Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I had asked around MDC if any of the birth professionals there knew of any water birth friendly hospitals near where we live. For a few responses I got mostly the standard response that there are none. All of them will let you labor in the jacuzzis, but none will actually allow you to give birth in one of the tub itself. All of a sudden I got a response from someone who did a rotation at St. Joseph's in Tacoma. She told me that they have two "spa suites" where they allow you to birth in the jacuzzis. OMG! Seriously?
So I called our insurance company this morning and asked them if the midwifery clinic attached to the hospital is covered as an in-network provider with our insurance. They sure are! I called the clinic then and asked if they would take a patient who is already 17 weeks along...as long as I had documented proof of prenatal care, then yes they would! I asked if they'd take a T1 patient, and yes they will! I asked if there's any way for a T1 to have a water birth at St. Joe's, and yes as long as my A1c is in check! A1c is in check, definitely. Documented proof, check. Take a T1, check. YAY!
I do still have to go to an intake appointment to establish as a patient there, so that's on the 21st. Not too far away, thank goodness.
The only thing that may make me a little leery of Tacoma is that if I go into labor spontaneously, then I won't make it to the hospital at all. I may end up needing to be induced a little early, or on my due date, in order to be sure I'm at the hospital already. I really wanted a home birth, but obviously that may not happen. Then next best thing for me is to be in a hospital, birthing in a tub. The peri's won't let me go past 40 weeks, so as long as everything is good with the baby and my bgs, then I'll be okay with a small push of an induction. Pit yes, Cytotec no. Membranes swept yes, breaking the water no. You get the idea.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Can you tell???Oh, my goodness! I really had no idea that I could even have a boy anymore... It's been 18 years since my last boy was born. I never in a million years thought that I could have another boy. I mean, all my doctors and I had this theory that Chris (the 18 year-old) made me allergic to testosterone, so all of my miscarriages must have been boys. Guess that theory has now been blown out of the water. Oh, and the baby has caught up in size. He's now only measuring 1 day behind instead of 4-6 days behind.
This is quite exciting, I must say. I get a reason to shop! I don't have anything for a boy... I have some cloth diapers that would work for a boy, but only for infant times, since all my larger cloth diapers are girlie. Though admittedly, I might go back to 'sposies, since they are so much easier (less laundry, really). I have absolutely *no* boy clothes. Even if I still had PJ's infant carrier/car seat, I couldn't use it anymore since it's "expired". Who knew they put expiration dates on car seats?
In other news, my perinatologist is not going to sign off on my shoulder surgery while I'm pregnant. So, it's cortisone shots for me until the baby is about six months old. Then I figure he'll be able to utilize different nursing positions so he doesn't kill my shoulder while it's recovering... of course who am I kidding, I'll probably finally get the surgery when he's in kindergarten! My sugars are doing great. My peri was very impressed! He even said that I can now fax in my numbers instead of coming in to see him every two weeks.
My next appointment with the peri is Feb. 2nd. Then I will be getting a fetal echocardiogram, just to make sure none of those "advanced maternal age" things are hurting the baby's heart. According to the ultrasound today, the heart is beating well, the four chambers look like they're supposed to, and the cord insertion is perfect.
Just heard from a friend that I'm getting a lot of name suggestions for the baby already... I'm going to have to write a list of the greatest here sometime. :)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Since Troy and one other guy work for GraphOn from WA, he and his wife and Troy and I try to get together for dinner around Christmastime. Last year we didn't end up getting together and I was sad about that. I look forward to going out with Rob and TJ, they're way cool people. :)
Last night we met up at the Snoqualmie Casino. We ate at the buffet, which was good, but not worth the price in my opinion. Though Friday nights are crab legs nights, I can't eat seafood so the choices were limited for me. Maybe it's worth the price for seafood lovers... Afterward we sat in the lounge and talked abuot quite a lot of different things. Troy got to play with TJ's iPhone, Rob and I talked properties.
Troy and I decided to split from the Currey's and go play some slots while they played blackjack. After two hours, we came home with $53 more than we came with. Not bad for just playing slots!
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Today was my 15w2d appointment. Everything went well. The baby's heart tones are good, though I forgot to ask what the heart rate was. My OB has cleared me for the shoulder surgery that I need. She would like it to happen in the next month. The only caveat she had was that there needs to be an OB around before and after the surgery to monitor the baby. I will be seeing my perinatologist on Monday (I think) and will ask if he'll be around, or has someone he can recommend. The only reason my OB can't do it is because the surgery is going to be at Valley Medical instead of Highline. My OB doesn't have privileges at Valley.
My BGs have all been in the range that they want... less than 95 mg/dL fasting, and less than 120 mg/dL 2 hrs. post-prandial. I'm thinking my A1c is going to be in the low 5s this time around. :)
We talked a bit about this new progesterone shot that's out, that seems to help out with preventing preterm labor. My insurance covers it, so my OB wants me to do it. I'll be calling my "case manager" at UHC to let her know that my OB ok's the shot. Basically from 24w to 34w a nurse will come to my house and give me a shot once a week. My OB doesn't believe I'll need it, but because of the clotting issues that I have inherited, it's a good thing anyhow. Since my insurance happens to be one of the only who cover it, my OB says that it won't hurt so I might as well get it.
I am frustrated that no midwives will care for me here in WA. They're all scared of T1s. I'd really like to have a homebirth this time around...
Troy and I let our families know at Christmastime that we are expecting baby #6. The reception from my mother was less-than-enthusiastic, but gotta love my mother-in-law since you could hear her congratulations all the way from Denver!
Today I am 15 weeks and 2 days along. Due by my count on June 21st. The ultrasound at 6 weeks showed an EDD of June 26th. I'm counting by my date, but going with their EDD since that gives me a few extra days before the dreaded word "induction" passes my OB's lips. :) I've already seen a perinatologist to make sure that having diabetes isn't affecting this pregnancy (it's not, my A1c is stellar), and for an early ultrasound to determine the nuchal transparancy for an early risk assessment of Down's syndrome (NT was 1.3mm, so exactly perfect), and also to find out if being "advanced maternal age" is going to be a problem (it seems not to be). I have to say, I really wish that I could just transfer care to the perinatologist...he's awesome! He is going to tell my OB not to induce before 40 weeks, since he sees no problem with going to term, though he's leery of going over 40 weeks because of the possible placental degradation in T1 diabetics. So yay! Here's the most recent 12 week pic of the baby:
In other news, Tani switched to an Academy school, where the instruction is more catered toward the individual student and their success. For her this means a more focused artistic slant to her education, they bring in mentors to help the kids in their chosen profession, as well as help them with scholarship applications for the colleges they want to attend.
Chris is starting his first term of college next week, so it should be nice with him actually doing something for awhile. :) Kaycee and Shayna are already ready to go back to school... PJ is PJ. She loves to hang out with us all day.
I have an OB appointment later this morning, so I'll update after I get home. :)
Monday, December 29, 2008
I can't believe I've gone this long since my last post! Lots to catch up on, but no time to do it, so I'll just start anew today. :)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Today was Chris's High School Graduation ceremony. It was really nice. :) Of the three cameras I brought, two had batteries that died right before and during the ceremony. The video camera's batteries were good though, however I need a cable before I can upload those pictures. :( Luckily, my mom brought her camera with fully charged batteries.
Here are a couple of the pictures:
Above L-R: Me, Chris, Shayna, Kaycee
The picture above is all of the kids, my mom, and me.
The ceremony was beautiful, the day was beautiful, the after party was fun! :D I'll blog that in a few days.