Friday, November 09, 2012

Five Question Friday 11.9.12





I'm trying to ease my way back into blogging.  I was reading through this week's 5 Question Friday blogs and decided to participate too.  I guess I'm getting excited about Baby #3 coming!  These questions are all about babies.  I will say that I think differently than I did 5 years ago and I scrutinize medical methods, medicine, and even doctors a lot more now.  My birth stories may have been different if I was then who I am now.

1. If you had c-section do you wish you would have had vaginal? Or vice versa?

I have had two c-sections.  I wasn't against c-sections, but I ended up needing one with Audrey.  I kinda wish I had tried a VBAC with Julia, but I was relieved to have a c-section scheduled, especially since we had a family member pass right before Julia was born.  I was able to make the funeral and have my baby the next day.  I also avoided April Fools Day with the scheduling.  I would try to do a VBAC this time around, but I'm getting my tubes tied and I need to be off my special LDN meds for awhile before I deliver so that the pain meds will work.  Scheduling a c-section just seems the way to go.


2. If vaginal did you go drug free?


Well, Audrey was my only vaginal option and I definitely went the medicated route with her.  Never had any really bad pain while I was laboring with her.  Today, if I could do vaginal, I would try to do it naturally.


3. Did you have any complications?


Yes.  She was sunny-side up.  She also got stuck on my pelvic bone.  Every time I pushed, I slammed her little head into my bone.  She came out with quite the bruise on her head.  Eventually, she started to have issues when I had contractions, so we went in for the c-section.


4. Who was in the delivery room with you?


I got to labor with Audrey with my mom, mother-in-law, and husband in the room.  Unfortunately, only Michael was with me in the operating room when she was delivered.  And of course, it was just Michael when Julia was born too.


5. Did you document your labor and delivery? (Photos, videos, etc.)


Yes.  We have both video and pictures that Michael somehow did a great job doing all by himself.  Audrey loves watching the video of her being born.  No worries, it's not graphic.


6. Pick the birth story of one of your children and tell us ALLLLLLLL about it!


Since Julia's birth was just perfect and a scheduled c-section, I'll pick Audrey's story.

Audrey was due the week of Christmas.  It pained me to know that she would grow up with a birthday so close to Christmas.  I wanted that birthday as far away from Christmas as possible.  When my OB suggested an induction, I jumped on it!  Yes, I was induced to avoid a holiday.  I didn't think it was weird, I mean, my DOCTOR had suggested it out of the blue.  So, sure!  That sounds like a fantastic idea!  So I went in on the 13th of December to start my induction and planned to have her on the 14th.  So, they give me the meds and told me to have a good night's rest.  I stay awake the whole night watching my contractions and our heartbeats.  My contractions were going really well and in the morning they check me.  I had not budged.  My doctor said I could get some pitocin, but that might cause me to have a c-section.  Michael and I discussed it and decided that we shouldn't be putting Audrey at any risk just to get her here faster.  We packed our bags and left the hospital without our baby in our arms, but still in my tummy.  I had some good sleep medication and slept the 14th away.  On the 15th, we went to a movie (I have no idea which one) and ate out.  I was having really strong contractions by this point and began timing them.  Michael went to bed while I timed my contractions all night long.  At 6AM, I decided Michael had gotten enough sleep (he was sick during this time), and woke him up to take me back to the hospital.  I got checked at the hospital and was told that I wasn't very far along, but that my contractions were still super strong and five minutes or less apart so they took me.  (I was later told that my cervix was made of cement.)  We called our parents and told them to come on up.  When I was at a 3 (which I really wasn't, they kinda pushed me there), they asked if I wanted my epidural.  Well, sure!  If I could already have it, why not?!  I loved my anesthesiologist and got her with Julia too!  (Oh, btw, I did not have MY doctor, but another OB.  It was a Sunday and my OB's day off.)  So, with it being a Sunday, the Cowboys were playing.  I think they were playing the Packers, but I could be wrong.  I watched the game while I labored.  My on-call doctor loves the Cowboys.  So much so, that the nurses kept calling her to come for my C-section, but she didn't come until halftime.  I didn't mind it then, being a huge sports fan and all, but I mind it now.  Come on!  I could have been in real trouble and this is your JOB!  She finally shows, we're wheeled into the operating room, and they begin to operate.  The docs were discussing the football game, Michael and I were chatting some, and Jingle Bells was being played on the sound system.  Then Audrey appeared and my whole world changed.  She was healthy and she liked crying.  We just didn't know how much she liked crying!  She was 7#6oz, had a head full of dark hair, and dark blue/brown eyes.  She had Michael's darker skin.  She was perfect!  The bruise on her forehead went away after a few days and her hair turned white-blonde, and her eyes turned brown.  Today, she is the happiest, sweetest little girl with gorgeous, naturally highlighted, thick brown hair and has the most tender heart.  Love her to pieces!   

Friday, October 12, 2012

A Year in Review

Ok, so it's been just about a year since I blogged last. Some exciting things are happening in our lives, so I thought I should document it. I promise it won't be too long, but I just want to make sure I have this as a reference for later.

November 2011: I turned 32. We celebrated Thanksgiving, but it may have been a bit weird. You see, we were starting to go vegan and the holidays are a hard way to begin giving up eggs, milk, meat, and cheese. We had seen many documentaries that had us convinced that this was the healthiest way to eat. So, we may not have been perfect vegans, but we were beginning to go that direction.

December 2011: So why so bent on being super healthy? I really wanted another baby without the horror that is my autoimmune disease. We prayed so much about this and the desire for another baby wasn't going away, but getting much stronger. We began juicing. I had already bought a regular juicer, but if I was going to risk getting pregnant with this condition, I needed to fight it with the best. So, instead of using the money I had saved up to buy Michael an iPad for Christmas, I used that money and sold his laptop and bought the best juicer out there, the Norwalk. If you're confused about why I would juice for an autoimmune disease, please watch Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. Watch it! It's amazing!

Audrey turned 4 and we had a Pamper yourself like a Princess party. You may know about my hesitation to do princess-y things, but she wanted a princess party. This was my way of avoiding the Disney princess at least. It was great. A bunch of girls came and got manis and pedis and made tiaras and such. I should post pictures of this later.

My oldest brother, Brett ran his first marathon here in Dallas. His wife, Jenny, and my older brother, Blake, ran the half. I drove around and cheered them on. It was about 34 degrees and rainy. Just awful weather to be out in, but they all did so well. Brett beat my dad's marathon time.

Christmas was at the Halls house. We did do some Christmas wih the Perkins's too.

January 2012 - February 2012: I just remember having several doctor appointments to try to find a doctor that would prescribe Low Dose Naltrexone while I was pregnant. It would look so promising and then the doctor would decide not to do it. I pretty much gave up on LDN and even tried one month to get pregnant, trusting in God that I would be able to handle whatever happened. It didn't work and I gave up trying because I didn't want another December baby.

March 2012: Julia turns two. And boy, she sure knows how to be a 2 year old! Oh! She also learned how to walk on her feet and not her knees at 21 months. Crazy girl! We had a simple, family, owl-themed party. Towards the end of the month, Julia got the dreaded hand, foot, mouth disease. Then Audrey got it. Then I got it. It. Was. Horrible! I was so thankful that I wasn't pregnant because if mommy has that illness during the first trimester, you could lose the baby.

April 2012: Great news! I found an OB that would prescribe LDN to me while I being pregnant! So, I hopped on a plane and flew to Phoenix to meet with her and discuss my disease. She thinks milk probably caused my disease. Thank goodness I had switched to being vegan! Oh, and Audrey's allergies and asthma have disappeared since we cut out so much milk and meat from her diet. Anyways, this doctor evaluated me and sent me home with a prescription! On the flight home, I find out that my brother's fourth child will be their first baby girl! Best day in a very long time! So I'm back home and I'm to take LDN for one month before trying for a baby.

May 2012: I'm taking my LDN and seein very few side effects. I'm getting hopeful!

June 2012: I'm pregnant! We tell family and a few friends that have been on this journey with us. And then I have a miscarriage. This was a tough time. I may or may not delve into this more later. Truly heartbreaking and made me question everything that I was doing. God, family, and friends really pulled me through this.

July 2012: We go on such a great vacation and stay with our friends, Mike and Ruth in Houston. We went to Schlitterbaun and Galveston Island. Had a blast, but poor Mike and Joshua became sick and we left hoping we had missed out on the illness.

August 2012: We're pregnant!! Due April 25. Oh my, it was so healing to be able to become pregnant again! Praise God!

September 2012: We decided to move to FW! We found a school there that we are super excited about. We think the girls will thrive there. Also, Michael has worked in FW for a year and we're ready to be closer to his work. And, we could use a bigger house with a new kiddo on the way. The decision was made in an instant and we're preparing to put the house on the market. We're sad to be moving further away from our friends and family, but we are so excited about what the future holds.

October 2012: I will be 13 weeks soon and I'll begin taking the LDN again. Please be in prayer that both the baby and I remain healthy and that we don't get the autoimmune disease. I have faith that God has led me to this point, and I will praise Him for this, regardless of outcome.

Thanks! And please excuse any typos as I typed this on my phone.