Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since my last post. Lots to update, only some of it good.
The weekend of March 25 was my second baby shower, hosted by my in-laws back in Ohio where my husband grew up. My OB warned me that the drive might be a little rough, and she was right. Only a couple hours into the drive and my ankles were already the size of softballs. I tried to drink plenty of fluids but we have bad eating habits when we’re on the road so I’m sure my sodium intake was off the charts. I didn’t get much rest while I was there (horrible mattress and I didn’t bring my body pillow) but the shower was great! Even better than I expected, considering I didn’t know probably half of the people in attendance. I’ll try to post pics soon.
We got home Sunday night and then it was work, work, work until Thursday when we hopped a plane to Ft. Lauderdale. Friday and Saturday I had to staff a work-related conference but then Sun-Tues was babymoon time. Our last vacation before baby, and definitely our last beach vacation for awhile. Sadly, when one is 8 mos pregnant, the beach isn’t exactly the destination of fun it typically is. I didn’t bring a bathing suit, and kind of regretted it once I saw how clean and calm the water was. Still, we enjoyed a few hours of beach time, tried to find cool places to eat, and rode around on the water taxi as much as possible, gawking at the multi-million dollar mansions and yachts as we cruised the intercoastal. Although I probably wouldn’t recommend Ft. Lauderdale as an exciting vacation destination, it’s where we got engaged nearly 7 years ago. So a few of our dining choices were made in part because we wanted to reminisce about our engagement and first trip together. Really fun, but kind of difficult trying to remember what we did on that trip. Those were the days before I started blogging – actually I think I started my first blog within a month or so after that trip – so nothing more to go by than memory.
Something I do recall very vividly from that trip was the day we returned home – June 3 – and receiving a panicked voicemail from my aunt telling me that my grandpa had suffered a major heart attack and was in the hospital, unlikely to recover. Fortunately, she was wrong and he’s been with us ever since, but I remember walking in to the hospital, and wishing I was sharing our engagement news under better circumstances.
Fast forward 7 years to our return flight home on Tuesday, April 3, and about an hour after we got home, my mom calls to tell me that my grandpa has liver cancer and a tumor in his stomach. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little superstitious about taking trips to Ft. Lauderdale now. Especially when return flights land on the 3rd day of the month.
The rest of the week was a blur of trying to catch up with work and worrying about my grandpa’s health. Then Friday morning I was hit with what has now proven to be the worst virus I think I’ve had since I was about 6 yrs old and nearly died of pneumonia. It started out harmless enough with just a sore throat. Allergies, I assumed. Before noon, I had the worst back-ache I’d ever experienced. Pregnancy-related perhaps? I had a few more meetings and calls to get through but once those were over, I left work, popped some Tylenol, and became BFFs with my heating pad. Fortunately, that seemed to do the trick, but by nightfall, I had the worst case of heartburn – in my upper back (which happens from time to time) and my head started to feel congested. We were supposed to go to a concert Friday night, but those plans were immediately ditched. Saturday I was supposed to go visit my grandma on my dad’s side that lives about 2.5 hours away in IL. I’d already had to miss her 90th birthday because I was in Austin for SXSW, and I had promised her we’d come visit for Easter instead. But I couldn’t risk getting her sick too, so promise = broken. I felt terrible about it, but she understood. The really crappy part is that I don’t know when or if we’ll be able to visit before the baby. I can’t go this weekend b/c of work (and this sickness) and next weekend we have baby classes. After that, I’m really not supposed to travel. Frustrating.
Anyway, back to Easter. With my grandpa’s declining health, my mom came to town to help my other grandma take care of him. My grandma (mom’s side) isn’t in the best health either and has a hard enough time taking care of herself, let alone caring for my grandpa and trying to care for the house. So my mom came to town, but only for a few days because she has a couple of weeks left of college courses that she’s taking back in in Kentucky. I had only gotten progressively worse by Sunday – severe congestion to the point where I couldn’t breathe at night, fever, aches, and then a pretty wretched cough on top of it all. So I had to miss spending time with my family because once again, I couldn’t risk getting my grandparents sick.
Yesterday and today have been much the same with zero improvement. I finally got in to see the doctor on Monday afternoon and walked out with a diagnosis of possible flu, probable bronchitis, or possibly both. I’m on antibiotics now, but so far they’ve only managed to make me nauseous and force me to uh, use the bathroom, more than I’d like.
Of course, all this sickness has me and the hubs a wee bit concerned about the baby, but I’ve been feeling him move pretty regularly so I’m pretty sure all is well. I’m glad we have an OB appt scheduled for tomorrow anyway to check on things, so praying that my severe illness hasn’t affected anything with the little one.
So I think that catches you up on the last 3 weeks. It’s been a little nuts around here but I’m trying to relax and focus on getting better. Five days (and probably 6 or 7 since I haven’t noticed any improvement yet…) is a really long time to be knocked on your ass, but it is what it is and I’m trying not to let myself get overwhelmed by all I still have to do – both at home and at work – but it’s hard, yo. Really, really hard.
Geezus Liz. No bueno my friend. Hope you feel better soon… and hope gpa and gma are ok too.
Thanks Court!
I got sick when I was pregnant, and it was the worst, ever. Your antibodies are down anyway, in an effort to protect the baby, so you’re sick a lot longer. I caught a cold and gave it to my husband two days later. To say I was annoyed that he got it after I did and was better before I was is an understatement. Hang in there, and I hope you feel better soon!
well now that you put it that way, it all makes sense. But wow, was I not prepared for it!
Blech, sounds you deserve nothing less than a fantastic week, my friend. Sending along virtual hugs and hoping that your grandpa and grandma are better real soon!