Well, here's what's been going on. I was supposed to have an appointment yesterday (July 3rd) with a potential new doctor. However, on July 2nd, they called me, stating they needed my records from my current OB/GYN BEFORE my appointment, even though they had originally told me that I could just bring them to the appointment. Then, they claimed I was 33 weeks, even though I wasn't even 31 weeks yet. I'm not sure what date they were using, but it wasn't the transfer date I gave them. When I reminded them of the transfer date, they then called my insurance company and supposedly were told that my insurance wouldn't cover anything since they don't cover anything with infertility. They never gave me the chance to explain that I was a surrogate. However, the insurance company knows I'm a surrogate. So, after all this run-around, they cancelled the appointment on me.
Well, then I had to reschedule my appointment with my original OB that was scheduled for next week. So, I went in yesterday. The doctor asked me what was going on and I explained to him about the other doctor. He then said, "Well, then what are you going to do?" To which I had to reply, "I have no choice. I'm stuck." Don't get me wrong. I really like my doctor. If he did VBACs, we would not have a problem. But, he doesn't. And I absolutely do NOT want another c-section unless it's an emergency. Unfortunately, at this point, I have nowhere else to go. I did tell him that I want to go into labor naturally. I want baby to decide when he's going to show up. He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no. He kinda side-stepped the issue a little. I think it will be something we will continue to discuss as things proceed.
Honestly, at this point, I'm still terrified of having another c-section. Every bone in my body says I can VBAC, but I feel like I'm being pressured to have a RCS by everyone else. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I feel like no one is taking what I want and feel into account. It's very difficult right now. I've also had to cut back on the amount of hours I can work in a day. The doctor gave me a note saying that I can work no more than 7 hours. I get nerve pain in my stomach if I'm on my feet for so long. Even sitting down for 15-30 minutes doesn't do any good.
On a brighter note, I did a 5k this morning to celebrate the 4th of July. Our group won the team challenge and was able to donate $500 to the military charity of our choice. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I did it. My next 5k is in August, when I do the virtual 5k that MRTT is putting on. It's going to be awesome! I'll keep everyone updated as things go along.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
30 weeks!
Hey, all! I've reached 30 weeks! I only have about 10 weeks or so to go. :D I'm so ready to pop this kid out. Lol. I've been having some ligament pain and c-section scar pain, especially when I work for 8 hours or more on my feet. I have my next doctor's appointment on July 3rd with the potential new doctor. I'm really hoping she'll tell me that she'll take me on as a new patient and will allow me to try for a VBAC. If not, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do. I mean, I like my doctor, but there is no way that I want to go through a RCS if it isn't absolutely medically necessary. Unfortunately, this is causing me a lot of stress, which I know isn't good. Trying to relax about it has been difficult.
Luckily, I have some exciting events coming up soon. I have a 5k on July 4th with my Moms Run This Town group. It's the Watermelon 5k put on by Track Shack and it's gonna be lots of fun! I did it last year and had such a great time. Matt's birthday is in just a couple of weeks and that means my best friend Kelly will be here! I'm super excited to see her. Matt has no idea she's coming down for his birthday and I can't wait to surprise him. After that, I have the Moms Run This Town Virtual 5k in August. Baby is due by mid-September, taking all of the different due dates I have into account. Lol. I'm telling you, I expect someone to bring me a drink after I deliver this kid.
Luckily, I have some exciting events coming up soon. I have a 5k on July 4th with my Moms Run This Town group. It's the Watermelon 5k put on by Track Shack and it's gonna be lots of fun! I did it last year and had such a great time. Matt's birthday is in just a couple of weeks and that means my best friend Kelly will be here! I'm super excited to see her. Matt has no idea she's coming down for his birthday and I can't wait to surprise him. After that, I have the Moms Run This Town Virtual 5k in August. Baby is due by mid-September, taking all of the different due dates I have into account. Lol. I'm telling you, I expect someone to bring me a drink after I deliver this kid.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Keepin you all updated
Hey, folks. So, it's been about a month since I updated. So, this is where things stand. I'm still in the process of finding a new doctor for a VBAC. I have an appointment on July 3rd with a potential new doctor. She seems to be concerned with the time between the c-section and potential VBAC. It'll be about 19 months between the two and the ideal time frame is 18-24 months. I'm hoping after we talk about it, she'll take me on as a patient and allow me to try for a VBAC. The parents are a little antsy, as am I, considering that I'll be about 28 weeks pregnant tomorrow. Only a few more months to go and Baby Boy R will be here!
I walked a local 5k this past Saturday and while my time was horrible, I'm glad I got out there and did it. I was almost last, but not quite, so I'll take it. Lol. My next 5k is on July 4th and I'm super excited for it! It's a really big one for my mom running group. Last year, we won the group competition and got $500 donated to a military charity in our name. It was AWESOME! After that, I'll have a 5k in the beginning of August with the moms and it's going to be so much fun! It's for our summer virtual run. The medals look pretty freakin sweet, as they do for every virtual we run. :-)
In a month, my best friend, who is also Matt's godmother, will be here and we'll spend Matt's birthday together. I've got his party all planned out. We're having it at an indoor, glow-in-the-dark mini golfing place. I can't wait! He's going to have so much fun. I can't believe he's going to be 5 and starting kindergarten in the fall! He just graduated preschool last week. Here are some pictures of him. We went mini golfing afterwards to celebrate. He's obsessed with the game.
That's about it for now. I'll keep you folks updated as things happen. Wish me luck as I go through the heat of the summer for these last few months!
I walked a local 5k this past Saturday and while my time was horrible, I'm glad I got out there and did it. I was almost last, but not quite, so I'll take it. Lol. My next 5k is on July 4th and I'm super excited for it! It's a really big one for my mom running group. Last year, we won the group competition and got $500 donated to a military charity in our name. It was AWESOME! After that, I'll have a 5k in the beginning of August with the moms and it's going to be so much fun! It's for our summer virtual run. The medals look pretty freakin sweet, as they do for every virtual we run. :-)
In a month, my best friend, who is also Matt's godmother, will be here and we'll spend Matt's birthday together. I've got his party all planned out. We're having it at an indoor, glow-in-the-dark mini golfing place. I can't wait! He's going to have so much fun. I can't believe he's going to be 5 and starting kindergarten in the fall! He just graduated preschool last week. Here are some pictures of him. We went mini golfing afterwards to celebrate. He's obsessed with the game.
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| After he graduated |
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| Concentrating on the ball |
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| Telling us where the ball is going to go |
That's about it for now. I'll keep you folks updated as things happen. Wish me luck as I go through the heat of the summer for these last few months!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Update
Well, folks, I'm 6 months along! A little less than 4 months to go! I'm so excited to be at this point, but I realize I also have the entire hot summer to look forward to. Lol. It'll be interesting, that's for sure. I'll be finding lots of fun ways to keep cool. My favorite way will probably be to stay in air conditioning.
Here's what's been going on. My son and I went up to Ohio last week for vacation. We stayed up there for a week and visited friends and family. We definitely had fun, but it'll be a couple years before we go back up, probably. There is a fun event at Cedar Point called "Coasting for Kids" that I would love to take part in, though. It raises money for Give Kids The World, which is like Make a Wish, but is based in Central Florida. Working for Disney, Universal, and Sea World means that I've encountered families who use their services quite a bit and it's always made an impact on me.
On May 3rd, I volunteered at the Expedition Everest 5k Challenge at Disney World. It's a night race that's run through Animal Kingdom. You run a 5k, then you have to solve various clues while running back through the park. It was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of my friends who were running it. Here's a picture of my friend Rebecca and I. It was her first 5k and she had a blast!
Now for the more serious stuff. From the beginning, I've wanted to have a vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) with this baby. The parents knew that and were okay with it, as long as it was a feasible option. I was never given any indication that it wasn't. Right before vacation, I found out that my doctor told the mom that it was medically necessary for me to have a repeat c-section (RCS). Because of this, they now want me to have a RCS. Unfortunately, I was unable to speak with him before we left for vacation. However, I did have an appointment yesterday with him. The good news? Baby has a great heartbeat and is growing normally. The not so good news? My doctor doesn't do VBACs because there is a minute chance (0.5%-1%) of a uterine rupture. I was crushed.
I told the parents that I'm going to get my medical records regarding the c-section and get a second, and possibly third, opinion. If I talk to the doctors and they tell me that, for some reason pertaining to me specifically, I'm not a good candidate for VBAC, then I'll stay with my doctor and get the RCS. The parents aren't happy that I'm going to be talking to other doctors because they feel like me switching doctors at this point means my new doctor won't know me or my medical history well enough. They also don't want anything to happen to the baby (neither do I, obviously) and believe, after having informed discussions with other medical professionals, that a RCS is the best option for me.
I've been doing my research on the pros and cons of VBAC vs. RCS and have passed that information on to the parents. At this point, it's just a waiting game to talk to other doctors. I already have one in mind. He was my friend's doctor for her pregnancy and she highly recommends him. He delivers at the hospital I'll deliver at, so I don't have to worry about switching hospitals. She says he's straight-forward and honest, which is what I'll need. Once I've spoken to the doctors, the parents and I will discuss what has been found out. Ultimately, it's my decision, though of course they want me to take their feelings into account, which I'm trying to. It's not an easy decision to make, by any means. Just keep your fingers crossed that we get all of this figured out quickly. I'm really hoping that, if the doctors tell me I'm a good candidate for VBAC, I can ease the parents' minds about it.
Here's what's been going on. My son and I went up to Ohio last week for vacation. We stayed up there for a week and visited friends and family. We definitely had fun, but it'll be a couple years before we go back up, probably. There is a fun event at Cedar Point called "Coasting for Kids" that I would love to take part in, though. It raises money for Give Kids The World, which is like Make a Wish, but is based in Central Florida. Working for Disney, Universal, and Sea World means that I've encountered families who use their services quite a bit and it's always made an impact on me.
On May 3rd, I volunteered at the Expedition Everest 5k Challenge at Disney World. It's a night race that's run through Animal Kingdom. You run a 5k, then you have to solve various clues while running back through the park. It was a lot of fun. I got to see a lot of my friends who were running it. Here's a picture of my friend Rebecca and I. It was her first 5k and she had a blast!
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| I volunteered doing Runner Direction, so I made sure no one came into my corral that wasn't supposed to. |
Now for the more serious stuff. From the beginning, I've wanted to have a vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) with this baby. The parents knew that and were okay with it, as long as it was a feasible option. I was never given any indication that it wasn't. Right before vacation, I found out that my doctor told the mom that it was medically necessary for me to have a repeat c-section (RCS). Because of this, they now want me to have a RCS. Unfortunately, I was unable to speak with him before we left for vacation. However, I did have an appointment yesterday with him. The good news? Baby has a great heartbeat and is growing normally. The not so good news? My doctor doesn't do VBACs because there is a minute chance (0.5%-1%) of a uterine rupture. I was crushed.
I told the parents that I'm going to get my medical records regarding the c-section and get a second, and possibly third, opinion. If I talk to the doctors and they tell me that, for some reason pertaining to me specifically, I'm not a good candidate for VBAC, then I'll stay with my doctor and get the RCS. The parents aren't happy that I'm going to be talking to other doctors because they feel like me switching doctors at this point means my new doctor won't know me or my medical history well enough. They also don't want anything to happen to the baby (neither do I, obviously) and believe, after having informed discussions with other medical professionals, that a RCS is the best option for me.
I've been doing my research on the pros and cons of VBAC vs. RCS and have passed that information on to the parents. At this point, it's just a waiting game to talk to other doctors. I already have one in mind. He was my friend's doctor for her pregnancy and she highly recommends him. He delivers at the hospital I'll deliver at, so I don't have to worry about switching hospitals. She says he's straight-forward and honest, which is what I'll need. Once I've spoken to the doctors, the parents and I will discuss what has been found out. Ultimately, it's my decision, though of course they want me to take their feelings into account, which I'm trying to. It's not an easy decision to make, by any means. Just keep your fingers crossed that we get all of this figured out quickly. I'm really hoping that, if the doctors tell me I'm a good candidate for VBAC, I can ease the parents' minds about it.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Our fun-filled Monday
This past Monday, April 21st, we had our big ultrasound and photo shoot. The parents came down on Saturday, spent the weekend with family (we had lunch with them on Sunday), then left Tuesday morning. So, let me tell you all about our Monday.
Monday morning, at 8:30 a.m., we had the ultrasound. I scheduled it at the place I had my previous ultrasounds because I really like the technician I've always had there. She's super sweet and she did the ultrasounds of the twins, too, until I had to start going to the hospital for them because I was having twins. This pregnancy, she's put a lock on all the previous images so when I get closer to the end of the pregnancy, if I have another ultrasound, she'll put all of them onto a CD for the parents. :-) Anywho, we got there right on time and waited to be called back. She came and got us, excited when she realized the parents were with me. I had a really full bladder and apparently, it was TOO full, because after she checked my cervix on the screen, she had me go to the bathroom. I just have to say, thank GOD. I was much more comfortable the rest of the ultrasound.
We got down to it and she started measuring the baby's various parts. We got hands, fingers, legs, toes, feet, etc. And, the baby made sure we knew he was a boy. That's right. This kid spread his legs wide open and let it allll hang out. We all started laughing and the tech caught a picture for the parents. It turns out, he's measuring right on time, except for his femur, which is measuring about 2 weeks AHEAD of my due date. He may be a tall kiddo. I'm cool with that and so are his parents. They're excited he's right on schedule.
The parents and I parted for the rest of the day until we had the photo shoot at 4:30. Unfortunately, we got stuck in traffic, so we didn't get to the location until about 4:50. We had it done at Wekiwa Springs State Park here in Central Florida. We had a fantastic time. The photographer is a friend of mine and always does an amazing job, but this time, she went above and beyond. We've all gotten so many compliments on the pictures. If you'd like to check them out, go here: A Surrogacy Story. Here are a couple sneak peeks of the pictures.
Oh, and I found out today I've lost 3.2 pounds in the last week. Apparently, overhauling my eating and getting out there to run/walk more has just turned my system completely around. I'm going to call my doctor, just to make sure it's okay and see if there's a point where I should be concerned about any weight loss. I'm optimistic, though. Oh, and on a completely random note, 2 MORE WEEKS TIL OHIO!!!!!!
Monday morning, at 8:30 a.m., we had the ultrasound. I scheduled it at the place I had my previous ultrasounds because I really like the technician I've always had there. She's super sweet and she did the ultrasounds of the twins, too, until I had to start going to the hospital for them because I was having twins. This pregnancy, she's put a lock on all the previous images so when I get closer to the end of the pregnancy, if I have another ultrasound, she'll put all of them onto a CD for the parents. :-) Anywho, we got there right on time and waited to be called back. She came and got us, excited when she realized the parents were with me. I had a really full bladder and apparently, it was TOO full, because after she checked my cervix on the screen, she had me go to the bathroom. I just have to say, thank GOD. I was much more comfortable the rest of the ultrasound.
We got down to it and she started measuring the baby's various parts. We got hands, fingers, legs, toes, feet, etc. And, the baby made sure we knew he was a boy. That's right. This kid spread his legs wide open and let it allll hang out. We all started laughing and the tech caught a picture for the parents. It turns out, he's measuring right on time, except for his femur, which is measuring about 2 weeks AHEAD of my due date. He may be a tall kiddo. I'm cool with that and so are his parents. They're excited he's right on schedule.
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| Well, hello, baby! |
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| The light of my life |
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| The photographer made the signs. She was amazing. :-D |
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| The mom and I |
Oh, and I found out today I've lost 3.2 pounds in the last week. Apparently, overhauling my eating and getting out there to run/walk more has just turned my system completely around. I'm going to call my doctor, just to make sure it's okay and see if there's a point where I should be concerned about any weight loss. I'm optimistic, though. Oh, and on a completely random note, 2 MORE WEEKS TIL OHIO!!!!!!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Yahoo!!!!
Today was my monthly check-up at my doctor's office. Baby is doing very well, with a regular heartbeat and a very active little body. It took the doctor a couple minutes to find him. Of course, I knew he was active, since he likes to kick me at midnight every night. Hopefully he'll kick on Sunday or Monday during the day so the parents can see it or feel it. The ultrasound is on Monday morning. It's the first time they'll get to see their kiddo live. :-D
I had some really good news at the appointment. As you may remember, in January, I ran a half marathon. Well, I walked a lot more than I ran. However, it caused some issues and I was told then that I was unable to run at all during the rest of my pregnancy. I would only be allowed to walk 2-3 miles a day. While it hurt, I understood why. Last month, my doctor increased it to 4-5 miles, still walking. Today, I hesitantly broached the subject of being allowed to do intervals again, running 30 seconds, walking for a minute to a minute and a half. You know what the doc said? YES! I'm so thrilled. Listening to my body will be crucial, obviously, as well as walking more than I'm running. I'm just so glad I can run again at all. It will help in my training once I have the little munchkin.
On another note, yesterday was the 1-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. My friend Kirsten and I went out there and did 4 miles to honor the victims and survivors. It felt amazing to get out and go, especially since she was nice enough to turn around and come back to me whenever she finished her running intervals. We ran for those who could no longer run. We ran for those who are no longer with us. We ran because we will never forget.
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| We are #BostonStrong |
That's all for now. If I'm able to, I'll post about the ultrasound on Monday and maybe there will be some pictures in there, too. :-D
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Are you serious?!
You know how a lot of pregnant women get cravings? And some of those cravings are for really strange things? I don't get the strange things cravings, but I do get cravings. With my son, it was Taco Bell. With the twins, it was chicken and mashed potatoes. With this kid? It's SUGAR. That's right. I constantly want sweet food. It's annoying, really, because if I'm not careful, I could end up getting gestational diabetes.
Oh, and every woman gains weight while pregnant, even if only a few pounds. That's pretty normal. With my son, I gained 40. With the twins, 15-20. With this kid? 30, and we're not even halfway through the pregnancy. Honestly, I stepped on the scale the other day, saw that number, and almost cried. I know it's my fault, because I haven't made the best food choices and I haven't been exercising as much as I did before I got pregnant. Honestly, I'm always tired. The baby is still sapping all of my energy from me. But, that has all changed. Yesterday, we did our big grocery shopping and at least 90% of it was healthy food. I'm cutting sweets out and tracking my calories.
A great tool I love for tracking my calories is MyFitnessPal. I used it when I was trying to lose weight and it really helped to see what I was getting from each food in terms of daily amounts of fiber and protein, etc. Now, I use it to make sure I'm getting the correct amount of nutrients. Unfortunately, there's no option to say "I'm pregnant", but I know how many calories I SHOULD be consuming, so I just add that number to the number they've already given me. I started tracking today and you know what I found out? I don't even eat all the calories they give me, much less any extra. I'm going to have to start eating more, as long as it's healthy. Fruits and veggies are delicious and will become more of a staple in my diet than they already are.
I've also decided to go back to my exercise routine that I followed while trying to lose weight. I won't be focusing on increasing my speed or anything since I can't run, but walking for 30 or so minutes 3 times a week and then a 5-mile walk on the weekends will do me a world of good. My biggest problem will be maintaining all of this while I'm up in Ohio for Mother's Day. However, I'm confident my friends will help. :-) A lot of this is a mental thing and I just have to keep at it. I didn't quit when trying to lose weight and I'm not going to quit now. This is too important, especially for the parents. Their baby deserves the best care I can give him and gosh darn it, I'm going to do the best I can for him. If you have any recipes that can be made up to a week in advance (for meal planning), please pass them along! I would really appreciate it!
Oh, and every woman gains weight while pregnant, even if only a few pounds. That's pretty normal. With my son, I gained 40. With the twins, 15-20. With this kid? 30, and we're not even halfway through the pregnancy. Honestly, I stepped on the scale the other day, saw that number, and almost cried. I know it's my fault, because I haven't made the best food choices and I haven't been exercising as much as I did before I got pregnant. Honestly, I'm always tired. The baby is still sapping all of my energy from me. But, that has all changed. Yesterday, we did our big grocery shopping and at least 90% of it was healthy food. I'm cutting sweets out and tracking my calories.
A great tool I love for tracking my calories is MyFitnessPal. I used it when I was trying to lose weight and it really helped to see what I was getting from each food in terms of daily amounts of fiber and protein, etc. Now, I use it to make sure I'm getting the correct amount of nutrients. Unfortunately, there's no option to say "I'm pregnant", but I know how many calories I SHOULD be consuming, so I just add that number to the number they've already given me. I started tracking today and you know what I found out? I don't even eat all the calories they give me, much less any extra. I'm going to have to start eating more, as long as it's healthy. Fruits and veggies are delicious and will become more of a staple in my diet than they already are.
I've also decided to go back to my exercise routine that I followed while trying to lose weight. I won't be focusing on increasing my speed or anything since I can't run, but walking for 30 or so minutes 3 times a week and then a 5-mile walk on the weekends will do me a world of good. My biggest problem will be maintaining all of this while I'm up in Ohio for Mother's Day. However, I'm confident my friends will help. :-) A lot of this is a mental thing and I just have to keep at it. I didn't quit when trying to lose weight and I'm not going to quit now. This is too important, especially for the parents. Their baby deserves the best care I can give him and gosh darn it, I'm going to do the best I can for him. If you have any recipes that can be made up to a week in advance (for meal planning), please pass them along! I would really appreciate it!
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