20 Weeks, 4 days Update

So, it's been a few weeks since I've updated and you can tell I've grown quite a bit.  I've gained about 10 pounds so far! Yikes! I think I'm within the normal weight gain range, but we'll see what the doctor says this week. We're having 2 ultrasounds this week, one on Tuesday at a public hospital and the other on Thursday at a private clinic which will be in 3D.  We should find out if it's a boy or girl.  So exciting! Moi is still giving me my Lovenox shot every night and it's going well.  I'm really used to it and I hardly bruise at all (you can tell I have a couple really faint ones in the pictures).  I guess all the iron I'm taking helps that, but it certainly doesn't help my regularity;).  The baby should weigh about 11 ounces and should be about 10 inches long from head to heel.  From now on it will grow a lot and start to get some meat on its bones:)  It's moving a lot!  I started feeling very light kicks at about 17 weeks, which they say is pretty early and might mean it's a boy.  At first it was strange and kind of hurt.  Now they're more frequent and harder and I'm used to it.  Moi hasn't felt it from the outside yet.  Every time he puts his hand there it stops kicking, but I think it's a little too early any way.  This week Moi is studying a lot and doing some big assignments and I'm doing report cards (220 some!).  So, we'll be pretty busy this week while getting ready to head to the States for Christmas on Saturday!  Can't wait!

16 Weeks, 1 Day

Finally starting to see something!  Well, not too much has been going on pregnancy wise.  I did start injecting myself with Lovenox about a week and half ago now.  The other haematologist decided to go with the more preventative approach despite one of his colleague's advice not to prescribe it (because I had never had a miscarriage).  Our friend from church is also getting me the injections for free from his hospital.  I know God has had His hand in all this!  The shots really aren't too bad.  I'm used to them now.  I feel great and can tell the baby is growing.  I've gained about 5.5 pounds.  We go for a check-up next Wednesday the 17th, but they won't do an ultrasound that day.  They should give us an appointment for an ultrasound in the next few weeks and then we should find out if it's a boy or girl..yoohoo!  The biggest thing going on right now is that Moi came home from Japan 1 week ago!  It's been so nice having him home again!  He's been helping me with my shots too.  His last day at work is Monday.  Today he went and got his buy-out information and everything looks good.  He's a little sad because it's been a really good job, but we know that this is the right step in him finishing his degree.  We know God will provide him with a great job when that time rolls around.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!!

13 weeks, 5 day Update

Well,  as you can see from the pic...You still can't really tell I'm pregnant.  Not much too much has happened either.  I had another ultrasound about 2 weeks ago and everything looked good.  The baby was a good size, good heart beat and they did the nuchal translucency test (to see the chances of it having Down Syndrome) and the results were good, 1/3000.  They didn't give me a pic, so I was a little disappointed, but hopefully at the next one they will.  I'm still waiting for an appointment with the other haemotologist at our friend's hospital to start the heparin/lovenox shots. Hopefully I'll get in this week or next. I'm feeling really good, no nausea, not too tired, no headaches, but still VERY hungry.  I've gained about 3 pounds (all of which I gained while visiting my in-laws in Barcelona one weekend).  It's within the recommended amount, so not too bad.   Moi's coming home in less than 3 weeks now!  Yay!  Shortly after he comes I have another appointment with the OB/GYN, so he'll  be able to go with me.  Well,  keep us in your prayers.  Thanks! 

11 weeks-Due date April 28th, 2011

As far as symptoms go, not much has changed since two weeks ago.  I still get a little nauseous every once in a great while, but nothing much at all.  As long as I keep food in my stomach and don't eat too much, that doesn't happen.  Last week I went to the OB/GYN for the first time and they did an ultrasound even though it was still early!  It was so cool!  I got to see the little bean moving all around.  It was only about 1.2 inches long, but on the screen it looks much bigger and I could see it's arms, legs, hands, feet and big head.  They said he/she looked great, good heartbeat and a little bigger than normal.  So, they moved my due date from May 1st to April 28th.  Not a huge difference, but a good sign that it's growing well.  Because of the Factor V thing they're sending me to a high risk OB and I have an appointment on October 15th.  They're going to do another more extensive ultrasound and hopefully they'll give me a pic so I can post it!  The next day I saw the hematologist.  This appointment didn't go as well as I hoped.  The doctor looked at the study results and said that based simply on the fact that I have Factor V Leiden she didn't want to treat it in any way.  I was a little concerned so I asked her if a cord or placenta clot was possible without treatment and she said that yes, it is possible, but not probable.  I was hoping that she would go ahead and prescribe me the heparin/lovenox shots since it doesn't even cross the placenta and has little to no side effects for me, but she didn't.  She said that she wanted to do another more extensive blood study before she even considered prescribing anything, but I wouldn't get the results until November 25th.  I talked to both my mom and Moi and both said they thought it was better to prevent than to wait for a miscarriage (not saying that would happen anyway) and that since here it will take so long to get the other results they encouraged me to see another hematologist.  I'm waiting now to get an appointment through a friend from church who works at another hospital.  So, we'll see what he says.  I guess if he says the same thing, then I'll have to trust them that everything will be fine.  Anyway,  I know that God has everything in control and right now I really have a peace about it.  Everything will work out!  I have Monday and Tuesday off next week because of a national holiday, so I'm going to Barcelona to visit my in-laws and family there.  It will be nice to relax a little and get my mind off doctor's visits and such.  Well,  I hope you're doing well!  I'll give you another update in about 2 weeks.  Bye!

9 Weeks Update

Hi ya'all!  Everything's going good here.  When I got back to Spain I didn't get morning sickness for about a week.  It came back, but it's not as strong.  I've been to my normal doctor and to my midwife.  They've weighed me, done a pancreas and liver test and given me some pregnancy info.  This week I go to the OB/GYN (hopefully they do the first ultrasound..yea!) and to the hematologist.  I hope everything looks good.  Be praying for a full recovery for my mom.  She's in the hospital now...sure wish I could be there.  Love her!

7 weeks, 1 day Update

My last weekend in Japan Moi and I did some more sightseeing.  On Saturday we went to Yokohama to a Japanese baseball game.  It was really fun to see them cheer for their teams.  The two teams' fans sat on opposite sides of the stadium and had their own band and cheering section.  Whenever their team was up to bat they chanted together well known cheers and beat two little baseball bats together to a particular rythym.  Each player had his own special cheer.  During breaks they had cheerleaders come out and dance along with their various mascots.  On Sunday we went to "Mt. Fuji."  I put Mt. Fuji in parathenses because due to a transportation mishap we ended up in a town really near Mt. Fuji and didn't actually get up the mountain.  It was an adventure anyway and we got to see a smaller town which was very different to the big cities we had seen prior.
Well, as far as being preggo goes,  2 days after my last blog I started getting "morning sickness," which was actually an all day thing (I should have knocked on wood, JK).  I felt nauseous and the thought of almost any food made we want to vomit although I haven't yet, thank God.  My boobs have also grown exponentially (I know, TMI).  This past Friday, my Bday,  I flew home from Japan and everything went really well. Since that morning I haven't felt really nauseous at all.  I've still had some food aversions, but feel really good.  Maybe the worst is over?  Well,  this week I'm going to see a couple hematologists about the factor V thing and probably next week I'll go to my normal doctor to get an appointment to see the OB/GYN.  Pray that everything looks good!  Thanks!

Update

Today I am 5 weeks and 2 days.  I actually don't feel that pregnant.  Besides an occasional, very mild cramp, sore breasts and the wiff of perfume the other day in the mall that made my stomach turn, I feel really good.  Normal energy levels and no morning sickness.  I know it's really early, so I can't say if I'll be lucky enough to not get morning sickness at all.  A few days before leaving Spain for Japan a good friend of ours from church, who's a doctor, got me in for a genetic blood test to see if I have the blood clotting disorder, factor V leiden, that we found out my dad has after his PE in July.  He called us with the results and told me that yes I am positive for it.  What this means is that I am at a slightly higher risk of getting a blood clot or the placenta/cord getting a clot. But, thanks to fairly new, proven treatment options everything should be just fine. I still have to see an OB/GYN and talk to the hematologist, but it looks like I'll have to give myself a shot of lovenox or heparin everyday starting in the second trimester (when there seems to be more risk of clotting due to more weight and pressure on the circulatory system).  We were quite nervous about this at first, but our friend the doctor didn't seem to be too concerned and reassured us that everything would be alright.  Also,  Moi has been very encouraging and talking to my mom has also lifted my spirits a lot.  I know that God has everything in control.  And like my dad's Facebook post said the day I really needed it,"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Josh. 1:9).  So, that is what I'm trying to do.  I'm trusting in God to get me through like He's done so far.  He's NEVER let me down.  

So, I've been praying a lot, trying to exercise everyday and eat well (which isn't hard to do in Japan-we're loving the food!).  This past weekend Moi and I went to Kamakura and Tokyo and we did lots of walking.   Kamakura is a pretty touristy town about half an hour by train from Yokohama (where we're staying).  It's famous for being the religious capital of Japan with 56 buddhist and Sintoist temples (which actually didn't interest us very much), so we were blessed to have met a German guy as we walked to our first temple destination who offered us free tickets to a concert in the temple's garden which featured some famous Japanese singers and musicians.  We really enjoyed ourselves and  weren't at all disappointed to miss out on the other 55 temples.  In Tokyo we saw the Imperial Palace (from the other side of a moat) and the famous shopping district. We had a really nice weekend.  

Please be praying for me and our nugget!

Reason for the blog

By the way,  I started this blog at the request of my loving sister, Jaime Ann Ragsdale, so she could stay updated on all my pregnancy quirks and see how my belly's coming along. I didn't think it was a bad idea since I live in Spain (so far from many of the people I love) and maybe others would also like to follow me on this journey.  Also,  I am leaving Japan in less than 2 weeks and Moi has to stay until November 12.  This way he can keep updated too!!!!  Here are a couple pics of me last Friday August, 28th at 4 weeks, 5 days.

Positive Test in Japan

Moi and I didn't think this would happen so fast.  Wow!  But, here we are and we're really happy and excited!!! We can wait to meet this little bean.  Well, when we found out, we had been in Japan for one week.  Three days after arriving I started having mild premenstrual-like cramps.  This lasted for four days and still no period.  Since this is not normal for me,  I decided to take a pg test.  On Monday morning August 23rd, at about 6:30am (when I woke up to pee) I took the test and two pink lines quickly appeared.  I was surprised, happy and a little nervous all at the same time.  I left the test along with the box (that showed that two lines meant positive) on the hotel bathroom sink and tried to go back to sleep.  Moi had to be up for work in a couple hours and I didn't want to wake him so early. I laid there for two hours trying to fall back asleep, but it was impossible with all the excitement.  Then,  I waited for Moi to get out of bed and head to the bathroom. I wanted him to discover it himself. But, did he have to sleep through his alarm this morning???  Finally he got up around 9:00 and went to the bathroom.  He was in there for a good minute and still hadn't said anything.  I was trying to keep from laughing out loud.  Finally,  he ran out of the bathroom and looked at me with one of the funniest faces I've ever seen him make.  It was a mixture of happiness and shock.  His eyes were huge. I think I will have that look forever burned in my memory.  I love it!  Well,  since we're in Japan we couldn't call our families right away because of the time difference.  So, later that night we called my parents, his parents and our siblings.  They all seemed pretty surprised, but also very happy for us.  My mom helped me figure out the timing and it looks like I was 4 weeks and 1 day along and will be due April 30th.