These last couple weeks have brought a bump in the road. Not terrible, and at this time so far so good, but a need for me to slow things down. The short story is it turns out I still have a "low lying placenta." We knew at our very first viability scan at seven weeks that the placenta was low, but at that point apparently a lot of them are, and as the baby/uterus grows, the placenta placement moves on up with it. I did have spotting early because of this and at least the physicians weren't surprised. My personal feelings at that time were another matter, but it resolved. Until last week when it started up again and was a new issue. Second trimester bleeding is abnormal - everything says so - to call right away. We went in and quickly the nurse found the bean's little heart beat and all was fine. Then we had even more bleeding, got sent to the ER, where again tests all looked good. This time we had another full US, which showed the placenta to still be "low lying." This pattern of events has bought me some activity restrictions at least until we are 20 weeks along. But again the bean looks good which is the ultimate goal.
So now what? It is nerve racking because every day now I have at least some anxiety over this. We had a great discussion with our OB last week about the whole thing. Basically we won't know for some time yet if the placenta will continue to move up or if it has just implanted low and will stay there. Hence the 20 week mark - which is when we have a detailed scan to look more closely at a number of things including the placenta. We will never know if this implantation is somehow related to my Asherman's and the never quite normal lining, or just dumb luck. It is estimated that 1 in 200 pregnancies have placenta previa - but they won't classify if I have this or to what degree formally until that magic 20 week appointment. In trying to ease my anxiety she said to consider it a good day when there is no spotting, but not to be surprised if there is some. And somehow that actually is helpful. As long as the bean stays well, we'll deal with it.
The hardest part to "no heavy lifting" means I'm not supposed to pick up Lydia. Her favorite game lately has been running to me to pick her up and rescue her from the dinosaur (her daddy) while he chases us around the kitchen. Then there is bedtime, which used to be a snuggle fest while I'd carry her upstairs. Now we've modified things to hold hands and run from the dinosaur or show me how big she is that she can reach the hand railing and walk up to bed herself. Some days I do hope she won't think she's "too big" for me to carry by the time I am able to again! Exercise is its own adjustment - I can walk and do "minor low impact things" but no weights/running which has been my mainstay. I never would have guessed how much sanity those runs gave me until being told I can't do them. Maybe it will help my post-partum workout motivation then?Thankfully my job isn't really anything that qualifies as heavy duty, at least not physically, so no changes there. It is mostly the things you don't think about, a lot of things weigh more than 10 lbs when you aren't supposed to be carrying it. I think I even have to empty out some of my purse!
On the up side the focus of slowing down does make me realize how frantic my days sometimes are, and really don't need to be that way. A month ago I would try to fit something in to every minute of the day, thinking I had to use each moment to be productive. Now if I find I have a 45 minute window, I'll take a nap or relax a bit rather than attempt 3 loads of laundry and vacuum the entire house. And wouldn't you know it - the world is still turning and we are still happy. So here's to hoping I can take remember this lesson when it isn't imposed upon me!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Another day in the life...
It is too quiet today. The lovely chaos that is my home is too quiet with no one there. I have to work, so the hubby took the monster (Lydia) and the dog with him for some quality grandparent time and will cap it off with Lydia's favorite event these days - a birthday party. She loves to sing Happy Birthday, loves to pretend to give presents, and of course loves to pretend to eat cake. Lets face it, she just loves cake. So the fact that she gets to do it all for real this weekend it so exciting & the anticipation has been building all week! But it means my house is too quiet. I probably should be productive after work since we have the usual never ending list of "to-do's" but instead I think early to bed is more in my future. I guess that counts as being productive since taking a nap is always on my list as well and that never happens!
Lydia has been in a music class for the last three months which is finishing in the next few weeks. Unfortunately I can't re-enroll her yet because of our work schedules and she is going to miss it so much. That little one has her daddy's dance moves too ~ for those of you who have witnessed that umm, situation, you can only imagine! Her enthusiasm is contagious too, also just like her daddy. Is is through the Music Together program, so we have some home materials and a CD, which I anticipate will be highly requested during the dance parties we routinely have in the living room. All are welcome to join, they happen almost daily. Although be warned at least half the time a dinosaur or ghost shows up and we have to run and hide, or run and chase, or just run in circles. Never a dull time. If you aren't careful though Lydia just might put you in time out.
So far things are well with us. Testing is all looking good, appointments are on track. I am in that great stage which explains why they create those T-shirts that say "I'm not fat, I'm pregnant" ~ makes me consider wearing one. We've been mentioning a little more to Lydia, just to see what she does/thinks/understands. Still not sure how much comprehension is there, but she brings the subject up on her own enough. Last week I was buckling her into her car seat and she says "Mommy where is baby sister?" So I answered that the baby would grow in mommy's belly until he/she was big enough to be with us at home. One of her favorite books right now is "God Gave Us You" (search Amazon ~ it is a super sweet book) in which a mama bear tells the story of little cub growing inside her until being born. We read it almost every night, and mama bear's belly gets "bigger and bigger and bigger" as little cub grows until she wants out. Again, not sure how much she really gets, but the other day she did tell me "Mama you have a baby brother in your belly" and proceeds to lift up my shirt to look for him/her and poke at my not fat but pregnant belly!
News of our baby bean is spreading. It is funny the comments we get especially from people who don't/wouldn't have known our whole story. I try not to make much of it, because how would they have known? But I do take that chance to put a little education out there especially since anyone around us may be quietly bearing their own burdens. The most innocent statements can be received very differently depending on your situation. I've gotten lots of things, but my personal favorite so far is the apparent conclusion that we've chosen perfect timing. The conversation is usually something like this:
Lydia has been in a music class for the last three months which is finishing in the next few weeks. Unfortunately I can't re-enroll her yet because of our work schedules and she is going to miss it so much. That little one has her daddy's dance moves too ~ for those of you who have witnessed that umm, situation, you can only imagine! Her enthusiasm is contagious too, also just like her daddy. Is is through the Music Together program, so we have some home materials and a CD, which I anticipate will be highly requested during the dance parties we routinely have in the living room. All are welcome to join, they happen almost daily. Although be warned at least half the time a dinosaur or ghost shows up and we have to run and hide, or run and chase, or just run in circles. Never a dull time. If you aren't careful though Lydia just might put you in time out.
So far things are well with us. Testing is all looking good, appointments are on track. I am in that great stage which explains why they create those T-shirts that say "I'm not fat, I'm pregnant" ~ makes me consider wearing one. We've been mentioning a little more to Lydia, just to see what she does/thinks/understands. Still not sure how much comprehension is there, but she brings the subject up on her own enough. Last week I was buckling her into her car seat and she says "Mommy where is baby sister?" So I answered that the baby would grow in mommy's belly until he/she was big enough to be with us at home. One of her favorite books right now is "God Gave Us You" (search Amazon ~ it is a super sweet book) in which a mama bear tells the story of little cub growing inside her until being born. We read it almost every night, and mama bear's belly gets "bigger and bigger and bigger" as little cub grows until she wants out. Again, not sure how much she really gets, but the other day she did tell me "Mama you have a baby brother in your belly" and proceeds to lift up my shirt to look for him/her and poke at my not fat but pregnant belly!
News of our baby bean is spreading. It is funny the comments we get especially from people who don't/wouldn't have known our whole story. I try not to make much of it, because how would they have known? But I do take that chance to put a little education out there especially since anyone around us may be quietly bearing their own burdens. The most innocent statements can be received very differently depending on your situation. I've gotten lots of things, but my personal favorite so far is the apparent conclusion that we've chosen perfect timing. The conversation is usually something like this:
"hey, heard you were pregnant, congrats"
"thanks, we are really beyond excited"
"and your daughter is what, 2 now?"
"yep, 2 going on 13"
"oh, that is just perfect timing for #2 - she'll be a great big sister"
"well, ah, ok - she sure will"
sometimes I'll add "actually it got complicated/ timing wasn't in our control/plan/etc" if I think they are receptive to some more information and go from there.
It does make me glad to have started this blog for yet another reason. It has helped us sort through so many things when there is no blueprint for guidance. It has provided a distraction, a reason to research, a way to share without coming emotionally undone repeatedly and a way to educate. It can be a reference and now a source of hope for fellow women with AS. I knew nothing of Asherman's before it happened to us, and it continues to be under recognized and under appreciated by not only the general population, but by medical professionals in general even in the OB/GYN specialty. So if this blog continues to help spread some knowledge and awareness in even the most diluted way, I consider that a small accomplishment.
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