More doctors...

14w4d

Back to the doctor AGAIN today...

Good thing is I have no crazy diseases that could explain my liver issues (Epstein Barr is pending but unlikely based on my symptoms).  Also, my liver levels were about 30% lower on Friday than they had been on Wednesday.  Sort of bad news is they have no clue why...Yes, my liver has a little bit of fat on it, but nothing to worry about and nothing to explain the levels being so high.  They're sending me to a specialist (ANOTHER doctor!) just to make sure they aren't missing something and to monitor me throughout so that if it gets worse, they can jump on it right away.

The baby's heartbeat is still going strong and I'm finally feeling relaxed about the fact they'll be able to find it each time we're there (this confidence comes from the fact that we just heard and saw the baby on Friday I'm sure, but it's a start).  Great news is that the initial findings of the NT screening are in and excellent.  Based on my age alone, the chances of us having a baby with down syndrome is 1 in 140.  The screening brings that number to 1 in 2700.  The other chromosomal issue went from 1 in 150 to 1 in 10,000.  I go for another blood test next week and they'll put the data together to make a final number but it looks great so far so we're relived about that.  With the next test, they can say that it's about 90-95% accurate, so there's still a chance that there could be a problem, but not enough that I think it's worth doing amniocentesis.

So we left the doctor's office full of joy...the sun was shining, it was warm and we took the top off the jeep and went for lunch.  We discussed lots of practical things at lunch - mostly day care ( a topic that makes me more anxious than anything else, including childbirth).  There is NO WAY we can afford for me stay home.  And I mean it.  People keep saying "Oh, just you wait til you have that baby in your arms, you'll change your mind..."  It's not a matter of changing my mind.  I will not choose to be homeless and that's what we'd be if I stopped working.  That is the one thing that sometimes I don't think people get.  They think that if we sacrifice, we could do it.  NO.  We really couldn't.  Or they think that with the cost of day care, it'll balance out.  Um...no.  Even with daycare, I'll still bring home over $50,000 that we NEED to LIVE and EAT.  Anyway, we know we'll figure it out, but it's scary thinking that we'll be paying a stranger a lot of money to take care of this baby we've been waiting so long for.  I don't like the idea, but we don't have a choice.  Could we move back home to Buffalo where housing is 1/3 of what it is here?  Yes...it's an option.  But there are NO JOBS there, so we would likely be in the same boat.

Then we went grocery shopping and I, of course, have to pee the minute we walk into the store.  Didn't I pee at the restaurant you might ask?  Yes, I did.  And, yes, it was literally 7 minutes earlier.  Welcome to my world.  (Those of you who know me in real life know that this isn't so unlike non-pregnant me) 

So I come back from peeing and Russ is talking to this lady who is pushing the stroller we want - the Baby Jogger City Mini.  He is enthralled in conversation with her about all aspects of the stroller.  This is a quality in him that I LOVE. He is genuinely interested in this purchase and knows all of the questions to ask.  I started to ask questions (Is the handle high enough?  Did you get the car seat attachment?  Did you use it when the baby was an infant?)  He had already asked ALL of our questions!!  He knew the questions to ask and had it all covered.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE HIM?  Then, we're checking out and he thinks of another question, so he leaves me in line and stalks her until he finds her again to ask.  He is very into the whole shopping aspect of this baby thing and I am not complaining at all.  He rocks.

I need to tell you about my maternity jeans issues, but I'm too sleepy.  Basically Old Navy rocks and allowed me to return jeans that I had worn because they stretched out so much, they practically fell off.  So I get the smaller size and now I feel like a sausage in them.  I guess I'm in between sizes which sucks...But at least they'll take stuff back.  Motherhood is final sale, exchange within 10 days only.  Got some great pants there though... More on shopping another time...so...sleepy...