tired of my whining, yet?

Apparently, when you strain your sacro-iliac joint and inflame it very badly, you get symptoms that mirror sciatica.

So says my rock star Chiropractor, who is very good at what he does, and did a pretty thorough, yet painful exam on me the other day. I was so messed up, there was no adjusting that could possibly be done. He told me my ligaments and muscles were already loose before the pregnancy, and that now I was 'rag doll' loose, and referred to me as "Raggedy Anne". I have a ton of relaxin rolling around, relaxing things MORE, I just can't wait...

So, what to do?

I've been sitting on ice almost non stop since a few days ago, and it has helped some. I actually managed to get a few hours of real sleep, in the BED, this morning. I've been in my recliner the rest of the time, not sleeping. I was stupid tired before that nap.

My OB took me off work for at least 2 weeks, and is talking like I may not go back at all until Mustang Boy is born. I have mixed emotions about this. Nursing is hard work, and I am obviously paying for it with my back right now. But I like the job, and the people, and the stimuli. Yet, I also like walking without pain, and sleeping...

The plan is for me to go and be evaluated by a Physical Therapist, and see what they say. I am sure that is going to be quite painful, as well, but helpful in getting me functional again, and also to make the decision about whether working any longer is feasable or not. The time off looks very attractive, but in the end, I have to work. I WANT to work.

But, Mustang Boy ultimately comes first, come hell or high water.

What a roller coaster this week is!!

When it rains it pours

So it seems that my pregnant uterus has decided it needs to sit right onto my sciatic nerve, which has, in turn put me into the worst pain I have ever experienced in my entire life. Labor CANNOT be worse than how this feels.

If I cry one more time I think my head is going to fall off, and we won't even talk about how it makes MM feel because I am falling apart.

So

I have called off work for the moment

I have called, and will hopefully make it into my chiropractor this evening, and I really hope he can help. Meanwhile, I am supposed to get up and move around the house as much as I can, which hurts like no ones business, especially when I get out of the chair.

We won't even talk about my pitiful attempts to sleep....

anyone got good sciatic advice?

I've tried heat, Icy hot, stretches.....

and so it begins

Its been a long day... already!

This weekend was good, but long. My balance, lately, has been kind of wonky, and our shower floor has been very slick. No, I didn't exactly fall, but did the awkward slide, a few times, which really aggravated my joints and sciatic pains.... I was fine, though, and Mustang Boy was acting his usual self, too.

Except

he didn't move as much as I am used to for the last 24 hours, or so... and this morning, I could not entice him into moving for me, at all.

Enter, pregnant woman panic mode....

I called my OB office, because he is so great. Forgetting Monday's are his day off...

So I had the on call MD paged. But, in the mean time, the office of my regular OB called me back, and told me that I should just go on in to the labor and delivery area of the hospital, they will put me on a monitor just to make sure things are okay. In between all these calls, I was of course calling MM, crying because I was freaked out.

I ate some sugar filled torture devices (jelly beans) to see if I could wake the boy, then headed to the hospital. I really liked the nurses, they put me right on the monitor, and everything was (and is) of course, fine. Once on the monitor, Mustang Boy began to move and kick like no ones business. He just didn't want to wake up this morning at home, for ME...

I am telling you, this kid is going to be one to watch!

No whammies!

Remember these little bastards, from that game show

"Press My Luck?"

The Whammy

I am still having the evil, vicious leg and foot cramps in my sleep, usually once a week or so. The kind that wake you up from a SOUND sleep with an immediate screech of pain, and a ball of muscle tightening said extremity. I whine, cry, curse and scream. I am frankly surprised my neighbor has not called the police, thinking someone has killed me. These cramps go up and down, feet to thigh, moving around, leaving me writhing in pain. I have checked, there is actually nothing I can do to prevent these, it is what it is, my body's adjustment to my ever growing pregnancy. I am getting plenty of water, vitamins, ect.

Yesterday, I got woken up no less than 5 times with various cramping adventures. Today, I found myself chanting "no whammies, No Whammies!" when I was turning in my sleep, or waking up...

Made me laugh.

but, NO WHAMMIES!

and, we're back

Ahhh.

back on my laptop.

My lovely, well loved Mac took a dive last week. The whole video card died. Wouldn't even boot up. Thanks to the lovely people at Apple, we are back in business...

It snowed. Again. But not much, and it went away, quickly, thank goodness. I think Mustang Boy is a snow magnet. He doesn't seem to mind, as he is warm and comfortable in his built in womb. He moves, a lot now. Or, I feel it, A LOT, now.

We had our glucose tolerance test this last week. Thankfully, we passed, and I don't have to drink that detestable stuff again. 50 grams of sugar in less than 5 minutes. Blerrrrgh. Nasty stuff!

I've a few daffodils blooming, but sadly, I think the tulips are not going to come. I didn't even get any crocus this year. Just a few of the hardy daffodils. At least its something....

Funny!

We spent some time this weekend with my family, at my middle sister's house. My Aunt from Seattle is down visiting, and everyone gathered for a small bbq and gathering.

My Mom has been after me, lately, to register the baby, specifically, on Target. Because most people have access to a Target.

Have I explained to you that shopping is actually not my favorite activity? I enjoy it in brief spurts. The thought of wandering Target with a scanner, even for cute baby stuff, kind of sets my teeth on edge.

So I did it on the computer, instead. (and it still gave me a headache.)

If any of you are interested in seeing the registry, let me know, I will email you the link. (Its listed under the name we've chosen for Mustang Boy).

What made me laugh, is that though I am not one of those people that always thinks "blue for boys", I found myself really picking most things in the realm of the blue's for him. I tried to toss in some brown, and some green. I really lean away from the white, because, white shows every dirt, spit up, or other malfunction. Yet, he's going to be a summer baby. I don't want him too hot, either, in darker colors! So, I ended up with lots of light blue choices... so much for not going with "boy" colors. I had to laugh. Its really hard not to go that direction.... especially because I don't necessarily enjoy pink, or yellow...

Boundaries

Have I visited this topic before?

Maybe.

But it seems to be presenting itself to me, more and more...

Parenting a teenager is tough work, and the fact that I'm going to get a 13 year break between the two is probably a good thing.

MG is an incredibly good teenager, we are lucky. But that doesn't mean things are always golden and perfect. It shouldn't be!

She is doing her job, reaching for that elusive independence that we all craved at sixteen. Its good to see her progressing towards that.

But a vast difference between US being sixteen, and her being sixteen is the technology they have now.

These kids are SO dependent, and dialed into their computers, cell phones, iPods, and any other electronic thing they can get their hands on. If they are without them it's like they are missing a part of their soul.

They have no boundaries. Nothing is off limits. Everything seems to be exposed, there are no secrets, you can find anything out on the internets. About anyone.

Its ironic I am discussing this on a blog isn't it?

But, I have my secrets, my privacy, if you like, my hidden self. I like to think we all have that little kernel of ourselves. The one that hides.

But I am really starting to wonder if this group of kids, the teenagers of now, if they have that?

Is there anything they don't know?

is this good?

is it bad?

is it too much?

I don't have those answers. I never will.

I do know, though, that this Saturday, we are having a full on, technology free day. No computer. No phone. Nada. I think the TV might even be silenced.

Should be interesting