Hump Day Bump Day: Week 22

How far along? 22 Weeks, 3 Days
Maternity clothes? above outfit is maternity jeans with “normal”  sweater
Stretch marks? still none – using the cocoa butter a lot though!
Sleep: Its gotten better recently. Still having crazy dreams but not waking up so much recently.
Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat (160bpm!) at my appointment on Friday.
Miss Anything? Eating cookie dough! I know, I know… I shouldn’t do that pregnant or not.
Movement: Feeling her multiple times a day but daddy hasn’t quite yet.
Food cravings: This week: Dutch cream curls – YUM!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! Feeling pretty good these days!
Have you started to show yet: uhm…yes
Gender: Miss Madeline Dae is on her way!
Pregnancy Symptoms: Pregnancy rhinitis, reflux, crazy dreams – Check!!
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie! Gonna be really freaked out when its not anymore!
Happy or Moody? Definitely happy
Weekly Thoughts: We’ve started thinking about the labor and delivery process and I’m thinking of going the natural route.  I’ve also thought about hiring a doula – anyone have any thoughts on that?
Looking forward to: Celebrating Easter with the in-laws this weekend and trying some of my mother-in-law’s famous Korean barbeque!

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 21

How far along? 21 Weeks, 3 Days
Maternity clothes? above outfit is maternity jeans with “normal” tank and sweater
Stretch marks? still none – lucky me!
Sleep: let me just say I’m scouring the city looking for a cheap memory foam mattress topper
Best moment this week: seeing some progress at our house – oh yeah did I mention we are remodeling a house while living about 1.5hrs away from it? This is what we do every Sunday
Miss Anything? this week: sangria
Movement: Feeling her multiple times a day!
Food cravings: Not really – although I’m liking white cheddar popcorn quite a bit
Anything making you queasy or sick: nothing yet this week
Have you started to show yet: Well… I was told by a stranger in the store this week I was having an Easter baby… too bad she’s about 18-19 weeks off on that one! And is it a compliment that I look pregnant and not fat or an insult because I apparently looked 40 weeks pregnant? I’m going to take it as a compliment.
Gender: Baby Girl on the way!
Pregnancy Symptoms: Pregnancy rhinitis, reflux, crazy dreams – Check!
Belly Button in or out? Getting to be a more shallow innie by the day
Happy or Moody? I would say generally happy and a little tired
Weekly Thoughts: Our little girl must not be a morning person because she really kicks back at the cat purring on my stomach in the mornings! That’s a good thing because I’m so not a morning person either!
Looking forward to: My OB appointment on Friday so I can her her heartbeat again :)

Leap of Faith

In October 2010 I posted the lyrics to the song ”Here Goes” by Bebo Norman.  At the time I was debating taking a leap of faith by leaving my home, family, and job behind to start something new in Tennessee. The song always seemed to be playing when I was praying or thinking about the decision.  And I listened. 

Here goes nothing, here goes everything. Gotta reach for something or you'll fall for anything. Take a breath, take a step, what comes next God only knows but here goes…

And I moved… 700 miles away from everything and everyone I knew.  A leap of faith that what was waiting for me was something bigger and better than I could have imagined.  It started with a job had seemed promising at the time, but I struggled with once I was in it.  I was on a fast track to climb further up the corporate ladder and it was nothing I wanted.  I reevaluated where I was and who I was and decided to take focus off work and back to what I felt was really important – family.  It seems slightly counterintuitive to focus on family when all of mine was 700 miles away, yet I felt my time in Tennessee wasn’t over. About that same time I found another job option that gave me flexibility of location and… I met my husband.  He was the reason I was supposed to stay.

And What good is chance not taken? What good is life not living?
What good is love not given?

I heard the song again last week for the first time since making the move and it seemed appropriate for our current situation.  I had just given notice to my work of my maternity leave and was informed they have no written policy. We are on our own to determine what length of leave will be appropriate for our family, knowing the whole time I have no job security or protections.  While we would love for me to be a stay at home mom full-time, it is just not financially reasonable at this point.  We will be taking a leap of faith that things will work out when I return from leave, or a door to something better will open up. 

I needed this reminder.  And as always… His timing is perfect.

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 20

How far along? 20 Weeks, 3 Days – Halfway yay!
Maternity clothes? above outfit is all maternity
Stretch marks? still none! Although I’m feeling mighty stretched these days!
Sleep: Has improved some – I still wake up several times a night to turn side to side though.
Best moment this week: Opening the package with the crib bedding and getting some great deals at a local consignment sale!
Miss Anything? Eating something that doesn’t give me reflux and a back that doesn’t ache
Movement: Feeling her multiple times a day.  This morning she was kicking at the cat because he was purring too loudly while laying on my stomach
Food cravings: Not too many although the salad fad has faded some.
Anything making you queasy or sick: the cat box smell
Have you started to show yet: Definitely yes.. yet oddly, I catch myself doing the girl thing and attempting to suck it in while I’m out in public! lol
Gender: So excited to meet our little girl! 
Pregnancy Symptoms: Pregnancy rhinitis, reflux, crazy dreams
Belly Button in or out? Getting to be a shallow innie…
Happy or Moody? I would say pretty happy these days
Weekly Thoughts: We have so much work to do before baby girl gets here and so little time!
Looking forward to: Another consignment sale this Friday!  I love getting good deals!

Lymph Noooooo….

This blog originally started as a way to keep family and friends updated as I went through thyroid cancer. If you haven’t been along for the journey, you can read some of the highlights {lowlights?} here.  This year will mark 4 years since my diagnosis – 5 years is magical point where cancer patients are declared “cancer free.”  Until that point, I have follow-up appointments and screenings every 6 months. Since I’m pregnant and have no thyroid, I am monitored monthly because of necessary medication adjustments.  The thyroid is a pretty important little organ!

About 4 weeks ago I went for a neck ultrasound. Friday at my monthly endocrinology appointment I got the results. The report found 7 lymph nodes that are enlarged, 2 of which are significantly enlarged.  There is also a cystic area noted on the left side which is where my original nodule was – and if you don’t remember my papillary thyroid cancer was cystic in nature. {ie: looks like a cyst on scans rather than a solid mass}  My blood tests show no indications of recurrent cancer, however, and my doctors cannot feel the enlarged nodes on physical neck exams.

So what do we do?  My options were:

get an ultrasound guided lymph node biopsy done
OR
watch and wait for 3 months and repeat the ultrasound. 

Lymph nodes can be enlarged for many reasons, one of which is illness, and I had been sick with a flu-like illness a month prior to the scans. Knowing this and knowing that my blood tests have been clear {Tg, TgAb} my doctor and I have decided for the watch and wait for the repeat ultrasound approach. 

It seems very contrary to my normal aggressive approach toward all things cancer related, but being pregnant changes things immensely.  While a biopsy would be done with just a local pain reliever, if it came back positive for recurrence I would need major surgery followed by radioactive iodine treatment. I know surgery can be done while pregnant but it can be risky.  The radioactive iodine cannot be done without harm to our baby girl.  I feel like surgery and RAI are just not options at this point.  So we wait until June for a repeat scan {that will hopefully be all clear} and about a month later baby girl will arrive and then additional decisions can be made if necessary.

I know I ask for prayers a lot on here but we would really appreciate yours these next few months.

Hump Day Bump Day: Week 19 {early edition}

I tortured my parents by telling them the baby was stubborn and wouldn’t show itself at the ultrasound on Friday.  I know fibbing wasn’t nice but I wanted to tell them in a cutesy way since I couldn’t be there in person!  So right after we found out, we raced home and I ordered an “It’s a ____” cookie bouquet to be delivered on Saturday.  We all anxiously awaited the special little delivery and finally I got the text from my sister that it had arrived!  I told them they had to keep mum about the news until Wednesday when I could post my HDBD blog… but I’m recanting and posting this early so they don’t have to be tortured any longer!  Sooo without further ado…

How far along? 19 Weeks, 1 Day
Maternity clothes? above outfit is maternity pants, normal tank, maternity tee.
Stretch marks? still none! *fingers crossed*
Sleep: Still on the poor side.. its very hard to get and then stay comfortable at night!
Best moment this week: Our ultrasound on Friday and finding out the baby’s sex!
Miss Anything? Not too much… maybe eating something that doesn’t kick my reflux in high gear?
Movement: Definitely moving around in there – confirmed by the ultrasound!
Food cravings: Still salads! Weird!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Strong odors of any sort but otherwise I’m good!
Have you started to show yet: Definitely and I’m not trying to hide it.
Gender prediction: Results of our poll were 44% BOY and 48% GIRL (7% undecided).. who was right?
Pregnancy Symptoms: Pregnancy rhinitis, reflux… and I guess I will fess up… 6lbs of weight gain.
Belly Button in or out? Still an innie! Yay!
Happy or Moody? I would say pretty happy these days
Weekly Thoughts: Crib bedding sets… why are they so cheesy? Or if they aren’t cheesy they are ridiculously expensive? And/or they include things that are completely unnecessary or just ridiculous? Any suggestions where to look for the perfect combo of modern/not cheesy/not a small fortune?
Looking forward to: Decorating the nursery for our very special little…

You probably thought I forgot the picture didn’t you?  Ok grandparents and aunts – you can tell anyone your little heart desires now!