Hyperemesis gravidarum

...or in actual people terms, REALLY severe morning sickness.

Six blankets,Five Hours, Two IV's, and One nausea pill later, this is what they diagnosed me with.  Which I already know... This past month has been miserable.  Thus why I haven't been posting like I was doing pre-morning sickness on steroids. You can read all those gems, starting here.  I was blogging while keeping the secret for our "Big Reveal"  which actually was less star-studded than I was thinking, but the pictures were awesome, anyways, I'm getting off topic.

I had morning sickness with Bella... I threw up all the time, even out of my nose once... I was impressed with myself.  But I could keep working... I'd do the deed and then move on. I'd force myself to eat, and possible throw it back up later, hoping that the baby sucked some nutrients out for as long as they could (she turned out great!)  But, this time around, I'm pretty much on self- inflicted bed rest.  I'm on Zofran (or I was because even when I took it I felt bad so I quit taking it...) and Phenegran and still can hardly eat a thing, I stand up and get dizzy and get chills... I am active for more than an hour, I pay for it severely later. I try not to complain, because I know there are women who would say I'd kill to feel nauseous, but each person has a different struggle, and right now this is mine.  I'm grateful for this pregnancy and all the nausea, but it doesn't make me any less miserable.  It's been a mess to say the least, and poor Mitchell has been taking all the slack.  Taking care of me, and Bella AND school and the house.  And never complains... the man is a Saint.

And its a never ending cycle. I really don't know how we have survived some days... mostly eggos and cereal and anything I can grab while holding my breath in the kitchen.  Not that we have a smelly kitchen, I'm just super power with my nose, right now. Bella has watched a lot of TV and Tangled and I try to take her places whenever I can manage to leave the house, but most days we don't.  She has been such a trooper.

 I call the MD on a weekly basis since it's been so rough and they told me to go to the ER last week for dehydration... and I didn't think I was that bad AND it was banana split night so I opted out.  I'm stubborn like that.  Well over the weekend I got worse, not really eating or drinking and when I did... RIGHT back up and even when I'd try to take my meds, RIGHT back up they'd come, but I didn't know what was absorbed so I couldn't take more meds.  SO I finally called the MD today, and what did they say?

Go to the ER :)

So where did I go?

Lexington Medical Center...

Where I got this....relatively fast

 with One disolvable pill

And when they finally called me back (it wasn't that bad) to my -20 degree room.  I got this!  I'm just glad they only had to stick me once!

And this is a lop-sided photo of the fluids

I was covered with six, SIX hospital blankets and I was still shaking with chills because the IV fluid literally turned my fingers purple.

And then they diagnosed me with that really long latin word, hyperemesis gravidarum

Overall it was a great experience, the Doctor was really nice and helpful.  Very thorough, and even though I felt really silly for being at the ER, he assured me my concerns were valid.  I was scared they were going to send me home and saying I'm just being a big baby... but this really is the worst thing I've gone through yet, so I most likely would have just cried.  I was really grateful for Mitch's dad for driving me and taking care of Bella.  And also for Mitch's Mom to taking care of Bella and picking me up from the hospital and taking me for food and my prescription.  I'm grateful for the hospitals and modern medicine and people who actually care about helping people. I'm grateful for Publix pharmacy because they are always awesome and helped me fill yet ANOTHER prescription (HOPING THIS ONE WORKS!)  And mostly I'm just grateful that I'm feeling better.  I have to follow up with my OB in 2 days, but all my blood tests came back great.  I'm slightly concerned because they keep asking about bleeding, etc.  But as far as I know, Baby Howe is safe and sound.  It's all in the Lord's hands.  I hope to take Bella to Music Makers tomorrow and if that works out well... maybe I'll even try Yoga on Thursday... 

Time will tell.

I just wanted to document my first ER visit with a baby.  I'm trying to document as much as I can do the second child as often times they don't get as many pictures or baby book details, and I'm trying my darndest to beat the stereotype.  

I'm officially 9 weeks now, I crave Dill Pickles (kosher) and I fantasize about food all night.  Carbs are my friend and Lemony things make me feel better... lemonade, Lemon Italian Ice... etc.  Bella is in love with her baby brother (sorry if you're a girl!)  She talks to them through my belly button and gives them lots of hugs and kisses.  She will often tell me "Baby's tired so Baby's sleeping"  so I wonder if she knows something I don't.  I'm sure they've already developed a secret language to use against me.  But thats okay, just means they love each other already.  Baby is the size of a grape now and I couldn't be more proud.  It's still not all the way real to me yet but it wasn't real to me with Bella either until I was in the hospital bed and they pulled in the tray with all the tools right before I started pushing... then it got real... REAL fast.  But I'm trying to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I can.  I doubt this will be our last child, but pregnancy has been really hard on me so we will definitely wait at least THREE years before the next one, just so I can get back to a healthy me.  

I love my Bella and my little grape and my husband who is currently trying to grow out his goatee... I will try to snag a picture to post later :)

And I'll try to be more diligent with blogging, but this has been the first time in three weeks I've been able to sitting for this long and I am so grateful.  Count your many blessings... name them one by one.