Wow, what a start to the week! This week has just been a week of big news - most of it baby news!
First and least-importantly, I am once again not pregnant! That's good, although I was disappointed. My body likes to play tricks on me - it has a bad habit of doing nice little triphasic basal body temperature patterns (generally a sure sign of pregnancy) that have me holding my breath till the end of my cycle. In all honesty, I was totally bummed, but with our supposedly upcoming move, it's probably better to wait.
(Speaking of houses, we lost bid #4 and are now on to bid #5 - should know by the end of the week!)
In more important (MUCH more important!) baby news, a good friend K. had her baby on Sunday, after a DISGUSTINGLY easy labor (dang it, K., you're supposed to suffer more for it!) and we are extremely excited for her. Congratulations R. & K. and welcome, little one!! Great job, K.!!! You rock!!! Write your birth story!!! :)
A side note: I've been thinking about how to post my next birth story (nothing like thinking ridiculously far into the future, is there?). I am so head-over-heels in love with childbirth and childbirth-lore, and so involved in the birth community, that I now am completely used to totally nude birth pics, and I don't mind seeing or sharing them. BUT I doubt that my faithful readership will want to see that! (Not to mention church discipline for pornography, LOL) Maybe I'll post with a BIG disclaimer. Or maybe I'll try to put them on an entry that has to be accessed separately from the usual list of postings. (Jen? Is that possible?)
In other unexpected baby news (K's baby was a good week and a half early, so we weren't expecting to hear anything for quite a while), some good friends of ours who have been trying to conceive for almost five years now, have quite unexpectedly found out that they are expecting! This is truly exciting news, and we are beyond excited for them. Also exciting is the fact that the new mummy has decided to use one of our beloved midwives for her pregnancy, so that is an additional excitement!
And what does this have to do with hyperemesis??? Absolutely nothing!!!! (Except, of course, for the fact that I, not being pregnant, can put off having to deal with HG for another month.) So forgive the meandering, and I promise that I'll get back into HG soon!!! In the meantime, congratulations everyone!!!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Research: Prescription Drugs for Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Hello, everyone! It's been a busy week! We are slowly cranking our way through a month replete with weddings and graduation parties - I'd say we're about two-thirds done, and the rest should be fun and stress-less. But what a busy month! Hopefully things should slow down in June for a couple of months.
Today I thought I'd do a quick research post about prescription drugs for hyperemesis gravidarum. However, rather than being a collection of knowledge, this is primarily an admission of ignorance - I really don't have much to post.
When I went through my own bout of hyperemesis gravidarum, I had two things working against me - (1) no maternity insurance, and (2) ignorance. The first part of that duo still makes me mad. What exactly do they think they are doing by denying maternity care to their clients? (almost all private insurance refuses maternity care) And what are we supposed to do when we have our babies? Have them unassisted on the side of the road? Sheesh. (Side note: And when we finally did get maternity care through Joe's work, the minimum payment was so high that it was cheaper to pay our midwife in cash. Insurance. You gotta love 'em.)
The second part of that, ignorance, was the result of something that I'd read in a book, and which turned out to be patently false - a statement saying that after the thalidomide nightmare, drug companies had stopped putting out anti-nausea meds for pregnant mums because one could never be sure what it would do to the baby. Well, that is quite false! There are a myriad of options out there. When we met with our midwife for our first prenatal, at 13 weeks, and she said, "You know, you can go to an OB and get a prescription for anti-nausea meds," we just stared at her. And, of course, at that point it was an exercise in futility, because we had no maternity insurance at that point. They would have "paid for maternity-care-related emergencies," but considering that a lot of HG-mums have been hospitalized repeatedly for HG with their insurances still refusing to pay, we knew we didn't have a chance of getting them to pay for anti-nausea meds.
Short story long. Anyhow, moving on.... There are a ton of anti-nausea drugs on the market. Most of them have not been proven to be safe for both babies and mums, but they seem to be safe and are thus used. And, after all, when HG is life-threatening, it's better to use the drugs than to watch the mum and baby both die. If I get HG again, I will have no problem with using drugs. I want to try naturopathic remedies first (acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic care, etc.), but if those don't work, I will not balk at using prescription drugs.
In terms of "drugs," there is first of all the Vitamin K/C combo mentioned in another blog entry. Check it out. I'm going to ask our consulting OB about that one. Another one is Vitamin B complex supplements. Those didn't do a thing for me, but I think that they were just too little, too late (when you're too sick to keep a pill down, pills don't do you much good). However, there are Vitamin B injections. Vitamin B is also packaged with other supplements specifically for morning sickness (called, I think, Unisom - someone correct me if I'm wrong). Good place to start.
In Ashli McCall's book, "Beyond Morning Sickness," there is a really good appendix of anti-emetic drugs, which I highly recommend. You'll get names, categories, methods of administration, risks, benefits, side effects, etc. Highly recommended.
This website also has a ton of info on drugs for HG:
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1075.htm
One of the problems with drugs for severe HG is that the drugs do a better job of stopping the vomiting than they do the nausea. The vomiting may be what's dangerous to your body, but the nausea is what's dangerous to your mind. Most of us would prefer to sit around all day throwing up rather than deal with the nausea which can drive one to utter and complete despair (Amen, ladies?).
The most popular drug on the market right now is Zofran, and it seems to be a great thing (although it doesn't work for everyone). It is class C, meaning that it hasn't been proven safe (or unsafe), but lots of moms have used it and love it. The biggest problem with Zofran is that it is incredibly expensive to manufacture (it's about $50/pill without insurance), and insurance companies HATE paying for it. A lot of them refuse point-blank to pay for it, even when the mum is hospitalized due to lack of it (I hate insurance!!). So keep it in mind - having a supportive OB willing to fight for you is essential.
One of the main problems in getting proper medication for HG is simply trying to find a supportive OB. If you have one who brushes you off, tells you it's "all in your head," tells you that this is normal, or sends you home with Vitamin B or dramamine (when those have proven insufficient), that will be your biggest problems. There ARE treatments and drugs available - but you will need a knowledgeable and compassionate OB to work with.
When HG-mums come in and are super-dehydrated, one of the first steps taken is usually replacement of fluids by IV. This will usually provide some relief; however, that relief generally fades after the treatment. IV treatment alone is not generally enough.
If a mum is truly unable to keep anything down, including meds, there are a variety of long-term IV treatments (PICC lines with TPN nutrition, etc.) that can be used. These are usually not a lot of fun but are workable and will get you through.
Remember, if your OB is not going to fight for you, find one who will! Treatments do exist for all levels of HG.
Well, I'd better go do something productive!! Love to all!!
Today I thought I'd do a quick research post about prescription drugs for hyperemesis gravidarum. However, rather than being a collection of knowledge, this is primarily an admission of ignorance - I really don't have much to post.
When I went through my own bout of hyperemesis gravidarum, I had two things working against me - (1) no maternity insurance, and (2) ignorance. The first part of that duo still makes me mad. What exactly do they think they are doing by denying maternity care to their clients? (almost all private insurance refuses maternity care) And what are we supposed to do when we have our babies? Have them unassisted on the side of the road? Sheesh. (Side note: And when we finally did get maternity care through Joe's work, the minimum payment was so high that it was cheaper to pay our midwife in cash. Insurance. You gotta love 'em.)
The second part of that, ignorance, was the result of something that I'd read in a book, and which turned out to be patently false - a statement saying that after the thalidomide nightmare, drug companies had stopped putting out anti-nausea meds for pregnant mums because one could never be sure what it would do to the baby. Well, that is quite false! There are a myriad of options out there. When we met with our midwife for our first prenatal, at 13 weeks, and she said, "You know, you can go to an OB and get a prescription for anti-nausea meds," we just stared at her. And, of course, at that point it was an exercise in futility, because we had no maternity insurance at that point. They would have "paid for maternity-care-related emergencies," but considering that a lot of HG-mums have been hospitalized repeatedly for HG with their insurances still refusing to pay, we knew we didn't have a chance of getting them to pay for anti-nausea meds.
Short story long. Anyhow, moving on.... There are a ton of anti-nausea drugs on the market. Most of them have not been proven to be safe for both babies and mums, but they seem to be safe and are thus used. And, after all, when HG is life-threatening, it's better to use the drugs than to watch the mum and baby both die. If I get HG again, I will have no problem with using drugs. I want to try naturopathic remedies first (acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic care, etc.), but if those don't work, I will not balk at using prescription drugs.
In terms of "drugs," there is first of all the Vitamin K/C combo mentioned in another blog entry. Check it out. I'm going to ask our consulting OB about that one. Another one is Vitamin B complex supplements. Those didn't do a thing for me, but I think that they were just too little, too late (when you're too sick to keep a pill down, pills don't do you much good). However, there are Vitamin B injections. Vitamin B is also packaged with other supplements specifically for morning sickness (called, I think, Unisom - someone correct me if I'm wrong). Good place to start.
In Ashli McCall's book, "Beyond Morning Sickness," there is a really good appendix of anti-emetic drugs, which I highly recommend. You'll get names, categories, methods of administration, risks, benefits, side effects, etc. Highly recommended.
This website also has a ton of info on drugs for HG:
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1075.htm
One of the problems with drugs for severe HG is that the drugs do a better job of stopping the vomiting than they do the nausea. The vomiting may be what's dangerous to your body, but the nausea is what's dangerous to your mind. Most of us would prefer to sit around all day throwing up rather than deal with the nausea which can drive one to utter and complete despair (Amen, ladies?).
The most popular drug on the market right now is Zofran, and it seems to be a great thing (although it doesn't work for everyone). It is class C, meaning that it hasn't been proven safe (or unsafe), but lots of moms have used it and love it. The biggest problem with Zofran is that it is incredibly expensive to manufacture (it's about $50/pill without insurance), and insurance companies HATE paying for it. A lot of them refuse point-blank to pay for it, even when the mum is hospitalized due to lack of it (I hate insurance!!). So keep it in mind - having a supportive OB willing to fight for you is essential.
One of the main problems in getting proper medication for HG is simply trying to find a supportive OB. If you have one who brushes you off, tells you it's "all in your head," tells you that this is normal, or sends you home with Vitamin B or dramamine (when those have proven insufficient), that will be your biggest problems. There ARE treatments and drugs available - but you will need a knowledgeable and compassionate OB to work with.
When HG-mums come in and are super-dehydrated, one of the first steps taken is usually replacement of fluids by IV. This will usually provide some relief; however, that relief generally fades after the treatment. IV treatment alone is not generally enough.
If a mum is truly unable to keep anything down, including meds, there are a variety of long-term IV treatments (PICC lines with TPN nutrition, etc.) that can be used. These are usually not a lot of fun but are workable and will get you through.
Remember, if your OB is not going to fight for you, find one who will! Treatments do exist for all levels of HG.
Well, I'd better go do something productive!! Love to all!!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
And another one down!
Well, project #2 of 3 is now accomplished! It was coordinating some church friends' wedding, and it came off smashingly last night. It was one of the most beautiful weddings, physically and spiritually, that I've been blessed to attend, and it was a huge honor to be involved. It was also a very special blessing for our church, in that both the bride and groom had attended our church since childhood - how often does that happen, even in a large church? It's probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In a lot of ways, this wedding also made up for some deficiencies in my own.... I didn't actually have anything to do with my own wedding (long story) - I just showed up and participated. And of course, even in normal situations, the bride doesn't see much of her own wedding. Joe didn't have anything to do with it either (not that guys want anything to do with it!). So this was a wedding in which we were actually able to participate, and it was a lot of fun. I loved it.
If I had my dating and courtship days to do over again, there are about a half-million things I would do differently. I have many regrets. It was nice to see a couple who did do it right when they had the chance, even if it made me wildly envious. Congratulations, H & B!!!!
The one embarrassing moment of the night was the discovery that I cannot help breaking down at weddings any more when I am coordinating than when I am not. Although I almost never cry in personal life, I break down completely at weddings and funerals (although I have had to get better at keeping my composure at funerals, since I play for so many of them), and this one was no exception. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, except that I was the coordinator, for goodness' sake, someone who of all people ought not to be crying, and I was crying in front of the whole wedding party as they exited!! Not to mention the beautiful snapshot the photographer got of me crying over H's shoulder!! Oh, dear.... Well, it was the one blemish in an otherwise perfect evening.
I was not at all nervous for my own wedding, but I certainly was for this one! But I actually had a blast and would love to do more. Joe has determined that we're going to go into business doing weddings, but I would prefer to keep it among friends.
So my second of three projects is done! (They are #1 - cake for K's shower, #2 - coordinating this wedding, and #3 - moving). We have a bid on a fourth house, which we should hear about in the first part of this coming week. We're not too hopeful on this one, but I would love to have this process OVER!!!! After that I will start packing and be busy, busy, busy with that for the next couple of months. Assuming we don't get pregnant in the meantime (very possible), we will then be free to try to get pregnant, if we want to. Aaackkkk!!!!! Nerve-wracking!!! But if we put it off too much past that, I shall come up with a whole new list of "projects," to wait through, and Caleb will be a ten-year-old before I get the guts to try again!!
Really, we ought to try now, as the church calendar drastically falls off over the summer (I'm the church secretary, so that matters big-time to my schedule) and it would be nice to be less-busy when I'm confronting the possibility of hyperemesis gravidarum. But I don't want to intentionally get pregnant before our move. I'll try to trust the Lord's timing!
Well, we all slept till 8:00 a.m. this morning - this is the first time I've gotten to sleep in in two years - ever since Caleb was born! Hurray!!! Well, considering that he was up till 11 p.m. last night, it's not surprising, although he has a habit of getting up earlier when he goes to bed extra-late. Thank goodness he didn't today!
Well, we're off to a busy weekend! Shopping, working, practicing, church, teaching, a grad party, and playing for a church service. I wish we could relax, but not this weekend! Next weekend!
Love to all!
In a lot of ways, this wedding also made up for some deficiencies in my own.... I didn't actually have anything to do with my own wedding (long story) - I just showed up and participated. And of course, even in normal situations, the bride doesn't see much of her own wedding. Joe didn't have anything to do with it either (not that guys want anything to do with it!). So this was a wedding in which we were actually able to participate, and it was a lot of fun. I loved it.
If I had my dating and courtship days to do over again, there are about a half-million things I would do differently. I have many regrets. It was nice to see a couple who did do it right when they had the chance, even if it made me wildly envious. Congratulations, H & B!!!!
The one embarrassing moment of the night was the discovery that I cannot help breaking down at weddings any more when I am coordinating than when I am not. Although I almost never cry in personal life, I break down completely at weddings and funerals (although I have had to get better at keeping my composure at funerals, since I play for so many of them), and this one was no exception. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, except that I was the coordinator, for goodness' sake, someone who of all people ought not to be crying, and I was crying in front of the whole wedding party as they exited!! Not to mention the beautiful snapshot the photographer got of me crying over H's shoulder!! Oh, dear.... Well, it was the one blemish in an otherwise perfect evening.
I was not at all nervous for my own wedding, but I certainly was for this one! But I actually had a blast and would love to do more. Joe has determined that we're going to go into business doing weddings, but I would prefer to keep it among friends.
So my second of three projects is done! (They are #1 - cake for K's shower, #2 - coordinating this wedding, and #3 - moving). We have a bid on a fourth house, which we should hear about in the first part of this coming week. We're not too hopeful on this one, but I would love to have this process OVER!!!! After that I will start packing and be busy, busy, busy with that for the next couple of months. Assuming we don't get pregnant in the meantime (very possible), we will then be free to try to get pregnant, if we want to. Aaackkkk!!!!! Nerve-wracking!!! But if we put it off too much past that, I shall come up with a whole new list of "projects," to wait through, and Caleb will be a ten-year-old before I get the guts to try again!!
Really, we ought to try now, as the church calendar drastically falls off over the summer (I'm the church secretary, so that matters big-time to my schedule) and it would be nice to be less-busy when I'm confronting the possibility of hyperemesis gravidarum. But I don't want to intentionally get pregnant before our move. I'll try to trust the Lord's timing!
Well, we all slept till 8:00 a.m. this morning - this is the first time I've gotten to sleep in in two years - ever since Caleb was born! Hurray!!! Well, considering that he was up till 11 p.m. last night, it's not surprising, although he has a habit of getting up earlier when he goes to bed extra-late. Thank goodness he didn't today!
Well, we're off to a busy weekend! Shopping, working, practicing, church, teaching, a grad party, and playing for a church service. I wish we could relax, but not this weekend! Next weekend!
Love to all!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Conversations with Sarah, Part II
Greetings, all! Today I thought I'd do a quick post - just a copy-and-paste of a fellow HG-mum's emailed thoughts on "Spirituality and Hyperemesis Gravidarum." HG can have a ruinous effect on one's spirituality and faith - it actually seems to be quite common. I have had my own spiritual struggles (still do, actually), and that will be the subject of an upcoming blog. However, that requires a good amount of time, which I don't have too often! So that will have to wait for another day. In the meantime, here are some thoughts from Sarah......
"Finally I have some time to sit and write. My older two are in bed and my husband has the baby.I am feeling pensive so perhaps this will be productive.I have thought so much about what you (Diana) wrote about your own spiritual struggle. So both of us are in a place where our faith was revealed for what it really was, which was (sadly) not what we thought. Hmmm.
"I have always had a pretty easy time with faith until the HG. Even with my first HG pregnancy I trusted that God knew what he was doing. I have not had great spiritual struggles, ever, except for the occasional period of conviction for some ongoing sin that I soon repented of. I have had lots of mountaintop experiences and only a few valleys. This, however, takes the cake.
"I liken it to something I read in Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. He quotes St. John of the Cross who went through a time of spiritual drought and called it his "dark night of the soul". This is surely my dark night of the soul. It isn't depression but rather silence and stagnation. At least St. John of the Cross kept seeking God during his dark night. I can't say that I am seeking God--maybe a little. I think constantly. I wonder how long my dark night will last. I wonder what I should be doing to end it, if anything. I wonder if my HG was a punishment for something or perhaps a testing that I failed miserably. Maybe it was an unfortunate consequence of living in a fallen world. I wonder if I had to experience HG to prepare me for other work/ministry/people. I wonder if I could have somehow prevented it, if it really was largely psychosomatic. I wonder if it would happen again. I wonder why it had to be me. I wonder why God did not answer my prayers and the prayers of many, many others that I would be healed.
"I feel confused that I am having such a struggle "getting over" my pregnancy. I feel like I should be happy to have a fat, happy, healthy baby and be done with it. I don't know why I can't be like King David who sought and trusted in God when he was in dire circumstances; the psalms are full of evidence of this. I just cannot accept that God intentionally did not heal me. But then I think of the sacrifice he made in sending Jesus to suffer for MY sin...it just blows my complaints out of the water. But I don't think it invalidates my very human struggle to take God for what he says he is and to ponder the question of suffering and pain.
"All last summer when I was desperately ill and even clinging to life, my dad kept telling me one thing. He kept saying, "God is too kind to be cruel and too wise to make a mistake." But when you are in the bottom of the pit planning your own suicide or curled up in a hospital bed, pumped full of drugs and fluids and still puking, praying to either die or miscarry, it doesn't feel kind or wise.
"My friend J. told me to just pray that God would help me to love him. I occasionally do ask God for that and I think he is answering that prayer in showing me how he is taking care of some of our financial and physical needs. We have been very, very blessed with baby clothes and clothes for A. and K., plus we got an unexpected sum of money. We can always use money! :) God has also revealed himself to me through my husband, who has been Christ to me when I was at my absolute worst and all during my recovery. V. is so amazing and I have seen him show me Christ-like love. So I can't say that I feel warm fuzzies when I think of spiritual things, but I am aware that God is at work.
"Another thought--is this sin? I mean, is doubting and grappling sinful? Am I supposed to just swallow whatever I am given? Someone told me this week that I would eventually return to God and repent, but what am I repenting of? I don't feel like I am sinning and I certainly know what a life of sustained sin feels like because I have done it before. Mostly I feel numb, angry, cynical, or tentative. But if being angry at God is a sin then I may be in trouble.
"I hope I am not damaging my kids during this time of struggle. An. is frighteningly perceptive and I am afraid she knows something is going on. Things I used to do with the girls before like pray, read Bible stories, incorporate spiritual truths, etc I just don't do anymore, nor do I want to. I feel false trying to pray in front of them so I avoid it. I do still take them to church, though, so I guess that is something. When I think about it, though, I realize that I am not the only one responsible for their spiritual development. V. is a big part of that, too, and their teachers at church to a lesser extent. Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit who draws people to God because I am failing in that area.
"Whew. I think that is it for now. It feels good to write this out and bare it all to three people that I trust. Please let me know your thoughts and musings when you have a moment. And thanks for reading this thing. I am tired as I write and I suspect that tomorrow morning I will re-read this and just shake my head at how disjointed it is.
"Love, Sarah
"Finally I have some time to sit and write. My older two are in bed and my husband has the baby.I am feeling pensive so perhaps this will be productive.I have thought so much about what you (Diana) wrote about your own spiritual struggle. So both of us are in a place where our faith was revealed for what it really was, which was (sadly) not what we thought. Hmmm.
"I have always had a pretty easy time with faith until the HG. Even with my first HG pregnancy I trusted that God knew what he was doing. I have not had great spiritual struggles, ever, except for the occasional period of conviction for some ongoing sin that I soon repented of. I have had lots of mountaintop experiences and only a few valleys. This, however, takes the cake.
"I liken it to something I read in Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. He quotes St. John of the Cross who went through a time of spiritual drought and called it his "dark night of the soul". This is surely my dark night of the soul. It isn't depression but rather silence and stagnation. At least St. John of the Cross kept seeking God during his dark night. I can't say that I am seeking God--maybe a little. I think constantly. I wonder how long my dark night will last. I wonder what I should be doing to end it, if anything. I wonder if my HG was a punishment for something or perhaps a testing that I failed miserably. Maybe it was an unfortunate consequence of living in a fallen world. I wonder if I had to experience HG to prepare me for other work/ministry/people. I wonder if I could have somehow prevented it, if it really was largely psychosomatic. I wonder if it would happen again. I wonder why it had to be me. I wonder why God did not answer my prayers and the prayers of many, many others that I would be healed.
"I feel confused that I am having such a struggle "getting over" my pregnancy. I feel like I should be happy to have a fat, happy, healthy baby and be done with it. I don't know why I can't be like King David who sought and trusted in God when he was in dire circumstances; the psalms are full of evidence of this. I just cannot accept that God intentionally did not heal me. But then I think of the sacrifice he made in sending Jesus to suffer for MY sin...it just blows my complaints out of the water. But I don't think it invalidates my very human struggle to take God for what he says he is and to ponder the question of suffering and pain.
"All last summer when I was desperately ill and even clinging to life, my dad kept telling me one thing. He kept saying, "God is too kind to be cruel and too wise to make a mistake." But when you are in the bottom of the pit planning your own suicide or curled up in a hospital bed, pumped full of drugs and fluids and still puking, praying to either die or miscarry, it doesn't feel kind or wise.
"My friend J. told me to just pray that God would help me to love him. I occasionally do ask God for that and I think he is answering that prayer in showing me how he is taking care of some of our financial and physical needs. We have been very, very blessed with baby clothes and clothes for A. and K., plus we got an unexpected sum of money. We can always use money! :) God has also revealed himself to me through my husband, who has been Christ to me when I was at my absolute worst and all during my recovery. V. is so amazing and I have seen him show me Christ-like love. So I can't say that I feel warm fuzzies when I think of spiritual things, but I am aware that God is at work.
"Another thought--is this sin? I mean, is doubting and grappling sinful? Am I supposed to just swallow whatever I am given? Someone told me this week that I would eventually return to God and repent, but what am I repenting of? I don't feel like I am sinning and I certainly know what a life of sustained sin feels like because I have done it before. Mostly I feel numb, angry, cynical, or tentative. But if being angry at God is a sin then I may be in trouble.
"I hope I am not damaging my kids during this time of struggle. An. is frighteningly perceptive and I am afraid she knows something is going on. Things I used to do with the girls before like pray, read Bible stories, incorporate spiritual truths, etc I just don't do anymore, nor do I want to. I feel false trying to pray in front of them so I avoid it. I do still take them to church, though, so I guess that is something. When I think about it, though, I realize that I am not the only one responsible for their spiritual development. V. is a big part of that, too, and their teachers at church to a lesser extent. Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit who draws people to God because I am failing in that area.
"Whew. I think that is it for now. It feels good to write this out and bare it all to three people that I trust. Please let me know your thoughts and musings when you have a moment. And thanks for reading this thing. I am tired as I write and I suspect that tomorrow morning I will re-read this and just shake my head at how disjointed it is.
"Love, Sarah
Monday, May 12, 2008
Another Week Begins!
Well, our little guy has unexpectedly decided to take a 3-hour+ nap, so I've decided to waste some of that precious extra time blogging! Most likely he'll be up within the next ten minutes.
My spare time this week has mostly been spent dealing with ANTS. As has been so aptly said, "They're baaaacccckkkk." Last year we had a miserable time with ants - we were basically overrun. The kind of situation where if one drops a cheerio on the carpet, ten minutes later there will be an efficient little black line going to and from it to yet another hole in the wall where the little beggars are pouring in.
Last year we had one 24-hour session that was absolutely amazing. They started coming into the baby's room, so we called the apartment's pest control, who (as usual) sent out an inexpert chap who doused our front doorway with pesticide. Well, apparently, that made the little things MAD, because they then moved into both bathrooms by midnight, and by morning were pouring into our kitchen in hoardes. We had to ask our friend C. to come over for about four hours so I could deal with the little devils, and our house spent the rest of the summer covered in boric acid and diatomaceous earth - a state which it has now resumed and will probably keep until the cool weather hits this fall.
Our third house has now almost definitely fallen through. Another bid has (we think) been accepted, although we may be the runners up in case it falls through. We have been amazed at the number of irresponsible and dishonest realtors we have had to deal with during this process! I hadn't realized what a wide spectrum of honesty and character there is in the field - and a lot of unprofessionalism too. Thankfully our realtor is honest and responsible and reliable, so he can deal with the rest of them for us. We went out and looked at another 10 houses yesterday and found 2 possibilities, so hopefully we'll be able to look at them soon and see if they could work for us. Buyer's market? What buyer's market?
The big excitement of the week will be H&B's wedding, which I am coordinating (yikes!). That is big project #2 of 3 (#3 being our assumed upcoming move). After that I can get pregnant at will, God willing! I'm wondering if it will actually be as easy to get pregnant as it used to be for us (2 pregnancies in 3 months), just for the simple reason that with the way we've been using our NFP, we ought to have rightfully gotten pregnant at least 8 times this past year, LOL!! (Side note: I now understand why all the couples in our NFP class were engaged, rather than married, which shocked me at the time - one really needs to use NFP for at least a year before using it for family planning, in order to learn one's body and cycles.) So that will be interesting. However, with the overwhelming amount of fear that I have in facing another pregnancy, I won't be too upset if it takes a while. After all, it's mainly at Joe's insistence that we're trying again at all. I love being pregnant, but I have too much fear to push for it voluntarily. I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it now! I'm wondering if it is actually too smart for us to attempt another pregnancy. I don't know how well I would be able to rejoice in it - there's just too, too, too much fear. I'm having a really hard time trusting the Lord on this one (and that, indeed, is the subject of another blog entry entirely). I've never been so close to true despair, and I know from friends and research how much further HG can go - I don't want to go that far down into the Pit. I pray for wisdom in this whole issue!!
Well, our little guy is still not up! With a 3 1/2 hour nap, I'm guessing he's coming down with something - he always sleeps more when he's sick. So I'd better go get something useful done!!
Lots of love to all!
My spare time this week has mostly been spent dealing with ANTS. As has been so aptly said, "They're baaaacccckkkk." Last year we had a miserable time with ants - we were basically overrun. The kind of situation where if one drops a cheerio on the carpet, ten minutes later there will be an efficient little black line going to and from it to yet another hole in the wall where the little beggars are pouring in.
Last year we had one 24-hour session that was absolutely amazing. They started coming into the baby's room, so we called the apartment's pest control, who (as usual) sent out an inexpert chap who doused our front doorway with pesticide. Well, apparently, that made the little things MAD, because they then moved into both bathrooms by midnight, and by morning were pouring into our kitchen in hoardes. We had to ask our friend C. to come over for about four hours so I could deal with the little devils, and our house spent the rest of the summer covered in boric acid and diatomaceous earth - a state which it has now resumed and will probably keep until the cool weather hits this fall.
Our third house has now almost definitely fallen through. Another bid has (we think) been accepted, although we may be the runners up in case it falls through. We have been amazed at the number of irresponsible and dishonest realtors we have had to deal with during this process! I hadn't realized what a wide spectrum of honesty and character there is in the field - and a lot of unprofessionalism too. Thankfully our realtor is honest and responsible and reliable, so he can deal with the rest of them for us. We went out and looked at another 10 houses yesterday and found 2 possibilities, so hopefully we'll be able to look at them soon and see if they could work for us. Buyer's market? What buyer's market?
The big excitement of the week will be H&B's wedding, which I am coordinating (yikes!). That is big project #2 of 3 (#3 being our assumed upcoming move). After that I can get pregnant at will, God willing! I'm wondering if it will actually be as easy to get pregnant as it used to be for us (2 pregnancies in 3 months), just for the simple reason that with the way we've been using our NFP, we ought to have rightfully gotten pregnant at least 8 times this past year, LOL!! (Side note: I now understand why all the couples in our NFP class were engaged, rather than married, which shocked me at the time - one really needs to use NFP for at least a year before using it for family planning, in order to learn one's body and cycles.) So that will be interesting. However, with the overwhelming amount of fear that I have in facing another pregnancy, I won't be too upset if it takes a while. After all, it's mainly at Joe's insistence that we're trying again at all. I love being pregnant, but I have too much fear to push for it voluntarily. I'm hyperventilating just thinking about it now! I'm wondering if it is actually too smart for us to attempt another pregnancy. I don't know how well I would be able to rejoice in it - there's just too, too, too much fear. I'm having a really hard time trusting the Lord on this one (and that, indeed, is the subject of another blog entry entirely). I've never been so close to true despair, and I know from friends and research how much further HG can go - I don't want to go that far down into the Pit. I pray for wisdom in this whole issue!!
Well, our little guy is still not up! With a 3 1/2 hour nap, I'm guessing he's coming down with something - he always sleeps more when he's sick. So I'd better go get something useful done!!
Lots of love to all!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Primer
Today I thought I'd just post some sketchy notes on the subject of "I've got HG - what on earth do I do now?" These notes may be of marginal value, coming from someone who had only a moderate case of HG. However, I'll do my best
Determining if you have Hyperemesis Gravidarum
(As opposed to normal morning sickness, that is.)
Well, it's pretty easy to tell. If you're desperately searching the internet for remedies for the "morning sickness" which is taking over your life and driving you to despair, or if you are too ill to be on the internet and are just hanging out in bed throwing up, there's your answer.
Morning sickness, like most conditions, occurs in many manifestations all over a continuum of intensity. There's no exact dividing line between "morning sickness" and "hyperemesis gravidarum."
Here's a good description of HG, taken from the Hyperemesis Research Foundation Website.
"Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It is generally described as unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. If severe and/or inadequately treated, it is typically associated with:
- loss of greater than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight (usually over 10%)
- dehydration and production of ketones
- nutritional deficiencies
- metabolic imbalances
- difficulty with daily activities"
Check out this website
http://www.hyperemesis.org/index.php
It will give you all the basics about hyperemesis - how to get help, how to find a care provider, lots of resources, etc.
Order this book
"Beyond Morning Sickness" by Ashli McCall
http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Morning-Sickness-Hyperemesis-Gravidarum/dp/1419640933/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210178718&sr=8-1
Ashli has been there, done that, having had HG four times. This is the best book I have read so far on the subject. If you can, order a couple - one for your immediate family, one for extended family, and one for your care provider.
This book provides tons of information on how to deal with HG, find a care provider, decide on treatment and drug options, etc.
There are other books out there, but I haven't read too many of them yet. This is the only one I can recommend having read it.
Get an advocate
You are probably too sick to do the work that needs to be done in caring for your health. Hopefully your husband will fill this role; perhaps your mom or sister or a friend. You need someone who will do research, call doctors, go to appointments with you, etc.
Ask for help
This is something that your advocate can do for you. You will probably need help with housework, childcare, etc. Ask for the help you need!
Find a care provider
Your advocate can help you with this too. Ask for recommendations from friends, or have your husband/advocate call doctors' offices to ask if they are willing to treat a client with HG. Do not settle for anything less than persistent, aggressive, and compassionate treatment. Three BIG warning signs with a care-provider: (1) He/She tells you that this is just "normal morning sickness," that it will go away eventually, that you need to just get some fresh air/eat crackers/drink ginger ale/etc. (2) He/she tells you that it's all in your head/that you must really not want this baby/etc. (3) He/she suggests abortion as a remedy. Shocking as it may seem, this is not too uncommon. Many OB's do not want the high work load that comes from dealing with an HG mum, and pro-abortion doctors may recommend an abortion to "solve the problem" and get you off their hands.
Stay hydrated
If you can eat, eat whatever you can and don't fuss about nutrition. For the first couple of months after recovering from the worst of my HG, I was only able to eat ice cream and barbecued pork. Prenatal vitamins didn't happen for months (couldn't even think about trying to get those puppies down). Eat what you can.
If you have moderate hyperemesis and are only able to keep liquids down, try the following: diluted Gatorade, jello, and nutrition drinks such as chilled Boost, SlimFast, Ensure, etc. (nutrition drinks will also help make up for not being able to take prenatal vitamins, if you can't manage those). Drink something often (perhaps hourly) to keep something in your stomach. Remember, keeping those liquids down will keep your blood sugar up and will keep you hydrated - both low blood sugar and dehydration will make the nausea much, much worse.
If your HG is more severe, this will not work because liquids will not stay down. In that case, have your hubbie drive you to the hospital NOW.
While dealing with the medical establishment, you may have a great experience or a crummy one. It's kind of a toss-up. Be prepared for doctors and nurses who may be patronizing, contemptuous, unsympathetic and impatient - who think you are taking up bed space and crowding out patients who are "really sick." This is part of HG, unfortunately. HG tends to fall into the category of diseases which are dismissed as being "all in one's head" (other diseases in this category would include depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.)
Don't give up hope
This WILL be over at some point. You WILL have a beautiful baby, and you will feel WONDERFUL. Hang in there!
For those of you in more desperate situations, please remember that abortion is never the answer. You will replace temporary suffering with a lifetime of pain. There are ways to effectively treat hyperemesis - all you need is a good care provider and time. No matter how dark these days are, there is a beautiful baby waiting at the end of the tunnel.
Prepare to be frustrated
If you are like 99.9% of HG mums out there, you are going to be bombarded with the most frustrating comments in the world. This is not the fault of the comment-makers - it is just the fact that HG is an unknown disease, and most women have had morning sickness of some sort which makes them feel like they "know what you're talking about." Here are some comments to expect:
"Oh yeah, I had bad morning sickness. I couldn't eat onions for weeks."
"Go outside and get some fresh air. Stop thinking about yourself so much."
"Eat something! You can't think of just yourself. Your baby needs food."
"Just get up and get active. Go for a walk. You'll feel better."
"We've all been there."
"That's just the way it goes!"
Unfortunately there's no way to stop these comments, so just find another HG mum and commiserate. :)
When all is said and done, HG is just one heck of a miserable experience. It is one long, hellish experience that leaves most women scared to death of pregnancy for life (I know it has for me). HG ladies, if you see anything I should have added to the above, please let me know and I'll add it pronto.
Love to all!
Determining if you have Hyperemesis Gravidarum
(As opposed to normal morning sickness, that is.)
Well, it's pretty easy to tell. If you're desperately searching the internet for remedies for the "morning sickness" which is taking over your life and driving you to despair, or if you are too ill to be on the internet and are just hanging out in bed throwing up, there's your answer.
Morning sickness, like most conditions, occurs in many manifestations all over a continuum of intensity. There's no exact dividing line between "morning sickness" and "hyperemesis gravidarum."
Here's a good description of HG, taken from the Hyperemesis Research Foundation Website.
"Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It is generally described as unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids. If severe and/or inadequately treated, it is typically associated with:
- loss of greater than 5% of pre-pregnancy body weight (usually over 10%)
- dehydration and production of ketones
- nutritional deficiencies
- metabolic imbalances
- difficulty with daily activities"
Check out this website
http://www.hyperemesis.org/index.php
It will give you all the basics about hyperemesis - how to get help, how to find a care provider, lots of resources, etc.
Order this book
"Beyond Morning Sickness" by Ashli McCall
http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Morning-Sickness-Hyperemesis-Gravidarum/dp/1419640933/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210178718&sr=8-1
Ashli has been there, done that, having had HG four times. This is the best book I have read so far on the subject. If you can, order a couple - one for your immediate family, one for extended family, and one for your care provider.
This book provides tons of information on how to deal with HG, find a care provider, decide on treatment and drug options, etc.
There are other books out there, but I haven't read too many of them yet. This is the only one I can recommend having read it.
Get an advocate
You are probably too sick to do the work that needs to be done in caring for your health. Hopefully your husband will fill this role; perhaps your mom or sister or a friend. You need someone who will do research, call doctors, go to appointments with you, etc.
Ask for help
This is something that your advocate can do for you. You will probably need help with housework, childcare, etc. Ask for the help you need!
Find a care provider
Your advocate can help you with this too. Ask for recommendations from friends, or have your husband/advocate call doctors' offices to ask if they are willing to treat a client with HG. Do not settle for anything less than persistent, aggressive, and compassionate treatment. Three BIG warning signs with a care-provider: (1) He/She tells you that this is just "normal morning sickness," that it will go away eventually, that you need to just get some fresh air/eat crackers/drink ginger ale/etc. (2) He/she tells you that it's all in your head/that you must really not want this baby/etc. (3) He/she suggests abortion as a remedy. Shocking as it may seem, this is not too uncommon. Many OB's do not want the high work load that comes from dealing with an HG mum, and pro-abortion doctors may recommend an abortion to "solve the problem" and get you off their hands.
Stay hydrated
If you can eat, eat whatever you can and don't fuss about nutrition. For the first couple of months after recovering from the worst of my HG, I was only able to eat ice cream and barbecued pork. Prenatal vitamins didn't happen for months (couldn't even think about trying to get those puppies down). Eat what you can.
If you have moderate hyperemesis and are only able to keep liquids down, try the following: diluted Gatorade, jello, and nutrition drinks such as chilled Boost, SlimFast, Ensure, etc. (nutrition drinks will also help make up for not being able to take prenatal vitamins, if you can't manage those). Drink something often (perhaps hourly) to keep something in your stomach. Remember, keeping those liquids down will keep your blood sugar up and will keep you hydrated - both low blood sugar and dehydration will make the nausea much, much worse.
If your HG is more severe, this will not work because liquids will not stay down. In that case, have your hubbie drive you to the hospital NOW.
While dealing with the medical establishment, you may have a great experience or a crummy one. It's kind of a toss-up. Be prepared for doctors and nurses who may be patronizing, contemptuous, unsympathetic and impatient - who think you are taking up bed space and crowding out patients who are "really sick." This is part of HG, unfortunately. HG tends to fall into the category of diseases which are dismissed as being "all in one's head" (other diseases in this category would include depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.)
Don't give up hope
This WILL be over at some point. You WILL have a beautiful baby, and you will feel WONDERFUL. Hang in there!
For those of you in more desperate situations, please remember that abortion is never the answer. You will replace temporary suffering with a lifetime of pain. There are ways to effectively treat hyperemesis - all you need is a good care provider and time. No matter how dark these days are, there is a beautiful baby waiting at the end of the tunnel.
Prepare to be frustrated
If you are like 99.9% of HG mums out there, you are going to be bombarded with the most frustrating comments in the world. This is not the fault of the comment-makers - it is just the fact that HG is an unknown disease, and most women have had morning sickness of some sort which makes them feel like they "know what you're talking about." Here are some comments to expect:
"Oh yeah, I had bad morning sickness. I couldn't eat onions for weeks."
"Go outside and get some fresh air. Stop thinking about yourself so much."
"Eat something! You can't think of just yourself. Your baby needs food."
"Just get up and get active. Go for a walk. You'll feel better."
"We've all been there."
"That's just the way it goes!"
Unfortunately there's no way to stop these comments, so just find another HG mum and commiserate. :)
When all is said and done, HG is just one heck of a miserable experience. It is one long, hellish experience that leaves most women scared to death of pregnancy for life (I know it has for me). HG ladies, if you see anything I should have added to the above, please let me know and I'll add it pronto.
Love to all!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Research: Homeopathy II
Okay, back to some actual research!! I have tons of this stuff, and it really needs to get onto this blog.
For my second entry on homeopathy, I want to post notes on the "Nausea and Vomiting" section of "Homeopathic Medicines for Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Richard Moskowitz (1993). Despite its nauseatingly pro-abortion bias, this is a great book and is highly recommended by reviewers. I am just going to post my notes on his section, in hopes that they can be of use to someone. The best way to use it is just to take your symptom-picture and match it as best you can (it probably won't be exact).
Dosages: First, try an over-the-counter strength (6x, 12x, etc.) - these can be bought at Sprouts and other natural-foods stores. Give each remedy several tries; if improvement is seen, continue to use; if not, move on to the next remedy that you think might work. If higher dosages are needed, you may have to get a prescription from a homeopath (which, considering that American mainstream medicine doesn't acknowledge homeopathy as valid, is rather odd!).
(1) Sepia
- Most often helpful for ordinary nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
- Nausea intensified by smell or thought of foods
- Woman may be irritable with friends and loved ones
- Need to be alone, quiet, free of responsibilities, cared for
- Physical exercise is often impossible; nausea is aggravated by physical effort
- Aggravated from not eating - relief will be seen from eating a small bit of food
- Commonly exhibit intolerance of fatty foods
- Bearing-down pain or discomfort
- Dosage: Sepia 12 or 30 may be given 3x/day or more often for several days consecutively until better; then weekly as needed. With Sepia 200, try 3 dosages/24 hours, repeating weekly if necessary (using Sepia 12 or 30 as needed in between)
(2) Pulsatilla
- Another good one for pregnancy-induced nausea
- Typical symptoms like intolerance of warm rooms with improvement in open air
- Sensitivity to overeating, fat or rich foods, bread, milk, fruit
(3) Nux Vomica
- Nervous hyperstimulation (?)
- Typical keynotes such as drug abuse or intolerance, constipation or other autonomic dysfunction, and insomnia
(4) Ignatia
- Context of grief, sorrow or disappointment (relationship ills, etc.)
- Associated with contradictory symptoms (symptoms that don't make sense) and evidence of nervous excitement (insomnia, trembling, etc.)
(5) Phosphorous
- Useful for complaints heightened by an overactive imagination with exaggerated fears and tendency to somatization (mind-body connection)
(6) Natrum Mur
- Background of grief, sorrow, or disappointment and resulting sense of grimness and rigidity
(7) Cocculus
- Symptoms aggravated from riding in boats, trains, etc.
- Woman is sensitive to smell or the thought of food
- Tendency to insomnia from emotional excitement
(8) Colchicum
- Symptoms are intolerant of movement (makes nausea much work)
- Marked intolerance of smells
- Woman will lie or sit motionless and as far away as possible from strong odors
- Tendency to bowel irritation with diarrhea
- Chilliness with sensitivity to cold or damp weather
(9) Ipecac
- Severe and constant nausea unrelieved by vomiting
- Useful for the most severe and advanced cases in which patient is unable to eat and may need hospitalization and IV fluids
- Good for when other remedies have been ineffective
- Ptyalism (profuse salivation) is a guiding symptom
(10) Symphoricarpus
- For the most advanced or desperate patients with deathly nausea and paroxysmal or intractable vomiting (sometimes enough to produce blood)
***
I recommend getting the book from the library, as my notes may be insufficient. Also, Dr. Moskowitz gives a sample case history for each remedy, and reading these may even be more useful than reading the symptom pictures!
There are other homeopathic materia medica that I have found on-line and in books, so I will post notes from each source as I have time. I'm hoping to be able to get my mind around some of it so that I can start to have a feel for homeopathic remedies for nausea and vomiting.
My strongest feeling, though, would be that it would be best just to go and see an experienced homeopath, especially in cases of hyperemesis gravidarum. When one is trying to deal with hyperemesis, one is too ill to do the necessary research, shopping and testing, and a homeopath would have a much better feel for remedies than an amateur. However, it's always worth a shot! Should I ever be blessed with another little one I am going to be seeing a homeopath, so I will post notes from the experience at the time.
Cheers!
For my second entry on homeopathy, I want to post notes on the "Nausea and Vomiting" section of "Homeopathic Medicines for Pregnancy and Childbirth" by Richard Moskowitz (1993). Despite its nauseatingly pro-abortion bias, this is a great book and is highly recommended by reviewers. I am just going to post my notes on his section, in hopes that they can be of use to someone. The best way to use it is just to take your symptom-picture and match it as best you can (it probably won't be exact).
Dosages: First, try an over-the-counter strength (6x, 12x, etc.) - these can be bought at Sprouts and other natural-foods stores. Give each remedy several tries; if improvement is seen, continue to use; if not, move on to the next remedy that you think might work. If higher dosages are needed, you may have to get a prescription from a homeopath (which, considering that American mainstream medicine doesn't acknowledge homeopathy as valid, is rather odd!).
(1) Sepia
- Most often helpful for ordinary nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
- Nausea intensified by smell or thought of foods
- Woman may be irritable with friends and loved ones
- Need to be alone, quiet, free of responsibilities, cared for
- Physical exercise is often impossible; nausea is aggravated by physical effort
- Aggravated from not eating - relief will be seen from eating a small bit of food
- Commonly exhibit intolerance of fatty foods
- Bearing-down pain or discomfort
- Dosage: Sepia 12 or 30 may be given 3x/day or more often for several days consecutively until better; then weekly as needed. With Sepia 200, try 3 dosages/24 hours, repeating weekly if necessary (using Sepia 12 or 30 as needed in between)
(2) Pulsatilla
- Another good one for pregnancy-induced nausea
- Typical symptoms like intolerance of warm rooms with improvement in open air
- Sensitivity to overeating, fat or rich foods, bread, milk, fruit
(3) Nux Vomica
- Nervous hyperstimulation (?)
- Typical keynotes such as drug abuse or intolerance, constipation or other autonomic dysfunction, and insomnia
(4) Ignatia
- Context of grief, sorrow or disappointment (relationship ills, etc.)
- Associated with contradictory symptoms (symptoms that don't make sense) and evidence of nervous excitement (insomnia, trembling, etc.)
(5) Phosphorous
- Useful for complaints heightened by an overactive imagination with exaggerated fears and tendency to somatization (mind-body connection)
(6) Natrum Mur
- Background of grief, sorrow, or disappointment and resulting sense of grimness and rigidity
(7) Cocculus
- Symptoms aggravated from riding in boats, trains, etc.
- Woman is sensitive to smell or the thought of food
- Tendency to insomnia from emotional excitement
(8) Colchicum
- Symptoms are intolerant of movement (makes nausea much work)
- Marked intolerance of smells
- Woman will lie or sit motionless and as far away as possible from strong odors
- Tendency to bowel irritation with diarrhea
- Chilliness with sensitivity to cold or damp weather
(9) Ipecac
- Severe and constant nausea unrelieved by vomiting
- Useful for the most severe and advanced cases in which patient is unable to eat and may need hospitalization and IV fluids
- Good for when other remedies have been ineffective
- Ptyalism (profuse salivation) is a guiding symptom
(10) Symphoricarpus
- For the most advanced or desperate patients with deathly nausea and paroxysmal or intractable vomiting (sometimes enough to produce blood)
***
I recommend getting the book from the library, as my notes may be insufficient. Also, Dr. Moskowitz gives a sample case history for each remedy, and reading these may even be more useful than reading the symptom pictures!
There are other homeopathic materia medica that I have found on-line and in books, so I will post notes from each source as I have time. I'm hoping to be able to get my mind around some of it so that I can start to have a feel for homeopathic remedies for nausea and vomiting.
My strongest feeling, though, would be that it would be best just to go and see an experienced homeopath, especially in cases of hyperemesis gravidarum. When one is trying to deal with hyperemesis, one is too ill to do the necessary research, shopping and testing, and a homeopath would have a much better feel for remedies than an amateur. However, it's always worth a shot! Should I ever be blessed with another little one I am going to be seeing a homeopath, so I will post notes from the experience at the time.
Cheers!
Friday, May 2, 2008
The Business of Being Born
This week I have an excuse for neglecting my blog!! Houseguests - my parents. They're in town to help us restart the home-search process for the umpteenth time. (*Sigh*)
But anyhow, I had to take a minute to post this link, because I am so excited about it.
Last fall, we went to see a screening of "The Business of Being Born," which is about the modern maternity and childbirth scene. It was an absolutely amazing, life-changing film, and we both loved it. This website has now posted the movie, so it can be viewed in its entirety - for free!!! I'm so excited. Here it is!!
http://quicksilvers%20creen.com/%20watch?video=
Movies like this are so awesome because they're informational as well as highly interesting and entertaining. I wish everyone could see this film!!!
But anyhow, I had to take a minute to post this link, because I am so excited about it.
Last fall, we went to see a screening of "The Business of Being Born," which is about the modern maternity and childbirth scene. It was an absolutely amazing, life-changing film, and we both loved it. This website has now posted the movie, so it can be viewed in its entirety - for free!!! I'm so excited. Here it is!!
http://quicksilvers%20creen.com/%20watch?video=
Movies like this are so awesome because they're informational as well as highly interesting and entertaining. I wish everyone could see this film!!!
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