Third Appointment with Dr. Spehar - 17 Weeks, 6 Days

We did not arrive 15 minutes early this time and the wait seemed 15 minutes shorter. I guess that is how we will roll with afternoon appointments - come right on time.

This appointment started the same as all the rest: pee in a cup, get weighed - (I don't want to know!) and go back to the waiting room to be called.

We got called in just before 4 for our 3:30 appointment. Dr. Spehar had JUST received an e-mail with our IPS results and our baby received a negative result for down syndrome. YAY!

I asked about the Diclectin. She said I could keep taking it but try to come off again. The morning sickness only lasts the entire pregnancy for 5% of women. It could be over now. Jonny and I decided we will try to come off of it after our road trip. I don't want to feel sick while driving or camping. I will try again when I get home. Then, if I feel sick I can just stay in bed.

Next she took my blood pressure and listened to the baby's heart. We are both healthy. Jonny recorded the heart beat. It sounds a bit staticy but it is pretty cool. Baby Heart Beat.

Diclectin Update

I stopped taking the Diclectin on Sunday. I was sick today - on Tuesday. Jonny picked up more for me at Shopper's. Thanks baby! Let's go two more weeks! I was really sleepy today. I didn't get a run or anything in... wait not true- I got a nap in! Tomorrow, will be a good day. Back in action. Fresh start. 

Second Blood Test for IPS

I had a half day of school today. The sun was shining so Jonny and I walked down to Robson and Denman to our Vietnamese spot for lunch. After our favourite meal we walked to English Bay and around the C wall and back up to Burrard Street. This time I gave blood at the same place I did my urine test. 201-1160 Burrard Street. 

I didn't have to wait long at all. The technician who took my blood was nice and didn't hurt me. It was quick and easy. 

Then we walked the few blocks home down Helmcken. It is so nice living in the city and being able to  walk everywhere. It is also nice having such an awesome husband to walk everywhere with. I just hope his plantar fascitis clears up quickly. 

Diclectin

I tried to stop the Diclectin on the night of May 30th. I did ok the 31st and then the evening of the 1st - Friday night. I puked again. I felt so sick and didn't want to admit the morning sickness wasn't over. I wanted it so bad to be finished with. I broke down and took two of my last two Diclectin and then the last one on Saturday morning. I got half a prescription again and today, Sunday, I am feeling back to normal. I will continue to take the Diclectin for a couple of more weeks and then - I will try to come off of it again. I will be feeling awesome by then. Positive power!!

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