May 13, 2002
5/13
We went for our weekly midwife appointment today. Everything seems to be okay. I'm 39 weeks. Almost 40 weeks. For those of you who aren't absolutely facinated by everything pregnancy related (for shame!) 40 weeks is "full gestation". 38 weeks is medically full-term. Anyway, she's concerned about my weight gain. The truth is though, and I think this made her feel better about it, with Joseph, I gave birth at 36 weeks (3 weeks ago for this pregnancy), and yet was about 10 pounds heavier. I'm also swollen in my ankles and feet, but it's worse in my right side. She thinks that it's from blocked circulation, 'cause the baby seems to be getting really big. But that it's nothing to worry about, since my blood pressure isn't moving up (or down for that matter). She won't recommend anything to make labor come on for about another 2 weeks. I wasn't too thrilled about that. She thinks I'll be about one more week. Jay thinks that I'll have the baby Wednesday night. I think I'll be overdue. My friend Amy thinks I'll go on Friday. Too bad there's no money riding on this little pool we've got going on.The midwife gave me some foods that will help with the swelling, all stuff that I can palate. That's no problem, just have to pick it up on the next shopping trip. She also said to walk. That's not really an option here. One, I just don't feel like it. Beyond that though, we don't have sidewalks on my street. You have to be very careful, 'cause it's so busy, and I'm not exactly in a position of fast moving out of the way. Plus, I should take Joseph, in his stroller, and I don't feel safe doing that here. They are installing sidewalks, now it turns out, but I'll have had the baby by then. She also said that if I could find a pool, and dunk up to my neck and sit there, that would help with the swelling. I don't really understand how it works, but somehow, it displaces the water in your body, and the swelling fluid goes back into your system. She said that I'll probably feel like peeing a lot afterward, and that's the fluid from the swelling. We only know one person with a pool, and that's my friend Amy. I felt awful to just sort of invite myself over, but Jay really wanted me two. His motives aren't all that altruistic though :). He's off tomorrow night, and I'm sure he wants to see Dana, Amy's boyfriend. So, I called, and she said to come on over tomorrow. My mom will watch Joseph, since my mom says that Jay and I should be alone every once in a while. In addition to that though, she said to just come whenever I want to, that they never lock the gates, and feel free to use the pool. They have a dog, but Toby isn't exactly the ummm, watchdog type. The only thing is, it takes about a 1/2 hour to get there. We'll see. We're going tomorrow afternoon though, we know that. It will be truly lovely. We're currently in a heatwave. I mean a serious heatwave. right now there are some serious brushfires, with evacuated homes, etc. 'cause of our current heatwave. It makes me feel almost sick, and the swelling gets A LOT worse. We don't have central air, but we have a couple of ceiling fans, and two window a/c's. But it's so hot that the a/c's are pumping out warm air (and they are in working condition). So getting into a pool will be so nice. And Dana always keeps his pool all nice and pretty and stuff. And I always feel welcome there. It'll be nice.
You would think that I would be able to stay on one topic in a given paragraph. Anyway, I apologize for the insignificant babble. I'm trying to get back into this updating regularly thing... I don't have much to talk about, since I do stay home, and we don't have a huge social life. So when something happens, such as a heatwave or doctor's appointment, it's news for my journal. I realized something when I was doing the redesign to pare down for the server. I didn't really read my archives, but I glanced at a line or two. I found out that this was a venting lifeline when Joseph was first born. I don't want to lose that. So, I've joined some collaborations, and connected to some writing prompt links, so that maybe I'll actually have something to write about. Both for your sanity and mine.
