Pieces Of The Puzzle: June 2016

It has been months since my last post. Life got so busy. But, in the last couple of months especially. Joey and I have been putting off this announcement for weeks. Partially because we are exhausted and partially because we are honestly just not sure what the future holds. I think it is time for us to finally let everyone in on what has been going on though.

In early May we found out we are expecting another little miracle baby! Our hearts are so full of joy and excitement! ... but also there is this lingering nervousness. Our past has been rough. The hardest part in pregnancy with me is dealing with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. A debilitating disease that quite simply takes away the joy of what pregnancy should be. I want to take this time to shed some light on this illness because there just is not enough awareness out there and I really want to be real about what has been going on with us.

HG is not just morning sickness. It is so much worse. It can't be cured with crackers, ginger, or small frequent meals. It is the constant feeling of nausea and uncontrollable vomiting all day and everyday. It is the feeling of your body rejecting any kind of food or hydration. It is relentless. HG is unpredictable. It can begin at anytime and leave at anytime. It could be gone for the rest of pregnancy or come back at any moment. The women who are enduring this illness are literally fighting for their lives and the life of their unborn child.

So, what has HG been like for me this pregnancy?

My HG started early this time at 5 weeks and I quickly had my first ER visit to get fluids for being dehydrated. I had 2 more ER visits shortly after which were awful experiences. My OB agreed to let me start going straight to L&D for fluids which was a much better experience. I went there a total of 3 times as well. The last time I went they blew two veins and were running out of places to give me an IV which was horrible. They decided to put a PICC line in and hooked me up to a zofran pump. The PICC allows me to give myself fluids at home which has helped a ton and now I don't have to get a new IV every couple days for fluids. I've also been on steroids which helps me be able to eat a bit. I still can't tolerate water, but have been able to keep a few select drinks down like capri sun or Sonic slushies.

Now, for those that know me... I am not a medication person. I hate it. However, HG has made it absolutely impossible to take any of my normal supplements that I intended on using while pregnant. I can't even take medication orally. I struggle with the prednisone and it is liquid. There are very few times I will turn to medicine. This is definitely one of those times. My body rejects everything good I put into it. It is possibly the most frustrating thing to experience during pregnancy. But, without the medicine my body would put myself and my baby at just as much if not more risk. Hopefully with time I will be able to wean off of medicine and be normal. However, the chances of HG returning with a vengeance are strong.

It has been really rough. I've basically been in bed since I was 5 weeks and I'm 11 weeks now. Just trying to take it one day at a time and thank God for the gift he has given us. I just wish I could enjoy it a little more.

I want to share some photos of our HG journey thus far. I'm not looking for a pity party here. But, I need to be honest and realistic about this. HG is serious and debilitating. While we are overjoyed about our little one, we are in survival mode. It has definitely been an experience. Trusting in God throughout everything and praying this little miracle inside me stays healthy even though I am struggling so much. <3