Oh, MY!

Let's see...where do I even begin to start?  I guess the beginning, of sorts, is the best place, neh?

So, most of you know how incredibly sick I've been.  I've been puking a bunch and was wondering why my morning sickness had increased, but wasn't concerned...just sick.

Funny thing, that morning sickness.  It wasn't. 

Saturday morning when I threw up, I had one of the WORST pains I can imagine in my abdomen.  I explained it as feeling like someone was playing tug-of-war with my esophogus on one end and my stomach on the other.  NOT fun.  Each time I threw up, the pain intensified.  During dinner (grilled chicken, spanish rice, refried beans), it became a constant, nagging pain, but not horrible in the constant form, just uncomfortable.  I called my dad and he suggested that I get in to the ER in case it was something like a tear in a muscle, an ulcer from all of the acid, etc.

I get to the ER and they give me 2 sublingual (under the tongue) Zofran tablets.  Right away, I realize that they have artificial sweeteners in them...I can taste it.  If you don't know, I'm allergic to all artificial sweeteners.  Yay.  Being sublingual, the moment I tasted it was too late...it was in my system.  I start shaking and puking.  Just what I needed, right?

They start an IV and give me Zofran through the IV.  Once I'm calmed down nauseated-wise, they decide that they're going to give me a "GI cocktail" to take the pain away.  If anyone ever offers you a GI cocktail, RUN!  It was a mixture of liquid lidocaine (the numbing stuff the dentist uses) and malox.  When I finally worked up the nerve to drink the stuff, I threw it up within about 1 minute and had a very numb feeling mouth and throat as a result.  It didn't help.  It was awful. 

My labs finally came back and the doctor shocked us ALL when he informed us that my lipase was elevated and that I was having a gallbladder attack.  It never even crossed my mind!  What was making it different than the times before was that it had effected my pancreas, as well, and I was actually diagnosed with pancreatitis, which means I had an angry pancreas.  He said that I was being transferred from the ER center to the hospital across town BY AMBULENCE.  Oh my lanta.  Seriously?  It was a bit ridiculous!  They kept checking my vitals on the way there and it was really silly!  They got me to my room where I had nurse that I referred to (internally, of course) as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dummer, because they were both pretty clueless and really bumbly.  They informed me that I was an an NPO diet meaning that I could take nothing in by mouth (except for a nasty medicine that I had to drink 4x per day) and I would get fluids and nutrition through my IV.  They had to start a new IV because the ER one had fallen out (great job, nurse!) and it took THREE pokes to get it.  Ugh.  Anyway, I was NOT happy about the no food thing.  Anyone else take note of the fact that I'm PREGNANT and still in the FIRST TRIMESTER?!?  The only way I survive is by constantly eating!

Ok...long story shortened a bit.  I had tests run, everything looked better.  Baby looked AMAZING on our 2 sonograms.  In the first one, she (ok...or he) stretched out one leg and then the other and then each arm.  It was incredible to see a sonogram at this stage when you could see the entire teeny, tiny baby that actually LOOKED like a baby.  MAGICAL!  I cannot fathom anyone watching that and denying that it is a baby that was created in the image of God!  Seriously!

I was on food restriction from Sat night (remember that I'd thrown up dinner) through Monday at lunch where they put me on a liquid diet.  Although eating cream of broccoli soup and cream of chicken soup were not my idea of yum.  Finally at like 7 p.m., I was given solid food and tolerated it all well.  This morning, I was still doing good, so they unhooked the IV and eventually let me go home.

I'm doing pretty well and am just on a very, very bland diet with no grease, no fried, no pepper, no spice, no eating anything tasty kind of diet.

BUT, it is soooo worth it to not be throwing up repeatedly!  I haven't thrown up since Saturday night and I haven't had nausea medicine since Sunday, so I'm really pleased with that!

Thanks to everyone that knew about this all and was praying hard for me.  It means a lot to have such great love and support!