So, looks like we are good and pregnant. Another layer of exhale.
Blood work
Wednesday, 3/23 Day 1# Beta (hCG): 270 (about 2-3 times higher than standard)
Friday, 3/25 Day 2# Beta (hCG): 562.5
April 11th: Ultrasound #1 (hurray!)
They want these numbers to double every two days. 540 would have been exactly doubled and so we are VERY pleased that we are just above that. I’m still pregnant! I know they said there was nothing to worry about (and in my gut I know that’s true too) but given my/our history, I just couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. Especially with all this cramping going on.
Cramping
So, I’m feeling the side-effects of pregnancy already and mostly it’s been really fun (even nausea, lower back ache, bloating and peeing all the time) and even reassuring that the tiny passenger(s) are still there.
Except for this pretty intense cramping that I’ve been having. In the day it’s mild to moderate but at night it wakes me up it’s so intense. The first night it was surprising. I was up for a while. Hurt to a point where it was hard to sleep. The next morning I asked Caitlin about it, stat. She said that it all sounds normal so far and that I should try to keep an empty bladder and stay super hydrated (both of which can be tough to do at night). So, that night, the cramping woke me again and this time (despite the fact that I drank 3 liters of water that day) the cramping hurt so bad it shot referred pain down my lower back and inner thigh, much like when I had the polyp removed in the awake surgery. Needless to say, this scared me again but I emptied my bladder. Gina got me two large glasses of water and 2 tylenol and within minutes I was feeling the begining of the pain subsiding. I said to Gina, “Being pregnant isn’t fun anymore!” She sort of giggled and soon we both fell back asleep.
The morning I called in again and told them about the intense night of cramping. The nurse I spoke with told me they’ve done research on a particular kind of Gatorade (recovery) and that helps a lot, and also whey protein. So, we got both and today’s been even better. That next night was cramp free (at least it didn’t wake me up) but this intense rash I have did.
Rash
I have developed a big, nasty, red, inflammed rash on my bum. It’s angry, itchy and larger than the size of a big man’s hand open. It could be from the Progesterone in oil shots I’m taking, so Caitlin and Dr. H switched me to sesame oil instead of oleate and gave me a cream to use. That said, it could also not be related to the progesterone at all and just some random thing. I’d post a picture but really, I don’t wanna do that to you. Trust me when I say, it’s pretty sucky. When I dropped trow and bent over for the nurse to see she actually gasped. “Oh .Wow.”
Seriously? This is one of those “What the Cluck?” moments.
The following days the rash has worsened and I’ve been in regular and contact contact with the reproductive docs and now new docs. They all seem stumped. So, just for some relief, I’m rubbing oatmeal paste on my ass twice a day and at least I get a few peaceful hours.
For now, I’ll ride out the weekend with some medicinal creams and see a new dermatologist on Monday.
Nurse and Questions
Friday morning Gina went with me to get my blood drawn and when we saw the nurse regarding the rash, I took the chance to ask her a bunch of questions that I had been storing up. Most were silly like what kind of herbal teas can I have, is it ok to starting having orgasms again (it has been a long time they asked me to refrain!), when can I start dying my gray hair again, what else can I do about this cramping, etc.
I felt so relieved to get all those questions answered so thoroughly. Settled even. And now that my blood results are still showing nice and strong, even more relieved there, too. I feel like I might just be relaxing and sinking into the fact that I’m pregnant and gonna have a baby(ies)… despite the rough start with the cramping and the rash.
Now Go Be Pregnant
When we got the blood results on Friday and ended the call by setting our ultrasound appointment I said to Caitlin, “So, that’s it? I don’t have anything to do until April 11th?”
“Nope,” she said. To which I replied, “No more bloodwork or doctors visits or anything? I just go be pregnant now?”
“Yep, you just go be pregnant.”
Holy cow!! That’s rad!!!! And, scary. Caitlin and the medical team have been such a support and now we are out here on our own. Still, I’ll deal with it. I am just SO HAPPY to be pregnant!
Hair
One last note, it should be said that the day after I found out I was pregnant, I cut all my hair off again. Back to short and sassy, back to me. I love it and I’m so happy. Free, free, free!