Second appointment with Dr. Spehar

My appointment was for 3:15. We arrived at 3 and I peed in the cup. Then we sat and waited. Jonny was reading Colour magazine and found out that Cake Skate is a real place in Milwaukee and I was reading my book, Molok'ai. This is a great book about growing up with leprosy back the 1800's in Hawaii. I got to read a lot of my book. I got called in to be weighed at 3:40. Back to the waiting room and Hawaii in my mind. We got called into the exam room at 3:50. Dr. Spehar came in at 3:56. I would say that is a bit of a wait! I guess that is just how this doctor rolls as it was a similar experience to last time.

I asked Dr. Spehar if I could get my second blood test anywhere or if it had to be at The Women's Hospital. She said anywhere and I asked for a list of labs and she gave me one. She changed the date for my second blood test to June 10- July 10.

She changed my due date which was originally based on the first day of my last period from December 4th to November 27th which means I am week 14 now. That is good news for me! That means my morning sickness should be gone sooner. It supposedly ends week 14 and 15.

I asked about continuing to take the Diclectin. I only have a couple days left of it. She said try it and see but if you get pukey again it doesn't hurt to take it. It is safe to take throughout pregnancy.

She took my blood pressure. I can't remember what it was but it was normal. Then I laid back and she took out a machine that amplified the heart beat of the baby. This is the first time we heard the heart beat. She said it was normal.

She asked if we had any more questions. We said no. And that was that. See you in another 4 weeks Dr. Spehar. 4 weeks and... I was going to make a late joke here... but I decided against it. You got to be super nice to the woman who is going to deliver your baby!!

The sun came out while we were inside and we had a nice walk - first to the movies to find out that MIB 3 at 4:40 was sold out (it is Tuesday) - then to the Fairmont to pee! We walked down to our Vietnamese restaurant and got the outside table. We had some yummy food then walked back through the West End and along the C wall home. A great ending to another awesome day!

Old Clothes to Maternity Clothes

Today I did some sewing. I made two pairs of shorts and two t-shirts of old clothes.

The shirts were supposed to be XL so they are kind of tight. I will try this again with an XL shirt. I practiced first on a  plain white t-shirt of Jonny's that had a stain on the neck ribbing. And the second shirt is one of my favourite t-shirts that which I had a gaping neck that was really annoying. Here are the instructions I followed. 

I made two pairs of shorts. The first were a pair of Jonny's old pants and the second were a pair of my old pants. I made the soft top part long but I fold it down now under my shirt. I might want the extra support or coverage as I get bigger. Gross.. I am going to get bigger! These shorts are so comfy! 

Here is how I made the shorts: 

 First I sewed a piece of stretchy black material together to make a tube.

Then I cut the waist band out of my pants. I chose these ones because the velcro waist band on them never stayed shut. I always had to belt them. Good ones to cut up!

 I cut the front lower to accommodate a growing belly.

 I cut the back straight across.

Make sure to cut the zipper out so you don't screw up the serger!!

Pin the pockets.

 Pin the zipper area closed.

 Sew the zipper area closed.

Sew the black stretchy tube into the area where your old waist band used to be. I did it on the sewing machine first just to hold it in place before I serged it.

 Sew up the side of your black material to make a circle.

And then I cut off the legs and serged the bottom. I didn't bother hemming them. I just left it raw looking like cut offs. 

That's it. I packed up my machines and I don't want to see them again until... well.. until I get the sewing urge again or I find a cool XL man's t-shirt. 

Ultra Sound for IPS: 12 Weeks, Day 6

This ultra sound is a part of the Integrated Prenatal Screening for down syndrome. The technician has to take three pictures of the baby's neck. The neck can't be tucked in or tilted back. My little fetus kept moving around, doing the worm on its tummy, and tilting its head down. Here is how it all went down:

We left for St. Paul's at 1:45. My stomach was full of water and I had to pee. Check! We got to St. Paul's at 2 and waited until 2:30 to be called in. During this time I drank two more glasses of water. The longest I can hold my pee right now is about one class - 1 hour and 20 minutes. I last peed at 1pm. By 2:30 I was in pain! I got up and sloshed from one foot to the other doing a pee pee dance. 

The technician called me in and asked if I could pee a little bit. He gave me a nice sized cup and said I could fill it half full. YAY!!! Woo hoo!!! 

Then the game to take a picture of my baby's spine began. 

Lay on the bed. Unbutton. Tuck towel into underwear. Squirt slime on belly. Poke, roll, hammer, and press lower abdomen. 

Nothing. 

Wipe slime. Go pee. Come back. Repeat. 

AND... repeat... and repeat.. and put pillow under butt... and repeat... and repeat... and just over an hour later (for a 45 minute scheduled appointment) we are DONE! 

It was great for Jonny. He got to sit and see the screen. I got the screen shown to me a couple of times but for the most part I was staring at the ceiling or watching Jonny's face light up. (with a smile and once literally while he texted my mom.) 

I have learned a couple of things today. I don't like to hold my pee and I think I have a stubborn, wiggly baby growing inside of me! Check out the pics that the technician worked hard to get: 

These top two are the same. 

 Head shot

 Skull face! 

 Heartbeat

12 weeks, Day 5 - A Little Whine

I am feeling really pregnant today. By that I mean nauseas and emotional. I want to go back home and crawl into bed. Two more classes to teach and I am out of here and doing just that. I had my Diclectin, B6, and half a Gravol. I guess it is just one of those days. On that note, aren't these days supposed to be OVER NOW? As mom would say, "There is always someone worse off than you." I don't doubt it but still POOR ME!

Enjoy your day - tomorrow could be worse! 

First blood test for IPS: Week 11, Day 4

On the way home from school on Monday. May 14th I stopped at the Women's Hospital on Cambie and got my first blood test for the ISP test. I get the second one the week of the 29th. 

Uncle Sammy can you make our baby room like this?

I wonder what Ian will think when his room is turned into this? 

The First Ultra Sound at St. Paul's

Our appointment was for 2:15 - show up 15 minutes early with a full bladder. So, we left at 1:40 because I had to pee and I just wanted to get there and hopefully get in and out and get to pee soon. As we exited the building I thought, "Do I need a paper?" I stopped and thought hard and came to the conclusion that I don't have a paper (requisition) for this appointment. I went through all the papers I had in my mind and didn't recall getting one for this appointment. I am pretty organized and all my papers are together. We continue on our way.

We arrive at St. Paul's and follow the red line to the Ultra Sound office. We thought - big schools should have these in them. We also thought - it is a bit much... really? There is a line that sprouts off with a $ in a circle in front of the bank machine. 

We arrive a few minutes early and the clerk asks for my requisition. Now I doubt my earlier thought process and wonder if there really is one. Jonny is sent back in the rain to look for this piece of paper. I wait in the waiting room where there is a kid who is out of control and a father who is hitting him with a newspaper as a game and riling him up even more. Teach your kid loser. I shouldn't think this.. that could be me one day. Change my thoughts. I read the magazine Jonny left with me. The kid is crying now. 

I get a text from Jonny. He sends a picture of all the papers and it isn't there because there never was one. I talk to the clerk to get an idea of what it looked like and I know I didn't get one. I ask her if there is anything else she can do and she says she will call Dr. Montgomery. Why didn't she do that in the first place? Why didn't she do that before Jonny went all the way home? 

My name is called. Jonny isn't here. I am told to put my phone away. Ugh! Jonny is going to miss the first ultra sound and he was more excited than me!! 

The first ultra sound didn't work. Even though I am dying to pee I am not full enough. They have to go in the other way! GROSS! GREAT! But it buys enough time. Jonny knocks at the door before I even get to see the screen. He is allowed in ... just in time. 

The ultra sound lady showed us the screen. She said our dates are good. It looks like ten weeks and I am week nine, day six according to my app. Close enough for all we need to know. Good. We saw the heart beating and little arms, little legs, and a big ass head. This baby is going to be SMART! hahaha!! JK! 

First Appointment with Dr. Marketa Gogela-Spehar

I had my first appointment with Dr. Marketa on Monday, April 30th at 11:30. I don't know what to call her. I realize now that this is her first name. I don't remember how she introduced herself. I guess I will have to ask her next time.

So, I have learned not to pee before I come to these appointments because I am going to have to make a contribution every time I have an appointment. Jonny and I arrived at 11:15 and were in the waiting area until 12:05. We had stopped at Tim's and had a snack to occupy the first fifteen minutes. After that Jonny looked through baby magazines in awe of glow in the dark mobiles, baby bath tubs with shower hoses, and cribs that turn into beds. I read Dance magazine - the one I used to get when I was little. It still looks really Canadian.

Ok - to the important stuff - what we learned from Dr. Marketa.

• I found out that my morning sickness wasn't over - I just had a few good days. She explained to me how to take the Diclectin: 2 at night, 1 in the morning and 1 in the early afternoon. I should be experiencing these good times till week 12. (2.5 more weeks!) 
• She predicted the due date as Dec. 4. (Dr. Montgomery Dec.2 - we will find out accurate dates at the ultra sound) 
• I have to go to the lab and give them a urine sample. 
• My blood tests were good. 
• I had to choose a test IPS or FTP - I chose IPS because it is free for mothers over 35 and is 90% accurate. FTP costs $540, is 96% accurate, and will detect things like Down Syndrome (of which there is only a 3% chance) two weeks earlier. So, basically the same thing but more expensive and a little sooner notice. Jonny and I figured if there is not that big a chance of it being a problem it didn't matter if we found a few weeks later. Either way it would be hard and sad. 
• She gave us some information about having our baby at St. Paul's. 
• I have another appointment in a month on May 29th.  (remember NOT to pee before I leave the house)
• People who have had cone biopsies - as I have had - commonly go into premature labour. Yikes! 
• I asked about C section and she recommends the normal method but said we could discuss my options when I am further along. 
• I also asked about Bikram's yoga and she said that the heat is not recommended. There have been no studies done on pregnant women and Bikrams so she said it is best to be safe than sorry. SO.. I will take yoga at Harbour! It will be a nice change and I will look forward to going back to Bikrams afterwards.
• She said most people stop work around 38 weeks. That is November 15.
• Breast and pap exam - fun! 

I like my doctor. I am glad she is a woman!!