Sunday, April 27, 2008

Random Bulletized Updates

  • I was right and my ability to control my blood sugar is pretty much non-existent. I can be in teh middle of eating a piece of funfetti cake and only put up 104. After a week of testing, 104 is the highest I've ever had (and I don't wait after eating to test). I believe 64 is the lowest I've seen. Most readings are between 76 and 83. If I had diabetes, I suppose they'd say I was well-controlled. So, the new plan is to swear off of lab-carb and eat whatever and whenever I want. And if the what and when happens to be a Blue Bunny ice cream sandwich at 7pm on Friday from the ice cream truck, well then so be it.
  • When I flagged the ice cream truck down, I was a really weird moment. I was the THE MOM. I walked into the house calmly, got my purse, and walked quietly to the curb. I flagged the truck, ordered, and paid out of my wallet. I was THE MOM. I was not on my bike chasing the truck down. I was not running wildly with money in my hand hoping I had enough. I was A MOM. And I gave Chuckles his first ice cream novelty from the truck. And he thinks I rock. The next night, we got ice cream from the old Fotomat near our house that's now a Froyo stand. They have a kids' ice cream that has candy eyes. He had only had it once before (last summer), but when we pulled up, he said, "I want somesing wif eyes." So, there you have it.
  • Next week is Chuckles's birthday party and we are panic cleaning. Is there any other kind? I need to remember to host a party quarterly so things get done around here.
  • Chuckles is asleep on the dining room floor right now. I told him to go take a nap, and that is what and where he did. I have no idea what's up with him. This is so uncharacteristic, I don't even know what to say. But I'm thankful because his nap required no participation on my part, and I am NOTHING if not lazy.
  • For dinner tonight: grilled pork chops, grilled marinated portobello mushrooms, grilled marinated eggplant, brown rice, and maybe a salad. Yummy.
  • I planted my flowers yesterday. I know you're thinking, "But it's too early. It's not May 15th yet." I know. I know. I know my mom never put plants in before May 15th. And I know I have never ever waited that long. I checked the 15-day forecast and there will be no frost, so it should be OK. Besides, I like to have the flowers in before Chuckles's birthday. In three weeks when I am complaining that all my flowers were zapped by a hard freeze, try not to remind me of this, k?
  • So, I guess I am still pregnant. I say, I guess, because how do people know that everything is OK. With Chuckles, I had reassuring blood tests and ultrasounds all the time. This time, notsomuch. I got on Thursday and I will be 11 weeks. Will they be able to get a heartbeat with a Doppler then? OK, I am googling "pregnancy heartbeat Doppler" right now in the other window...."Beginning as early as the eighth week of pregnancy, you and your health care provider may be able to detect your baby’s heart rate." So, there you have it. I'm not excessively heavy, so even if we weren't able to get it at Wekk 8, we'd be able to get it three weeks later. We should have a heartbeat to hear on Thursday, and I guess if not, I get an ultrasound. Speaking of ultrasounds, I want to ask about the UltraScreen at my appointment. I want it done. I have no idea what road I'd take if the results were suboptimal, but I cannot live in ignorance. That is all. I like to be prepared.
  • What else will I ask about at my appointment? Let's see....blood sugar, UltraScreen, VBAC (possibility of), pelvic rest (continuation of), progesterone suppositories (continuation of), and maybe something fun and typical of a pregnant woman like soft cheese, lunch meat, or weight gain. I figure myself rather well-informed, so I really just need them for their equipment and referral pad (ohhh, let's give her 1x blood test and 1x ultrasound and some prenatal vitamin samples).
  • Chuckles is up and confused. Gotta run.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Blood, Sugar

The other day, Chuckles went for his 3rd Birthday Well-Child visit with the pediatrician. He needed a lead test, so off to the lab we trotted. My child can cot off a line like nobody's business, so the kindly lab tech (whom we have had before and she thinks Chuckles is as charming as I do when he says "Owie") decided to prick his finger and get the two tubes that way (after having the little butterfly vein thing not work out so well). Anyway, Chuckles didn't even realize that he was bleeding. He thought that blood that was everywhere (I mean really everywhere, floor, tech's gloves, all over his hands, and in the tubes, on the table, and dripping onto my lab) was paint or marker, so no major trauma there. All though, he has an ear infection so we'll need to go back again in a few weeks to have his continuin cough, swollen tonsils, and of course, ears rechecked.

As for the sugar, I am pretty sure I am completely unable to control my blood sugar. I don't think it' s going too high, but I am pretty sure it's dropping too low. I'm hypoglycemic, I guess. I have the typical symptoms of shaky and overly emotional (and I don't think it's hormonal because it goes away if I eat). Mr. Long-Suffering is at the pharmacy buying my a blood glucose monitor right now. My doctor's office said it was too soon to order any tests and that it sounded weird, but I have PCOS which is characterized by an inablility to control insulin and blood sugar, so I'm not terribly surprised. So, I'm keeping a blood sugar diary and a food diary and I'll bring it to the doctor with me in two weeks. For now, I'm trying to keep a little low-carb and higher protein. But it's hard because I have so many food aversions right now that food rarely sounds good. Pity, I know. I just had cole slaw and a kiwi. Odd lunch. On the plus side, this is what it takes for me to swear off of ice cream, cookies, and candy bars. They all leave me feeling like crap, so that's a bonus.

I got some comments on my post about being unable to get my child dressed. I love the idea about the puppet. As for going to school in pajamas. It happens between 1 and 3 times a week as it is, and even that is hard because getting him to remove his pants, put on unerpants and then put pants back on is a real challenge. Oh, he woke up from his nap. I'm off.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Scheduling/Conflict

I have had it up to here (picture me putting my hand very near the top of my head) with doctors' offices. I do not understand why it is so difficult to schedule an appointment. Let's just say that through fault of mine, I needed to reschedule my 10-week ob appointment. I told them my schedule was completely open the entire week except for the time of my apoointment, lucky right? Anyway, they schedule me in to something an entire week different. And later. So, now my 10-week ob appointment is my 11-week ob appointment. That means I can go for the UltraScreen just as soon as I get the slip for it. Whoopee.

Also, a month ago, I tried to schedule Chuckles with his pediatrician. I called the appointments area and asked for an appointment a few weeks' away and I wanted last appt of the day. She offered 10 am. She said it was first available. I said I did not want first available, I wanted late afternoon. Then I asked what time the last appointment was, and she could not answer. She just said it would be hard to do that. She was going to have to look at every day and tell me what appointments were open, so I told her to start. She kept offering 10:15, 1:30, noon, 11 am appointments and I kept reiterating my preference for late afternoon, you know like 4, 4:15, 4:30, or something. She went through every single day for a week and never once offered anything as late as even 4:00. Eventually, I sighed a heavy sigh and took a 2:45 appointment. Is it really that hard to understand that I WORK during the day and would like a little evening appointment so I do not have to take a vacation day or spend 1.5 hours in the car driving to and from the doctor for a mid-day appointment, nevermind the psychological toll leaving day care, going to the doctor, and then coming back would have on my child. Two drop offs in one day is more than I can handle.

Speaking of handling the drop off. I have been having rough mornings. They go something like this:
Me: It's time to get dressed.
Chuckles: I can do it myself.
Me: OK, do it.
Ch: I can do it.
Me: OK, then do it.
Ch: I do it (while not actually doing it).
Me: OK, let's start with your underpants (me taking undies out of the drawer).
Ch: No, I do it. (slamming drawer shut without getting underwear out.)
Me: OK, if you can do it, then do it. You have three seconds to pick out your underwear before I do it for you. One, two,
Ch: No, I do it.
Me: Do it! Three.
Ch: Nononononono, I do it.
Me (getting underwear out of the drawer): Put these on NOW.
Ch: I do it.
Me (attempting to put his underwear on him while fending off the feets of fury that are kicking me): Ok, let's get these underwear on (in artifically chipper voice).
Repeat for pants, socks, shirt, coat, shoes, and so on.

I was late to work on Monday after this. This morning I pitched him unceremoniously from the car at day care and told him I had to go because I was late.

I tried laying the clothes out so there would be no picking, but it does not help. Yesterday, he started crying because I "screamed" at him. Not true, although the voice was raised. Where am I going wrong? I have no idea what to do. I tried turning it into a game, a race, putting his undies on his head and asking him whether he could do better, but still, I wind up in tears in the car because I am frustrated, I raised my voice and now my child is crying because I "screamed". Just put your damn pants on already so we can go! Send help.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Still here

Nausea. It's a beautiful thing. However, waking up shaking at 2 am because your blood sugar dropped a wee bit low is not so great. But whatever. As long as I was up.... I think I will ask about this at my 10-week appointment.

We went to a family birthday party Sunday and I am pretty sure it could not have been more awkward if Mr. Long-Suffering had actually gotten up on the table and announced my pregnancy. Heck, he mentioned it to someone in Trader Joe's while I was buying sesame butter.

Speaking of 10-week appointments, I think I will be getting my orders for the Ultra-Screen. I am really looking forward to another ultrasound with, what I hope will be good news.

With tomorrow as the tax deadline, I finished up my IRA contributions. Woo Hoo. Buying low, I say. With the market in the tank. Oh well.

I need ideas of toy solutions for the living room (AKA playroom) and the familiy (aka the downstairs playroom). I looked at IKEA and saw some cute cubbyholed furniture that I might like, but we need to make sure all jobs are stable here (big re-org at man's work) first. Whew.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Who are you?

So, you know that Christmas coffee commercial where Peter surprises his mom and makes the coffee. Well, I was pegnant with Chuckles during Christmas 2004. Every stupid time that 28-year old commercial came on, I cried. So, I am looking forward to being pregnant during the summer because the thought of that commercial brings tears to my eyes. Hormones. Can't live with them, can't stay pregnant without them.

I made homemade from scratch waffles for breakfast. I needed them. Because my name is not actually Suzie homemaker, I made mac-n-cheeze from a box for lunch (sure, I replaced the mac with quinoa pasta and I three some greens beans in the boiling water, but still...from a box and it's wasn't even Kraft. It was Valu-Tyme.).

I am 8 weeks now and the nausea abated somewhat in the middle of this last week, and I have to say I was freaked right out. With Chuckles, I bled and bled and bled, so someone was always offering me a beta or an ultrasound or some other pat-on-the-hand reassurance. I made a rookie mistake. I got my repeat betas and my ultrasound done too close together. I should have spaced them out to keep a somewhat constant supply of reassurance coming my way. Cogito ergo worry (I think, therefore I worry.). But, the nausea is back, so I am somewhat reassured. But now, I'm sick. It's a double-edged sword.

Speaking of Chuckles...I hadn't thought it possible, but he's even more adorable now than he was a year ago, last week or yesterday. He sprang into our room at 5 o'clock this morning announcing that he was a big boy who slept in his room all night by himself. I agreed and told him to climb in bed with us until morning.

We don't have cable TV, but dtv.gov says that on Feb. 17, 2009, analog signals are going away. So, we headed to Radio Shack this morning (without Chuckles) with our $40 US government coupon to get a digital convertor set top box. So far, we love it. We get about 30 channels now. After the coupon, it was $25. Don't get me started on why the government (meaning me, the taxpayer) is subsidizing television viewing, but so far, this digital TV thing is pretty cool. We did lose Chicago's Channel 2 though. It was never that good anyway. CBS, schmee bee ess. We can still get it, if we turn the convertor off. We get like 8 PBS channels now (qubo, maybe). I am not even kidding. I think we might even be able to pick up wilwaukee public TV if we try hard enough! We get quite a few foreign language stations - not just Spanish. This more it was all Lithuanian all the time. Sometimes, it's Korean. Who knows!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

BONE

As in, bone tired. I put Chuckles down for his nap (by telling him to go lay down and take a nap, kissing him, and leaving the room....whose child is this?) and then I went to lay in my bed to wait for him to come out, and I guess he never did, because the next thing I remember is that it's well over an hour later and there is drool running down the side of my face. Attractive and relaxing.

Mr. Long-Suffering (who, if you eat your vegetables, you will grow up to tbe big and strong like) has moved away from boring powerpoint presentations on to practice problems and tests. So, the computer is free. He asked me to look at one of the problems for him and said "Integrate this!" and I was like, uhm, maybe I could figure out how to integrate something with a gun to my head, but no thanks. The memory is shot. It's been what? 14 years since I took calculus.

This is our first spring with Lisa the Escape Artist cat who cannot figure out how to telelport through the glass to get the bird, but oh, how she tries!

I took Chuckles to a farm on Saturday to leave the man of the house home to study. He saw horses, but he didn't see any piggies but he could smell thems, so there's that. Then we went on a 1.5 mile nature walk and he did the whole thing.

In completely unrelated news, I had a spotting incident on Saturday but it was light light light and brown, so I think everything is still as good as it was. Plus, the all-day sickness has not abated. No siree, not at all. I did lose 2 or 3 pounds though. I eat. All day, but what I eat is so friggin' healthy, I'm bound to lose weight. Apple, anyone. Ice cold fruit just sounds so good.

I am not winning so many of the auctions on ebay for the books I wanted so I may just end up buying new off of amazon, since if I'm only going to save $1, I might as well have new. We'll see. I'm a sucker for saving a dollar.

Cooking: I have actually had enough energy and time and desire to cook, so I grilled three nights in a row (Porterhouse Steak, chicken, and lamb chops). Rissotto, brown rice, asparagus, salad, and so on. Yum. Food.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

So Tired

  • I am so tired. So very very sick and tired. I love every minute of it and take nothing for granted but really where was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I? Oh yes, tired.
  • I am so happy that nbc's "Chuck" was renewed for another season. One of the best shows on TV, I kid you not. I look forward to nursing whilst watching.
  • The spotting seems to have resolved.
  • Because of the spotting, I got repeat betas drawn. Thursday at 1pm was 45,000 and Saturday at 10 am was 60,000. It's no doubling in two days but with numbers that high, the doubling rate peters off. So, we are good to go. Go where, you ask?
  • For an ultrasound, numbers that high meant that if I had an ultrasound done, we were pretty much assured a gestational sack and a fetal pole. Well, I had the ultrasound on Tuesday (April Fool's Day) and there was ONE intrauterine gestational sack, one fetal pole, and one thumping bit of cardiac activity. That was 6 weeks, 5 days. So, huzzah.
  • Because it was April Fool's Day. We called our parents and told them I was pregnant and then told them Happy April Fool's Day. And then told them we were just wishing them a Happy April Fool's Day and I really was pregnant and then told them Happy April Fool's Day again. When we got off the phone, I am not sure they knew I was pregnant. But it was a lot of fun and the immediate family knows now (parents and siblings). Chuckles doe snot know and will not need to know for months and months.
  • Two kids at Chuckles's school had lice so we had to clean/bag everything that was at school that day. Poor kid had the scrubbing of a lifetime but got to strip naked in the garage, which sounds like a lot of fun. It appears we may have escaped infestation.
  • I cannot believe I am still awake. It's 7 minutes after nine. I haven't been up this late in two weeks!
  • I'm off to ebay to look for a few books (Happiest Baby on the Block, No-Cry Sleep Solution, Siblings without Rivalry, etc). Can you tell, I am actually starting to think this might all work out?