lemon-lime sugar water

The middle pictures is a little crazy. almost freaky. Its a picture of his nostrils,  lips, and chin.

YESTERDAY I had another appointment and growth ultrasound. (yay!)  glucola drink and blood draw (boo). I am now 27 weeks.

I remember feeling so sick and nauseated the day I did my glucose drink with Jack. I was NOT looking forward to this day. I cleaned my house in the morning, and even prepared a crock-pot meal so that I'd be prepared to lay on the couch ALL day if needed. At 12:17 I finished my lemon-lime flavored sugar water, and it didn't take long for the buzz to kick in!
By the time they had checked my weight, blood pressure and had me laying down ready for the ultrasound I had a headache. But I'd have to say that was the worst of it! I didn't get all nauseous.
My energy did crash. By dinner all I could do is lay around....

Baby in my belly is measuring perfect. and looks healthy as can be. such a blessing.

ME:  About two weeks ago rhem office called and told me my blood work was good, they had consulted with my OB, and wanted to leave everything as it was. I didn't want want to stay on the prednisone, but didn't question anything there.

After a few days I had decided this prednisone was not worth the side effects, especially if all my blood work is good. So I got up the courage and called the nurses line. Thankfully they called me later with a tapering off schedule. phew.
So I'm off, well almost off it now.
It can easily be said, I hate prednisone.

Jump Forward  to yesterday- my OB said that what my rhem doc had saw was an elevated sed rate level. and typically that means lupus activity. BUT it is also very common in pregnant women to have a low ESL. This was comforting to me because it meant I didn't not have my lupus starting to flare but rather, this is normal. It also meant the prednisone was probably unnecessary.
It's ok. It's just such good news.

I'm still feeling really good, and trying to just enjoy this pregnancy. It's so easy to be down and complain-y during pregnancy. You never feel 100%, things ache and and energy goes fast but its a season and a time in my life that I'll never have back. And the time goes by so fast. Before I know it, this baby will be here. crazy.
27 down...13ish to go.

Veinticinco

I know. This blog needs some more color or SOMETHING other than these colorful pills. I'll start brainstorming..... and hey- if your talented and have ideas, I'm open. 

oh meds. Can I just be off the prednisone. It's making me miserable. No sleep. Major heartburn. 

So added to the medication pile is 2 zantac 150's and benadryl. although ben is no pictured. just FYI. Niether are the millions of tums I have gone through. 

It seems I take a zantac around 11, when I can't bare it anymore and it wears off by dinner. until my appointment I was restricted to only 1 zantac150  a day. so I would have to suffer through the nice on tums. and those leave a nasty taste in your mouth, especially when I take them at night and I'm to tired to rinse my mouth after. The whole next day my tongue is tingling and doesn't taste things the same. Anyone else's do that? 

OTHER than the heartburn and no sleep, I'm doing really pretty good. I seem to be able to catch naps to keep me going. And I still feel like I can accomplish more than that first trimester exhaustion. 

Baby Boy 3 is growing nice and big and healthy. I was happily surprised when the nurse said I would be getting a growth ultrasound at this appointment. They hadn't warned me of that before. Don't you love lookin at your baby. 

Everything looks good from the screen and he is measuring a few days ahead of schedule. By my next appointment- where they will do another ultrasound, they expect he should be around 3lbs. double in size. Crazy. I'm starting into the growing big stage. 

As for the lupus- blood draw was eariler this week. I'm hoping for a call today or tomorrow. Praying for good news and release from Prednisone. HA. 

 25 week picture in the mirror.

24 week ultrasound

the bad news and its side effects

What a valentines day this was.

I did get to spend a lovely day with the kids spoiling them with all sorts of love compliments, pink heart pancakes and valentine shirts. But It was quite a stressful day for my brains and insides. There were two reasons really...(one for me and one for my friend but I can only talk about me here)

First thing in the morning my doc's nurse called and informed me that they received my blood scores from the appointment a week before and I was showing low level lupus activity.

I guess low level is better than high level, but I haven't had any level in years. I haven't had a flare or anything since my major flare that got me all diagnosed. So this came as quite a shock. and of course, is quite disturbing.

He put me on 5 little mg of prednisone to see if it will quiet down and in 2 weeks (well in a few days now) I'll get my blood re-drawn. and I so pray my lupus is back where it belongs.

Lots of thoughts in my head... like What if they can't get it under control like last time? Does this mean no more kids for sure. What if they increase the prednisone and I have to stay on it for a LONG time again.(oh my fattness) To me- the two worst things in life is chemo and prednisone. ok, maybe not the worse worse, but pretty darn close.  I hear the word prednisone and automatically want to rebel against it like a 13 year old teenager.

I'm also baffled because I feel pretty good.  But, I guess lupus can be triggered from stress. and I just got home from quite a trip. It was fun but the opposite of relaxing. It was hard work (as I was by myself) and exhausting. In fact I had gotten home that morning at 3am. and woke up at 8 to go to the doctor. On top of that my kids were sick, and I hadn't had sleep in like a week. I felt like crap at the doctor- but exhausted crap not lupus crap..if that makes any sense.

now that it has been a week and a have I have calmed down some... ok a lot. mostly because I feel great. I haven't had joint pain or any other signs of a lupus flare.

The prednisone has made my life complicated though...it is the love of my life- isn't it?
Two of the side effects that has taken hold of me are insomnia and stepping up my already heartburn problem.
between the insomnia, heartburn (and sick kids) I haven't really slept in a week. I have gotten in a few naps.
I had a 24 week appointment and now have meds on top of my meds to deal with the side effects. Quite the pill cot-tail. I'll take a picture of all my pills in the near future

Soon enough I'll be back in for the next blood draw and we will see if the prednisone has worked its wonders. It better has.