The crutches are out!

I had really hoped that I could manage for at least a while longer if not until junior arrives without the crutches. But after a bad night of pain, I have woken up this morning very uncomfortable with any movement so have dug out two extra legs to try and take some pain out of my pelvis.

Tucker has been having such a good time - friends after school yesterday and got home at 5.30 and today off to another friends at 2.30 for a play. That will be after a lunch time sleep for him ( and me) - all his socialising is making him very tired.

Have a great day everyone. xxx

Kind and supportive friends in my life!

As I mentioned in an earlier post Tucker was going to a friends after care today and she was going to drop him home on her way to get her other daughter from school - she has just called and said that Tucker and Amber are playing so nicely she asked if he could stay a little longer....... how kind is that.

Tomorrow Mike is going to go to work and then come home and drive Tucker to school for me, then he is going home with a friend in his class for a play and then they will drop him home later!

Another friend is going to come and get him another day after school and take him for a play too. I am so happy that so many people are able to help so much. The last thing I wanted with all of this is for Tucker to miss out on doing things that he really loves. 

I am going to go and spend some more time reading my book. xxx

Home Time.....

Well today is my first home day - mind you I did dose up on pain killers and drive myself to physio - it almost seems silly - I take pain killers to get to an appointment to reduce the pain. I am going to have to think about what I do here! 

This morning sitting on a seat I tidied the linen cupboard. For too long now things have just been dumped where they fitted. Now it is really organised. For Tuckers linen I have put each set inside the pillow case - for example his tractor quilt cover and the matching sheets are folded up inside the tractor pillow case - makes it much easier when changing linen sets!

Today is Tuckers occasional care today - a friend came and collected him at 8.15 and she is going to pick him up, take him to her place for a play and then bring him back at around 2.00. he enjoys playing with her daughter Amber so I am sure they will have lots of fun!

I am off to have a sleep now - will blog again soon Just really wish I could post that all is great and the pain has gone!

xxx

26 Weeks today

Well yesterday was an interesting day....... thought I would drive to town and buy the couple of things we needed. The trip home generally takes 5 minutes - yesterday it took 15 minutes. I was in such bad pain I had to stop on the side of the road until it had eased before I could finish driving! So that means very little driving of the car for me for the next 12 or so weeks!!!!! Looks like I am going to grow to love lots and lots of home time!!!

My beautiful husband is going to drive me to town later so I can have coffee and catch up with a couple of friends. Looking forward to that. Tucker and daddy are going to go and do boy jobs together.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! xxx

Pain Diagnosis!!!

Hi all, 

we have arrived home from Perth today. I went down on Sunday night with my husband Mike and Tucker. On Monday I saw my Obstetrician - everything was really good concerning the baby - which was the best news. However the pain was still happening - he was pretty certain it was something to do with the ligaments in my Pelvis, but recommended I see a pregnancy specialised physiotherapist and see what she thought.

I visited this physiotherapist yesterday - and I have been diagnosed as having a condition called "Pubis Symphysis Dysfunction" (a huge thank you to Nicole Weir and Julie at Nicole Weir Physiotherapy in Sorrento). The two halves of the pelvis are held together by a joint called the "Pubis Symphysis" and a dense network of ligaments. In my case this joint is very inflamed and so are all the ligaments. The pain is possibly going to get worse before the pregnancy is over because as the baby gets heavier he will place more pressure on this joint! What do I do about it?

• I wear a brace for 90% of the time. It wraps around from my back and does up just above my pubis bone - it basically does on the outside what is not happening on the inside (and is very unattractive)
• I have to avoid too much movement - including walking
• I have to take lots of rest periods 
• I do not carry any weight in my hands (no shopping bags, washing etc)
• I sleep with a pillow between my legs to try and keep the pelvis aligned (harder than you think)
• I must not do anything on one leg - both legs need to do everything together eg no stepping one foot in to the car and then getting body and other leg in, I have to sit on seat and then swivel around, also getting dressed - need to do it sitting down, 
• I will have regular physiotherapy appointments between now and when the little man arrives
• No vacuuming, sweeping or mopping floors
• where possible I need to cook, iron etc while sitting down
• May need to use crutches towards the end to take some of the weight out of my pelvis and through my arms. 
• Maintain a very quiet lifestyle for the next 12 weeks

I am glad to now know what is happening and where all the pain is coming from, but very disappointed that I need to be so quiet. I have gone from been able to train hard and heavy and really love it, to the point where I struggle to walk for 200m!!! I am going to be even more passionate about maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle after this is all over. 

I am focusing on my mental state as much as dealing with the pain of the condition. I feel very frustrated and disappointed - I know it could be a lot worse, but what I am dealing with is bad enough for me.

Apologies for a gloomy post, looks like I am going to have to get over my reluctance to ask people for help. 

xxx

PS on a little brighter side Mike and I did go and have a look at a beautiful new car in Perth while we were there. Will keep you posted. 

Thank you everyone.......

Just 5 minutes ago, while laying on the bed  feeling pretty awful I wondered what I was going to prepare for dinner......... There was a knock at the door and if it was not for a nosy 4 year old I might have ignored it (rude I know but when you feel sick a visitor is the last person you really want to see). When I opened the door it was a dear friend Jo - who was delivering lasagne and garlic bread for our dinner.

I am so grateful to everyone right now who is really lending a hand during this challenging time. People are helping with washing, cooking meals, picking Tucker up from school, taking Tucker for a play at the park so I can have a sleep, phone calls, text messages, and friends in Perth are going to have Tucker for me while I see the specialist on Monday morning. How am I ever going to say thank you! As I have said in an earlier post I would much rather be helping someone than having to be the one who needs help. I have always been such an independent person and unfortunately right now this is not entirely possible. 

I called school around 2 hours after I left my distressed little man in the arms of the teacher - he was fine, playing with his friends and the crying had stopped. Tucker is going to now miss one or possibly two days of school next week, but when we get back we are going to try and do a very quick drop off and see if this helps. 

I can not remember if I said the place where we were going to stay when we have the baby had been sold so was no longer available! I have now found a new place which is managed by the owners ( and will not be going on the market), is a little bigger with more room than the other place, has a back yard for Tucker to play in and is closer to the hospital - very happy that this is now sorted. 

My time must be up for sitting in the chair - the pain is creeping back. xxx

My sad little man........

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to handle a very emotional 4 year old due to Mummy been sick?

He normally loves school - did not want to go today. Cried and cried in the car. Had to almost pull him out!

Got him in there in the end. He settled until it was time for the class to go on a little excursion to see a school play, then the tears started again. I said bye and kept going - by that time I was also crying - not that I let him see me. School is going to call me if he does not settle. 

Any suggestions or advice would be great! xxx

24 weeks and 4 days

Well I thought I might be able to post that things were going well, but unfortunately I need to say that they are sliding back down the hill. So much so that on Sunday night I am flying to Perth to see my Obstetrician on Monday. The pain seems to have increased again and am needing to take Panadeine Forte every morning!

The best news is little Junior seems to be doing well - I must say he is very active - maybe he is feeling the effects of the drugs I am on! 

My little man Tucker is struggling a little because there are so many things I can not do right now, and my big man Mike is been an awesome support and doing so many extra things to help out.

Will not prattle for too long -- do not want to bore you with a post written in pain about pain. xxx

An interesting 24 hours!

Soon after I posted this post yesterday I heard an urgent call for mummy from a 4 year old - when I got there he had vomited everywhere! The vomiting lasted for approximately 4 hours - by which point he was exhausted and so was I! I think we were lucky it only went for this long! I was up and down to him all night - he kept asking for water - I was reluctant to give him too much at a time! By the time we reached morning he was starving hungry - we started very gradually with food. A very quiet morning was had by all - by lunch time he was back to about 90%. Tucker has never had gastro before - it can start and stop so quickly. I am just really glad he is okay now. 

Now on to some good news!!!!

Today I saw the specialist and it was good news! I do not need an operation, and it is nothing major! He believes the pain is coming from all the tension been placed on my ligaments. It may disappear or this pain may stay with me for the rest of the pregnancy! I am going to need to take every day as it comes - some days will be great like yesterday and some days will be painful like today!

All the pieces are here now for our new study book shelves so Mike will be working on those on the weekend. This will free up the room for our new arrival. I am looking forward to getting this ready. I was going to leave all the washing until much later but as a just in case I am going to start to do it next week. 

I have to find another place for us to stay when we are in Perth for the birth because the place where we were going to stay has been sold! DAMN!!! Never mind I am sure we will find another place just as nice!

Tucker is in bed already - asked to go to bed at 6.45 pm. I am heading to the couch to watch some TV and relax! 

Looking forward to coffee with a friend tomorrow morning - am going to wear my new maternity jeans and shirt from "Soon Melbourne". xxx

23 weeks and 4 days

Time really seems to be flying by with the Pregnancy now ....... I think so much has been happening I have not had time to think about where I was up to!

Am starting to feel a slight improvement with how I am feeling after my hospital visit. I had to give blood again today to see if they see anything noticeable. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a surgeon here in town - he is going to see me and discuss the symptoms I have been having and see if he can come up with a diagnosis. I and I hope he is too very reluctant to have surgery at this point - maybe it will just mean a very laid back time for the next 14 weeks before I have the baby. Today has been the first day since last Wednesday where I have not had to take Panadeine Forte to beat the pain. Energy levels are very low - but this is due to the fact of no appetite. Yesterday for the whole day I ate 2 slices of toast and a cup of tomato soup! And all these nutrients (what nutrients there are in soup and bread) went to the baby. 

Tucker said to me on the weekend "this business of having a baby is not much fun mum!!!!!" - talk about old head on young shoulders! He is coping very well considering mummy's state. 

I have had to do something I find very hard to do - and that is ask for help! I would much rather help someone else than have to ask someone to help me! When you live in remote places like I do friends become like family! One dear friend had Tucker after school last Thursday until Mike could pick him up, another great friend picked Tucker up after school yesterday for me and dropped him home after dinner last night, and another good friend is having Tucker tomorrow afternoon when I need to visit the surgeon.  

On the baby side - he seems to be a very busy bouncing baby - feeling lots and lots of movement now, sometimes he even has the hiccups - now that is a strange feeling. 

Better go - it seems when I sit upright for too long the pain returns. xxx