First Real Hurricane at the Coast

Irene was the first real hurricane I've experienced living at the coast. We've had a tropical storm almost every year I've lived down here, but not a real hurricane. As I mentioned in my last post, we planed to stay with Jackie for the weekend after our appointments on Friday. She actually got a lot of wind damage--4 trees downed and a lot of limbs and tree debris in the yard. We came home Sunday to see what was going on. I had seen on Facebook that several Swansboro people had power, so I wasn't too worried about not having power.

I was so wrong.

A lot of people have power through Jones-Onslow Electric Corporation. We do not. I had a fit over this when we hooked up our electricity, because Progress-Energy wanted to charge me $250 for hookup--no matter that I had power before through other companies, that they were willing to do a letter of credit, nothing. It would have been free through JOEC. When we got home, the worst damage was a chunk of siding from the back of the house. However, we were without power. We decided to go to Lowes and pick up flashlights and charcoal and grill out. When we got back, I read on Facebook that people I knew on both the Swansboro and Belgrade ends of our road were projected to be without power until THURSDAY. When I told Jimmy, he said, "Pregnant women shouldn't be without power. You've been wanting to go see your family, go do that until the power's back on. I'll go stay with Chris." We wound up spending Sunday night in a hotel and packed up Monday to go our separate ways.

What ensued over the next 48 hours was the quickest trip back to visit family EVER. I left at 12 Monday and was back here by 3 on Wednesday. We did get power back on Tuesday and I had to get my Nplate shot on Wednesday. If we didn't have power, I would have begged Dr. M to let me just get my shot at Duke instead of going all the way home. But when we had power, there wasn't any reason to do a 6 hour round trip to Duke in the middle of the week, then drive right back home Friday. My next visit will be much better planned! But it was good because I got to spend time with both parents and Stephen and Patrick. Stephen suggested this really great vegan restaurant for lunch on Tuesday (we were in Charlotte because Nanny and Mom closed on the house) and the food was so good. The restaurant also focused on raw foods, so it was a perfect meal for sitting outside on a summer day...not too heavy and not hot.

-22 Weeks

It amazes me to think when I started this I was in the -30some weeks...and in 2 weeks, I'll be halfway finished with pregnancy.

This was a good week. I had counts on Monday, after stopping Dex on Saturday and they were 266. I was relieved they weren't sky-high, because it meant we would have a more accurate window on Wednesday of what my Nplate dosage shold be. Wednesday when I went in for the shot, my counts were 206. Usually after a Dex pulse I totally bottom out and get symptomatic. To me, this means that 4 mcg/kg of Nplate is working, for right now. Does that mean it's going to be the magic dosage for the rest of the pregnancy? Absolutely not. Could there be more bumps in the road? Possibly. I've dealt with this for too long to take anything for granted and just because they get me "fixed" for the time being doesn't mean it's lasting or permanent. 4 days of Dex when you're pregnant is not fun! My sweet husband was amazing, and I really appreciate him taking such good care of me.

Tomorrow we go in for hematology, OB and anatomy scan appointments! I am so excited to see the baby again! The anatomy scan will look for any physical abnormalities and make sure growth is on track. Yes, we could find out the gender, but we're not. At least, not on purpose. Now, before anyone wants to criticize, #1) go have your own baby, and #2) with everything else that is not traditional with this pregnancy, I'd like to have something that is.

Because of our appointments and a pig pickin' in Red Oak, we had planned to be out of town this weekend anyway. Hurricane Irene is freaking me out a little bit, but I think it's partly due to some nesting. I tried to windproof the backyard as much as possible this afternoon and we're taking all of the stuff off our porches. The chickens have access to 2 different shelters. I'm nervous to leave, but I know there's nothing I could do here to prevent any damage. We might as well be safe and enjoy ourselves!

Almost -23 Weeks

I have a LOT going through my mind tonight, so please bear with me.

Today was the first day of teacher workdays and for the first time since I was 5, I'm not getting ready for school to begin. It has been so weird to think about many of my friends and former colleagues going back to work and me not being there. Jimmy and I decided a long time ago, before we were even ready to have children, that one of us would stay home with our children, until they were at least school age. Because he makes more money than I do, that person is me. At the end of last school year, after much prayer and thought, I decided to not begin this school year. Barely 1 month after that, we found out we were pregnant. It wouldn't be fair for my students to have to deal with a teacher who may be constantly in and out, the parents I have to do IEP meetings with, the team who would have to help me rearrange, my baby who needs me to provide a safe, low-stress environment, or me, who would be the mad ringleader in that circus. From my history, we know stress can aggravate my ITP.

Hand in hand with that, after the other week in the hospital, I know we made the right decision. I truly cannot imagine dealing with the stress of work and the stress of ITP and pregnancy combined. Today I went in for bloodwork and my shot and my platelets were very low again. I am taking a few days of decadron, and getting counts again on Friday. Again, I'm more worried about the baby than myself. I'm a little nervous because I haven't felt her move much over the past day or so, but I know women further along than I am haven't even felt movement yet. The other night, Baby J was moving around quite a bit when I was singing Elton John, so I guess I'll try that again tonight!

-24 Weeks and Doctors Visits

Today Jimmy and I went to hematologist and OB appointments. Everything looks fine now with bloodwork, but as always, it can change quickly. As long as I'm not symptomatic, I'm not stressing. Dr. M did give me an emergency dose of decadron to tide me over for any emergencies. We are definitely going to have to increase the NPlate, but that is actually common with some other medications during pregnancy, due to the increased blood volume. Dr. M is usually the man with a plan and I'm relieved that he has one now. We had a great lunch at Sushi Love in Durham. Then we actually got called back on time for my OB appointment! Hooray for small miracles! We really liked the doctor I saw. Everything looks good for the 1st trimester screening, <1 in 10,000 chance for Downs, and they did bloodwork to do testing for spina bifida. The baby started to be stubborn with letting us listen to it's heartbeat, but then relented. I love to see the look on Jimmy's face when they find it! I go back in two weeks for the anatomy scan and my next appointment.

How far along: 16 weeks, 1 day

Size of baby: An avocado, about 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces.

Maternity clothes? None of my regular pants can fit anymore. At about 10 weeks was when I had to switch to elastic waists and my "fat" pants exclusively. My hips got wide first, then last week I "popped"

Sleep? Same as last week. I wake up to pee about 2 hours before I have to get up and it always takes a long time to get back to sleep. Prednisone has made me very sleepy this week!

Best moment of the week: Feeling so much movement! And Jimmy telling me it looks like I've lost weight.

Movement: Mornings or evenings, when/if I'm sitting slightly scrunched over. Still not every day, but most days.

Symptoms: This week has been hard to distinguish between steroid side effects and pregnancy symptoms. I am really tired and constantly hungry.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing really.

Gender: Still not finding out in 2 weeks at our anatomy scan! But I feel like it's a girl, just because when I refer to the baby without thinking I use feminine pronouns.

How is Mommy Feeling? Excited, just really thrilled to be pregnant.

Total weight gain? I haven't really gotten out of the range I started in, it just depends on when I weigh myself. If it's after a meal, it's about 2 pounds. If it's first thing in the morning, none.

What I am looking forward to: Still wanting to get things ready in the house for the baby's room.

-25 Weeks, the basics

How Far Along: 15 weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: Length-a little over 4 inches; Weight- about 2.5 ounces. Think of an apple.

Movement: Little One has really started moving more frequently! I feel movement if I'm kind of slouching and/or my stomach is scrunched up. It is either in the morning or in the evenings, and I think all the medicines they've had me on have caused him/her to move more.

Cravings: Nothing this week.

Food Aversions: I still don't want scrambled eggs.

What I Miss: Nothing really yet.

Sleep: Everything's good until I wake up to pee. It seems like when I do that, I have trouble getting back to sleep.

Symptoms: off and on heartburn--it'll last for a few minutes, then go away on its own. I'm not as tired, but the symptoms of the medicines have caused me to be tired. I've also started nesting and just wanted to get things done and organized--even in the hospital! Oh, and I think I'm "popping"! The top of my stomach and sides are becoming firmer and rounder.

Best Moment This Week: Feeling the baby move so much this week AND hearing the heartbeat with Jimmy on Tuesday!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Getting our spare bedrooms organized and one cleaned out to create the nursery!

-25 weeks, part 3

Jimmy and I had to go get a tire replaced and while waiting on the car, had dinner with Mary Ellen. She told us that she and Grandma were insisting that we get a hotel room in Durham instead of driving to Rocky Mount that night. Jimmy and I were so thankful. We were able to run a few errands--prescriptions, new clothes--and then just go to the room and crash. It was wonderful to not have to drive an hour and a half both ways. Thursday morning, we got breakfast at the hotel then headed over to the clinic. It was a pretty normal clinic day, just a 2 hour infusion of IVIG. I managed to sleep again, but my poor husband did not.

My mom was coming up to see us and stay a few days with us at home. I was so relieved. I'm not really sure why, because I've had IVIG and steroids before and not had her here, but I guess that would be the first time I've stayed in the hospital and she's not been there with me. She met us at Southpoint and we had lunch at Cheesecake Factory. She and I drove home together and stopped at the outlets in Smithfield, where she bought me some very wonderful maternity things. Jimmy went by his mom's and picked up our sweet fur babies, who really didn't miss us very much at all. We all finally reconvened at the house about 6:30. I am so thankful to be at home!

-25 Weeks, part 2

Jimmy and I got settled into our room, and left alone about 2:20. Because of all the drama, it was about 3 before I finally went to sleep. Jimmy was up a little later and when people tried to come in and check on me or take my blood, he would tell them I was sleeping. Unfortunately, that is no reason for people to leave you alone in the hospital! They drew blood about 5:30 and I don't know if I went to sleep between then and OB rounds. The OB attending doctor came in and checked me out, basically saying it was just a waiting game to infuse medicine and get my platelets up. The IVIG finally got started about 10. Jimmy went to run some errands and move the car, and Erin came to visit! With sweet Anouk! It was so wonderful to get to see them! Aunt Mary Ellen, Jimmy's aunt, came to visit as well. I did get to tell her I was worried about Wednesday being Jimmy's birthday and him being stuck in the hospital with me. She said she would talk to Jackie and try to work something out for dinner. We finally found out my counts that had been taken that morning and they were only 11. So disappointing. I did get permission to walk around, because sitting/laying in the hospital bed made me SO SORE! When I did lay down to sleep, my back hurt so much I couldn't rest. For evening rounds, the hematology group came to visit. I really really like the hematologist we worked with in the ER and was pleased to see her again. Jimmy and I thought I would be getting IVIG constantly, since that's the way it's done in the day hospital, but they were splitting the dosage over a few days. I thought I would have another at midnight, but they said it was postponed until the next day.

Around 7:15 that evening, the nurse told us we were going to be moving floors, to a floor that had OB patients, not just a hodge podge. It took about 2 hours, but they finally moved us. We had also been waiting all day on someone to come do "fetal heart tones," so the nurses on the new floor tried to get the baby's heartbeat on doppler before calling someone up from Labor and Delivery to do it. The first nurse spent a long time trying, but called in her partner when she couldn't find it. Sure enough, the second nurse was able to find the heartbeat on doppler! The heartrate was averaging about 160! It was so exciting and special to hear. Afterwards, we went to get Jimmy something for dinner and on the way back, he looks at me and says so excitedly, "We're going to have a kid!" I never get tired of hearing him say that or seeing how excited he is.

That night, I managed to sleep about 5 hours! Woohoo! I did wake up for rounds with the OB doctor, meet my new nurse, and get counts done. The nurse also works L&D and I've decided I must have her when I deliver. She was AMAZING. When she came in with my meds, I was getting some clothes together. She asked if I needed anything and I sheepishly said, "Well, I wanted to wash my hair before we got started. It's feeling gross." She immediately grabbed a latex glove, put it on me, and taped it over my IV so I could wash. She also ran my decadron through an IV pump instead of pushing it through and said if I felt the slightest bit of discomfort to call her. I think I thanked her like 20 times. Afterward, we did the IVIG and I slept for 2 hours. It was wonderful. When we were done, I asked her about counts and she went to check. When she came back in, she asked for a drumroll....."198,000!" WONDERFUL NEWS.

The hematologist came in to see us about 30 minutes later right after lunch was delivered. She asked if I liked hospital food. I told her it was okay, that Duke was better than some. She asked if I preferred home cooking and I said especially if I could cook. She laughed and asked if there were any restaurants around I'd rather go to than eat hospital food, because they were discharging me. What a change from keeping me for 5 days! She said we would need to come back in Thursday for IVIG in the outpatient clinic. We told her that was so much better than sleeping in a hospital again! I began packing immediately because as soon as they say, "You can go," you want to run, not walk, away. I had to have counts drawn again before I left and naturally it took forever to find a vein. My nurse had to call in her charge nurse to find a vein. As soon as they drew that blood, we were free to go!

-25 weeks, lengthy post ahead

What a week this has been.

Monday I had to get counts repeated because they were 30 last Thursday. The OB nurse calls me about 3:30 and says, "Your counts were 9." I basically went into shock. I was not having symptoms, much less any dangerous pregnancy symptoms of cramping and bleeding. We talked for a few minutes, then she said she was going to consult Dr. Livingston (who I actually saw my last visit) and call me back. About 5 minutes later Dr. Livingston herself calls me back and tells me she's spoken with Dr. M's fill-in (he was on vacation) and they want me to come to the ER at Duke to be admitted. It took 45 minutes to get in touch with Jimmy. After about 20, I called my mother and cried hysterically. She calmed me down, and I tried Jimmy again. This time I got his 2nd level supervisor, who immediately got ahold of my husband and sent him on his way. During this time, I'm trying to pack a bag, wondering how long we'll be up there, and do a load of laundry, as well as text people what's going on. Jimmy calls me from about 2 miles away and says to fix him a cup of water and meet him in the driveway. I tell him I am still trying to pack and will need his help. He gets home, and he gets in touch with his mother to ask if she can meet us in Goldsboro to get the dogs. We finally get in the car and drive to Duke, stopping in Goldsboro to meet Jackie and Jen with the pets.

We get to Duke about 9 and there were several people complaining loudly about how long they'd been there. My first thought was, "We are going to be triaged to the bottom of the pile," and I tried to tell everyone we came into contact with that Dr. L had told them to expect me. About 45 minutes after checking in, we were called back. They put in an IV and did counts. Then began the parade of doctors: 1 4th year med student, 1 resident, 1 hematologist, Dr. Livingston, and 2 OB residents. Everyone except the hematologist was amazed at how I can have so few platelets and not be bleeding everywhere. I told everyone I was fine, but worried about the baby. I wasn't having any danger signs, but it was the first thing on my mind. The hematologist looked for a portable ultrasound but couldn't find it. The OB ladies tried checking with a doppler, but couldn't find a heartbeat, so they hijacked a portable ultrasound. I have never felt so relieved in my entire life. On the screen was a strong heartbeat inside of our tiny baby. We asked the hematologist what the plan was, and she said I would probably be there for 5 days getting IVIG and Decadron. I asked her if there was any way we could do it outpatient and she apologized, because of my counts being so low with the baby, I needed to stay in the hospital. I assured her I was willing to do whatever was needed to keep the baby safe and that I understood it was different from just me having low platelets. While in the ER, they gave me a shot of decadron through IV, which burns down your spine into your pelvic region. It was the most painful part of the entire hospital visit! I told her it was burning really badly. Thank goodness she stopped pushing it, mixed it with saline, and pushed it much more slowly. Jimmy said it was a good thing the nurse was a woman or else he would have had to get ugly. They finally moved us up to a room about 1.