A Rough Start to the Second Trimester...

Well, I am now in Week 16 and for the last 2 weeks I've been dealing with hyperemesis. The baby is perfectly fine, but it certainly took a toll on me! For those of you who are lucky enough not to know what hyperemesis is, it is constant nausea and vomiting that leads to severe dehydration and a need for an IV. I could not keep ANYTHING down including both liquids and solids. Darren took me to the ER, and I was in the hospital and hooked up to an IV wth antinausea meds for a few days until I begged them to let me go home. I felt that the hospital environment was just making it worse. I was cold, uncomfortable, couldn't sleep, had to share a room with someone (and I'm sure she wasn't thrilled with listening to me throwing up 24/7!), and let's just say that I am NOT a big fan of INOVA's Loudoun Hospital. My doctor agreed with me and sent me home after I got enough IV fluids. I was still throwing up, but my doctors set me up with a home health agency who could give me an IV at home if needed. So during Week 15 I rotated between feeling OK/holding liquids down and throwing up every sip I took.

Darren decided to take a picture of me "to capture the moment." This is basically what I looked like on a good day when I wasn't hugging Mr. Porcelain Bowl...
(yes, that's a Rainbow Brite blanket. My grandma made one for all her grandchildren and I've had it for 20 years.)

Darren took care of my every need no matter what or when it was. He even sat up with me during the all night vomitting sessions! If I wanted something special, he was headed to the store 5 minutes later. He is my angel and the best nurse I could ever ask for! :)

On Saturday (and the start of the 16th Week), the home health nurse set me up on a medicine infusion pump that continually sends Zofran (an antinausea med) into my system. I had been taking Zofran orally but the doctors thought the pump would be better because the oral medication wears off too quickly. So far they've been right. Besides the annoying injection sites on my thighs and the pouch I have to carry around with me, I'm back to "normal", can eat and drink again, and don't get too nauseated when I see or smell food. I lost 6 pounds but hopefully I can gain it back!

This is what my new best friend looks like. He likes to leave big red swollen welts on my leg. I'm going to tell everyone I was in a paintball battle. It's a lot more exciting than the true story...

I don't know how long I'll have to have the pump. The doctors said that most women are better by the 20th week, but I may not be in that category because of my gastroparesis. I'm keeping my fingers crossed though. I don't have very many places left on my legs to put new injection sites. My skin is so sensitive (hence, the big red welts) that Darren has to change it every day (instead of every 2-3 days). Yes, once again Darren has to be my nurse because I can't poke myself with a needle, and he can actually do it without fainting!

The doctor I had in the hospital is the second doctor I met from the OB practice, and I like him a lot. I wasn't thrilled when I first found out that there was a male doctor and that I would have to meet with him as well as the 3 women, but he is so nice and has such a good bedside manner that I feel completely comfortable with him. So far, I've met 2 out of the 4 doctors and I've liked them both a lot. I talked to the third doctor on the phone when I was in the hospital. She seems nice, but I haven't met her yet. I have an appointment with the 4th one in September. Hopefully, I like them as much as the first two. If not, I have a 50% chance of getting someone I like for delivery!

I also scheduled our second trimester sonogram today. That's the BIG one where they look at ALL the parts and we know if the baby is a boy or girl. I'm still saying girl. Even the nurse in the ER triage said that most women with hyperemesis have girls. :) We'll find out on September 16th!

Week 13 Sonogram!

Today I had a first trimester screening and the doctor said everything looks normal. HB = 143 but I'm not sure how long he OR she is... maybe 10 or 11 cm? The baby looks less like a lima bean and more like a baby! Check it out... You can see the nose, lips, and eye lids... Baby Derry (as Aunt Amanda calls him OR her) was being difficult and not moving very much for the technician so she kept pushing on my stomach. I was starting to feel like a punching bag and was actually getting uncomfortable, but the stubborn baby didn't want to be disturbed while napping (just like his mommy and daddy!). She said it was probably b/c I had thrown up my breakfast right before I got there so she gave me some apple juice to drink. While we were waiting for the apple juice to kick in, he must have turned the other way. He started bouncing up and down for a minute but then went back to sleep. At one point he was sucking his hand. It looks like a cigar in this pic and it looked like a tongue to me, but the tech said it was a hand.

This is my favorite one...

No, we can't tell what the gender is yet. We have to wait for the 20 week sonogram which will be during the last week of September. What a nice 4 year anniversary present for us! :)

~Jess

Whoa, are there twins in there?

The doctor says no, but I'm 12 weeks today and look what showed up already.... I've heard from a lot of people that they didn't start showing until the 4th month, but I'm not even out of the 3rd month yet and it looks like I ate an extra large pizza and a dozen wings by myself.
I am happy to say (and I hope I don't jinx myself) that Thursday was the best I've felt in a long time. Barely any nausea and I didn't have to collapse on the couch after work. I actually felt well enough to visit the Marshalls. At the beginning of the week my best friends were still Mr. Sofa and Mrs. Porcelain, but I've been OK since Tuesday. Could this be the start of the end of morning sickness or is it just teasing me? I felt good last Friday and Saturday, but of course that ended Sunday morning. I hope it stays away this time.

My sister, Amanda, and Darren's cousins, Kristen and Kara (aka Gert & Bell) came for a visit last weekend. While I was laying on the couch, they went to Pei Wei. Check out Darren's fortune...
It's now in a frame with the sonogram picture.

One morning I thought I heard a golf ball hit the house (I was right. Darren found the golf ball last night). I looked out of the window and saw 2 baby fawns in our yard. They were so cute and stuck around until the momma deer made them leave.
Are these so cute? Amanda got them for us. We can't wait to use them.

~Jess