Friday, June 3, 2011

The Stocking Saga!

The joy of having Factor Five Leiden (blood clotting disorder) while pregnant brings about many new and exciting things to an already crazy time in life called Pregnancy!  We knew full well going into this pregnancy that we would have to take some extra precautions and things would be a bit different from the "normal pregnancy" that many woman have (although I am beginning to think that normal is so vast it is hard to determine what is normal for one woman may not be normal for another)

Anyway - I have to take shots daily in my belly, which has not been fun from the start, but I must say it is getting harder and harder as I get bigger and bigger - I have trouble seeing where to inject.... I told Joel just yesterday he is going to have to start giving me the shots - let's just say he was less than thrilled by that idea.

Another risk of this disorder is bleeding and bruising - so no contact sports - hahaha - okay most prego woman can't play them but I have to be extra careful not to get cuts or bruises because of the blood thinners.  Obviously though the biggest risk is blood clots - though I am taking blood thinners I am still at risk especially as it gets hotter and my body begins the "summer of swelling"(now that would be a fun name for a blog as well)

All this to say - I now get to wear full stockings - and not just nylons!  We are talking 20-30 compression stockings that go from my toes to my chest!  Talk about fun to put on!  It takes several minutes with several rest stops along the way just to get them up to my knees.  Let's just say once I get them on - they stay on all day!

Here is the worst part of these stockings - not only are they hot and a bit annoying to put on - they cost an arm and a leg - I could have purchased a crib for the price of two pairs of these stockings - !23.00 a piece..... don't worry though - it gets better..... We could not find a place that sold them so we ended up in Harrisburg just to find out that they don't take our insurance and theirs cost 150.00 a pair.  Finally we found a place in Sunbury - and after a few mishaps of ordering the wrong ones or just not ordering them - I got them.

But the sage continues.... being an emotional pregnant woman I tend to cry a bit more often... well we were at my parents this weekend and it was hot and muggy and I couldn't get my stockings on - so I just began to sob - "I can't do this for the next three months"  Thankfully I have a very compassionate understanding husband who comforted and assured me I could.

Oh now comes the best or should I say worst part of the saga..... On Wednesday I was home for the afternoon packing for our trip and figured it was time to get my stockings on... as I was putting them on - I heard the horrid sound of ripping - not just a small tear but the size of a fist.... I got sick to my stomach and the sobbing returned.... how can something that cost so much ruin so easily.... I must have sobbed for 20 minutes.

I have now made it three more days without ruining my other pair and also without crying about anything stocking or non stocking related.

I guess the moral of the saga is this - you have to make sacrifices as a parent and if I want to have a healthy (as possible) pregnancy I must suck it up and take it like a woman!  Next time you see me you can tell me how great I look wearing stockings with shorts in the middle of summer, I can't guarantee that I won't cry but I will laugh as well!!

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