In not-so-fun news, I have been dealing with excruciating back pain over the last 2 weeks. Sitting is agony for me, I can only get comfortable laying flat or standing which is difficult since I spend quite a bit of my work day at my desk making phone calls. It doesn't seem like typical "pregnancy-related" back pain because it is more upper-back on my left side. Even as I write this, I am squirming in pain. UGH! I have no idea what I did to it. I've had 3 massages since it started and nothing seems to help. So weird. And, of course, I can't take any pain meds! That being said, of course I'd suffer through this pain for the rest of the pregnancy if it meant having 2 healthy babies at the end...it just makes everyday life kind of miserable.
The main reason we went down to Portland (besides the fact that it is an awesome city) was to look at a few travel trailers for our property in Washington. Since we bought this property last year we have just camped in our tent when we've gone down there but with two babies on the way, I figured we would barely use it at all this summer if it meant tenting with babies. It can get quite cold and wet at night since it is right on the ocean and for just the two of us, we can deal, but I would not feel comfortable with the babies there. That being said, we are YEARS away from being able to build a home on it (like 10 years, I'm thinking) so buying a trailer to park there just makes sense. We ended up finding one in Portland and T will go pick it up and tow it to our place in Westport, Washington in 2 weeks! So excited to decorate it (it has some pretty hideous upholstery and light fixtures that need to be swapped out!) and have an easy get-away once the babies are here! Going there this summer will be very different than last summer when we could both be out surfing or go for endless walks on the beach. Baby-carriers are a definite must for us since we LOVE walking on the beach! I'm guessing I won't be surfing this year but me and the babies can cheer Daddy (that made me tear up, writing that word) on from the shore.
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| Last year's set-up... |
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| Beautiful beach out front...ready for sand castles! |
Since learning we had to do IVF, I've been participating in an infertility forum that has been a huge support to me. A girl I met on there who did IVF (her 2nd round, after a horrible experience with her 1st IVF including a long hospitalization for OHSS and an ectopic) a few weeks after me and got pregnant, just found out that her baby has a 1 in 6 chance of Down Syndrome. Ugh. She is booked for an amnio today. I'm not sure what they are going to do if the amnio comes back positive (she told me that they aren't going to make any decisions until they get the results) but it is going to be really really hard for me to understand if she chooses to terminate the pregnancy. You see, I have grown up surrounded by amazing people who HAPPEN to have Down Syndrome because my mom works with them in the school system. I have also worked with these kids extensively in my career both at the hospital and now in the community. Obviously parenting a child with special-needs is challenging (I've heard that parenting ANY child is challenging...) but to end a pregnancy based on this is hard for me to understand. Of course, she may choose not to terminate the pregnancy and then I'd love to hook her up with some of the families my mom works with (this woman and I live very close to each other and attended the same IF clinic). Those of you who pray, will you pray for her as she and her husband find out the official news in the next few days and decide what to do? Positive thoughts also welcome!
Well, another random post but I feel like something has clicked and I can write again. Hope you all are having a good start to your week!
So nice that your hubs can build you the cribs...wow!!! I've been having horrible back pain as well, and have been using yoga a acupuncture to help, and it works. I notice a difference when I do not do it. On your friend that is very sad, we had the same exact results with our too. But I had a DNA blood test which is called she maternity21 test, and it has an accuracy of 99%. The state screenings are often a false positive. They can also see many things n ultrasounds well to determine if it has downs. I do hope your friends test comes back negative....has she thought of taking the m21 instead of the amnio, the results are the same, and she would no chance of losing the baby from a blood test.
ReplyDeleteSupposedly the blood test results take weeks here so she didn't want to wait that long since she is already 16 weeks. Let's hope the amnio is negative!
DeleteHmmm...yoga and acupuncture...I think I'm going to give those a try because I am MISERABLE!
I LOVE that crib! I will have to save that pic.... : )
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are 19 weeks already! That is so exciting. About your back pain, have you ever met with a chiropractor? I went for the first time last week and I was amazed that his suggestions and alignment were so effective. I don't know what their practice is during pregnancy, but it may be worth asking around if you can get relief. Sending both you and your friend prayers and positive thoughts!
I love your crib,i have just created a blog describing my jounry i would really like your feedback :-) and participation thank you,please follow http://miraclettc.blogspot.ca/2013/01/trying-to-conceive-journey.html
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 19 weeks and baby furniture! Have you considered acupuncture? I went to try to help with fertility (and I'll go during IVF). One time I had issues with my rotater cuff so she did some extra work on my shoulder and it seemed to really help.
ReplyDeleteI will be thinking of your friend and sending positive thoughts her way. I can't even imagine the anxiety she's experiencing and what she and her husband will experience if the test is positive. I have also worked with children with Down's Syndrome and my work revolves around children with a variety of special needs. I certainly recognize how amazing they are, like any child, but I would also be afraid of how hard it can be to parent a special needs child. It's worth it, of course, and the joys and gains can be felt more strongly as well. It can be so challenging to a marriage too and I think just the decision of what to do would have J and I on opposing sides (I don't think I could ever abort after the struggle to conceive).
I hope you find some sort of back relief, I throw out my back all the time and it is so miserable. I will be thinking about you and your friend and hope she makes the right decision.
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