24 Week Update and Trip

I leave this morning for New Haven, CT for a predictive modeling conference for work. I'm excited to have a little time to myself before baby #2 comes although I will definitely miss Stephen and Thomas.

In less awesome news, at my 6 month checkup last Thursday, they found that my blood pressure was just below 140/90 (which is the minimum considered for preeclampsia). After some deliberation, they decided to test me the following day and ordered a blood panel. Of course that bp wasn't much better (how the hell is it supposed to go down when nerves are now pumping through me). Protein was found in my urine both days but only trace amounts. I'm not on mandatory bed rest yet but I was told to stop all exercising. Surprisingly, that didn't devastate me as much as I thought and I assume it's because I'll do whatever it takes to prolong the mandatory hospital bed rest. That will be an utter nightmare. For this to be happening so early in this pregnancy (when I was making decently good choices) tells me that a third child is probably out of the question. We weren't planning on having more than two but we weren't ruling it out either.

Anways, next week I have to go back 2 days for a steroid shot that will help the baby's lungs develop faster (something I got with Thomas after being admitted to the hospital). I'd be surprised if the baby is born/delivered in October and am now tentatively planning for September. My OB isn't freaking out yet or anything but I'm definitely going to get preeclampsia. It's just a matter of when. In a few weeks, I take my gestational diabetes test and my ob feels pretty sure that I'll test positive for that as well. Huge bummer. I need to remember, though, that this is only a small moment in time and that things will be back to normal soon.