This is the continuation for the last "snapshot" back in July. I filled in the blank you could say. :)
Showing posts with label snapshot sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snapshot sunday. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Snapshot Sunday
For today snapshot, I was planning on using the incredible 3D image we received of our little son Matthew on Friday. We had to have two infusion in less than 48 hours this week due to complications during the infusion process on Wednesday...which I'm still bruised from. :( But for our efforts (and for getting up at 4:30am to beat Atlanta rush hour) we were given permission to get a 3D sneak peak at our little stinker. He looks NOTHING like his older brother, but is still just as gorgeous. Maybe I'll post it after he is born as a comparrison between in utero and out!
But yesterday we had an exciting day. I was having contractions through out the day like I usually do after repeated procedures like those...no biggee. But then I started to feel crampy and nauseous. I went to the bathroom and there was blood. Not bright red and in copious amounts thank the Lord...I would have been hysterical! But I had passed my muscus plug. (I know...TMI!!!) When I did that with William, my water broke just a minute after and an hour after contractions were coming every 3 minutes. So, needless to say, I kind of over-reacted and FREAKED! We called both our high risk doctors and our normal OB. They both told us to come in for monitoring just to check if I was dialating. So, I get on the phone and call the family brigade out to watch William. Ian's dad, who is just five minutes down the road, and my mother. Ian's dad to stay with William if I'm admitted, my mother to be with me incase they say "it's time". I have already requested to have both hubby and my momma in the OR room.
When get there and get all hooked up. Little Matthew is doing wonderful. I'm having definite contractions, but they aren't in any pattern and after a quick check (ouch!) they see I have not dialated any...but have begun to efface.
They send me home with explicit instructions of do NOTHING, but drink lots, rest lots and urinate lots! If I have more than 5 contractions (with or without a pattern) in an hour come in immediately. So we are home, crossing fingers (and legs) that we haven't done too much too soon with those procedures back to back. I go see my OB on Monday to be checked again (looking forward to that...sarcasm dripping off the keyboard!) and then in for an ultrasound, tap and infusion on Tuesday with my perinatologists. If they think it is too risky, I'll just be admitted and monitored for no fluid and cord compression.
So with all of this going on, I just wanted to bring out some awareness of preterm labor and premature babies. Things have come such a long way and it's not the death sentence it used to be, but these little babies need more love and support than full term babies. Please say a prayer for all the families and babies going through this roller coaster ride. Thanks!
But yesterday we had an exciting day. I was having contractions through out the day like I usually do after repeated procedures like those...no biggee. But then I started to feel crampy and nauseous. I went to the bathroom and there was blood. Not bright red and in copious amounts thank the Lord...I would have been hysterical! But I had passed my muscus plug. (I know...TMI!!!) When I did that with William, my water broke just a minute after and an hour after contractions were coming every 3 minutes. So, needless to say, I kind of over-reacted and FREAKED! We called both our high risk doctors and our normal OB. They both told us to come in for monitoring just to check if I was dialating. So, I get on the phone and call the family brigade out to watch William. Ian's dad, who is just five minutes down the road, and my mother. Ian's dad to stay with William if I'm admitted, my mother to be with me incase they say "it's time". I have already requested to have both hubby and my momma in the OR room.
When get there and get all hooked up. Little Matthew is doing wonderful. I'm having definite contractions, but they aren't in any pattern and after a quick check (ouch!) they see I have not dialated any...but have begun to efface.
They send me home with explicit instructions of do NOTHING, but drink lots, rest lots and urinate lots! If I have more than 5 contractions (with or without a pattern) in an hour come in immediately. So we are home, crossing fingers (and legs) that we haven't done too much too soon with those procedures back to back. I go see my OB on Monday to be checked again (looking forward to that...sarcasm dripping off the keyboard!) and then in for an ultrasound, tap and infusion on Tuesday with my perinatologists. If they think it is too risky, I'll just be admitted and monitored for no fluid and cord compression.
So with all of this going on, I just wanted to bring out some awareness of preterm labor and premature babies. Things have come such a long way and it's not the death sentence it used to be, but these little babies need more love and support than full term babies. Please say a prayer for all the families and babies going through this roller coaster ride. Thanks!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Snapshot Sunday-ish
I know it's Monday, but it's still "technically" a weekend. This is my first day of being able to head downstairs to the desktop where all of our pictures are loaded. So, that's my reason for my somewhat tardiness.
These two pictures sum up what every unrecognized military member must go through at some point. The elite members of the silent ranks...the spouses. You see all of those window decals on the back window of cars and SUVS everywhere: Hardest Job in the "fill in the blank". So in honor of all those that sit on the sidelines while the game is in full swing, thank you for the strength, support and stability you lend your military spouse. And incase anyone is wondering what it takes to be a military wife...here's a recipe for ya.
Recipe: for a Military Wife
1 ½ cups of Patience
2 tablespoons of Elbow Grease
1 Pound of Courage
3 cups Adaptability
1 ¼ cups of Tolerance
Dash of Adventure.
Marinate frequently with salty tears. Trim down excess fat and sprinkle ever so lightly with money. Knead dough until payday. Season with international spices. Baste with a lot of good memories and friendship. Bake for twenty years or longer until done.
Serve with pride!
Ian pulling out on July 6th 2004. Heading for a long stay at the yards. I was a mess! We'd only been reunited for a month before he had to go out again. It was a hard time during our first year of marriage.
Our reunion kiss on November 2nd 2004! My friend Laura (Ian's MK Chief's wife) took the picture was he ran off the boat giving short salutes to both the flag and the quarter deck. We ran into each other's arms. I still remember crying, but for a different reason. He has three days of stand down and was home for three weeks before off on patrol in the Caribbean.
These two pictures sum up what every unrecognized military member must go through at some point. The elite members of the silent ranks...the spouses. You see all of those window decals on the back window of cars and SUVS everywhere: Hardest Job in the "fill in the blank". So in honor of all those that sit on the sidelines while the game is in full swing, thank you for the strength, support and stability you lend your military spouse. And incase anyone is wondering what it takes to be a military wife...here's a recipe for ya.
Recipe: for a Military Wife
1 ½ cups of Patience
2 tablespoons of Elbow Grease
1 Pound of Courage
3 cups Adaptability
1 ¼ cups of Tolerance
Dash of Adventure.
Marinate frequently with salty tears. Trim down excess fat and sprinkle ever so lightly with money. Knead dough until payday. Season with international spices. Baste with a lot of good memories and friendship. Bake for twenty years or longer until done.
Serve with pride!
Ian pulling out on July 6th 2004. Heading for a long stay at the yards. I was a mess! We'd only been reunited for a month before he had to go out again. It was a hard time during our first year of marriage.
Our reunion kiss on November 2nd 2004! My friend Laura (Ian's MK Chief's wife) took the picture was he ran off the boat giving short salutes to both the flag and the quarter deck. We ran into each other's arms. I still remember crying, but for a different reason. He has three days of stand down and was home for three weeks before off on patrol in the Caribbean.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Snapshot Sunday
Didn't think I'd go a weekend without a snapshot did ya? ;) Well, first I have to give a shout out...I'm HOME!!! I got home yesterday afternoon and spent a glorious and refreshing night sleeping in MY bed for the first time since Monday night! Felt SO good...would have felt better if I wasn't hurting, but we can't have everything in life and I'm just grateful to be with my husband and son again!
But alas, I digress (as I usually do)...on with the snapshot. Now, I'm kind of cheating on this one since all of my photos on the computer in the office downstairs along with the scanner, so I got this from photobucket. And it is just a picture of bubbles. Yep, free floating water bubbles...not even the pretty, multi-colored, childish, soapy bubbles. The plain jane, clear as water, water bubbles like you would see coming out of an aquarium filter. But these bubbles were SO precious to me on Friday when I saw bubbles entering my womb to give Matthew a freedom of movement and a better chance of lung development. (Which he is fully taking advantage of both with sommersaults and hiccups!)
Some people ask me what it feels like to be infused...well to be honest...it feels mighty uncomfortable! When you go from something the size of a softball to a watermelon in 30 minutes, the stretching and pulling hurts. The pressure and fullness I guess feels like you just ate three Thanksgiving meals in ten minutes time only to be told...there are no more Tums or Gas-X left in the house! NO! And let's just say that unbuttoning your top button on your pants just doesn't cut it! The gush of fluid into a dry environment can be likened to an uncomfortable tickle. Like ants creepy up your leg or that feeling you get down your back if someone scratches their nails on a chalkboard (if that even effects you...it honestly doesn't do a thing to me). But after a few seconds it goes away and you just start feel the fullness until it seems you can't expand anymore like a water balloon that is being tested to it's limits. The most uncomfortable part is of course the needle and tube insertion. The needle stick, I used to liken to an ant bite...no biggee what so ever, but now my stomach is so sore and bruised, these small needle sticks are feeling more like an attack from an angry wasp. The tube insertion is more pressure than pain I guess, I can feel the pop everytime it goes in further to get to another layer of muscle, but since the opening is already made with the needle...it just feels like you are kidding yourself that you can really fit your head through that turtleneck and keep pulling. It's uncomfortable but not painful like I said. This infusion took the longest of any of the others, mainly because I was dry, but also because the doc had to go "searching" for a good area. Now the "searching" HURTS! It feels like a burning, ripping sensation...which it kind of is since he is separating the amniotic sac from my uterus. Usually this doesn't last long, but it went on for nearly 8 minutes this time around. My body was drenched in sweat by the time it was over! But the minute he found a possible place, a big smile just sweeps over you and you feel NO pain! With the needle and tubing in for 30 minutes or longer, that starts getting more sore around the "poke" site. It's been two days, and it's still sore to touch today, but I know every day will be better. And I'm sure when I go back on Tuesday for a fluid tap and more needles I will have had to morning to rest in relative comfort.
But like I said, the bubbles are the BEST! And Matthew really liked them as well. He had his own little jacuzzi jets at this feet. The minute that fluid started pouring in (all 750cc's)he started kicking furiously! It was just like someone turned on the radio and he just could resist getting up and dancing. We were all laughing (though I was trying not to since I still had a huge needle going through my stomach). Several times he kicked too recklessly that he would stab his own little feet on the infusion needle! We'll have to make sure little Matthew has one of those crib aquarium toys. I think he'll like the bubbles. :)
But alas, I digress (as I usually do)...on with the snapshot. Now, I'm kind of cheating on this one since all of my photos on the computer in the office downstairs along with the scanner, so I got this from photobucket. And it is just a picture of bubbles. Yep, free floating water bubbles...not even the pretty, multi-colored, childish, soapy bubbles. The plain jane, clear as water, water bubbles like you would see coming out of an aquarium filter. But these bubbles were SO precious to me on Friday when I saw bubbles entering my womb to give Matthew a freedom of movement and a better chance of lung development. (Which he is fully taking advantage of both with sommersaults and hiccups!)
Some people ask me what it feels like to be infused...well to be honest...it feels mighty uncomfortable! When you go from something the size of a softball to a watermelon in 30 minutes, the stretching and pulling hurts. The pressure and fullness I guess feels like you just ate three Thanksgiving meals in ten minutes time only to be told...there are no more Tums or Gas-X left in the house! NO! And let's just say that unbuttoning your top button on your pants just doesn't cut it! The gush of fluid into a dry environment can be likened to an uncomfortable tickle. Like ants creepy up your leg or that feeling you get down your back if someone scratches their nails on a chalkboard (if that even effects you...it honestly doesn't do a thing to me). But after a few seconds it goes away and you just start feel the fullness until it seems you can't expand anymore like a water balloon that is being tested to it's limits. The most uncomfortable part is of course the needle and tube insertion. The needle stick, I used to liken to an ant bite...no biggee what so ever, but now my stomach is so sore and bruised, these small needle sticks are feeling more like an attack from an angry wasp. The tube insertion is more pressure than pain I guess, I can feel the pop everytime it goes in further to get to another layer of muscle, but since the opening is already made with the needle...it just feels like you are kidding yourself that you can really fit your head through that turtleneck and keep pulling. It's uncomfortable but not painful like I said. This infusion took the longest of any of the others, mainly because I was dry, but also because the doc had to go "searching" for a good area. Now the "searching" HURTS! It feels like a burning, ripping sensation...which it kind of is since he is separating the amniotic sac from my uterus. Usually this doesn't last long, but it went on for nearly 8 minutes this time around. My body was drenched in sweat by the time it was over! But the minute he found a possible place, a big smile just sweeps over you and you feel NO pain! With the needle and tubing in for 30 minutes or longer, that starts getting more sore around the "poke" site. It's been two days, and it's still sore to touch today, but I know every day will be better. And I'm sure when I go back on Tuesday for a fluid tap and more needles I will have had to morning to rest in relative comfort.
But like I said, the bubbles are the BEST! And Matthew really liked them as well. He had his own little jacuzzi jets at this feet. The minute that fluid started pouring in (all 750cc's)he started kicking furiously! It was just like someone turned on the radio and he just could resist getting up and dancing. We were all laughing (though I was trying not to since I still had a huge needle going through my stomach). Several times he kicked too recklessly that he would stab his own little feet on the infusion needle! We'll have to make sure little Matthew has one of those crib aquarium toys. I think he'll like the bubbles. :)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Snap shot Sunday
My precious little William. This was a few weeks before he turned one last February. This is one of the few shots you will see of him on here...I just have a thing about putting my kid's pictures out for public viewing. Too many horror stories out there! But there he is...an absolute angel...until he wakes up! Then he's a holy terror. Ha!
William surprised me with breakfast, a card and my presents in bed this morning. I got two wall sconces, two votive holders, 4 candles (one for each of course) and little framed painting. This will all go in my bathroom where the garden tub is at...to create my "relaxation oasis". I'm gonna need it with two little boys! And William was so precious this morning...running in at top speed shouting "happy mudder's day mommy". Just melts your heart. Sigh. I love being a mommy!
Happy "mudder's" day to all of ya'll too! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)