Friday evening, Hospital Day 8
It's 11 o'clock at night and I sit here listening to Baby Girl's heart beating away on the monitor. It's so sweet to hear, and warms my heart. I was walking around the floor tonight and stopped and looked in on the nursery, where there were 4 babies all lined up. It was so sweet to see! Two babies were all stretched out under the warmer, which I love to see because it reminds me of Grant when he was little. My heart wonders about what Baby Girl will look like - will she look like Grant? Matt? Me? I think that Grant looked a lot like my baby pictures, but now as a toddler Grant looks so much like his daddy. So, I wonder if Baby Girl will look like Matt's baby pictures? Will she have as much hair as Grant had? I hope she has Matt's lips - Grant does, and they're just beautiful. I already look forward to meeting her, to holding her, to loving her in person.
Monday Night
I have changed into my hospital gown (I sleep in the gown, but change into my real clothes during the day - it helps me feel more human, if that makes sense), have fresh blankets and have dimmed my lights, but I hesitate trying to go to sleep.
Because, I think this ICU floor senses when I try to sleep. Seriously! Late this afternoon I tried to take a nap - my vitals had been drawn, my IV was functioning, no tests were ordered - so I thought it would be a perfect chance to actually sleep.
The ICU anti-sleep monsters came out again! The janitorial staff picked that.exact.time to WAX the floor outside my room. After about 15 minutes of napping I awoke to "vrrr...vRRRRR..vrrr..."!
The largest chunk of uniterrupted sleep I've had was last night from 12-3. 3 hours! The nurse tried to joke with me that it was preparing me for a newborn, but at 3 in the morning, my sense of humor isn't that much - I need sleep!
I guess that's enough complaining for me. Off to bed!
Because, I think this ICU floor senses when I try to sleep. Seriously! Late this afternoon I tried to take a nap - my vitals had been drawn, my IV was functioning, no tests were ordered - so I thought it would be a perfect chance to actually sleep.
The ICU anti-sleep monsters came out again! The janitorial staff picked that.exact.time to WAX the floor outside my room. After about 15 minutes of napping I awoke to "vrrr...vRRRRR..vrrr..."!
The largest chunk of uniterrupted sleep I've had was last night from 12-3. 3 hours! The nurse tried to joke with me that it was preparing me for a newborn, but at 3 in the morning, my sense of humor isn't that much - I need sleep!
I guess that's enough complaining for me. Off to bed!
Pink!
My best friend stopped by the hospital today, and brought me bright pink toenail polish! 
I was telling her that had I known I was going to wind up in the hospital again, I would've at least gotten a pedicure!
So, she brought the most fabulous shade of bright pink in honor of Baby Girl Walker. Even though it had to be in the ICU, we had fun together eating lunch and painting toenails!
(the picture doesn't show quite how bright and fabulous the pink is!)
I was telling her that had I known I was going to wind up in the hospital again, I would've at least gotten a pedicure! So, she brought the most fabulous shade of bright pink in honor of Baby Girl Walker. Even though it had to be in the ICU, we had fun together eating lunch and painting toenails!
(the picture doesn't show quite how bright and fabulous the pink is!)
Pump and picc line
So, my far-away friends haven't seen the pump or picc line. so, just for y'all, here are some pictures - I wore this crazy pump around my waist for 14 weeks! I had syringes of Zofran, and anti-nausea medicine, that would fit into the pump and then the pump would "pump" medicine into me 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The syringe had a long tube that connected to my picc line (PICC = peripherally inserted central catheter). The picc line went in at my elbow, and was about 14 1/2 inches long. It went all the way through a vein in my arm, around my shoulder, and ended just about 2 inches above my heart in my chest. That's how medicine got into me for 3 months!
We had to do the picc line because oral medicine never helped the hyperemesis - IV meds were the only thing that EVER helped. And even then, at the very beginning of the pregnancy, IV meds didn't make me feel fantastic - just functional. It wasn't until about the beginning of December that I started to consistently feel better.
My home health care nurse, Lisa, came out weekly (and sometimes even bi-weekly or tri-weekly!) to change the dressing on the picc line. What an ordeal it's been so far!
The syringe had a long tube that connected to my picc line (PICC = peripherally inserted central catheter). The picc line went in at my elbow, and was about 14 1/2 inches long. It went all the way through a vein in my arm, around my shoulder, and ended just about 2 inches above my heart in my chest. That's how medicine got into me for 3 months!
We had to do the picc line because oral medicine never helped the hyperemesis - IV meds were the only thing that EVER helped. And even then, at the very beginning of the pregnancy, IV meds didn't make me feel fantastic - just functional. It wasn't until about the beginning of December that I started to consistently feel better.
My home health care nurse, Lisa, came out weekly (and sometimes even bi-weekly or tri-weekly!) to change the dressing on the picc line. What an ordeal it's been so far!
MOPS!
My devoted blog readers will remember my disastrous MOPS experience last year (where I was literally left standing in the corner with no one talking to me!) Well, I've decided to give another MOPS group a chance after hearing good things about it. I already received a really nice note from the director of tomorrow's group, so hopefully that means this group will be better!! I think Grant will love playing in their childcare program at least! :) I'll let you know how it goes!
Team Pink!
Well, even though we found that the baby is a girl awhile ago, yesterday was my "big" ultrasound at 20 weeks where people *usually* find out the gender. (ya know, non-hyperemesis, non-contracting, non-pulmonary-embolism people 
).
So, I thought it'd be fun to track back to the post when we found out Grant was going to be a boy:
http://journey2guat.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html
I was going to have the ultrasound tech take a picture of us yesterday, but I forgot the camera! bummer!
Anyway - it feels so "complete" knowing we'll have one boy and one girl. I cannot explain how much Matt and I are praying for the next 4 months to be so uneventful and smooth and lead to a healthy baby girl in late May!
). So, I thought it'd be fun to track back to the post when we found out Grant was going to be a boy:
http://journey2guat.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html
I was going to have the ultrasound tech take a picture of us yesterday, but I forgot the camera! bummer!
Anyway - it feels so "complete" knowing we'll have one boy and one girl. I cannot explain how much Matt and I are praying for the next 4 months to be so uneventful and smooth and lead to a healthy baby girl in late May!
Making Cookies!
Grant and I made cookies for the first time together yesterday. He LOVED it. After he figured out how to dump stuff into the bowl, he was SO into it! And, he was just mesmerized by the KitchenAid mixer - he kept saying "wow...wow".
And, he also figured out fast what the best part of making cookies is! Look at his little finger:
(the quality's low because it was my phone)
And, he also figured out fast what the best part of making cookies is! Look at his little finger:
(the quality's low because it was my phone)
25 Random Things About Me
So, I posted this on Facebook, but for those of you not on there, I thought I'd post it here, too. It's just 25 Random things about me, that you might or might not have wanted to know. ;)
1. I LOVE to be organized. Even though my house doesn't always reflect it, something just seems better in the world when I'm organized. I LOVE the Container Store - I could get so excited about closet systems and pantry dividers!
2. On the same note, I hate clutter. I try to remove it as much as possible, as fast as possible. Whatever the opposite of a pack-rat is, I am.
3. I de-stress by getting out of the house by myself (with or with out Grant), and shopping. I don't have to buy anything - there's just something about walking around the mall and even just browsing that makes me feel calmer, less-stressed, and more at peace. That's got to be weird, I know, but it's true. I feel much more sane after being out of the house for a couple of hours. Grant and I have this whole routine for each mall that we go to - I know what food kiosks to stop at for a snack and Diet Coke - the kiosks are about half-way through the mall so on my return lap I can get a free refill. :D
4. I love Pottery Barn. Love, love, love it. I love to dream through their catalogs. However, I have a Target budget. ;) So, I try to re-create their looks for less - and, Target usually has pretty good Pottery Barn knock-offs!
5. I enjoy trying to decorate my house. My current project is the mantel that Matt just built for me. I love the mantle, but now have to get stuff on it!
6. When I'm not pregnant, I really love Starbucks. When I am pregnant, just the thought of coffee makes my stomach ick.
7. This is the last pregnancy for us. No questions asked.
8. I love to run. I never, ever thought I'd enjoy running, but once I started, I found I really, really like it. And, I love the way it makes my legs look! ;-)
9. I think part of the reason I like to run is I like the cute exercise clothes. :)
10. I love pasta and could eat it almost every day.
11. I think Weight Watchers is the greatest "diet" program ever invented. I lost 88 pounds (shocking, I know!) of pregnancy weight while following WW online after I had Grant. (It was bout 70 pounds of pregnancy weight and 15ish more pounds that I should've lost before him! ;-)) I'm already looking forward to doing WW and running again after I have this baby - being in control of my food and exercise just made me feel so healthy.
12. On that note, the pulmonologist said that being in such great shape before this pregnancy probably really helped my lungs process this clot. So, that I'm thankful for! All the more reason to exercise.
13. I have a special shampoo that I use just after running- almost like my reward for running. It's Aveda's Rosemary Mint Shampoo, and it just smells heavenly. It's way too expensive, though, for daily use, so 3-4x/week after running is my treat. :)
14. I started going seriously gray this past year and had to start coloring my hair regularly.
15. Hair is very important to me. I can't tell you the amount of tears I've cried over my hair! Fortunately I've learned what cuts do and don't work, and that my husband is usually my best hair-cutter!
16. This past year has probably been one of the hardest of my life. Losing baby Josie at 11 weeks last spring, dealing with hyperemesis this past fall and now this lung clot...I'm so, so ready for life and health to be back to "normal", whatever that is!
17. Although I currently love being a stay-at-home-wife-and-mom, I really, really miss teaching. I miss the creativity involved in lesson planning, and I miss just being in front of the classroom, interacting with my students. I definitely hope to go back to part-time teaching when our kids are in school. My heart will miss the classroom until then, I think.
18. I will always have a special place in my heart for the city of Dallas and our time there. Although we had our difficulties, we met some of our best friends in the world and just have such wonderful memories of them and Dallas. I miss Chuy's, the best Mexican restaurant ever! Our "Dallas" friends are now pretty much spread through out the US, and I miss them!
19. I really, really like to paint. I LOVE looking at paint samples!
20. I love fall and winter. Fall is probably my favorite, but I actually enjoy the cold and snow, too! I
21. I love to cook but hate to bake.
22. I love to get my toenails done.
23. It's slightly embarrassing to admit, but I like reality TV. I also like the Unit, 24, Grey's Anatomy, and Lipstick Jungle.
24. I think Bobbi Brown make-up is the best ever!
25. My husband needs a medal of honor, or something even higher, for all he's done for me the past year. For 2 months this past fall I was on the couch either throwing up or feeling like I was going to die, and he selflessly took care of me, Grant, the house and everything else. His commitment through "in sickness and health" has been put to the test way more than a couple married 6 1/2 years should be, and I love him so much.
1. I LOVE to be organized. Even though my house doesn't always reflect it, something just seems better in the world when I'm organized. I LOVE the Container Store - I could get so excited about closet systems and pantry dividers!
2. On the same note, I hate clutter. I try to remove it as much as possible, as fast as possible. Whatever the opposite of a pack-rat is, I am.
3. I de-stress by getting out of the house by myself (with or with out Grant), and shopping. I don't have to buy anything - there's just something about walking around the mall and even just browsing that makes me feel calmer, less-stressed, and more at peace. That's got to be weird, I know, but it's true. I feel much more sane after being out of the house for a couple of hours. Grant and I have this whole routine for each mall that we go to - I know what food kiosks to stop at for a snack and Diet Coke - the kiosks are about half-way through the mall so on my return lap I can get a free refill. :D
4. I love Pottery Barn. Love, love, love it. I love to dream through their catalogs. However, I have a Target budget. ;) So, I try to re-create their looks for less - and, Target usually has pretty good Pottery Barn knock-offs!
5. I enjoy trying to decorate my house. My current project is the mantel that Matt just built for me. I love the mantle, but now have to get stuff on it!
6. When I'm not pregnant, I really love Starbucks. When I am pregnant, just the thought of coffee makes my stomach ick.
7. This is the last pregnancy for us. No questions asked.
8. I love to run. I never, ever thought I'd enjoy running, but once I started, I found I really, really like it. And, I love the way it makes my legs look! ;-)
9. I think part of the reason I like to run is I like the cute exercise clothes. :)
10. I love pasta and could eat it almost every day.
11. I think Weight Watchers is the greatest "diet" program ever invented. I lost 88 pounds (shocking, I know!) of pregnancy weight while following WW online after I had Grant. (It was bout 70 pounds of pregnancy weight and 15ish more pounds that I should've lost before him! ;-)) I'm already looking forward to doing WW and running again after I have this baby - being in control of my food and exercise just made me feel so healthy.
12. On that note, the pulmonologist said that being in such great shape before this pregnancy probably really helped my lungs process this clot. So, that I'm thankful for! All the more reason to exercise.
13. I have a special shampoo that I use just after running- almost like my reward for running. It's Aveda's Rosemary Mint Shampoo, and it just smells heavenly. It's way too expensive, though, for daily use, so 3-4x/week after running is my treat. :)
14. I started going seriously gray this past year and had to start coloring my hair regularly.
15. Hair is very important to me. I can't tell you the amount of tears I've cried over my hair! Fortunately I've learned what cuts do and don't work, and that my husband is usually my best hair-cutter!
16. This past year has probably been one of the hardest of my life. Losing baby Josie at 11 weeks last spring, dealing with hyperemesis this past fall and now this lung clot...I'm so, so ready for life and health to be back to "normal", whatever that is!
17. Although I currently love being a stay-at-home-wife-and-mom, I really, really miss teaching. I miss the creativity involved in lesson planning, and I miss just being in front of the classroom, interacting with my students. I definitely hope to go back to part-time teaching when our kids are in school. My heart will miss the classroom until then, I think.
18. I will always have a special place in my heart for the city of Dallas and our time there. Although we had our difficulties, we met some of our best friends in the world and just have such wonderful memories of them and Dallas. I miss Chuy's, the best Mexican restaurant ever! Our "Dallas" friends are now pretty much spread through out the US, and I miss them!
19. I really, really like to paint. I LOVE looking at paint samples!
20. I love fall and winter. Fall is probably my favorite, but I actually enjoy the cold and snow, too! I
21. I love to cook but hate to bake.
22. I love to get my toenails done.
23. It's slightly embarrassing to admit, but I like reality TV. I also like the Unit, 24, Grey's Anatomy, and Lipstick Jungle.
24. I think Bobbi Brown make-up is the best ever!
25. My husband needs a medal of honor, or something even higher, for all he's done for me the past year. For 2 months this past fall I was on the couch either throwing up or feeling like I was going to die, and he selflessly took care of me, Grant, the house and everything else. His commitment through "in sickness and health" has been put to the test way more than a couple married 6 1/2 years should be, and I love him so much.
Only 2 more notches!
I have only 2 more "levels" to drop down to until we can possibly turn my Zofran pump off! 
We just turned it down to 20mg/day, and Friday if I still feel okay (fingers crossed!), we'll drop it to 16mg/day. Then, once I get to 12mg/day and still feel okay, we can turn the pump off! Then, ideally, I'll still feel okay with the pump off and then we can get the PICC line out!!!
Now, I have been SO thankful for the picc line because it's given me some sense of normalcy, but I'm SOO ready to have it OUT! To be able to shower with out covering my arm, to be able to sleep with out tubes coming out of me - I'm so ready!!! So, hopefully soon!!!
We just turned it down to 20mg/day, and Friday if I still feel okay (fingers crossed!), we'll drop it to 16mg/day. Then, once I get to 12mg/day and still feel okay, we can turn the pump off! Then, ideally, I'll still feel okay with the pump off and then we can get the PICC line out!!! Now, I have been SO thankful for the picc line because it's given me some sense of normalcy, but I'm SOO ready to have it OUT! To be able to shower with out covering my arm, to be able to sleep with out tubes coming out of me - I'm so ready!!! So, hopefully soon!!!
Matt's the Best!
So, I'm nauseas again today, for the first time in awhile. 
But, Matt's just the absolute best, once again!
The only thing that sounded good to me was cornbread - so, he made it for me! From scratch! and, it's soooooo good!
What a great husband!
And, here's the recipe, if any one is interested! It's easy, and just sooo much better than the boxed mix.
Golden Corn Bread
* 1 cup yellow Corn Meal
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, egg and oil. Beat until fairly smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Bake in greased or sprayed 8-inch square baking pan 20 to 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
But, Matt's just the absolute best, once again!The only thing that sounded good to me was cornbread - so, he made it for me! From scratch! and, it's soooooo good!
What a great husband!
And, here's the recipe, if any one is interested! It's easy, and just sooo much better than the boxed mix.
Golden Corn Bread
* 1 cup yellow Corn Meal
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In large bowl, combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, egg and oil. Beat until fairly smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Bake in greased or sprayed 8-inch square baking pan 20 to 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Christmas Quiche
Here's the quiche recipe we ate on Christmas morning. It's terrific! And, at least we're getting some sort of veggie in! :)
Spinach-Bacon Quiche
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, beat eggs; whisk in milk, 1 cup cheese,
onion, bacon, salt, mustard and paprika.
2. Add spinach.
3. Pour into pie shell.
4. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40-50minutes or until a knife inserted halfway
between the center and the edge comes out clean.
Happy Thanksgiving!
After a restful trip to my parent's house, we're glad to be back home! One major thing that I'm thankful for is that I'm now in the 2nd trimester, which means I've survived 14 weeks of pregnancy! Well, I should say that WE - Matt, Grant, and my family - have survived 14 weeks of pregnancy! Hopefully only a few more weeks until this hyperemesis fades away...
Hope your Thanksgiving was full of good food and good family!
Hope your Thanksgiving was full of good food and good family!
Hamburgers! Tacos! Steak!
So, after being semi-vegetarian for almost 6 months, the baby has decided that it needs BEEF! After we left the hospital Monday night and I felt SO GOOD after all the meds I had in me, we decided to order take-out. Well, the only thing that sounded good was Texas Roadhouse! So, though I cringed when I ordered my steak, let me tell you how GOOD it was! My goodness that steak was excellent! I still feel badly for that poor cow, but what can you do when the baby wants beef?
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