We finally got to meet the illusive Dr D at our last appointment. Tim and I both took a liking to her straight away. She is straight up (except literally, since she's rather short) and to the point. I went in ready to have to explain why I wanted a natural delivery, but when I asked her what she thought, she said she saw no reason why, everything else going well, a vaginal delivery wasn't possible. So that was a bit anti climatic! Not that I mind, I'd rather it that way in this situation. I'm happy knowing she's got my back if I do have to go in fighting. All in all, it was a pretty quick visit (once we finally got in to see her) with just a basic check up and answering a few questions. She had a medical student with her who asked me a few silly questions, so I tried to give her a basic run down on paraplegia and how it effects me, without making her feel too stupid. Baby was being very wriggly, so they had a bit of trouble hearing the heartbeat, although, as Dr D said, we knew it was alive because it kept kicking the Doppler (ultrasound wand used to listen to the heartbeat).
Baby has been super active the last week or so! After being perfectly well behaved at the last ultra sound, it was all over the place for this one. The lady doing the ultrasound printed us off a hand picture as well this time. I've found a few times lately I'll be sitting not even thinking about the baby, but with my arms crossed and then my arms get a pounding. I still don't really feel much internally, but I can feel so much with my hands. I had thought I might feel more internally by now, but being able to feel it anytime with my hands makes it easier to deal with that disappointment. I've worked out a few things to make it move if I want to too, like leaning right over to the side or forwards. Apparently I could tickle a foot through my belly, but I'm not that good at identifying feet yet. I find it so amazing that even though its about 35cm long now and my belly is constantly expanding to accommodate it, it still finds room to do somersaults!
I've been having a LOT of swelling lately! My feet often swell over summer, but this is a whole new level! And it's not just fat feet and puffy ankles, it's fluid retention all the way up to my knees! I am trying to take some time to elevate them each day, but I am so restricted to what I can do with elevated feet, that it is really hard to stop and go just lay down for an hour. I have so much I'm trying to get done! I did get out my electrode machine today and put that on my legs for a bit, to see if that helps. I'll give it a few tries and see how it goes. It's kind of like a tens machine, but works on the muscle fibres, not the nerves. I think. I haven't noticed any stretch marks on my belly, but I won't be surprised if I get them on my feet, knowing how much my feet are inflating/deflating each day. I wake up looking like my feet have spent the night in the bath!!
Tim and I finally made it out for date night this weekend, for the first time this year (so much for my plan of getting out a bit before the baby arrives). My feet were so fat that literally none of my shoes fit on my feet! I ended up having to wear Tim's wedding boots out to dinner!
Other things have swollen too. I've had a couple of times when I have struggled to do a catheter because things are swelling and changing. I can usually find my urethra in my sleep, but then again, it doesn't usually hide.. My hands have swollen too, so I'm wondering if I might have to stop wearing my rings at some stage. One of my cousins had to when she was pregnant.
Tim and I went in to see the physio at the hospital to have a talk about my changing balance and needs, and how Tim can best help assist me with transfers etc. She had a few handy pointers and gave us a foam slide sheet to take home. They quite often give them to pregnant women to help them roll over late in pregnancy. I'll let you know if it's any good when I actually try it!
We've been in contact with the OT department at the hospital, but they didn't have much to say, just put me in contact with the independent living centre. To be honest though, my experience with OTs has been pretty hit and miss, so I think I'll be just as well of asking the para mums I've been talking to.
There is a real bump happening there!
Well, I think that's about it for today, back soon!
Other things have swollen too. I've had a couple of times when I have struggled to do a catheter because things are swelling and changing. I can usually find my urethra in my sleep, but then again, it doesn't usually hide.. My hands have swollen too, so I'm wondering if I might have to stop wearing my rings at some stage. One of my cousins had to when she was pregnant.
Tim and I went in to see the physio at the hospital to have a talk about my changing balance and needs, and how Tim can best help assist me with transfers etc. She had a few handy pointers and gave us a foam slide sheet to take home. They quite often give them to pregnant women to help them roll over late in pregnancy. I'll let you know if it's any good when I actually try it!
We've been in contact with the OT department at the hospital, but they didn't have much to say, just put me in contact with the independent living centre. To be honest though, my experience with OTs has been pretty hit and miss, so I think I'll be just as well of asking the para mums I've been talking to.
I've gone and brought myself a pair of lace up, stretchy sneakers, but haven't given up on boots completely yet. I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to them yet. Or hello to my old day chair, which is now in our shed. It's 4.5cm wider and my current day chair, so it will give me a bit more room to grow. It is also shorter though and makes me feel way more disabled than I actually am. The only thing that I can think of that might actually be better about it is the fact the because the seat has way more camber, everything might stop falling off my lap with quite so much ease. I'm dropping stuff all the time! If it's not my belly pushing it off, it simply rolls off. I don't know if it's a change in posture, if my feet are just sitting lower on my footplate (my strap broke a week ago and I haven't got it fixed yet, so my basket is the only thing holding my feet on my footplate) or if my footplate has dropped (I don't think so). It's driving me mad though!
We have made a decision on a pram and capsule- the Steelcraft ones I've been keen on since the start. So they have been placed on lay by. I took Tim in for a final look at them before I ordered them. He wasn't convinced when we first tried the capsule in the car, but I did it a few times, so he knows I can do it. And as I said to him then, it's better than the others! So time will tell if it works out for us or not!
I can't get on the bike by myself anymore. I went to help Tim move the cows a few days ago and he had to give me a shove up. I got half way up and couldn't go any further!
We have made a decision on a pram and capsule- the Steelcraft ones I've been keen on since the start. So they have been placed on lay by. I took Tim in for a final look at them before I ordered them. He wasn't convinced when we first tried the capsule in the car, but I did it a few times, so he knows I can do it. And as I said to him then, it's better than the others! So time will tell if it works out for us or not!
I can't get on the bike by myself anymore. I went to help Tim move the cows a few days ago and he had to give me a shove up. I got half way up and couldn't go any further!
There is a real bump happening there!
Well, I think that's about it for today, back soon!
Great post Katherine ! Yes no denying that bump is a showin'
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