A Generic January Update

Still hanging in there! (It’s kind of funny, just about everyone who crosses my path takes one look at my ginormous belly and asks, “You’re still hanging in there?” Uh…yup.) 36 weeks, 5 days — but who’s counting?

It’s been a rough couple of months, given the SPD. My activity has been severely limited, causing me to gain more weight than I had intended (30 lbs. so far). I haven’t been able to go to church or even attend a movie in months because I can’t sit upright for more than 1/2 hour (I have to stay in a semi-reclined position). I can’t shop or take walks — only the minimal amount of movement, or I am left in excruciating pain. THANKFULLY, I live in a one-story home, because stairs are nearly impossible for me! And THANKFULLY, I live in Florida, where I can enjoy the nice warm sunshine at the beach or at the pool on a regular basis, in a reclining lawn chair.

Which brings me to my next point — although the SPD has been a little rough, I have reached a breakthrough as far as the ICP is concerned. Not just a breakthrough — an absolute MIRACLE! If you haven’t read about or experienced ICP (intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy), the condensed explanation is that it is a liver condition (occuring during pregnancy) in which the normal flow of bile is impaired in a woman’s body resulting in severe itching, for which there is no relief. Intense, HORRIBLE itching. Maddening! Itching that keeps the victim awake all night. And because the itch is caused from a build-up of bile salts, the scratching doesn’t even help — but you can’t help but to scratch. As terrible as all of the itching is, however, the risks associated with it are the biggest concern. These risks include hemorrhaging and stillbirth.

This pregnancy is the second time I have had this condition (the first time being with my sixth pregnancy), so when I developed the tell-tale itching, I had no doubt what I was facing — and the fact that there would be no relief in sight until three months later when I would give birth. There is no treatment for this that actually works. Believe me, I have tried EVERYTHING that has ever even been suggested to possibly work. No relief. By the end of that sixth pregnancy, I was honestly having suicidal thoughts — THAT’S how miserable I was. And that’s what I had to look forward to — until that “breakthrough” in December.

Somewhere around the time of my birthday, we had a week of very nice weather (which, thankfully, has continued).  In order to combat cabin fever, I began spending as much time as possible outdoors, taking trips to the beach or the neighborhood pool. By my third day outdoors, I noticed that my itching was subsiding significantly. I was actually able to sleep at night (with the intense itching, I had only been able to sleep in 15-20 minutes stretches at a time). Nothing had changed at all, except for my spending time in the sun. I asked Rob if he thought it was possible that sunlight could cure this horrendous condition. He didn’t know, but reminded me that when Audrey had jaundice as a baby (another condition involving the liver), she was treated with UV lights, and we were advised to place her in the sunlight several times a day. Hmmm…

I began “googling” for ICP/cholestasis and sunlight, and could come up with nothing; no information anywhere stating a connection. BUT, I did find articles stating that ICP is most common in the months of November-January (the months when people tend to get the least amount of sunlight). I don’t think that is a coincidence.

Sunlight works! It really works! I am living proof! Why isn’t that information “out there”? And how do I get it out there? If the cure is something *this* simple, then everyone should know. I came upon it “accidentally” because I live in “the sunshine state” — but if the sunshine works, then shouldn’t the UV lightboxes also work, for those in colder climates? Obviously, I don’t have the resources to do any kind of “studies” or anything — but I wish someone would. How many tiny lives could be saved? How many women could stop the heartache of stillbirth?

So — although I have been struggling with the pelvic pain of SPD, I no longer have any effects of the ICP, except for the occasional mild itching. I want to thank everyone who prayed. Wow! (And please continue to pray that we have warm sunny skies until this baby decides to join us on the outside .)

This is why you will find me on any given day, lounging around the pool. I’m soaking up the sun’s rays and biding my time until baby comes (the kids sure aren’t complaining). Little school work is getting done (I think I may just take the month of January off and push the school year into June instead). I have a serious case of “nesting” — but the problem is, with the SPD, I can’t do much, physically, so Rob is having to “nest” for me — and his cleaning and organizing standards aren’t quite the same as mine.

I have my (home)birth kit almost completely put together. The diapers I own are washed and ready. I have additional ones on order. The new car seat (ours had expired) and stroller arrived last week. The co-sleeper is set up. Onesies and sleepers are washed and ready to go (I really hope that the sonographer wasn’t wrong when it comes to the gender of the baby! Otherwise I will have a little boy wearing lots of pink!) I think I’m about ready to go (although I keep having this nagging feeling that I’m forgetting something).

The only other news is that Audrey’s home, as of December 22nd (we’re climbing back on that roller-coaster ride again), and Rey is *finally* getting his speech evaluation (today, actually); we have been trying to get him in since July! (He has a stuttering problem that rivals Mel Tillis). Rob is back to the old grindstone after having 12 days off (spending most of it cleaning the garage). He continues to look for new work.

…I guess that’s about all to tell.

My apologies for slacking on blogging, emailing, facebooking, etc. I’ve been pretty out of touch the last few months, but the aches and pains and fatigue of pregnancy will soon be coming to an end. The end is now in sight, at least. Definitely no more than a few more weeks (and hopefully much sooner!)

I’ve missed y’all!
God bless!