The Ugly Side of Pregnancy.....

 I think the title of this post really sums up how I feel at this very moment. It is currently almost 2am and I am awake. Wide awake from a rash that has reared its ugly head between Sunday and Monday. It is ALL over my body, and is extremely itchy. Hence why I am wake and cannot sleep.

 It started Sunday, after a baby shower that was thrown for us by our moms. After the shower, we were getting ready to come home and all of the sudden I got really itchy on and around my tummy, no rash, just itchy. By that night my arms and legs were just as itchy. I took a binadrill, and lathered up with hydro cortisone before bed. That seemed to do the trip for about 5 hours, when I then woke up to that same pesky itchy sensation. I figured that the binidrill was waring off so I took another one.

 When I woke up the next morning, it was not bad at all. My Mom came over and brought me breakfast (the perks of being pregnant) and started to help me by doing some things around the house. While she was doing that I took a shower. When I got out of the shower, my skin was on fire. I had a rash all down my arms and down my tummy. A bumpy itch red rash. So, I called the doctor. I explained to them what was going on and that I had an appointment the next day, and whether I needed to come in right now, or my scheduled appointment. They gave me a list of things to take, and told my to come at my scheduled appointment. 

 Later that day, I noticed that the baby was not as active as she ALWAYS is. So I poked, and poked, and poked my tummy to get her to move. She would not budge. So then I drank some OJ, and waited, poked again, and waited. I hate panicking people, because in the long run they start to panic me. So I brought it up to Jon, and with the help of my parents we went to L&D.

 When I got there, they hooked my up to the monitor and Adah had a really strong heart beat. So that immediately made me feel better. By that point my rash was worse, and the nurse thought I might have this skin rash called PUPPP. They did blood tests and nothing came back bad so they gave me the go ahead to go home. I don't care what anyone says, if you can't find a good enough reason to go to L&D this far along it is solely for your peace of mind.

 I then had my doctors appointment the next day, and by that point the rash was worse than in L&D the nurse in the office said what the nurse at the hospital said. But when the doctor came in she was concerned about the rash and ordered a whole new set of blood test. She said that they are watching me for preeclampsia with my high blood pressure and the swelling of my feet, but I have yet to start spilling protein in my urine. She said that this rash my be presenting itself in lu of the protein. So she said for now treat this like any other rash until we get the results of the blood tests.

 SO that's where I am now. I am absolutely miserable. I am so itchy I can't stand it. I am waring a tank top and shorts because I get hot waring PJ's and it irritates the rash, but now that I have the shorts and tank I am cold which gives me goose bumps and that just hurts. I have never in my life felt like this before. I have never been afraid of my own body, but I am. 

 Continue to pray for us as we really are going day by day. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around that because tomorrow feels so far away.  

Bed Rest Week 1

 Well, I have been on bed rest for almost a week now, and the first few days weren't too bad other than the fact that Jon had to leave for the weekend. That's okay, my Mom and Dad spoiled me and I got along just fine and dandy! I feel like now, however, I am stuck. I cant go, or do anything, and everything that needs to be done around the house, I don't have the energy to do.

 

 I had a doctors appt yesterday, and Jon and I went with the very real fact that she could want to put me back in the hospital. I had a hard time with that in the morning. I didn't hate being in the hospital, but I hated the idea of going back. So when we were in the office we had to wait a long time, long enough for me to fall asleep. This I feel, was my saving grace. So when got into a room and she took my blood pressure, it was fine. The doctor came in and we discussed how I was doing and what we were going to do from here on out. She told me that I don't have to be on come pleat bed rest, (like the doctor previously had told me) I just need to be careful and not do any stressful activity. When we left the office, I told Jon I felt like we dodged a bullet, at least for another week.

 So now that I am on (not so) complete bed rest. I am still really tired all the time. I am on a high dose of the B P meds so that has to be doing a number on my body. I have been taking an average of two naps during the day. I am thinking about the previous weeks and how I was complaining to Jon that I feel like this whole pregnancy, I have had no rest, well, that is certainly not the case now!

 I think I am just trying to get into a new routine of life for the next few weeks. Adah will be here sooner than I know, and I will certainly not have any rest once she comes, so I am taking this time and savoring it.

 Again, thank you all for your prayers, I know just based on yesterdays dr. visit they are working!

Hospitalization Baby; but no baby yet!

The baby's heart rate is 151, my blood pressure was 155 over 77.

Well, as most of you know, I was in the hospital from Tuesday, to Thursday for high blood pressure. I am still in shock that I was there for so long. I really just thought I would go there for a few hours for observation. I was wrong.

Tuesday was a really normal day. Jon has been getting ready for the jr. high retreat this weekend, and I was helping as much as I could. On a side note Jon has been really worried about leaving me while he i gone this weekend. I was planning on going to the women's retreat so he wasn't so worried, but still concerned he was going to be away from me. So we did our things that needed to be done Tuesday. We went to Walmart and got a few things and while Jon was in electronics I was looking down the cleaning isle, I just started praying for this weekend. Praying that the enemy would not get in the way and put me into labor while Jon is doing what the Lord wants him to do.

The week before we were going over Philippians 4, about not being anxious for anything but pray for everything. Giving all your cares to the Lord. I have always been taught that but, this time in study it really penetrated deep. I didn't know why but it stuck for some reason.

After walmart we went home and I wasn't feeling "normal," I can't even tell you how I felt, but I knew something wasn't right. But I didn't worry about it because I know we were going to my dr. appt in a matter of hours so I would mention it. We decided to go get lunch at panera bread. Oh boy am I glad we ate a good lunch considering I didn't know I wouldn't eat again until 10pm.

We got to the dr. office, and were waiting, and at that point I felt fine, but thought I would still mention it. We were called in and the nurse did All her normal things one of which is taking my blood pressure. Before I even said anything about how I was feeling, she said, "your blood pressure is high, how have you been feeling." So I told her hat I couldn't pinpoint how I felt but know something was wrong. So she said the dr. would be in soon. So we waited and waited, and waited. This was really unusual because our appt from start to finish were always about 30min. from the time we check-in to the time we leave. At this point we had been waiting for 45 min. just in the room. I looked at Jon and said they are waiting to see if my blood pressure will go down. The dr. came in and took my blood pressure about three more times, and said, "okay, I am going to send you to L&D for observation because you blood pressure is not going down."

We walked out of the room and all I could do was laugh a little bit. I have been tell myself for a few weeks about how busy this week was going to be and here I am about to be hospitalized for what I thought at the time was a few hours.

Not for the grossed out

My Dad taking one of his obnoxious pictures. I was laughing, that's all you really can do. Right..??

When we got to the hospital, I was really nervous because the dr. never told me how high it was, and I didn't know what was normal. I couldn't' think. So we waited in a long line, filled out a lot of paper work, and sat and waited. While we were waited a family in the lobby was given the news that their family member (who was in a car accident) didn't survive. I have never seen a family react so hard to a death in the family. It was painful to watch. Everybody in the lobby (except the family) was silent. I couldn't help but start to cry. At that point the lady in admitting saw that I was upset, and apologized and said someone would take me over shortly. That was really good considering I could see my heartbeat in blurred vision in my eyes. Not good!

Adah's hand

As soon as I got a room, the nurse explained what was going to happen over the next 24 hours. I'm sure my mouth dropped open when she said 24 hours. I was expecting a few hours, not 24! Then she explained my "urine collection," yes that's what I said. When I had to go to the bathroom, I had to put this cup thing in the toilet, and when I was done pour it into a bucket over ice. Not fun at all! Not to mention I had to have a blood pressure cuff on all the time, and I was hooked up to a fetal monitor. So, when had to go to the bathroom I had to take off my cuff, unplug the monitor, use the restroom, and do that whole precess there. The only thing that would make that process worse would be if I had an IV. Thank you Lord!

The next morning the new nurse assured me first thing in the morning that I would most likely not be going home that day. I was sad but I kept cling to what I had learned in bible study. So I sis just that. I really prayed and asked that the Lord would take any anxiety away from me, and He did!

I had a few people visit me, but one of the most meaningful was from Cheri Arthur. Cheri's husband Ralph recently (like in the last 2 weeks) passed away and was a pastor at Harvest. I was so blessed that she came to visit me, and she came at the perfect time. In the afternoon when my Mom was there. It was soon nice! I felt so blessed because she came to see me when she is still in a time that she is having people minister to he, and the fact that she would feel the desire to come and minister to me was huge!

Thursday, I had the best nurse of my stay, she let me take a shower, and got us a bigger room, private room with a window, and a chair that Jon could actually sleep in. My room before was private, but REALLY small. So this (my favorite) nurse got my room ready with Jon while I was taking a shower. Oh it was so nice. I took a shower the morning I was admitted, but not until Thursday had I had another.

That nurse was giving me the same news about my stay that the nurse the morning before gave. So I was prepared to stay another day. The nurse could see that we really wanted to go home, just to even get quality rest. So she pulled in a dr. to talk about a discharge, the dr. agreed to let me go home with medication, and best rest. And the dr. meant serious bed rest, like I only get up to go to the bathroom and shower.

So that's where I am now. Jon had to leave for the jr. high retreat and I am at my mom and dads doing absolutely NOTHING. They are taking really good care of me, and I know that Jon would not have felt comfortable going if I were with anyone else.

Thank you all for your prayers, I am really feeling it. Jon had only been gone for a few hours, but I am already missing him so much! He has been my sanity in this whole process. It has really takwn a toll on him as well. He was staying with me until 2, and 3 am, and then come back between 6-7:30am. He was really tired by Thursday, and really happy when we were told we were going home. Like I said, thank you for all the prayer, and continue to pray that we get through the next few weeks.

Not Me! Monday

got this from a fellow blogging friend Kristi. I have known Kristi for a long time, but because of crazy lives, am only able to keep up with her and her family through her blog.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else has not been doing this week.



I did not, not go to work on Friday, to spend the day with Mom and Dad. Did not go to the farmers market, Trader Joes. I did not almost go to the movies. I did not go to CPK for lunch with Mom and Dad.

I did not spend time with my grandma, and mother-in-law Friday afternoon, and later did not go to the Plaza with the family to see a band. I did not almost spend the whole day at the plaza.

I did not go to work on Saturday. My co-worker Kelly, did not make me the yummiest cupcakes for my unofficial "last day of work." I did not eat way too many.

I did not just watch my husband, and some of his friends move furniture at our house. I did not supervise them taking the staples, and nails out of the floor.

I did not sleep in until 11:30 on Sunday morning. I did not enjoy it! I did not, not tell Jon that I slept in that late considering he was out the door at 6:45am.

After sleeping in that late, I did not have a horrible morning. Furniture was every where preventing me from getting food, my clothes, but most importantly my coffee.

I did not have a really bad attitude for no reason yesterday. I did not fall asleep in a meeting that Jon was running.

We did not go to ikea with 25 minutes to spare. I did not know what I wanted and I did not spend WAY too much money.

I did not go to work today considering Saturday was my "last day" of work. I did not enjoy work today!

I do not plan on having a great weekend at the women's retreat!

L & D Hospital Tour

 Yesterday was a great day! Along with celebrating Jon's birthday, we went on a hospital tour. I got a brochure from my doctor and tried calling all day long to ask a few questions. But, no answer, and no call back. It was getting a bit frustrating. We were doing some errands in the afternoon, collecting everything we needed for my pre-registration paperwork, which included getting a piece of paper signed by Adah's soon to be pediatrician. He is a great doctor, and was my pediatrician so I was really excited we were getting to see his new office. His office was in the neighborhood of the hospital, so we decided to drop by the office and get the details on the tour.  Turns out we had just missed the women in charge of  the tours, so they told us at the hospital just as we would if we had spoken with her in the first place.

 Our biggest question was if my Mom and Dad could come. I really wanted my Mom to get to know the hospital too considering that she will be helping us during labor and all that fun stuff. So like that staff member told us, after a nice family birthday dinner, we went to the hospital family in tow. We were a little bit late, as usual, and as I signed in I noticed that most of the women there were not due untill the later part of April and beyond. So that right there was a sign we should have done this maybe a bit earlier. But it is what it is.

 The first part of the tour was watching a (really old) video of that hospitals procedures from the time you check in to the hospital, to the time you check out. Very informative. After the movie was over, the woman got up and started talking about the tour through the hospital. I noticed she looked a bit overwhelmed in the way she was talking to everyone. Then she starts talking about how big the group was, while looking at us, continues talking, and says she doesn't know of she will be able to get everyone in, still looking at us. Jon, and I got uncomfortable, but at the same time thought it was really funny.

 So obviously our question was answered about the family members, so they went their way, and Jon and I went on with the tour. In the tour I was getting really overwhelmed, for a few reasons. 1) there were a lot of people, and I get really claustrophobic. 2) the hospital was looking (excuse me for being so shallow) ghetto. 3) Everything was all the sudden happening so fast, I am going to spending time here to bring our daughter into the world here in more or less 6 weeks. So Jon held my hand tight and we finished tour. 

 After the tour, Jon being the man I love asked all the questions, and one of which I was really concerned about was the "father visiting hours." From the very beginning, this has been not a "me" thing but completely an "us" thing. So for them to tell us that after I have the baby and the father visiting hours are over Jon has to go home was NOT okay with me, and especially not with him either. So like I said Jon asked the questions, and he WILL be able to stay the night with us, and to make things better the first half of our stay we will most likely get our own room. On our tour I noticed that most of the women had their own rooms so that is HUGE!

 All in all, it was an eye opener to how our lives are going to change in a little over a month. We are both anticipating this transition with anxiety, and Joy, but mostly Joy! This is going to be a new chapter in the "Jon, and Alyssa book" and we are ready to take it. We have come to a point that she is coming whether we have all the baby stuff we need or not, and that is not going to stop us from fully enjoying this experience together.

Happy Birthday Jon!!!

 Today is Jon's birthday, and he is 26! In his words he is now in his late 20's. Happy Birthday Jon! Ada, and I love you!

**Photo taken by my brother Aaron with his iPhone**

Just Kidding..... Meet Adah

 I knew this was going to happen. I introduce our baby and, and we change something. Well, its not that big a deal, but we changed the spelling slightly. We picked out her name almost as soon as we got pregnant. We had a boy alternate name but our girl name has always been Ada. I have been doing a lot of online research about her name and found that the name Ada is of German origin, and means happy, or noble. Great we knew this from the beginning. Then I was looking at the different ways to spell it and found that the spelling of Adah, had a different meaning, and origin completely. If we spell it Adah, it is Hebrew, and means blessed adornment. When I told Jon that (being the bible scholar he is) he said he wants to spell it Adah. So that's that, it's Adah!