My usual day starts with getting up around 6:30am, when my husband is leaving for work. I will typically do a series of "exercises" that were given to me by the physical therapist in the hospital. They are not a workout by any definition...I just lay on the floor and move my arms and legs around in several different directions...but I suppose that they help with circulation (and my doctor says they are necessary so that I don't get blood clots). Then it is time for work. I have my office set up on the couch and coffee table of my living room. I have purchased a big foam wedge from Amazon.com that provides some additional support, as well as a tray that holds my laptop over my belly and at an angle so I can type while I lay down. I also chose to upgrade my phone and my service plan so that I have enough minutes to conduct meetings on my phone. I have had many meetings by phone...and a few in my living room with my team. I think that both my team and myself need to see each other face to face from time to time. It makes me feel better. The biggest down-side of my new work situation is the inability to get up and walk into someone's office when I have an idea or need to resolve an issue. Email and phones really limit the ability to connect and get decisions made quickly. But overall, I have been pretty productive from my new office.
In the evenings I have been doing a variety of things. Watching TV, reading a juicy novel, sending out thank you cards from our wedding (almost done with them finally), and playing games with Nick and my mom. Scrabble and Cribbage are the two primary ones. Nick's mom and ZZ have started a "puzzle of the week" club for me. I have received two...and completed one. I think the second may be a fun activity today. I ordered some materials to learn how to crochet and knit...but they haven't arrived yet. Once they do...watch out friends and family...everyone is getting scarves for Christmas. That is IF I can actually figure it out!
Today, I am 28 weeks pregnant. And for the most part...I feel good! Since coming home we have had two appointments with my OB and two ultrasounds. (These are exciting outings because they are the only times that I get to leave the house.) All appointments have gone great...all is stable. My cervix is still 1.5 centimeters, my fluid is looking great, baby's heart rate and umbilical cord flow are strong, and the baby is growing and getting stronger every day! So the bedrest, Motrin every six hours, and daily progesterone appear to be working.
There are a few days that have been a little rough. Nothing physical...but emotionally challenging. Between the frustration of the situation, being a little stir crazy, feeling lazy as people wait on me, fear about the health of my baby, fear about what this means for future kids, watching my husband leave for his "normal" daily adventures while I lay on the couch, and the normal pregnancy hormones, I have had a few days that my eyes felt like taking a swim. And once they start flowing...it is tough to make them stop. I don't mean to sound like I am whining, because I know that there are women out there who have had much more difficult pregnancies than mine. And I have an incredible support system between my husband, my parents, my sisterns, Nick's mom & ZZ, his dad and Kim, and a bunch of friends who call and check in and even come to see us every once in a while. But sometimes...I apparently need to have a pity party for one.
In looking at the title to this entry...you might think that I was talking about myself. And there is no doubt that women on bedrest are sacrificing a lot for their child. However, I am not talking about myself. I am talking about my mom.
She flew into town the day that we were released from the hospital. She would have been here sooner if I had given her the go-ahead...but there wasn't much she could do to help when we were in the hospital. But since we have been home, she has been a HUGE help. She got a one-way ticket to be here (with my step-dad, Keith to follow about 10 days later). They are planning to stay as long as we need them...or until we kick them out, we joke.
My mom makes sure that I have a steady supply of food and beverage at all times of the day. She wants to make sure that I have what I need for a "gentle grazing," as she calls it. She is making all of the meals for both Nick and myself...and we feel a little spoiled having home cooked dinner every night! She made stewed prunes (to help with my digestion) a couple times, and oatmeal cookies (my favorite) one day, as well as hot cocoa a couple of times. And not the kind that you microwave some water and pour in a packet of Swiss Miss...but the kind that you heat milk on the stove and is topped with marshmallows and a dash of cinnamon.
When I get up to go to the bathroom, she is there to help with my pillows & computer tray. She ensures that I have my legs snuggled into the blanket in the morning when it is still a little chilly, and comes to help me remove it when she sees me trying to kick it off when it gets a little warm in the afternoon. She has also given me periodic massages to help with the stiffness that laying around all day can cause in one's body. AND...on her first day here she cleaned out the filter of our vaccum, pulled our dryer out and cleaned the lint from the big tube between the dryer and the wall! I guess those are some of the things that Nick and I don't think much about. She even put up all of our Christmas decor and decorated our tree so that I have something beautiful to look at in my narrow scope of vision throughout the day.
Yep...at the first noise that I make in the morning, she is up and ready to assist. And she doesn't go to bed until after I have retired for the evening. She has been a blessing for my entire life...and this situation is no exception. With the things she does for her children, I look at her with amazement and hope that I too can be that great of a mom someday. (But not for several more weeks...do you hear that baby?)
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteThe ability to make it through these extraordinarily difficult times (and your ability to maintain such a great attitude and positive outlook through the whole thing) are only going to make you and Nick stronger as a couple and as parents. Your child will be incredibly blessed to be born to such strong, loving parents. You guys are incredible and are truly an inspiration to the rest of us.
If at any point you are up for company I would love to see you and give you a huge hug. Continue to hang in there and stay strong.
Much Love,
Nicole
PS - you are human and you are facing one of the scariest, emotionally & physically trying times - you are allowed to have a pity party! So, don't be too hard on yourself!