An Update on My Health

Today, it has been 10 days since my car accident. I thought I'd give an update on how I am doing. Surprisingly, I thought I'd feel much better by now. This past weekend (Easter weekend) was very difficult for me. I went to two church services (midnight and 11am), waffle house with the hubs after midnight mass, and I also went to lunch and an Easter egg hung with my mom's family. I wanted to have more fun, but I think I was more of a cranky by-stander than anything. Many apologies to my family and friends for that. The kids had great fun, and I'm so thankful for that.

When I got home yesterday, Dale sent me straight to my room to lay down. I wanted to cry with every step I took. I'm still in lots of pain. I honestly don't feel any better than the day the car accident happened, unfortunately.

I laid in bed for a while last night, trying to fall asleep, and started to struggle with some contractions. Thankfully, they were irregular. But they were very uncomfortable and there were way too many. I started to get nervous. I drank a couple of glasses of water and laid down. They continued. I ate a Popsicle. I don't know why I thought this would help, but I wanted it to help because I really wanted a Popsicle. Unfortunately, the contractions continued. I kept telling Dale, "My uterus is very angry."   I wanted to try to drink a glass of wine to stop the contractions, but could not because of the pain killers that I am taking. So, I tried to take a bath. I really didn't want a bath. I was really tired and wanted to be dry in my comfortable bed. But I needed these contractions to stop. The bath didn't really show any immediate results.

So, my problem solving skills went to work even harder. I started thinking: when you go to the hospital, they give you magnesium sulfate to stop contractions sometimes. Once upon a time they gave you terbutaline (some places still do, even though this is currently a controversial drug to give for this). Anyhow, both of those things cause muscles to relax. Dr's used to prescribe IBprohpen (but it's also linked to miscarriage so this is controversial as well). The basic idea is that inflammation is associated with pre-term labor. The wheels continued to turn. Well, I was given magnesium sulfate in labor once due to my high blood pressure. Another mild supplement my midwife suggested I take to prevent high blood pressure is this stuff called "Calm." My chiropractor also suggested a similar product for my migraines. So I have this magnesium powder stuff sitting around my house that is an "anti-stress" drink, and seems to be pretty multi-functional. It's good at preventing migraines, good at preventing high blood pressure, and after some googling on Dale's and my behalf, we learned that it is also good to calm an irritable uterus. So, what the heck. I gave it a go. I drank it as fast as I could. And I guess it worked pretty well, because I finally fell asleep after about 4 hours of struggling.

This morning, I still have some tightening in my belly, but it's not painful like it was last night. I have definitely learned a lesson and I am now submitting myself to the rest that I know I should be doing. I am only 25 weeks, and still have a ways to go. Dale is taking this week off of work (something I'm sure he wanted to do last week to help, but it was Holy week). We have many plans to piddle in the yard, cookout, spend lots of time in the sunshine, and pretty much just "Stay-cation" this week. I'm going to finally call today to make a doctor's appointment. I also want to see about going to visit my chiropractor (it has been WAY too long since I have seen him). Most of all, I'm going to rest. I had many plans to tackle some projects around the week while Dale is home, but those are just going to have to wait. Last night pretty much scared the socks off of me, and I was two seconds away from going in to L&D to get a dose of meds to stop pre-term labor.

As a mom, it often feels like we don't have time to be sick. It's the cruelest thing in the world for a mom to be out of commission. But sometimes we are. Sometimes we are sick or hurt, and we have to take a break. I'm normally the "tough it out" kind of person. Most of the time, I just try to ignore my aches and pains and go on with life. That's pretty much how I survive motherhood. But there are times in life that require rest and healing, when toughing it out makes things worse. I think I had forgotten that this past weekend. I was trying so hard to just "be better" even though I did not feel better. Just because I wanted to "be better" doesn't mean that I am. This is going to be a struggle for me, to sit and wait, and slowly let my body heal from this. Totally no fun. Especially when the weather has been so awesome. But I guess I'm gonna have to do it.

So, if you want to see me. You are welcome to come to my house. You will probably find me either bedging out on the couch or laying on a blanket in our front yard soaking up the vitamin D. But it looks like I'm not going anywhere for a little while....