There are a lot of things to be thankful about how things turned out in the end after my terrifying pregnancy, but I feel that I need to mention the seemingly simple acts of two friends in particular.
At some point during my first trimester, I developed a fever. I didn't have any medicine in the house that was safe for pregnancy with which to lower my fever, but I felt that I had to get it down. So I called up my faithful friend I. who had Tylenol and who lived a 10-15 minute walk away. Even though it was already pretty late at night and she had to be up early the next morning, she came over with the medicine and sat with me for a little while before going back home to bed. From her side it was such a simple thing to do, and yet to me it meant so much that I had a friend whom I could call upon when needed and who would help me out, even though it was inconvenient. I am so thankful for that.
My other friend who bears mentioning is D., along with her husband O. On a Wednesday I had gone in for IV hydration, but I still wasn't doing well. As in, by noon on Thursday I was thinking that we should go back in again. I wanted to wait it out a little bit and see. D. came over that evening with her husband and a pot of orange soup that he had made for me that day. It was the best present ever. I don't know how, but by some amazing miracle I was able to eat all of the soup and it all stayed in without a fuss. It gave me enough liquid that I was able to skip the hospital visit that evening, and I was put back onto a good track (well, a good track for a woman with HG...).
They say that soup has healing powers, and it's true. Not only did I feel the warmth of friendship; it actually physically made me better. So to I. for her Tylenol and friendship, and to D. and O. for their soup and visit, I am eternally grateful. You have no idea how much that meant to me at a very dark time of life.
I somehow stumbled onto this blog and I am really enjoying it. I'm a doula, lactation counselor, and a four time sufferer of HG. I find it so hard to get people who I can relate to, or who can relate to me regarding pregnancy. As much as I WANT to enjoy that little life inside of me, it's few times and far between that I'm able to actually enjoy anything regarding pregnancy. Most of it I'm just trying to keep on keeping on.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all you have shared her eon your blog--here is a post I recently wrote regarding me experiences with HG:
http://postpunkchronicles.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/hg/#comments
Thank you so much! I read your blog post and while I'm sorry to hear that you have suffered so much, I'm glad that you're sharing your experiences. People need to be educated. The purpose of my blog is less education and more cheap therapy before I do it all over again. :) Although of course I'm always pleased if another suffering woman can find a little bit of something she can relate to or that can help her.
DeleteIt was only in the past few months that I learned there was such a thing as a prenatal doula - someone who helps through pregnancy complications, bedrest, etc. My new goal is to become one (when I can afford the training) and be there for other women with HG. If I had such a person during my pregnancy, I would have felt so much less alone.