what a difference a day makes...

Well it's been quite a day.

I had my weekly checkup with the obstetrician today. My blood pressure was a little high so she decided to send me to the hospital for further tests as a precaution. She assured me that she thought everything was fine with Em and me but she would rather that I have some tests done just to be certain. I think I managed to remain calm until I left her office but then panic set in. The 3 minute drive from her office to the hospital felt like 3 hours. I called Steve to let him know what was going on and tried to sound as relaxed as possible so as not to frighten him. I reported to hospital admitting as instructed and they had my chart ready to go, since my doctor had already called over to let them know I was coming and what she wanted done. From there I headed to the labour and delivery ward, where I met Casey, the nurse who would take care of me. She was awesome from the get go. She got me settled in a room, explained that they would take blood and urine samples, take my blood pressure again and hook me up to a fetal monitor. Her demeanor really helped to calm me down and push all the horrible "OMG there's something wrong with my baby" thoughts out of my head. I was hooked up to the monitor for about half an hour and Em performed brilliantly. (Yeah, Em!) She took my blood pressure twice during this time and it was normal. All I had to do know was wait for the results from the blood and urine tests. Luckily, there was TV in the room to keep me occupied. I started to doze off, likely because I had only slept about 4 hours the night before, and Casey came back in with a lunch tray. She said they had an extra tray and thought that I might be hungry. I could have hugged her. I was ravenous, but didn't even realize it from the combination of exhaustion and panic I was feeling up until this point. Casey informed me that they were just waiting on a few more results but everything looked really good so far. Once all of the results were in, she talked to my doctor and both agreed I was good to go. The whole process took about 2 hours, which is exactly what my doctor told me to expect when I left her office.

I realize that what I went through was a very minor bump in my pregnancy experience. I've been lucky to have a relatively easy pregnancy with no major concerns along the way. This experience only further reminded me of how lucky I have been. I'm not sure how women with high risk pregnancies cope. I guess you just do what you have to do. I'm just thankful that Casey was so awesome during the whole thing. It gives me confidence that we will be in good hands when the time comes for Em to emerge.

hello, hello...

I am so thankful that the labour and delivery ward at my local hospital does not look like this.


There is actually a hospital in Taiwan that features a Hello Kitty themed maternity ward. Seriously. And it's not just the rooms. The staff are actually dressed in pink Hello Kitty garb. The nursery is adorned in Hello Kitty decor. It's all Hello Kitty, all the time. I have nothing against Hello Kitty personally but would I want to give birth surrounded by all of this pink cuteness? Definitely not.

what a drag it is getting old...

I have mentioned in a previous post that I am currently overweight. I say currently because I am working to change that. I finally started a regular exercise routine in the spring and I have seen results. My body shape is changing and I'm feeling stronger physically. But the pounds aren't coming off like I would like them to. I've tried a number of diets but this week I decided to go back to the one that I have had most success with. Weight Watchers. Since Monday I have been counting my points and carefully planning my meals and I've done very well. But I've been worrying about keeping up the momentum. Will I get bored in a couple of weeks and start to cheat? Will I give up before I get to my goal weight and end up gaining it all back?

Well tonight gave me the motivation I need. It involved a trip to the Emergency Room with a relative. Don't worry, nothing life threatening. But the few hours in the hospital waiting room, watching the patients stream in an out was fascinating. I'd say that over 80% of the patients coming into Emergency were overweight if not obese. We know that heavy people have greater risks of developing a myriad of different ailments & diseases. So why do we let ourselves get to this state? I understand that for some people there are genetic issues that predispose them to obesity but for most of us, it's completely controllable. But it's much easier to overindulge in yummy food then to have the smaller portion or ask for a salad instead of fries. And it's far more enjoyable to sleep in on a Saturday morning than to get up at 7am for a 5km run. On the other hand, we know what's good for us and we know what we have to do to keep ourselves healthy. But so many people don't start taking care of themselves until it's too late.

I am 35 years old. With the exception of my weight, I am a very healthy person and I want to keep it that way for a very long time. Weight Watchers and kickboxing are helping me achieve this goal. And the pictures etched in my mind of that hospital waiting room are definitely helping.