Many Many Many Ramblings

Well...Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year....what else have I missed!?  Ha ha ha!  We have had so much excitement going on, blogging has REALLY taken a back seat--can't you tell!?  I figure it's time to update somewhat and get some of my thoughts/stresses out of my head for a while and onto some good ol' "paper".

2012 is a VERY exciting year for us...Matt is in his LAST semester of school!  GRADUATION here we come!!!!!  It is almost unbelievable to think that we have made it!  I keep saying "we"...but really Matt has been the one dealing with all the stress of trying to attend school full time (BUSINESS school, too....) while working his butt off full time.  We can't wait to see where the road will take us...especially in a few months.  Jackson and I sure can't wait until our daddy can come home from a normal day of work without having to rush to a group project, or crack open the books.  The end is in sight!!!  :)

Our other very exciting thing coming up is our baby is due in March!  And...it's a GIRL!!!!!!  We are so so so excited!  But oh my goodness....this pregnancy has been 100% opposite of the first.  We most definitely have a DRAMA QUEEN on our hands.  Oh where to start!?  I guess here are some updates as of late.

December... In December, I went in for a normal OB check and the baby's fetal heart rate had dropped into the 90s.  It stayed in the 90s consistently enough that they sent me over to the hospital for some stress testing.  The heartbeat went back up around 160, and they determined that everything looked fine and sent me on my way.     I was terrified.  And a wreck.  I don't think anyone can understand the worry and responsibility you feel carrying a baby, and how you just want everything to be ok, until you have actually had a baby yourself.  It is so hard to describe.

January...  So, I went in for my normal OB check again in January and this time, heartbeat was great!  YAY! But...I was measuring 24 weeks when I should have measured 28 weeks.  :S  I also mentioned to my dr that I had been noticing a lot of contractions (but, I thought it was just because I knew what to look for the 2nd time around, with Jackson I didn't notice hardly any).  So, my doctor had me schedule an ultrasound with Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital.  I also found out my glucose levels were elevated.  So, I was also scheduled for a 3 hour/12 hour fasting Glucose test.  I have to take it Friday and am SO dreading it--just because drinking all that sugar after fasting so long makes me so sick.  The first glucose test I took you had to be fasting 3-4 hours, go drink some nasty sugar drink, and then they take your blood an hour later.  This test I have to be fasting 12 hours, go have my fasting blood level checked, drink the nasty sugar drink, and then have my blood checked each hour for the next 3 hours.  It's going to be a long day at the lab.  I am just praying that I can keep the sugar drink down long enough for the test...

More January...  So, on Monday I had my ultrasound with the hospital.  They confirmed that indeed it IS a girl :) and checked a GAZILLION measurements.  I couldn't believe all the things they looked at...and they did it all twice!  Once with the technician, and again with the Neonatologist.  It was very reassuring.  No cord around the neck, phew, and most measurements look fabulous.  The baby's measurements are actually a week ahead!  But...the baby's belly is measuring a week behind schedule.  So, given the rest of the drama history, they decided to be conservative and scheduled me for a stress test to monitor the placenta function.  They also wanted to check my cervix since I had been having a lot of contractions.  But, for the first time the baby was actually NOT BREECH!  MIRACLE :)  They could NOT see the cervix at all in the ultrasound.  So...they did a transvaginal ultrasound.   A new experience.  To say the least.  HA HA HA.  But really, it was not that bad.  Measurements for that ended up showing that my cervix was shortened.  At this point, apparently it should be around 3 cm.  As of Monday, I was measuring around 2.2-2.4 cm.  At 28 weeks, that's a little too short for comfort.  So, they talked to me about starting some Progesterone as well as resting resting resting.

Another long story later...I found out my insurance won't cover the prescription at all, since it is considered a fertility medication.  So, the pharmacy quoted me at a nice total of $300 when I went to pick it up.  SERIOUSLY!?  No thank you!!!  So, my OBs office submitted me a letter of medical necessity and now I am just waiting to hear if insurance will maybe make an exception and cover it.  I know that compared to the life of this little baby girl, $300 is nothing.  Honestly, we just want her here safe.  So, we're just waiting to see how critical taking the medication at this point is...and if insurance might offer some assistance.

Until I hear back from my OB and the insurance company...it's rest rest rest.  How do you rest with a toddler?  How do you rest, in general!?  I feel so unproductive.  Anyway, I'm not officially on bed rest...so PHEW!  Good thing I have a constant comedy in front of me with all the funny things Jackson does and says each day. :)

OH BOY.  So that is life right now.  Sorry for the VERY lengthy ramblings.  Overall, we are having a blast in this "springtime" of a January, playing at the park and going for walks...and getting very excited for a new chapter in our lives to begin!