Yesterday was a very disheartening and frustrating day. While a major energy tax was being considered, and ultimately adopted, all any major news outlet could talk about was the death of Michael Jackson...a pop star....a crazed, quite possibly mentally ill former singer...a man who most likely molested little boys. His life has been seemingly honored, and all the while, the rest of our lives have been significantly changed with hardly a second thought.
Obama's proposed "Cap and Trade" energy tax bill slid through right under the radar, thanks to eight (I believe) cowardly "Republicans" who couldn't even get this vote right. If those eight men and women had stood with the rest of their party, this bill WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED. The final vote was 219-212. Those eight betrayed their constituents and subsequently, the rest of the country. Now we will, quite literally, all pay for their ignorance. Perhaps they were bought, pressured by lobbyists or just too intellectually stupid to understand what was being considered. Most likely not a single legislator (democrat or republican) read the monstrosity of a bill before voting on it....something that has become quite commonplace, and is most disturbing to me. Either way, these eight "republicans" sold out their country and now it's time to get rid of them. They need to go.
Our energy prices will soar. This will effect every single one of us. Obama has admitted this. He simply doesn't care. As a result of the massive taxes and regulations on energy and carbon emissions, businesses (mainly in the manufacturing sector) will cease to do business in America. They will simply go where the rules are less restrictive (think China, India, Mexico...) and the loss of jobs will be staggering. Our electricity prices will rise a whopping 90% over the coming years, not to mention gas prices. We will be regulated beyond anything we can imagine by a president who is much more closely resembling a dictator these days, what with all of his self-appointed, accountable to no one, un-elected "czars".
I wonder when we will wake up. I fear it may be too late and that the damage done will be all but impossible to reverse. After this vote, I have very little hope left that universal health care will not be passed. And once that happens, I truly think it may be too late to fix.
These unread pieces of legislation that are being passed willy-nilly have consequences that many cannot even begin to imagine...and frankly, I'm scared.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Well....to quote the OB today...."I think it's still going to be a while."
That pretty much sums it up. Still nameless baby boy is still insistent on staying up high where it is quite uncomfy and doing little good. Apparently he's comfy enough....I'm the only one not.
I think the doctor was being generous/humoring me when I asked him if I was making any progress. He said I was maybe dilated to a one. Just as a frame of reference, I spent a good month dilated to one with Miss Em. At least I know I don't have quite that long, as they won't let me go any longer than 3 more weeks. Still, I'd much prefer to have heard a bit more encouraging news.
On the up-side, little guy is head down, just high, so in the OB's opinion he will most likely stay that way. At least that takes a load off of my mind. My blood pressure was good (118/82), which is a minor miracle considering that it is hotter than Hades outside. My ankles have started to swell, which is such a lovely sight with shorts, which are a necessity in this heat. I feel huge, like I swallowed a beach ball, even though I have technically gained a grand total of 6 lbs.
And a girl can only drink so much water in one day. Seriously. I'm doing the best I can, but holy moly...I may just float away.
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In other news, Miss Em is enjoying her first ever week of vacation Bible school at our church. She was very hesitant about the whole deal (it was something new, of course) and I did not sign up to help this year, as I knew that it was entirely possible that I would be unavailable or unable. After some tears the first morning, she quickly decided that she was okay with the whole experience and has spent her afternoons teaching her imaginary friends all that she has learned.
All in all, I'm worn out and hot and hurting and cranky. I apologize in advance to all who may cross my path over the next couple of weeks.
That pretty much sums it up. Still nameless baby boy is still insistent on staying up high where it is quite uncomfy and doing little good. Apparently he's comfy enough....I'm the only one not.
I think the doctor was being generous/humoring me when I asked him if I was making any progress. He said I was maybe dilated to a one. Just as a frame of reference, I spent a good month dilated to one with Miss Em. At least I know I don't have quite that long, as they won't let me go any longer than 3 more weeks. Still, I'd much prefer to have heard a bit more encouraging news.
On the up-side, little guy is head down, just high, so in the OB's opinion he will most likely stay that way. At least that takes a load off of my mind. My blood pressure was good (118/82), which is a minor miracle considering that it is hotter than Hades outside. My ankles have started to swell, which is such a lovely sight with shorts, which are a necessity in this heat. I feel huge, like I swallowed a beach ball, even though I have technically gained a grand total of 6 lbs.
And a girl can only drink so much water in one day. Seriously. I'm doing the best I can, but holy moly...I may just float away.
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In other news, Miss Em is enjoying her first ever week of vacation Bible school at our church. She was very hesitant about the whole deal (it was something new, of course) and I did not sign up to help this year, as I knew that it was entirely possible that I would be unavailable or unable. After some tears the first morning, she quickly decided that she was okay with the whole experience and has spent her afternoons teaching her imaginary friends all that she has learned.
All in all, I'm worn out and hot and hurting and cranky. I apologize in advance to all who may cross my path over the next couple of weeks.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Where There's Smoke...
So Miss Emily has been complaining a bit of her tummy hurting for the last couple of days. She says she doesn't feel sick (nor does she remotely act like it). She seems fine, but she'll mention it off and on.
Well yesterday, bright mom that I am, it occured to me that it was possible that she could have something like a urinary tract infection that might be causing some minor tummy discomfort. So I asked her if it hurt when she had to go pee-pee. She said no. Then I asked her if it burned when she went. She got a concerned look on her face, but said no again.
A while later, Em went to the bathroom. When she came out she said..."Well, my pee-pee felt hot coming out, but when I looked in the potty, I didn't see any smoke!"
Generally, I can control myself and not laugh in front of her, but I lost it. I told her that no smoke was a good thing and that I thought she was just fine....and her imagination was fantastic.
Life is never dull here.
Well yesterday, bright mom that I am, it occured to me that it was possible that she could have something like a urinary tract infection that might be causing some minor tummy discomfort. So I asked her if it hurt when she had to go pee-pee. She said no. Then I asked her if it burned when she went. She got a concerned look on her face, but said no again.
A while later, Em went to the bathroom. When she came out she said..."Well, my pee-pee felt hot coming out, but when I looked in the potty, I didn't see any smoke!"
Generally, I can control myself and not laugh in front of her, but I lost it. I told her that no smoke was a good thing and that I thought she was just fine....and her imagination was fantastic.
Life is never dull here.
37 Weeks=Full Term=Another Appointment
Well, I had another doctor's appointment this morning and it was more encouraging than last weeks'.
I, of course, saw a different doctor and came prepared with lots of "what if" type questions relating to the possibility of a C-section or the baby not turning. As it turned out, this little boy is moving and headed in the right direction, though it can still definitely change.
This week, instead of laying diagonally across my uterus, he is definitely "centered" and head down, just not technically engaged in the pelvis, meaning he is still free to float around in there and do as he wishes. This doctor did not think anything was likely happening regarding any progress and she didn't even check, but she did seem very confident that she could tell where his head was. That was a good sign.
Then she asked again how big Emily was when she was born. So I asked, "Does that mean that this one seems big?" Her response was that she thought Baby boy will probably be in the 8 lb. range (Emily was 7 lbs. 12 oz) So....that could be interesting.
So, that's the update. Hopefully everything keeps heading the right direction...pun intended!
I, of course, saw a different doctor and came prepared with lots of "what if" type questions relating to the possibility of a C-section or the baby not turning. As it turned out, this little boy is moving and headed in the right direction, though it can still definitely change.
This week, instead of laying diagonally across my uterus, he is definitely "centered" and head down, just not technically engaged in the pelvis, meaning he is still free to float around in there and do as he wishes. This doctor did not think anything was likely happening regarding any progress and she didn't even check, but she did seem very confident that she could tell where his head was. That was a good sign.
Then she asked again how big Emily was when she was born. So I asked, "Does that mean that this one seems big?" Her response was that she thought Baby boy will probably be in the 8 lb. range (Emily was 7 lbs. 12 oz) So....that could be interesting.
So, that's the update. Hopefully everything keeps heading the right direction...pun intended!
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Appointment Update and Prayer Request
Well, true to form during this pregnancy, this little guy is not going to make things easy for momma.
I went to my OB appointment and asked to be checked for any dilation since I've been having lots of braxton hicks contractions and even a few regular ones I think. Since I fared very well with contractions with Emily, I've been a little concerned that I don't notice them as much as I should and that I might miss something important.
I did not.
The OB checked me and said that little boy is "Way up there" and absolutely nothing is happening. I asked her if she could tell whether he was head down or not. She said she really couldn't and when she started feeling my abdomen, said she wanted to do an ultrasound because it was possible that he is lying sideways (transverse) across my belly. I had actually been wondering about this myself because I feel a lot of movement in odd places that I never had with Emily.
So off across the office I went and had the ultrasound. Sure enough, little guy is somewhat sideways. Not completely transverse, but sort of diagonal in there. His head is pointing down toward my left hip and his rear end ("Boohind" as Emily calls it) is sticking up toward my right ribs. At 36 weeks, this is not ideal. Yes, he still has a little time to turn, but it's getting mighty tight in there and usually, babies have chosen their final position by now.
According to all the info I have found thus far, there are three possible options:
1. He can turn on his own in the next week or so and all will be well.
2. The OB can admit me to the hospital and try to do a manual version, which mean that he/she will attempt to physically move the baby into the proper position by pushing on him from the outside. This is closely monitored, often painful for mom, not guaranteed and somewhat risky (thus the constant monitoring and the possibility of the need for an emergency c-section.)
3. Baby will not turn and a c-section will be inevitable.
Obviously, option number one is best for all involved and therein lies my request for prayer. Time and space are limited now and if this little guy is going to turn he really needs to do it ASAP. So if you don't mind saying a quick prayer for this, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't mind telling you that this was not good news for me today.
However, there is some good/fun news. I am healthy. Baby is healthy. He weighs an estimated 6.5 lbs. (which is about average) and should be at least 20 inches or so. His heart rate is around 158 and he appears healthy. My blood pressure is great (110/80 today, despite nerves) and I am not noticeably swollen. I've gained a grand total of 4 lbs. from my intial OB visit weight, which in all reality means I've probably lost a good 15-20 lbs. WOHOO!!!!
The best news of all....the ultrasound tech, while taking measurements of the baby's head, said, "Oh look...he has hair!" This is music to my ears as sweet Miss Em was bald for most of her first year, much like her momma was. Plus, it's pretty amazing to me that you can see hair on a baby's head from an ultrasound.
So, that's the update. Here's to hoping for a cooperative little fellow who feels like giving this tired momma a break. Turn, Baby, Turn!!
I went to my OB appointment and asked to be checked for any dilation since I've been having lots of braxton hicks contractions and even a few regular ones I think. Since I fared very well with contractions with Emily, I've been a little concerned that I don't notice them as much as I should and that I might miss something important.
I did not.
The OB checked me and said that little boy is "Way up there" and absolutely nothing is happening. I asked her if she could tell whether he was head down or not. She said she really couldn't and when she started feeling my abdomen, said she wanted to do an ultrasound because it was possible that he is lying sideways (transverse) across my belly. I had actually been wondering about this myself because I feel a lot of movement in odd places that I never had with Emily.
So off across the office I went and had the ultrasound. Sure enough, little guy is somewhat sideways. Not completely transverse, but sort of diagonal in there. His head is pointing down toward my left hip and his rear end ("Boohind" as Emily calls it) is sticking up toward my right ribs. At 36 weeks, this is not ideal. Yes, he still has a little time to turn, but it's getting mighty tight in there and usually, babies have chosen their final position by now.
According to all the info I have found thus far, there are three possible options:
1. He can turn on his own in the next week or so and all will be well.
2. The OB can admit me to the hospital and try to do a manual version, which mean that he/she will attempt to physically move the baby into the proper position by pushing on him from the outside. This is closely monitored, often painful for mom, not guaranteed and somewhat risky (thus the constant monitoring and the possibility of the need for an emergency c-section.)
3. Baby will not turn and a c-section will be inevitable.
Obviously, option number one is best for all involved and therein lies my request for prayer. Time and space are limited now and if this little guy is going to turn he really needs to do it ASAP. So if you don't mind saying a quick prayer for this, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't mind telling you that this was not good news for me today.
However, there is some good/fun news. I am healthy. Baby is healthy. He weighs an estimated 6.5 lbs. (which is about average) and should be at least 20 inches or so. His heart rate is around 158 and he appears healthy. My blood pressure is great (110/80 today, despite nerves) and I am not noticeably swollen. I've gained a grand total of 4 lbs. from my intial OB visit weight, which in all reality means I've probably lost a good 15-20 lbs. WOHOO!!!!
The best news of all....the ultrasound tech, while taking measurements of the baby's head, said, "Oh look...he has hair!" This is music to my ears as sweet Miss Em was bald for most of her first year, much like her momma was. Plus, it's pretty amazing to me that you can see hair on a baby's head from an ultrasound.
So, that's the update. Here's to hoping for a cooperative little fellow who feels like giving this tired momma a break. Turn, Baby, Turn!!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Yes, I'm Still Here....
And still very pregnant.
I'm 36 weeks pregnant, to be exact, and feeling worse than I did at 41+ with Miss Emily. This little guy, as of yet still nameless, is making for one very uncomfy, irritable momma. Once I hit 37 weeks (next Wednesday), I'm serving him his eviction notice. He will officially be full term and therefore, if labor were to spontaneously begin, the doctors would no longer try to stop it. I say, bring it on!
These days, I feel like I need the electric lift chairs you see in the homes of the elderly to help boost me out of my recliner. The same goes for a bed, though I don't know if they make those. And speaking of bed, I cannot sleep. Yes, some of that is the normal late-pregnancy discomforts, but I could get past those, were it not for the 3 week allergy/sinus/virus of some sort that has given me a constant sore throat and a stuffy nose, which impedes my ability to breathe. Since I can't breathe properly through my nose, I sleep with my mouth hanging open (a lovely sight, I'm certain) which then makes my throat hurt like I am trying to swallow shards of glass. This wakes me up. Sometimes I go prop up in the twin bed in the baby's room, but I've never been able to sleep propped up, so eventually when my throat starts to feel better, I'll lay back down again...only to be awakened by my own snoring. The snoring is actually my desperate attempt to breathe as my nose is too stuffed and my mouth is closed in an attempt to preserve my throat.
Then there are the nights when it hurts to lay on my right side. Technically, the left side is supposed to be the ideal position for sleeping while pregnant. I don't have a problem sleeping on my left side, but I do need to flip a few times in the night so that my hips don't protest too much. However, some nights when I lay on my right side, there is a burning/tearing/something-is-ripping type of pain that almost renders me immobile. It's not fun either. Oh, how I long for the day when I have the option of sleeping on my back for a few sweet moments again!
So far, I have remained technically healthy. I say this because I have not experienced any major pregnancy related problems such as high blood pressure, anemia, pre-term labor, etc...but my minor overall health has been rotten. I have zero energy, yet way too much left to do. I am down to less than 4 weeks (I hope and pray no longer than that!) and weekly doctor's appointments. I go in tomorrow to see the fifth or sixth OB in this new practice. So far, while there is nothing wrong with any of the new OB's, I still really miss my old one. It's pretty hard to feel like you are anything more than a number when you only see a doctor for all of 5 minutes every 7 weeks or so. I feel a little more timid in asking questions as well, since each doctor has never met me before and I don't want to appear to be a "difficult" patient (a la Elaine on "Seinfeld").
However, I do feel a lot more apprehensive about the whole labor/delivery thing this time around, which really makes no sense. With Emily, I was excited and absolutely ready in every way to have her. When I did go into labor, to be quite honest, it really wasn't frightening to me at all, even though I had never had so much as a single stitch or broken bone prior to that point. I spent about 70% of the labor at home and might have done more, had the OB not decided to have me come in just to get checked out. Even she was amazed at how far into labor I was at that point and sent me straight over to the hospital, where Miss Em made her appearance about 3 hours later, without the aid of so much as a single Tylenol. I surprised myself with how calm I was and how relatively "easy" the whole process had been.
This time, I find myself wondering if I was just extremely lucky. I'm having a hard time not feeling nervous and I don't really know why. I worry about all the "what if's" like all the things that can go wrong leading up to labor (pre-ecclampsia in particular, since my blood pressure did shoot up AFTER having Emily for a while) or the need for a C-section this time around, which, while not the end of the world, is not desireable either. I even worry about the need for an epidural this time, which frankly scares me more than delivering naturally. I'm not terribly needle-phobic, but come on....they're aiming for the spinal cord here. That terrifies me.
Maybe this is all normal. Maybe I'm a freak of nature. Who knows? All I can say for sure is that I'm ready for this part of the journey to be over and to actually get to see and meet and hold this little nameless bundle of joy.
Here's to hoping that some major progress is being made when I go in for my appointment tomorrow!
I'm 36 weeks pregnant, to be exact, and feeling worse than I did at 41+ with Miss Emily. This little guy, as of yet still nameless, is making for one very uncomfy, irritable momma. Once I hit 37 weeks (next Wednesday), I'm serving him his eviction notice. He will officially be full term and therefore, if labor were to spontaneously begin, the doctors would no longer try to stop it. I say, bring it on!
These days, I feel like I need the electric lift chairs you see in the homes of the elderly to help boost me out of my recliner. The same goes for a bed, though I don't know if they make those. And speaking of bed, I cannot sleep. Yes, some of that is the normal late-pregnancy discomforts, but I could get past those, were it not for the 3 week allergy/sinus/virus of some sort that has given me a constant sore throat and a stuffy nose, which impedes my ability to breathe. Since I can't breathe properly through my nose, I sleep with my mouth hanging open (a lovely sight, I'm certain) which then makes my throat hurt like I am trying to swallow shards of glass. This wakes me up. Sometimes I go prop up in the twin bed in the baby's room, but I've never been able to sleep propped up, so eventually when my throat starts to feel better, I'll lay back down again...only to be awakened by my own snoring. The snoring is actually my desperate attempt to breathe as my nose is too stuffed and my mouth is closed in an attempt to preserve my throat.
Then there are the nights when it hurts to lay on my right side. Technically, the left side is supposed to be the ideal position for sleeping while pregnant. I don't have a problem sleeping on my left side, but I do need to flip a few times in the night so that my hips don't protest too much. However, some nights when I lay on my right side, there is a burning/tearing/something-is-ripping type of pain that almost renders me immobile. It's not fun either. Oh, how I long for the day when I have the option of sleeping on my back for a few sweet moments again!
So far, I have remained technically healthy. I say this because I have not experienced any major pregnancy related problems such as high blood pressure, anemia, pre-term labor, etc...but my minor overall health has been rotten. I have zero energy, yet way too much left to do. I am down to less than 4 weeks (I hope and pray no longer than that!) and weekly doctor's appointments. I go in tomorrow to see the fifth or sixth OB in this new practice. So far, while there is nothing wrong with any of the new OB's, I still really miss my old one. It's pretty hard to feel like you are anything more than a number when you only see a doctor for all of 5 minutes every 7 weeks or so. I feel a little more timid in asking questions as well, since each doctor has never met me before and I don't want to appear to be a "difficult" patient (a la Elaine on "Seinfeld").
However, I do feel a lot more apprehensive about the whole labor/delivery thing this time around, which really makes no sense. With Emily, I was excited and absolutely ready in every way to have her. When I did go into labor, to be quite honest, it really wasn't frightening to me at all, even though I had never had so much as a single stitch or broken bone prior to that point. I spent about 70% of the labor at home and might have done more, had the OB not decided to have me come in just to get checked out. Even she was amazed at how far into labor I was at that point and sent me straight over to the hospital, where Miss Em made her appearance about 3 hours later, without the aid of so much as a single Tylenol. I surprised myself with how calm I was and how relatively "easy" the whole process had been.
This time, I find myself wondering if I was just extremely lucky. I'm having a hard time not feeling nervous and I don't really know why. I worry about all the "what if's" like all the things that can go wrong leading up to labor (pre-ecclampsia in particular, since my blood pressure did shoot up AFTER having Emily for a while) or the need for a C-section this time around, which, while not the end of the world, is not desireable either. I even worry about the need for an epidural this time, which frankly scares me more than delivering naturally. I'm not terribly needle-phobic, but come on....they're aiming for the spinal cord here. That terrifies me.
Maybe this is all normal. Maybe I'm a freak of nature. Who knows? All I can say for sure is that I'm ready for this part of the journey to be over and to actually get to see and meet and hold this little nameless bundle of joy.
Here's to hoping that some major progress is being made when I go in for my appointment tomorrow!
Monday, June 01, 2009
The Devaluation of Life
Yesterday, while serving as an usher at his church, Dr. George Tiller was shot and murdered.
His accused murderer was caught and arrested about three hours later.
In case you do not know who Dr. George Tiller is, allow me to explain. Dr. Tiller became famous for being one of a handful of physicians who routinely performed late-term abortions (after 21 weeks and the period of viability). His clinic has been protested many, many times. He and his family have been threatened, he was shot in both arms once before, and his clinic has been vandalized. He lived under constant threats and with security guards watching his every move. Yet still, he was murdered in cold blood.
No matter how despicable this doctor's actions are to me, no matter how very wrong it is for a doctor to take an innocent human life....the man who killed this abortion doctor in cold blood is just as despicable and wrong, make no mistake about it.
The bigger issue here is important, however. Many who support abortion see no problem with taking an innocent baby's life for the sake of convenience, because let's face it, that's the number one reason for abortion. In fact, if a woman simply does not want to be pregnant, that alone is reason enough for someone like Dr. Tiller to abort her baby...even after the point at which that baby could easily have survived outside the womb. Pro-abortion supporters cheer the woman's "right to choose". To them, there is nothing wrong or shameful or unlawful about taking this innocent life.
Consider now how this differs from what Dr. Tiller's accused murder did. Presumably, the man who shot Dr. Tiller disagreed with what the Dr. was doing and didn't want him around anymore. To the shooter, Dr. Tiller was an inconvenience and therefore he "chose" to abort his life because he didn't want him around any longer.
Are the situations really all that different, if we take away the emotions?
Don't misunderstand me for a second. I absolutely 100% disagree with what the shooter did. It is unmistakeably wrong for the shooter to kill someone, even if that someone inconvenienced him or disagreed with him. I just wonder why we see abortion, and in particular late-term abortion, as anything different. If we begin to see some lives as valuable and others as worthless, where do you draw the line? If the only difference is that we could see Dr. Tiller's face and hear his voice, if these attributes alone gave him value and worth, then I think we have a whole lot of hypocrites who support one type of murder over another.
They're both wrong and they both should be condemned.
His accused murderer was caught and arrested about three hours later.
In case you do not know who Dr. George Tiller is, allow me to explain. Dr. Tiller became famous for being one of a handful of physicians who routinely performed late-term abortions (after 21 weeks and the period of viability). His clinic has been protested many, many times. He and his family have been threatened, he was shot in both arms once before, and his clinic has been vandalized. He lived under constant threats and with security guards watching his every move. Yet still, he was murdered in cold blood.
No matter how despicable this doctor's actions are to me, no matter how very wrong it is for a doctor to take an innocent human life....the man who killed this abortion doctor in cold blood is just as despicable and wrong, make no mistake about it.
The bigger issue here is important, however. Many who support abortion see no problem with taking an innocent baby's life for the sake of convenience, because let's face it, that's the number one reason for abortion. In fact, if a woman simply does not want to be pregnant, that alone is reason enough for someone like Dr. Tiller to abort her baby...even after the point at which that baby could easily have survived outside the womb. Pro-abortion supporters cheer the woman's "right to choose". To them, there is nothing wrong or shameful or unlawful about taking this innocent life.
Consider now how this differs from what Dr. Tiller's accused murder did. Presumably, the man who shot Dr. Tiller disagreed with what the Dr. was doing and didn't want him around anymore. To the shooter, Dr. Tiller was an inconvenience and therefore he "chose" to abort his life because he didn't want him around any longer.
Are the situations really all that different, if we take away the emotions?
Don't misunderstand me for a second. I absolutely 100% disagree with what the shooter did. It is unmistakeably wrong for the shooter to kill someone, even if that someone inconvenienced him or disagreed with him. I just wonder why we see abortion, and in particular late-term abortion, as anything different. If we begin to see some lives as valuable and others as worthless, where do you draw the line? If the only difference is that we could see Dr. Tiller's face and hear his voice, if these attributes alone gave him value and worth, then I think we have a whole lot of hypocrites who support one type of murder over another.
They're both wrong and they both should be condemned.
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