my-speck

i'm pregnant and it's going to be a rollercoaster

sore but otherwise all is well. And you’re endocrinologically all-ok based on my results too. June 1, 2009

Hello Speck!

Well, apart from the aches and pains increasing at a rapid rate over the past few days, all is going well.  We went for a visit to the endocrinologist this morning, and the blood results from last week are back in.  Summary:

  • Hashimoto is behaving well with my levels all good.  So you’re all good too.   I have to keep taking the medication at a slightly lowered dosage for four months after you’re born and then hopefully we can cut it out again.   So all levels of antibodies etc and the hormone itself are well within the normal range.
  • My red blood count is totally right up to the top of normal again after taking the iron supplements, so I’ll just stick with those and you’ll have enough.  Again, have to keep on it for a while after you come to cope with the blood I’ll lose and what not;
  • My haemoglobin levels are also back up to normal so all happy there;
  • My cholesterol is up but that’s cause of you and all should be good after you’re born;
  • And I am officially a lot fatter than when we started this whole process.  However, according to the endocrinologist, I look particularly healthy, energetic and good for someone who is nearly 37 weeks pregnant.  I.e. I didn’t labour into her office looking exhausted and swaying like a buffalo from side to side (that is my read between the lines on what she said).   She was quite surprised.  So after the last visit when she freaked me out about how much weight I had put on she said it was all fine, that I was obviously fit and healthly before getting pregnant and there was a lot of weight in my boobs etc, and some people just put on more weight.   And I was probably one of those people.  And as long as I stay away from junk food during breastfeeding, it should all come off.  Apparently breastfeeding is the only proven way to lose the stubborn and relatively intransient weight around the hips and thighs, according to her.  Its the one time it might move when generally it just stays put.   Good-oh, I’ve never really had fat hips, so I was a bit worried about that.  Anyway.  We’ll see how it goes.
  • And, last but definitely not least, my blood pressure is still very very good.  I.e. its the same as my normal blood pressure.  So she said that this late in the pregnancy it would be very rare for me to develop pre-eclampsia now – the blood pressure would generally be slightly elevated already.   Which it isn’t.  So yay.  More good signs for your impending arrival.

Your dad is officially sick of my complaining though.  I had a pretty sore weekend.  My hands and arms are really painful from the carpal tunnel (doctor said there is nothing to do about this).  My hands look very swollen like a little ogre’s hands.   Fat fingers.   They are now hurting all day and I can’t do things like brush my teeth where I have to grip the toothbrush.   Washing up is a bit hard too.   I’ve been trying to convince your dad this means I can’t wash up anymore but he doesn’t seem to be buying it.   In addition, my pelvis ache has worsened so now when I sit still for 10 minutes or try to lift my legs I get pretty bad shooting pains through the pelvic area, and I’m really stiff.  I’ve been going for walks, which helps, but still gets stiff when doing other stuff.  Rolling around on the fitball instead of sitting in a chair helps with that.  We went to the park yesterday for your cousin’s 2nd birthday and my hips and pelvis just locked up each time I sat down and getting up and off the picnic blanket was really hard!   And the reflux is bad too.  All day now, even when I haven’t eaten.  The doctor gave me some pills today which will she says will ‘make me a new person’ in two days time with respect to the reflux.  So I’m going to take them!  Yay.   So yes, I complain a little out aloud and your dad is over it.  But he doesn’t have to carry you about yet, so I just keep telling him to make soothing noises and deal with it.  So far, he’s doing pretty well (its only the grimaces that give his real thoughts away).

Enough about me.  Your new rocker arrived today too – yay! Its gorgeous and looks totally comfortable and fun and adjusts to lots of positions.  Hope you like it.   Good present.  It goes totally flat and totally upright and all configurations in the middle.  In fact, I think we could tip you upside down with feet higher than head if you really wanted.  You’ll have to let us know how it is.

your awesome giraffe rocker

your awesome giraffe rocker

so you’ll be able to rock-on like us 🙂

bad joke.

love you

mum

 

… Maybe Hashimoto is an ok person after all November 14, 2008

Filed under: emotion,healthcare,pregnancy — rakster @ 11:20 am
Tags: , , , ,

Good morning!

I feel today like I’m getting more accustomed to the thought of you being around. Still very weird and I’m sure it’s you disrupting my sleep patterns, but easier about it somehow.

Went to the endocrinologist today, and she says that all I need to do is keep taking the tablets and repeat blood tests pretty frequently in order to keep Hashimoto under control. She also said that while you do use my thyroid’s T4 at least up to around week 13, when you develop your own thyroid, I am only just under the normal range now, so we found it in time and you should be AOK just fine. Yippee! So you should be fine, your dad and I can stop panicking (well, I can stop panicking and he can stop trying to have to reassure me), and we can continue to be excited about you coming along. In 32 weeks! aaaaahhh!!

Woot! Anyway, I’m feeling all happy and good and excited and looking forward to the weekend.

Love you & your grandad says hello too this morning.
mum

 

Hashimoto and me.. November 13, 2008

Hiya Speck,

so its been another rollercoaster day, with a bit of crying, a bit of laughing, a bit of singing and now a bit of writing.

The crying:
I didn’t tell you the other day ’cause I didn’t think it was necessarily anything, but one of my blood tests came back with a funny result so I went in three days ago and had some more. And I found out today that based on those I have Hashimoto’s disease.  Woot.  What does it mean?  Well, from what I can gather my white blood cells are attacking my thyroid, and so that might be contributing to my general feelings of exhaustion and inability to concentrate. Though of course, that could just be you also.  You can have a read of what the mayo clinic say if you want:  Hashimoto’s Disease. Bloody Hashimoto. Anyway, felt fine at the doctors when he was telling me but then lost it when I was trying to pay and when I rang your dad to let him know. Makes me feel old. I find it hard to believe that I’m only 32 yet I’m going to have a disease which I have to take medicine for all the rest of my life! And – I’ve already told you how much I hate blood tests – I have to have them relatively frequently to monitor it. Erk!! Anyway, it sounds like for you it might be bad news too – but hopefully we’ve found it in time & it won’t affect your development. I’ve had a search but can’t find much information about it – if I was taking a drug the whole time I was pregnant apparently its ok and little effect on you, but not sure what it means that I’m 8 weeks pregnant and only just starting. I know you don’t get your own thyroid gland until later, so hopefully you just don’t need anything at the moment…

..was going to write more but the tiredness is inescapable. going for a nap. love you.

-r