fertility Friend to learn about and put into practice charting for fertility. But the book can teach you about Fertility Awareness if you're interested in learning how to avoid pregnancy by watching little signs your body gives you every cycle to know when to prevent pregnancy or abstain from sex to prevent.


Week 1 of pregnancy: Actually, whether you knew this or not, this whole 38-42 weeks pregnant is a little of a misnomer...as week one is usually the week in which you ovulate...so there is practically no way you're really pregnant at this point. So I felt awesome, obviously. Since it's the best count-down method the docs have...I'll take it.


Week 2: This is a sort of false week, too. lol. This week is really where sperm meets egg, and may implant this week as well. Even though some of that pregnancy hormone HCG might get started this week, you'll pretty much never know. According to a girl at work, however, when Brandon got sick this week, this was his version of morning sickness (even though he never has barfed since.) So, whatever, awesome.


Week 3: I found out this week! I was 11 days after ovulation and decided to test "just in case," because we were about to start drinking beer for fun. I believe my words exactly were, "Let's finish all the beers in the fridge." So glad I tested! And so glad I got my sushi and alcohol fix in already the previous week...because I can't have any of that for a while (well, sushi as long as it's completely cooked through).


Week 4: Some tiny symptoms started. No nausea, but I was hungry a lot. Had to use the restroom a lot, and I was...bubbly (think gas, but I so didn't want to use that word). But felt great! So far, so good, right?


Week 5: Was pretty uneventful. At the end, I started feeling like gagging often. Not nausea really, and no vomiting...but thinking about food made me want to gag. I could eat...but it was really hard to think about food without wanting to gag.


Week 6: A lot of the same gagging feeling. It was frustrating because I could feel fine, but get hungry and want to gag. Close to the end of this week, though, I started getting upset tummy. Maybe nausea, maybe tummy cramps, maybe just hunger. I can still eat, but not without frustrations. I also started lying in bed and reading a book/sleeping all the time. I was either at work, or in bed. 


Week 7: Some lessening. Gagging still around sometimes and the upset tummy sometimes, but towards the end of this week, I finally started feeling like sitting on my computer and playing World of Warcraft again. That left me for a while, but I do feel better. Still so exhausted. I love to sleep. But I often can't sleep for very long without having to wake up. And when I do wake up, I don't know why I'm awake. So I usually pee and go back to bed, but I'm pretty pissed about it. And lots of dreams have started up. Just random things, but still skewed towards the weird side.


Week 8: Still exhausted. Sleep is my best friend! What is annoying on my work days is I usually am in bed by 11am to 12pm (which is late, but I sleep so much the night before, it's hard to go to sleep before then), but I wake up around 3pm to pee, and get up for work between 4:45 and 5pm. So that last leg of sleeping is short and sucky! But gagging much less. And I had my doctor's appointment this week! I was so excited about it! I'll post about it later.


Week 9: I'm feeling so much better. Still sleepy...but it doesn't seem so bad. As I'm writing this, I'm barely in week 9, actually, but I feel like things have gone so mild with me so far, I don't have much more to add symptom-wise. All I have left in the first tri-mester is weeks 10, 11, and 12. If they're anything like week 9, they'll be very lame to mention. If they change the way I hope they will, I'll have nothing to talk about! So, I'm stopping here. I'll post more if there is anything to mention at all!


Pee stick pictures! (no pee is actually visualized!) And remember, ANY line is a line which is a line saying you're pregnant!

Can you see the faint line to the left of the control line? Ya, it's there...but this explains how many other tests I took after it!

This one's positive looks like a vertical line in the round window, making it a plus sign. It's there. BUT! Blue dye tests are known for false positives. This cannot be trusted (in my mind and especially since it's faint!) 

 

This was the, "Shit just got real," test. Both tests were run with the same pee. (don't ask, just go with it). Obviously the PREGNANT was the most exciting one. The one on bottom is the most sensitive test on the market (First Response Early Result, if you care) and to the left of the control line is a faint pink line. Hard to see in this picture, but it's there. 

This is me being anal and worried since my symptoms seemed to have gotten really mild so I HAD to retest!  And one of the tests was just for fun. The Pink test in the middle is the internet cheapy one (as in, no brand name it's so cheap) showing a darker line as positive! :) Obviously, the digital is clear. The one on the far left, Blue, is actually an Ovulation Predictor test (a internet cheapy as well). The theory behind me playing with this is Lutenizing Hormone (which is the hormone that spikes to initiate ovulation, which ovulation predictor tests test for) is molecularly similar to HCG, the pregnancy hormone. Pregnancy tests won't test for LH, but LH tests can detect HCG. This is a pretty positive test, if I may say so.