Crashing Down Never Felt So Good

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I realized that I left anyone who's been checking my blog for an update on the blood work from last week hanging - so sorry! Although it's really preliminary information (we need a few weeks blood work to establish an actual trend), my first blood draw showed a significant drop in the exact numbers we're hoping to see go down - which is tentatively great news. To be exact - I went from an HCG level of 79,000 pre-surgery to a number less than 1,800. My doctor had told me tentatively to expect something around 20,000 - so I'm really happy! Granted, there is still a lot more to learn, but this preliminary news is good so I'm sticking with it. More updates to come! Thanks, again, for all the positive support.

Doctor's Note

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So the pathology is back from my procedure last week and I wish I had better news. I was really hopeful that I suffered a simple miscarriage and everything would be done as of last week - but it turns out that the pathologists "can't rule out" the possibility of a partial molar pregnancy. And while "can't rule out" isn't the same as "we know for sure you have...", my doctor recommends that we proceed as if it's confirmed so that we can closely monitor and find out what's really going on.

What does all of this mean? Well - I'm no doctor and as most patients do I probably heard mostly the negative parts of the call - but at the most basic level I am going to have blood draws every week for the foreseeable future as they monitor my pregnancy hormones. Following last week's procedure, if it's not a molar pregnancy my levels should drop back to zero in the coming weeks. If it is a molar pregnancy, the levels will either plateau or possibly go up, which means we move on to some drug therapy. My first blood draw is tomorrow, then I'll be making friends at the lab every week. Hopefully in a few weeks we'll have some good news in that the numbers plummet and all will be well. If not - we'll take it one week at a time.

Thanks to everyone for their support as we navigate this difficult time. The kind notes and reminders of friendship we've received - like the amazing dinner and wine provided by my dear friend Jen this evening - are true reminders that the important things in life revolve around friends and family and that's what really matters. Together you're helping us get through this rough patch - so thank you!

Poop

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I have seen more poop in the past few days than any one person should have to see in a lifetime. Poor Baby F has been on antibiotics for an ear infection and I was told the antibiotic could cause diarrhea - but I had no idea it could be like this. I can literally hear it from across the room, and it makes puddles in no time if you don't clean it up immediately. So gross...

Not helping the situation, Baby F also got a stomach virus this weekend which led to vomit and diarrhea from the hours of 10 p.m. to midnight. I remember when the weekends were so much more glamorous!

At least the past few days have taught me that I'm not phased by surprise poop or vomit - and I think I'm on my way to earning my Doctor Mom license.

Other important lessons learned:

• The advice of girlfriends who have been down the mom road before you is invaluable - and they're willing to take your calls or texts anytime!
• Sick babies want their moms. Sorry dads. Your help is invaluable to mom, but moms, get ready - if you have a sick baby you have a lot of cuddle time with a cranky baby on your hands!
• Slippery poop goes quickly up the back or up the front of a diaper. Be prepared for lots of diaper changes and loads of laundry.
• Babies don't really like the taste of Pedialyte... 
• After hours nurses are awesome.

It's only Monday and we're not quite out of the sickly woods - but here's hoping that by this time next week we're singing a happier song and dealing with less poo!

Doctor Mom

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I've always been in awe of parents who do an amazing job without a strong support network - but after the past 48 hours of dealing with pink eye (me), an ear infection (Baby F), a fever (also Baby F), and now a cold (me again!) I have no idea how people without a partner or other help get by. Thank goodness for my husband who took Baby Duty last night while I fell into a Nyquil-induced coma (which I'm on my way to again as soon as the drugs kick in!)

I stayed home with Baby F yesterday in accordance with the school policy of no fever within the past 24 hours and it was tough! I thought he would cuddle up and take a nap with his sick mommy and all he wanted to do was crawl around and get into trouble.

I have a number of friends whose partners work jobs that keep them away from home either for days at a time (pilots, professors at universities in different states, traveling salespeople, etc.) as well as friends whose partner's work requires they be away from home during prime times like bed time or early in the morning (namely police officers) and I want to tip my hat to those amazing parents who somehow juggle their kids' needs with their own, always putting the kids first.

I guess as a parent that's just what you do. Kids first. It's a lucky choice to have to make, but a tough one when you're sick!

Cry Me a River...

So - this has been a rough week for Baby F. He had a fever the first part of the week which has finally gone away only to be replaced by a cough and serious stuffed nose (for Mommy, too, which is great.) To top it all off, we're still weaning - which is getting easier, by the way - and we have also started trying a bit of the "cry it out" method of getting him to go to sleep. I really didn't want to take this approach, but the doctor advised us that at 6 months old he really should be going into the crib awake, not nursed to sleep, as he would only continue to freak out when he wakes up at night because he doesn't know that the crib is a safe place to soothe himself to sleep.

It's amazing how many opinions there are on how to get your kid to sleep - and no preparation for how awful it is to survive the crying that comes with the path we've chosen. But, I'm happy to report that in about a week of working on this he went to bed with only about 5-10 minutes of crying tonight, much of which was actually babbling and wasn't a freaked out cry at all. Hoping he sleeps well tonight, and looking forward to getting to bed myself soon! Nighty night, blog world!