Doctors

I'm happy with one and not happy with the other.  Let me start with who I'm happy with:  my OB.  That guy is funny and on my side, oh and basically told me the baby is perfect and all is good.  Yeah!  He confirmed that everything on the ultrasound was good and my belly is measuring exactly where it should.  So, yahoo for that!  

Now, for who I am not happy with:  the gastro.  I put off calling their office, but I have been having some UC symptoms for about 3 weeks and decided that diet is not helping so I better try some meds.  I called yesterday, and the idiot receptionist, after I explained I was pregnant and am having issues, told me the next available appointment is in late September.  So, I reiterated, "ma'am, I'm pregnant, the UC is acting up, and this could be a danger to my baby and September is too long to wait and see."  So, then she tells me that the nurse practitioner has an opening at the end of August.  Oh my gosh!  Is she not getting this?!  So, I finally asked if I could just leave a message with the nurse.  The nurse called me back and asked about my symptoms and was going to talk to the doctor and call me back. As of this morning, there was no call back yet.  

I'm thinking to myself:  the gastro has one freaking body part that he treats, and they have no way to get an emergent patient in?  Come on!  I can call the OB and get in that day if I have a problem.  I can call my general practitioner and get an appointment sometime that same week.  Why is a gastro so unreachable?  

Anyway, while at my OB appointment, I shared with him the symptoms I was having and that I was waiting on a call back from the gastro nurse because they told me no appointments are available until September.  He seemed taken aback by that and told me I should just go upstairs to their office and they would have to deal with me if I was in their face.  Good advice, doc!  So, I did that and walked away with samples of some med called Lialda and they said they were calling in a prescription for some kind of enema.  Well, apparently whatever they called in is not available, apparently out of stock with the supplier.  Craziness.  

So, I'm waiting to hear from my OB if Lialda is OK and waiting to hear from the gastro about what they want to do about the other med.  What a fiasco.  And, tomorrow, I have an appointment with the naturopath to find out what all she has to say about the food sensitivity testing.  I'll tell you, I'm skeptical about it all because I avoided wheat for a week and saw no improvement in my symptoms.     

Glory be to God! Great ultrasound!

Just got back from the ultrasound, and everything looks great.  Baby is measuring right on track, and due date is still November 25.  It was so amazing to see!  The baby did some yawning, a lot of kicking, and some fist pumping.  Amazing!  Here are some video clips:

Big day tomorrow!

Tomorrow we'll have the big ultrasound, but I'm still not going to find out boy or girl.  Aaaah!  I cannot wait to see the baby and how much he/she has grown.  I cannot wait! 

Sinking in

So, a few days have passed since the food sensitivity testing results came in, and I am slowly figuring my way around it all.  I ended up finding a food allergy menu planning service online (http://allergyfreemenuplanners.com/) and I am going to give it a try for a while.  It allows you to select certain pre-set allergy free menus (such as gluten, soy, and dairy fee; or gluten free only, etc.) and/or input your various food intolerances and select recipes that meet those needs.  At first, I inputted both me and my husband's severe and moderate intolerances, and well, that hardly left any recipes for us.  So, I decided to just worry about the severe ones and inputted those.  The menu plan for this week looks pretty good.  We did have to take a 30 minute drive over to the health food store and buy a bunch of things I've never heard of like arrowroot powder, almond meal, coconut flour, and coconut butter, so this should be interesting.  

I had myself a little breakdown after mass this morning while we were trying to decide where to go to get something to eat.  With bread being out of the picture, I can't easily make decisions about what I can have and what I want.  We went into a gh.engis grill, and it smelled gross, so we left, and then my husband suggested another place, but I hate going there because it's so dark inside, and then I ended up crying because I was starving and felt like there was nothing I could eat.  Luckily, there was a q.doba nearby, and I knew I could get a tortilla-less burrito in a bowl, so we went there.  Funny thing is, though, yesterday I had a tortilla-less burrito bowl at ch.ipotle.  Yesterday it was beef, today chicken.  I feel like I am just going to end up in an endless rotation of meats, whereas before I often went for vegetarian options, but those are no fun without bread and cheese because then you're just left with a big pile of veggies. Blah!

Oh, and big news!  I think I felt the first baby kick yesterday afternoon, but I'm not certain.  I was taking a nap, and was in that in-between state where you're half asleep, and I felt something "roll" just above my pubic bone and it woke me up, and I thought, "was that they baby?!", so I laid there waiting for it to happen again, and it didn't.  Now, I'm wondering if I dreamt that, or if it really happened.  I don't know if this ever happens to any of you, but all my life I've often had times where I'm on the verge of sleep and I dream that I'm walking along and I trip in a hole, and I wake myself up with my leg jerking.  I wonder if this baby kick was something like that or real.  I can't wait to feel those movements all the time! 

Say it ain't so!

Nooooooooooooooooo!  I got my food sensitivity testing back, and I am severely intolerant of wheat (along with clam, crab, halibut, and snapper) and mildly intolerant of gluten and casein, so I'm told I should eliminate barley, oat, and rye, and avoid milk.  I could just cry!!!!!!  What the heck am I going to eat?!

I'm also moderately intolerant to tea, butternut squash, button mushroom, cabbage, celery, corn, cranberry, ginger, grapefruit, hops, lime, peanut, scallop, spinach, and watermelon.  And mildly intolerant to avocado, banana, basil, black pepper, broccoli, cherry, coconut, egg yolk, eggplant, green pea, parsley, pear, pecan, plum, rice, salmon, shrimp, string bean, sweet potato, tomato, tuna, vanilla, white potato, and something called candida albicans (which apparently means sugar because they say to limit cane sugar, fructose, and honey).

Good Lord, does that leave anything?!  Doesn't seem like it.  I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do.  I have pizza at least once a week, love me some burritos, and am always wheating it up (bread, cereals, cream of wheat, etc).  

On the other hand, hopefully this is a good explanation for the ulcerative colitis, and maybe the endometriosis, because I've read that endo is an autoimmune disease.  So, the theory goes that if your body has an intolerance to certain foods, when you eat them, it activates your immune system.  

I just don't even know where to start, though, with the menu planning.  Oh, and get this total injustice.  My husband was also tested because he was diagnosed with diverticulitis and chronic inflammation of the colon.  NONE of the things he is severely or moderately intolerant of are things that he even likes.  So freaking unfair!!    

Y'all, what am I going to do?  I know you can buy gluten free things, but how do you get fiber if you can't have most grains?  And, I think most GF people don't have to avoid milk.  Is anyone else out there limited to such a strict diet as me?  Have any advice?  So sad over here . . . 

Cutest socks ever and updates

I finished up knitting these super cute baby socks from D.ebbie B.liss E.ssential B.aby:

I'm really excited with how well they turned out.  This was my first venture into cable knit.  Now, I'll be moving on to the hooded jacket.  I bet that will take me a loooong time.  6 balls of yarn, using size 6 and 3 needles.  I'll probably end up with arthritis by the end of it.  lol

Tomorrow will mark 18 weeks!  I have an ultrasound next Thursday and my next doctor appointment next Friday.  I'm anxious for both appointments because I haven't gained any weight in several weeks, and I'm wondering if it might have something to do with the U.lcerative c.olitis, which I think has been starting to act up.  Maybe due to the not so stellar diet I've been following because I still hate vegetables since I'm pregnant, and work has been stressful.  So stressful that yesterday I decided to just go AWOL.  I knitted, got a pedicure, bought some new lip gloss, and ironed church linens.  Aaah, delightful.  

I called the nurse at the OB's office yesterday about the lack of weight gain, but she did not think it was urgent enough to come right in.  And, I'm waiting on the food sensitivity testing to come back and see what the naturopath says about that.  I do not want to call the gastro's office because they will just throw fistfuls of medications at me.  Seriously, when I was diagnosed back in January, they put me on pre.dnisone and some other medication that was 5 freaking pills per dose.  Had to stop that med because it made my eyes leak tears.  I don't want that kinds of stuff coming anywhere near my baby.  I would much rather go the natural route.   

So, that's about all the news over here.  Heading for my progesterone blood draw in a bit.  Plus, another thyroid panel to see if there's been any change since the last time.  I wonder how many needles have been stuck in this poor body.  Too many to count!

Like sneaking a peek at your Christmas presents

Since almost the day we found out we were pregnant, the number one thing people ask is "how long until you find out what you're going to have?"  When we tell them we don't want to find out, they seem so deflated and some try to convince us to change our minds.  Won't happen, though.  I have always loved surprises, and to me, finding out whether we are having a boy or girl would be like sneaking a peek at my Christmas presents or birthday presents.  In my opinion, it would take a big part of the anticipation and fun out of the whole process.  So, I'll take the surprise, please!  And in the meantime, for all my friends who are worrying their sweet minds over yellow clothing, hello, there are lots of colors besides pink and blue.  How about some green, my favorite color? Or purple, or orange, or teal or any other color in the spectrum?  :)

17 weeks today!  Yahoo!  And, while I've gotten a little bit of a bump, not really enough to say "wow, you're pregnant" instead of "hmm, you're kind of fat."  I know every pregnancy is different, but I would like that nice reassuring round belly.  It's hard to believe still that there is a baby in there!  I was standing in the bathroom looking at my belly in the mirror the other night and complaining to my husband that I was worried there must be something wrong because how could a baby be in that small belly?  And, he had to remind me the baby is only the size of an avocado.  Good point!  I mean, I had a grapefruit sized fybroid hanging off my uterus back in 2007 and had no clue.  So, an avocado is a piece of cake!

I ventured into maternity clothing over the last couple of weeks.  My husband surprised me with a cute maxi dress from mother.hood.  Very sweet of him, but that dress is ginormous on me.  I have worn it, but I feel like I am swimming in it.  I think it will work well for third trimester, but I'll need a sweater over it then!  :)

I also ordered a couple of stretchy t-shirts from g.a.p maternity and a denim skirt, khaki capris, and a sun dress from o.l.d. n.a.v.y maternity. Everything fits pretty good and is cute except for the denim skirt, which was a size 2 and was huge on me.  So, I called up customer service to exchange for a 1, and the woman on the line was all, "Oh my gosh.  You're tiny!  I've never worn anything that size in my life."  I had no idea what to say, so I just chuckled.  I mean, sizing is totally irrelevant nowadays.  I am convinced they keep putting smaller size tags on bigger clothes.  This size 2 skirt was more like what I think an 8 probably is.  And, I am willing to bet that a piece of clothing from 1950 marked as a size 6 would be today's typical 2.  

Anyway, I digress.  17 weeks and just a couple more weeks before we get to see our baby via ultrasound again.  I can't wait!  Time goes by so slow between those doctor visits.  This next ultrasound will be the big one where people usually find out the sex of their baby.  I think they also do a lot of measuring everything to make sure everything is ok.  I pray that all is well!  Every day I pray for a healthy, beautiful, and Holy child.  A little saint!

Oh, one last thing.  I was at the eye doctor yesterday because lately, I have been squinting to see the road signs when I'm driving.  My RX hasn't changed in probably 8 years, so I figured, well, I'm getting older.  Come to find out, it is common for pregnant women's RX to change.  Mine went up .25 on each eye.  But, the good news is that he said it will likely go back to normal after I'm finished breastfeeding, and that the change in RX is hormone related.  Isn't that weird?!  He also said it can fluctuate, so if I find that things start getting blurry again, just come back, and he will give me sample lenses so I don't have to keep buying loads of new contacts that end up not being useful to me.  

Oh, wait, one other thing.  The eye doctor and his wife are also pregnant after about 4.5 years of trying (but they did IVF).  We got to chatting all about pregnancy stuff, and he told me about this store near where we live that is like a TJ m.a.xx for baby stuff.  So, I am going to by there and check it out today.  He said they get new stuff in all the time. Fun! Fun!  Can't wait!  We haven't bought anything for the baby yet.  If I can get a good deal on some stuff, well, then, right on!  

Naturopathy

Things have been good ulcerative colitis-wise since being on LDN, but my husband has had several flareups of his diverticulitis (that's what 38 years of bachelorhood and hamburgers will do to you), and recently had a gastro doc recommend an elective resection of a foot of his colon.  Um, over my dead body! That is insane.  So, I found a naturopathic doctor near us, who is both a MD and a naturopath.  We consulted with her on Saturday, and she recommended various supplements and food sensitivity testing.  So, both my husband and I will be on fish oil, vitamin D, and Culturelle (she didn't like that I was on Flora Source), and husband will also be on Vitamin A.

The food sensitivity testing will test for inflammatory responses to 100 different foods and several different food additives.  I'm excited to get those results, especially for my husband.  I have never met anyone who, never fails, after every time we eat at a restaurant, and sometimes occasionally a meal at home, will have a five minute sneezing attack.  He has got to be allergic to something, and if it's causing that much sneezing it must be causing damage on the inside.  I'm excited for myself too because I think possibly the UC, the endo, the adhesions, and the fybroid (from back in 2007) could all potentially be related.  The naturopath thought it was an interesting point because all of that stuff is in the same area.  I just hope that it doesn't come back that one or more of my favorite foods is on the "no" list.  

We had the blood drawn today for that testing, and good Lord, my arm is still hurting.  It's like my dang vein is bruised.  I asked the phlebotomist to use a butterfly needle, and she was all sassy about it and used whatever she wanted.  My husband said it was a big needle.  Well, I can sure tell.  It freaking hurts. :(

Anyway, the naturopath also suggested that I switch to a "whole food" prenatal vitamin.  I checked out what she recommended, but it would cost $50 a month.  I decided I would stick with what I'm taking and with the fish oil, I should be fully covered.  I mean, vitamins have been around for decades.  Since when does it matter if they're "whole food"?  

So, that's about all that's new with me.  I'm at 16 weeks now and will have the big ultrasound on June 28, but we're not going to find out if it's a boy or girl.  I think that's like peeking at your Christmas presents.  I like being surprised!   

One Project Down!

I finally finished the little baby shorts that I started 3 years ago and, drum roll, here they are:

I got the pattern from Debbie Bliss's book, "Essential Baby."  I was supposed to use her cashmerino yarn, but the store I went to way back then didn't have anything like that, so I just used cotton.  I think they turned out pretty good, although I imagine they would have been softer and less "stiff" if I had that fancy schamncy yarn.  Oh well!  And, I was supposed to turn the bottom edge under and stitch it in place.  I don't get the point of that.  It would be super hard to get that tiny edge pinned down in the spot she calls for, and I like the little trim at the bottom.  

Now, my next project, which I hope to get started on today if my yarn arrives, is the duffle coat from the same book:

It will probably take me forever, but how cute is that?!  And, this time I searched the internet and ordered the yarn the project calls for.  So, I'm super excited!  

Other projects I want to do from the book are the felted slippers, which I have made for several other people before, and now I can finally make them for my baby!  yeah!  And, there is a cute pattern for cable knit socks.  I have never done any cable knitting before, but I'm willing to give it a try, especially given it's a small project.  After that, there is a very cute pinafore dress in the book, but we're not finding out what we're having.  So, if I make it, and we have a boy, dang.  I guess I could save it in case we have another baby and it turns out to be a girl.  Maybe I will wait on that one until after the baby is born.  The only other thing in the book I am interested in is this cute hooded carrying bag, which is like a zippered sleepsack with a hood.  But, it calls for 8 dang balls of debbie bliss yarn, which would be super expensive, and I can't imagine how much use it would get.  I think I would more likely use the swaddler blanket contraption thingies I've seen in the stores.  So, after I get all those projects finished, assuming I can do them all before November, I might hit the library and see if they have any knitting books with cute patterns.  I would love to have a whole little wardrobe for the peanut.  :)  

Oh, and I e-mailed two yarn stores around here to see if they know of anyone I can pay to finish my teddy bear that has so many darn pieces to sew together.  I got one e-mail back, and they are checking.  Praise the Lord!  Otherwise, I think that thing would never get finished.  I don't think I will ever knit another thing that calls for so many separate pieces again.

Hopefully, it will be a gorgeous day here.  It was cloudy, cold, and rainy yesterday.  Strange, given that it's been sweltering hot for weeks.  Husband is out of town for a boarding school reunion, so, I have the house all to myself and can do whatever fun thing I want.  For now, the plan is to take a walk, get showered and dressed, go hunt for a case or roll for all my knitting needles (for the last few years, they're all just tossing around in the bottom of a bag, which is not very safe; I would surely cry if my favorite pair of rosewood needles got broken), and maybe start peeking at maternity clothes, all the while monitoring that mailbox to see if my yarn is here!  :)  Hope you all have a great day!