18weeks: Back to work and the 2nd Trimester Symptoms

Finally back to work and feeling a little more useful.  Time also passes a little faster with many chirpy colleagues around me.

In case you are wondering if the symptoms are gone, well...yes and no.  Nausea comes once in a blue-er moon but it does hit you suddenly without any warning.  Appetite is still at 50% but much better than 1st trimester.  You do get sudden light-headedness when you are standing up because of low blood pressure.  And there are the sudden pangs of pains at the lower abdominal area that totally freaks you out.  Sometimes it hits you just above the joints of the legs.  Sometimes it feels like stitches at the side of your lower body.  The scariest moment is when you feel it below the button belly cos that is where beanie is.  But all doctors will assure that it is fine as long as there is no bleeding.  Oh, and there is always that dreaded backache and achy bones that always crept up to you once every 2-3 days.  Thankfully, I was able to recover after a warm glass of taiwanese mother ginger, red date and longan.

I think it is habitual but I am still walking at tortoise speed.  The upper tummy also feels much harder these days, possibly cos the uterus is moving up coupled with constipation that is causing a lot of gas build-up in the body.  And I am starting to feel that there is something below, like a certain tightness or heaviness from beanie, the waterbag and the placenta.  I guess these are all new and foreign to me so trying my best to enjoy every part of it.

17weeks: What is in a bed-rest day?

I am one of the lucky few who had to bed-rest for the first trimester.  Thankfully it was not a strict bed-rest.  I could bathe as usual.  Just had to avoid walking and try to lie down or sit down whenever possible.  Minimal movement may help with stabilising the pregnancy and prevent any trigger for another bleeding episode.

So what is in a typical bed-rest day?  
My mom comes with a glass of warm goat milk mixed with brown rice powder at 7am before she heads to work.  That gives me a good start for the day and I head back to sleep until my alarm rings at 930am.  Being a natural lazy-bone, I continue to snooze in bed until 1030am before heading out for a full glass of water to down my multi-vitamins.  Multi-vitamins must be taken at least 2hrs after any meal with calcium.

I will be back in my comfy bed to play with my phone - reading forum updates, facebook and the daily news snippets on the development of my beanie.  Tummy will growl at 12pm and it is time for lunch.  Back to lazing in bed for the afternoon and occasionally, I will be surfing the net if the weather is cool.  Else I will be hiding in air-con comfort as I watch the repeated serials on TV.  Dinner is at 630pm and it is TV time again lying on the hall sofa as I catch up on current TV serials and chit-chat with my hubby.  Bathtime is typically at 10pm and I am back to hiding in air-con comfort as I prepare for bed and catch-up with different groups of friends via whatapps.  By 1230am, I will be counting sheeps in my dreams and the routine re-starts.

At times, my day passes faster with my gynae visits and TCM doctor review.  Other than those limited outings, my days have been so for the last 3 months.  This is the life of a couch potato tai-tai...  Hahahaha!  Fortunately, my parents stay with me and help me with all the housework, allowing me to fully rest and stabilise the pregnancy.  That explains why I could keep my nails for this long!  But this will end soon as I will be heading back to work!

15weeks: The week where we almost lost our dad

This week we saw God's amazing grace at its peak.  There were so many happenings that I don't know where to start.  And this is gonna be a wordy yet drama-filled post.  But all I can say is that God's plan is magnificent and you really just have to trust in him, even if it means to blindly believing that all will work out.

#1 - Developments on my dilemma
My dilemma was about my parents moving out of my house.  It started as a temporary stay and an intended 2-year stay became 4 years since we didn't have a clear intent from my in-laws if they would like to come over.

We did make clear that they should shift back this year.  But my first trimester was very unstable and I had hoped that my parents could stay 1 more year to take care of me until the end of my maternity leave.  But my hubby decided that we should follow the original plan.  I finally accepted the reality with much reluctance and tears. 

#2 -  Extending no pay leave until delivery
With my unstable pregnancy and bleeding, there was a possibility that I might have to bed rest until delivery.  Even if I could go back to work, it was subject to available positions.  Chances were slim as it would be difficult to find a 5-month vacancy since I would be on maternity leave from Nov.

I had no choice but to raise the option of my parents staying for another year.  The income from renting out their house would supplement my loss of income if I extend my no-pay leave.  I would also be more comfortable in their care.  My hubby agreed to suss out his family's intent.  Unfortunately, it remained vague but my hubby suggested that my parents could stay 6 months until my delivery.

#3 - Dilemma resolved and I am definitely a happy mommie!
Late into the night one day, my dad had a heart attack, possibly triggered by the worries and tensions within the family.  Not wanting to affect beanie, my parents sneaked out of the house and took a cab to the hospital on their own.  95% of his artery was blocked and his pulse was only 20beats/min when he arrived at A&E.  He was immediately whisked into operation.  Only when I woke up the next morning did I learnt about what had happened.

Fortunately, my dad recovered quickly and was out of ICU within 2 days. With this heart attack episode, it was impossible for them to shift back in the upcoming months.  With the timely offer that they could stay until Dec, it was just a wonderful and amazing development.

#4 - Fabulous update at doctor's visit
 I also visited my gynae to find out if I was able to return to work.  While the doc was unable to confirm the cause of my bleed,  he assured that it was unlikely to happen outside the first trimester.  The placenta was in a good position and the pregnancy looked stable.  The doc also took me off my duphaston support as it was no longer needed.  I have my go-ahead to return to work and I am officially off my bed rest regime!

#5 - Wonderful opportunity at work
I informed my boss of the great update from my gynae.  While my boss was worried about my health, coincidentally she did have a project on hand that I could manage.  The project needs to be completed by year end and it further builds on what I had been working on previously.  I agreed to the offer immediately and would be returning to work very shortly.

One month ago, I would never have imagined this outcome.  I was only trying my best to pray for strengthening faith in God because he would know what was best for me.  And he had indeed given me a wonderful turn of events, including a scary heart attack episode.  But he had kept all of us safe and sound, bringing us closer than ever.  Praise and glory to him and may his blessings continue to be abundant upon us.