It’s been a long month
My apologies for going a whole month between posts…I was on a roll for a while writing regularly, but the past month has kind of beaten it out of me. I had the plague (or so I thought) for several weeks. It turned out that the “virus” that was treated with antiobiotics and a whole lot of nothing is in fact silent reflux. Why would I suddenly develop silent reflux out of nowhere? Because I’m pregnant! Which is a great thing. But the reflux is not…it’s resulted in a cough that leads me to gag/puke, awful post nasal drip and congestion, a singing voice that is inconsistent from all the ick happening, and an inability to eat or change position (sitting to standing, etc.) without coughing. What I thought was the plague has led me to a walk in clinic, a GP when we were away on vacation, my GP, and finally after a coughing fit that left me unable to breathe, an ENT and pulmonologist. What have I learned through all this? No offense to the medical profession, but the internet has been more helpful than any one of these doctors in helping me figure out what’s going on. For the first three weeks, each doctor told me that my choking, gagging cough was just a virus, and I had to ride it out. So I did…with tea and honey, and lots of fluids, and chicken soup, and a humidifier and sleeping on three pillows, and….nothing. After one of the choking fits that numerous doctors assured me was normal, I saw an ENT, who told me I had reflux and some allergy issues, and recommended I see a pulmonologist for the breathing issues. I saw the pulmonologist, who administered Albuterol, which sent me into yet another awful laryngeal spasm. This doctor recommended allergy/asthma meds. So now I’m on an OTC antacid and Singulair. I’m a bit freaked out, as I took nothing in my pregnancy with Ellie. I actually don’t think I need the asthma medicine, because these attacks are happening when I eat or change position, and can be curbed with drinking water, so clearly the issue is reflux. So now, I have to make my diet as bland as possible, take an antacid, sleep on a wedge pillow to raise me up so I don’t reflux at night, and I use a neti-pot to deal with whatever congestion happens. So…while I am really excited about having another child, this pregnancy is not much fun thus far. This kid better be cute!
Speaking of not much fun…Republican primaries. I mean, they’re fun if you like watching a clusterfuck circus of Christian white guys all try to out Christian-right each other. But as you know, that’s never been my thing. So I can’t even stomach the debates. If I have to hear Newt Gingrich make another racially tinged comment about food stamps, I’m going to break my hand attempting to punch him in his saggy jowls through my television set. The only highlight of the whole season is watching the coverage on MSNBC…I do loves me some Rachel Maddow, after all. And Obama’s State of the Union address almost made up for all the ignorant blather of the Republican debates. Good lord, I do love that Barack Obama, and his enormous brain that’s full of rational thoughts.
On the other hand, speaking of fun…Ellie is the funniest, cutest thing on the planet. She NEVER stops talking, and has an obsession with her Thomas the Tank Engine toy. She takes Thomas everywhere, and has a running monologue going with him all day long. It’s hilarious. She speaks in full sentences (and usually with correct grammar, which does my heart good), and makes up little songs. Yesterday, she sang something, and told me it was Florence and the Machine…and it actually sounded like Florence. This kid is awesome. When I feel frustrated about how crappy I feel during this pregnancy, I look at Ellie, and it helps to remind me that this ick is temporary, and good things lie ahead.
And so…it’s been a long month. I promise to try and do a better job of posting, and hopefully this reflux will dissipate as I go into the 2nd trimester. And if not…well, I guess I will be eating a lot of Cheerios this pregnancy, since that’s about the only thing that doesn’t make me reflux. Sigh…I miss pizza.
