Rough

These past two months have been really difficult for us. In July, Jacob got a nasty rash/skin infection, within days he was in the ER. The doctors prescribed him 21 days of antibiotics, and after a few days he started seeing results. The beginning of August brought what seemed like better luck, with a sudden opening at my father's work. Jacob went in for an interview on August 2nd, and started the next day. The job isn't glamorous (packing frozen meats/fish), but it is a far shot better than trying to run a lawn service in the Florida heat. Plus, it's full time, and after 90 days he gets benefits, including dental.
Unfortunately, since he's working in a freezer that is constantly kept at -8 degrees Farenheit, we had to spend a decent amount of our precious savings on warm clothes. Then as Jacob was wrapping up treatment for his rash, he cme down with another infection in his fingernails, and had to go see a doctor again. Again he was prescribed antibiotics, and now he is seeing fantastic results. 
But it seems our luck wasn't going to take a turn for the better quite yet, just as Jacob began to feel better, Madeline came down with a mystery illness. Saturday, August 27th, I woke up and kissed Madeline, burning my  lips. I took her temperature, it was 100.0 F. An hour later it had come down to 099.3 F, but just two hours after that she was back up to a scary 101.7 F. I took a cool shower with her and cuddled and tried my best to make my poor burning baby feel a little better. An hour lapsed between temperature readings, and she was still above 101, so I called the Dr. and gave her some infant Tylenol, which only brought her down to 99.3. Her temp continued to fluctuate all day, peaking at 102.3 around 1 am Sunday morning.  Monday morning she started to act like herself again and her fever has been completely gone since then.
I feel so overwhelmed these past few months.  On top of my loves getting sick, we've had to spend so much money on the car (replaced the bearing on the right side, found out the brake was shot too), and I had a 6 month photo shoot to do.
I have had NO time to keep up with the house, much less blogging. I am disgusted when I look at my house right now. 
I hope to clean the house up today, in entirety, and as soon as that's done, I have some quality posts planned out for you all, including an intro on how we switched to cloth diapering and another installment of Madeline's Must-Haves! So, please keep your eyes peeled!

Also, any votes in the top baby blogs would be fantastic, thank you!

Doctor's visit (12-13-2010)

I drove into town for my doctor’s appointment, arriving at the office around 2, the appointment was at 2:30.

Because I knew my mom was trying to come to this appointment, I waited in my car until 2:27, then went and signed in. Around 2:33 my mom arrived.

We made small talk and soon I was called back. They weighed me (187.5 lbs), took my urine sample and then walked me into the exam room where they took my blood pressure. 148/80, a bit high for me considering I usually get smack on 120/80 (except for my last appointment; they took my BP 3 times, the first two were 140/80, the third was 120/80.)

When the doctor came in, she asked the usual questions, took down the baby’s heart-rate, measured my fundal height, and then began my cervical exam. For the first time, the internal exam hurt. I could tell that she had just gone ahead and swept my membranes, without me having to ask. Apparently I’m still 2cm dilated, 50% effaced and at a -2 station.

During all of this, the doctor was talking about how she was concerned by my blood pressure. She thought I may be developing Pre-Eclampsia, so she wanted to send me over to L&D to have some blood work, a NST and other basic monitoring done.

After the internal exam, she hands me a pad saying that I would need it because she ‘did some things’ while she was down there, and there would be some blood, then she left to call the hospital to let them know that I was coming.

We set up our next appointment, received copies of my files, and drove over to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 3:20. At the reception desk, I signed in, filled out some minor paperwork, and signed my consent forms. We waited… Around 4:30, I was taken back and asked to undress and provide a urine sample.

I got into the hospital gown, and peed in the cup, and shortly thereafter, someone came in to take my blood. Usually, I have no problem with blood being drawn - in fact, I donate blood whenever I can - but this lab tech was horrible. She somehow managed to make it hurt when she pulled the needle out, and forgot to untie the elastic from my arm. She also managed to leave a tube of my blood in the exam room.

As soon as the lab tech left, and ultrasound tech came in and took a look at Madeline. Everything was perfect. She’s healthy, there’s a good amount of amniotic fluid, and she’s in a good position for delivery.

By the time I was actually hooked up to the monitors, it was about 5. I laid in the bed for an hour and a half with the two monitors strapped to my belly, and an automated blood-pressure cuff on my arm. Every ten minutes, the cuff would fill with air and measure my blood pressure. The first one was 124/74, the second was the same, and as I laid there, my blood pressure continued to stay at a comfortable, healthy range. The external fetal monitor showed a healthy relationship between Madeline’s heart rate and my infrequent, painless contractions.

At about 6:20, the nurse came in preparing me for discharge, she said that She was surprised how big my baby is - apparently, Madeline is estimated at 8lbs 14oz - and remarked that my blood pressure and baby were both perfect.

I was sent home, and have been having mild contractions and light spotting since,  so I'm hoping I go into active labor soon!