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A Whirlwind Week

It’s been a busy week for us. Monday night we promised the boys we’d take them bike riding in our church parking lot on Tuesday because Th wanted to learn to ride without training wheels and our neighborhood is too hilly. However, the worst storm we’ve had in months hit Tuesday night, forcing us to retreat to our house. We have been in a drought for a year and the night we want to do something fun for the kids, it doesn’t just rain, it storms! The storm was so bad that lightening struck TJ’s building at work, causing him to be extremely busy on Wednesday and work a 12-hour shift. We couldn’t go bike riding Wednesday because we go to church on Wednesday nights, so we finally made it there last night. Of course, it was overcast and threatened to rain the entire time we were there, but nevertheless the kids had fun and Th learned to ride his bike sans training wheels.

Speaking of Th, I am so proud of him. We did the same thing last fall, and he was just so afraid of falling that he wouldn't try to go alone. This time around, he was fearful, but he literally balanced himself the first try. He just took off! We couldn’t believe it! It was so easy! LOL! We went back up there tonight and he was doing tricks (standing up, trying to do a wheelie, wiggling his bike, making me nervous!) as he rode down the hill from the upper parking lot to the lower one. What a difference from last fall!

I am exhausted! Wednesday night, after the regular church service let out, we had a “family meeting” for only members over the age of 18 where our pastor informed us of something that another family, friends of ours, is going through. I can’t and won’t share any details, but it was very heartbreaking news involving their 19 year old son and caused me much grief. I had difficulty sleeping Wednesday night because I just kept thinking about my friends, his parents. My friend and I met at the park this time last year as her son was about to enter his freshman year of college. We spent the morning together talking and sharing, and as my pastor was sharing the news, memories of the day in the park flooded my mind. I called my friend yesterday to talk and hopefully was an encouragement to her. She is very distraught over the situation and although we are not family by blood, TJ and I are much closer to families in our church than we are to our own families. I think it’s because we see our church family 3 times per week and talk to them on the phone and email more often than that. Our church family has filled the void that remains by not having family close. Our babysitters, best friends, and kids’ best friends are all members of our church. We would like to have the same relationship with our real families (we’d save a lot on babysitting :0), but because of the distance separating us, it’s nearly impossible.

Today I had to wake early for my glucose test for gestational diabetes. I won’t get the results until Tuesday, but at my appointment, my doc told me I am measuring 2 weeks bigger than I am (I am measuring 29 weeks and I am 27). I measured big with the boys, so it’s not uncommon, but I was diabetic with Th. I pray I am not again because I really don’t do well with needles. I had to check my sugar levels 5 times a day and it was to the point that I just ate green, leafy veggies and avoided sugar at all costs to keep my insulin regulated just so I wouldn’t have to prick my finger again. I also had an ultrasound done that measured my cervix to be sure it wasn’t opening when I have a contraction. From what they could see, so far everything looks okay but I have to immediately get off my feet when a contraction comes. I had some pretty strong ones while in the office today which is what made her check my cervix. It was amazing to see the baby’s head pounding on my cervix when I had one- it literally was trying to pound its way out! I think the docs are more concerned about me going into preterm labor than they have been in the past , especially because of my history of early deliveries. The goal is for me to get to 35 weeks. If I go into labor anytime after 35 weeks they won’t stop it (they usually stop it if it’s before 36, but like I said, the magic number for me is 35). At this point I’m not on strict bed rest, but it very well could be in my future. I hope not, as I don’t know what I would do with my kids.

I have to go back to the OB next Friday for a Rhogam shot because I have a negative blood type and TJ is positive (seems to match our personalities too, huh!). If the baby’s blood type is positive, my body builds up antibodies against it and basically tries to attack it, thinking it is a foreign object (which, when the baby kicks and punches, it is a foreign object!). Again, I hate needles so I get it on the backside where I don’t have to see the needle coming at me. The shot helps my body to not fight against the baby. That is another risk factor for preterm labor (my body thinking it needs to rid itself of an "infection"). I have to have another shot after delivery. One would think that after having so many pregnancies (this is my 6th) I would be used to it. I’m not! I hate it and wish I didn’t have to go through it. Thankfully the boys will not be at the appointment with me because my eyes tear up whenever I get shots or have lab work done. I have such small veins and the technicians have a difficult time getting a good vein. For my sugar test today, the tech left the tourniquet on the entire time she was filling the vials and by the time she took it off, I had lost feeling in my lower arm. She was afraid to take it off too soon because she didn’t want my vein to collapse. When I was pregnant with Th, I was poked 16 times while they attempted to get blood for my sugar test. They succumbed to poking the veins in my hands and feet in order to fill the vials. It was a horrible, painful experience and I will never forget it!

We went to Carowinds this afternoon after the boys got home from camp (they are attending science camp on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings for 3 weeks). Th and Ta both rode on the log flume with me, and they loved it! Th has gone before, but this was Ta’s first time, and I thought he’d be scared. He wanted to go on again but the line was too long. Th went on a grown-up roller coaster with TJ for the first time today, too. He feels so grown up because he is now riding a 2-wheeler and roller coasters, plus he went to the dentist by himself for the first time yesterday (in the past, I went in the room with him when he was called back. Yesterday he went back alone)! He cracks me up on what little things mean so much to him- I love that kid! We came home, ate supper, and headed back to church so the kids could play and ride bikes while I watched. TJ played some basketball, if you could call it that! Then we went out for ice cream before coming home to wrap up our day.

Well, I realize this has been a long post but I haven’t posted in a few days so I am making up for it. I hope to sleep in a bit tomorrow and we are just going to hang around the house. With all the rain we’ve had this week, TJ actually needs to mow the grass, which is always fun for the boys. I hope you have a great weekend!

During the storm Tuesday




Comments

Milly said…
I hope all goes well with you and the baby

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