Tomorrow's checkup with the Parinatologist.

Tomorrow is my 26 week checkup with the Perinatologist.

I have to say, I'm not super duper excited about this.

My blood presure has continued to rise back up to my normal levels since I initially started taking my BP medication (procardia) two weeks ago.

The pain in my head has increased to the extent that it continues for all but about two hours in the morning after I take my medication and basically throbs to the extent that this evening I can hear my heart beating within my head. There is no sleeping it off as I have often done with the headaches I got prior to pregnancy, it just continues on it's merry way without thinking twice about ME.

The swelling in my lip area is now starting to extend to the area round my mouth each morning and it is a nightmare to look in the mirror every morning not knowing what I might find 'this time'.

I have tried my damndest to stay in bed on my left side, or on the sofa with my feet as far up as I can get them. I have avoided leaving the house at nearly all costs, with few exceptions, particularly for financial reasons with the intent to secure my family prior to the impending doom of hospital bedrest that I know is on the horizon.

The man and I have had several very frank conversations and tend to agree that the best route, at this point, would probably be hospital bedrest, and while we are certainly not happy about it, we know that it's the right thing to do for baby and I. So if, or when, it needs to be done, it's something we wouldn't resist. Even if it's tomorrow. He is worried now. You can see it in his face. It breaks my heart and makes me cry to know how he is feeling. That there is NOTHING that he can do to fix it, or me, or make sure this baby is okay.

I have managed to get a few newborn and preemie items to start us off once baby finally comes home. We got the diaper bag, and the carseat.....the rest we will manage while baby is still in the NICU.



Mentally, I'm starting to crack. I know that baby will be okay, I'm just not sure that *I* will be okay. I'm scared. Genuinely. And I'm pretty much having an internal panic attack about it. And I feel pretty alone in all of this right now. I know there are a few people who are supportive from a distance, but physically, it is lonely here dealing with all of this.

We have been open and honest with the kids about the posibility of me being hospitalized and the fact that I am really sick. I'm not sure that they understand completely, but they do know that momma always does what is right and for the right reasons and that we will all manage to somehow get through this.

Today, the cuff on my blood pressure monitor burst on my arm. We went to Walgreens, unfortunately they do not sell replacement cuffs. We had a lengthy conversation with the pharmacist about my condition and she tended to agree, that were she my doctor, she'd admit me at this point.

Having someone agree, scares me. Knowing that my body is going to kill this baby, or it will kill me, is eating me up inside. I feel like my body is a failure. I feel like I have failed as a woman, to protect and carry this child. I felt quite similarly when I miscarried. And knowing that this is the LAST child, because my body can't do it anymore....while I'm not READY to be done, also eats me up inside. My body has taken the choices away from me. I want to kick, and scream, have a tantrum and cry. It's a lot to accept in one swallow.

Did I mention how bad my head hurts? And that pain won't go away until my blood pressure comes down, and even then, the reprieve will only last a few hours.

I desperately need to make it to the 32 week mark. 27 weeks is in sight.

After my ultrasound tomorrow, if baby hasn't grown, or something else happens, they might just take him out. Then we will shift on to new worries, I'm sure. We just don't know what is going to happen right now. Not knowing is the worst. Mommies shouldn't have to deal with this stuff. Ever. Their bodies should just do the right thing. And I have accepted enough of the UNKNOWN this year. In this lifetime. I'm not sure that I can cope with MORE right now.

26 weeks

Today marks 26 weeks for me, and I can assure you, I am mostly dreading my visit Wednesday morning with the perinatologist.

I'm pretty certain that based on my BP's this last week that the medication is failing to control my BP adaquitely enough. It makes me wonder exactly how high my BP would be WITHOUT the medication though.

I've awoken every single morning in the last week with swelling in my lips, along with a little numbness and tingling. Some days are substantially worse than others. Strangely enough, it seems to go away within a few hours of awakening. My entire face is not swelling, but my lips most certainly are.



The swelling in my hands is very minimal. Noticeable to me, but not outlandish. And the swelling in my ankles...or cankles as the man has referred to them now, is worst in the afternoon, even if I haven't been out in the heat or up and about.

I've also noted the onset of that throbbing headache that begins some time in the afternoon, doesn't go away with tylenol and continues until about an hour or so after I've taken my BP med again in the morning.

I've had some spotty disturbances with my vision in the afternoon to late evening but it is still going away within a few minutes. It's not hanging around, so that makes me feel better.

I know that it is definately time for another 24 hour urine collection. And probably for an increase in my BP meds. Beyond that, I'm not sure what is going to happen.

I certainly hate my body right now. It's doing everything that it can to reject this baby. And that's just not cool with me.

One thing rest very certainly in my heart right now though. That is the fact that I know, in the end, he will be JUST fine, no matter what happens to end this pregnancy. I know this, because every pregnancy I have carried a child, someone in the family has died, and my baby ends up fine. Just last night, that happened.

There is no sadness, no grief, no feeling of loss. The family drama was far too deep for that. I have learned one lesson, and that is that I will not do the same. I will stand by MY family, my children, my grandchildren, my great grandchildren and protect them when it is necessary for me to do so. Blood will always be thicker than water for me.

Were I able to travel the 2500 miles back to Washington right now, I would not. I do wish I was a fly on the wall right now though, to watch the fight that happens over her possessions. Her daughters at least, are petty, greedy and despicable. They have plotted for years about who would get what. Maybe I'm just in the mood for a little hair pulling, face slapping, nail scratching, bitch fight. LOL I'm glad my father will at least do the honorable thing, hold his head high and walk away.

20 weeks 3 days

I've started the 20th week of my pregnancy.

My blood pressure is high, but we've attributed that to the fact that I am in some pretty severe pain right now. Several years ago, I had several falls with knee impact type injuries. I saw a public health doctor at the time, who didn't really explain things to me, but put me in knee braces for three weeks. I never went back to the doctor. My bad, I know. The injury never healed right and is occasionally aggravated (say, by climbing up and down three flights of stairs five times in one day) and then I pay for it. At this point in time, I'm barely getting around. Every movement is painful. I can't roll over in bed without being in pain right now. Yes, it's that bad that I'm spending most of my time in bed anymore, and I have been going like this for more than two weeks. The problem is, is that I can't consistently stay off of my feet. There are four kids in my house and someone has to take care of them, including jumping up and down to get after a toddler every two to five minutes. Since I don't have insurance at this point in time, I'm really just struggling through it. Due to the fact that I'm pregnant, I can really only take Tylenol for the pain, and we all KNOW that stuff doesn't work when a person is at the level of pain that I am at now. Without seeing the doctor, we can't pinpoint EXACTLY what my problem is, which means it can't be solved. Right now, we are ALL in medical limbo though. My daughter needs to have her braces maintained, or removed, and needed to have it done about three weeks ago. One of my sons is supposed to be medicated for his ADHD and other issues, and ran out of medication three days ago. Apparently two of the kids need MORE immunizations for school because Texas has different immunization requirements than Washington does, so they might not be able to go to school soon. It's scary, and really difficult, to be a family, with children, especially children with medical or dental needs, and not have medical.

Anyway, back to me, and my pregnancy. I saw my new Perinatologiest yesterday. He is young. 35 years old. And has the most insanely beautiful blue eyes a girl has ever seen! We had a lengthy discussion about my diabetes. He feels, that it's highly probable that I am NOT diabetic. That I have something called "insulin resistance'. However, because I am pregnant, we have to treat me like I have gestational diabetes anyway. About three months after I have the baby, I will have to do another one hour glucose test and we will re-evaluate whether or not I am ACTUALLY diabetic.

I lost five more pounds in the last two weeks. That brings my total weight loss to 43lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight and puts me at 311lbs. Given my weight, he's still not concerned about the weight loss, but he WOULD like me to stop losing weight. Something that is really beyond my control right now. Given the fact that I can barely WALK right now, it's not like I'm exercising either. When you cut sugars and carbohydrates almost completely out of your diet though, you have to expect that to have some impact on your weight. It's not like I can just eat a bunch of fatty foods to prevent me from losing weight. Those fatty foods are mostly carbohydrate, sugar based, foods. It is literally impossible for me to GAIN and still follow the diabetic diet.

I had an ultrasound yesterday too. The baby is measuring small. I was 20.2 and baby was measuring 18.4-18.6. I have NEVER had a baby measure small. My babies have all measured bigger than their dates in the past.I suppose that is why I am five MONTHS pregnant and I don't look pregnant at ALL. I literally look exactly the same as I did before I was pregnant. Baby's heart looks good, which is really good considering my diabetes issue. Heart conditions in the baby are one of the big things that happen in babies with mothers that have diabetes. Our baby having a normal heart is comforting.

We also found out that we are having another boy. We have not broke the news to the kids yet, but have managed to tell most of the important people in our lives.

Emotionally, I'm feeling really mixed about this fact. This is my fifth, and final, baby. I really just is not possible for me to do this again. Not financially, and not physically. I wanted to be able to give the man I love a little girl of his own. I wanted more vag in this house and less penis. I didn't get the opportunity to enjoy my daughter when she was a baby because of the, less than healthy, situation I was in, and my severe depression because of it all. I wanted the chance to do it again. I wanted ruffly panties and cute little dresses. I wanted hair bows and barrettes. I'm upset because we don't get those things. And I have run out of boys names.

I do know that the primary focus should be that this baby is healthy and that is the only thing that should matter, but I can't help feeling sad. I feel like I have failed my partner by failing to provide him with a daughter, daddy's little girl. I have failed all the kids, who have wanted a little sister. I feel that it's all somehow less important, less special, that we are having a baby now, because it's just another boy. And I feel like I fail this child by even giving a damn. Believe me, the failure is present.

On top of all this, I really miss my home. I didn't spend as much time with friends or family as I would have liked and now it's impossible to change that. I am missing people. I am missing cool air. I am missing open minded people. I am missing my religious comfort zone and am now forced into a position in which myself and my family have to hide everything we believe in. Our views and values are being challenged at every crossroad in this alien territory. It's taking a long time for things to settle into place the way that we need them to, and that isn't helping the way that I am feeling. The way that my partner and I are both feeling. I think he is feeling the worst, because he is watching me struggle and knows that there is nothing that he can do, aside from taking us HOME. He wants to admit defeat, rent a u-haul and get out of here. I want the dream. I want our house. But I want to be comfortable in my community and not forced to hide everything about myself. I want to be in a place where people mind their own business and don't shove their shit down your throat. I want to not be suffocated by the people I'm forced to live around. Maybe I'm asking for too much, but at what cost? More than anything, I just feel really ALONE here. Alone and unwelcome. I've never felt that way before, and it's really not a good feeling. Like you are an outsider and do not belong somewhere, and probably never will. For as many hopes as we've had for this place, it's pretty devistating.

Following up on the sister drama, she has made her choice, and made her bed. Her children were placed with the family member she LEAST wanted them to be with. She has 30 days worth of U/A's to complete, then they say that she will be eligible for an 'in-home dependency'. However, because of her actions, she no longer has a home to go home TO. I made the offer for her to come here, and she chose not to. I hope she can get her shit together, but I'm not going to hold my breath about it. Sad but true.

Anyway, that's all I'm going to say for now. I need to lay down for a while and just rest. My body, my mind and my heart.

Drama of the Sister variety.

More than a month ago I mentioned that a new breed of drama may be encroaching on my family bubble.

Let me explain.

Of all my siblings, I am the only one who has honestly ever been worth a shit. In their ONLY defense, they chose 'other' options in their lives. One choice in particular, that has lead to their ultimately unfortunate lives was their choice, as teenagers, to remain in the toxic environment that their father and his family created for them. They had the choice to be in a structured environment, the same one that I was raised in. A place with rules, regulations, chores, curfews and expectations....and they chose against that. They chose freedom. The freedom to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, with whoever they wanted. In turn, they have both turned into the drug addicted, criminal types. One has been in and out of jail and prison, and the other in and out of rehab at various times over their 30 plus years of life.

I, on the other hand, while not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, have become a strong, independent, self-sufficient woman who has taken the completely opposite path that they have chosen.

At this current place in time, my step-sister has recently relapsed into her crack cocaine addition in the last four months and has basically brought the entire world that circulates within her range, down with her. Including her fiance and her children. She is set to lose her fiance, is facing an eviction from her home and will probably lose her children TOMORROW MORNING at the emergency meeting if she does not ACT NOW and get her shit together.

Two of these children have been through this before. They WILL NEVER return to her care if the state steps in to remove them. This also means that our family will probably never see these kids again. They are already disadvantaged because of their absent fathers and their mother's off and on relapse pattern. My heart aches to imagine the extremely hard road they would face were they placed into the foster care system, separated from each other, and bounced around from house to house and school to school for the next 5 to 16 years.

My parents cannot take them in again, for various reasons that are completely understandable. Nobody wants to further support her behavior, or be enabling of her. Absolutely people are done cleaning up her messes for her and helping her get her shit together.

That leaves me.

Unfortunately for the kids, my family just moved half a country away and I am not in a position to do very much.

After a lengthy discussion with my other half, I had the opportunity to speak with my step-sister on the telephone yesterday. I informed her that the ONLY option she had left to her was to go and pick up her children from our brother where they currently are, get in her truck, and drive her ass to Texas, to ME.

She didn't even know that I was pregnant. Or that we had already left for Texas yet.  I made her cry a lot, and hope that the words that I left with her were sincerely receieved. She is going to have a few obstacles in her trek to get here if she does decide to actually come, and either my partner or I might have to actually fly back to Washington and drive her here ourselves due to a licensing issue. Her ability to gather the funds it would cost for gas to get here is going to be a small hurdle.....but it is possible.

I feel helpless right now because there is nothing that I can do. I feel like an asshole for abandoning my family in a sense. I feel stuck because I cannot help MORE. I cannot save everyone, but given the opportunity, I would. I would absolutely save these kids. There is no question in my mind that they would already be WITH me if I was at home. I am, and this situation is, the ONLY option that these kids have left.

The last time this happened was in 2005. We had 9 people in a two bedroom mobile home with one bathroom. This time, we will have 10 people in a four bedroom two bath apartment. I think we can handle it. She just needs to GET here now.