Sue, so nice to see you back!! Sorry to hear about your husband's surgery, how stressful this time is for you. I would have been as stressed waiting for the surgery to be successful as you and am glad that the nurses were so accomodating. I hope that your boy will be a strapping 7 pounds, that would be so wonderful!!!

Alissa mommy to:
Dominic 9/10/97-9/11/97 @ 28 weeks
Victoria 1/8/02 @ 30 weeks

Wheeew ... I am back in business.. .new computer! Dude, I got a DELL! lol ..

Well, we have faced Roseola with the 15 mo old .. strep with the 10 yr old .. and knee surgery for my husband that made my pressures peak over 159/95 just yesterday! UGH .. Deja Vu! I told him that his knees only blow out when I am pregnant with a boy. His last knee surgery was in Aug 2002 just before we lost Ben. He had undergone ACL reconstructive surgery at that time, which is more extensive than the mere scope he had done yesterday but either way, with anesthesia and having been a widow before, my nerves were SHOT! My emotions are already a mess with crying at funny commercials but add the stress of being 29.5 wks pregnant and dealing with medical issues where something could go wrong even though I know it's so routine it went perfectly fine. Memories are wonderful for making my panic reappear. Luckily I went back to normal pressures after surgery was over .. 122/74 and then again this morning before I took my meds, I was still normal. I didn't want to add to hubby's anxiety for surgery, I needed to be strong for him because he needed me even though he said he was more worried about me. I told him just to make sure I could be with him right up until they took him in and bring me back when he's out of the OR. I explained to the nurses the situation of losing our son after his last surgery and I am predisposed to PE. They took my vitals when they took his prior to surgery and realized I was running on the high side from my own anxiety. They accomodated me by bringing me in to see him as he was just waking up .. they said they don't normally bring in family as early as they did with me but they understood my situation and were eager to help. Poor hubby, he was happy to see me and rubbed my belly but then started to wake up from the anesthesia, got ansy and cried from the pain. They were still in process of getting his pain meds administered and get him out from under the affects. He doesn't remember any of the beginning wake up process which is good. I love this man with all my heart and hate to see anyone in my family hurting. I was just happy I was there and talked him through waking up and we were all fine! :-).

I guess I have found out that I am a little on the edge about having this boy but I know this boy is MUCH healthier than any other pregnancy. He's already moved up his due date by two days. Could be signs of a Big Boy??? lol ... GO EARLY! lol ... I am predicting 7 lbs 2 oz and going in late April instead of waiting until May 15th now. But I am not saying I know what will happen. Just throwing that out there.

I am still trying to figure out how I will manage two little ones and a slightly bigger one in the house. This ought to be interesting. Pray for me and my insanity?!?!?! lol

Sue

Sue,
Thank you for your reply and thoughts. I am doing well and each day is a new challenge, but I am hanging in there. I go next week to have my blood tests and then I will meet with the Hemotologist at the end of the month. I had positive results for Lupus Antigoagulant and Antiphospholipid syndrome. I have already consulted with the Dr. and he feels pretty positive that I do not have any problems, but I know that anything is possible. After we find out about that then we will decide if we want to move forward into another pregnancy or just go back to our crazy busy life.

You sound like a very busy lady and when this new baby boy comes you are really going to have your hands full. I used to have a daycare for 9 years, so I can relate to multiple little ones.

Kim

Mom to:
Andrew 4-18-91 @ 32 weeks
Justin 12/26-04-12/26-04 @ 24 weeks

Kim,

I just saw your post and am truly very sorry to hear about your son, Justin! I too lost a boy at 24 wks back in Oct 2002 from Pre-e. It's a hard thing to process mentally and emotionally but you have me to talk to anytime you want!

My computer blew up a month ago so I haven't been posting daily like I want to. SO here are my updates. Financially, we are still digging out of a hole. Kitt is doing great, one car is now gone but we have our good one left, Kyra (our 14.5 month old) came down with Roseola last week and developed a high fever of 104.8 which prompted an ER visit. And yesterday I had a 25 wk visit with the Peri. Baby boy is measuring fine, BP is fine but I tested between 1-2+ grams of protein in my urine from the office test. I am doing a 24 hr test this weekend and hope all will turn out ok. I would test high for protein even during last successful pregnancy with Kyra but then 24 hr test would say all was well within normal limits even for someone not pregnant so who knows what this 1-2+ reading means just yet. Will know more next week. I know I need to do better with my heparin shots as being a needle phobic is working against me!

Between family and friends, found out three relationships that have gone sour and are now heading to separation or divorce court. SO sad!

Kim, your loss so close after Christmas brings tears to my eyes as I can only imagine the heartbreak it brought you during such a holiday full of Love. Know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and that I know our two boys are smiling down on us right now. I can hear your son echoing now, MOM, Benjamin (our son's name) won't quit bugging me! lol I know they are in good company with each other.

Take your time, get the tests run, and talk out all of your feelings. I felt selfish for wanting another one after my last successful pregnancy after losing Ben but we just felt we had so much love to give and we wanted to try again for "our boy". The worry isn't over until this pregnantly fat lady sings, He Wants out NOW~ and where's my epidural?!?!?!?

I am glad you felt comfortable to say HI and join the Hoosier posts. I live in a suburb of Indianapolis and hope to get a meeting together soon! I'm going to be 35 this year. I have my two daughters, Amber (10) and Kyra (14.5 months). I had Pre-e with Amber and delivered her at 36.5 weeks. Please feel free to post or email me anytime you want. I've given my name and number out to St. Vincent's hospital in Indy to help other women who have suffered Pre-e and want to talk. I know going through Pre-e, even without a loss, is scary enough.

I must go and do my homework for my scout troop now but love to all of you out there reading my posts!

Sue

Hi Sue,
I have really enjoyed reading your posts of your current pregnancy with your little boy. Have you thought of any names yet? Well congratulations and I hope that you have a long and healthy pregnancy.

I am from Indy and it is nice to find another Hoosier to talk to. My little boy Justin was stillborn on December 26, 2004. I was in the beginning of my 24th week and all had seemed fine until we went on a family vacation to Florida and then I fell apart. My blood pressure went up, swelling, neck and back pain, then the preeclampsia took over and took my baby's life. I suffered an abruption after returing home and just like that my life has changed forever. I delivered my first child at 32 weeks with signs of preeclampsia on the way. Andrew will be 14 in April and Justin was due on Andrew's birthday, so that day will be difficult for me.

I do want to try to have another child, but I have to have some blood work done first with a hemotologist. I have that scheduled after V. Day and by the end of Feb. I will know what will have to be done to help me have a more positive pregnancy. I feel that everyone will think that my husband and I are crazy for attempting this again as Justin was a huge surprise for us, but we grew very quickly to love our blessing and were very excited at the chance to be parents again. Justin was our first child together and we always played around with the idea, but we never went for it. God seemed to feel differently about that decision. Anyway, I am 38 and my husband is 45 and it is a tough decision to make about having a baby. Not that we are old or anything, but we both love children dearly. I ran a daycare for 9 years up until 2 years ago, so I always got my baby fix with all of my little ones.

I just thought I would say hi to you and tell you a little about my story. I hope you are doing well and I will talk to you soon.

Kim

Mom to:
Andrew 4-18-91 @ 32 weeks
Justin 12/26-04-12/26-04 @ 24 weeks

OK, to make matters even more interesting, I haven't forgotten to post to everyone, my computer is fried at home. I am in process of writing this at the library and will try to get back to you as soon as I can reformat my computer. I am doing research here at the library for a few things so I figured I would take a moment. I do have to get going. My computer and my humidifier both died last weekend and we are down to one car now. UGH.

Kids are in good health and this seems perfect timing seeing I am not the official stay at home mom and don't work my parttime job anymore. Weird sense of humor Big Guy! lol

Well, I'm off to research a new computer, new recipes and a few other things. I had heard about the APPP protein test for PE. Hope to hear more about it.

Love to all, Post here while I'm gone, I will be back to read it!
Sue

Kitt is home and has not left my side much except to use the boodah box and to explore the upstairs again. The other cats were a bit timid to see his return as they wondered what happened to him. He came to me as I called to him and I removed the bandage that was placed on his former IV site. He sat in my lap for quite awhile and gave me those half slit tired yet appreciative eyes like, "I've missed you, mind if I nap?". lol I went upstairs to check on him only to find out he was happy I had come up there and then he decided to follow me up and down the stairs and around the house. He's still quite skinny but he's my lil' buddy again for as long as I will have a heartbeat in my body to remember him by.

Finances stink for us right now. Oh, we are living the American Dream, how far in debt can you get before you croak? lol .. I cannot take it with me but at least I can add to the national debt, eh? UGH! I'm a workhorse and I dislike being kept down when I know what kind of effort I am willing to put into things. I know I am doing the right thing for the baby and I. As I have said, I cannot undo any damage once it's been done but I can be proactive and prevent harm by just being calm and staying rested at home. But rested doesn't help pay the bills and I admire my husband so much for his willingness to do so much overtime to help keep us afloat and keep the kids and I safe. Sorry but I have to say it, "Oh how I love that man!". lol

The constant stuffy nose is fun. I kind of enjoy the whistle it makes in the morning when I am waking up. LOL Sudafed is my best friend, besides the cat and my hubby. I need to be more diligent with my prenatals than I have been lately. I believe that is what is making me more tired than usual. Either that or WOAH is this gonna be a big boy! lol

Well, time for me to log off of here. It's 9pm, doubt I will be up to bring in the new year. Hubby works tomorrow and I will need rest to attend to the children. Any good recipes to share along the lines of dinner ideas? I'm getting board with my own.

Sue :-)

Sue, good news about your Kitt in such a stressful time must make you so happy. I hope that you are able to enjoy the next several weeks or months with him while he is still enjoying life. I'm desperately trying to do the same. My girl is still feeling fine right now, so I am trying so hard to "live in the moment" and do the things that she has always enjoyed, like walks, playing with the ball, car rides and treats-while she still enjoys them. My husband keeps telling me to stop burying her before she's dead. Though I was a little irritated at his seemingly unemotional state about this, I know he's right and I am also trying to focus on how I'm lucky to have someone who is stoic and strong. If we were both like me, we'd just wallow and not be able to accomplish anything. My husband will be able to handle the unpleasant logisitics that will occur, and I'm grateful to have that. Though I know he's sad too, we grieve so differently, and I have to accept that.

Happy New Year to you too! 2005 will have it's share of ups and downs, as every year brings.

Allison (29)
DS-Evan, 7/19/2003. Mild PE at 40 weeks

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement and prayers. I know we all have our moments of panic and sometimes life all seems to come together at once making things seem worse than they are. I got a call this morning from the vet's office. I was scared to answer at first but found out Kitt made it through the night and is in MUCH better spirits than yesterday. They said the fluids have helped him, he's no longer dehydrated, used his litter box and they had to give him TWO cans of kidney diet formula catfood because he was HUNGRY!!! .. Very good signs! I know there is nothing to reverse what has happened to his kidneys but at least I can offer him somewhat a quality life until it's time. My husband goes to get him today after work so I will be happy to see my lil' boy again! Last night one of the other cats that sleeps with us nestled in to try and make up for the fact that Kitt wasn't there and wouldn't leave my side until I woke up this morning with the baby.

I went to work last night to get my paycheck and they told me they had another job I could do for them in a week or so that would be sitting down and just doing basic clerical work. I could help them with their inventory prep work by marking odd items down to help them get out the door faster. I talked it over with my husband and he agreed it's very nice of them to find work I can do and take such considerations of my health. They promised no heavy lifting and I don't have to do it but if I wanted to, they would love to see me come in and help. They miss me already. LOL

Lil girl right now is stubbornly fighting to stay awake instead of taking her nap. She's only yawned a bunch of times and whined a bit while rubbing her eyes. She's in the pack n play while I type hoping that she will calm down. She's chastizing me for putting her in there when she wants out to stumble and play. My fear is that she will hurt herself like she did yesterday where she stumbled into the handle on the rocker recliner.

I think once I have calmed down a bit, I've been able to feel the baby move a bit more, still not as often as I would like but enough to reassure me that I'm not going crazy and he's still with me. I still haven't been able to pick up anything but background noise and tummy gurgles on my Bebe sounds machine but I'll keep trying and let you know what I hear. :-)

It's a hard thing to lose a pet and I know I have friends here who have gone through it or are in it with me. It's not just your buddy, it's another member of your family. God bless these wonderful creatures that grace our lives with their calming presence. They are never truly gone when they live in your heart.

Well, lil girl is throwing quit the temper right now so I will go see what is up and why nap time sounds like such a 'bad' idea to her. LOL .. Maybe some warm formula will do the trick. Or maybe all this wailing has worn her out to think, "Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad idea after all?". LOL

Thinking of you all and HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE, AND WONDERFUL NEW YEAR! I'll be celebrating with my sprite can in hand! lol

Sue

Sue, I am so very sorry about your cat. I'm in the same boat. My Boxer, Abby, has lymphoma and has just come out of remission after her second (and final) chemotherapy protocol. There's really nothing that can be done now, and it's a matter of weeks before we will have to put her down. I'm already seeing signs of illness, and it is simply heartbreaking. Abby has been with me all over the country through so many duty stations. She's picked me up when I've been sad, seen me through a heartbreak, my parent's divorce, deployments... everything. And always with unconditional love. She is my "fur baby." I've been a basketcase the past several days, and I feel like I can't go more than a couple of hours without crying. It's just awful.

And as for the baby, I had the SAME worries with my last pregnancy. Even around 23 weeks or so, one day I would feel a lot of movement, then the next day, nothing. I panicked one afternoon (coincidentally the same day that the war started and my husband was deployed) and rushed to the doctor's office to see if he would find a heartbeat for me. Everything was fine, and he reassured me that at this stage, they are so little and perhaps he had moved into a position where I just couldn't feel that much. I hope it's the same with you.

Again, I'm so sorry about Kitt. I know how you are feeling. I pray that we will both be strong for them, and have the strength and courage to know when it's time to let them go.

Allison (29)
DS-Evan, 7/19/2003. Mild PE at 40 weeks