Stress Test

Today I am 32 weeks.
Today I started my 2x a week NST's. (non-stress tests)

They really aren't so bad. I get to lay in a bed, in a shady room and relax.
Watch and listen to by baby.
They even gave me some nice cool refreshing bottled water to sip on during my stay.

It only gets stressful with my other two children.

When I was doing NST's with Jack in my belly, Sydney would sit and watch a movie, or read books with me. Sometimes Nate would be around to take her. Sometimes she had a hard time, most times she was awesome.

NOW I have 2 kids to figure out what to do with during this time, twice a week.
When they get together in a doctors office they get bored, which often times turns into fighting.
other times, they are awesome.

So far- the next two weeks will be ok. I've arranged it so I only have Jack to take. and I have an iphone full of games and movies. And a purse full of snacks. He should be good.

My major concern with Jack happened today. On our very first visit.
It can only be uphill from here right?!

I arrive and they get my weight...156, up 2 pounds.
I give my urine sample. Jack, of course gets to join me on this happy occasion.
peeing in a cup is gross. and there is no privacy with kids.

I ask him, a million times, if he needs to go pee. will he PLEASE go pee.
No. mama. No ew.

Jack is still in the potty training stage. He ain't perfect at it yet and he is stubborn. He will only go potty at the very last minute he has to. There is no "lets go potty before we leave" with him.
He also has to go potty on "baby ews" in other words, small potty's. Small potties are normal potties.
Handicap potties are big potties.

You get where this is going.
he doesn't go potty when I asked him to, then and there at the convenient time. oh no.

12 minutes into the NST Jack whispers.
Mama, me ew.

You need to go potty?
shake. head. yes.

I look down at my belly covered in wires and monitors. towel hanging down from my pants. shirt pulled up to my bra.

and look at the nurse.
look back at Jack.

Can you go by yourself? I can take off your shoes here? 

Shake. head. No.

Nurse unhooks chords from monitors so I can take him potty.
Luckily there is a potty literally 2 steps from my sheet covered room. No one has to see me. my belly, my towel and machinery.

We pull into the bathroom, start undressing and Jack declares
No Mama! wo ew! (no mama, big potty) it was a "handicapped size potty"

I force him on there. hold him down and he holds it in.
the nerve.
stinker.

SO, in my desperate attempt to avoid wetting his pants, I tell him there is a little potty right around the corner.

Will you go pee in that?
Shake. head. yes.

I didn't realize it wasn't right around the corner. I had forgotten how far I had really walked to get all the way back to the NST area.
I pass patients, and nurses, and a grey-haird doctor. too many corners.
He goes pee. (in this normal sized potty)
and we leave. ready to run.
But alas, not with out running into my doc and my nurse.
who, since I know now so well, have no problem cracking jokes at my "condition"

"nice look you got there"

The rest was fine. We ran back to the room.
I got to lay down.
Jack got to watch despicable me.

As for the rest of me, I have been feeling great. Especially because the Nexium is working its magic.
heartburn free for like a week.
It was unimaginably horrible! I'm so glad I don't have that bad of heartburn every day of my non-pregnant life.

I still have some problem with my sphincter though. Even though I don't have heart burn, if I have eaten or drunk anything before laying down I have problems. Since my stomach is up in my throat anyway- once I lay down food will come back up. gross right. A few times I have dozed off and woken up choking on throw up. The food came up, and I breathed it back down. That is kind of painful. Yo know how bad throw up burns.

So I just don't eat or drink too close to bed time. Easy fix, but hard to do!! by that time of nice dinner has worn off and I'm ready for more chow.

Like I said, I have gained to pounds.
fluid is like at 17 (between 8-32 is normal)
my belly measures 29, same as last time. So they are going to do a growth ultrasound next time.
This is when the baby should start growing fast and big, but for some reason I stop.
Its where my goal of eating like a pig needs to kick in!
calories calories calories.
and hopefully they go to baby and not my hips.

Story of the 3 little veins and the big bad elbow pit.

Today I went to get some blood work done.
(I'm super anxious to see if my super iron supplement has been working!)

It was only a CBC. complete blood count

ONE vile of blood.

one. little. purple. vile.

And I must say I felt very unsatisfied after that. After all the trauma of getting poked-thats all? Can't you take another one just for good measure?

I REALIZED, I like it when there is lots of blood exiting my body, it makes that painful stab, sore arm, ripping off the tape, and bruise for a week all worth it.
It makes that work feel Justified.

Does that make any sense to any of you, or am I just crazy? I know. Crazy. 

Here is the thing with me and drawing blood.

of course I dread it. Its painful. No, I don't stress, weep and moan over it all. (ok, maybe I do moan...but just to my husband)But who looks forward to that? (especially if you might be expecting the test results of it all to be possibly bad)

I have two arms with veins, like you.
However, one arm hides and shelters the blue babies so it stays safe from the needles. Lucky (left) arm.

The RIGHT arm...right elbow pit to be exact... has THREE popping bright blue veins.
So no matter how many times I put up my left arm to be needled the tech always asks me to switch and put up the right.
SOMETIMES, like if there is a fresh bruise from recently having blood withdrawn, the tech will take a chance and go for the left arm. But I'm fortunate enough to be healthy enough to not have blood drawn that often. phew.

So for years these three veins have been the subject of much, much needle probing. There is a lot of scar tissue on them. And it is pretty painful each blood draw.

especially the far right vein. He is the most popular.

the middle vein is hit and miss. Like today..it didn't hurt so bad.

left vein can be pretty tender. but usually doesn't get chosen. lucky fella.

needles anyone?

Hardings have BIG heads

All is well with baby boy. and me. 

30 weeks is where we are now. crazy isn't it?

The ultrasound went smoothly again, this baby has a big head! 

his head is measuring at 34 weeks while the rest of his body measures at about 30 weeks. 

I'm feeling good- the only thing I could complain to the doctor about is the reflux. So he FINALLY put me on a prescription. off the lame zantac and onto Nexium. You can add a whopping $211.99 to the post below for that medicine.

Insurance is a good thing. Thankful for it every day. 

There are many things I'm starting to complain about though, to my husband. 

I feel huge and squished inside. which I am...all squished inside. 

My main complaint lately is not being as flexible as I was even just a week ago. I can't bend and pick up the toys 100x a day. so my floors seem to have toys scattered way to much which means I'm living in a cluttery house. which means unhappiness. 

Its probably all hormones and nesting feeling kicking in. I'm working on being content with what I can do, and letting go (making Nate do) what I can't. :)

And of course, making the kids step up too. 

30 glorious weeks....

only 10 more to go. or 9. maybe 8?

hide 'der

We got home from a quick trip to the grandparents last night. Sydney was sound asleep in her bed, but Jack however had taken a late nap and was wide awake and happy. my Mr. Helpful stood in the bathroom as I unpacked some of my toiletries and got ready for bed. When he spied my Lovenox shot he became concerned.

Mama, Owie?
yeah, thats my shot. It gives me owies. It's ok.  

oh. Mama, no owie, k? 
no, i have to take the shot. It helps me make the baby big and strong.

no, no mama owie. 
It's ok Jack, I did shots when you were in my tummy so you would be big and strong.

No. Mama. Owie. 
and he grabs my shot and hides it under the bed.

I pretended not to see him hide it. and asked

HEY! wheres my shot?

He giggled, oh me hide 'der. (still sitting by the bed, he pointed under it)

Well give it to me! 
NO! no, mama owie.

I think that shot is still under the bed. I just grabbed another one from the box.
His concern was touching though :)

After spending like $40 on OTC heart-burn medications I was curious on how much a month I actually do spend, or maybe how much all the medications add up to, but thankfully insurance covers a LOT.

So the last time I was at Costco I took note on how much each bottle cost. but my list is still incomplete. I have most of them...the rest shouldn't make that much of a difference. It's things like tums, and a bottle of baby aspirin...etc. maybe adds $10.

Prescriptions:
Enoxaparin-1 a day (generic Lovenox) $975 for 24
Hydroxychlorine- 2 a day (generic) $52 for 60
Plaquneil
Vitamins:
Prenatal (1)    $18 for 90
Fish Oil (1)    $15 for 375
Calcium (1)   $8 for 500
Iron (4-6)          $20 for 90
Vitamin C (1-2) ? $5 for a month

OTC
Baby Asprin (1)         ? $5
Tums (plethora)            $15 for the large extra strength
Pepsid (chewable)(1)  ?$8
Zantac  (2)                    $18 for 65
BUT currently switching to Prevacid to see if I can get relief. Not quite sure the price on that baby, but I'm pretty sure its more.

It's kind of hard to calculate a monthly cost...since who knows how many bottles and packages of tums, pepsid and zantac I go through..and also things like Iron I take depending on my meals and mood. But you can get the idea. Some like Calcium and fish are super cheap, but prenatal and Zantac get costly.

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

Heme Wha?

Hi. My Name is Desarae.

and I'm an ice chewer. 

It's a horrible habit. and I'm addicted. The cause, they say, is anemia. Although, after spending a while researching this myth, no one really knows why. Some suggest its because anemic persons can have tongue and gum swelling, or stomach problems all which are soothed by sweet cold ice. And your body knows best! Another suggestion is that ice just tastes better to anemic people.

I can't say I feel that it is either for me. I can't pin why I chew ice, but I love my ICE.

I don't even know when it started. I know it was bad in high school- which is when I was most anemic. Then I got an iron transfusion and for years I didn't even want ice in my drink. It was a burden. Isn't that weird? Just got in the way, and took up space where my precious soda should be.

After having Sydney I slowly sunk back into anemic problems. and have been an ice chewer since.

EVERY doctor has put me on iron supplements. After Jack they got all extreme. I was on perscription iron 3 times a day-going hard core. It didn't make any difference in my blood scores, but it did give me major painful cramps (super-lay-on-the-couch-I'm dying-cramps). and all the other naughty side effects.
not to mention finding a time to take iron is really annoying- especially if you have to take it several times a day. You have to take it with vitamin c, and no calcium 1/2 before or after, blah blah blah.

After I complain about cramps, they tell me to take a week break and go to two a day. Then one a day. But by now by body recognizes it first off and day 1 and 2 I start having cramps. Doesn't stand a chance.

Since I have also moved plenty the past few years I have had change docs. in a good light- I quit taking iron, but a bad light- they see my blood scores and order me to start it all over again...no matter what happened the last time.

And wouldn't you know- with this doctor, my OB, asked me to take iron supplements again. I gave them the "I don't really want to, it wont work" speech and they just asked me nicely to do it, and i poliety complied.
(irronically, my Rhuematologist said I'm fine. I am anemic but it is staying the same...not getting worse or better so he is fine leaving me where I was.)

After thinking about what to do for a week....

call my rhuem and ask permission to NOT take it. 
take it for a week and get the cramps and get off easy.
call ob and ask them if it will blend well with the prednisone I'm now on too..hoping for a wait till pred is over answer.

I decided, I don't want to be anemic. I hate chewing ice. I hate when other people chew ice. I want my energy back. I want to take control.
OTC iron pills don't work. prescriptions iron pills don't work. There must be something out there...like a liquid iron, or natural supplement, that will work. right?

So that was my resolve. and this is what I found.

There are two types of iron. ok, thats not correct. There are several types of iron. But the common one you take over the counter and prescription is iron sulfate. All mine have just been a little round, hard pill- iron sulfate (feratab, SLOW-fe, FER-Iron etc). and I have had no success with it- as you know.

then there is like, the kind I got when it was transfused into my blood and other types I'm sure. I'm not claiming to be an expert on iron.

Then I found more about heme iron. and became VERY interested. I found this website very convincing, and explained it really well... probably cause they are trying to sell it to you. I ALMOST bought it right then and there. It has great reviews (from other websites) and stories. all so convincing.

BUT I decided to see what other heme irons were out there and happened upon the ultimate Iron. Which has the same great reviews, stories. Even better- half the price of proferrin. oh, and I can pick it up at a store down the street.

When I walked into the store and asked the man where it was located he started in on telling me how this was the best stuff ever, and the continued with about 5 stories of people he has helped with this iron. cute old man.

So I have been taking this iron for 2 weeks now. I got my blood drawn today...for lupus reasons not anemia. but when they call I'll ask if there is a change. I don't really expect one yet. I think it should take about 6 weeks. (some people said it only took a week)
I like this iron so far because I don't have any of the side effects. no constipation, and especially no cramps. I can take it with any food- and since its liquid tabs I feel so much more confident that it is being absorbed. (who knows if it is..) I don't feel like I'm going through pain and misery for nothing...well for a small round tab that does me no good. I feel really positive about this stuff, and will keep you updated on if it really works. I pray it does.

For right now I'm just glad I'm following doctors orders, happily.

Maybe I'll link some of the websites I got info from, reviews, and all the juicy stuff. For now, if you want to read a little on iron supplements click on the "this website" link above, or head over to Wiki for a shortened version.