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My Medical Story

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I made it to 13 weeks and still don't have a belly photo. I'm not the one who married a photographer. But that means I'm over the first trimester hump! I'm still in the crawling around, can't handle activities that last longer than an hour, funk. I might have felt the baby? But I mean my intestines also move around like crazy. So we're also still in the it's-not-really-real part of pregnancy although there was that heartbeat!

I've been most nervous my pregnancy because I feel like my body has been out of whack and I worry it will have consequences on the baby. I was told thyroid issues can prevent you getting pregnant in the first place, but it's also a little risky once pregnant when my levels aren't in a normal range. What's weird is that my T4 hormone levels are normal, so I'm not so sure why TSH levels are off the chart.  I first went in end of last year to get some routine blood work to check my hormone levels after the early miscarriage. I didn't feel like I really had significant symptoms except for irregular periods (I was pretty predictable before Lexi). I did have a crazy high heart rate and even pressure sometimes, but it could have been completely related to my lack of exercise. That's when they told me I had an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism) and I kinda laughed it off, although I knew my mom had issues with the same. No one could really explain my extreme weight loss, and an under-active thyroid sure didn't help the case. I tried the initial dose and when they increased my dose 6 weeks later, I didn't get the new medication. Until a month before I was pregnant. I decided to try it again (I hated the idea of needing medication so I was stubborn). And once I found out I was pregnant, I was like, do I keep taking it!? I wasn't even super consistent around that time, but once Mr Smith asked around his office, he came back home and instilled the fear of God regarding a possible miscarriage if I don't stay consistent. And as you know, after my 12 week appointment, I still had my TSH levels at a 7 (pregnancy increases your levels), and they would prefer them at a 3 - so they doubled my dose again and let's hope it works. 

That's my medical story.

The only other thing that took me by surprise at my first appointment was hearing that this is my third pregnancy. I only have one child, so I didn't like hearing it. I get it. Some people may want that acknowledged, but honestly, I just didn't like hearing it. I'm not emotionally tied to that memory any more, but for me, it was so early on and I just don't like explaining it. I don't like thinking I could have had a baby by now.  Maybe that sounds incredibly negative, but it's how I feel. 

I sorta wish I had a picture to stare at, even if it's of a blob, or the sound of the heartbeat on video, but that time will soon come. I'm just ready for March already. Petrified of nursing again, but I'm excited for March nonetheless. The doctor said she wouldn't let me go a week over my due date. So assuming they stick with March 7, I will have a baby by March 14. That's a lot to internalize. But bring it. 

Also to note, Lexi and I had pneumonic coughs during week 13 and it sucked (she had it bad enough she gave me her popsicle:


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