Mid-day yesterday I was feeling rather bad. I was hot and flushed and just........NOT GOOD, I'm sure that's the medical term. I went to the bathroom and to my horror there was blood on the toilet paper. Kind of quite a lot, in my estimation.
So I quickly put myself together, alerted my asst mgr that I was gonna call the OB but I was definitely LEAVING and went into my office.
I talked to the nurse and told her no,I wasn't contracting but I was bleeding and she said she'd get with him and call me right back.
AS SOON AS I HUNG UP I STARTED CONTRACTING.
What sort of annoying crap is that? Shortly she called me back and told me to lie down at home for the rest of the day and call if I started cramping or if I bled more-at which point I said "Funneh you mention that......I've started having contractions."
And it was off to the hospital!
While I was there the bleeding stopped and was determined to be of indeterminate origin. NOTHING wrong with the placenta, might've been the "bloody show" however my cervix has made ZERO progress so that's a "MAYBE" at best. Usually you get a small amount of dilation and effacing with bloody show - that's how it gets released. So......they dunno why I had bleeding. But everything is ok.
They loaded me up with fluids and the contractions slacked away to such an extent that I actually sort of forgot about them, enjoying Law and Order like I was. I had just started into an episode of BONES when they came in to check the monitor's placement and then came back and interrupted AGAIN to tell me my contractions had stopped and they were calling the doc.
Of course they came in and talked BOTH TIMES that I needed to HEAR what was going on. All I know if that there was a Chinese girl found dead and she had no bones. NUTTY!
It was a matter of minutes before they came in to tell me I could go home, the show was stopped for today.
We're still on for THURSDAY for the Version to turn her.
WISH US LUCK!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The Hospital is Losing It's Mystery To Me
Mid-day yesterday I was feeling rather bad. I was hot and flushed and just........NOT GOOD, I'm sure that's the medical term. I went to the bathroom and to my horror there was blood on the toilet paper. Kind of quite a lot, in my estimation.
So I quickly put myself together, alerted my asst mgr that I was gonna call the OB but I was definitely LEAVING and went into my office.
I talked to the nurse and told her no,I wasn't contracting but I was bleeding and she said she'd get with him and call me right back.
AS SOON AS I HUNG UP I STARTED CONTRACTING.
What sort of annoying crap is that? Shortly she called me back and told me to lie down at home for the rest of the day and call if I started cramping or if I bled more-at which point I said "Funneh you mention that......I've started having contractions."
And it was off to the hospital!
While I was there the bleeding stopped and was determined to be of indeterminate origin. NOTHING wrong with the placenta, might've been the "bloody show" however my cervix has made ZERO progress so that's a "MAYBE" at best. Usually you get a small amount of dilation and effacing with bloody show - that's how it gets released. So......they dunno why I had bleeding. But everything is ok.
They loaded me up with fluids and the contractions slacked away to such an extent that I actually sort of forgot about them, enjoying Law and Order like I was. I had just started into an episode of BONES when they came in to check the monitor's placement and then came back and interrupted AGAIN to tell me my contractions had stopped and they were calling the doc.
Of course they came in and talked BOTH TIMES that I needed to HEAR what was going on. All I know if that there was a Chinese girl found dead and she had no bones. NUTTY!
It was a matter of minutes before they came in to tell me I could go home, the show was stopped for today.
We're still on for THURSDAY for the Version to turn her.
WISH US LUCK!
So I quickly put myself together, alerted my asst mgr that I was gonna call the OB but I was definitely LEAVING and went into my office.
I talked to the nurse and told her no,I wasn't contracting but I was bleeding and she said she'd get with him and call me right back.
AS SOON AS I HUNG UP I STARTED CONTRACTING.
What sort of annoying crap is that? Shortly she called me back and told me to lie down at home for the rest of the day and call if I started cramping or if I bled more-at which point I said "Funneh you mention that......I've started having contractions."
And it was off to the hospital!
While I was there the bleeding stopped and was determined to be of indeterminate origin. NOTHING wrong with the placenta, might've been the "bloody show" however my cervix has made ZERO progress so that's a "MAYBE" at best. Usually you get a small amount of dilation and effacing with bloody show - that's how it gets released. So......they dunno why I had bleeding. But everything is ok.
They loaded me up with fluids and the contractions slacked away to such an extent that I actually sort of forgot about them, enjoying Law and Order like I was. I had just started into an episode of BONES when they came in to check the monitor's placement and then came back and interrupted AGAIN to tell me my contractions had stopped and they were calling the doc.
Of course they came in and talked BOTH TIMES that I needed to HEAR what was going on. All I know if that there was a Chinese girl found dead and she had no bones. NUTTY!
It was a matter of minutes before they came in to tell me I could go home, the show was stopped for today.
We're still on for THURSDAY for the Version to turn her.
WISH US LUCK!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
It's a Version Not Aversion
I had the first of my twice weekly OB appts this week and had the big sit down with my doc about the BABY SITUATION.
She's breech. And seems to have no interest in turning herself about. She's been in this same position now for weeks in fact, with her head resting comfortably against my placenta and floating just as high as she possibly can.
It's fairly uncomfortable.
So we talked about what to do about little missy and his options were to schedule a VERSION or schedule a c-section. I said HEY let's do that Version thing!
What, you might ask, is a version?
No that is NOT me.
But basically they hook you up to some sort of meds that relax all your muscles so that "hopefully" your uterus doesn't contract and then using his hands on the outside, the doctor gives the baby a bunch of shoves around until she's head down. IF it works.
My OB says that he has about an 80% success rate getting that baby turned. The problem is that this procedure can induce labor. It can cause other complications that lead to you staying in the hospital to deliver OR you have to have an emergency c-section.
So his advice was to come packed and ready to stay. Just in case.
I also told him that the idea of a c-section is giving me the screaming mimis and he was glad I told him. He apparently had a patient have a freak out last week - and she hadn't shared with him that her deep motivation for NOT wanting the C was FEAR. I told him OH HELL I'm totally fear driven. I let him know I'll be the hysterical person on the other side of the sheet. So he's going to give me something to mellow me out a bit,and then once the cord is cut it's off to la-la land I go.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.
Seriously, he told me that it takes about five minutes to get the baby out, and 45-60 to "put me back together". OMG. Part of me DIED hearing those words. DEAR GOD.
So wish us luck. On Thursday April 1 at 8:30 AM we might have a baby, or we might just have a baby that is turned the right way finally. One more bounce on Mr Toads Wild Ride.
She's breech. And seems to have no interest in turning herself about. She's been in this same position now for weeks in fact, with her head resting comfortably against my placenta and floating just as high as she possibly can.
It's fairly uncomfortable.
So we talked about what to do about little missy and his options were to schedule a VERSION or schedule a c-section. I said HEY let's do that Version thing!
What, you might ask, is a version?
No that is NOT me.
But basically they hook you up to some sort of meds that relax all your muscles so that "hopefully" your uterus doesn't contract and then using his hands on the outside, the doctor gives the baby a bunch of shoves around until she's head down. IF it works.
My OB says that he has about an 80% success rate getting that baby turned. The problem is that this procedure can induce labor. It can cause other complications that lead to you staying in the hospital to deliver OR you have to have an emergency c-section.
So his advice was to come packed and ready to stay. Just in case.
I also told him that the idea of a c-section is giving me the screaming mimis and he was glad I told him. He apparently had a patient have a freak out last week - and she hadn't shared with him that her deep motivation for NOT wanting the C was FEAR. I told him OH HELL I'm totally fear driven. I let him know I'll be the hysterical person on the other side of the sheet. So he's going to give me something to mellow me out a bit,and then once the cord is cut it's off to la-la land I go.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.
Seriously, he told me that it takes about five minutes to get the baby out, and 45-60 to "put me back together". OMG. Part of me DIED hearing those words. DEAR GOD.
So wish us luck. On Thursday April 1 at 8:30 AM we might have a baby, or we might just have a baby that is turned the right way finally. One more bounce on Mr Toads Wild Ride.
It's a Version Not Aversion
I had the first of my twice weekly OB appts this week and had the big sit down with my doc about the BABY SITUATION.
She's breech. And seems to have no interest in turning herself about. She's been in this same position now for weeks in fact, with her head resting comfortably against my placenta and floating just as high as she possibly can.
It's fairly uncomfortable.
So we talked about what to do about little missy and his options were to schedule a VERSION or schedule a c-section. I said HEY let's do that Version thing!
What, you might ask, is a version?
No that is NOT me.
But basically they hook you up to some sort of meds that relax all your muscles so that "hopefully" your uterus doesn't contract and then using his hands on the outside, the doctor gives the baby a bunch of shoves around until she's head down. IF it works.
My OB says that he has about an 80% success rate getting that baby turned. The problem is that this procedure can induce labor. It can cause other complications that lead to you staying in the hospital to deliver OR you have to have an emergency c-section.
So his advice was to come packed and ready to stay. Just in case.
I also told him that the idea of a c-section is giving me the screaming mimis and he was glad I told him. He apparently had a patient have a freak out last week - and she hadn't shared with him that her deep motivation for NOT wanting the C was FEAR. I told him OH HELL I'm totally fear driven. I let him know I'll be the hysterical person on the other side of the sheet. So he's going to give me something to mellow me out a bit,and then once the cord is cut it's off to la-la land I go.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.
Seriously, he told me that it takes about five minutes to get the baby out, and 45-60 to "put me back together". OMG. Part of me DIED hearing those words. DEAR GOD.
So wish us luck. On Thursday April 1 at 8:30 AM we might have a baby, or we might just have a baby that is turned the right way finally. One more bounce on Mr Toads Wild Ride.
She's breech. And seems to have no interest in turning herself about. She's been in this same position now for weeks in fact, with her head resting comfortably against my placenta and floating just as high as she possibly can.
It's fairly uncomfortable.
So we talked about what to do about little missy and his options were to schedule a VERSION or schedule a c-section. I said HEY let's do that Version thing!
What, you might ask, is a version?
No that is NOT me.
But basically they hook you up to some sort of meds that relax all your muscles so that "hopefully" your uterus doesn't contract and then using his hands on the outside, the doctor gives the baby a bunch of shoves around until she's head down. IF it works.
My OB says that he has about an 80% success rate getting that baby turned. The problem is that this procedure can induce labor. It can cause other complications that lead to you staying in the hospital to deliver OR you have to have an emergency c-section.
So his advice was to come packed and ready to stay. Just in case.
I also told him that the idea of a c-section is giving me the screaming mimis and he was glad I told him. He apparently had a patient have a freak out last week - and she hadn't shared with him that her deep motivation for NOT wanting the C was FEAR. I told him OH HELL I'm totally fear driven. I let him know I'll be the hysterical person on the other side of the sheet. So he's going to give me something to mellow me out a bit,and then once the cord is cut it's off to la-la land I go.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.
Seriously, he told me that it takes about five minutes to get the baby out, and 45-60 to "put me back together". OMG. Part of me DIED hearing those words. DEAR GOD.
So wish us luck. On Thursday April 1 at 8:30 AM we might have a baby, or we might just have a baby that is turned the right way finally. One more bounce on Mr Toads Wild Ride.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Was This Something You Wanted?
I could make a list of retarded things that have been said to me while I was pregnant with each pregnancy, starting with the fact that when we said we were naming our oldest after Louis Armstrong we got reactions such as
" Oh he just won the Tour de France right?" and "Oh first man on the moon, COOL!" and other equally idiotic statements........some of them have been instrusive, rude, bizarre......and just - otherwordly.
But I've decided I had it this weekend, and the next person who says something insane to me is gonna get it.
Upon talking to someone I've known AT LEAST two years, and I'd sort of loosely call a friend - more of an acquaintance whose crazy I can tolerate...I informed this person that no I couldn't participate in XYZ (for like the 3rd time btw) because I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT (soon to be nine!) and I just can't take on anything new.
First reaction? Not congratulations, not WOW even.......it was "Was this something you wanted?"
I held my tongue but seriously, bite my ass. WHAT A RUDE EFFING THING TO SAY TO AN 8 MONTH PREGNANT WOMAN. No. No it's not, I just don't know how to keep from getting pregnant in the year 2010 - can you help me? OH LORDIE I JUST WISH THERE WAS SOME METHOD TO KEEP THESE BABIES FROM BEING HEAPED UPON ME IN THIS LIFE.
It's 2010. Moron. You don't have to have babies if you don't want babies. I'm a married woman for god's sake. My husband and I have used birth control for 2 out of 13 years so do you THINK WE WANT BABIES??? YES WE EFFING DO. WE LOVE BABIES.
Sigh, the idiocy and thoughtlessness of this statement just made my blood boil. See, I could even see these words coming out of the mouth of your VERY best friend - tentatively-upon learning you are JUST newly pregnant, because maybe they aren't sure how you feel and want to be supportive either way. But you know, at 8 months, I'm clearly down with the sickness here so really.......why would you heap such negativity upon my baby girl? Because YOU have issues?
I'm sorry that being pregnant and having babies isn't something you consider to be a privilege and a gift. It is. I couldn't be happier. And I refuse to let you rain on my parade.
Idiot.
" Oh he just won the Tour de France right?" and "Oh first man on the moon, COOL!" and other equally idiotic statements........some of them have been instrusive, rude, bizarre......and just - otherwordly.
But I've decided I had it this weekend, and the next person who says something insane to me is gonna get it.
Upon talking to someone I've known AT LEAST two years, and I'd sort of loosely call a friend - more of an acquaintance whose crazy I can tolerate...I informed this person that no I couldn't participate in XYZ (for like the 3rd time btw) because I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT (soon to be nine!) and I just can't take on anything new.
First reaction? Not congratulations, not WOW even.......it was "Was this something you wanted?"
I held my tongue but seriously, bite my ass. WHAT A RUDE EFFING THING TO SAY TO AN 8 MONTH PREGNANT WOMAN. No. No it's not, I just don't know how to keep from getting pregnant in the year 2010 - can you help me? OH LORDIE I JUST WISH THERE WAS SOME METHOD TO KEEP THESE BABIES FROM BEING HEAPED UPON ME IN THIS LIFE.
It's 2010. Moron. You don't have to have babies if you don't want babies. I'm a married woman for god's sake. My husband and I have used birth control for 2 out of 13 years so do you THINK WE WANT BABIES??? YES WE EFFING DO. WE LOVE BABIES.
Sigh, the idiocy and thoughtlessness of this statement just made my blood boil. See, I could even see these words coming out of the mouth of your VERY best friend - tentatively-upon learning you are JUST newly pregnant, because maybe they aren't sure how you feel and want to be supportive either way. But you know, at 8 months, I'm clearly down with the sickness here so really.......why would you heap such negativity upon my baby girl? Because YOU have issues?
I'm sorry that being pregnant and having babies isn't something you consider to be a privilege and a gift. It is. I couldn't be happier. And I refuse to let you rain on my parade.
Idiot.
Was This Something You Wanted?
I could make a list of retarded things that have been said to me while I was pregnant with each pregnancy, starting with the fact that when we said we were naming our oldest after Louis Armstrong we got reactions such as
" Oh he just won the Tour de France right?" and "Oh first man on the moon, COOL!" and other equally idiotic statements........some of them have been instrusive, rude, bizarre......and just - otherwordly.
But I've decided I had it this weekend, and the next person who says something insane to me is gonna get it.
Upon talking to someone I've known AT LEAST two years, and I'd sort of loosely call a friend - more of an acquaintance whose crazy I can tolerate...I informed this person that no I couldn't participate in XYZ (for like the 3rd time btw) because I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT (soon to be nine!) and I just can't take on anything new.
First reaction? Not congratulations, not WOW even.......it was "Was this something you wanted?"
I held my tongue but seriously, bite my ass. WHAT A RUDE EFFING THING TO SAY TO AN 8 MONTH PREGNANT WOMAN. No. No it's not, I just don't know how to keep from getting pregnant in the year 2010 - can you help me? OH LORDIE I JUST WISH THERE WAS SOME METHOD TO KEEP THESE BABIES FROM BEING HEAPED UPON ME IN THIS LIFE.
It's 2010. Moron. You don't have to have babies if you don't want babies. I'm a married woman for god's sake. My husband and I have used birth control for 2 out of 13 years so do you THINK WE WANT BABIES??? YES WE EFFING DO. WE LOVE BABIES.
Sigh, the idiocy and thoughtlessness of this statement just made my blood boil. See, I could even see these words coming out of the mouth of your VERY best friend - tentatively-upon learning you are JUST newly pregnant, because maybe they aren't sure how you feel and want to be supportive either way. But you know, at 8 months, I'm clearly down with the sickness here so really.......why would you heap such negativity upon my baby girl? Because YOU have issues?
I'm sorry that being pregnant and having babies isn't something you consider to be a privilege and a gift. It is. I couldn't be happier. And I refuse to let you rain on my parade.
Idiot.
" Oh he just won the Tour de France right?" and "Oh first man on the moon, COOL!" and other equally idiotic statements........some of them have been instrusive, rude, bizarre......and just - otherwordly.
But I've decided I had it this weekend, and the next person who says something insane to me is gonna get it.
Upon talking to someone I've known AT LEAST two years, and I'd sort of loosely call a friend - more of an acquaintance whose crazy I can tolerate...I informed this person that no I couldn't participate in XYZ (for like the 3rd time btw) because I AM 8 MONTHS PREGNANT (soon to be nine!) and I just can't take on anything new.
First reaction? Not congratulations, not WOW even.......it was "Was this something you wanted?"
I held my tongue but seriously, bite my ass. WHAT A RUDE EFFING THING TO SAY TO AN 8 MONTH PREGNANT WOMAN. No. No it's not, I just don't know how to keep from getting pregnant in the year 2010 - can you help me? OH LORDIE I JUST WISH THERE WAS SOME METHOD TO KEEP THESE BABIES FROM BEING HEAPED UPON ME IN THIS LIFE.
It's 2010. Moron. You don't have to have babies if you don't want babies. I'm a married woman for god's sake. My husband and I have used birth control for 2 out of 13 years so do you THINK WE WANT BABIES??? YES WE EFFING DO. WE LOVE BABIES.
Sigh, the idiocy and thoughtlessness of this statement just made my blood boil. See, I could even see these words coming out of the mouth of your VERY best friend - tentatively-upon learning you are JUST newly pregnant, because maybe they aren't sure how you feel and want to be supportive either way. But you know, at 8 months, I'm clearly down with the sickness here so really.......why would you heap such negativity upon my baby girl? Because YOU have issues?
I'm sorry that being pregnant and having babies isn't something you consider to be a privilege and a gift. It is. I couldn't be happier. And I refuse to let you rain on my parade.
Idiot.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Hospital Practice Run
So I'm at that joyous part of this high risk pregnancy where I have to go to the OB twice a week. Yesterday it was for a nonstress test, where they put a belt on your tummy and measure if you are having contractions and the baby's heartbeat. Which was all dandy except, they couldn't get her heartbeat.Before you panic, it's not that they couldn't get it - it's that she wouldn't stay still and they couldn't KEEP it going. They have to get X amount of time of continuous heartbeat for it to be all good. And their machine couldn't make it happen. So since my OB was in the middle of 4 patients in labor and they were short a sonographer to do an ultrasound - they said "hey we're gonna have you go over to the labor and delivery unit for this test, we just can't do it here."
I went over to the labor and delivery unit, expecting to be taken into some place to do the testing and sent on my way.
They walked me into labor and delivery, checked me IN and hooked me up to every machine EXCEPT IV.
So, I still thought I'd be going home soon - except - I started having contractions. I was thinking "Man, that kind of hurts, I wonder if that is a contraction?" and looked over at the contraction meter and saw it climbing over 50 - where before it had been around 9. I'm thinking Hmmm that sucks when my NURSE comes through the door and say "Ok so you're having some contractions how are you doing?"........and she brings a questionaire about pain management in with her.
I was getting worried.
You also know that something is "off" when they keep coming in to move you around. They don't like something on the monitors - and they come shove pillows under you to adjust your heart and the baby etc.....
I went to ultrasound twice, once they weren't ready and I went BACK to my room and got all hooked up to monitors, watched two episodes of Law and Order.......and then went BACK where I learned that despite my OBs prediction of an average sized baby she is now measureing "bigger than she is" as the ultrasound lady put it.
We're 35 weeks today - and yesterday she was measuring at 37. Not my tummy measurement - HER measurements. So she's gonna be big.
Oh, and joy of joys - she's still breech.
So after snacking on ice chips for hours and seeing tons of Law and Order plus two episodes of BONES my doctor came back to the hospital about 8pm to deliver MORE babies and they released me.
Now I know the drill at this place, plus, I learned that the hospital where I'm going to deliver is fancy shmancy. I couldn't get over it.
I mean MAN is it nice.
So........back to work and life. No baby yesterday or likely today THANK GOD.
But, I admit, I was a little worried.
Hospital Practice Run
So I'm at that joyous part of this high risk pregnancy where I have to go to the OB twice a week. Yesterday it was for a nonstress test, where they put a belt on your tummy and measure if you are having contractions and the baby's heartbeat. Which was all dandy except, they couldn't get her heartbeat.Before you panic, it's not that they couldn't get it - it's that she wouldn't stay still and they couldn't KEEP it going. They have to get X amount of time of continuous heartbeat for it to be all good. And their machine couldn't make it happen. So since my OB was in the middle of 4 patients in labor and they were short a sonographer to do an ultrasound - they said "hey we're gonna have you go over to the labor and delivery unit for this test, we just can't do it here."
I went over to the labor and delivery unit, expecting to be taken into some place to do the testing and sent on my way.
They walked me into labor and delivery, checked me IN and hooked me up to every machine EXCEPT IV.
So, I still thought I'd be going home soon - except - I started having contractions. I was thinking "Man, that kind of hurts, I wonder if that is a contraction?" and looked over at the contraction meter and saw it climbing over 50 - where before it had been around 9. I'm thinking Hmmm that sucks when my NURSE comes through the door and say "Ok so you're having some contractions how are you doing?"........and she brings a questionaire about pain management in with her.
I was getting worried.
You also know that something is "off" when they keep coming in to move you around. They don't like something on the monitors - and they come shove pillows under you to adjust your heart and the baby etc.....
I went to ultrasound twice, once they weren't ready and I went BACK to my room and got all hooked up to monitors, watched two episodes of Law and Order.......and then went BACK where I learned that despite my OBs prediction of an average sized baby she is now measureing "bigger than she is" as the ultrasound lady put it.
We're 35 weeks today - and yesterday she was measuring at 37. Not my tummy measurement - HER measurements. So she's gonna be big.
Oh, and joy of joys - she's still breech.
So after snacking on ice chips for hours and seeing tons of Law and Order plus two episodes of BONES my doctor came back to the hospital about 8pm to deliver MORE babies and they released me.
Now I know the drill at this place, plus, I learned that the hospital where I'm going to deliver is fancy shmancy. I couldn't get over it.
I mean MAN is it nice.
So........back to work and life. No baby yesterday or likely today THANK GOD.
But, I admit, I was a little worried.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Well He IS In The Gifted Program
The boy proved his genius and his sweetness all in the same day the other day.
First the sweetness, we were discussing getting a new vehicle - one that we can ALL ride in when the baby comes - and I think I mentioned a 7 seater SUV. And he pipes up "Wow, so you could have FIVE kids and TWO parents!" and I agreed and he smiled really big and said "Then you would have even MORE people in your family to love."
Second, the genius when he announced,"I think the Blues Brothers are way better than the Jonas Brothers."
Amen, son. Amen.
Well He IS In The Gifted Program
The boy proved his genius and his sweetness all in the same day the other day.
First the sweetness, we were discussing getting a new vehicle - one that we can ALL ride in when the baby comes - and I think I mentioned a 7 seater SUV. And he pipes up "Wow, so you could have FIVE kids and TWO parents!" and I agreed and he smiled really big and said "Then you would have even MORE people in your family to love."
Second, the genius when he announced,"I think the Blues Brothers are way better than the Jonas Brothers."
Amen, son. Amen.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Now What?
I took my kitty to the vet last month, prepared to have to let her go - to put her down as she was so terribly sick. The vet pulled a miracle out of her bag and she got better, so much better it's been amazing. But in the last few days.........something terrible has happened.
Her eye, her BEAUTIFUL green eye.....has swollen up into a white and bloody mess.
I love my new vet. She's sweet, she's honest, she's compassionate. And she tells you what it's gonna cost.
The cat has glaucoma- that eye is probably basically destroyed due to the crazy pressure that is on it from the inside, and it's in danger of rupturing. If it ruptures, she is likely to die and VERY likely to need to be put down.
To remove the eye as it is, is $700. I mean seriously are you kidding me? 700 bucks to remove and eye and sew up the eyelid? Oedipus could do it for less I'm sure.
So today the husband is going to take her to the veterinary opthamologist to be 100% certain no stone has been unturned and that all of our options have been explored. She has been a part of my life for all of her 18 years and part of this family for the 13 that we have been one.
You might ask WHY? Well - because despite the fact that it'd be cheaper to just make the emotionally hard decision to put her down there is a lesson my son is learning through this. It's that life is valuable. Life matters. And that if you are the right kind of person, you do everything you can to preserve it and treat it as though it matters.
This isn't about to turn into some big RIGHT TO LIFE SPIEL - far from it. But....she's been part of our family, and your family matters. You don't throw family away when they become inconvenient. You don't discard your family when they aren't what you want them to be. You love them,and you cherish them - and even if they hang their butt outside the litter box instead of keeping it inside ........you treat them like family. It doesn't mean you like everything they do, or agree with their choices........
but it does mean that you love and respect them - and you give them those things in abundance.
************
post script -
The kitty does NOT Have glaucoma instead she has really high blood pressure. We'll be treating her high blood pressure and taking her back to the specialist next week. She anticipates the swelling in the eye will reduce, but LaVerne will remain blind in that eye. It's a loss- but may not have to come out anyway.
And we've shown our son that everyone in our family matters. No matter what.
Now What?
I took my kitty to the vet last month, prepared to have to let her go - to put her down as she was so terribly sick. The vet pulled a miracle out of her bag and she got better, so much better it's been amazing. But in the last few days.........something terrible has happened.
Her eye, her BEAUTIFUL green eye.....has swollen up into a white and bloody mess.
I love my new vet. She's sweet, she's honest, she's compassionate. And she tells you what it's gonna cost.
The cat has glaucoma- that eye is probably basically destroyed due to the crazy pressure that is on it from the inside, and it's in danger of rupturing. If it ruptures, she is likely to die and VERY likely to need to be put down.
To remove the eye as it is, is $700. I mean seriously are you kidding me? 700 bucks to remove and eye and sew up the eyelid? Oedipus could do it for less I'm sure.
So today the husband is going to take her to the veterinary opthamologist to be 100% certain no stone has been unturned and that all of our options have been explored. She has been a part of my life for all of her 18 years and part of this family for the 13 that we have been one.
You might ask WHY? Well - because despite the fact that it'd be cheaper to just make the emotionally hard decision to put her down there is a lesson my son is learning through this. It's that life is valuable. Life matters. And that if you are the right kind of person, you do everything you can to preserve it and treat it as though it matters.
This isn't about to turn into some big RIGHT TO LIFE SPIEL - far from it. But....she's been part of our family, and your family matters. You don't throw family away when they become inconvenient. You don't discard your family when they aren't what you want them to be. You love them,and you cherish them - and even if they hang their butt outside the litter box instead of keeping it inside ........you treat them like family. It doesn't mean you like everything they do, or agree with their choices........
but it does mean that you love and respect them - and you give them those things in abundance.
************
post script -
The kitty does NOT Have glaucoma instead she has really high blood pressure. We'll be treating her high blood pressure and taking her back to the specialist next week. She anticipates the swelling in the eye will reduce, but LaVerne will remain blind in that eye. It's a loss- but may not have to come out anyway.
And we've shown our son that everyone in our family matters. No matter what.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Glorification of Crushed Ice Coke
Your memory can twist and mutate things so that they are different than they were at the time. It can make things more or less important, depending on what your psyche requires or demands.
This is the case, for me, with crushed ice coke.
Whenever I am served a coke with crushed ice, it's a warm day suddenly. My father and his youngest sister and I are in his green Satellite and we're out for a drive, having stopped to pick up a "crushed ice coke" for my aunt. She has raved about her want/love for them on our drive.
I suspect that she was going a bit crazy without soda pop - as at her house they were the sort the bought it by the case and at our house, we were the sort who didn't buy it at all.
This is a really happy memory, this very small snapshot and consideration of the joys of a crushed ice coke. I couldn't actually tell you if I had anything to eat, or if any of us did. But I know there were cokes and they were cold, and the ice was good to eat and crunch when the coke was all gone.
The memory doesn't evoke the fact that my Aunt was living with us at the time.
Or that she was living with us because my mom was in the hospital.
Or that my mom was in the hospital because our baby had died, and she herself nearly had.
Or that the day before we had buried our baby in the cemetary,in a small white coffin.
Somehow, in my little persons brain, all of those sad things weren't part of crushed ice coke, which would cause me to most likely shun it forever more.
Instead of it being a sad day, it was just a day out for a drive, with my favorite Aunt - and on that day I learned the joy of a crushed ice coke. And to this day, I smile when I get one and remember how happy I was for a few minutes once - during such a hard time.
This is the case, for me, with crushed ice coke.
Whenever I am served a coke with crushed ice, it's a warm day suddenly. My father and his youngest sister and I are in his green Satellite and we're out for a drive, having stopped to pick up a "crushed ice coke" for my aunt. She has raved about her want/love for them on our drive.
I suspect that she was going a bit crazy without soda pop - as at her house they were the sort the bought it by the case and at our house, we were the sort who didn't buy it at all.
This is a really happy memory, this very small snapshot and consideration of the joys of a crushed ice coke. I couldn't actually tell you if I had anything to eat, or if any of us did. But I know there were cokes and they were cold, and the ice was good to eat and crunch when the coke was all gone.
The memory doesn't evoke the fact that my Aunt was living with us at the time.
Or that she was living with us because my mom was in the hospital.
Or that my mom was in the hospital because our baby had died, and she herself nearly had.
Or that the day before we had buried our baby in the cemetary,in a small white coffin.
Somehow, in my little persons brain, all of those sad things weren't part of crushed ice coke, which would cause me to most likely shun it forever more.
Instead of it being a sad day, it was just a day out for a drive, with my favorite Aunt - and on that day I learned the joy of a crushed ice coke. And to this day, I smile when I get one and remember how happy I was for a few minutes once - during such a hard time.
The Glorification of Crushed Ice Coke
Your memory can twist and mutate things so that they are different than they were at the time. It can make things more or less important, depending on what your psyche requires or demands.
This is the case, for me, with crushed ice coke.
Whenever I am served a coke with crushed ice, it's a warm day suddenly. My father and his youngest sister and I are in his green Satellite and we're out for a drive, having stopped to pick up a "crushed ice coke" for my aunt. She has raved about her want/love for them on our drive.
I suspect that she was going a bit crazy without soda pop - as at her house they were the sort the bought it by the case and at our house, we were the sort who didn't buy it at all.
This is a really happy memory, this very small snapshot and consideration of the joys of a crushed ice coke. I couldn't actually tell you if I had anything to eat, or if any of us did. But I know there were cokes and they were cold, and the ice was good to eat and crunch when the coke was all gone.
The memory doesn't evoke the fact that my Aunt was living with us at the time.
Or that she was living with us because my mom was in the hospital.
Or that my mom was in the hospital because our baby had died, and she herself nearly had.
Or that the day before we had buried our baby in the cemetary,in a small white coffin.
Somehow, in my little persons brain, all of those sad things weren't part of crushed ice coke, which would cause me to most likely shun it forever more.
Instead of it being a sad day, it was just a day out for a drive, with my favorite Aunt - and on that day I learned the joy of a crushed ice coke. And to this day, I smile when I get one and remember how happy I was for a few minutes once - during such a hard time.
This is the case, for me, with crushed ice coke.
Whenever I am served a coke with crushed ice, it's a warm day suddenly. My father and his youngest sister and I are in his green Satellite and we're out for a drive, having stopped to pick up a "crushed ice coke" for my aunt. She has raved about her want/love for them on our drive.
I suspect that she was going a bit crazy without soda pop - as at her house they were the sort the bought it by the case and at our house, we were the sort who didn't buy it at all.
This is a really happy memory, this very small snapshot and consideration of the joys of a crushed ice coke. I couldn't actually tell you if I had anything to eat, or if any of us did. But I know there were cokes and they were cold, and the ice was good to eat and crunch when the coke was all gone.
The memory doesn't evoke the fact that my Aunt was living with us at the time.
Or that she was living with us because my mom was in the hospital.
Or that my mom was in the hospital because our baby had died, and she herself nearly had.
Or that the day before we had buried our baby in the cemetary,in a small white coffin.
Somehow, in my little persons brain, all of those sad things weren't part of crushed ice coke, which would cause me to most likely shun it forever more.
Instead of it being a sad day, it was just a day out for a drive, with my favorite Aunt - and on that day I learned the joy of a crushed ice coke. And to this day, I smile when I get one and remember how happy I was for a few minutes once - during such a hard time.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Baby Countdown Gets Real
So I went for my 33 week check up with my regular OB - and when I got there, for some unknown reason, they thought they needed to re-do my 4D ultrasound.
Now don't get me wrong - the first two rounds weren't spectacular - especially for what they cost. But - you can't really DO much when you baby won't get her face out from behind the placenta for any length of time. So I was ok with what we got.
But what - you want to try again? OKAY!
At first it seemed like we were gonna be thwarted again, as Miss Julia is addicted to rubbing her head, and doesn't move that arm out of the way for anything much.
Now don't get me wrong - the first two rounds weren't spectacular - especially for what they cost. But - you can't really DO much when you baby won't get her face out from behind the placenta for any length of time. So I was ok with what we got.
But what - you want to try again? OKAY!
At first it seemed like we were gonna be thwarted again, as Miss Julia is addicted to rubbing her head, and doesn't move that arm out of the way for anything much.
But then she moved a bit......and those little fat cheeks and face started to show up.
And then she opened her eyes..........and I fell in love all over again. There is this great line from one of our favorite shows we used to watch, COUPLING from the BBC. When Steve and Susan have their baby.....Steve says in narration......
"And then he opened his eyes......and I became a whole other person."
That's about right.
The Baby Countdown Gets Real
So I went for my 33 week check up with my regular OB - and when I got there, for some unknown reason, they thought they needed to re-do my 4D ultrasound.
Now don't get me wrong - the first two rounds weren't spectacular - especially for what they cost. But - you can't really DO much when you baby won't get her face out from behind the placenta for any length of time. So I was ok with what we got.
But what - you want to try again? OKAY!
At first it seemed like we were gonna be thwarted again, as Miss Julia is addicted to rubbing her head, and doesn't move that arm out of the way for anything much.
Now don't get me wrong - the first two rounds weren't spectacular - especially for what they cost. But - you can't really DO much when you baby won't get her face out from behind the placenta for any length of time. So I was ok with what we got.
But what - you want to try again? OKAY!
At first it seemed like we were gonna be thwarted again, as Miss Julia is addicted to rubbing her head, and doesn't move that arm out of the way for anything much.But then she moved a bit......and those little fat cheeks and face started to show up.
And then she opened her eyes..........and I fell in love all over again. There is this great line from one of our favorite shows we used to watch, COUPLING from the BBC. When Steve and Susan have their baby.....Steve says in narration......
"And then he opened his eyes......and I became a whole other person."
That's about right.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Ode To the Perfect Brownie Pan
So the oldest boy got me the perfect brownie pan for Valentine's Day.
Thus, I set him to work.
This gift is very likely cosmic payback for the time when I was four and got my own mother a DONUT MAKER for Christmas. Yeah you heard me. I'm THAT jerk kid.
However, I had the sense to make the kid do the work.
And I am pleased to announce....
That what started out as regular brownie goop.......
If this were a review blog (AND IT'S NOT) I'd continue to rave some more. Instead I'm going to taunt you with these delicious and decadent PEFECT BROWNIES. And, then in a minute - I'm gonna go eat some. It seemed like a silly whim of a seven year old - but man - this thing rules.
I'm gonna make some more stuff in it. I love it.
Thus, I set him to work.
This gift is very likely cosmic payback for the time when I was four and got my own mother a DONUT MAKER for Christmas. Yeah you heard me. I'm THAT jerk kid.
However, I had the sense to make the kid do the work.
And I am pleased to announce....
That what started out as regular brownie goop.......
Did indeed to turn into perfect brownies. I'm kind of shocked/pleased. I'm serious - gifts from the AS SEEN ON TV STORE are not supposed to work, yet the perfect brownie pan actually gives you fantastic even baked brownies that are freakishly moist and delish.
If this were a review blog (AND IT'S NOT) I'd continue to rave some more. Instead I'm going to taunt you with these delicious and decadent PEFECT BROWNIES. And, then in a minute - I'm gonna go eat some. It seemed like a silly whim of a seven year old - but man - this thing rules.
I'm gonna make some more stuff in it. I love it.
Ode To the Perfect Brownie Pan
So the oldest boy got me the perfect brownie pan for Valentine's Day.
Thus, I set him to work.
This gift is very likely cosmic payback for the time when I was four and got my own mother a DONUT MAKER for Christmas. Yeah you heard me. I'm THAT jerk kid.
However, I had the sense to make the kid do the work.
And I am pleased to announce....
That what started out as regular brownie goop.......
If this were a review blog (AND IT'S NOT) I'd continue to rave some more. Instead I'm going to taunt you with these delicious and decadent PEFECT BROWNIES. And, then in a minute - I'm gonna go eat some. It seemed like a silly whim of a seven year old - but man - this thing rules.
I'm gonna make some more stuff in it. I love it.
Thus, I set him to work.
This gift is very likely cosmic payback for the time when I was four and got my own mother a DONUT MAKER for Christmas. Yeah you heard me. I'm THAT jerk kid.
However, I had the sense to make the kid do the work.
And I am pleased to announce....
That what started out as regular brownie goop.......
Did indeed to turn into perfect brownies. I'm kind of shocked/pleased. I'm serious - gifts from the AS SEEN ON TV STORE are not supposed to work, yet the perfect brownie pan actually gives you fantastic even baked brownies that are freakishly moist and delish.
If this were a review blog (AND IT'S NOT) I'd continue to rave some more. Instead I'm going to taunt you with these delicious and decadent PEFECT BROWNIES. And, then in a minute - I'm gonna go eat some. It seemed like a silly whim of a seven year old - but man - this thing rules.
I'm gonna make some more stuff in it. I love it.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Mummies and Mommies
We took the kids downtown to Emory to the Carlos museum and were blown away by the exhibits there. Who knew they had MUMMIES? And tons of Roman stuff? And ASSYRIAN STUFF? Ok seriously, I had FORGOTTEN the Assyrians.
What is so awesome is that we're such museum goers that the big boy was entranced,if not a big scared of the mummies. He was absolutely fascinated.
However, he wouldn't get close enough to one for me to take a proper pic.
If you look-he's leaning AWAY from the case. Like it's going to GET him. I couldn't get him into the light!I'm so fascinated by Egyptian stuff. I'd love to go to Egypt and do all the touristy goofy stuff. Every single tomb tour. It was sort of exhilarating to explain what everything was to the boy. The canopic jars (explaining how they pulled the brain out through the nose - made him go EWWWWW!)
Fancy sarcophagus eh? My last pic I'm going to share came along just as the husband was explaining how Egyptians sacrificed and entombed anything with you that you might need in the after life. For example - PETS! How about a couple of Falcons and a Kitten? I'm not really sure about the crocodile baby. I mean, those aren't pets in any culture........perhaps that was just for good measure? A present for Osiris? I'm unsure.
Museums are awesome. This might be one of our last trips for a while though, because my big belly and I did not like all the walking around. Come on April 27!
These were actually FAKE canopic jars, I'm not sure who they were faking out in their own tomb. But - PSYCHE! No guts in here!
I'm so fascinated because, the ART that goes into memorializing the dead is so amazing really. We don't put this much art into being ALIVE much less celebrating and remembering our dead. It's awe inspiring. It's also sort of odd, it's not that they loved you so much they wanted you to have this - it's simply what was done. Fascinating that art of this level was just "the right thing to do" I think.
Fancy sarcophagus eh? My last pic I'm going to share came along just as the husband was explaining how Egyptians sacrificed and entombed anything with you that you might need in the after life. For example - PETS! How about a couple of Falcons and a Kitten? I'm not really sure about the crocodile baby. I mean, those aren't pets in any culture........perhaps that was just for good measure? A present for Osiris? I'm unsure.
Museums are awesome. This might be one of our last trips for a while though, because my big belly and I did not like all the walking around. Come on April 27!Mummies and Mommies
We took the kids downtown to Emory to the Carlos museum and were blown away by the exhibits there. Who knew they had MUMMIES? And tons of Roman stuff? And ASSYRIAN STUFF? Ok seriously, I had FORGOTTEN the Assyrians.
What is so awesome is that we're such museum goers that the big boy was entranced,if not a big scared of the mummies. He was absolutely fascinated.
However, he wouldn't get close enough to one for me to take a proper pic.
If you look-he's leaning AWAY from the case. Like it's going to GET him. I couldn't get him into the light!I'm so fascinated by Egyptian stuff. I'd love to go to Egypt and do all the touristy goofy stuff. Every single tomb tour. It was sort of exhilarating to explain what everything was to the boy. The canopic jars (explaining how they pulled the brain out through the nose - made him go EWWWWW!)
Fancy sarcophagus eh? My last pic I'm going to share came along just as the husband was explaining how Egyptians sacrificed and entombed anything with you that you might need in the after life. For example - PETS! How about a couple of Falcons and a Kitten? I'm not really sure about the crocodile baby. I mean, those aren't pets in any culture........perhaps that was just for good measure? A present for Osiris? I'm unsure.
Museums are awesome. This might be one of our last trips for a while though, because my big belly and I did not like all the walking around. Come on April 27!
These were actually FAKE canopic jars, I'm not sure who they were faking out in their own tomb. But - PSYCHE! No guts in here!
I'm so fascinated because, the ART that goes into memorializing the dead is so amazing really. We don't put this much art into being ALIVE much less celebrating and remembering our dead. It's awe inspiring. It's also sort of odd, it's not that they loved you so much they wanted you to have this - it's simply what was done. Fascinating that art of this level was just "the right thing to do" I think.
Fancy sarcophagus eh? My last pic I'm going to share came along just as the husband was explaining how Egyptians sacrificed and entombed anything with you that you might need in the after life. For example - PETS! How about a couple of Falcons and a Kitten? I'm not really sure about the crocodile baby. I mean, those aren't pets in any culture........perhaps that was just for good measure? A present for Osiris? I'm unsure. Museums are awesome. This might be one of our last trips for a while though, because my big belly and I did not like all the walking around. Come on April 27!
