Beautiful Sunny Day...Inside the Hospital

I had my long gestational diabetes test this morning at Cox South after failing the short test at the doctor's office last week. Is anyone surprised that I failed a test involving intake levels of sugar?! I really wasn't, though I was definitely disappointed knowing what was in store for me this morning. I know several of you have been through this test as well and so will be familiar with the following story.

I woke up at 6:30am this morning already exhausted after returning from a 6 hour trip to and from Kansas City the day before to help bring home Jay's new, but used, company car. I hadn't slept well, probably due to the knowledge of the upcoming test even though I hadn't been nervous all week. Speaking of that, I know that many people were praying for me and they were definitely answered as I had peace all week and throughout the day today...minus one small incident which we'll get to in a minute.

We (Jay and I, who supported me by not eating this morning since I had to fast myself) arrived at the hospital at 7:30am where I checked in. This seemed to take a really long time considering I had made the point of "preregistering" the day before. The lady actually went back over the same questions I had answered on the phone so I'm not exactly sure what the point of that was. After that process, Jay and I left the main lobby, which looked more like a fancy hotel lobby than a hospital lobby, to head to the lab. We arrived at a rather small and already crowded waiting room with a TV on the wall blaring a Strawberry Shortcake show despite the fact that no children were present. It was smelly, dark, and gloomy and we immediately whispered that we couldn't possibly spend the next 4 hours in that room. Luckily we didn't have to.

I checked in and was immediately taken back to be stuck for the first of four times. I was calm and everything went smoothly. We were instructed to come back in 30 minutes. So we headed back out to the main lobby, which we continued to do after every visit to the lab. This was about a 5 minute hike one way, but well worth the extra mileage as it remained quiet throughout the day, and was bright and cheery compared to the cave of a waiting room that made me feel more like I was awaiting my execution instead of simple blood draw.

We returned 30 minutes later at which time I was instructed to drink the sugary substance that would predict how well my body absorbs sugar and then told to come back in hour increments for the next three hours. And so the cycle began. Most of the other women in the waiting room were also pregnant and were sharing the same fate as I. So we smiled at each other as each time I came back they were all still there going through the same process.

Coming back for my second draw, a young man opened the door and called my name. Assuming that everyone with the large tag stating "phlebotomist" would be experienced, I entrusted my arms to this young face, but I immediately knew something was wrong once I sat down. I told him which arm was better and he slipped the rubber band on, but not nearly tight enough. I instantly knew I was in trouble. The other lady in the room asked him if he was OK...another major warning sign that he was most likely new. I immediately started to get nervous and tense up. Jay, who was supportive throughout the whole ordeal, was giving me big eyes as if to say "what is that guy doing?" Not the most helpful, but I was thinking the same thing! Then young man, whose name will remain concealed to protect the innocent, moved to my other arm to check things out over there. With no luck, he came back to the other side. Meanwhile, a young Latino girl came in with her sister and mother to have her blood drawn for the first time in her life. Sensing her nervousness, I tried to be brave for her sake, but I didn't do such a great job. Finally young man decided to go for it, but again, I could just tell he didn't know what was going on. The rubber band still wasn't tight enough and for some reason he took it off just before sticking me...not the way to find my veins...then put it back on again! He pushed the needle in and started pushing on my arm with his other hand...again, not the norm. He kept this up for way too long until I finally started to feel light-headed. I told him immediately before it got out of hand and he stopped shortly thereafter and pulled the needle out...having gotten no blood! For the love! I quickly laid down on the available table in the cramped room and felt sorry for the little girl who hadn't been stuck yet and was watching an adult lose control. I was OK once I laid down, except that young man came over and kept pushing on my arm and then started looking at my hand and wrist, while I'm thinking "if he comes near me with a needle again, I'll deck him!"
After the very confident African American woman took the little girl's blood, she asked young man to take the blood to the lab and she'd have a look at me. She was clearly annoyed with the situation. I remained lying down while she took a look at my arms and decided to go with the one that usually doesn't work, but she did a great job and quickly drew blood on the first try. Though I think they were using bigger needles on me than usual because the "pinch" was quite a bit harsher than normal. Regardless, the draw was a success, and after downing a cup of water, we headed back to the main lobby to wait for another hour.

Luckily that was the only annoyance of the day. The next two times I returned, the same confident lady was there to take my blood. She drew from my "bad" arm every time quickly and successfully making her my new hero! I'm so glad to have that over with! Now we just have to wait for the results. Thanks for the prayers. I know they were heard as again I was mostly at peace, didn't really get hungry, and never got shaky or a headache! The baby also had her first temper tantrum while we were there! I don't know what she was doing, but all of a sudden my belly started twitching and dancing as if she was throwing a huge fit! I actually laughed out loud. She's a wild one!

I was hoping to celebrate the survival of 4 successful + 1 unfortunate blood draws with some cake or apple dumpling from Lola's, but knew the wait would be ridiculous considering what a nice day it is and that it's Saturday. So I settled for some Chick-Fil-A and the promise of some ice cream later this evening. We arrived home around 12:30 to a dog who had apparently rolled herself in poop to the point that it was caked on her neck and ears under her collar! Jay and I gave her a bath even though she just got groomed yesterday! Crazy dog! Then I laid down for a very deep, long, wonderful 2 hour nap! And that concludes my day thus far. What to do now...

Tea Party!

A lovely group of ladies joined me this past Saturday for a tea/brunch and to help me finish a project in the baby's room. I have a tree in the baby's room...a real tree with real branches...and I've been making leaves with scrapbook paper to put on the empty branches. This was taking a ridiculously long time considering I want the tree to be fairly full so it doesn't look like a Tim Burton tree that will keep my daughter awake at night instead of lulling her to sleep! So we ate ourselves silly, made leaves, and chatted away the hours. I had a wonderful time and I think everyone else did too. It would definitely be fun to do this more often...eat, craft, chat! Love the combination!Yesterday, pastor was discussing "authentic community" and how our congregation was so willing to give of their time to help others completely selflessly. I couldn't help but think of my wonderful friends who were willing to give up their Saturday morning to help me make leaves of all things! Of course, I'm sure the lure of yummy food and always-needed girl time was a key factor! Nevertheless, I'm so grateful for my girlfriends who are true and real and authentic in every way!

For those of you who love food as much as me, the menu included: chocolate cake, scones with cream and jam, blueberry muffins, mini quiches, cream wafers, yogurt parfaits, chocolate-covered strawberries, cucumber sandwiches, cookies, cheese ball and crackers, tea, coffee, and juice.
I only mention this because I didn't take nearly enough pictures, but the guests were: Natosha Willhite, Holly Lenz, Bonnie Otwell, Carrie Jordan, Valerie Bogert, Diana Nelson, Jill Shmidt, Kris Butler, Kay Litchy, Tami Close. Those of you who understandably couldn't make it were missed. It was hard, but we managed to have a good time and eat well anyway!


Anyway, thanks so much for all of your help. I'll be posting pics of the actual tree once it's completed. It may take a while to get all of those leaves up!

Leg Cramps!? Or Worst Pain Ever!

I kept hearing about these leg cramps that pregnant women experience, but was just thinking they were like normal sore muscle type pains. Oh no! It's more like the most severe Charley Horse where your muscles tighten up suddenly and you feel like they'll never release. I've had these pains before...I don't know if Charley Horse is the right term...but the pain you feel when you turn your neck just the wrong way and it feels like someone is pinching your muscle, that's the one!Anyway, I rolled over sometime in the middle of the night mostly asleep and stretched my legs out, but I stretched the wrong way. I pointed my toes! Who knew that pointing could produce such extreme results! Apparently I'm supposed to flex when stretching my calves. Believe me, I will from now on! Anyway, my right calf seized up and sat me up out of bed. I actually cried out. Good thing Jay wasn't home or I would have scared him to death! I remembered I was supposed to flex in this situation and attempted to do so. It seemed to relieve the pain a little and it finally subsided. I can still feel the effects of it this morning when I flex my foot. It's like the pain is waiting just below the surface for me to make a wrong move. 3 more months of strange occurrences to go! Have I said yet that I think I'm ready for this to be over with?!

The Hill

Here are some new pictures of me in my latest state of pregnancy. I am 25 weeks...into my 6th month now and definitely feeling it. I feel "good," but am starting to tire more easily and just feel big in general. I went to my new doctor's office today after having to switch due to new insurance. It was pretty uneventful, which I prefer, considering I've already been through all the preliminaries. I even made it through my blood draw without incident! It's very helpful to have some control over the situation, as in being able to tell them which arm is better and that I have small veins. I also prayed about it this morning and have decided not to give in to that fear anymore. My favorite verse for this situation is, "He has not given me the spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind." I kept this in mind and repeated it to myself when I started to get a little anxious. Amazing that the Lord has given us the tools to even have control over our thoughts and emotions. Anyway, I'll quit preaching and show you my belly and a small glimpse of the baby's room (whose name will not be determined until she gets here, for those who are wondering)!

Christmas Trauma Drama

Jay and I arrived in Nashville, TN mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. We quickly melted into the familiar rhythm of my family while enjoying the new beat that my 5 month old nephew, Baby Jack, brought to the mix. Enjoying our Christmas tradition that evening of finger foods and stocking gifts, everything seemed normal besides my new exhaustion and feelings of being a stuffed turkey after only a few bites of food.

We went to bed at a decent hour, exhausted from our travels and expecting a good night's sleep. But I awoke sometime in the middle of the night with a deep and strong pain along the bottom of my stomach. Thinking maybe I just needed to switch positions, I rolled over to find the pain even more profound with the movement. I got up to go to the bathroom and discovered a sharp and consistent pain in the right side of my belly between my belly button and hip. Knowing that pregnancy produces such weird occurrences, I painfully went to the bathroom and headed back to bed thinking it would work itself out. I considered checking the time, knowing that if this persisted, someone would ask when the pain started. But ever being the optimist, I refused that idea and tried to find a comfortable position to return to sleep.

In what I'm assuming was a couple of hours, I woke again to find the same searing pain in my side. I was unable to find a comfortable position, and my mind started rolling. Of course my first thoughts were of the baby, but considering the pain was localized, I soon began thinking of appendicitis. For some reason I've always feared this condition and have often looked up the symptoms when I have any kind of strange pain in my belly. I didn't want to think the worst, but I couldn't possibly go back to sleep. So finally a little before 5am, I woke Jay up and asked for his iphone so I could do some research.

Of course, he immediately woke up and started asking what was wrong. Appendicitis seemed like a good possibility since the pain started out spread all over and then became localized and was strong and consistent. But of course, the main concern was the baby. Jay soon called a nurse at our doctor's office who took me through a series of questions and finally suggested we head to the emergency room. So at 5:30am that's what we did. We woke the whole house before leaving and were in the car by 6am with my parents promising to be close behind. I was thoroughly annoyed that this was the beginning of my Christmas day, but Jay was insistent, and never having had a pain of this sort for such a long period of time, I thought it would be better to be safe as well.

Arriving at the ER, we were checked in and quickly sent up to the OB floor where I changed into a gown and was hooked up to monitors. This was my very first time in a hospital bed. Over the next few hours, I was asked the same questions over and over by a variety of people. They checked my blood and my urine, which all came back clear. They monitored the baby, who seemed to be doing fine, except for a couple of drops in heart rate, which sent the not-so-helpful nurse into what seemed like panic mode for a nurse. And there was also the weird reading of very minor contractions or cramps. This was also worrying the nurse, even though I was not dilated and really didn't feel like I was having cramps or contractions.

After going round and round with the nurse calling the OB and checking on the baby's stats, she finally asked me what my pain level was. The pain had subsided some when I was laying down, but when I would get up to go to the bathroom, which was frequent since I fought having an IV put in and was given a huge thermos of water instead, the pain was so intense I could barely walk and going to the bathroom was almost unbearable. So when the nurse asked me on a scale of 1-10 how I was feeling and I told her 5, which was categorized as "I would stay home from work and wanted drugs," she began to worry a little. Though I've been called a drama queen, the one thing I cannot stand to be dramatic about is illness. I, like my father, avoid medication, doctors, and hospitals like the plague and shrug off random pains knowing they'll eventually go away and never be explained. So the nurse was surprised by my "5" since I seemed to be in good spirits. However, after giving this rating, she rushed back out to call the OB and came back with a shot.

I don't like shots. Those who know me well know my history with needles, which is not a pleasant one, despite the fact that I have 3 tattoos. We explained to her that I didn't do well with needles, as she should have already known considering I fought tooth and nail against an IV. Nevertheless, she proceeded to tell me that the needle wasn't bad, just the medication going in. It apparently would burn like fire and that was the thing to worry about. Ummm...thanks? I will never understand why medical staff, including doctors, are not trained to NOT tell patients things that will make them worry even more! Anyway, the shot was for the purpose of stopping the contractions which had been consistent for several hours. The hope was that the medication would stop the contractions which would then stop the pain in my side if that's what was in fact causing the pain.

So getting all worked about this tiny needle with the fire medicine, my mom and Jay quickly came to the bed to rub my feet and sooth me as best they could. I didn't feel the shot and the painful burning lasted for about a second. Thanks for the paranoia! Unfortunately, the reaction to the paranoia always comes after the shot. So while the nurse was standing there waiting for the medication to kick in and chatting about all the awful things that could happen to my baby, such as her being born prematurely and not surviving, I started to feel the first signs of blacking out. I'm unfortunately too familiar with this process. I told my mom I was starting to feel that way, the nurse lowered the bed so I was lying more flat, and I started to panic a little. It was about 11am by this time and I hadn't had a bite to eat yet. I have low blood sugar. That means that I get extremely shaky if I don't eat regularly and often get migraines if I eat even a few minutes late. So considering all the drama, the shot, no food, and the extra concern the nurse was heaping on about the baby, I started to crash pretty hard. I remember saying "I would kill for a cracker right now" as I fought to stay conscious and not completely black out. I sucked down some more water while the nurse continued to go on about losing the baby and now how she definitely thought I needed an IV. Can someone tell me how it makes sense to tell me I need another needle, the one I fear the most, during a time when I'm blacking out because of the needle they just gave me? COMMON SENSE, people!!!

After checking my blood pressure, which had dropped to 67 over 30, the nurse rushed out to call the OB and order an IV. My mom, who seemed calm, was near to hysterics after hearing my blood pressure. Jay tried to explain that any time I had blacked out in the past my blood pressure had probably been the same, they just hadn't checked it, and there was really nothing to worry about. That did not reassure my mom. It also concerned her that I had suddenly gone icy cold and couldn't warm up. This was a symptom I hadn't experienced before. Knowing that if I didn't shape up soon, an IV was coming, I quickly calmed myself down and focused on recovering as soon as possible. Isn't it amazing what the mind can do!? I soon was feeling less shaky and weak. My mom went out of the room for some reason and when she came back I asked if she told the nurse I didn't need an IV. She hadn't and started telling me not to fight whatever they needed to do.

Thankfully, the ultrasound guy arrived at that point and I was able to focus on something else. He hooked me up and we all waited patiently while he checked every last detail that the nurse mentioned could possibly be wrong such as a torn placenta, low fluids in the uterus, etc. It was fun to see baby again, especially after the main concerns were cleared, and my parents were able to see her too. I told them I had set all of this drama up so they could see the baby! Ultrasound man cleared everything and said everything looked completely normal, including what he could see of my appendix.

Soon after, the OB finally arrived, my blood pressure was almost back to normal, and the IV was called off. Phew! The OB, who had actually delivered my nephew a few months earlier, quickly took control of the situation. Up until that point, Jay had compared our experience to driving on an icy road and sliding all over the place. The nurse certainly did not have any air of control about her and we were on edge for hours. But that changed when the doctor came in. She asked me a bunch of questions, checked my body all over for things no one else had mentioned yet such as blood clots, and felt confident that this was just one of those weird, unexplainable things. The most consistent diagnosis was that the 8 hour car ride and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed had caused the pain. Pretty much everything else had been ruled out. So the doctor suggested that I eat something, finally!, and if I was able to keep it down, I could go home, with the understanding that if any other symptoms developed, I would come back.

So I threw down some Cheerios and chocolate milk (my Christmas brunch) and waited to see how I felt. Of course, I was still a bit shaky from the medicine and not having eaten all morning, but mostly I felt OK except for the constant side pain. So I got dressed, discharged, and headed back home to begin my real Christmas! We got back around 1pm. My ten-year-old niece had already opened most of her presents and was anxious to get on with the rest of it. I took a quick shower and headed back down where my husband restricted me to the couch for the rest of the day. We opened presents and went on about the day as usual with everyone asking if the pain was still there throughout the day. Unfortunately it never left, but it also didn't get worse and no other symptoms cropped up.

I had been looking forward to shopping early the next day with my Christmas money and Running Bear's (our baby) gift certificate to Lucky Kids where everything was 65% off. But Jay absolutely refused to let me go out. So I sent him instead. He was my ambassador and arrived at Lucky Kids at 8am when the doors opened! He did a great job and bought some really cute things for Running Bear. I felt better throughout that day, but the pain was still there off and on. The next day I felt even better, and the pain was barely present. It disappeared altogether after that. So I guess the only explanation is that it really was caused by the traveling and must have been like a pulled muscle.

I haven't experienced the pain again until this morning actually. I was pretty active yesterday and had an incredibly sore back and hips by yesterday evening. So it must just be a muscle thing. The baby is still kicking strong, finally strong enough for Jay to feel. So I know she's doing OK. I'll be 24 weeks/6 months on Saturday, and will post some new pics of my belly soon.

And that's my Christmas story! By the way...Happy New Year!

More Projects

This was our project for yesterday...one that's been in the making for several years! I bought a few of these lanterns years ago and have been carrying them around ever since waiting for the perfect place to hang them. We finally found it! I painted a gold box on the wall above our new dresser (see previous blog). Then Jay took a leftover piece of wood from the bench/dresser, screwed it to the wall, inserted dowels, and hung the lanterns. I wanted it to have a bazaar feel and that's exactly the way it turned out. Initially I wanted to hang them over the bed, but Jay was afraid of dying in the middle of the night, a legitimate concern! But I'm very happy that we chose this spot instead. Eventually, when the room is completely finished, I'll take pictures all the way around with a real camera. These pics were taken with an iphone, so not that great.

Anyway, I hope all of you have a very Merry (and relaxing) Christmas! See you in the new year!

Coldplay Concert..Finally!

I apologize for the lateness of this review, but I decided that Jay should write it instead of me as I was mostly concerned about the deafness of my baby during the show as opposed to all the details Jay was paying attention to. Besides, he is an excellent writer. So here you go. In the words of Jay:

Coldplay Concert Review 11/13/08 - Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO

Most of us go to concerts for the entertainment value. I am no exception, but the parts of the show that entertain me are not necessarily those that entertain others. I am interested in seeing how large the sound board is, the scale of the production, lighting trusses, special effects, outfits, the number of wardrobe changes, stage plot, in-ears or floor monitors, song transitions, stage presence, musicality, dynamics and so on.

But the thing I look forward to most is discovering what song has been given the hallowed role of opener. In fact I typically play a game with myself in guessing what song gets the leading spot. Having played in bands for years, I’ve taken part in my share of set list discussions that typically revolve around three to four central questions; not the least of which is “What song do we start with?” So as you can imagine I like to try and apply my experiences in this endeavor and predict what other bands may do in like circumstances. When I saw Chris Tomlin, I guessed right. However, when I saw Radiohead, I was off the board. Typically the more artistic and more successful the band, the less predictable the song opener. At this point you are begging me to move on. I thought this was about a Coldplay concert!? It is.

I put a lot of thought into Coldplay’s opening song. I knew it had to be from their newest album, Viva La Vida. Rule of thumb is to start with a well-known, high-energy number but as I said before, curve balls are more commonly thrown by mega-bands. Prior to the start of the show, I had 4 guesses; Life in Technicolor, Lost, Lovers in Japan or Viva La Vida. The most energetic of those is Viva La Vida. However, I quickly cast that choice aside because that’s the hit single. It’s extremely rare for a band to lead with the hit single. I dismissed Lost. It just doesn’t seem like an opener. So then we are left with Life in Technicolor or Lovers in Japan. I thought either could be a possibility. Life in Technicolor has an intro that is way too long for opener status, but it occurred to me that if the band omitted the synth intro, we might have something.

In fact that was what they did. They skipped the introduction and began the song melody for roughly 30 seconds before the band came in at full strength. The bold light show commenced when the drums kicked in. As soon as Life was over, lights went black and Chris Martin immediately began verse one of Violet Hill. If you’ve not heard this song, you’re missing out. Adjectives abound. Marching groove, dynamic, colorful, textured, dirty, but most envious of all, enough attitude to fill an arena and have some left over. The eight quarter note diamonds that follow each chorus were brilliantly and appropriately accented with explosions of light. At the conclusion of this song, I was happy to have made the trip and looked forward to rest of the night. Judging from the crowd’s response, I was not alone.

The set list was thoughtfully crafted. Bands tend to play their highest card on the first hand. They start with a huge song, bright lights, painful volume and intense energy. As the concert progresses, it never reaches the same height the band had at note one. The coaster drops and rides flat for the remainder.

The Coldplay concert was not that way. In fact the band was very deliberate about managing momentum and tempering the use of non-musical production tricks so that the show more resembled hills on top of a plateau. The technological apex was not reached until the fourth song. Large white, semi-translucent balls descended from the rafters all over the center of the arena to varying heights. En route, colorful graphics were projected on the balls resembling enormous Christmas ornaments. The cool thing was the projection seemed to be coming from inside the ball. Moments later, a live video feed from stage cameras was displayed on the surfaces of these rotating balls.

The video was so precise and “distressed” that I presumed it was pre-recorded. I began to look for clues that may confirm my suspicions. I looked for discrepancies in wardrobe, movement, and background. It all matched perfectly. So much so that I don’t believe there was any possible way it was pre-recorded. So then my attention turned to just how they were applying video filters to live video feed in a way that looked so appropriate for the angle being shot and the musical moment. That was the single most impressive element of the “show”.

The concert also had notable congruence with the band’s marketing machine that pre-dated the concert. Several weeks prior to the start of the tour, the band released a video for Lovers in Japan. Many of the same props and outfits that were utilized in the video showed up on stage. The color palette of the outfits, props and lighting was in parallel to what you find in album artwork and the band web site. I appreciated the fact that this was noticeable but not overbearing.

The highlight of the evening came unexpectedly as Chris was finishing a piano ballad on one of the two auxiliary stages set up around the arena. A single, small, bright spot light lit up Chris and his piano. The arena was dark otherwise. Unknown to the crowd, the rest of the band had taken their positions at center stage in total darkness awaiting the completion of Chris’s vocal / piano duet. As he concluded the song, the small light faded slowly. Applause filled the darkness but was violently interrupted with the smashing start of Viva La Vida. All lights were full bore. Confetti exploded everywhere. The crowd was energized anew.

The drummer had left his typical spot behind the drum kit and was standing at center stage, playing a timpani, a large bell and what appeared to be a marching bass drum. He also was picking up the opening vocals. Very cool.

When all was said and done, I appreciated the attention to visual detail and the way the band managed momentum and crowd energy. Just when your mind was starting to wander, they would move to an auxiliary stage, alter the light show, use techno tricks, etc. Unexpectedly there were moments of sloppy instrumentation, which I attribute mainly to Captain Morgan. I was also a bit surprised at the amount of dead air between songs, but I suspect Coldplay was intentional about that detail as well. As the night ended, I found myself very pleased. The concert was clean and the band did what we paid to see them do. Money well spent and I hope to see you at a future Coldplay concert. Oh and as to the question, “What song did they end with?” Yellow. Naturally.