| The pregnancy |
| Pregnancy Nr. 2 (unborn): |
| April 11th 2010: I am pregnant again! We are expecting the new baby (gender will be surprise this time) in early August. This pregnancy is going a little better then the first one. At first I had Hyperemesis again really bad, but lately it got little better. I am now 24 weeks along and feeling better (not good, but at least better) then I did with Lillian at that point. I hope it will continue to get better and will try to keep everybody updated.  |
| Pregnancy Nr. 1 (Lillian Angelina): |
| June 13th 2007: I can't believe it's over! After a really hard and difficult pregnancy and an even more horrible birth (it was like going through hell!), our daughter is finally here! And she's the best thing that ever happend to me (right along with Chris of course :)). Giving birth was the most horrible thing in the world though, even worse than the whole pregnancy. Read on if you want to know how it all went: I went to the hospital early morning of June 1st where they induced labor because Lilly was already many days too late and they had to do something to get her out :) They told me that, since they were inducing labor the pain would be way worse since it's not a natural way of starting it. And it was. Well, I never had the natural way, but I don't believe it can get any worse than this. From the first second on it felt like I was dying. They told me that was normal though, so I tried to do all the breathing stuff we learned at the pregnancy class, but it didn't help at all. Still, they told me everything was fine and normal and I just had to take it. And I really tried. Hours passed and by the time Chris got there (sometime around noon if I remember right), I think I was already close to dying (at least it felt like it). He was awesome the whole time though, I don't think I could have done it without him. Thank God my mom was there too. Those two people really helped me hanging in there. More and more hours (horrible hours of pain!) passed and I kept on telling the doctors and nurses I just couldn't do it anymore (esp. since they told me nothing was happening. I was just in pain for no reason at all, Lilly just didn't feel like coming out... she didn't even feel like starting...) but they said I just had to wait it out. Around 10pm they FINALLY decided to give me one of those shots in my spine that stop the pain (after I begged for it for hours and hours). So a doctor came in and started putting a needle in my spine (which is a scary thought, but I really didn't care about anything anymore that that point. I just wanted the pain to stop). Bad thing was he kind of hit some nerves and me legs started twitching so he said he couldn't do more than this cause otherwise he might seriously hurt some nerves and you really don't want that! (After all I wanted to be able to walk again after this!). So he stopped, told me he couldn't do anything else for me, said it'll only last for like an hour or two and then I'd just have to face the pain again. The next two hours were like heaven. I didn't fee any pain at all anymore and I am 100% sure I could have given birth to my daughter the normal way if only they would have tried to give me a shot again in a different place. - But they didn't, and after 2 hours the pain kicked in again. Only worse. And worse, and worse. I can't explain what kind of pain it was, but it was the most horrible thing I have ever felt in my life and I never ever want to go through it again. I don't remember much about the hours that followed, but screaming for help, squeezing Chris's hand, screaming more and more, passing out between contractions (Chris told me that I don't even remember at all), and screaming and yelling for help. They told me they couldn't do anything for me since the spine thing didn't work and basicly left me alone for hours. I remember that at one point one of the doctors came in, looked at me almost passing out and screaming and told me I was just acting, it couldn't be that bad and I really am overdoing it. (He had to be a man to say that I guess... I would have hit him if I would have had any strength left). I asked them over and over again for a c-section over and over again but they kept on saying no. I think I would have felt better if they would have tolde me we're only a couple of minutes (or at least hours) away from her being born, but ever since that morning nothing had changed at all, so all those hours had been good for nothing. That's what really got me, cause as far as I knew it could have been going on like this for days and days. Again, I don't remember much of the following hours (which is probably a good thing or I'd never have baby again *lol*), but if Chris and my mom hadn't been there, I don't know if I could have done it. I remember my mom calling the nurse over and over again (who thought it would be more fun being outside and smoking...) and telling her I really couldn't do it anymore and that I needed a c-section. I don't know how she finally got them to agree, but shortly before 4am on June 2nd - after almost 24 hours of labor - they finally told me I could have one. (Not without the doctor who would do surgery on me telling me that if he cut wrong I should be sure to know I'd be dying and that it was silly of me to request a c-section since I was only acting like it hurts!). I also asked them if I could only get another spine shot since I was scared of being gone completely and they told me that wasn't possible. So I was pretty much scared to death, but as bad as it sounds, even dying sounded ok and I didn't even care, so I signed some papers (still don't know what those were for) and just thought they should do whatever with me as long as it would stop that pain. They moved me to the surgery room where another (nice!) doctor told me that it was silly of the other doc to tell me a spine shot wasn't possible and that I didn't have to worry cause I'd be able to hear everything and wouldn't be gone completle, just from my chest upwards. He was really nice, explaining everthing to me and I wasn't that scared anymore. And then he did the shot. And it was like the best thing ever. Within seconds I didn't feel anything at all anymore. Those were probably the best drugs in the world. At least they were pretty damn good :) After that everything went pretty quick. After about 5 minutes they told me they could already see her head (or her hair ;) ). And a couple of minutes later they showed me my little girl. They cleaned her up and showed her to Chris who was waiting upstairs (because of that stupid doctor again who said I'd be completely gone, if he wouldn't have said that Chris could have been there with me...). After I was ready they moved me upstairs as well and finally all three of us could be together. Those were the longest and most horrible 24 hours of my life, but still, when I look at Lilly I know it was totally worth it, and for her, I'd do it again in a minute. - I guess you have to go through hell to get your piece of heaven.  Lillian Angelina Born June 2nd 2007 / 4:17am 3660gr / 50cm / 37cm head circumference |
| May 10th 2007: 18 more days to go! (That's counting the latest date the doctors calculated). I can't wait for our baby to be here! :) |
| March 25th 2007: Did you ever try to walk around as less as possible for a couple of weeks? If not, don't. - It really, really sucks. The sun is shining and it looks like it's finally getting spring, and I can't even leave the house. :( I'm still having contractions, but got medicine for it now, so it got a little better. Walking around too much (which is not much at all) still makes it worse though. On the other hand, it's only a couple of weeks before it all will be over and we're going to be parents :). The baby is doing fine. We are 99.9% sure at this point what the gender is, but I still don't want to write it down on this page since a lot of people from my family want it to be a surprise. You can always ask me if you want to know though :) During the last ultrasound (in week 31) they messured the baby and it turns out that "it"'s 37cm tall and weighs over 1000gr (I think it was somwhere around 1500, but I don't remember, I am bad with numbers :) ). Healthwise everything is fine too, 5 fingers and 5 toes on every hand/foot, 2 eyes, ears, a cute little nose (the baby was actually sucking it's thumb during the last 3D ultrasound - it was soooo cute), a healthy heat and all the other organs and bones are where they should be. So as far as the doctors can tell everything is perfekt. I can't believe it's only going to be 64 more days till the baby will be here (that's counting till the latest date, May 28th, but they said it might be as early as May 11th, so it's probably not even going to be 64 more days). I just hope we'll be able to find an appartment and move in before the baby gets's here. But no matter what, I am all kinds of excited and I can't wait :) |
| February 12th 2007: So Saturday and Sunday night I had a really bad feeling in my tummy. Sunday it got so bad that I actually went to the hospital and they did a CTG (where they check the baby's heartbeat and also check for contractions). The heartbeat was fine but I actually DID have contractions - and they hurt pretty bad too! So now, I am supposed to lay in bed all day, getting up as less as possible. It really sucks. The baby's weight is about 750gr, so the doctors said the baby would be fine if born now, but every day he/she's not born will help a lot. So now we have to do everything to make sure the baby will stay where he/she is for waaaay longer :D - which means, I have to lay around all day :( |
| February 7th 2007: Since my skin is acting up since I am pregnant, my mom gave me a gift certificate for a face care appointment this Christmas. I went there today and it was just amazing! Since I don't want to write everything twice, please read my blog with todays date. The pregnancy is going fine, I still get sick a lot, but I guess I am kind of getting used to it. And it's only a couple of weeks more *yay*. I can't believe that in about 3 months we are going to have an actual real life baby! It's so exciting! The baby is kicking a lot lately and I don't really get any sleep at night anymore. I guess it's a good practice for when the baby will be here :) |
| January 29th 2007: I am feeling a lot better lately. I am down to one Vomex in the morning (instead of one in the morning and one at night) and so far it seems to work that way. I tried to not take the morning one too, but that doesn't work out for me just yet. I hope I will be able to do so soon though. Since December 5th I can feel the baby kicking. It's a pretty amazing feeling and helps me knowing that everything is just fine. Lately the kicks are getting harder though and sometimes it even hurts a little bit. The baby also sleeps a lot during the day and wakes up late in the evening to be up and kicking all night. Pretty much just like Daddy (he likes to be up all night and sleep all day too) ;-) |
| September 23rd 2006 - January 5th 2007 (The Hyperemesis Story): |
| This is going to be a summary of the last couple of month (before
I started this homepage). When I took a pregnancy test on September 23rd 2006 and it had two pink lines on there, I was totally surprised (Chris and me didn't plan on having a kid quite as soon ;)), but couldn't help feeling incredibly happy. I went to see my doctor a couple of days later who confirmed that I was pregnant. Till then everything was just fine. But then, literally over night, it started. I got really, really sick. First I thought it was normal, just morning sickness. But then it got worse and worse and not only did I feel sick in the morning, but 24/7. I had many, many doctor's appointments, got vitamin IV's, but just felt worse by the hour. I couldn't keep anything down, not even a sip of water and couldn't even think about any food. Still everybody figured I was just suffering from normal morning sickness that had gotten a little out of hand, but when I was to weak to even get out of bed I decided I couldn't take it anymore and went to the hospital. The doctors there did tests, tests and more tests and found out that I had something called "Hyperemesis gravidarum ". You can only get hyperemesis when you are pregnant, yet no one knows exactly what causes it. Some say it's the hormones, some say it's this and that. Fact is, that if you do have it, you feel sick. - Really, really sick. It can get so bad, that you are too weak to even stand up. Your body dehydrates, you loose weight, you constantly feel nauseous and get sick, even though nothing's even in your stomach. (To read and learn more about hyperemesis click on the two links at the end of this text). I had to stay in hospital for about 4 days, got many, many IV's (some of them containing Vomex - a medicine that helps when you have hyperemesis) and felt better soon. When I was able to even eat food again, they took me off Vomex and let me go home. The doctors told me I'd be fine now. And for about two days I actually was fine. Then - again overnight and without any warning - I felt worse then I did the first time. I didn't want to go back to the hospital though (honestly, who DOES want to go there? ;)) and tried to make it without having to go again. When it got so bad though, that I was so dehydrated that I felt so dizzy I almost fainted, had to go to the bathroom ever 30 seconds and started throwing up blood, I figured I wouldn't be able to avoid going there again. Problem was, I felt so sick, there was no way I could get to the hospital myself. So we actually had to call an ambulance which rushed me into hospital. More and more IV's followed (this time I even needed oxygen so they put me on even more tubes and needles). After the first couple of Vomex IV's I felt fine again and a couple of days later I could go home. - Only to have the whole thing starting all over again. I've been on and off the hospital about 4 to 5 times now (I am currently in week 20 - today's January 5th 2007). The trouble with hyperemesis is, that nobody can tell when it's going to be over. It may last only for one week, one month, several month or during all of your pregnancy. Last time I was in hospital they were smart enough to prescribe Vomex Dragees that I am still taking (one in the morning and one at night). This way I am doing ok at home and don't have to be on and off IV's and don't have to go to the hospital anymore. Most days now I am actually doing fine. Some days I'm even doing so good I can go outside again to get some fresh air or even out to the movies or dinner. Last weekend I stayed at Chris' place over the weekend and forgot to take Vomex at night. I woke up at 4am, feeling as sick as ever. After taking one though I felt a little better again. I don't really like taking the Vomex Dragees - it's medicine after all, plus they make you tired, give you headaches... but it's still better then ending up in hospital every couple of days. Taking Vomex, I can at least be sure, me and my baby are getting enough fluids and nutrition. So no, having hyperemesis is no fun at all, I basicly feel sick since 20 weeks now, but it also has one good thing: In the end, like it is with every sickness, not only will I be more than happy to be healthy again, but I'll also get the best reward anybody could ever wish for: My son or daughter. To read more about Hyperemesis, please go to Hyperemesis.de and Wikipedia-Hyperemesis |
