So, I have been responding to the medication fairly well. My blood is clotting and levels are fairly stable...until last Monday. Then, my levels began to rise a little, the itchiness returned, and the only time Scottland would move during the Non-stress test was when I would have a Braxton Hicks contraction. However, his heartbeat was very strong.
Needless to say, both the doctor and I were concerned! He scheduled an amniocentesis for Tuesday and if the markers are in the fluid that Scottland's lungs are developed, then the OB will induce me next week. I was 36 weeks yesterday (and delivered Kimball at 37), so I don't know if I should be excited or worried...
...I am frazzled! I thought I would have 3 more weeks to get ready!!! My plan was to always go to our storage unit and get the baby's stuff the day after Thanksgiving. Now, I only have a few days to wash and unpack it!!! At least I have all of my Christmas shopping done! The long term planner in me is having a hard time coping, but I know that it will be better if Scottland comes sooner than later...not only to stop my itching and all of the health risks, but later in life his birthday won't be so close to Christmas!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
We are still alive...for now!
Hey everybody! Sorry I have taken such a long sabbatical from blogging. I was just diagnosed with ICP...basically my liver isn't functioning as it should and I have a build up of bile salts in my bloodstream. It makes me extremely ITCHY and gives me severe fatigue.
When we first moved to AZ, Kimball and I caught the flu from the people we stayed with along the way. So, I thought my fatigue was related to that. I attributed the itching to the drier weather and soft water at my in-law's house...then, I thought it might be the detergent on the sheets...I finally decided it was bed bugs or something! However, there were no bites or rashes...no swelling on my feet or hands...just the claw marks from my nails digging into my skin! I would scratch so much that I would bleed.
In addition, I feel like I have five down blankets on me all the time! I can only drive about 2 miles and then my arms start to loose their muscle tone...I can't really describe it. I can only stand for about 10 minutes and then I need to sit down. It is a blessing that we are here with my Mother-in-law because she is more than willing to take Kimball to the park or on adventures for me!
In desperation (and waiting to get into an OBGYN), I turned to the internet for answers and oatmeal baths for relief. I found the condition of ICP and printed out journal articles from actual medical journals and their recommendations for treatment. It is pretty rare, only 1 in 3,000 pregnancies, and is usually not diagnosed. But, it made sense to me since I had to have my gall bladder removed after Kimball was born...so there isn't something there to regulate my bile.
Armed with my journal articles, I finally visited my OB...much to the mocking of Dusty (he thought I was just freaking myself out!). It turns out, I was right! I listed the symptoms I was having and Doctor actually suggested that I have ICP...what a relief that he knew what it was and the tests to give me. What a blessing!
Anyway, I am now on medication to regulate my bile salts. I have to go in for a 2 blood tests every week and the baby has to have a stress test to make sure he is okay. I am still super tired and itching, but hope the medication will help. They plan on letting me go for as long as they can...until 37 weeks. According to the research after 38 weeks, the stress is too much for the baby and they are still born. In addition, the mother usually hemorrages. After the baby is born, they will still have to monitor my liver and the baby will probably have jaundice. But, we are full of faith that we both will be okay! Please add your prayers to ours, as we know that faith will take us through this whatever the outcome!
When we first moved to AZ, Kimball and I caught the flu from the people we stayed with along the way. So, I thought my fatigue was related to that. I attributed the itching to the drier weather and soft water at my in-law's house...then, I thought it might be the detergent on the sheets...I finally decided it was bed bugs or something! However, there were no bites or rashes...no swelling on my feet or hands...just the claw marks from my nails digging into my skin! I would scratch so much that I would bleed.
In addition, I feel like I have five down blankets on me all the time! I can only drive about 2 miles and then my arms start to loose their muscle tone...I can't really describe it. I can only stand for about 10 minutes and then I need to sit down. It is a blessing that we are here with my Mother-in-law because she is more than willing to take Kimball to the park or on adventures for me!
In desperation (and waiting to get into an OBGYN), I turned to the internet for answers and oatmeal baths for relief. I found the condition of ICP and printed out journal articles from actual medical journals and their recommendations for treatment. It is pretty rare, only 1 in 3,000 pregnancies, and is usually not diagnosed. But, it made sense to me since I had to have my gall bladder removed after Kimball was born...so there isn't something there to regulate my bile.
Armed with my journal articles, I finally visited my OB...much to the mocking of Dusty (he thought I was just freaking myself out!). It turns out, I was right! I listed the symptoms I was having and Doctor actually suggested that I have ICP...what a relief that he knew what it was and the tests to give me. What a blessing!
Anyway, I am now on medication to regulate my bile salts. I have to go in for a 2 blood tests every week and the baby has to have a stress test to make sure he is okay. I am still super tired and itching, but hope the medication will help. They plan on letting me go for as long as they can...until 37 weeks. According to the research after 38 weeks, the stress is too much for the baby and they are still born. In addition, the mother usually hemorrages. After the baby is born, they will still have to monitor my liver and the baby will probably have jaundice. But, we are full of faith that we both will be okay! Please add your prayers to ours, as we know that faith will take us through this whatever the outcome!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
We are Moving!
Sorry for the blogging absence! We are moving back to Mesa, Arizona the Monday after General Conference. So, we have been packing and organizing and cleaning out and....I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I probably won't be blogging again until we are in Arizona. I will have a lot to post!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Disco Bowling!
So, what do you do in Seattle when you drive all the way to Daddy's work to have a picnic in the park on a Friday night and the sky starts spitting at you? You go Bowling!
Dusty usually works in Bellevue on Wednesdays and I am in Young Womens, so we do the Kimball hand off. However due to all the doctor's appointments, Dusty was there on a Friday! So, we were going to play at an awesome park...we were at the park near our house with play group for 3 hours enjoying a "no temperature" day with a cool breeze. But, during Kimball's nap things turned cloudy!
Kimball LOVED the change of plans! He was adorable at the bowling alley. He would cheer for his ball jumping up and down shouting, "Go! Go! Go!" as it teetered down the lane at about 4 mph. I did pretty well! I had two spares and a strike...and a ball that got away from and flew backwards! Pretty good for the prego lady!
Kimball LOVED the change of plans! He was adorable at the bowling alley. He would cheer for his ball jumping up and down shouting, "Go! Go! Go!" as it teetered down the lane at about 4 mph. I did pretty well! I had two spares and a strike...and a ball that got away from and flew backwards! Pretty good for the prego lady!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
"Kimball Doggy!"
Kimball likes to pretend he is a doggy! He will crawl on the floor and bark. He tries to itch his ears with his foot (unsuccessfully). He likes to cuddle with me and have me scratch his back like a dog. I can coax him to come to me when I call, "Come here, Kimball doggy!" I love his little imagination!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Shark Towel
Sunday, August 30, 2009
My Ball Quilt
Saturday, August 29, 2009
12 Egg Omelet
We went to Beth's Cafe in Seattle with Bryce, Kristina and their girls. On the show, "Man vs. Food" the host eats the famous 12 egg omelet served on a bed of hash browns and two pieces of toast... so our men decided they would try and eat it too!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thanks for the support!
Thanks for all of the prayers and offers of help in the past little while! I don't know what we would have done without our "ward family!" The above picture is what my sweet husband brought home with him to thank me for all of the treks up and down the stairs to ensure he was pumped with food and fluids...I wish I could send one to each of you in thanks too!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
My Boys
Friday, August 21, 2009
Kimball's first Baseball Game!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
It's a...
BOY!!!
Dusty is greatly relieved that the ultrasound today revealed "boy parts." He isn't worried about having a little girl wrap him around her little finger...he is worried about having a teenage daughter. Although I am still hoping to have a daughter one day, I am glad that Kimball will have a little brother to play ball with one day. They can camp in the backyard together and share the bunk beds that currently occupy Kimball's room. I am also excited because Holly (my sister) is having a boy in September and these two little boys will only be 2 months apart. Dallas' little boy will also be sandwiched between two boy cousins. So, I think we are pretty excited for another little boy!
Dusty is greatly relieved that the ultrasound today revealed "boy parts." He isn't worried about having a little girl wrap him around her little finger...he is worried about having a teenage daughter. Although I am still hoping to have a daughter one day, I am glad that Kimball will have a little brother to play ball with one day. They can camp in the backyard together and share the bunk beds that currently occupy Kimball's room. I am also excited because Holly (my sister) is having a boy in September and these two little boys will only be 2 months apart. Dallas' little boy will also be sandwiched between two boy cousins. So, I think we are pretty excited for another little boy!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Jesse and Brittany's Wedding
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Arizona in August
The first week in August, we went home to Arizona for my little brother's wedding. Of course, we lived in the pool the whole time we were there!
Rachel's Birthday
Rachel is one of Kimball's favorite friends! She just turned 3! Kimball calls her princess Rachel and any time he sees one of the Disney princesses he says her name! I think Kimball thinks that she is Sleeping Beauty because he always asks to go over to her house...and I always tell him she is sleeping. He was so excited when we pulled up to her house! He started shouting, "Rachel, wake-up! Rachel, wake-up!" The above picture was taken at mutual. Since Rachel's Mom, Kristina, is in the Young Women's Presidency with me, they both often end up at mutual on Wednesday nights. I am so glad that they play so well together.
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