Thursday, July 26, 2012

28 Weeks

July 26, 2012


Pregnancy Stats:

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Size of baby: 2 1/4 lbs, 14. 8 inches long, size of a Chinese cabbage

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds so far, as of 2 weeks ago, definately more by now.  I go to the doctor next week, so we shall see!  I hear you are supposed to put on a pound a week from this point out and that the baby doubles in size in a month...yikes!

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!

Movement:  She has been so active this week, its crazy!  As she has gotten bigger I can definately tell that her little arms and legs are all over my belly.  I think she is having a dance party in there!  I wish I could see in side there at times when she is so active.  Feeling her move never gets old.  Definately the best part about being pregnant is feeling this little girl go crazy in there!

Sleep: I sleep ok. Wake up a few times and I still have to get up to go to the bathroom at least once, sometimes three times a night. But I am exhausted!!! Work is wearing me out. I so look forward to the weekends when I can semi-sleep in.

What I miss: A good nights sleep, running & enjoying coffee in the morning, dang coffee aversion. I still can't even stand the smell of it right now.

Cravings: Chocolate and more chocolate.

Symptoms:  Horrible neck pain (thank you work chair), back pain, a touch of sciatica, braxton hicks contractions, and I still get mild pressure feelings when I exercise and the occassional heart burn,you know, the usual "pregnancy pains." but I can't really complain about anything major right now. Praise God for that!

Maternity Clothes: I need some....desperately!!!

Best Moment this week: The baby furniture finally came in and we spent our friday night putting it together Andrew put it together Friday night while I watched.  I cannot wait to put the rest of the nursery together!!! 

My doctor said my blood sugars look "beautiful."  Soooo I only have to check a fasting blood sugar once a week!  Thank goodness! 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

There's a first time for everything...


Yesterday we got home from work and Andrew was being the awesome husband that he is and cooking me dinner.  I took the dogs out and then gave them their carrots.  Yes, my dogs LOVE baby carrots and we give them to them after they go outside.  If we forget, Macy sits in the kitchen and just waits until we realize that we have forgotten to give her her precious treat and finally give her one.  Shes not spoiled at all!


Well...yesterday, after I gave all three dogs carrots, I was sitting at the table.  Jaxon comes over to me and looks at me with this look in his eyes like he is scared out of his mind.  His pupils were huge and he was shaking a little and seemed like he was having a hard time standing up.  I immediately picked him up and realized something was WRONG.  Jaxon is the happiest little dog ever and he was acting really weird.  I gave him to Andrew, but he still had this horribly terrified look on his face.  This poor little dog was soooo scared.  We realized he couldn't breathe or wasn't moving much air at all.  Andrew tried to do the heimlich a few times, then I did it three times and also did the "back thrust" that they teach us in Pediatric Advanced Life  Support (PALS).  Never thought I would use that on my dog, that's for sure, but I just knew he must have choked on that carrot or something.  It never "dislodged" or came up though.  I then handed him to andrew, got my keys and was about to take him to the Animal Emergency Center down the street, when he finally started to come around.  And I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I got my pediatric stethoscope out and listened to his heart and lungs to make sure he had good air movement.  It seemed like forever to get him to come around, but it was probably only a matter of 5 minutes or so.  He eventually started to wag his tail and act like his happy self.  The terrified look in his eyes went away and he went back to being our happy little black dog.  And I may or may not have woken up a few times in the middle of the night to make sure he was still breathing...I'd also be lying if I didn't tell you that I plan on keeping a close eye on him to make sure he doesn't get aspiration pneumonia...oh the joys of knowing more than I should... 


Needless to say, there is a first time for everything!  Thank you God that our dog is doing fine now and seems to act like nothing ever happened.  And I know many of you may think I am crazy, and that's ok, but I just love our little family so much and those dogs mean the world to us.  And yes I know, or so I have been told, our little world is about to change, and I welcome it with wide open arms :)

Thursday, July 19, 2012

4 years!

Today is Andrew and I's four year wedding anniversary! I can't believe it has been four years! In ways it seems like we have been married forever and in others it seems like it was just yesterday. I can't imagine my life without this man and I feel so very blessed to be where we are today. It sure has been one crazy adventure, one that I could not imagine without him by my side. 

Together we have survived medical school, residency, new jobs, selling a house, buying a house, moving away from family, struggles with starting a family, training and running a marathon ...I could go on and on. 

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.  ~Martin Luther


For you see, each day I love you more. Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
~Rosemonde Gerard

It's truly been some of the best years of my life and I get emotional just thinking about how great the next 100 years are going to be.  I am still having a hard time grasping the fact that in 3 short months we will be welcoming our little girl into this world!  My, oh my, is our life about to change.  This little girl is truly a miracle from up above and I thank God everyday for this amazing blessing.  I never thought this day would come and now its so close I just can't believe it. 

Something that always stood out to me before Andrew and I got married, was something a dear friend said to me.  She said something like this, "If in 10 years, when you have children, you see Andrew as being their father, someone who is not only a great guy for you, but someone who will also be an amazing dad, then he's the one."  And she was right :)  I can't imagine a better, more perfect, and compatible life partner for me than him, nor do I think anyone else could put up with me quite like he does.  And to say he is going to be a great father is an understatement.  I am so very lucky to be married to someone who I know loves me no matter what and always will.  These four years have been incredible, but I know the best is still yet to come. 


Andrew - Thank you for loving me unconditionally, for scratching my back every single night, for putting up with my stubborness and moodiness, and for being the best husband & very soon to be dad ever!  I love you to the moon and back and am looking forward to many many many more anniversaries to come!


27 Weeks

July 19, 2012


Pregnancy Stats:

Hello Third Trimester!

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of baby: Head of cauliflower, around 16 inches long and weighs about 2.5 pounds

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds so far, as of a week ago, but feels like sooo much more.  Definately starting to feel it.

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!
Movement: She's been pretty calm this week.  Seems to move more when I am not doing a lot.  And of course she always moves to the sound of her daddy's voice.

Sleep: I sleep ok.  I wake up a few times and I still have to get up to go to the bathroom at least once, sometimes three times a night.  But I am exhausted!!!  Work is wearing me out.  I so look forward to the weekends when I can semi-sleep in.

What I miss: Running & enjoying coffee in the morning, dang coffee aversion.  I can't even stand the smell of it right now.

Cravings: Chocolate and Ice Cream, too bad I have to watch what I eat and check my blood sugar four times a day because I didn't really pass the glucose screen.

Symptoms: I have some pain from stretching probably.  And I still get mild pressure feelings when I exercise and the occassional heart burn, but I can't really complain about anything right now. Praise God for that!
Maternity Clothes: I need some....desperately!!!

Best Moment this week: Entering the third trimester, because it means we are getting closer to meeting this precious little baby.  Today is also Andrew and I's 4th wedding anniversary!  Pretty amazing to see what is about to be in store for us.

So I totally did not pass my glucose screen.  I failed it...miserably.  I convinced my doctor to let me monitor my sugars for a week before having to do the 3 hour glucose test.  So far, so good....I think.

Monday, July 16, 2012

My very first patient

I finally got to start seeing patients a week after starting my new job!  I was thrilled!  It's crazy how much you miss something when you haven't done it in a while.  I guess the old saying is true...
courtesy of www.littlelawsprints.com
I love seeing kids.  I love talking with them.  I love interacting with them.  I love educating them.  And I love cuddling with the little babies.  But there is something very scary about seeing my very own patient for the very first time.  I'm it!  I am THE doctor.  THE only doctor.  There is no one else that will follow in behind me or look over this chart.  Will I remember what to do? 

My very first patient was an adolescent kid with a foot injury...Yikes.  Foot injury, what do I do with that?  I can't ask my attending...I am THE attending.  I can't call up the ortho residents and ask their opinion.  I can't call my ER friends and ask them, they would think I am crazy.  And I can't call up the radiology residents and have them view the xray right away.  Oh the blessings of residency...It DOES have its pros!  It's funny how all the pros of residency come out AFTER its over ;)

As I take a deep breath and talk myself into getting up out of my chair and going into the room, it all comes back to me.  I know what to do!  And I did, thanks in part to the amazing people that trained me, not just my pediatric attendings and fellow residents, but also the ER attendings and residents, the radiology residents, etc. and the nurses that helped mold me into the kind of pediatrician I am today. 

It's a funny thing, residency that is.  When I was going through my intern year, I am sure the thought crossed my mind as to why I had to rotate through the different specialities when all I wanted to do was become a pediatrician.  But it is times like now, when I appreciate that training so very much.  I was truly trained by some of the very best doctors (& nurses) around!  I talk about how great my pediatric attendings are all the time, but the same goes for all the other specialities that make up OSU.  The ER doctors are the very best and I catch myself remembering the knowledge that some of the ER attendings and residents instilled upon me time and time again.  The radiology residents...fantastic!  I just can't say enough about some of the doctors that I was so very fortunate to come in contact with and allow them to teach me.  What I would give to spend a day with a few of them now! 

My first day of seeing patients went very smoothly, minus the EMR system hating me of course.  I found that once I relaxed and did what I was trained to do for all these years, it all came back to me.  It sure is a great feeling to know that all that training is paying off.  I know I say this all the time, but I am so very very blessed to be where I am and I will never take for granted the amazing people who helped get me to this very moment. 

And in case you are wondering, my first patient is fine.  Just a sprained ankle :)  And I know I will never forget his name.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

New Job - My first day as a "real" pediatrician

July 2nd was my first day of my new job as a "real" pediatrician.  I have been in school or training for so long now, that it was so weird to be actually starting my real life job.  I can't believe I am actually a board certified pediatrician.  I never thought I would see this day.  At the time, medical school and then residency, seemed like it lasted forever and now it is all over and I am on my own.  For the first time in my life I don't have an attending to look over everything I do and assure me that what I am doing is right or tell me I am wrong.  It's a little scary and kind of intimidating...not gonna lie.  I have a really hard time with change, and boy do we have some changes going on in our life right now.  I feel extremely blessed for all the changes, don't get me wrong, but it sure makes for a very overwhelming experience to say the least.  

Thankfully, I was trained by what I feel are some of the best of the best pediatricians around.  I feel so fortunate to have developed the kind of relationships I did with some of my attendings, a relationship where I know if I ever needed anything, they are only a phone call away. 

Back to the first day...I hate first days.  I hate not knowing the people I am working with.  I am so lucky that I not only get to work with my husband, but I also get to work with one of my best friends, who is the other pediatrician at the clinic.


My first day started with my husband trying to orient me as much as he could, thank God for him or I don't know what I would have done.  I tried to somewhat put my new office together!  I will say that is a big perk...having my own office :)  It's fun trying to figure out how to personalize it just for me. 

I then shadowed another one of the docs to try to familiarize myself with the EMR in the morning and had a 4 hr tutorial in EMR in the afternoon.  It was a long day!  And kinda boring, considering I HATE EMR.  And really, who learns EMR from someone just going through it with you.  I know I don't!  I have to actually go through it with a real patient.  We will see how that goes!

I am very thankful that everyone that works here seems very nice and very willing to help me in anyway they can.  And I am so very blessed to have this job and to be able to work in the same building as my husband.  All-in-all I am so glad the dreaded first day is over and I am so ready to fast forward a few weeks to where I feel comfortable with this new adventure.  Stay tuned!

26 Weeks

July 12, 2012



Pregnancy Stats:

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Size of baby: Size of a cucumber, around 15 inches and 2.2 lbs

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds so far, feels like sooo much more.
Gender: It's a GIRL!!!
Movement: She moves a lot after I eat and she seems to love her daddy's voice because she always moves if he talks to her.

Sleep: It's hit or miss...I fall asleep ok, because I am so tired from getting up early from working, but occassionally I will have nights where I wake up every hour. 

What I miss: Running & enjoying coffee in the morning, dang coffee aversion.
Cravings: Chocolate and Ice Cream, whats new though.  I don't really call it a pregnancy craving, because I craved that before.  But my baby likes them too :)

Symptoms:  I have some mild pressure feelings when I exercise and the occassional heart burn, but I can't really complain about anything right now. Praise God for that!
Maternity Clothes: My pants definitely don't fit anymore. I can't even come close to ziping them up, let alone buttoning them because of how low she is, but I bought a belly band the other day and it has been a life saver, so I bought anohter one the other day!  I have a feeling I am going to have to go shopping again real soon....darn!

Best Moment this week: Seeing our baby again and getting a good picture of her cute little face in 4D. 

I had my glucose test yesterday.  Praying that I passed it.  They say not to fast beforehand, but I sure did!  I do not want to do that 3 hour test!!  Everything looked great with baby girl, praise God for that!  We go back again in three weeks!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

25 Weeks

July 5, 2012



Pregnancy Stats:

How Far Along: 25 weeks

Size of baby: Size of an eggplant, around 9.2 inches and 2 lbs

Total Weight Gain: 7 pounds...as of three weeks ago, definitely more now, this baby is a growing and I sure can feel it!

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!

Movement:  She has been moving around like crazy the past few days!  It is the craziest feeling.  She kicks so hard at times it hurts and other times I think she's having the time of her life in there.  I also think she had the hiccups today for this first time.  I felt a thump...thump...thump...thump...thump...
Sleep: I fall asleep ok, because I am so tired from getting up early from working, but I wake up earlier than I need to because alarms are going off and then I can't go back to sleep.  It's a bummer.

What I miss:  Running & enjoying coffee in the morning

Cravings: Anything sweet...mmm ice cream & brownies, I think my baby likes brownies too.
Symptoms: I can't really complain about anything right now.  Praise God for that!

Maternity Clothes: My pants definitely don't fit anymore.  I can't even come close to buttoning them because of how low she is, but I bought a belly band the other day and it has been a life saver!  Should have invested in that a long time ago, thats for sure!

Best Moment this week: Having my husband working at the same place with me!  I couldn't imagine this transition without him there.

I have to do the glucose test next week...Not gonna lie, I am a little nervous about it...Pretty sure I am going to fail with all the sweets I have been eating.  Think good thoughts pretty please...