Are you jealous of my lovely feet? My footwear options at this point are extremely limited. Some of my flip-flops don't even fit! Yes, I'm finally in the very last weeks of pregnancy, and I think I am more ready than most to get the show on the road. This week has been especially tough. The swelling is making me nearly unrecognizable. And it is so very painful. So here's the scoop......At my last OB appointment this past Friday, my doctor was quite concerned about my rapid weight gain within a short period of time. It was very alarming to me as well since my appetite has decreased quite a bit, and I can rarely even eat a regular sized meal. I questioned her about how that could happen. .........and then I remembered my cankles. (calf/ankle) I have been swelling since about 20 weeks, but it has steadily been increasing to where now I swell in my hands (with pregnancy induced carpal tunnel), my toes, feet, calves, knees, and even up to my thighs. My legs are so scary. Oh, and this week, the swelling is showing up in my face.
I remember all of my prayers over the past four years as I so desperately wanted to become pregnant, and I guess God just wanted me to experience the full spectrum of pregnancy! I am still so thankful and praise Him everyday for this wonderful gift, but I sure could use a little relief.
Back to the doctor's report.....so after she (Dr. Speight) looked over my chart, she asked that I come back in one week rather than two, and asked that I start taking my blood pressure every day. My blood pressure was still about 120/80 or so at my appt, but with all of the swelling, she felt it might become a problem. She estimated I had about 10 pounds of fluid in my legs alone, so she wanted to start checking for further signs of preeclampsia. She also ordered a test to determine if I had increasing levels of protein in my urine (another sign of preeclampsia).
So, to make a long story longer, I did the test and began monitoring my blood pressure. The swelling has only gotten worse. And my blood pressure is OK at times and not OK others. So, I called the doctor again yesterday, and I have now been put on bedrest. (oh, and by the way, I was able to test out of my last real estate class (see last post) so I'm able to stay home) This morning it was 144/96 at 9:00 am. The protein test came back with increasing levels of protein as well, so that was further proof of a problem. Dr. Speight ordered a sonogram for tomorrow to check the weight and health of the baby due to my health possibly becoming compromised. For those of you that may not know what preeclampsia is, here is a quick definition......
"Preeclampsia: A condition in pregnancy characterized by abrupt hypertension (a sharp rise in blood pressure), albuminuria (leakage of large amounts of the protein albumin into the urine) and edema (swelling) of the hands, feet, and face. Preeclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy. It affects about 5% of pregnancies. It occurs in the third trimester (the last third) of pregnancy. Preeclampsia occurs most frequently in first pregnancies."
My doctor has not said that I have preeclampsia yet, but the signs and symptoms are certainly present. In addition to my sonogram tomorrow, I also have another OB appointment, so we will know more then.
Please pray for:
-Austin's health as well as mine
-that Austin is healthy enough to possibly deliver early to avoid further complications with my health
-that I won't go crazy on bedrest thinking of all the things I still need to do
-that Ernest isn't too stressed with all he has going on at work, with me, and with his sister, Daphne. (please keep her in your prayers as well)
We will definitely keep you all updated. We thank you in advance for your prayers!
With love,
Taryn & Ernest
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