It’s been months since I’ve posted on this blog, and for good reason. Well, maybe it’s not such a good reason; maybe I’m only trying to justify the fact that I am NOT good at habitually writing, even though I was an English major. However, until I hit 28 weeks of pregnancy, I was super sick. Not many exciting, fun blog posts existed to be written. ChappellFamily3’s blog truly would’ve read, “Today, I got sick.” And then, “Sick again.” Now, I can’t lie, there were HILARIOUS stories about my sicknesses, including very very disgusting times that brought Daniel and me much closer in our relationship. There were also pitiful stories about sickness that included hospitalization and missing over two weeks of school, but neither of these do I really want to disclose over the internet to any students, potential employers, or crazy psycho people. So, instead of going into details about the sickness, let me just give you the bottom line.
In 30 weeks, I’ve gained 6.5 lbs, and the baby is around 2.5 pounds of that weight. Besides for the occasional unbuttoned waistband, I’m still wearing pre-pregnancy clothes (hey, we saved money on maternity clothes, right?). I’m pretty small for 30 weeks, and while I appreciate people’s fascination and compliments about how “small and great” I look, most do not realize that I kept virtually no food down for over six months. Honestly, I’d rather be ginormous.
In 30 weeks, I’ve had 3 UTIs and a kidney infection because of the constant throwing up. I didn’t keep down liquids or solids, so my body wasn’t able to properly “flush” itself.
In 30 weeks, I’ve been hospitalized for dehydration, threatened to be put on bed-rest, and given 7 daily prescriptions at some time or another to try to keep me healthy.
In 30 weeks, I’ve had the flu 3 times, including one bout of the flu that lasted exactly 14 days, and 11 of those days I did not keep a single teaspoon of liquid or solid food down and lost 5 pounds. My fever stayed between 101 and 104 for over four days, and I didn’t even celebrate my birthday in the slightest way- next year I better have TWO cakes!
In 30 weeks, I’ve been proclaimed anemic with a hemoglobin level of 9. I was 12.7 pre-pregnancy, and (according to my mom) 12-14 is normal. They’d like to get me a little higher before labor and delivery, so that I’ll be able to withstand it better. The anemia comes from (again) not being able to keep nutrients down. They gave me an iron supplement, but it made my sickness worse, so I’m trying to eat more foods high in iron rather than taking it. However, both my grandma and my mom were anemic during pregnancy and delivery due to throwing up during pregnancy, and both of them seem to have survived just fine (as well as their children). I’m not terribly worried, as long as the baby’s ok!
In 30 weeks, every receptionist, nurse, ultrasound technician, and CVS Pharmacy worker came to know me by name, as I was in and out of the doctor’s office/pharmacy every 3 to 4 days.
In 30 weeks, my high school students have supported me in various ways as small as occupying themselves during the random times I’d suddenly rush out of the classroom for a few minutes to ways as large as switching out the um… nasty trash bag for a new one and getting me water after a particularly bad reaction to lunch. As much as they may get on my nerves at times, I love my job, and I love my students.
In 30 weeks, I have realized how much I love this little baby inside of me, how much I can’t wait to see his face (and eat buffalo chicken strips and drink a mountain dew while I’m at it!), and how much I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again for him.
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