The TENS machine arrived today - my bags are pretty much assembled if not actually packed, I've bought husband's Valentine card and the new cot mattress is here. Still haven't actually written out the mammoth set of instructions for care of Elizabeth while I'm 'out of action' but bit by bit I'm feeling more prepared for D-Day.
[whispers] The itching might be getting better. I had a bad weekend with it. Endured one night where I summoned all willpower to stop myself scratching, then skin went wild the next day and was scratching like mad. I have since worked out that I get itchy after making contact with surfaces e.g. if I sit on the sofa, the backs of my legs itch, likewise if I lie in bed. No problems if I stand from now until the baby is born then! I've been taking dandelion root morning and night though, and the itching definately seems less intense, and the daily cream on my legs etc is healing the horrible 'holes' in my skin.
Yoga went well last night - just two more weeks left now, and am planning on taking husband to the partner session next week so that he can take in how he's supposed to help me, and perhaps more importantly so my parents can have a trial-run at putting Elizabeth to bed.
I've just ordered a new cream dressing gown online after being unable to find a suitable 100% cotton terry towelling one anywhere - all people seem to sell is 100% polyester 'fluffy' ones. The colour is, of course, supremely practical for post-birth wear, but frankly I don't care!
Elizabeth (I remember, this blog used to be about her!) is going through a noisy phase - lots of loud shouting and annoying screeches. If I shout at her she says "Friends Mum" as in 'let's be' and was very worried about me falling over last week and having a muddy bottom. I've just bought her a new pair of shoes today from Clarks having taken back the pair with flashing lights on them bought inadvertently (I didn't see the lights until it was too late, but then felt that we were 'selling out' to chavdom so decided they had to go back!).
We've booked to spend a week in Devon in late July with my parents and siblings! We're going to a luxury house with a heated indoor swimming pool and all mod-cons, so it should be really nice. If I can get that far it should be something to look forward to! Husband is on schedule to receive a bonus and pay rise this year (if he keeps his job) so we should be able to afford our own holiday too, so I hope to start looking for that before the baby arrives.
'Righty ho-bo' - better get off before Elizabeth wakes up!
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Friday, 23 January 2009
Day from hell.
Again - will I look back and laugh about this one day?
Yesterday. 1.45pm. Set off from home leaving Elizabeth just getting off to sleep with my Dad preparing his male voice choir file on the dining table. 2.15pm - arrive Royal Shrewsbury hospital. Negotiate car park entrance, get parking place 'gazumped' by old man. Remain calm. Park, pay and display, then set off towards maternity department for 2.30pm appointment with dermatologist. Walking across a muddy grass verge I slip and land heavily on my backside, and end up lying down on the mud having banged my head in the process. Survey damage. Behind is soaked through to knickers. Coat covered in mud on back and sleeves, hands filthy, legs filthy. Shakily make way to toilets and ineffectually dab paper towels at mud. Succeed only in making sink filthy and getting self upset. Crying hysterically and uncontrollably make way to day assessment unit. Say am here for 2.30 appointment, they tell me to wait in waiting area. Walk back via toilets for more dabbing, then sit head in hands sobbing uncontrollably until kindly Welsh lady calls me for my appointment. Arrive in day assessment unit in full flow, and try to explain between sobs to the waiting audience what is wrong. Dermatologist asks me to undress. Peel off muddy clothes and show her my skin which she thinks is healing. Tell her I have had no sleep, am exhausted, am not coping. She suggests admission so I can 'have a rest'. I decline.
Am strapped to monitor to check baby's heartbeat for 20 minutes. Have blood pressure checked, and further blood sample taken to rule out choleostasis once again. Baby fine. Am transferred to armchair to wait for prescription for sleeping tablets.
Half an hour later prescription hasn't arrived. They chase it - it is lost. Prescription gets re-written by registrar. I ring husband at 4pm to demand he goes straight home rather than out birthday card shopping. Go to pharmacy. Hand in prescription. Ring husband again to explain and cry like a shaking pathetic 36 weeks' pregnant woman! At 5.30pm having waited a further hour go to window and ask if they have forgotten me. Pharmacist sees me - he says he can't give me the medication because it is not suitable for people at this stage in pregnancy. 5.40pm make my way damply and shakily out of hospital, sit on incontinence pad in car and drive self home. Arrive home to find Elizabeth crying, refusing tea and saying that the kitchen floor has been turning around. Struggle to get her through bathtime, then send husband out for fish and chips. Look up medication on the internet and realise that there are serious risks for the baby associated with Zopiclone - respiratory problems at birth for example. Oh my God. Scratch from then onwards, and get into bed sporadically from 9.30pm onwards. Drift in and out of sleep.
Yesterday. 1.45pm. Set off from home leaving Elizabeth just getting off to sleep with my Dad preparing his male voice choir file on the dining table. 2.15pm - arrive Royal Shrewsbury hospital. Negotiate car park entrance, get parking place 'gazumped' by old man. Remain calm. Park, pay and display, then set off towards maternity department for 2.30pm appointment with dermatologist. Walking across a muddy grass verge I slip and land heavily on my backside, and end up lying down on the mud having banged my head in the process. Survey damage. Behind is soaked through to knickers. Coat covered in mud on back and sleeves, hands filthy, legs filthy. Shakily make way to toilets and ineffectually dab paper towels at mud. Succeed only in making sink filthy and getting self upset. Crying hysterically and uncontrollably make way to day assessment unit. Say am here for 2.30 appointment, they tell me to wait in waiting area. Walk back via toilets for more dabbing, then sit head in hands sobbing uncontrollably until kindly Welsh lady calls me for my appointment. Arrive in day assessment unit in full flow, and try to explain between sobs to the waiting audience what is wrong. Dermatologist asks me to undress. Peel off muddy clothes and show her my skin which she thinks is healing. Tell her I have had no sleep, am exhausted, am not coping. She suggests admission so I can 'have a rest'. I decline.
Am strapped to monitor to check baby's heartbeat for 20 minutes. Have blood pressure checked, and further blood sample taken to rule out choleostasis once again. Baby fine. Am transferred to armchair to wait for prescription for sleeping tablets.
Half an hour later prescription hasn't arrived. They chase it - it is lost. Prescription gets re-written by registrar. I ring husband at 4pm to demand he goes straight home rather than out birthday card shopping. Go to pharmacy. Hand in prescription. Ring husband again to explain and cry like a shaking pathetic 36 weeks' pregnant woman! At 5.30pm having waited a further hour go to window and ask if they have forgotten me. Pharmacist sees me - he says he can't give me the medication because it is not suitable for people at this stage in pregnancy. 5.40pm make my way damply and shakily out of hospital, sit on incontinence pad in car and drive self home. Arrive home to find Elizabeth crying, refusing tea and saying that the kitchen floor has been turning around. Struggle to get her through bathtime, then send husband out for fish and chips. Look up medication on the internet and realise that there are serious risks for the baby associated with Zopiclone - respiratory problems at birth for example. Oh my God. Scratch from then onwards, and get into bed sporadically from 9.30pm onwards. Drift in and out of sleep.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
36 weeks and counting
What a weekend that was - itching reached new heights (I plumbed new depths...). Although the cream and bath soak seem to soothe my skin somewhat, there is no relief to the itching. On Saturday night instead of having my customary hour and a half of sleep after getting to bed I was scratching like a mad thing from the off, and ended up going almost an entire night with no sleep, sobbing hysterically to the point I was nearly sick. Never felt so lonely - just wandering from room to room in the dark saying "Please help me!" and scratching my skin to ribbons. I felt like I wasn't human on Sunday. Husband looked after Elizabeth and I dozed in the morning, and they went out for a walk later on. I tentatively put on some clothes and wandered around like a lost sheep feeling weak and not really connected to the world...
Yesterday was better - I had a more positive attitude before I went to bed, and although the itching cropped up time and again I didn't cry, and did my best to stay calm. At 5am I put some of the bath soak on with a flannel, then went back to bed and did get some sleep. Husband got Elizabeth up and got her washed and dressed, so by the time I joined them at the breakfast table I at least felt human. The day progressed well - Hannah came over and we had lunch and chatted. No itching at all, but it started soon after and continued all evening and past bedtime. Although I was calm last night the itching was unrelenting, and the sheets were covered in blood this morning. Elizabeth woke up and started demanding me at 6.30am, at which point I was just a crying sobbing mess. I had a shower, applied the steroid cream, made my way through the morning routine on autopilot, then lay down on the bed at 9.30am and dozed for an hour while Elizabeth brought toys in and read husband's skateboarding magazine. We pushed on and went out to group - felt better in some ways that there were some people to listen to me - but no helpful suggestions as to what I should do.
On the positive side Elizabeth broke through the baricade and made her way into the baby corner to sit watching baby Chloe adoringly, and drew lots of comments about the way she was carefully cuddling a doll and looking at the babies. She also got quite upset because she wanted to take the doll - overtired or possibly coming down with the same cold I have now succumbed to so lunchtime preparations were fraught to say the least.
The Sainsbury's delivery has just arrived at 3 o'clock is approaching so I've got to go and make the pre-yoga casserole. Don't feel too tired now, but how I'm surviving is beyond me. I rang Personnel at work this morning with a very angry message for the woman who still hasn't confirmed when my maternity leave will start, or that she has received my MatB1 certificate. Got a cold, got severe heartburn, necking Gaviscon at every opportunity - I HATE BEING PREGNANT!!!
This is an historic day. Barack Obama is being sworn in as the first Black American president later this afternoon, so I'll go chop some veg and listen to the FiveLive coverage...
Yesterday was better - I had a more positive attitude before I went to bed, and although the itching cropped up time and again I didn't cry, and did my best to stay calm. At 5am I put some of the bath soak on with a flannel, then went back to bed and did get some sleep. Husband got Elizabeth up and got her washed and dressed, so by the time I joined them at the breakfast table I at least felt human. The day progressed well - Hannah came over and we had lunch and chatted. No itching at all, but it started soon after and continued all evening and past bedtime. Although I was calm last night the itching was unrelenting, and the sheets were covered in blood this morning. Elizabeth woke up and started demanding me at 6.30am, at which point I was just a crying sobbing mess. I had a shower, applied the steroid cream, made my way through the morning routine on autopilot, then lay down on the bed at 9.30am and dozed for an hour while Elizabeth brought toys in and read husband's skateboarding magazine. We pushed on and went out to group - felt better in some ways that there were some people to listen to me - but no helpful suggestions as to what I should do.
On the positive side Elizabeth broke through the baricade and made her way into the baby corner to sit watching baby Chloe adoringly, and drew lots of comments about the way she was carefully cuddling a doll and looking at the babies. She also got quite upset because she wanted to take the doll - overtired or possibly coming down with the same cold I have now succumbed to so lunchtime preparations were fraught to say the least.
The Sainsbury's delivery has just arrived at 3 o'clock is approaching so I've got to go and make the pre-yoga casserole. Don't feel too tired now, but how I'm surviving is beyond me. I rang Personnel at work this morning with a very angry message for the woman who still hasn't confirmed when my maternity leave will start, or that she has received my MatB1 certificate. Got a cold, got severe heartburn, necking Gaviscon at every opportunity - I HATE BEING PREGNANT!!!
This is an historic day. Barack Obama is being sworn in as the first Black American president later this afternoon, so I'll go chop some veg and listen to the FiveLive coverage...
Friday, 16 January 2009
Dermatologist appointment
Yesterday I had a fairly stressful visit to the RSH (where Elizabeth was born), on my own, for my appointment with the dermatologist. I felt particularly stressed sitting and waiting for the appointment on my own, watching visitors (mainly Dads) coming and going with bags of stuff and car seats and the like... When I finally got to see the dermatologist she looked at my now numerous open sores and diagnoses prurigo of pregnancy (pregnancy itching) and took swabs as some of the sores looked infected. She sent me to the hospital pharmacy to collect my prescription - steroid cream (same as I had before), a bath treatment and an antiseptic moisturiser. I felt quite faint sitting waiting at the pharmacy - so hot and breathless and panicked. Shot out of the place as soon as I could and promptly burst into tears and cried all the way home!
I had a bath and used the creams last night and although I still had the itching, I did have a bit more sleep. I'll keep going, but not exactly optimistic about the chances of this condition clearing up any time soon. I've got to go back next Thursday afternoon and repeat the whole performance again, so we'll see.
Meantime I'm bored. I can't sit or lie still long enough to relax, and activities like watching tv or reading are out. Even surfing the net has lost its appeal. I just feel like I'm tired and slightly deranged, and keep wondering about these Braxton Hicks contractions I keep feeling.
I had a bath and used the creams last night and although I still had the itching, I did have a bit more sleep. I'll keep going, but not exactly optimistic about the chances of this condition clearing up any time soon. I've got to go back next Thursday afternoon and repeat the whole performance again, so we'll see.
Meantime I'm bored. I can't sit or lie still long enough to relax, and activities like watching tv or reading are out. Even surfing the net has lost its appeal. I just feel like I'm tired and slightly deranged, and keep wondering about these Braxton Hicks contractions I keep feeling.
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
35 weeks and can't bend in the middle any more!
My wedding and engagement rings came off a couple of days ago, and my ankles were looking a bit swollen last night. Although I had a reasonable night on Sunday, the itching has been driving me absolutely crazy - cue hysterical crying and incessant searches on the internet for a miracle cure. The best I can find is alternating between evenings of ice pack application and a solution of 1 tbsp bicarb. of soda dissolved in a pint of water and applied with a flannel, and aqueous cream - slathered on until I look like a cross-channel swimmer.
Today I'm officially 35 weeks. I've been feeling pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions (well, I assume they are) and am finding it increasingly difficult to get down on the floor to do Elizabeth's nappies. I can't bend over at all really, although I still don't look too huge. I've been eating huge quantities of chocolate though which can't be helpful but at this stage in the game I can't say I really care. I'm that exhausted from sleep deprivation and looking after Elizabeth that there are very few enjoyable things left at the moment!
I had my follow-up blood tests at the day assessment unit on Friday and rang them up earlier to find I've got the all-clear (no obstetric choleostasis) so I go forward now with my appointment in Shrewsbury with the dermatologist on Thursday.
Sainsbury's delivery arrived again this morning with minimal problems - just a short shelf-life on an avocado and no melon for Minky... Well worth £3.50 for the time and effort saved. I've posted off a cheque to a gold bullion dealer (!) for Baby Ben's christening present (a miniscule gold bar) and contacted my Union about waiving my membership for another 6 months while I'm on maternity leave. I've been trying to keep up-to-date with the banking, and have been greatly cheered by the fact that the Bank of England have lowered the base rate by another 1% so we will be even better off next month. And once the baby is here and our Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits increase so much the better.
Week two of yoga tonight. Casserole is in the oven. Can't believe a week has flown by since my trip to A&E!!
Today I'm officially 35 weeks. I've been feeling pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions (well, I assume they are) and am finding it increasingly difficult to get down on the floor to do Elizabeth's nappies. I can't bend over at all really, although I still don't look too huge. I've been eating huge quantities of chocolate though which can't be helpful but at this stage in the game I can't say I really care. I'm that exhausted from sleep deprivation and looking after Elizabeth that there are very few enjoyable things left at the moment!
I had my follow-up blood tests at the day assessment unit on Friday and rang them up earlier to find I've got the all-clear (no obstetric choleostasis) so I go forward now with my appointment in Shrewsbury with the dermatologist on Thursday.
Sainsbury's delivery arrived again this morning with minimal problems - just a short shelf-life on an avocado and no melon for Minky... Well worth £3.50 for the time and effort saved. I've posted off a cheque to a gold bullion dealer (!) for Baby Ben's christening present (a miniscule gold bar) and contacted my Union about waiving my membership for another 6 months while I'm on maternity leave. I've been trying to keep up-to-date with the banking, and have been greatly cheered by the fact that the Bank of England have lowered the base rate by another 1% so we will be even better off next month. And once the baby is here and our Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits increase so much the better.
Week two of yoga tonight. Casserole is in the oven. Can't believe a week has flown by since my trip to A&E!!
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Pregnancy-related injury + more itching!
Ok, I'll laugh about this one day, but I wasn't laughing last night. Back from yoga I was stripping off for a bath, hooked the middle finger of my right hand into the elastic of my sock, tried to pull it off and something went 'snap'. I thought it was my sock, but alas it was my finger! I called down to husband and he was somewhat shocked to see the limp end of my finger dangling while I told him what I'd done. I started feeling faint and woozy as he talked of broken ligaments etc. He went to check on the NHS Direct website, and I continued with my bath.
He then returned with news that he thought my finger wasn't broken, but that the ligaments were damaged and I should see someone within 24 hours for surgery. Any hint of a smile immediately wiped off my face - how could I go to hospital and face an operation with Elizabeth in tow? The only possible thing to do, we reasoned, was to get dressed and set off for A&E there and then. I rang my Dad at 9pm, he came over to babysit for Elizabeth, and we got to the hospital where we had to sit with various drunks who had slipped on the ice. The triarge nurse diagnosed 'mallet finger' and to my reassurance said I would need to be seen by a doctor. I waited again to be seen by a doctor, who confirmed the diagnosis and said I'd need to wear a plastic 'mallet splint' for 6 weeks (bear in mind baby is due in exactly six weeks time!). I then had to wait again for a nurse to fit said mallet splint, and we rolled up home at 11.15pm somewhat tired and emotional after the experience!
Another night of itching and with the prospect of a midwife appointment today I made an additional appointment to see the GP and asked for something else as the steroid cream hasn't made a jot of difference and if anything the itching is worse. It is driving me crazy at night, and what started off as a couple of irritating spots on my legs has become a sea of angry red blisters all over my legs, hips, lower back, arms, stomach... He suggested having an antihistamine tablet every night, and then dispatched me to the midwife who was very sympathetic but had no other advice than 'calamine lotion' which obviously I've tried.
On the plus side all is well with the baby - heart beat fine, moving well, head down, not measuring large for dates... The midwives famous last words "This won't be another nearly-10lb-baby" are ringing in my ears - I'm sure it will be. I'm sure Elizabeth didn't measure large for dates at all, but we'll see. A small(ish) baby would be a bonus in these challenging times.
I'm adapting to life with my mallet splint, and hoping that my antihistamine tablet will offer some relief tonight. My 'hug a bub' sling has arrived from my E-bay seller today, so I'm about to plug in the DVD and learn how to use it before possibly looking at packing some of my various hospital bags. I've washed all the baby gros and vests, and got the car seat and bouncy chair down from the loft. Feeling in some ways a bit more prepared, but hit for six by the tiredness and this recent mallet finger setback!
He then returned with news that he thought my finger wasn't broken, but that the ligaments were damaged and I should see someone within 24 hours for surgery. Any hint of a smile immediately wiped off my face - how could I go to hospital and face an operation with Elizabeth in tow? The only possible thing to do, we reasoned, was to get dressed and set off for A&E there and then. I rang my Dad at 9pm, he came over to babysit for Elizabeth, and we got to the hospital where we had to sit with various drunks who had slipped on the ice. The triarge nurse diagnosed 'mallet finger' and to my reassurance said I would need to be seen by a doctor. I waited again to be seen by a doctor, who confirmed the diagnosis and said I'd need to wear a plastic 'mallet splint' for 6 weeks (bear in mind baby is due in exactly six weeks time!). I then had to wait again for a nurse to fit said mallet splint, and we rolled up home at 11.15pm somewhat tired and emotional after the experience!
Another night of itching and with the prospect of a midwife appointment today I made an additional appointment to see the GP and asked for something else as the steroid cream hasn't made a jot of difference and if anything the itching is worse. It is driving me crazy at night, and what started off as a couple of irritating spots on my legs has become a sea of angry red blisters all over my legs, hips, lower back, arms, stomach... He suggested having an antihistamine tablet every night, and then dispatched me to the midwife who was very sympathetic but had no other advice than 'calamine lotion' which obviously I've tried.
On the plus side all is well with the baby - heart beat fine, moving well, head down, not measuring large for dates... The midwives famous last words "This won't be another nearly-10lb-baby" are ringing in my ears - I'm sure it will be. I'm sure Elizabeth didn't measure large for dates at all, but we'll see. A small(ish) baby would be a bonus in these challenging times.
I'm adapting to life with my mallet splint, and hoping that my antihistamine tablet will offer some relief tonight. My 'hug a bub' sling has arrived from my E-bay seller today, so I'm about to plug in the DVD and learn how to use it before possibly looking at packing some of my various hospital bags. I've washed all the baby gros and vests, and got the car seat and bouncy chair down from the loft. Feeling in some ways a bit more prepared, but hit for six by the tiredness and this recent mallet finger setback!
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