10 weeks, 6 days: Slowly Improving

Yes, I think we're finally at that point where things are getting better rather than worse - huzzah! It's about time! (Not that I'm complaining.... Last time it was 20 weeks before I could say that.) It's kind of hard to tell because NVP is very unpredictable - a good day is not necessarily followed by more good days. They tend to alternate unpredictably. BUT.... last night I was feeling well enough to do some housework (first ever!) in our new house! Hurray!!! I scrubbed a layer of ketchup off of our kitchen table, set up our long-neglected files, unpacked a box and cleaned the high chair. What an improvement, albeit so minor! I can't wait till I can get back to housework fulltime - mainly because DH's idea of "I've cleaned the kitchen" is my idea of "When did the invading army leave?" or "For goodness sake, SOMEONE please call the health department!" So regaining our traditional and rigidly sexist gender-specific roles will be a blessed relief. :)

We have our first official midwife appointment next week (hurray!!!!), and I am completely excited about it. I have missed these for the past 2 1/2 years! I can't wait. Much as I know that many of you out there love your OB's, I am SO thankful that I don't have to go to one. Besides the indignity of having someone else do your urine tests for you (gross!) I hate the inflexibility and rigidity of most OB's. Even my consulting OB, who has the reputation as the valley's best naturopathic doc, is still inflexible about things that I would normally skip offhand, such as Group B strep testing and gestational diabetes testing. In fact, when I thought that I was going to have to do co-care with her, I had a set of very frustrating conversations with her office staff. It went something like this:

Me: "What if I don't want to do the gestational diabetes test?"
Nurse: "Well, you have to."
Me: "Yes, but what if I don't?"
Nurse: "Well, you have to."

It literally went on like that ad infinitem. I never did get a straight answer out of them. Thankfully I soon afterwards discovered that co-care wasn't necessary, so I was able to discontinue the conversation. But that's why I love midwives! My midwife says, "At this point you can do such-and-such a test if you want. If you want to, let's do it. If you don't want to, sign this waiver and let's move on with our lives." That is much better for me! I hate micromanagement, especially in health care. Thus, I happily skip all tests but one blood test and one hematocrit, and everyone's happy. (And yes, for those of you out there who are concerned, I thoroughly research all tests/procedures before deciding to forego them... This is not uninformed decision-making.)

And anyway, again, people, I know there are great OB's out there (some of you I know have some of them!). So don't put me down as anti-OB.... just overwhelmingly pro-midwife. :)

I don't know how I got off on that tangent..... The main point was supposed to be that things are at last looking up. I don't think normal life is yet in the immediately foreseeable future, but it is at least somewhere on the horizon. Another month or two, and things will hopefully be much better! I might even be able to.... (gasp!)... cook more than instant oatmeal!!

I'm still trying to decide if I want to do a doula training this weekend. I'm dying to do it, but I just don't know if I feel well enough. Actually, I should restate that - I know I don't feel well enough; I'm just not sure if I want to try to push it in order to make it there! I've got to decide by tomorrow, so we'll see.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!