This last month has been full of ups and downs.
Three weeks ago, I took the family to the Bristol Ren Faire. We all had a good time. I met with a good friend of mine, Jesse (a.k.a, Jock Stewart) who was playing/singing on various stages. He actually called for a bodhran from one of his musician buddies and had me play with him, after "making me" sing a song while playing said borrowed bodhran!
Yeah, he REALLY had to twist my arm....... NOT!
It'd been such a looooong time since I'd last played and sang in front of an audience like that. I'd almost forgotten how good it felt!
The weekend after that was the Heritage Days Festival at Galesburg. After a two year absence, it was so good to go back, seeing good friends and meeting new ones.
Those were some of the high lights for the month.
Now the lows:
As I posted earlier, The Wife and I are expecting number 4.
That in itself is definately NOT a "low"....
The weekend after Galesburg, The Wife told me that she was bleeding a little bit. Well, that caused some concern, so we went to her OB/GYN. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and checked The Wife "down there" & everything came up roses: heartbeat was strong and the blood wasn't bright red (arterial), so they said just to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse, come back. Ie, they couldn't tell us what was wrong, but hey, Mom and Baby are fine.
Last Friday AM, I'm awakened by The Wife shaking me, telling me that when she went to the bathroom, there was blood everywhere.
THAT woke me up!
I don't remember who was watching the kids, or even the drive to the hospital. I remember calling work, telling them "I'm not coming in today, I'm taking my wife to the hospital, she's bleeding.", and hanging up.
I drop her off at the Emergency Room Entrance and go park the car. On the walk to the ER, I tried to pray: for my wife, my unborn, et al. Now, I believe in the power of prayer; I've seen evidence of said Power. I also have a feeling that my prayers don't seem to carry much weight with my loving God. I thought of begging, pleading, bargaining, everything, and you know what came out of my mouth?
"I'm sick of begging, I'm sick of bargaining. Just do what You're going to do anyway and be done with it. If You want this one too, just take him quick".
Well, the short version is, Baby's heartbeat was 160 - strong and healthy. I asked the doc, "Then what the hell's wrong with my wife?! She shouldn't be bleeding!"
His answer? "We don't know. We do know that she's healthy & the baby's healthy, but we don't know what's causing the bleeding. Some women just bleed." He actually said, "We do know that she's not NOT having a miscarriage."
What. The. Fuck!!
Apparently he's never heard of double negatives.
He told her to make a follow up appointment with her (new) OB/GYN. Said appointment was Tuesday afternoon. I got home from work at 7:30 pm to find The Wife on the couch with ultrasound pictures, and got the good news and the bad news. The good news is, the baby is healthy, and from what they can tell at 13 weeks, IS A BOY!!! At the rate he's growing, doc says he could be born around Feb. 28 (it'd be so cool to have a Leap Year baby!). The original due date was March 4th, which means he's growing like a weed!
Whew!
The other good news is also the bad news. He knows why The Wife's been bleeding. She has placenta previa. If she over-exerts herself in any way, she could miscarry.
The Wife is on COMPLETE BED REST. She is not to work (she's a 1st Grade teacher), cook, clean, grocery shop NOTHING. She can only get up to use the bathroom and shower. ANY movement could cause the pregnancy to go completely and irrevocably pear-shaped.
This doesn't make The Wife happy, no sir, not at all. Or me either. Most nights, I'm lucky to be home by 8:00 pm. I can't cook supper for the kids after 8 o'- friggin'- clock!
Let's just say that The Wife is frustrated and worried and bored, and I'm going to be frustrated and worried and exausted for the next 6 months.
Nothing ever, EVER comes to this family easily.
Good thoughts and prayers are welcome.
And oh yeah, happy Blog day to me.....
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Dude, I don't know what to say except hang in there...
ReplyDeleteYour family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteHang in there and don't forget to laugh every once in a while.
Grau sent me over. Prayers headed your way.
ReplyDeleteMay I suggest, if you are members of a church... that you ask them for help. Churches usually have people ready to help out at times like this. Possibly cooking, cleaning, that sort of thing.
Also, there is a book out there called "Once a Month Cooking" by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. Find it - buy it. Take a little time with it and you can spend one day a month "cooking" then you'll have meals that are ready to pull out of the freezer and eat the rest of the time.
Pulling out a premade meal to zap in the microwave should not be stress inducing. (when you bag the meals make sure they are in smaller portions so the bags aren't heavy)
Or maybe a local teen can come in and help out for a couple of hours in the late afternoon to heat the meal and help with the kids... that kind of thing.
I hope all goes well with your wife and the little one on the way.
Teresa: The Wife has some friends at her school who've been bringing the kids home, and some folks at our church have been helping out, too. I really do like the "Once a Month Cooking" idea also - something I can do on a Saturday. Thanks especially for the prayers. :)
ReplyDeletebowlnduo: Thanks for the thoughts and prayers. As for laughing, well, that's why I watch "Family Guy"... I'm guaranteed at least *one* good laugh a day. ;)
Grau: That counts as a good thought. Thanks. :)
Great Scots! Hang in there. I'll be sending positive thoughts your and the family's way.
ReplyDeleteThanks Contagion. :-)
ReplyDeletePrayers up from Texas.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure all will be just fine...and tell your wife that no matter HOW BORED SHE GETS to sit her ass down or I'll have to duct tape her in place.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts headed your way! Prayers, chants, the whole shebang!
ReplyDeleteThoughts and prayers to the Gods for your family.
ReplyDeleteWhen dark times arise let the positive thoughts flow. You have friends that can help you through anything.
Peter: Like everything else, prayers from Texas seem bigger, somehow... ;-) Thank you. It means alot to us.
ReplyDeleteKtreva: You may have to bring that duct tape.. Tonight she asked me if I'd be mad at her if she told me that she'd cleaned the bathroom. When I told her yes, then she said she wouldn't tell me. You DEFINITELY need to bring the duct tape! ;-)
Oddybobo: Prayers and chants are more than appreciated, darlin'. Thank you. :-)
Bruce: And I thank God everyday for those friends. Thanks dude. :-)
Wes, you and your family are and will be in my thoughts and prayers. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do....
ReplyDeleteTammi
From Grau's... Good Lord, my thoughts and prayers are with you. I will say I have two girlfriends who had this and both turned out with everything being fine in the end, but it was a LONG stretch getting there. Y'all are in my prayers from S. Florida.
ReplyDeleteTammi: Thank you, for your friendship and prayers. Aside from being bored, The Wife is doing ok. Substitute "bored" for "tired" and that's how I'm doing. :-)
ReplyDeleteBou: Thanks so much for your prayers. We're being as optimistic as we can. Chances are things will turn out alright, especially with so many friends vouching for us to The Big Guy. :-)