Updates: gallstones, camping, etc.

I am coming to you live from my office at work. I am in our consultation room with my swollen ankles elevated on two chairs as I look outside at green grass and two little chipmunks. I know it has been a long time since I have updated this site. I have not been very diligent in keeping it up. Time seems to be flying by rather fast these days and before I know it the baby will be here.

We've had a great summer so far. My neighbor Amber went flower shopping with me and helped me plant them. I bought a bunch of perennials so the front yard was easier to manage. They are all blossoming rather nicely now. I just need to get some added mulch in there and fill in where some of the pansies just died most likely from over watering. We had so much rain there for a month that the flowers got saturated. I decided I really like the look of snapdragons. They are beautiful.

Our camera sort of died back in February so I haven't been able to take many photos but when we do get a new one or get one borrowed I will post the flowers and other photos.

My mother-in-law gave us a wee little tomato plant which I was grateful for as we don't have the raised beds made for the backyard to do some real gardening this year. I am so excited because we have a tomato growing and the plant itself is just blossoming very quickly. Yummy! I do so love tomato's.

A dear friend of mine called me up the week of the 4th of July and asked me what I would do if I had a big tent and a queen-sized mattress 2 feet off of the ground. Would this entice me to go camping? TOTALLY! I was sad as we couldn't do any REAL hiking this spring/summer and go camping. I wasn't really sure how big I would be at this time. Well, Jason and I went camping with Lynnette/Charlie and Jodie/Aaron and their kids at the Ashley National Forest campground. We had gone last year with them but over the Labor Day weekend. We had a blast. I slept so good. Jason got to go fishing and I don't think he has done that for at least 4 years. It was just so nice to get away. Thanks Lynnette for a super few days. We totally needed it. We made hats and had a parade around the campfire on the 4th of July. On our way home that night we were able to see several shows of fireworks along the freeway. I enjoyed that a lot.

Three weeks ago I had some major abdominal pain and I had Jason take me to the insta-care. The doctor there said she thought it was gallbladder related and wanted to send me to the ER to get checked and make sure the baby was okay. She knew my doctor was at the U of U but she didn't want to risk anything by having us drive 20 minutes. And because I was concerned for the baby and my pain we went to the Davis hospital. Well we should've really just drove to the U. We waited forever just to get into the ER. Jason was great massaging the part of my back that was on fire. As soon as we got in the nurse came to give me an IV and then she took some blood to run tests if there was an infection. She also came back to give me some pain meds. Morphine and fen (?) something. Because I had never had morphine before she gave me half the dosage. I could still feel the pain pretty good about 20 minutes later and then I felt it coming on. I had Jason rush to the cupboards in the room for a bucket or something because I was going to throw up. And multiple times did I. :o( Then the nurse came back in and gave me the rest of the dosage so perhaps this could go down. They wheeled me to get an ultrasound and on the way there, just as we got in the door I had to beeline for the bathroom. Boy I hate to throw up but it sure made me feel better.

I was sort of out of it by now. I guess the drugs were kicking in to make me feel groggy but the pain was still there. The technician said that indeed I did have gallstones and a lot of little ones with some bile built up in there. I don't know how things went that next hour but the next thing I knew I was going for a ride on my gurney to a room in the labor/delivery unit. I was being admitted for an overnight stay. They hooked me up to a monitor so they could see the babies activity and then I was pretty much asleep. Jason was so good to stay by my side on the hard couch. :o) I was visited in the morning by a nutritionist who suggested a very low-fat diet for the next 2 months and then the doctor said I may have to have surgery to take my gallbladder out but that I would need to talk to my doctor about that.

Boy, we just never know what is going to happen to our bodies once we get pregnant.

It is now three weeks later and I have lost 15lbs being on this lovely diet. My doctor was concerned yesterday so next week I get to have another ultrasound to make sure the baby is gaining the weight that she needs to. I am kind of happy about this as I want another chance to see what she looks like. I will be 35 weeks. I am pretty sure she is gaining the right amount of weight as her kicks or hits are starting to hurt. Plus the baby is breech although the doctor thinks she may have turned but this will tell us for sure as well.

I feel starved. Truly. But it is so worth it. Anything to get my baby into this world full-term and healthy. The gallbladder attacks only hurt me and I can deal with that. I miss my chocolate cravings but I guess in the long run that is better for the baby.

I also survived camp mid-June. It was a blast but the cankles came to see me everyday and all day long. I drank so much water. I just wish I would've been comfortable sleeping but I was glad I was able to be there all week and not have to go home. Camp Hobe' rocks.

Ok. I may have just rambled on way too much. I'll post again tomorrow I think. I have some baby shower's coming up, my mom is in town for our reunion, etc.

Until then...