How hard could it be?

This is the first year in our married life that Stephen has had two weeks paid vaca. from work. Nice right? However, you have to request your time off in Dec. for the following year! Plus, they require you to take one full week off and then you can break up the rest of your time throughout the calendar.
This doesn't seem like a problem, but I never knew how hard it was to plan this far in advance! Actually, we've never taken a family vacation together that didn't involve extended family. That left me scrambling with next years school calendar trying to request days off. Yet, because I was in the hospital so long and we put off the vacation plans all the good days and weeks were full from requests from other employees. Great....
Alright, now we have our week laid out this summer, but now we must decide what to do! Should we go away on a road trip? Should we stay close to home...stay at the beach....? Anyone have any ideas? I'm open to suggestions....remember we'll have an almost 6 yr. old, an almost 3 yr. old, and a six month old.....

My Little Cutie Pie!

Enjoy this clip of Colton at one month old. He's beginning the smile and coo!

Cutie and Me

This is my fifth day taking a new pill (Norvasc), but it is my first day with two pills in my system a day (just one wasn't cutting it). Yesterday my BP peak was 148/107...too high for me, so I called the doctor. I think that he's getting tired of me calling so much. He told me to take two a day and to RELAX...

I really am not that tightly wound, but when I have numbers that stay in the high 130's and the 100's and I haven't dealt with this before....it becomes something for me to be concerned about it.

Today, I had two readings like 130/100 but the other ones have been pretty good (125ish/90's)...could the pills be working? Lets hope so!

Monday I go back to my OBGYN for a check up and on Tues. I am headed over to my family doctor so that HE can now help manage my BP (like I said, my other doctor must be sick of me by now).

I've read on the internet that some women take up to six months - one year to get over these BP issues (so that they can get off medication). Hopefully, it won't take that long. That is my prayer!

Pray Pray Pray....

NOW FOR A PICTURE OF THE CUTIE:

Learning

What I have learned about (and because of) this illness I have....

• 2% of women develop it (after childbirth)
• Most of the women online have had more than one pregnancy
• I may be regulated on BP pills for a longer while than anticipated
• My doctor is pretty patient with my phone calls and freak out moments
• I may need further testing to check my adrenal and renal glands...?....
• Pre-eclampsia really sucks after pregnancy because it can't be cured by childbirth....duh
• I am not a patient person...(I already knew that)
• I can not "will" my body to behave....
• Discouragement and Illnesses go hand in hand...
• I pray way harder when something is going wrong...no, that isn't a good thing
• I kind of feel alone and odd having such a weird illness...
• People get tired of hearing about this as much as I am tired of dealing with it

Trying To Heal

The last week our family has been staying at my parents house while I am being "weaned" off my medication. The side effects of the medicine were horrible. I couldn't walk very much because my ears would plug, I'd get a headache, and I'd feel as though I would faint. Trying to take care of three children by myself would be out of the question, obviously (not to mention driving).
I was down to taking zero pills and my blood pressure shot up, again...and my pulse was a bit nuts...high, low, normal....all over the place....I surrendered and took a pill at night to help regulate it and that worked.
I am trying to get off of these pills and get my body back to normal. My body doesn't want to participate. Please, keep praying that everything will even out (possibly over the weekend) so I can be pill free by the time I go back to the doctor, and he can give me a clean bill of health.
Pray Pray Pray....Please Please Please....baby steps

A Pollyana Moment

Lately, I feel as though I have been having a pity party due to my illness that won't go away...SO, I'm having a Pollyana moment to focus on the positive things...

1) I have a healthy baby boy who is gorgeous and enjoys sleeping
2) My husband will do anything for me, including missing work which is very hard for him
3) I have two older children who are now healthy and aren't jealous of the new arrival
4) I can do a little more every day...
5) My friends and family are praying for us
6) God has a purpose
7) My pre-pregnancy jeans are too big
8) I've already lost 28 lbs. as of last Monday....(not exactly how I wanted to do it, but I'll take it)

At Home

Yes, finally after ten days, I came home from the hospital. I've been doing a lot of nothing (laying in bed, sitting on a couch, went for a ride in a wheel chair at the store...took shower, brushed teeth...).
So, I am still asking for prayer from everyone. I need strength, peace, and HEALING!
I still get pretty weak doing anything. Plus, my pulse races (sometimes at 115 BPM) at times when I am doing nothing. That gives me a weird sensation in my throat and kind of freaks me out.
I am trying to let go of control and letting God work. It is just hard, a bit discouraging, and requires patience (which I find that I am lacking).
So please....pray pray pray pray pray.....thanks so very much....