2nd Pregnancy........

I can not believe that it is the sixth month of 2013 and I have yet to blog about anything. I guess its because since I found out I was pregnant on December 16th, things have been a bit crazy. So, second baby is on the way and due in August, or so we hope. A lot has happened the past 6 weeks that has made life a little tougher.

This entire pregnancy has been different, and not good different, bad different. I have not felt well and have had pain since the time I found out I was pregnant. Our first ultrasound at 8 weeks went great and Ancell #2 was right on track. At this appointment  I had a new doctor and not my regular OB. Since I am on glaucoma drops, (yes, I was born with glaucoma) and there is no studies on the drops I use she suggested I see a high risk doctor and get a second opinion. I did not take the drops with Mason because I was scared I would hurt him and in return I caused some damage to my optic nerve and my eye doctor said I can not go without these drops with my next pregnancy. So, I saw the doctor at 15 weeks, had another ultrasound, and things were still good with baby. Doctor saw no reason to see me again, (even though I told him how much pain I was in on my right side) and wanted an ultrasound done every 4 weeks to monitor baby's growth until further notice. OKAY, second doctor I told how much pain I was in but all I kept hearing was "your pregnant and every pregnancy is different"

Week 24 I go in and again, baby is doing good but I am in fact STILL not feeling well. At this appointment I asked my mom to go with me just in case something was wrong. She got to see how squirmy this baby is and was amazed at the things you can see. I got a pink slip which meant that I only had ONE ultrasound left because baby is good...YAY1!!!!!!!!!!! As usual, I had my OB appointment following the ultrasound to discuss anything they may have found. This month I gained 10lbs which she thought was a bit much but what are you going to do?? ;) Again, I told her that I get this hard spot in my belly and it is so painful on my right side. In fact, at this point, it hurt to touch my right side. She thought maybe I had a cyst, fibroids, or the baby is already poking me. She sent me back down the testing lab to make sure what exactly it was since I have been complaining about this pain since week 8. In my mind, I thought no big deal, finally an answer and I can set my mind at ease. But like my sister says, it is never that simple for me, and this time it wasn't. It ended up being my kidney. It was a grade 4 hydronephrosis at only 24 weeks pregnant. This is very common in pregnant women but not this extreme so early. Right away things changed and I was about as anxious as they come. I thank God my mom was there with me although she was as confused and worried as I was. So, they sent me to a urologist that week and I had an ultrasound done on both kidneys and bladder.

Week 25 I see the urologist. Luckily it is only in my right kidney and the other one at the moment looks good and so does my bladder, or what they can actually see of my bladder. He does say that something else is causing the kidney to be so backed up but at 25 weeks pregnant, anything that we do can start labor, cause infections, and more harm than monitoring the growth of the kidney. I had another ultrasound done at week 29 and of course, no change. Doctor was really hoping it would be better, but it wasn't.

Week 29 last ultrasound and finally an appointment with my old OB. Urologist wanted me to discuss things with my OB. At this ultrasound baby was breech and this was the only the 2nd time Matt got to see the baby. All became so real for the both of us....baby #2 is coming :). Baby being breech is the least of my worries, and the baby has time to flip around. At this appointment we finally got some answers and it was plain and simple. Not the answers I wanted, but answers. OB wants me to get to week 34. At week 34 baby can come out, not that we want that to happen but if pain continues, infections arise, or kidney starts to fail we have to take the baby. She consulted with my high risk doctor who was monitoring me and he suggested the same thing. Plan is: ultrasounds of kidneys every 2 weeks and blood work on kidneys to check function. But if things get worse before 34 weeks, I will have to have to put a stint in to drain the kidney. Not what I want at all, but at this point I don't want to lose a kidney. By week 34 if things are still the same, they see no reason why I can't keep carrying the baby.

Matt and I both asked the doctor if full term was possible and she danced around the question both times. Mason was a big baby, and so far this one has been measuring big (not huge). My goal is week 34 and anything after that will be a gift. I have good days and bad days. I am not on bed rest as rest is not going to make this go away. I am instructed to only sleep on my left side, minimal lifting, and rest. I always wanted my kids much closer than what Mason and this one will be, but I thank god they aren't. Mason is at an age where he doesn't need to be held. He can go to the bathroom, dress himself, and watch movies with me on the couch all day if I have to :). After the baby is delivered, while I am in the hospital they will do another ultrasound and a CT scan. They think I either have a kidney stone, mass, or something else that is causing my kidney to be so large.

I am at week 31 and have a check up next week which I will be 32 weeks. My family and friends have been so supportive and I am so thankful for all of them. Mason's daycare has been great, which helps Matt and I out so much. But most of all, my husband has been more than a husband but a best friend that has listened to my every ache, pain, worry, and crazy thoughts that have popped in my head. These last 6 weeks have been very rough. I loved being pregnant with Mason. In fact, it was the best I have ever felt. This time, I am wishing the weeks by just so that I can get to week 34. The movements are not as enjoyable because baby likes to stretch their legs on my right side which is so painful. I also have Braxton hicks contractions all of the time, which I never had with Mason. Also, very painful to my right side. I am just trying to keep myself busy which is hard. The unknown is so scary, and being that I have to worry about another life other than mine, makes it even scarier. I now trust my instincts, I kept telling them something was wrong and I kept getting the run around. I felt like such a baby complaining all of the time, but I knew something didn't feel right.

So keep thinking happy thoughts for me. Doctor says to take one day at a time and that's what I am doing. This is all out of my control and I am just trying to go with the flow which is probably one of the hardest things for me to do.