Recovering

So we've been home now for 8 days. There's been some ups and downs. After the cesarean, I was taking percocet for the pain management - which I didn't realize is a very strong controlled narcotic. I was taking 2 every 4 hours and then supplementing with an additional dose of ibuprophen every 8 hours. We were discharged Wednesday and by Saturday morning I realized we were almost out of percocet. AG called up Kaiser to get a refill. Due to the weekend - we had to wait for Monday for a return call. So I reduced my dosage to 1 every 4 hours Saturday and then by Sunday down to 1 every 8 hours. Of course I started feeling all the stitches.

Monday Kaiser called and it was a circus trying to fil the prescription. Every nurse told us a different story. My NP said she filled the prescription but by the time we got to the pharmacy - we were told that we couldn't get the percocet because it was a controlled narcotic - a class C - and required the prescription to be walked into the pharmacy. We began this conversation at 11am and by the time we were done, it was 5pm and we couldn't deal with it anymore and took a prescription of vicodin instead. When I got home, I researched percocet and discovered that it's highly addictive and very strong and contrary to what the doctors told us, there is a possibility that it passes to the baby through breast milk. Ugh. I'm glad I'm off that. Could be our imagination - but we believe it does pass throug to Aesha - she was sleeping all the time, to the point that she wasn't feeding well. It took so much energy to keep her awake through her feedings - and my milk didn't come through. 10 hours after being off percocet - I started having shakes - which is one sign of withdrawal. The good news is that I started waking up and so did Aesha. Although I felt more pain, it was all worth it.

Then this morning, I woke up and went to the bathroom only to find out that my wound was gushing out some fluid - including some blood and white liquid. This freaked me out. AG spent the morning calling the nurse and asking what we should do. We went to Kaiser at 10am. The OB took off my bandage and found that the wound was open and had to stuff gauze into the wound and reseal it. AG will now need to dress my wound for the next several days - but thankfully no infection so far.

Ven, Jen and Jeven flew in last night from NJ. They came to visit us this afternoon. Jeven is huge (pictures of the two will be up soon). Jen left to hang out with friends. Ven is hanging out tonight with AG. Uncle Ven has fallen under Aesha's spell and can't put her down. I think he'd love to hang out with her all night if he could. It's very cute. He's been holding and singing to her all day. It's great seeing them - he's the only other guy I know besides AG who is so good at taking care of his family. Makes sense why they are best friends.

Happy Weekversary Aesha Maysun Gluck

It's been exactly 1 week since Aesha was born. It's been such a long road and recovery is still a little bit of a bitch. As many know, after many hours - approximately 72 I think of no medication labor, and then 15 hours of medicated labor - we ended up having a cesarean. Aesha was transverse - and acencletic (not sure about spelling). Her body was in the right position but her head was turned so that she was facing away from me and the back of her head against my spine (transverse). Then she had her head cocked to the side so that part of her head was pushing against my pelvis bone. It was too wide and therefore she couldn't push against the cervix to cause dialation.

We were discharged Wednesday at noon and I've been home recuperating since. AG has become super AG. He's done everything since I can barely lift Aesha. He's taken care of both his girls, the dogs, the house, the chores and himself. I've been scolded several times for trying to do some chores - which only led to more internal bleeding. So I've given up and let him take charge. Aesha is his new love and it's so sweet watching him take care of her. He's so in love.

We've had some visitors but AG is being strict about who comes to visit since it taxes me out still just trying to be alert from all the drugs I'm taking to deal with the pain. AG's parents also rocked. They came and helped with the pups and the house while we were in the hospital. They are also quite smitten with the little bugger. I have to admit that I am as well. After I was in the recovery room from the c-section, AG passed out from the emotional and physical toll of the 5 days of labor. I was up all night bonding with Aesha, holding, kissing, watching her every movement. When she opened up eyes - that's when I fell in love. She has the most beautiful eyes. We've been having the best time with her since coming home. Her noises, her looks - they are all so precious. She even has a blog of her own at www.aeshamaysun.blogspot.com. It's still amazing to watch her change. She is quite the blend of both of us and still she's changing.

Thanks to all my friends and family who provide lots of thoughts our way - we are safe at home, recovering and getting to know each other. I can't wait to take her out and show her off.

Contractions continued

Our contractions subsided for a bit from noon to 5pm. We grabbed some lunch, then came home and watched a really bad action movie (Apocolypto). Then took another walk at 5pm - got some munchies and came home to eat a bit and took a 1 hour nap. Just woke up again from strong contractions about an hour ago and have been having them now every 6 minutes.... boy they are strong mofo's.

I'm still awake enough to write in my journal and check email... so I guess i'm not too far gone. Sitting on the ball really really helps a lot! It hurts so much more lying down, not sure why, even on the side.

So far, it's all definitely do-able. Having the time to rest in between really makes a huge difference - it's going to be crazy when they start getting on top of each other. Ari is doing well, a little nervous and doing what he can to make me feel good - but the contractionsmaster.com is great... it's been keeping track and giving us very valuable information.

Alright, gonna try to do some things online before I can't do anything anymore. Will update you all in the morning if we are still around.

Continued

So we went for our walk and I had maybe 1-2 contractions. Looks like the contractions have subsided for now... but doesn't mean Martini isn't working her way out. My cervix is definitely softening and the sporadic contractions are helping to work her downwards.

Now I'm full and tired - and am thinking of having a nap on the couch while AG works... poor guy - this may happen for the next several days before more excitement occurs.

Week 40 and Martini's due date

So last night I woke up at midnight with contractions - um, yeah, they are painful. Like very bad cramps and I usually don't get cramps. AG found my thunder rainstorm CD last night just in time. I wrote in my journal for a bit and turned off the lights to sleep. It took awhile, but somehow, I did fall asleep.

Woke up at 2:30am in bed breathing through more contractions. Finally got up to turn on the rainstorm CD to help me fall back to sleep - after writing more in my journal. Fell asleep again and woke up at 6:15am due to another painful contraction. AG woke up this time and we decided to start tracking them. When I woke up I had a weird dream that I was going through labor in my dream - we were in Paris in the 1930's and soaking in a tub while going through some active labor. The bathroom window was next to the apartment stairwell where people were walking up and down and hanging out - like in Manhattan. There was a stir of activity outside, people were drinking, it was at night. Some homeless woman was trying to climb through our window to hang out inside. I kept trying to shoo her away but she wouldn't go and no one was helping me. I finally located a cop and he chased her off, and that's when I woke up.

The contractions are going 25 minutes lasting over a good minute. By 8:15 they are getting pretty painful - so I decided to get up and walk around and sit on the birthing ball - that helped a lot. Contractions are now going every 15 minutes lasting up to 1 minute but they aren't as painful as I'm moving my body. Just took a shower, called our doula, Sasha and our parents to inform them of the activity. We still aren't sure whether this is the real thing - but it sure feels like it - especially with the bloody show and all. Walking is even better - the pain is less intense. So now I'm starving and we are getting dressed to get food and pack our hospital bag. Haven't yet decided to send emails to friends just yet since I'm not sure where the contractions are heading. Some of the women in my birthing class have had contractions for 5 days now - the contractions start at night and subside during the day. So I don't want to alarm anyone.

More updates when I return from our little food walk.

Week 39 and 1 day before 40

I have all these pictures I wanted to post of the activities I've been up to lately. But I haven't the focus or energy. Met up with Kerry for lunch yesterday and with Nafysa today. Hung out with Colin yesterday as well. Got the car seat installed, been journaling but haven't made it to that sewing project.

Today I woke up thinking - I'm feeling quite heavy. I told AG - perhaps she may not make it till next week (which was my prognosis earlier this week). Instincts are kicking in. I've been feeling so heavy that I haven't had the energy to walk around, just lying around on the couch watching tv and all. Nafysa gave me some cranial sachrial massage after lunch today and I fell asleep for an hour after. I just went to the bathroom and realized that I'm having some bloody show. There has been some changes in my discharge lately even though it's subtle. But now, the bloody show is the real first sign that big changes have started. I'm not sure it means that it will happen in the next day or so, but it could. AG and I haven't even packed our hospital bag yet. It's a good thing I don't have any plans tomorrow except for dinner in the evening to celebrate Salim and Mohommad's birthday.

I suppose tomorrow I'll go grocery shopping and get things I'd want for labor and pack my hospital bag. I haven't found my rainstorm cd either... hrm.

If I do have contractions tonight - I will probably get up and blog about it. But otherwise, assume that I'm not in labor quite yet. And it takes a long time before we would be heading to the hospital since we intend to stay home as long as possible before going.

Week 38 and Sarah & Dan's Wedding

Saturday we drove to Healdsburg for Sarah & Dan's wedding. It was scalding. Thankfully, the house we rented with 5 other people had AC and was large and cool. AG and I got the master bedroom with a deep soaking tub - which we used often to cool down.
We arrived Saturday at 3pm and headed for lunch at Willi's Seafood restaurant. Too hot to have too much food, it was a perfect place for little plates. We ordered a small bucket of clams with white wine sauce, heirloom tomatoe salad, and grilled salmon salad. Afterwards we lounged around the house socializing with Shannon, Eli and their 5 month old daughter Isla Love before heading to dinner. Of course we ended up in the parent arena, that shouldn't be too much of a surprise - but it was. AG and I watched the young parents as they fed their children, and almost at the exact time, they all started crying... fussy time; and all the fathers were crooning them to sleep. Odd - like watching the animal planet show.
We left by 10pm - headed back to the house to lounge on the back porch while listening to crickets and watching the stars. Next morning we went back to the town square and had breakfast at a little French Bakery. By the afternoon, the temperature had risen to over 100 degrees. The wedding was at 4:30pm in a cute littel church - and we were so thankful for the little AC that was provided.


I hate crying at weddings and almost got away with it until Dan chocked on his vows, it was very touching.

At the reception we got the low down on Rachel's and Smesh's experience at BM.

Here is Rachel and her pal, Noi. Noi, Hideto and KC are packing up and moving to Japan this month. They've bought a little plot of land and building their dream house - and Noi can be closer to her grandparents and speak Japanese.


Here's AG in his new glasses - aren't they hip?