the journey so far..

posting using seigfred's imate jasjam, 2054 australian eastern standard time, monash medical centre, clayton, victoria, australia.

we need your prayers.

about a week ago I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. which could have been easily controlled by diet.

just when I was about to get endorsed to a specialised pregnancy dietitian, I have been diagnosed with high blood pressure which subsequently developed into preeclampsia.

sunday night I was rushed here in Monash Medical Centre via ambulance from frankston hospital. that was the cool part. the rest was very traumatic not only for me, the baby, but for my husband as well.

I had about three lines running through my veins--- saline for hydration, magnesium sulfate to preventme from having seizures and another drug to control my bood pressure from hitting the roof. I was considered a high risk preeclamptic patient.

overnight I had those drugs, in addition to oral medication. my kidneys were also starting to malfunction and I was given doses of steroids to help bubba's lungs mature just in case the need to deliver arose.

I am now on my third day in hospital, and taking it one day at a time. the doctors reckon I will definitely have to deliver preterm, the only question is when and how long I can keep the baby cooking in my belly without unnecessary risk to me.

currently I am 28weeks6days pregnant, I'm hitting week 29 tomorrow. each new day is a blessing. we're aiming for 30weeks.

I will be in hospital for as long as it takes, as the doctors don't want to send me home anymore.

your prayers helped us conceive. your prayers will definitely help us see this through.

all our love,
lei, seigfred and baby lilly soleil.

baby steps: the journey to yummyhood. entry # 6

it's been a while...

i've witnessed a lot of changes and since i still don't have the creative mojo to write, i shall document in bullets. game?

* winter has finally succumbed to spring. thank God i wouldn't have to carry the extra weight of thick jackets and woolen boots plus the growing bub inside my belly. melbourne is slowly flaunting its spring colors and the outside world doesn't look really dreary anymore. spring is love! i can finally take walks outside. (i know i don't have any excuse not to anymore)

* my belly has grown big. bigger. at first i was unhappy seeing three stretch marks on the left side of my bellybutton; but now with hundreds of them, i am forced not to care anymore. body butter didn't help. i'm just hoping that these pregnancy battle scars will slowly fade after the delivery so i can still wear two-piece swimwear. funny, i have stretch marks even on my breasts. haha. i am so laughing.

* my toes have become so alien to me. first of all, i can no longer see my toes when i look down from a standing position. next, i couldn't cut them myself as the belly gets in the way; flexibility is a thing of the past. and i haven't painted them in months. two days ago, they started evolving into vienna sausages --- i am starting to retain water and swell up. and speaking of swelling, we have just returned home from the jewelers. it broke my heart that they had to cut off my wedding band as i couldn't take it off anymore. we have tried all sorts of home remedies just to remove it, from slathering petroleum jelly to spraying on windex, to winding a string around my finger to just plain yanking. all i ended up having was a sore purple ring finger. and a frustrated bub kicking me in the guts. i didn't want to have it cut, because symbolically, it is my marriage we're talking about here. but better a cut ring than a cut finger, i guess.

* i have become so alien to me. i don't know what it is but i have become dark-skinned. all of a sudden. not just my armpits and the backside of my neck, (although they look like they've been rubbed with charcoal) but all of me. and i'm not really keen on changing my make-up bases because of this complexion change.

* i failed my first glucose tolerance test. now awaiting results for the 2-hour test i have done last saturday. hopefully, everything turns out okay, otherwise i might have gestational diabetes. which is not good at all. ah, the complications.

sounds like i have done a fair bit of complaining. but really, having this little miracle inside me is one of my greatest joys. having my husband talk lovingly to our daughter everyday through my tummy almost always brings tears to my eyes. thirteen more weeks to go. one more season change. shine, sun, shine. i am almost there.