Bad news, new research, this and that.
Sep. 3rd, 2005 11:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altarflameI think my tags have taken the place of the subject line.
The birth center called today while I was still sleeping, to talk to Grant. Apparently my platelets have dropped significantly again, to 103,000. If you want a frame of reference, you can see it
Normal count - 150,000-300,000
Dangerous, and posing risks when bleeding (like during labor) - Under 100,000
Normally, low platelets are a symptom of leukemia or a sign of a chronic deal called thrombocytopenia, but some people are just freaks like me and they drop more and more as pregnancy progresses, but are normal when NOT with child.
When I was pregnant with Isaac - they were at 128,000 by 28 weeks, down to 87,000 by 33 weeks (at which point I was hospitalized). I got them up to 97,000 with the whole bananas and iron thing, by 35 weeks, and then Isaac was delivered "before they could start dropping again".
This pregnancy, they have gone from 165,000 at 17 weeks, to 135,000 at 28 weeks, and now down to 103,000, at 36 weeks. So they're staying higher than last time, but obviously they're getting close to the danger zone. Shari told me that if they were lower than 120,000 I could start a supplement that raises platelets. So I went and got some yellow dock today, from Wild Oats. That was a bit of confusion in and of itself, when I talked to their herbalist. Because the liquid is easier for your body to absorb and will have much more of an effect, but it is 45% alcohol. There are also pills, alcohol free but less readily absorbable to you. Then we found a tea I can make and figured out how to dose it, and that was looking good, but IT SMELLS SO BAD and supposedly tastes even worse. So I think I'm going to go with the drunken liquid - I mean I'm dosing it into water with an eyedropper, it's not like I am chugging it, I would just rather not deal with the alcohol at all... Upon arriving home tonight, I did some online research and found nothing scary to contradict it's use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and only very minor, rare side effects for me, so that's cool. I trust Shari reccomending it, but I am just always weary of taking ANYTHING and read everything I can find about it first. Though I do feel better about something natural than something from a factory. I'm so irritated and dissapointed that my platelets are still going down at all, after choking down all these bananas, but I'm trying to be thankful that I have at least found a care provider who gives me options and not ultimatums or surgery (which is SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS to elect to have, for someone with bleeding issues!).
I also started drinking my red raspberry leaf tea yesterday and continued today. I'm going to be doing that everyday. For anyone who doesn't know, RRL tea strengthens and tones the uterus, easing labor when it happens, which I like a lot. It's also loaded with vitamin C, iron and B vitamins. And it tastes really good with honey in it :)
We went by the Homestead Art Club earlier today, where Grant has two mounted and framed photographs entered in the "Spirit of South Dade" contest they're having. This one is just a general entry, and this oneis in the "Rural and Ethnic" category. They look really good, presentation wise. There was someone there doing abstract paintings when we arrived, and I perused the crochet lady's stuff for sale...I feel awful, but it's all horribly lame. Things like scarves full of big holes, that you can make in 20 minutes and look unusable, and dolls made from kits with minimal work required and no creativity involved... Overpriced, too.
I tried to use my Ultimate Baby Wrap to put Isaac on my back, there, but Grant and I just can't get the hang of it. We tried twice yesterday, too, and watched the video this morning - Has anyone used one for back carrying a toddler with secure success? I'm used to the Kozy where Isaac can throw himself backwards to his heart's desire, full torso flinging, with no nervousness at all on my part, and this thing just does not meet my standards for that...I don't feel like I can take my hands off of him at all, and I also can't get him UP high enough, even after a third attempt at tightening each part as I got it on. It's too stretchy for a babe as big as he is, it seems like, even though the weight limit is 35 pounds and he's only 24.
Sidenote: Grant posted a link to the site he's designing for the Homestead Art Club, hoping for feedback. If anyone wants to check it out, it's on his journal -![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
theneolistickid
All in all I've felt kind of down and out all day. Bad platelet news, frustration with the sling, nasty weather...and Mindy was here for the entire afternoon doing laundry and being SO LOUD and irritating. She just takes up all the room in the house, dressed over the top like Gwen Stefani and with her hair dreaded out, talking only at yelling volume - she is seriously SO LOUD - freaking the kids out, blah. Having yelling cussing arguments on the phone with some guy (that at least took place out on the porch), drinking, leaving thongs laying around the laundry room when she was gone. I swear, man. Grant Sr was out of here as soon as she settled in and didn't come back for hours. I don't even know how to begin to relate to her, she doesn't know how to use a computer at all and sees it as a "nerd thing", doesn't even bother to visit her children - we started talking about my old OB Dr Augustus, and she has no idea what I'm talking about. She LOVES him, he goes to the club where she strips and tips really well...can you IMAGINE stripping for your gynecologist? Honestly...Blah. She was all incredulous and making fun of Annie saying she would like to be a midwife when she grows up. Luckily Ananda doesn't care. For some reason her husband - who is on again off again at this point and has a major steroid-induced violence problem - came by 4 times in a vehicle, once on a bike, and called who knows how often, in the course of the few hours she was here. Once he had a baby with him, strapped into a front facing carseat he was too little for in the FRONT seat of the car, with an airbag. He (the baby) had on a thick gold chain and some Nike clothes. Blah again.
Shaun took the 5.5 of us out to Olive Garden for dinner when evening rolled around. They now offer whole wheat linguini with any meal as a pasta substitution, so that is great for me. I just have to struggle to stay out of the bread and steer clear of cream sauce ;) I think that it was a mediocre trip, mostly due to my own dietary limits on myself, but it was a great way to get out of the house and the kids loved it. It's way up in Miami, so we stopped at Wild Oats for the yellow dock on the way there. And Target, where Shaun got Ananda and Aaron a microscope kit. Isn't that awesome? Since we've been home with it, Ananda has cut an ant in half and pulled out one of her hairs and found a grain of salt, and so forth, to peer at on her little slides. It's not an expensive one, it's National Geographic brand and marketed to (older) children, but she loves it :) Shaun is celebrating his new job, which pays better than delivering pizzas did.
Alright. I'm off to enjoy my nightly second wind by getting some more sewing and crocheting done, possibly some cleaning and definitely some childbirth excercises.
The birth center called today while I was still sleeping, to talk to Grant. Apparently my platelets have dropped significantly again, to 103,000. If you want a frame of reference, you can see it
Normal count - 150,000-300,000
Dangerous, and posing risks when bleeding (like during labor) - Under 100,000
Normally, low platelets are a symptom of leukemia or a sign of a chronic deal called thrombocytopenia, but some people are just freaks like me and they drop more and more as pregnancy progresses, but are normal when NOT with child.
When I was pregnant with Isaac - they were at 128,000 by 28 weeks, down to 87,000 by 33 weeks (at which point I was hospitalized). I got them up to 97,000 with the whole bananas and iron thing, by 35 weeks, and then Isaac was delivered "before they could start dropping again".
This pregnancy, they have gone from 165,000 at 17 weeks, to 135,000 at 28 weeks, and now down to 103,000, at 36 weeks. So they're staying higher than last time, but obviously they're getting close to the danger zone. Shari told me that if they were lower than 120,000 I could start a supplement that raises platelets. So I went and got some yellow dock today, from Wild Oats. That was a bit of confusion in and of itself, when I talked to their herbalist. Because the liquid is easier for your body to absorb and will have much more of an effect, but it is 45% alcohol. There are also pills, alcohol free but less readily absorbable to you. Then we found a tea I can make and figured out how to dose it, and that was looking good, but IT SMELLS SO BAD and supposedly tastes even worse. So I think I'm going to go with the drunken liquid - I mean I'm dosing it into water with an eyedropper, it's not like I am chugging it, I would just rather not deal with the alcohol at all... Upon arriving home tonight, I did some online research and found nothing scary to contradict it's use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and only very minor, rare side effects for me, so that's cool. I trust Shari reccomending it, but I am just always weary of taking ANYTHING and read everything I can find about it first. Though I do feel better about something natural than something from a factory. I'm so irritated and dissapointed that my platelets are still going down at all, after choking down all these bananas, but I'm trying to be thankful that I have at least found a care provider who gives me options and not ultimatums or surgery (which is SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS to elect to have, for someone with bleeding issues!).
I also started drinking my red raspberry leaf tea yesterday and continued today. I'm going to be doing that everyday. For anyone who doesn't know, RRL tea strengthens and tones the uterus, easing labor when it happens, which I like a lot. It's also loaded with vitamin C, iron and B vitamins. And it tastes really good with honey in it :)
We went by the Homestead Art Club earlier today, where Grant has two mounted and framed photographs entered in the "Spirit of South Dade" contest they're having. This one is just a general entry, and this oneis in the "Rural and Ethnic" category. They look really good, presentation wise. There was someone there doing abstract paintings when we arrived, and I perused the crochet lady's stuff for sale...I feel awful, but it's all horribly lame. Things like scarves full of big holes, that you can make in 20 minutes and look unusable, and dolls made from kits with minimal work required and no creativity involved... Overpriced, too.
I tried to use my Ultimate Baby Wrap to put Isaac on my back, there, but Grant and I just can't get the hang of it. We tried twice yesterday, too, and watched the video this morning - Has anyone used one for back carrying a toddler with secure success? I'm used to the Kozy where Isaac can throw himself backwards to his heart's desire, full torso flinging, with no nervousness at all on my part, and this thing just does not meet my standards for that...I don't feel like I can take my hands off of him at all, and I also can't get him UP high enough, even after a third attempt at tightening each part as I got it on. It's too stretchy for a babe as big as he is, it seems like, even though the weight limit is 35 pounds and he's only 24.
Sidenote: Grant posted a link to the site he's designing for the Homestead Art Club, hoping for feedback. If anyone wants to check it out, it's on his journal -
theneolistickidAll in all I've felt kind of down and out all day. Bad platelet news, frustration with the sling, nasty weather...and Mindy was here for the entire afternoon doing laundry and being SO LOUD and irritating. She just takes up all the room in the house, dressed over the top like Gwen Stefani and with her hair dreaded out, talking only at yelling volume - she is seriously SO LOUD - freaking the kids out, blah. Having yelling cussing arguments on the phone with some guy (that at least took place out on the porch), drinking, leaving thongs laying around the laundry room when she was gone. I swear, man. Grant Sr was out of here as soon as she settled in and didn't come back for hours. I don't even know how to begin to relate to her, she doesn't know how to use a computer at all and sees it as a "nerd thing", doesn't even bother to visit her children - we started talking about my old OB Dr Augustus, and she has no idea what I'm talking about. She LOVES him, he goes to the club where she strips and tips really well...can you IMAGINE stripping for your gynecologist? Honestly...Blah. She was all incredulous and making fun of Annie saying she would like to be a midwife when she grows up. Luckily Ananda doesn't care. For some reason her husband - who is on again off again at this point and has a major steroid-induced violence problem - came by 4 times in a vehicle, once on a bike, and called who knows how often, in the course of the few hours she was here. Once he had a baby with him, strapped into a front facing carseat he was too little for in the FRONT seat of the car, with an airbag. He (the baby) had on a thick gold chain and some Nike clothes. Blah again.
Shaun took the 5.5 of us out to Olive Garden for dinner when evening rolled around. They now offer whole wheat linguini with any meal as a pasta substitution, so that is great for me. I just have to struggle to stay out of the bread and steer clear of cream sauce ;) I think that it was a mediocre trip, mostly due to my own dietary limits on myself, but it was a great way to get out of the house and the kids loved it. It's way up in Miami, so we stopped at Wild Oats for the yellow dock on the way there. And Target, where Shaun got Ananda and Aaron a microscope kit. Isn't that awesome? Since we've been home with it, Ananda has cut an ant in half and pulled out one of her hairs and found a grain of salt, and so forth, to peer at on her little slides. It's not an expensive one, it's National Geographic brand and marketed to (older) children, but she loves it :) Shaun is celebrating his new job, which pays better than delivering pizzas did.
Alright. I'm off to enjoy my nightly second wind by getting some more sewing and crocheting done, possibly some cleaning and definitely some childbirth excercises.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 05:47 am (UTC)The wrap: I found I couldn't use it by the time Cerys was around a year or so and around 20lbs. I never tried a back carry with it, but I just found it sagged too much and if I tied it any tighter, I couldn't get her into it. I know babs managed to use hers when Tempest was at least that weight though.
And OMG :O at that Mindy chick. *shudder* at all of it. Stripping for your gynocologist - it'd be funny if it wasn't so completely icky! I couldn't help laughing at the thongs all over the laundry room though. And Gwen Stefani - ewwwww! That all sounds like a bit much.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 06:00 am (UTC)And yeah, apparently when he comes all of the dancers fight over who gets to go in the "VIP Room" with Dr Augustus (because he has money). The man is married and has 4 children, and told me a bunch of stuff about what his family does for Lent one year when I came in with ashes on my forehead.
That's how it is with the UBW, it sags or it's too tight. At least on my back. I'm sure it'll work out with the new baby, but I think Isaac is just a mei-tai guy from here on in. Which is just as well, since he's already a year and a half and he loves the thing. I just thought this would be cooler, since it's such thin fabric and the Kozy is canvas.
Re: heating the yellow dock...that is a really good idea, but I think my main concern would be dosage. Like right now I'm supposed to be adding 30-40 drops to water twice a day. Would it alter that completely to have some evaporate out? I guess I could heat it already in the water diluted? Maybe I'll bring that up with the midwife...
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 06:13 am (UTC)The only word for that doctor is "disgusting." There really is something in my being weirded out by any man who decides to make a career out of obstetrics and gynocology.
I don't really know about heating the yellow dock - it was a thought since I know alcohol evaporates easily. Probably it would change the dose so I'd dilute it first. Definitely ask one more knowledgable about that one to be sure, but I imagine if you can make tea out of it, it's been heated to produce the liquid in the first place, that kind of thing, it would probably be OK.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 09:17 am (UTC)The UBW - I've actually never tried back-carry because I never could do it, I've ALWAYS done front. So, no tips for you. :-/
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 09:20 am (UTC)This is probably going to be unpopular, but here goes... I feel that women are treated like glass when pregnant. We are told to rest up, when you would never tell a training athelete to lay around all day; we're told to watch everything we eat when your body will sooner take from your stores then from your stomach... while I certainly would never condone drinking while pregnant, I do feel as though the scare tactic sometimes goes too far. It leads women to believe that a dose of Rescue Remedy will give their babies fetal alcohol syndrome.
You are also past the first key three months. Right now your baby is just getting fatter. If I were you, I wouldn't fret quite so much - above all, the benefits outweight any potential risks.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 05:35 pm (UTC)i drink as much as i CAN while pregnant! a smaller head makes for an easier delivery! *hic*
(but seriously - i agree)
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 10:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 04:40 pm (UTC)I'm sorry about your platelets. I know that when my mom gives blood, she does the platelet thing, is there anyway for you to get extra ones from someone else?
no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-04 10:04 pm (UTC)