HG: The Final Countdown
As I sit down to type this post, I’m a mixed bag of thoughts and emotions!
We officially have 9 days left before induction day. NINE!
On the one hand, I cannot believe we’ve made it this far! I cannot believe I was actually capable of enduring everything I’ve suffered over the last nine months. From the onset looking forward, it felt like a summit I’d never be strong enough to reach. But here we are!
On the other hand, we’ve reached a point where it feels like a thousand lifetimes pass within each and every day. I’m to the point where I just cry every day because I am so very tired of suffering. I desperately want it to be over, and yet a part of me doesn’t want to wish away these final moments of our last pregnancy.
Physically, what does it feel like to be 39 weeks pregnant and still suffering with HG?
It hurts. It’s uncomfortable. The physical effort and effects of vomiting are overwhelming. Tossing and turning in bed, writhing in nausea, is physically difficult.
To give a glimpse, last night I started having a lot of heartburn (I swear this sweet baby is going to come out with hair that’ll make Rapunzel jealous!). I took some Tums and went to bed. They helped the heartburn, but they made the nausea worse. I tossed and turned for an hour, as if there were some sleeping position I hadn’t tried that would alleviate the nausea. No luck. I was also struggling with restless leg syndrome, so eventually I fought my way up and onto my feet and walked around, took some medicine, and tried to go back to bed. Bad idea. I wrestled my way back out of bed like an overturned sea turtle on the beach. I made it to the bathroom where my body began trying to vomit. I dry heaved for several minutes before I was finally successful. It HURT. It hurt my throat. It hurt my back. It hurt my belly. The bursting blood vessels in my face felt like tiny pin pricks... Ouch.
On the plus side, all the excitement calmed the restless leg syndrome and I was finally able to sleep for a few hours!
All this to say, pregnancy is really hard.
Nine days still feels like a lot.
I know it isn’t that long. But shoot. It feels long.
Can you imagine getting the stomach flu for nine days? The stomach flu is usually just a 24 hour thing and I’ve seen that make people weep.
Expecting mothers who have hyperemesis gravidarum have had that stomach bug for months. At this point, I can’t even remember what it feels like to feel well. I think it’s okay if nine more days feels like a lot.
Nine days does give you a good, long glimpse into the bright light at the end of the tunnel though! The light looks so warm and delightful. I can’t wait to bask in it!!
I’m under no delusion that once baby is out, life will be a cake walk. However, I was talking with my sister yesterday and we concluded that at least it’ll be a DIFFERENT sort of difficult. And won’t that be refreshing?? I sure think so!
It’s the final countdown. We can do this. Nine days to go.
When mommies get sick, and sometimes they do, how do things change for me and for you?
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When mommies get sick, and sometimes they do, how do things change for me and for you? 〰️
“When Mommies Get Sick”
written and illustrated by Jayne Ann Osborne
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