I'm Not a Pin Cushion

Getting dehydrated is a very bad thing.

Getting dehydrated while pregnant can be detrimental.

Apparently when you can't even keep fluids down you have a tendency to become dehydrated. I had my first appointment at the Womens Center yesterday thinking I'd be there an hour, hour and a half max. Everything was going smoothly - I found out I'm 10 weeks pregnant, due at the end of August, everything looked good, we could almost hear the heartbeat - until they checked my urine sample.

It turns out I am severely dehydrated and that is not good for me or the baby. They set up a room for me to lie down and receive intravenous fluids for a few hours to get me hydrated again. The problem with this is that when you get dehydrated your veins shrink and it's really hard to get the IV in - but you have to get the IV in in order to become hydrated. See the problem? I have very small, hard-to-find veins as it is so this created quite a problem.

Two nurses tried with no success to insert the IV into my arm. It took them nearly an hour just to try to find a vein and then no success. They decided to send me to the hospital where they deal with people with hard-to-find veins all the time. Like chemo patients. So I go to the hospital and they spend an hour or so warming me up (cold veins shrink too) but I was always still freezing. Three nurses there each took a couple turns with the needle and my arms and the last one finally got the IV in. Hallelujia! It was quite the ordeal and not one I care to repeat. I asked one of the nurses (who are all very good at this under normal circumstances) if they had ever seen veins as bad as mine and she said not for a long, long time.

I'm just glad they finally got it in. Along with the IV they also put in anti-nausea medication that made me feel much better. I also got a prescription for more anti-nausea medication that is making me feel much less nauseated but way more tired. As nice as the nurses were I really hope I never have to see them again. I left my house around 9:00 yesterday morning, assuming I'd be back home by 10:30 or 11:00 but it was after 4:00pm when I finally made it.

Tomorrow I'm supposed to get blood drawn but I don't think I have an undamaged vein left. I look like a pin cushion.

What Goes Down Must Come Up

Yes, I meant to get that law of physics backward. That's what's going on with my body lately. That CD seemed to help for all of about 2 days and I was back to feeling sick again. I can't seem to keep anything down and it's getting rather annoying. Hopefully the doctors will give me some nice drugs...

I don't know how anybody could be bulimic. I feel like that's what I am right now. Except I don't even have to force myself to throw up. And then I'm incredibly exhausted afterward. And my eyeballs hurt. Near the back - where they connect to the socket. I guess they're trying to escape my body too.

Part of me wishes I were having 4 or 5 children at the same time so I wouldn't have to do this again. I always thought I'd be one of those cute little women who are completely in their element being pregnant. Apparently not. Hubby says he wants ten little Indians. I told him to have them himself.

He is being a total doll though. While I'm completely useless as anything except a carrier for this little parasite, Hubby takes good care of me and everything else about our lives right now. On top of working and going to school full-time. He continually proves me right that I made the right choice in marrying him. And I'm sure once I get over these first few months (or at least get some drugs) I will be feeling it's the right decision to have this baby too. But right now... it's still debatable.

Student Loans Schmoans.

I didn't start college right after high school. I had had to do 4 years worth of high school work in 3 years and by the time I was done I was a little bit burnt out. I figured a break would do me some good. Plus I didn't have the money anyway so I decided to work for awhile and make some money and then I could go back to school when I was ready. I really enjoyed working and I loved the people I worked with but after a few years I was starting to feel stagnant and decided it was time to go back to school.

One day I saw a commercial for a business school in the area and since I enjoyed working in the world of business I thought it was worth looking into. I figured it might be expensive and I didn't want to go if I would have to take out loans. Well, my parents and I went and listened to their little shpiel (spelling?) and unfortunately student loans would be involved. But somehow they talked us into it anyways. After a few quarters at this business school I decided it was way too expensive and not at all what I was looking for in an education so I quit there and started going to the community college which was a lot better fit for me. And a lot more affordable.

After 3 quarters at this business school I had already racked up quite a bit of debt through student loans. One loan was in my parents' name and they graciously said they would pay off that loan while the other loan was left up to me. Fortunately I was able to deferr it for several years as I was still in school, etc. Well, now that I'm done with school for awhile it looks like it's time to start paying on it.

I got a letter yesterday saying I had to start paying on this loan and the first payment was due January 15th. Huh? The letter was dated the 13th, post-marked the 16th, how the heck was I supposed to get a payment to them by the 15th? Nice, people. You get an F in the Brilliance Department. So, I tried calling them and all I ever got was an automated system even though they promised the possibility of talking to a real live customer service representative. These people are really starting to tick me off. And I hate being in debt more than anything else in the world.

And this would be why I didn't want student loans in the first place.

Preggo

As you've all discovered, I am indeed pregnant. I go to the doctor next week and should know by then how far along I am. My guess is probably 4-6 weeks. Still early but I've been so sick we couldn't really keep it a secret. I am, however, starting to feel a little better. I was pretty worried for awhile because I couldn't seem to keep anything down at any time of the day. But Hubby and I bought this Morning Sickness CD that's supposed to soothe the inner ear and cut the nausea. So far it seems to be working alright. I still have a constant stomachache but I'm able to keep a lot more food down than I did before although I still have to be picky about what I put in my mouth. I'm sure you're all excited to know that.

As for that job I was applying for... I was offered the position but then I didn't feel good about it so I turned it down. A few days later we found out I was pregnant so maybe that was the reason I didn't feel like i should take that job. Heaven knows I haven't felt much like working part-time these last few weeks, let alone full time. Now I'm actually looking into substitute teaching on the days I'm not working here. It'll be flexible so if I'm sick and can't work or need time off for drs appointments and such I'll be able to do that but still supplement our income a little bit. I just need to go to the police station and get fingerprinted and I'll be all set to turn in the application.

Pitter Patter

I've been so sick for a couple weeks now. I can barely keep anything down and the nausea won't go away.

If this keeps up for the next nine months I don't know if I'll be able to handle it.