Back into the light!

What a week. Actually, to anyone but me I think the week has looked fairly normal. My specialist appointment was okay. My cervix still looks good and long, but I'll probably start the progesterone next appointment since everyone is highly encouraging me to. Have I mentioned I hate medicine or fake hormones?? ;-) The technician did some sort of ultrasound where they look at and measure everything on baby, the uterus, and me that they possibly can. I had no idea that they would be measuring her arm and leg bones. ?? Or her heart chambers, brain lobes, and spinal cord. I probably would have been in a better mood about the whole ordeal had I felt better. I didn't realize that a technician repeatedly rolling the ultrasound "thingy" over my hernia would cause that much pain. Little Chick's heart was right under my hernia and at a weird angle, so the technician was trying to get a better picture.
I remembered the ask the specialist about all the bloodwork that she made me do last time; she hadn't had a chance to "sign off" on it but looked it over and prescribed me a new prenatal and some folic acid. I guess I have something where I don't metabolize folic acid in whatever form it generally comes, and I also have some gene that gives me a slight risk for blood clots. So I have to take a baby aspirin a day. The aspirin is not a big deal. The prenatal is a very big deal. I should take a picture of all the different bottles of prenatals I have tried over the past two years. I finally found one that I could take (2 of 6 pills, anyway), and now I have to switch. I'm not switching until my body recovers from the stress of this week, though. ;-)
I won't even go into my emotional difficulties. ha

Weighing Options

I had my regular ob appointment today, and he verified the fact that we are indeed having a little girl. :-) So I went and bought some girlie yarn. Hopefully she will be easier on her blanket than Nathan has been on his. ha
Anyway, he really recommends that I start taking progesterone. The specialist mentioned it to me, but I didn't really think much about it. My doctor's opinion is that we should do all we can to help my cervix stay at the wonderful length that it's at. I have my next appointment with the specialist tomorrow, so I've been trying to research progesterone a little before then. There is some research that shows positive results in women with a history of preterm labor, although other doctors say that the long-term effects have not been thoroughly studied (and probably won't be for another twenty or thirty years - ha). Soooo, I'm trying to get all the information that I can then go with whatever choice I have the most peace with. I am kind of thinking that if my cervix is still super long I should have plenty of time to start the progesterone if it even hints that it wants to start shortening. Most of the women on whom the studies were done had a cervical length of 1.5 cm or less (mine was 5 cm).
I guess I'm just writing out my options and thoughts. We'll see how the appointment goes tomorrow. I've definitely been a lot more active the past two weeks than I have been over the first part of my pregnancy. I actually think it helped with my dizziness, though. I went to church Sunday, walked up the stairs, and was able to remain standing (and singing)! Usually I don't last more than a minute without having to sit down.
I should go to bed now. My hubs has gone to my brother's apartment for free pizza and study time, and I should be in bed. I had an awful headache today that was probably caused, in part, by several nights of bad sleep. I have to have my sleep. :-)

Walgreens, again

4 Sunsilk - $1.09 each

2 Sunsilk - $2.19 each

Minus 3 $2/2 coupons

Total after tax: $3.48

Received: $6 RR

It would've only been around $1.28 if they'd had more of the $1.09 shampoo, but they did not. Still, I "made" $2.52 on these (plus I'm totally stocked on shampoo!).

I also did another transaction and got two packs of lightbulbs ($1.99 each) and a Colgate toothbrush ($3.29). The total was $6.89; I used a $6 RR and got $3.50 RR back. We needed lightbulbs, and Aldi didn't have any. :-)

I have about $22.50 in Register Rewards right now, and I plan on using them this next week to stock up on Canada Dry! Walgreens is having a sale where you buy 3/$11 and get $5 RR back (on the 12-pack of cans), so I'll be spending around $2 a pack for these. They are around $4 apiece at Walmart.

I went to Aldi today and did my grocery shopping. I have a hard time getting to Aldi because it's out of the way of our normal routes and Evan has been taking me shopping lately. So today I tried to stock up on items that I can't stand buying at Walmart because they are so much higher. I'm still trying to find my groove when it comes to shopping on the weekend and using my time wisely. :-)

Walgreens

6 Degree trial-size deodorant: 99 cents each.
1 Scunci hairband pack: $2.

Minus 6 75cent/1 coupons.

Total: $4.12

Received: $2 RR for hairbands and $6 RR for Degree.





Skintimate: $2.99
Scunci: $2

Total: $5.42

Received: $3 RR for Skintimate and $2 RR for hairbands





1 Cars Valentines w/lollipops pack: 25 cents.
6 trial-size Degree deodorant: 99 cents each.
Minus 6 75cent/1 coupons.

Total: $2.22

Received: $6 RR for Degree.

I spent a total of $11.76 today (including the gift card money and register rewards I used) and got a total of $19 in register rewards back. I love when everything goes as it should.

Refried Beans

I soaked 2 pounds of pinto beans all day yesterday, cooked them all night and some today in the crockpot, and then cooked and mashed them on the stove this afternoon! I was afraid they would be a bit watery because I didn't pour any liquid off, but they were the perfect consistency once they cooled. I cooked them in the crockpot with an onion and a half, 6-7 whole cloves of garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander. When I put them in a pan on the stove, I melted a stick of butter in the pan then put the beans in with a couple of the whole garlic cloves (I took out the onions). I was thoroughly impressed. I froze four bags of the beans and used the rest in our bean burritos this evening for supper. I also made some Mexican-type rice to go in the burritos and froze the rest of the plain rice.

That's about all I got done today. We spent a LOT of time outside. I pulled weeds in the front yard while Nathan dug in his "garden," our unused front flower bed. He just loves playing in the dirt. ha I enjoy having days where I feel like working! And I'm thankful that I am able to work and not have to be extremely cautious with my every move (or on bedrest). :-)

04-13-09

I feel like I've gotten a lot accomplished today, which is always a good feeling. I don't get to have that feeling too often. :-) I used this recipe to make potato soup this evening, and it was very good. We had salad, potato soup, and homemade bread. When I froze all my bread I wasn't too sure how it would reheat, but it is really good! I sliced it before I froze it, so I'm able to take out however many slices I want each time. Very nice. I will definitely be using that bread recipe again.
Well, I thought I would write more, but it's just not going to happen tonight!

Update

Everything went wonderfully at my specialist appointment! Well, except for the 10 or 11 vials of blood that they drew. About four years ago that would have sent me into orbit; it's amazing what having two kids will do for your ability to deal with needles. :-) I really like the specialist; I wasn't sure when I first saw her picture on the internet (yes, I was judging by her looks...ha). She is pretty sure we're having a girl, although I can't seem to commit to that until I hear my regular doc give his opinion. :-)
She was impressed with my cervical length, which said was about 5 cm. That is the distance from the bag of water to the outside of my cervix, and 5 cm. is a very good length. From what I have read, 3.4-4.0 cm. is an average cervix length. She also said my cervix is still curved and said that we would see the cervix straighten out before it starts shortening. All of that to say that we are at a very good starting point! She doesn't seem to think I have classic incompetent cervix (which I had wondered from the beginning), and that's why she ordered all the bloodwork to check for other issues that could have caused my cervix to open prematurely last time. She also said that she won't even consider a stitch unless I go under 2 cm. before 24 weeks.
So, that is what we're working with! I was extremely relieved to hear how long my cervix is and to hear that a cervix that is shortening rarely loses more than 1 cm. in two weeks. I guess all my weird sensations I can actually chalk up to a "normal" pregnancy! :-)
Gotta run!

What I'm up to

I found a bread recipe that we ALL like, not just Nathan!!!! :-) The recipe is here. So far, I have found that her recipes are generally ones that we will like, so I am making a list of different recipes of hers that I want to try! She incorporates a lot of the Nourishing Traditions ideas, too.

I made four loaves of bread and froze one whole and the other three sliced. Evan said he liked the bread, but the proof came the next evening when he made himself two pieces of buttered bread to eat and said again how much he liked the bread. :-) It's always nice to have some success, especially after my pizza dough turned out really hard. The pizzas turned out fine, but I had to call Evan in to roll out the dough because it was so hard!

Today I finally did some much-needed cleaning around here. I didn't get everything done, but I definitely made myself feel better about my surroundings. :-) Tomorrow is my first appointment with my specialist, and I am ready to have that done. I just don't know what to expect from this doctor; I just hope she's good. Of course.

A post I like

At a blog I enjoy...

I have many thoughts on her post, but I don't really have the time to muddle through them to create a post of my own. :-) So I will take from another place.

"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills."
Habakkuk 3:17-19

The comfort in those verses is that the whole situation is bad; there is nothing good to be seen. Yet the prophet determines, sets his will, to rejoice in the Lord. For some reason, these verses give me strength today.

Instead of cleaning...

I am blogging. ha My house is in serious disarray after having company over the weekend and pretty much lying around most of the week. My kitchen is clean (if you only count the sink, counter, and stove), and supper is in the crockpot, but my house! I am feeling very overwhelmed, which is probably the reason I am blogging and not being productive. That, and I'm getting off my feet for a few minutes after cooking lunch. :-) I DID pay bills, though! And laundry is actually IN THE WASHING MACHINE!
Oh, Evan took me to Walmart last night, and I spent $9.48! Want to know what I got?? Of course you do. :-) A package of boxers ($7, I'm laughing as I type this because Evan said he must need more since he's been running out; I told him that is only because his wife has been out of commission the last few days...which happened to be the laundry days.), 6 oranges, 4 boxes of Knox gelatin, 2 cans of Pringles, 5 apples, 3 bananas, a package of strawberries, a cantaloupe, and a bottle of Kraft Italian dressing. Isn't it great?!
Anyway, the specialist's office finally called me yesterday and got me scheduled for an appointment next Wednesday, the 8th. I am SO happy that I got in to see my doctor because it would have been horrible stress for the next week if I'd had to wait and wonder that whole time. I wasn't too impressed, though, when I talked to the receptionist at the specialist's office. First she told me that I was 10 1/2 weeks (I'm 15); then she said that they could get me in on the 16th. They were supposed to see me this week. So I told her no, and she miraculously got me in on the 8th. I hope I don't have to be this pushy my whole pregnancy.
On the baby front, I think I have felt the little peanut move a couple of times. Fun, but scary. I have also made the huge step of pulling out my maternity jeans today. :-) Ahhhhhhhh. It's amazing how much better they feel than the one pair of jeans that I was wearing. I can't believe I'm actually in my sixteenth week already.
Okay, I'm going to go switch over the laundry and see if I can get my living room into order. Baby steps, right??

Update

The doctor said my cervix is long, long, long. Yay!! And he was pretty perturbed that the specialist's office had not called me yet. :-) He said that he would call them. Anyway, I was so relieved that I cried...and forgot to ask what the stink was causing the pressure (so now Mom is mad at me - ha). Isn't that nice?

Doctor's appointment today

So, I have a doctor's appointment today. The last three days I have been feeling a lot of pressure, this was the week I was supposed to have my first specialist appointment, and I have had MAJOR issues with getting in with the lack of communication between the doctors' offices themselves and between the doctors' offices and the insurance company. Oh, I didn't mention the lack of communication between the doctor's office and ME. I've had to be a pushy patient this week, but I got through. I still haven't heard from the specialist's office, but I'm supposed to give them until tomorrow.
I finally got through to my nurse, and she is going to work me in this afternoon with my doctor. I feel better today, of course, but I am still going in. I just need to have everything checked for my own peace of mind. The last few days I've been going through every emotion possible, and stress does not do nice things to my body. I told the nurse that I would love to tell myself that it's nothing and not to worry, but I did that last time with bad results. I think once I start going in every week I'll feel better (since I don't think the cervix will just open overnight), but right now I have no clue if my cervix is doing okay or not. It hasn't been looked at since I was nine weeks.
Anyway, that is what is going on around here. I have been lying around and burning up the phone lines. ha I am praying that I get a good report today, although I'll feel guilty that I was so pushy when nothing was wrong. But, I told my doctor beforehand that I was going to be like this. I don't think they can expect anything different. It's hard to blow stuff off whenever you start having flashbacks of what happened last time.