The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

While eagle eye Kimono command remains thoroughly on top of the situation, things have gone from somewhat stable to taking nose dives with each passing week. I am now considered fully preeclamptic and on strict bed rest, which means that I have only a few moments each day to sit and type. This entry alone has taken me a week to put together. Gah.

The Good –

Six ultrasounds in 11 days means I get extra peaks at the critter inside and get to know the exact weight of this kid on an almost daily basis. We are at 5 lbs 15 ounces currently.

Seven non stress tests means I am ensured that, despite the deteriorating situation, the critter is still hanging in there pretty well.

Kimono Hubby’s grocery shopping trip was great for giving us both a big laugh. For example… a bag of rice was on the list. I was talking the 5 lb bag that last me several months. He bought the 20 lb bag. That rice will take us much more than a year to eat and that’s if I cook rice every day. Plus, he doubled the weekly grocery bill… from approximately $90 to $170. I have no idea how he managed this feat. I still giggle when I think about it. And, of course I am just damn grateful he even did it! Can’t wait for his next adventure.

Kimono Hubby has learned to cook several of my dishes and even surprised me with one of his own… chourizo and peppers. Yum!

Kimono Hubby has earned newfound respect regarding what I do around this house. He cleaned his first bathroom since we married four and a half years ago this weekend. I had to direct the operation from bed.

I read the entire four book Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyers in just five days. Of course, I have also dreamt about vampires every night since then… including that I was having one who bit me at his birth.

I have learned just how many friends I do have here in Japan as they have trooped through my hospital room and bedroom in the past weeks with everything from food, to magazines and books, to laptops and movies. One even comes to wash my dishes and help clean my house to ease the burden on KH.

My mommy is on her way in a week. She upped her trip by several weeks so, as she said, she can help us through this. I think it is really because she is going to try to swaddle the kiddo up and sneak him out of the country before I get even more attached.

There is no doubt I will be delivering early. Way early. So I won’t have to lay around with this massive body too much longer.

The Bad –

There is no NICU unit at the Yokosuka Naval Hospital. So even though I will be delivering early, I need to hang in there as long as possible or else the baby will be sent to a Japanese hospital, altering my entire birth plan in a course that I am trying not to even think about just yet. Just know that it is a much different system from American hospitals.

My insomnia is worse than ever because of all the worrying compounded by the pain and stiffness of bed rest. At least I have time to sleep during the day.

Doctors appointments are now taking an average of over three hours at each visit. I go at least twice a week, and four times last week including the overnight stay.

My insane blood pressures (combined with other factors, of course) have gotten me one overnight stay at the hospital in the past 11 days.

Although I was stable for a four day spell, those same problems almost kept me there last night too.

My latest blood pressures while on medication were over 160/110 (I won’t give an exact number because I can hardly face it). Meds have since been upped.

Preeclampsia makes you feel like you have the flu. It also makes me extremely dizzy and gives constant headaches. If I don’t hang on to something when I do get up for bathroom breaks, I am likely to fall right back down onto my widening tush.

Six ultrasounds in 11 days also tells me that my amniotic fluid is low, then improves, and then dips lower yet again.

The protein level in my body is now into the dangerous range. This makes them give me repeated 24 urinalysises. They suck. End of discussion.

The constant bed rest has allowed me to discover that my sacrum is bent in towards my cervix. I discovered this as an intense stinging pain started radiating down my leg last week. I can no only lay in one position for no more than an hour before either/or going numb or tearing up.

Induction is the next course, but considering I am not even slightly dilated, it is going to be a hell of a course should I go there at this early 36 week stage.

The Just Plain Ugly –

Preeclampsia means swelling… which means immense weight gain. My once rather cute pregnant body has become horribly disfigured, particularly in my face, hands and feet. There will not be a single picture taken from here on out. I am not exaggerating… I’m 50 pounds up with this condition. Gross. I cry when I see myself in a mirror.

Showering has become an issue. Without someone here, I’m just not supposed to do it. Plus, when I do, I sky rocket my blood pressure, dizziness and headaches. These days… I’m sporting a greasy do and I just can’t give a damn. Hot.

Twice I have flat out bawled in front of the doctor. Once when he discovered my deformed sacrum and pushed on it… from inside. And the second when he told me how low the amniotic fluid had gotten. I thought it was my fault. It wasn’t, but it didn’t stop me from blaming myself.

The Best –

The beloved critter is hanging in there well with all things considered; and I will do anything to make it stay that way. I’m mostly in good spirits, despite my irritability with laying around in pain and discomfort. And my husband has reached rock star status in my eyes.

And now I must announce that there will be a long hiatus for the remaining part of the pregnancy program. The good news is that the next post will be all about this lovely little boy we brought into the world! Till then… thank you for all the kind comments and emails since my last post! I'm sorry that I have not been able to respond to all, but please know how very, very much they were appreciated.

PS - I have no idea what is up with the fonts in Blogger right now and I can't sit here trying to figure it out. Sorry. Please disregard that Blogger is being a bitch.