Our Little Man

So I am sitting here laughing at myself because I am going to post a picture of a sonogram picture (little man is showing his foot) and I’m thinking to myself “no one can decipher the picture anyway, so why post?” but I will add it anyway because that is what us expectant mothers do, right?

Official due date: June 6th, but baby is measuring 6 days bigger (shocker…NOT!) and who really cares about the date when I’ll be induced 10 days early anyway…so here he is.

You see the top of his head and he’s sticking his foot out. His BIG FOOT! He is measuring in the 75% for growth, which is on track for a big Glazier baby. Collao babies, aside from Juan, have been small. Juan got lucky with his height, so I can’t contribute my son’s large statue to any Bolivian genes (sorry, Honey).

Anyhoo, I love the Maternal-Fetal doctor that I go to. They spend a good 1/2 hour doing the sonogram and give us a recorded disc plus about 6 pictures each time. The only complaint I have is that despite the grapefruit sized bruise on my stomach, the sonographer continued to push over that particular spot over and over again. OUCH! And even though I have any other huge bruises all the shot sites are sore too, so it ended up being a painful half-hour long sonogram. Oh well. I also started my 17 hydroxyprogesterone shots today. Not to bad. The shot site is sore but the shot itself was not any worse than one in my stomach.

Now that we are 100% sure we are having a little man I can go now through the bins and bins of baby girls things are say ADIOS! Bella’s clothes have been suffocating my storage space for two years. No more saving girlie things and on to collecting boy things. This boy is going to be FUN!

I’m beYOUtiful!

A few weeks ago I saw hiya papaya post their BeYOUtiful campaign on facebook. The winner gets photo shoot (and let me tell you anyone would KILL to have a photo shoot from these gals!). The entries had to be a fill in the blank sentence beginning with “I am beautiful because______”. I was so excited about such a brilliant idea that the hiya papaya girls came up with (they are so inspired). So I began my sentence. And I couldn’t finish it. For two weeks I tried and I failed to fill in the blank. Then something miraculous happened (which I will tell soon). I submitted my entry and was chosen as a finalist! (Go to this post HERE to vote for you favorite! If I win I am giving the photo shoot to my sister-in-law, Becky, who is going through treatments for breast cancer, and I want the photo shoot to document how beautiful she is even through such a trying time in her life. By the way, she is so gorgeous even without her hair!!).

So before I tell you my beYOUtiful story, here is my entry photo:

The day before the deadline for the beYOUtiful entry I approached my husband. I asked him why I am beautiful. Before he answered he asked me why I needed to know. I explained the campaign and my struggle. And then cried a little, sniff, sniff. My sweet husband reminded me of an activity that we did for Family Home Evening years ago. We both wrote down characteristics and traits that we saw in each other that were our gifts or talents. I have kept what he wrote in my scriptures all these years, and I do read it often.

Later than afternoon I had a quite moment to myself. I sat at the piano and played some music, read my ‘list’ and had what I consider a spiritual experience. After going through my list about ten times I began to feel beautiful because of who I am now. And the best part was I knew that because of who I am now I can become greater, more beautiful if I cultivate my talents and gifts. I can be more patient, more kind, more loving, more generous, more musical, more understanding etc., etc. My progression doesn’t stop here. My list is private between my husband and I, so I am not revealing everything, but it’s what’s on ‘the list’ and more that makes me feel beautiful. Not fancy clothes, not high-end makeup, not trendy jewelry or shoes, and definitely not being skinny (although I’m working on that). It is what is on the inside.

Thanks a million to hiya papaya and my inspired husband for reminding me that I am beautiful.

GO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ENTRY! Like now. Go, go, go…what are you waiting for?

New Beginnings

I commit to:
* continuing my health goals
* practicing my patience (this is much needed with a 2 year old and a newborn, eh?)
* making time for myself because I believe that is important
* embracing my role as a wife which includes learning to love laundry (shudder)
*being a better friend
* reacquainting myself with my forgotten hobbies

When I think of my goals for the year I always commit to things that I know are not impossible. Overall I focus on how I can be a better person because ultimately it makes me happier.

On a different note, I also commit to making better pizza than my brother. I taught him and now he has surpassed me in greatness. He did have the upper hand because he worked for a major pizza chain and learned how to toss dough. And yes, his pizzas are amazing. I aspire to his pizza awesomeness!

Ciao!

I’m not one of those women who…

Before I start my list of complaints I need to reveal a bit of information. I am on Medicaid. I am thankful for the program and feel grateful to have the medical support I need until employment comes our way again. With that said I can now list my complaints:

Medicaid does not cover some very important medication that I need; Néevo^®, Folgard and 17 Hydroxyprogesterone shots for pre-term labor prevention. I don’t know much about the Medicaid program and have never needed to use it before, however, I am perplexed as to how Medicaid would deny such essential medications for the health of an unborn child. I just don’t get it. Who makes those decisions? Apparently it is okay with Medicaid that my baby doesn’t get the folic acid he needs? Because I can’t metabolise it myself, hence the Neevo®. And I guess it’s just fine with them that I could go into pre-term labor again and I shouldn’t take the 17P shots? Yeah, no problem. I’ll go into pre-term labor again and they can pay for the HIGH hospital bills. Doesn’t that seem backward. The three medications combined runs about $300 a month, and that is a lot of money when you don’t have any at all. Arg! None of it makes sense to me at all (deep breath, deep breath).

I am having a rough pregnancy. Worse than number one. And it’s not just the medication that is making it hard. 

I am not one of those women who:

• feel fantastic right after 12 weeks. I’m still spending hours in bed even at 18 weeks.
• has an endless amount of 2nd trimester energy. I can sleep 9 hours and still take a 3 hour nap during the day. No joke. And don’t ask me to commit to anything. I can’t. I never know how I am going to feel.
• has cravings. I have an aversion to everything but steak. I eat out of necessity.
• look cute while ‘heavy with child’. Whatever! I don’t even look pregnant, just chubbier than normal.
• can have multiple children. It’s just not my thing. I am sick all the time, my medication cocktail makes me miserable, 3 high-risk factors are enough for me and I’m getting to old.

I am one of those women who…

• endures through a tough pregnancy because the outcome is truly miraculous.
• loves children and feels blessed to have the opportunity to be a parent.
• can’t wait to throw away maternity clothes
• will enjoy the babies God has blessed me with, because He knows best and if that means 2 little ones then I’ll gladly take them both.

I really do feel blessed. It’s amazing what modern medicine can do, and has done for me. I’m almost half way there and I am willing to make the necessary sacrifices to bring this baby in to the world, love him, and be the best Mommie I can be

Pregnancy Numero Quatro

For those of you (all 2 of you) who actually read my blog, you are well aware that it’s been six months since my last post. I just don’t like blogging unless I have something to talk about. I tried posting about food but got tired of that (but may start up again) and because of an agreement with my husband I don’t blog much about him or my 2 year old. I just don’t do much of anything else that I think others would be interested in. And here is an admission: I will admit that I am terrible at keeping up with any blog. It’s nothing personal. I just don’t think about it or I’m not entirely interested or just lazy. How about all of the above. I do check in quarterly and browse through posts that catch my attention, but that is about it (sorry, friends!).

The one and only thing keeping this blog alive is this post about Factor V Leiden and how it relates to pregnancy, specifically my pregnancy over 2 years ago.  Well now I’m pregnant again and dealing with FVL again, sticking myself with needles on a daily (sometimes twice daily) basis – - again. So this is now my current story that I really want to talk about. Because of the above mentioned post and it’s wide-spread popularity, this blog stays open. So many women find the post and comment on it or email me confidentially for more information.  Since this will most likely be my last pregnancy I’ve decided to be thoroughly open about this challenge in hopes that someone will find some value from what I have to say.

So to start things off I’ve decided to list some FAQs with my answers:

1. How are you feeling?
Terrible, but happy.

2. Maybe this pregnancy will be better than the first (okay, this is not a question but still…)
No, this one is worse. I have more medication that I take for this pregnancy which makes me feel miserable ON TOP of regular sickness *sigh* but it’s all worth it. I feel bigger this time around (it is my fourth pregnancy after all, but only one living child) and I’m more sore in my back. Even worse than the constant nausea is being so TIRED! I can sleep 9 hours a night and still take a 3  hour nap during the day and be lazy whenever I can. Baking a child is hard work!

3. What medicine do you take? What doctors do you see?
Heparin shots, twice daily until 12 weeks, Lovenox daily until 32 weeks then back on Heparin twice a day until delivery, special prenatal vitamins, Folgard (because I can’t metabolise regular folic acid), and I’ll start a weekly progesterone shot in two weeks to help prevent possible pre-term labor.  I see my regular OB doctor every four weeks and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine doctor every four weeks for now, and that will change to three or four visits a month once I hit 28 weeks. Phew!

4. When are you due? Do you want a boy or a girl?
I’m due June 6th, but will deliver about 10 days early if I make it that far. We want a boy, but I’ll settle for a healthy baby, whatever it may be.

5. Are you nervous about the blood clotting disorder or losing the baby?
No, not really. After having one successful pregnancy (and gorgeous little girl!) I am confident that the second time will work, too. So far so good and I’m counting on good news every time I see the doctor.

This is my story right now, so I’ll be writing more about it throughout the next several months. And you, FVL readers, who are hoping for a success story, or who have had one already, thanks for your support and I wish you all well, too!