a mother's day gift

This may get a little long..

Tuesday was the first day I could shower after the C-Section and I was so excited!  I got in the shower and realized I was swollen up to my breasts {{yes, really, all the way up to my breasts}}.  I mentioned it to all the doctors and nurses that saw me but no one seemed too concerned.  I had also developed a little dry cough...no one seemed too concerned about that either!  By Wednesday I was so swollen I was having a hard time getting around again.  The doctors and nurses assured me my swelling was normal....afterall, I was so swollen before he was born and it was only going to get worse before it got better {{at least they were right about this part!}}.

We were supposed to be discharged on Thursday.  I was so excited to leave the hospital and get in a routine with our little blessing.  Early Thursday morning a new doctor came in, took one look at me, and informed me that I would not be going home that day.  She was very concerned about my swelling.  Later that day, the hospitalist came by and ordered albumin to try to pull some of the fluid out.  The night shift nurse started the albumin.  Later that night, I began feeling like someone was standing on my chest and I was having a hard time breathing.  The nurse came in and took my blood pressure and it was sky high!  She was a nervous wreck so I recommended calling the doctor.  Just as a side note, it is incredibly hard to be a nurse and be a patient at the same time.  The thing about being a nurse is that you may not have a lot of knowledge about all the different fields in nursing, but you have enough knowledge to question things and know when something is not right.  At this point, I knew something wasn't right.  I told hubs that I was pretty sure I was dying {{no, I am not dramatic....not at all}} and to please let me hold Hudson one last time.  The doctor ordered a CT scan.  That was all.  They left me like this, while still pumping me full of albumin, for the rest of the night.  The next morning, a new nurse came in and immediately said "We are going to get something done for you today.  I've already paged your doctor, the hospitalist, and the cardiologist."  Praise the Lord!!  Finally, someone was going to do something for me!!

Or so I thought....

Around lunch time, I was still in the same situation.  My doctor did come in and inform me that my lungs were full of fluid.  He had already ordered me to have lasix {a diuretic} and they had given it to me that morning.  The cardiologist came in and said give her more lasix.  The hospitalist came in and said I had pneumonia.  Three different opinions.  No one could agree on my plan of care.  Something wasn't working.

We requested to be transferred to a hospital in Charlotte.  My doctor agreed that it would probably be best.  So, Friday afternoon, my family packed all of our things to prepare for our transfer.  The hospital I was at told me that I could take Hudson but that someone would have to be awake 24 hours a day to take care of him {{really?!?  how was that going to happen?!?}}.  My family volunteered to take turns staying in the hospital to take care of little man.  That seemed so crazy to me so I suggested that they just take turns taking care of him.  Then, they could bring him to the hospital every day and take him home at night  {at this point, I was still breastfeeding so it seemed like the best option}}.  Later that day I was loaded into the ambulance and transferred to Presbyterian Hospital.  I arrived at the hospital by myself {{they wouldn't let anyone ride with me}} and immediately had a breakdown.  I was physically and emotionally drained.  I called hubs sobbing.  How could this be happening??  I just had a baby...this was supposed to be a happy time and instead I was just arriving at a new hospital to try to figure out what was going on with my body.

Hubs arrived shortly with the rest of our family.  The nurse informed me that Hudson could stay with us, I just couldn't be the main care giver {which, of course, brought on another mini breakdown}.  At this point {{I was later told}}, I was in kidney failure.  The first hospital had given me so much lasix that they had shut my kidneys down.  Not only had they given me so much lasix that it was affecting my kidneys, they also were not replacing all the things that were coming out of my body {potassium, magnesium, etc}....this was going to eventually start affecting my heart.  The were slowly killing my organs off.  Our entire family started calling everyone they knew and asking for prayers.

Over the next few days, the wonderful doctors and nurses started replacing everything I was missing, lowered my dosage of lasix, and ran all kinds of tests.  The good news was besides a little fluid around my heart, there was no irreversible damage.  Slowly, my kidneys started functioning again.  By Sunday {{my first mother's day}}, I was being discharged.

It has been a slow recovery and I am still not 100%.  I still have fluid in my lungs and sometimes have difficulty breathing, but I am so much better than I was!!

Hubs {{and everyone else}} asked me what I thought Presbyterian did that made the difference {afterall, I was only there from Friday until Sunday}....I tell them prayer...I truly believe prayer made the difference.  People everywhere were praying for us.  God is in the business of healing.  What else is there to say??

I also believe God gave us the discernment to ask for a transfer....the transfer that {{according to the doctors at Presbyterian}} saved my life.     

Hudson's Birth Story

So, I'm a little late writing this {over a month}, but here goes...

On May 1st, around 10pm, I started feeling "funny".  I felt like I had to go to the bathroom every 5 seconds, but could not pee.  I wasn't having any pain exactly but something just didn't feel right.  I told Andrew that I didn't think anything was wrong but that I felt like something was going on.  Oh, and I couldn't sleep.  So, around 11:30pm, I got back into bed and laid down.  All of a sudden, GUSH {yes, it was literally a gush}....my water broke.  I woke Andrew and told him....

Me {pretty calmly, I might add}:  Hey, babe, I think my water just broke.

Hubs:  What?!

Me:  My water just broke!

Hubs:  Well, what should we do??

Me:  Ummm...I guess go to the hospital.

We then leisurely get out of bed and start to get ready.  Who would have thought I would have been so cool, calm and collected for our first baby?!

Anyway, we jump in the car and head to the hospital {which is about a 30 minute drive}.  During this 30 minute drive, I start having really bad contractions {that are less than 5 minutes apart}.  When we get to the hospital, around 12:45 am, I am dilated to 4 cm!  They start my IV and send in anesthesia.  Because it is the middle of the night and we had already planned on having a C-Section {because little man was breech}, we have an emergency C-Section.  It all happened so fast!!  One minute, we are driving to the hospital and the next, we have a crying, healthy baby!

Let me back up a little though...

The Friday before Hudson was born, my doctor convinces me and hubs that it's best that he perform an amniocentesis to determine if Hudson's lungs are mature enough to be delivered early.  My body was not tolerating the pregnancy well and my doctor thought it was best that we deliver Hudson as soon as he was ready!  The amniocentesis showed that Hudson's lungs were not mature and we shouldn't deliver him early {I was 37 weeks at this point}.

So, back to the delivery...

I was so worried that Hudson's lungs would not be mature enough and that he would be in distress when he was born.  So, to hear his first cry was amazing!!  His lungs were healthy and mature!!  After seeing him for a short second, Andrew cut his umbilical cord and took him to the nursery to be assessed.  After they put me back together, Andrew brought Hudson to the recovery room and we were able to spend some time as a family!  It was the most amazing experience!  We were so in love!!

Hudson Reid

May 2, 2011

3:18 am

8 lbs 8 oz

20 inches

{{more to come on what happened after our sweet little man was born...}}



is this weird?

I am hungry (but only craving a few things) but everytime I eat, I feel sick.  I have even gotten sick after a few meals for the past few days.  I feel like I can't drink a lot because it makes me sick too.  I am almost 37 weeks pregnant but it feels like the first trimester all over again.  I spend time with the toilet almost every day {probably TMI but I wanted you to get the full effect}.  I realize that because Hudson is breech it may be pushing things a little higher up causing all of this {he is literally under my ribs) but I just wonder if this is normal??  Did this happen to any of you??

On a competely random note, every day I open my blinds so I can see outside.  Well, this past Friday, I saw something new....some kind of animal in our backyard.  {{He is either a groundhog or a beaver....hubs says he is more than likely a groundhog but I am not convinced}}  For this reason, he has come to be known as just "the animal".  Hubs has yet to see him, but I promise he is there.  {{At least I am pretty sure I am not imagining things but who knows what bed rest will do to ya!}}  This week, I plan to get a picture of him so you can all see him {and I can prove I'm not losing it!}.

okay, after seeing these pictures, I am pretty sure it's a groundhog!

salsa and guacamole recipes

I am linking up with A Love Worth Waiting For's Monday's Meals.  I just started following her blog and have really enjoyed reading their love story!  It is amazing how God works!

With the warmer months coming, I decided to post recipes for pico de galla and guacamole because I am obsessed with both!!  There is nothing better than chips with fresh salsa and guacamole.  I could live off of it!

Pico de Gallo

1 lb tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

1/2 white onion (chopped)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix together in large bowl and enjoy!

for mango salsa:  add 1 mango (chopped into bite size pieces)

for black bean salsa:  add 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

Guacamole

1/2 white onion (chopped)

2 avocados

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

sometimes I add 1 tomato (seeded and chopped) if I want a little something extra!

Mash avocado with fork, add lime juice.  Add all other ingredients and enjoy!

saturday ramblings

My appetite is gone....literally, there are only 3 things I want to eat.

A grilled cheese sandwich {preferably from Bar-B-Que King*

...and preferably in the morning before they open}

A tomato sandwich {with a little salt and pepper...and

Duke's mayo of course!}

And an Orange Julius Smoothie {strawberries, bananas, and pinapple juice, thank you very much!}

Needless to say, this is what my diet consists of currently. 

A momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do!

*For those of you who don't know about Bar-B-Que King....it's a small town, family owned bar-b-que joint that everyone in town loves!!  I worked there forever ago, but still remember how good that early morning grilled cheese tasted!!

On a completely different note, I have been reading a lot of good books!!  One of my favorite authors is Dorothea Benton Frank.  All of her books are set in and around Charleston.  I love the southern-ness of her books {I am sure this isn't a word, but it describes her books perfectly!}.  Two other authors I have come to love are Karen Kingsbury {a Christian writer} and Dan Walsh {another Christian author}.  My sweet husband surprised me with a Kindle so I could read while on bedrest.  The best part about the Kindle is the free books!!  Most of the books I have downloaded have been free and really good reads.  But the book I really want to recommend is Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo.  It's about a little boy who went to heaven and it is amazing!  Read it.  Trust me, you will be amazed too!

and we have a plan!

Yesterday, we went to the OB to figure out the plan...would we deliver at 37 weeks {next week}?  or wait?

After talking to my doctor he gave us two options....

1.  We could deliver at 37 weeks BUT we had to agree to go to Charlotte to have an amniocentesis to make sure Hudson's lungs were developed enough to deliver.  {{We don't want him to spend some time in the NICU, now do we?}}

OR

 

2.  We could plan to schedule a C Section at 39 weeks as long as Hudson and my blood pressure behaved.  {{This meant me staying on bed rest until 39 weeks....THREE.MORE.WEEKS.}}

As much as I would love for Hudson to be here next week, I know that option 2 was safest for our little man.

So, the plan {which can of course change at any minute second} is to have a C Section on May 11th.

At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Another interesting thing.....when he measured my abdomen, it was measuring at 42 weeks....6 weeks later than what I should be measuring!!!  Pretty sure I am growing a toddler and not a newborn!

pregnancy highlight-36 weeks

How Far Along: 36 weeks

Total Weight Gained: ummm...I am not doing this part anymore :)

Maternity Clothes: I've been out of my regular clothes for a while now. I have stretched out everywhere and my belly feels HUGE!!!

Sleep:  Sleep?  Maybe the question is naps...I nap between peeing all night long.

Best Moment of the Week: Finding out little big man is perfect!  {which of course we already knew!}

Food Cravings: I have been craving fruit lately....pineapple, watermelon, grapes....yumm

Food Aversions: Meat {of any kind} and Mexican food {which is really sad because I love it!}

Belly button/stretch marks: No stretch marks so far {wooohoooo!!!}. Belly button is still in.  {Can I really make it though this entire pregnancy without one stretch mark?!?} 

Symptoms:  Contractions....lots of them!  But not enough to take me to the doctor :/

Movement: His movement has slowed down a little.  Maybe he is running out of room.

Gender: Boy-Hudson Reid

What I miss: Wearing my normal clothes and Mexican food {ha!}

Milestones:  Being on bedrest for 3 whole weeks!  That may sound crazy, but I am glad I have made it this far and not gone insane!!

God is faithful

"God is faithful"....these were the words my father-in-law said to us after our crazy Wednesday.

Last week, we had an appointment with our OB to have an ultrasound to determine Hudson's size and if I would be able to deliver him or would need a C Section.  We went into the ultrasound so excited and sure that when we left, we would have a plan of action!

Let's just say that's not how the day went....

My appointment was Wednesday morning so Andrew stayed home from work so he could take me.  {Because I am on bed rest, I cannot drive.}  We left around 9 so we could grab a bite to eat on the way.  We arrived at the doctor's office a little early but had to wait for what seemed like an eternity to have our ultrasound.  Finally, they called my name and we went back.  She put a little warm gel on my belly and up came a picture of our sweet little man.  She started taking measurements right away.  We could see that his head was measuring a little large, that he seemed to be a big boy, and that he was breech!  After showing us his face, arms, feet, hair, etc she told us that she would guess that he weighed around 6 lbs.

 

Good news:  he wasn't too big!  Bad news:  he was breech so I would probably have to have a C Section.

 

After our ultrasound we waited to talk to the doctor and for an exam {or so I thought}.  My doctor was not in the office on this particular day so we had to see a different doctor.  She came and got us and took us back to her office.  Her office??  Why were we going in here??  Weren't we having an exam done too??  We sat down and she started to explain to us that she was very concerned about the size of his head {it was measuring 39 weeks while the rest of his body was measuring a few weeks behind}.  I was 35 weeks.  Hudson has a 39 week head.  Something wasn't adding up.  She explained that this could be a sign of hydrocephalus, neural tube defects....and the list went on and on.  I sat there with my nursing hat on.  I was completely calm and just listened to everything she had to say.  She said that she would like for us to go see a high risk doctor in Charlotte.  We agreed and she said they would call us later with an appointment.  She looked at Andrew and said "Are you okay?"  I looked over at my husband and saw the concern on his face.  Off came my nurse hat and on came my momma hat.  OH. MY. GOODNESS.  This is my baby....our baby.  I have already come to love him so much and imagine how perfect he will be.  Now, they are telling me something could be wrong??  How could this be?  What had I done to make this happen?  Was it my fault?  Did I not take good care of myself and Hudson?  Did it have something to do with all my recent blood pressure issues?  How could they not pick up on this before?

 

We left her office and I immediately burst into tears.  Andrew told me everything would be okay.  I wiped my tears, checked out, and headed to the car.  Where I immediately burst into tears.  We just sat there trying to process it all.

 

We chose to not have any of the testing done during pregnancy {down syndrome, etc) because it didn't matter.  We didn't care.  And we knew that whatever God had in store for us was His plan and we would be more than happy with the outcome.

 

We both realized that no matter what was going on, Hudson was perfect.  Perfect for us.

 

We both called our mom's {because they knew we had an appointment and if we didn't call them, you could be sure that they would call us!}.  And we told them our news.  I could barely get the words out as I talked to my mom.

 

We had a few errands to run so we Andrew ran them while I sat in the car.  I was talking to one of my friends, updating her about what the doctor said when the doctor's office called and said they had gotten us an appointment later that day in Charlotte.  We grabbed a bite to eat and headed to Charlotte to see what this doctor had to say.

 

We arrived 40 minutes early {ha!} and checked in.  The nurse took us back and started asking questions that went a little something like this...

 

Nurse:  So you guys are here today because your baby's head is measuring big?

Us:  Yes, that's what they told us.

Nurse:  Do big heads run in your family?

Me: Have you seen my husband?!  {ha!  But seriously, hubs has a big head.  All the guys in the family do!  It's something I have prayed about since we first got pregnant (for selfish reasons...who wants to birth a big headed baby?!?)}

Nurse:  Do you have gestational diabetes?  Were either of you big babies?

{You get the picture....she was getting a little history!}

 

She gel-ed me up and up popped a picture of our little big man.  She took a few measurements and seemed a little shocked that my doctor had sent me to them.  She said he looked perfect.  Music to my ears.  She said his abdomen was measuring about the same as the head so there were no concerns.  She said he was just a big baby.  Already over 7lbs.  And we still had 5 weeks to go??  After that she brought {the.most.amazing.} doctor in who confirmed what the nurse had just told us!!  We had a big, healthy baby boy!

 

{the.most.amazing.} Doctor said that he would recommend to my doctor that they do a C-Section at 37 weeks.  Two weeks from that day!

We have an appointment Thursday with my doctor to see where we go from here. 

God is faithful.

an exciting weekend

This weekend has been a very exciting weekend for me!  Friday, I had a doctor's appointment to check on my blood pressure.  It was perfect!  So, my doctor told me I could go to my baby shower today that my aunt, sister, and family friend threw for me.  I was so excited!!  That was two days in a row that I could get out of bed, put on something other than pj's or sweatpants, fix my hair, and put on make-up.  I felt like a new woman!!  I also felt exhausted...ha!

My doctor said I should stay on bedrest until Hudson makes his appearance.  I go back Wednesday to have an ultrasound because I have been measuring 2-3 weeks ahead for a while now and my doctor wants to make sure little man isn't going to be too big for me to deliver.  My doctor does not want me to deliver a baby larger than 8 pounds {which sounds pretty good to me!}. So, depending on how big Hudson is, we will know if we need to schedule a C-Section or not.

More updates to come this week and a lovely post about my wonderful shower!!

Hudson's Nursery

4 of the 7 colors we had on the wall.  I was a little very indecisive!

Just a little picture to show my indecisiveness!

The dresser before your daddy's hard work...

Your daddy putting your crib together...

The dresser after your daddy's hard work!  It looks amazing!

Uncle Marty and Grandaddy hung these letters that your daddy painted.

Since I was on bed rest, daddy, gigi, aunt ashley, and the lady that made your bedding put your nursery together...this is me admiring their hard work!

I love it!!

The drapes are my favorite part of the room!  The cute buttons on the top look so different in person!

The chair we had recovered.  I am sure we will spend many hours rocking you in this!

Perfect!

There are still a few things we have to add....the light fixture, a sweet Bible verse above your crib....just a few finishing touches!

pregnancy highlight-34 weeks

How Far Along: 34 weeks

Total Weight Gained: 40 lbs {okay, so that was while I was in the hospital....and I am pretty sure it was from all the swelling}

Maternity Clothes: I've been out of my regular clothes for a while now. I have stretched out everywhere and my belly feels HUGE!!!

Sleep:  Some nights I sleep really well....others, not so much.  Little man has dropped a little because he is always on my bladder!

Best Moment of the Week: Getting the nursery almost finished!!  {pictures to follow!}

Food Cravings: I have been craving fruit lately....pineapple, watermelon, grapes....yumm

Food Aversions: Meat {of any kind} and Mexican food {which is really sad because I love it!}

Belly button/stretch marks: No stretch marks so far {wooohoooo!!!}. Belly button is still in.  {Can I really make it though this entire pregnancy without one stretch mark?!?} 

Symptoms:  Contractions!  Maybe they are Braxton Hicks...maybe they are real.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we will know then what's going on!

Movement: His movement has slowed down a little.  Maybe he is running out of room.

Gender: Boy-Hudson Reid

What I miss: Wearing my normal clothes and Mexican food {ha!}

Milestones:  Being on bedrest for one whole week!  That may sound crazy, but I am glad I have made it one week and not gone insane!!

pre-preeclampsia

I haven't blogged in so long that I am not even sure where to begin with this post....

Let's just start with last Tuesday night....

I made dinner for my hubs and mom, but couldn't eat because I was so nauseous.  This has been happening frequently and I felt like I was going back to my first trimester.  Along with feeling nauseous, I was also a little dizzy and seeing "spots" in my vision.  So, Wednesday, I woke up with a terrible headache....took some tylenol and headed to work.  Around lunch, I felt so sick and uneasy (I just knew something wasn't right) so I had someone at work check my blood pressure and it was elevated crazy high for me.  I immediately called my doctor and told them my symptoms....high blood pressure, swelling (which has honestly been happening since week 17), headache, dizziness, and "spotty" vision.  They want to see me....immediately.  I go to the doctor and they send me over to labor and delivery to be monitored.  I am 33 weeks pregnant.  I am freaking out.  They monitor me for a little while and send me on my way.  Still. feel. terrible.

Thursday, I wake up feeling the exact same way.  I call my doctor again.  He sends me straight to labor and delivery.  They monitor me all day and that afternoon my doctor comes back to talk to me.  He tells me I am out of work and on bedrest.  I cry.  He says he would like to keep me in the hospital for 36-72 hours to be monitored.  They give me some magnesium sulfate and steroids for Hudson's little lungs.  Apparently, they are concerned that I could go into labor anytime.  Andrew comes home to pack both of us a bag {because we will be here for a few days} and my mom comes to stay for a while.  My doctor has ordered that I can only have one visitor at a time so when Andrew gets back, my mom leaves to come home.  The next morning, my doctor comes in smiling saying he has good news.  Praise the Lord!!  I can go home as long as I "promise to be good".  Basically, I have to stay in the bed until Hudson decides to make his arrival.  My doctor is concerned that my 'condition' will turn into preeclampsia.  I am allowed to get up to use the bathroom and take one bath/shower a day.

 

So, here I am.  In bed.  For who knows how long. 

because i know you are dying to know....

I passed my glucose tolerance test....the first time!!!! No three hour test for me  :)

can you tell how excited i am?!?!

pregnancy highlights-27 weeks

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Total Weight Gained: 24 lbs {yes, you read that right....i haven't gained any weight for 2 weeks...woohoo!!}

Maternity Clothes: I've been out of my regular clothes for a while now. I have stretched out everywhere and my belly feels HUGE!!!

Sleep: I LOVE sleeping!! During the first trimester, I woke up around 3am every morning. Now, I could sleep all day long! But I hear the third trimester brings no sleep so I'm trying to enjoy it now :)

Best Moment of the Week: Getting over the flu!  Yes, I had the flu.  It was terrible.  I thought I was dying.  seriously.

Food Cravings: No food cravings this week, but I have been craving sweet tea.

Food Aversions: Meat {of any kind} and Mexican food {which is really sad because I love it!}

Belly button/stretch marks: No stretch marks so far {wooohoooo!!!}. Belly button is still in.

Symptoms: Heartburn, swelling {in my hands and feet}, feeling huge and bloated, getting tired easily.....in general, I am not a person that has loved being preggers....oh, and ridiculous amounts of back pain {when I sit, when I stand...pretty much all the time!}

Movement: He moves a lot. Before it was just a little movement that I could feel but now it feels like he's cutting flips!

Gender: Boy-Hudson Reid

What I miss: Wearing my normal clothes and Mexican food {ha!}

Milestones: Picking out paint colors {we currently have 7 different colors on the nursery wall....who said pregnant women were indecisive?!?}.

This weekend, one of my friends is coming into town and I am helping throw her a baby shower.  Her little girl is due 2 weeks before Hudson!  We have already planned an arranged marriage! For the party, I plan on attempting to make making a diaper cake.  I googled it so I should be okay!  I found a really cute idea on a blog {sorry, I can't remember the name}....she put a bottle of chamagne in the center of the diaper cake to hold it together.  Who wouldn't love a bottle glass of champagne to celebrate the birth of their sweet little one?!  I will post pictures of my craftiness!

good/bad news and rude people

The good news is my ultrasound showed no gallstones {wooohooo!}.  The bad news is they don't know what is causing the severe pain in my back.  But they did start me on Zantac to see if it is GERD related.  So, we shall see if it helps my pain!

On a different note, if you have ever been pregnant, you know that people will say anything to you.  Anything.  Seriously.  I thought it might be fun to keep a record of some of the crazy things people say. 

"OH MY GOSH, YOU ARE HUGE!!!"

"Are you sure you aren't having twins?"

"When are you due?  Oh, no, do you think you will make it that long?!"

Random strangers touching my belly....no words needed....

"You are 25 weeks??  You're a little wide aren't you?"

"I've seen a lot of pregnant bellies in my day...but you are really big!  You look like you should be at least 35 weeks."

Really, I am pregnant people.  I would never walk up to anyone and say these things.  I would never touch some random persons belly.  You wouldn't go up to a non-pregnant woman and rub her belly would you?!?  I am seriously about to start slapping people.

Maybe you could help me out...I am having trouble pulling up some blogs.  I can click on their link but it only shows their blog title and picture but no posts.  I don't understand what is going on.  Have you had this problem??  How can I fix it??