Wednesday, October 22, 2008

this was NOT in the brochure!

so when i got pregnant i had no idea what to expect...with any of it...i didn't know how it would effect me emotionally, physically or mentally and I certainly didn't know what to do once I got through the actual pregnancy and had a baby to care for, but i always knew i'd get through it and feel my way - ask friends and family for advice and guidance and that all would be ok.

i am a worrier by nature so i purposely don't over research pregnancy related things. i never researched the actual recovery time for labor and delivery or a c-section, because frankly i would have worried. though now that i'm recovering from an emergency c-section, i wish i had somewhat known what i was getting into.

it's been nearly a week since she was "evicted" and i'm still swollen up from the waist down...my feet, legs, stomach (i'm actually now retaining water on my sides as well - Dave said it looks like i'm a fat man who lost a lot of weight the way my skin literally hangs over itself) and little lady are still pretty big....though my mom today said she thought they were going down a bit...my arms and hands are not nearly as bad as they were but i can still feel a slight swelling to them.

i have consulted with some c-section ladies and they all assure me this is normal as did my midwife at the hospital, but still it sucks. I can see why they don't tell you about THIS in school...the toll having a child has taken on my body is awful. i am told that once i drink a lot of water and my body processes all the stored fluids that i'll pee or sweat it out...but seriously i am tired of being so bloated...i walk like i'm heading into the O.K. Corral for the showdown at high noon!

the other part of this experience that is awful is my random crying jags. i'm clearly so hormonal that my eyes are like water works two or three times a day for no real reason. it's ridiculous. i actually cried leaving the hospital yesterday!! i am a wreck sometimes.

sleeping is even a challenge...i am so swollen that i can barely get into bed (i've never been sad that we have a nice high mattress until now) and when i do get into bed my sleeping position is on my back sort of sitting up. it is uncomfortable and really just stinks.

but i know that as my grammy learned from g.g. (her mom), "this to shall pass"


now through all of this, i am so glad that i have her - she's an adorable little thing and a really good baby so i don't regret that she's now THE center of my and Dave's lives.

3 comments:

Sara said...

I hope all these un-fun things have stopped or at least are lessening!! Can you imagine having learned these things at the Wick . . . would you ever have signed up for getting pregnant, not knowing the amazing feeling Olivia Jayne has brought to you as well - cause that wouldn't have been in the brochure either probably!
hugs & kisses from London!!!

Colleen said...

I had swelling (although not as bad as you have it, by the sound of it!) after my c-section- it was about 4-6 weeks before I could get my wedding rings back on my finger!!! My legs and ankles were okay though. But I still had it! Drink plenty of water (duh!) - it takes time to go away. They should tell you pregnancy isn't 9 months, it's more like a whole year, especially after a c-section!

Teresa Eliason said...

Crying all the time...I had Jack just before the 4th of July and so on the 4th I was watching some concert/fireworks show (when I was probably supposed to be getting some sleep.) Anyway, Nick Lachey was on there and he was singing and I just started bawling because I figured he was singing about Jessica and it was so sad and I felt so bad for him. Really, not something I should have been crying about. It's such a horrible combination of sleep deprivation and hormones...but it really will go away!