Once I FINALLY accepted the fact that I was pregnant (I took 5 at home pregnancy tests) and shared the news with my husband, there was a small piece of me that remained dubious that there was in fact a little person growing inside of me. I remember a conversation I had with my sister where I said " I guess I won't believe it until I get morning sickness" HA! More foolish words have never been uttered. My sister gasped and said "No! You don't want that."
Well, a day after our trip back from Napa Valley, where we celebrated our fifth anniversary, it (morning sickness) arrived with a vengeance. I became a strong, devout believer after having to call in sick at work because I was over the toilet dry heaving after losing what seemed like a months worth of meals.
It never let up. One week later I was in the waiting room of my gynecologist's clinic when I had to ask for a bucket because all the restrooms where either inconveniently occupied or too far away where I knew I wouldn't make it. I was pale, dizzy, dehydrated and worried. My Doctor made a Wonder Woman type call to the hospital where they were instructed to prepare a room for me where I could enjoy my IV. The diagnoses was hypermesis gravidarum. Definition per Wikipedia:
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of morning sickness, with "unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids."[1] Hyperemesis is considered a rare complication of pregnancy but, because nausea and vomiting during pregnancy exist on a continuum, there is often not a good diagnosis between common morning sickness and hyperemesis. Estimates of the percentage of pregnant women afflicted range from 0.3% to 2.0%
Sounds like fun, right? I can't tell you the amount of discomfort, confusion and frustration that seemed to overwhelm me in those first 4 months. I was forced to take a month off work-December. It was a sad little Christmas with minimum decorations and minimal giving. Even though I was still sick I returned to work in January. It was funny because no one knew why I was unable to work but they soon figured it out once they noticed my ever growing baby bump.
In March, I was feeling my best. Most people say that your second trimester is the easiest. Well, it was short lived. I then began getting discomfort on my tail bone caused by too much pressure due to my "generous sized" baby. It was obvious I was HUGE. By April I couldn't sit stand or lie down without feeling pain and the discomfort grew with time. My feet began to swell, she began to kick, and kick and kick to the point of bruising her mommy, she was VERY active and I sometimes, pretty often actually, would lose my ability to breathe in deeply. I left work a month before scheduled because of my size and the discomfort it brought on. By May I lost my appetite, the ability to sleep and my patience. I was an emotional wreck. Yes, I cried at the most emotionally unchallenging things and no one had better bring that to my attention.
I remember one morning in mid June when I went to Payless Shoe Source to buy flip flops that would fit my gargantuan sponge like feet. The store clerk ringing me up curiously and almost in a disgusted tone asked when my due date was. I glared at her and managed to chime "today, actually." Man, oh, man did her eyes imitate that of a startled owl. It was obvious she believed me because I was as big as an over fed retired show porpoise. I was in fact due July first. You think I didn't feel like I was ready to pop? I never took back what I said and instead wore my new flip flops out as I exaggerated my over due pregnant woman waddle.
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