Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Rest in Peace Lonestar
When I arrived in Texas in late December of 1999, I didn't know anyone. I slowly met friends and adapted to a new place. I was lucky to come across a very special kitty one day in May of 2001. He became my best friend during a lot of wonderful and not so wonderful times. When I first layed eyes on him, I knew he would be mine. He fit in the palm of my hand. It wasn't the right time for a kitty, but he was such a beautiful red and had the fluffiest long hair and bright blue (later gold) eyes. I loved him from day one.
I brought him home to my apartment and we became great friends. He would sleep on my neck under my chin for hours and we would play. He could fetch (when he wanted to) and he used to jump from the floor to my shoulder and sit up there like a bird. He eventually became too big for that though. He wasn't hard to litter train but he was so picky about the pan. I literally bought 4 litter pans in his lifetime before I finally went to a big rubbermaid container which was perfect. One day he pulled the keys off my laptop and ate an entire plant.
I cried the first time I dropped him off at the vets to be boarded while I went to Australia. His little face was full of worry as he didn't understand that I would be back. The vet techs loved how playful and friendly he was and always gave him a big cage.
Lonestar grew to be a large handsome cat, and he had tons of hair. I never had an issue clipping his nails or doing anything with him. He even flew home with me for Christmas one year. We trusted each other totally.
He was a somewhat of a biter early on. He was not mean or vicious, he just liked to play hard and when you are 17-18 pounds, you tend to get a little rough. We adopted Alamo so that he could bite her instead of us. It worked like a charm. I remember bringing Alamo home for the first time. She was sick so we had to isolate her for 2 weeks. It was a great opportunity for them to get used to each other through a door. Sean and I prepared ourselves for the first meeting. I put on gloves in case I had to break up a cat fight and Sean was in charge of getting a small Alamo out of the brawl if needed. We opened the door and Alamo ran right up to Lonestar. Lonestar was shocked and just backed up. He never hurt her at all. They sometimes played a little rough and we intervened until Alamo grew a little bigger, but they were fast friends.
Lonestar was a lap kitty. He liked to be held and loved to be scratched on the cheeks. He didn't even mind the occasional belly rub. He loved to be brushed and he loved visitors. He would crawl into anyone's lap for some attention. He was king of the cat tree and liked to sit on the kitchen table and read with Sean.
In the end Lonestar's liver starting failing because he stopped eating food that he didn't care for. Unfortunately, it wasn't obvious until he became very lethargic. During a procedure to get food into his stomach he aspirated and came down with pneumonia and never recovered. He spent 10 days at the vet being force fed baby food. Finally, his little heart couldn't take any more and he passed away.
He was buried in Madonna, Maryland next to his cousin. He was a wonderful kitty and I will miss him for a very long time. He was named for the beer, the band and the state. Lonestar was 8 years old and I hope he is having a relaxing time in kitty heaven.
I am so sorry that he is gone from my life so soon.
In memory of Lonestar
~March 24, 2001 - July 16, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
What I have learned....
1. Those that say Back is Best don't really actually have children. Diana hates to sleep on her back and much prefers tummy or side. It may not be "safe" but there is little you can do when she can turn herself.
2. Do the people who support the Cry it Out method for very young babies have kids? It's definitely harder than one might think. We are not trying this method.
3. Everyone has a strong opinion about Huggies vs Pampers. I started with Pampers and started experiencing daily blow outs. I am using Huggies now, but will use both. I think Diana might have just needed the bigger size and I don't think Pampers are bad. It's been better since I gave up dairy. You never hear much about Luvs.
4. The books do not tell you how to maneuver a stroller with baby and a cat carrier into the vets office.
5. Breast feeding is hard.
6. Breast feeding was achievable after some time, persistence and patience.
7. Bottle feeding is even harder after achieving breast feeding. (Can I catch a break?)
8. 12 weeks flies by!
9. I can cope with less sleep than I ever expected.
10. Strangers are more willing to help a pregnant lady than a mother who is schlepping a stroller with baby, a diaper bag, a purse and opening a door.
11. Motherhood is an awesome responsibility.
12. Little girls have the cutest clothes.
13. Watching a baby learn and slowly begin to like initially disliked activities (riding in the car, baths etc) is really wonderful.
14. Babies really grow fast and when your baby is 10 weeks old and you see a 4 week old baby, your heart melts at how little they once were.
15. Although a baby in the womb who ate pizza religiously for months may actually hate it later, and that goes for all dairy.
16. Baby gas is a terrible thing.
17. They say to nap when the baby naps, but in reality isn't that time to do all of the chores, emails, phone calls etc that needs to be done?
18. Time, patience and persistence really are important factors in raising a child.
19. When a potential nanny says that she has 'raised' 25 children including her own during an interview... well you just shouldn't say that. I believe 'cared for' is the term she wanted to use.
20. Now I know why there are so many varieties of formula on the market. You really have to try different things. I think our winner (after two trials -thanks for the free samples in the mail!) is the Enfamil Gentlease. At least I think that is the winner, still too early to tell.
21. There are a lot of bottles on the market. After trying 3, I learned that Diana may like Dr. Brown's the best.
22. There are too many pacifiers on the market. I don't think Diana likes any of them and frankly that is fine. I am not buying any more to test.
23. The Graco swing (fits with the car seat) was not a good purchase. It's noisy and too low and Diana doesn't like it. I don't think she wants to sit in the car seat.
24. Driving with a baby in the car is a new experience. A terrifying experience actually. If you are going to rear-end me, you better have insurance and you better be ready for a guilt trip. For your sake, I hope the baby isn't in the car.
25. The CRV wasn't the best choice after all.
26. Sending women back to work after 12 weeks is just wrong. At three months babies are developing their adorable personalities and just starting to follow (sort of) a schedule. It's not fair to miss spending the day with them.
27. New Grandparents are a total different breed of people. Who are these people and what happened to our parents?
28. Babies don't wear dresses. It's impossible to keep them down and hard to change diapers.
29. Spit up doesn't really smell good.
30. People who co-sleep aren't weird parents. It's a really wonderful experience and hopefully can be done safely.
31. When your baby starts to sleep in the crib all by herself, that is also a wonderful experience.
32. When a baby comes into your life, other things really do get neglected (pets, chores, friends)
33. With any luck, the pets, chores, friends will forgive you. Especially the pets since they need love too.
34. It takes about 9-10 weeks before you feel really comfortable taking the baby out on your own.
35. Maternity leave isn't as much fun as expected since all of you friends still have to work and the baby doesn't really want to be out all day. Plus you can only spend so much money at the mall and online.
36. You won't really have time to visit the pool every day on maternity leave (who knew?). I've been there twice.
37. The worst sound in the world is your baby crying.
38. Holding the baby and walking around until she falls asleep can really be exhausting.
39. Babies can belch and expel guess louder than most of the men I know. Thankfully it is so cute when it happens. (this applies to the babies, not the men.)
40. Babies are hard to hold in the tub.
41. I know where all of the elevators are at the mall.
42. I also learned I desperately need a massage. Carrying the car seat around and folding up the stroller and lifting it are killing my back and neck.
43. Cluster feeding is exhausting and it's impossible to fully prepare for a growth spurt.
44. I learned that there was a lot I did know and I learn something new every day.
45. I learned that Motherhood is the coolest thing ever, and Fatherhood is a close second.
2. Do the people who support the Cry it Out method for very young babies have kids? It's definitely harder than one might think. We are not trying this method.
3. Everyone has a strong opinion about Huggies vs Pampers. I started with Pampers and started experiencing daily blow outs. I am using Huggies now, but will use both. I think Diana might have just needed the bigger size and I don't think Pampers are bad. It's been better since I gave up dairy. You never hear much about Luvs.
4. The books do not tell you how to maneuver a stroller with baby and a cat carrier into the vets office.
5. Breast feeding is hard.
6. Breast feeding was achievable after some time, persistence and patience.
7. Bottle feeding is even harder after achieving breast feeding. (Can I catch a break?)
8. 12 weeks flies by!
9. I can cope with less sleep than I ever expected.
10. Strangers are more willing to help a pregnant lady than a mother who is schlepping a stroller with baby, a diaper bag, a purse and opening a door.
11. Motherhood is an awesome responsibility.
12. Little girls have the cutest clothes.
13. Watching a baby learn and slowly begin to like initially disliked activities (riding in the car, baths etc) is really wonderful.
14. Babies really grow fast and when your baby is 10 weeks old and you see a 4 week old baby, your heart melts at how little they once were.
15. Although a baby in the womb who ate pizza religiously for months may actually hate it later, and that goes for all dairy.
16. Baby gas is a terrible thing.
17. They say to nap when the baby naps, but in reality isn't that time to do all of the chores, emails, phone calls etc that needs to be done?
18. Time, patience and persistence really are important factors in raising a child.
19. When a potential nanny says that she has 'raised' 25 children including her own during an interview... well you just shouldn't say that. I believe 'cared for' is the term she wanted to use.
20. Now I know why there are so many varieties of formula on the market. You really have to try different things. I think our winner (after two trials -thanks for the free samples in the mail!) is the Enfamil Gentlease. At least I think that is the winner, still too early to tell.
21. There are a lot of bottles on the market. After trying 3, I learned that Diana may like Dr. Brown's the best.
22. There are too many pacifiers on the market. I don't think Diana likes any of them and frankly that is fine. I am not buying any more to test.
23. The Graco swing (fits with the car seat) was not a good purchase. It's noisy and too low and Diana doesn't like it. I don't think she wants to sit in the car seat.
24. Driving with a baby in the car is a new experience. A terrifying experience actually. If you are going to rear-end me, you better have insurance and you better be ready for a guilt trip. For your sake, I hope the baby isn't in the car.
25. The CRV wasn't the best choice after all.
26. Sending women back to work after 12 weeks is just wrong. At three months babies are developing their adorable personalities and just starting to follow (sort of) a schedule. It's not fair to miss spending the day with them.
27. New Grandparents are a total different breed of people. Who are these people and what happened to our parents?
28. Babies don't wear dresses. It's impossible to keep them down and hard to change diapers.
29. Spit up doesn't really smell good.
30. People who co-sleep aren't weird parents. It's a really wonderful experience and hopefully can be done safely.
31. When your baby starts to sleep in the crib all by herself, that is also a wonderful experience.
32. When a baby comes into your life, other things really do get neglected (pets, chores, friends)
33. With any luck, the pets, chores, friends will forgive you. Especially the pets since they need love too.
34. It takes about 9-10 weeks before you feel really comfortable taking the baby out on your own.
35. Maternity leave isn't as much fun as expected since all of you friends still have to work and the baby doesn't really want to be out all day. Plus you can only spend so much money at the mall and online.
36. You won't really have time to visit the pool every day on maternity leave (who knew?). I've been there twice.
37. The worst sound in the world is your baby crying.
38. Holding the baby and walking around until she falls asleep can really be exhausting.
39. Babies can belch and expel guess louder than most of the men I know. Thankfully it is so cute when it happens. (this applies to the babies, not the men.)
40. Babies are hard to hold in the tub.
41. I know where all of the elevators are at the mall.
42. I also learned I desperately need a massage. Carrying the car seat around and folding up the stroller and lifting it are killing my back and neck.
43. Cluster feeding is exhausting and it's impossible to fully prepare for a growth spurt.
44. I learned that there was a lot I did know and I learn something new every day.
45. I learned that Motherhood is the coolest thing ever, and Fatherhood is a close second.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Diana is 4 weeks old
Diana is 4 weeks old. I am starting to notice the change in her size. She is just about 9 pounds now and increasingly cute. Today she opened her mouth wide as she slept on my chest and as I leaned down to intercept what I thought might be her first attempt to kiss me (or at least sniff me), she burped in my face. And then she closed her mouth and fell back to sleep. Priceless. She makes me laugh. Today was her first trip to Chick Fil A. We try to get out a few days a week on short trips. She hates the car ride but will tolerate the stroller. Although today she insisted on being carried through the mall.
So the rumor is that beer helps milk production. I don't know if it is true but I have heard this from half a dozen people. Yesterday the only way to keep Diana from screaming all day was to keep feeding her. Besides not being able to leave the room, this is really exhausting for me. I have started drinking beer. The good news is that it is the barley that stimulates production not the alcohol, so I have been sipping O'douls (non alcoholic beer) on the occasion I'm feeling low. Don't know if it helps her get more milk but it makes me feel better.
Sometime just before 4 weeks old, I noticed that Diana creates tears when crying. As if her shrieks weren't painstaking enough, now she is teary eyed - which makes me pick her up faster.
We have lots of baby clothes and they are all washed now. I have to admit, I don't change her clothes every day. She doesn't really spit up much and she doesn't smell bad. But after counting all of the onsies I have, I am making an concerted effort to change her clothes more. I know, you all think that is gross. Some of these baby clothes are complicated with a lot of snaps. And if your baby's head is big (like mine), she doesn't particularly like pulling something over her head. Plus her arms move like a windmill. It's not easy.
Mommyhood is great. I can't wait for her first trip to the pumpkin patch. And for the first time she actually sees the cats and reaches out to touch them. Or when she starts smiling for real. So much to look forward to!
So the rumor is that beer helps milk production. I don't know if it is true but I have heard this from half a dozen people. Yesterday the only way to keep Diana from screaming all day was to keep feeding her. Besides not being able to leave the room, this is really exhausting for me. I have started drinking beer. The good news is that it is the barley that stimulates production not the alcohol, so I have been sipping O'douls (non alcoholic beer) on the occasion I'm feeling low. Don't know if it helps her get more milk but it makes me feel better.
Sometime just before 4 weeks old, I noticed that Diana creates tears when crying. As if her shrieks weren't painstaking enough, now she is teary eyed - which makes me pick her up faster.
We have lots of baby clothes and they are all washed now. I have to admit, I don't change her clothes every day. She doesn't really spit up much and she doesn't smell bad. But after counting all of the onsies I have, I am making an concerted effort to change her clothes more. I know, you all think that is gross. Some of these baby clothes are complicated with a lot of snaps. And if your baby's head is big (like mine), she doesn't particularly like pulling something over her head. Plus her arms move like a windmill. It's not easy.
Mommyhood is great. I can't wait for her first trip to the pumpkin patch. And for the first time she actually sees the cats and reaches out to touch them. Or when she starts smiling for real. So much to look forward to!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Breast Feeding for the Beginner...
It is just plain difficult. I was warned not to get frustrated and after two weeks it would get better. I'm almost three weeks into it, and it is still frustrating. We've made a lot of progress though. What I have learned is 1. Say no to Lanolin cream 2. You can't eat everything you want because the baby doesn't like certain things (i.e. strawberries, chocolate, ?)
Friday, May 15, 2009
Cesarean is not a bad word
There are lots of methods and places to have a baby. There are hospitals and birthing centers, at home or in a tub. You can do it drug free, with an epidural or unconscious. You can be in labor for days or for a few hours. You can have an emergency c-section or never experience labor and have a planned c-section.
For some reason the c-section gets a bad name. My doctor started mentioning that Diana was breach from about 28 weeks. Actually I think before that, but that is when I remember her making a point of it at my appointment. By 34 weeks, we put the c-section on the calendar. I trust my doctor and to this point she hasn’t been wrong about anything. She didn’t want to put me through the pain or stress of trying to flip the baby either.
When I heard that I was having a c-section, I was not disappointed. In fact, deep down, I always knew that would be my fate. I didn’t feel like I was going to miss the birthing experience. I didn’t feel short changed. I didn’t feel like a failure. I felt that this was the way it needed to be to ensure a safe delivery for baby and Mom, and if she changed position then we could cancel. But if she didn’t, we were on the calendar and I could be fairly certain my doctor would do the surgery. Once I knew the bulge by my belly button was her head, I also knew that she was never going to flip and her head never strayed far from its resting spot.
When I told people about my fate, I got “the look.” The look that I should be disappointed, short-changed and unhappy. I read many posts on the Internet and there are strong opinions about c-sections. Overall it has a negative connotation. Not every c-section is planned for ‘silly’ reasons or so the doctor can play golf on Thursday. C-sections are definitely more frequent now and I’m sure there are bad reasons to do them. Like anything, opinions on what should and should not be done vary.
I had a planned c-section. It went very well. My recovery was slow (although if a 14 ¾ inch head came through my yoohoo, I’m not sure that would have been much quicker.)
I was lucky to be in a controlled situation where Diana and I were never in danger. Would I have loved her more or felt that I ‘owned’ the delivery if I had delivered vaginally instead? No. My doctor and I made an educated decision. There are pros and cons to everything.
I had a c-section. I am not disappointed. I will forever have a scar that will remind me of the amazing birth of my daughter. It’s my badge of honor.
For some reason the c-section gets a bad name. My doctor started mentioning that Diana was breach from about 28 weeks. Actually I think before that, but that is when I remember her making a point of it at my appointment. By 34 weeks, we put the c-section on the calendar. I trust my doctor and to this point she hasn’t been wrong about anything. She didn’t want to put me through the pain or stress of trying to flip the baby either.
When I heard that I was having a c-section, I was not disappointed. In fact, deep down, I always knew that would be my fate. I didn’t feel like I was going to miss the birthing experience. I didn’t feel short changed. I didn’t feel like a failure. I felt that this was the way it needed to be to ensure a safe delivery for baby and Mom, and if she changed position then we could cancel. But if she didn’t, we were on the calendar and I could be fairly certain my doctor would do the surgery. Once I knew the bulge by my belly button was her head, I also knew that she was never going to flip and her head never strayed far from its resting spot.
When I told people about my fate, I got “the look.” The look that I should be disappointed, short-changed and unhappy. I read many posts on the Internet and there are strong opinions about c-sections. Overall it has a negative connotation. Not every c-section is planned for ‘silly’ reasons or so the doctor can play golf on Thursday. C-sections are definitely more frequent now and I’m sure there are bad reasons to do them. Like anything, opinions on what should and should not be done vary.
I had a planned c-section. It went very well. My recovery was slow (although if a 14 ¾ inch head came through my yoohoo, I’m not sure that would have been much quicker.)
I was lucky to be in a controlled situation where Diana and I were never in danger. Would I have loved her more or felt that I ‘owned’ the delivery if I had delivered vaginally instead? No. My doctor and I made an educated decision. There are pros and cons to everything.
I had a c-section. I am not disappointed. I will forever have a scar that will remind me of the amazing birth of my daughter. It’s my badge of honor.
A Baby Story
Diana is just over two weeks now! I can’t believe it’s been two-weeks already. I can’t believe I still don’t have a routine either. Everything is disjointed, but we are both doing well.
Here’s the birth story:
On Wednesday, April 29th I woke up 5 minutes before my alarm was due to ring at 5:00am. I quickly fed the cats and got dressed. I added just a bit of make up and pulled my hair into a pony tail. I had joked that by having a planned C-section, I would miss the opportunity have my water break and exclaim “it’s time!” But, once Sean opened his eyes that morning, I leaned over the bed and said to him, “it’s time!”
We arrived at the hospital at 6:03am and it was starting to sprinkle outside. It was very cloudy and quite dreary. I checked myself into the hospital and put on my gown. I met my nurse who immediately started my IV and hooked up a monitor to my belly. My little girl was doing well and everyone’s heart rate was normal. We had a quick ultrasound to show that the baby was still in breach position. For the next couple of hours I sat in the pre-op room waiting to be taken to the operating room. I got really adept at taking my IV and other wires to the bathroom with me. At 7:30am Sean put on his scrubs and we were ready to go. By this time two other preggos had joined us in the room and were getting ready for their surgeries too.
I remember being chilly in the room. I also remember being excited and nervous. But mostly remained very quiet. Around 8:00am, the nurse wheeled my bed onto the elevator as we headed to the operating room. I was teary and terrified by this point. I was also shaking from the cold and from my nerves. As I was wheeled into the operating room, Sean was asked to stay outside the room until I was prepped. I was feeling quite overwhelmed and wondering if I was part of a dream or whether I was really about to meet a baby. My baby.
The anesthesiologist started to work quickly with my epidural. I met him a little earlier and he had given me a very detailed description of what to expect, which I was grateful for. I sat on the side of the table leaning into my doctor while the anesthesiologist walked me through the process. Luckily they wrapped me in warm blankets and I was able to stay very still and relaxed. He asked me a few questions which I couldn’t hear because my doctor was talking to the med student in the room. Finally she stopped talking and we finished the epidural. I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t hurt and I immediately started feeling the results. I believe I told them it felt like I was sitting in a slushee. I’m not sure what I meant by that, but I did have quite a few slurpees during the pregnancy so I assume that was still on my brain. For those of you who don’t know, you still feel quite a bit under the effects of an epidural but you don’t feel pain. It’s mostly pressure and my belly to my upper thighs were numb. Once the epi was administered (about 5 minutes), I was put on the table and they applied the iodine to my belly, set up the drape just beyond my neck and brought Sean back in the room. Things progressed very rapidly.
A med student and a resident both assisted my doctor during the surgery. I could hear lots of chatter as my doctor walked them through the process. The anesthesiologist stood behind me and I could see him occasionally peering over the drape to see the progress. Many women bring a whole bag of tricks to the labor room including scenic pictures and music. Because I was having a c-section, I didn’t worry about it much. As I lay on the table looking straight up, I realized that my focus point was the crack between ceiling panels. Poor planning. I focused on that crack very intently. I could feel a lot of pressure but I did not feel pain. At one point I did hear that they needed a bigger incision. At one point the pressure started to feel more like pain and they asked me how the pain felt. I told them it felt like the baby was coming out the old fashioned way. I started to feel shooting pains in both my arms and was told this was normal. It was pain deferral from the rest of my body and a reaction to the gas that was in my body from the surgery. One more hand push to my upper abdomen and the doctor asked if Sean wanted to see the baby being born. Sean declined as he isn’t one to see his wife’s insides at the same time. And I needed him to hold my hand.
Literally a few seconds later and a few grimaces from me, the doctor asked if Sean wanted to see his daughter. He jumped up to get in on the action. The doctor pulled Diana out at 8:41am and she immediately let out a cry which was the most wonderful sound. I thought it might take a while since she was a c-section but she was very quick. The doctor exclaimed how beautiful she was and I cried, focusing on the conversation of the nurses. I asked how much she weighed and was shocked to hear 8 pounds. Now I understand why they need to a bigger incision. Oh, she had a 14 ¾ inch (circumference) head. That’s a little beyond the average size.
Everything went very smoothly and within minutes Sean brought her over to me so I could see her. She was the cutest thing I had every seen. The doctors laughed when I remarked that I was surprised at how cute she was. I’ve seen newborns before and not all of them are that cute. But this one was!
While the doctors sewed me back together, Sean, Diana and the nurses went up to the post-op room where I soon joined them. That is when I got to hold Diana for the first time. I also tried breast feeding for the first time which I realized was going to be more difficult than hoped. I figured the baby would just figure it out.
I spent about two hours in the post-op room because they didn’t have anyone to take me upstairs to my room. Meanwhile my parents were freaking out in the waiting room. Finally we were all joined in the room where we would stay until Sunday, 5/3. The room was fairly nice with a big window and a couch for Sean to sleep on. For the remainder of Wednesday and for part of Thursday, the epidural remained in and I was given pain killers. I couldn’t get out of bed until Thursday around 4pm once I got all of the feeling back in my legs and they removed the catheter. The nurse walked me to the bathroom for the first time and I must say, my belly hurt. My belly looked like a soufflé gone wrong, and felt like a lumpy water bed.
The nurses had me attempting breast feeding frequently but they never seemed to want to spend the time to help. And they kept forgetting that I couldn’t try all of the holds because I was still in so much pain and my arms (remember the shooting pain?) still were hurting. The lactation consultants came by, but never when I was actually nursing. For the first 3 days I thought they were useless. The contradictory information I was getting from each nurse and the lactation consultants was driving me crazy and really made the situation very overwhelming.
By Thursday, early afternoon, I was no longer hooked to an IV or monitor. I was still taking drugs but had mobility. It was then the hospital became more of a hotel to me. The food was lousy, but they had 3 “nourishment centers” on the floor that provided free drinks, hot tea, frozen treats and graham crackers. My Mom, Sean and I ate our fill every day. For an outing I would go by the nursery and look at the babies. It was like a great vacation… We had nurses to help us, Diana was fairly easy to take care of, I was in bed most of the day and we got the best souvenir ever.
The first couple of days, Sean changed all of the diapers and did all of the swaddling. He’s a master swaddler now and I was so proud of him. The first time I changed a diaper, I had to call him over for help because I was unprepared for the ‘tar.’
I liked some nurses better than other. On Thursday night, I had a wonderful night nurse who didn’t talk a lot but was able to help with breast feeding. Finally, someone who got in their and got the job done. There isn’t anyone in the hospital that hasn’t seen or touched my breasts at this point.
On Saturday, the lactation consultant stopped by and was very helpful. She provided a few gadgets to help and Diana was well on her way to actually getting something to eat.
On Saturday the pediatrician decided to put Diana under the Bili Lights because she had a little jaundice and they wanted us to be able to leave together on Sunday as scheduled. They put goggles on her and she howled. It was terrible. She kept trying to rip them off. Because she was breach, she could get her feet up to her ears and we couldn’t keep the eye wear on for anything. We also didn’t trust the nurses all night to watch her. But we knew we could not stay up all night watching her so we sent her to the nursery. There they were able to giver her bigger and better eye wear. When she didn’t show up for her 4am feeling, I went down the hall demanding they bring my baby.
On Sunday at 11:00am we checked out of the hospital with our baby girl. She was doing pretty well and I was sad to leave the ‘hotel.’
Overall it was a wonderful experience and it was much easier in the hospital then once we got home. My Mom stayed for the first two weeks and we’ve had some good days and nights and we’ve had some that were very hectic. She is a really special little girl and mostly well behaved although I’ve discovered certain foods need to be avoided in order to limit her gas (and screaming like a banshee). Right now the list includes chocolate and strawberries. Bummer.
Here’s the birth story:
On Wednesday, April 29th I woke up 5 minutes before my alarm was due to ring at 5:00am. I quickly fed the cats and got dressed. I added just a bit of make up and pulled my hair into a pony tail. I had joked that by having a planned C-section, I would miss the opportunity have my water break and exclaim “it’s time!” But, once Sean opened his eyes that morning, I leaned over the bed and said to him, “it’s time!”
We arrived at the hospital at 6:03am and it was starting to sprinkle outside. It was very cloudy and quite dreary. I checked myself into the hospital and put on my gown. I met my nurse who immediately started my IV and hooked up a monitor to my belly. My little girl was doing well and everyone’s heart rate was normal. We had a quick ultrasound to show that the baby was still in breach position. For the next couple of hours I sat in the pre-op room waiting to be taken to the operating room. I got really adept at taking my IV and other wires to the bathroom with me. At 7:30am Sean put on his scrubs and we were ready to go. By this time two other preggos had joined us in the room and were getting ready for their surgeries too.
I remember being chilly in the room. I also remember being excited and nervous. But mostly remained very quiet. Around 8:00am, the nurse wheeled my bed onto the elevator as we headed to the operating room. I was teary and terrified by this point. I was also shaking from the cold and from my nerves. As I was wheeled into the operating room, Sean was asked to stay outside the room until I was prepped. I was feeling quite overwhelmed and wondering if I was part of a dream or whether I was really about to meet a baby. My baby.
The anesthesiologist started to work quickly with my epidural. I met him a little earlier and he had given me a very detailed description of what to expect, which I was grateful for. I sat on the side of the table leaning into my doctor while the anesthesiologist walked me through the process. Luckily they wrapped me in warm blankets and I was able to stay very still and relaxed. He asked me a few questions which I couldn’t hear because my doctor was talking to the med student in the room. Finally she stopped talking and we finished the epidural. I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t hurt and I immediately started feeling the results. I believe I told them it felt like I was sitting in a slushee. I’m not sure what I meant by that, but I did have quite a few slurpees during the pregnancy so I assume that was still on my brain. For those of you who don’t know, you still feel quite a bit under the effects of an epidural but you don’t feel pain. It’s mostly pressure and my belly to my upper thighs were numb. Once the epi was administered (about 5 minutes), I was put on the table and they applied the iodine to my belly, set up the drape just beyond my neck and brought Sean back in the room. Things progressed very rapidly.
A med student and a resident both assisted my doctor during the surgery. I could hear lots of chatter as my doctor walked them through the process. The anesthesiologist stood behind me and I could see him occasionally peering over the drape to see the progress. Many women bring a whole bag of tricks to the labor room including scenic pictures and music. Because I was having a c-section, I didn’t worry about it much. As I lay on the table looking straight up, I realized that my focus point was the crack between ceiling panels. Poor planning. I focused on that crack very intently. I could feel a lot of pressure but I did not feel pain. At one point I did hear that they needed a bigger incision. At one point the pressure started to feel more like pain and they asked me how the pain felt. I told them it felt like the baby was coming out the old fashioned way. I started to feel shooting pains in both my arms and was told this was normal. It was pain deferral from the rest of my body and a reaction to the gas that was in my body from the surgery. One more hand push to my upper abdomen and the doctor asked if Sean wanted to see the baby being born. Sean declined as he isn’t one to see his wife’s insides at the same time. And I needed him to hold my hand.
Literally a few seconds later and a few grimaces from me, the doctor asked if Sean wanted to see his daughter. He jumped up to get in on the action. The doctor pulled Diana out at 8:41am and she immediately let out a cry which was the most wonderful sound. I thought it might take a while since she was a c-section but she was very quick. The doctor exclaimed how beautiful she was and I cried, focusing on the conversation of the nurses. I asked how much she weighed and was shocked to hear 8 pounds. Now I understand why they need to a bigger incision. Oh, she had a 14 ¾ inch (circumference) head. That’s a little beyond the average size.
Everything went very smoothly and within minutes Sean brought her over to me so I could see her. She was the cutest thing I had every seen. The doctors laughed when I remarked that I was surprised at how cute she was. I’ve seen newborns before and not all of them are that cute. But this one was!
While the doctors sewed me back together, Sean, Diana and the nurses went up to the post-op room where I soon joined them. That is when I got to hold Diana for the first time. I also tried breast feeding for the first time which I realized was going to be more difficult than hoped. I figured the baby would just figure it out.
I spent about two hours in the post-op room because they didn’t have anyone to take me upstairs to my room. Meanwhile my parents were freaking out in the waiting room. Finally we were all joined in the room where we would stay until Sunday, 5/3. The room was fairly nice with a big window and a couch for Sean to sleep on. For the remainder of Wednesday and for part of Thursday, the epidural remained in and I was given pain killers. I couldn’t get out of bed until Thursday around 4pm once I got all of the feeling back in my legs and they removed the catheter. The nurse walked me to the bathroom for the first time and I must say, my belly hurt. My belly looked like a soufflé gone wrong, and felt like a lumpy water bed.
The nurses had me attempting breast feeding frequently but they never seemed to want to spend the time to help. And they kept forgetting that I couldn’t try all of the holds because I was still in so much pain and my arms (remember the shooting pain?) still were hurting. The lactation consultants came by, but never when I was actually nursing. For the first 3 days I thought they were useless. The contradictory information I was getting from each nurse and the lactation consultants was driving me crazy and really made the situation very overwhelming.
By Thursday, early afternoon, I was no longer hooked to an IV or monitor. I was still taking drugs but had mobility. It was then the hospital became more of a hotel to me. The food was lousy, but they had 3 “nourishment centers” on the floor that provided free drinks, hot tea, frozen treats and graham crackers. My Mom, Sean and I ate our fill every day. For an outing I would go by the nursery and look at the babies. It was like a great vacation… We had nurses to help us, Diana was fairly easy to take care of, I was in bed most of the day and we got the best souvenir ever.
The first couple of days, Sean changed all of the diapers and did all of the swaddling. He’s a master swaddler now and I was so proud of him. The first time I changed a diaper, I had to call him over for help because I was unprepared for the ‘tar.’
I liked some nurses better than other. On Thursday night, I had a wonderful night nurse who didn’t talk a lot but was able to help with breast feeding. Finally, someone who got in their and got the job done. There isn’t anyone in the hospital that hasn’t seen or touched my breasts at this point.
On Saturday, the lactation consultant stopped by and was very helpful. She provided a few gadgets to help and Diana was well on her way to actually getting something to eat.
On Saturday the pediatrician decided to put Diana under the Bili Lights because she had a little jaundice and they wanted us to be able to leave together on Sunday as scheduled. They put goggles on her and she howled. It was terrible. She kept trying to rip them off. Because she was breach, she could get her feet up to her ears and we couldn’t keep the eye wear on for anything. We also didn’t trust the nurses all night to watch her. But we knew we could not stay up all night watching her so we sent her to the nursery. There they were able to giver her bigger and better eye wear. When she didn’t show up for her 4am feeling, I went down the hall demanding they bring my baby.
On Sunday at 11:00am we checked out of the hospital with our baby girl. She was doing pretty well and I was sad to leave the ‘hotel.’
Overall it was a wonderful experience and it was much easier in the hospital then once we got home. My Mom stayed for the first two weeks and we’ve had some good days and nights and we’ve had some that were very hectic. She is a really special little girl and mostly well behaved although I’ve discovered certain foods need to be avoided in order to limit her gas (and screaming like a banshee). Right now the list includes chocolate and strawberries. Bummer.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Feline Inflammation of the Bowel
As if pregnancy weren't enough to deal with, I have a sick cat. Alamo who will be 5 in August has been ill for almost 18 months now. During the summer of 2007, Alamo was near 17 pounds and her brother was bigger yet so we decided to put them on a diet.
Several months later I noticed Alamo was losing weight. I figured the diet was working. (This does coincide with Chinese pet food scare.) By December I realized that she had lost about 4 pounds which is very significant for a cat and that this wasn't normal. In early 2008 we began seeking vet treatment. She was tested, had an endoscopy and ultrasound and more. Nothing remarkable was found. She had cancer-like symptoms but no cancer. She was diagnosed with inflammation of the bowel. I took this to mean, "We have no idea but it must be bowel related because of the symptoms.) For Alamo, this meant, weight loss, large, I mean really large stools, incessant appetite and she became the pickiest eater I ever met. What she would love one day, she would not touch the next. In fact, many time she wouldn't even finish an entire can of something. We tried every wet food out there. We also began putting her on steroids as prescribed by the vet.
For a long time we stabilized her at 12 pounds but then she began her decline and hit 10 pounds. She still is a lovable cat and doesn't seem to be in pain. Our specialist called and suggested we see a different kind of doctor. Basically the direction was, "We can't help her, she isn't responding to medicine, this is her last chance." I appreciated this although I felt he waited a long time to admit something I had already figured out.
I called the Homeopathic doctor as suggested. I didn't know what to expect but fully understand that Alamo's options were very limited. I understood the basic principles and although this might not have been my first plan of action, there really was nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sean and I set a time frame and a dollar amount of what we were willing to invest knowing it was a long shot. She was not responding to the medications so it didn't bother me that we would be taking her off of them. Giving pills to Alamo wasn't always the easiest thing either.
Over the past month:
We have tapered Alamo off of the steroids.
We have been giving her some type of supplement that is prescribed. Sometimes we use treats to get her to take them, but sometimes she just eats them.
We have continued with the weekly B12 shot.
We gave her a natural one-time sulfur treatment.
We have switched to a completely RAW diet of rabbit meat. (We buy this from a specialty pet store, although if anyone is interested in starting a rabbit breeding business, please let us know.)
The progress report:
It took a couple of days, but she now eats the rabbit without issue and seems to enjoy it.
Her stool is still large and not always formed, however we are hoping this will get better.
Her coat looks much better. She was getting very straggly before.
She is actually playing a lot more.
She is crying/meowing a lot less which I believe she used to do because she was always so hungry even though she would eat so much when she wasn't being picky and not eating at all.
Although it is really too early to say, the best news is that Alamo, the kitty that reached a 10 pound low just over a month ago, is now 11 pounds, 12 ounces and continues to be gaining weight. This is progress and we have new found hope.
Several months later I noticed Alamo was losing weight. I figured the diet was working. (This does coincide with Chinese pet food scare.) By December I realized that she had lost about 4 pounds which is very significant for a cat and that this wasn't normal. In early 2008 we began seeking vet treatment. She was tested, had an endoscopy and ultrasound and more. Nothing remarkable was found. She had cancer-like symptoms but no cancer. She was diagnosed with inflammation of the bowel. I took this to mean, "We have no idea but it must be bowel related because of the symptoms.) For Alamo, this meant, weight loss, large, I mean really large stools, incessant appetite and she became the pickiest eater I ever met. What she would love one day, she would not touch the next. In fact, many time she wouldn't even finish an entire can of something. We tried every wet food out there. We also began putting her on steroids as prescribed by the vet.
For a long time we stabilized her at 12 pounds but then she began her decline and hit 10 pounds. She still is a lovable cat and doesn't seem to be in pain. Our specialist called and suggested we see a different kind of doctor. Basically the direction was, "We can't help her, she isn't responding to medicine, this is her last chance." I appreciated this although I felt he waited a long time to admit something I had already figured out.
I called the Homeopathic doctor as suggested. I didn't know what to expect but fully understand that Alamo's options were very limited. I understood the basic principles and although this might not have been my first plan of action, there really was nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sean and I set a time frame and a dollar amount of what we were willing to invest knowing it was a long shot. She was not responding to the medications so it didn't bother me that we would be taking her off of them. Giving pills to Alamo wasn't always the easiest thing either.
Over the past month:
We have tapered Alamo off of the steroids.
We have been giving her some type of supplement that is prescribed. Sometimes we use treats to get her to take them, but sometimes she just eats them.
We have continued with the weekly B12 shot.
We gave her a natural one-time sulfur treatment.
We have switched to a completely RAW diet of rabbit meat. (We buy this from a specialty pet store, although if anyone is interested in starting a rabbit breeding business, please let us know.)
The progress report:
It took a couple of days, but she now eats the rabbit without issue and seems to enjoy it.
Her stool is still large and not always formed, however we are hoping this will get better.
Her coat looks much better. She was getting very straggly before.
She is actually playing a lot more.
She is crying/meowing a lot less which I believe she used to do because she was always so hungry even though she would eat so much when she wasn't being picky and not eating at all.
Although it is really too early to say, the best news is that Alamo, the kitty that reached a 10 pound low just over a month ago, is now 11 pounds, 12 ounces and continues to be gaining weight. This is progress and we have new found hope.
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