we're at 8 weeks now, and i'm still feeling good and having almost no nausea. i do feel the fatigue a little bit more, but it hasn't completely slowed me down--so i consider that to be a success!
we had our first appointment with the ob on monday, and justin came with me. it was nice having him there, but still a little odd for him to be at a place where typically, you just don't see many guys :) we didn't have an ultrasound or anything like that, so it was just a basic exam with meetings with the insurance person and talking with a nurse and our doctor. i really like my doctor--i have only met her a couple of times now (my previous one moved to another practice in a nearby town) but she was very reassuring and reviewed all of the "do's and don'ts" without completely scaring me! she takes a "everything is okay in moderation" approach, but did let me know what wasn't allowed at all. we were able to get our questions answered and left that part of the appointment feeling pretty good. i now know what OTC allergy meds i can take (the pollen is getting to me!) and have some tips for making sure my circulation in my legs doesn't become a problem in a job where i sit and drive a lot.
then... it was time for lab work. for the record, i DISLIKE lab work. i've never done well with finger pricks or having blood taken, and i tend to react to the extreme---like getting a fast heart rate or high blood pressure (which is always fun when they check that right after they prick your finger) or passing out. i've gotten to the point where i only pass out when they do the big blood draw, and of course, this was a big one. i warned the nurse that i have the tendency to pass out, but i might be okay. i had brought a snack with me and eaten it a little while ago, so i thought that might help. she let me sit in the lab area and got a vein immediately (that's never been an issue, i have easy veins that you can see in my elbow) and i just closed my eyes and tried to think of something--ANYTHING--else until the pinch of the stick and the weird numbing, tingling feeling on my lower arm was over. it was quick and i leaned back, took a deep sigh of relief and asked for a cup of water before i tried to get up. i had made it!
the nurse walked away to get my water and i did a little self-talk--"you're fine, lauren, you're fine" as the familiar heat began to build up in my neck and face. i can't stand that feeling and i knew as i saw the nurse coming back that i was probably going to pass out. she asked if i was okay as she handed me my water, and i tried to take it, but ended up spilling it all down the front of my shirt and on the floor. "okay," she said, "here we go--let's start leaning you forward a bit."
next thing i know, there are 2 other nurses coming over (including the one that did my temp/blood pressure that i had shared my dislike of blood work with) fanning me with the big sheet of cardboard they keep nearby just for that purpose (i've seen it before, after my last big blood draw) and putting damp towels on my neck and face. they asked for my husband's name so they could get him from the waiting room, and i told them and then started tearing up a little. i don't like creating a scene or feeling like i'm inconveniencing people, and even though i know it's their job (and they've probably dealt with a lot worse), i was feeling just a little ridiculous at this point with my head between my legs, covered with water, surrounded by 3 nurses, my husband having to come back, all over a blood draw that plenty of people are able to do every day without any problem.
justin waited until i was feeling better (which took all of 2 minutes--that's what i don't get, why it's so awful at first and then it's like bam! i'm fine) and i got up and walked out without any problem. a dramatic end to my appointment, but as the one nurse told me, "it's worth it for that beautiful baby you're carrying."
my favorite reaction was justin's, though. he said later that afternoon, "after i saw that you spilled your water, i thought it might be funny to say, 'what? her water broke already? i didn't think that was supposed to happen yet!' but then i thought you and the nurses might not agree."
good call, hon. good call.
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