Friday, June 26, 2009

Week 33 tummy

The boy now feels like he takes up my everywhere.

There isn't a bit of my insides that he isn't pressing up or down or sideways on.

I envision him with his feet firmly planted in my lungs (or maybe his head - I still don't know which way he's situated) and the rest of his body firmly settled into my other organs.

He gets a back itch, and rubs it up against my liver for a good scratch. And when he feels like a little toe tickle, he skibbles his feet along my ribs.

This is my vision of some of the antics in there.

I walk around holding my stomach a lot for moral support. I thank goodness I worked my abs a ton last year. I feel sorry for them getting all stretched and poked.

I feel sorry for me getting all stretched and poked.

The weird thing is, while I'm physically feeling all sorry for myself, I realize more and more that I already just love the shit out of him. I absolutely can't wait to have him, to pick him up and kiss and squeeze and love on him.

And the thing I don't get about this is that I know there's an actual human in there, but it's really impossible to imagine what he's going to be like. And even so, I love him.

So last week I started getting lightheaded a lot, and I had a couple episodes of my heart racing while I was sitting at my desk, doing nothing more strenuous than trying to edit a tedious document.

My OB sent me to a cardiologist, who did these tests that show that my heart is structurally fine. He said this is really common in pregnancy. But just to be sure there isn't something else going on, he had me spend 24 hours wearing these electrodes.

I felt all bionic. And sweaty. And itchy. And I couldn't bathe, as I'd been told no unequivocally - no bathing! These machines are expensive!

If you live in DC, you know last Monday and Tuesday were hot and sweaty. I was gross.

So they stuck all these things on me with what I have to say is very impressive adhesive and then gave me the little monitor to hang on the waist of my pants. I nearly dropped it in the toilet a couple times. I had to start tucking it in my bra while in the bathroom.

They also give you a little diary with all these slots to record every activity and every symptom. Like, if you walk up the stairs and get lightheaded - activity and resultant symptom.

Activities to include: eating, exercise, sex, bowel movements, ingesting caffeine or alcohol. . .

I will tell you, writing all this town and noting the specific time makes you hyperaware of how much snacking you do, the timing of your bowel movements, and how lacking in heart-racing romance your life might be.

What I also discovered, though, is that my lightheadedness happens mostly when I'm sitting or standing. While I'm walking, I'm usually good. And then I stop and get all dizzy.

This is still the case. I've been paying attention.

Dunno.

Anyway, I dropped off their little machine and will hear back next week on what they say. Which I know will be: it's normal. This happens to pregnant woman. It's hormones and the kid.

Everything happens to pregnant women. It's hormones and the kid. Always.

I am telling you, your leg could fall off, and they'd say, "Sure, bring it in for testing. But that happens all the time to pregnant women."

21 comments:

  1. Hey, since he's all up in your stuff, maybe he's squeezing on your aorta just for fun to see if he can make mommy fall down! Seriously,I hope the lightheadedness goes away.

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  2. Ugh, the heart monitors do indeed suck. And also the fact that they never seem to explain anything. But you look great!

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  3. Obviously, there are people far more qualified than I am to address this, but I had a thought:

    Is it possible that he's pushing on your lungs slightly, so it's more of an effort to take a full breath? If you're sitting or standing and focusing on something else, you might not be taking in as much oxygen - which raises your heart rate as your body tries to catch up. This happened all the time when I was having an asthma attack.

    When you're walking, you're more likely to subconsciously breathe more deeply, because your body is used to taking deeper breaths when you're moving around.

    I hope you feel better. :o)

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  4. Yuck! I hope you feel better! And that everything is ok! I think he's just pressing on something when you're sitting... Tell him to stop doing that! :)

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  5. So Lisa I really hope this doesn't sound weird, but every Friday when I'm about to click on your blog in my google reader I'm mentally going "YAY tummy picture day." I'm all kinds of excited for you and Nick...which is only odd because I don't really know you. Anyway I hope that you get through the dizziness (and also that you no longer have to deal with comcast or the post office - personally I hate comcast with the fire of 10,000 suns, but that's just me).

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  6. Cheryl S - Knowing both parents, self-amusement is probably high on his priority list. So you are probably right! Let's see if we can make mama fall down! Whee!

    And thank you. I find it disconcerting, to say the least.

    Fearless - They do, they certainly do! And I've been all, ME? I'm so fit! Are you kidding me with this heart business??

    Dagny - That makes a lot of sense as an explanation. He probably does push, since he realy does take up most of my insides. At least in motion, I would be breathing deeply and would be stretched out for as much lung space as possible.

    Hugs.

    Jules - Thanks! The cardiologist was certain it was just pregnancy, and I totally believe that. I think he's squishing Important Body Parts.

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  7. Megan - That delights me and makes me want to give you an enormous hug, it really does. I keep worrying that I'll bore people with the tummy, but I keep it up because I love having the record of how I looked and what was going on to look back on.

    And we now have FIOS (and I think Direct TV???) and I have no intention of ever having anything to do with Comcast again.

    As for the PO fucks, our councilman's office is involved, and I've sent an email to 7 On Your Side, in case they might be interested in helping.

    We shall see...

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  8. Yikes - I hope you feel better soon! I had to wear a Holter a few years ago and all I remember is when they took the electrodes off, my skin came off with it (I'm allergic to the adhesive in most sticky-on-the-body things but, uh, forgot to mention it to them.) The person removing the electrodes was a student and she just about passed out.
    Happy Friday!

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  9. good to see the bebe and the mommy . . . yeah, the adhesive sucks (as noted above), but it's better to be safe than sorry, i always say. and please *try* to keep both of your legs, as you will need them when the boy starts crawling and toddling, and well, even before then. :)

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  10. God, this blog always makes me feel so much better about my pregnancy. Not in a negative way - you look and sound great. It's just that, for instance, I wonder if I've been the only one being told everything that happens to me is due to pregnancy. I have also been frustrated that my step-mother-in-law has written herself a free pass to say whatever she wants and can do so because any questions I raise are irrelevant because I'm pregnant and hormonal.

    She's never had kids.

    Anyway, this dose of humor always makes me feel better and less alone - thanks for talking about it!

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  11. Hillary - Ohhhh, you just made my flesh crawl. It was hard getting them off, and I cannot even imagine if skin came off with them. Ick ick ick!

    On a positive note, that adhesive is really impressive. We should get some for all the crap we have to fix in our house.

    LJ - I am trying to take it easier, and now it's hot, and for the first time ever, the heat really affects me! And while my legs have never been my favorite feature, they are good and strong and I would really like to keep them.:)

    KLZ - That is so completely unfair. She seriously needs to shut up and stop taking advantage of the situation. Maybe you should make it clear that anything *she* raises is irrelevant precisely because she's never gone through this.

    Oooh, that makes me mad. She really should get a taste of the meanness that hormones can unleash.

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  12. I swore in the last few weeks of pregnancy, it felt like my kids were bracing their feet in the upper part of my chest cavity and pushing down. I was afraid that I would look down and see a baby's head between my legs.

    You look super. You really do.

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  13. The holter monitor! I had to wear one of those earlier this year, but my palpitations were related to my training for bike racing and so I had to go out and do a hard workout to try and make it happen. And then not shower. Ick ick ick!

    It is kinda cool to be hooked up to all the little electrodes, though.

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  14. Okay, I commented first and *then* read the other comments, and now I'm wishing I had written "ew ew ew" seeing as how you used the triple ick above. Not being weird creepy SWF girl, promise!

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  15. Alls I can say is you look wonderful Lisa. That and you need to do a "Put Lisa's Belly Pics in Order" contest. Loads of fun for all. Keep up the good work.

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  16. You are looking absolutely fabulous, Lisa - I'm so excited for you. And totally can't wait to see the little man in all the photos still to come!

    Also - I knew there was a reason (other than wanting to look good in my bikini this summer - 30 is the new 20, right?!) I've been working my abs so much lately...hopefully it'll pay off once I land that awesome guy and can have little ones of my own.

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  17. oh you look so CUTE!!!!

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  18. Oh my GOSH! You're SO PREGNANT. Not that one can be more pregnant than at any other time, but... AH! Yay!

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  19. Looking good, mamma! Sorry you're dealing with the heart stuff, though. That can't be fun, especially in this yeat. But just think, in a few weeks, you'll be at home on maternity leave, out of the heat, and loving life with your little boy. Good times are ahead! (PS, still waiting for mine at 40w1d.... thank GOD for a/c)

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  20. How did the women of generations past deal with this angst without all of the fancy medical gadgetry?

    Not too much longer.

    And consider one more silver lining - at least you really are beautiful and glowing as opposed to the women who get told such things and know that people are lying to them.

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  21. Sorry to laugh at your predicament, but this post made me howl. Leg falling off... I know EXACTLY how you feel! But, yes, that's probably what they're gonna tell you.

    Be well and enjoy the punching and kicking if you can.

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