2 Years Later...

It has been 2 years since I have actually used this blog for a real post. I tried creating a new blog when I got remarried but I lost over HALF of my readers... sooo... I am back and will be using this blog again!

A LOT has happened in the last 2 years... I got remarried... his name is Kyle McArthur. =-) Kyler & I moved to Arizona shortly after in December... We then found out we were pregnant!!

We are due January 11th, 2012 but hoping to deliver a week or two before that!
I seriously miss my OB in Oklahoma... Dr. Goff was my FAVORITE OB-GYN and I HATE that I can't have him deliver my next one!!! It makes me want to scream and cry at the same time. =-( Mostly bc I don't really particularly LIKE my current OB as much as I do Dr. Goff. Oh, the joys of having to move, ugh... shoot me...


Anyway.

Kyler is growing up fast. He is almost 2 1/2 years old now and such a hoot! He sure keeps us going and laughing! I feel so worn out almost everyday that comes... I don't know how moms keep up with a 2 year old and be sick n pregnant... it's taking EVERYTHING out of me just to get the "daily" tasks done, not to mention anything else. I am READY for this hellacious pregnancy to be OVER. I had NO idea a pregnancy could get as bad as mine got the last few months. I found out I have Hyperemesis Gravidarum along with Ptyolism. Look up Ptyolism if you're that interested, I'm not posting about it here. It's AWFUL!!! But Hyperemeisis almost killed me. Literally.

I had NO IDEA what Hyperemesis even was until they told me I had it. Sooo... for those of you interested, here is the actual definition for it.


"Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of morning sickness, with "unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids."[1] Hyperemesis is considered a rare complication of pregnancy. Estimates of the percentage of pregnant women afflicted range from 0.3% to 2.0%.
When HG is severe and/or inadequately treated, it may result in:
(Which is what I have - Severe Hyperemesis)
Loss of 5% or more of pre-pregnancy body weight
Dehydration, causing ketosis and constipation
Nutritional deficiencies
Metabolic imbalances
Altered sense of taste
Sensitivity of the brain to motion
Food leaving the stomach more slowly
Rapidly changing hormone levels during pregnancy
Stomach contents moving back up from the stomach
Physical and emotional stress of pregnancy on the body
Subconjunctival hemorrhage (broken blood vessels in the eyes)
Difficulty with daily activities


(I suffered from EVERY SINGLE ONE except Subconjunctival hemorrhage. Instead I had broken blood vessels all over my face, my eyelids and my neck.)

Some women with HG lose as much as 30% of their body weight. Many sufferers of HG are extremely sensitive to odors in their environment; certain smells may exacerbate symptoms. This is known as hyperolfaction. Ptyalism, or hypersalivation, is another symptom experienced by some women suffering from HG."

So since I'm considered "Severe Hyperemesis" let me just explain what we went through in May, June and July...

My body threw up so much I ended up in the hospital and my body went into "Starvation Mode". My throat had sores that hurt so bad I could hardly eat. My stomach was so torn up inside I couldn't keep anything down. My digestive track started to shut down and it was MISERABLE. I felt so hopeless. The Dr decided to put a PICC line in my arm.
If you're unfamiliar with what a PICC line is (I was), it's
"A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) which is basically a catheter inserted in one of your central veins in the arm and extending all the way over your should down into your heart."


They did this to bypass my digestive system bc mine was so screwed up and shutting down.

Anyway. So after this PICC line was inserted, I "vagualed down" is what they call it. Basically I passed out and all my vitals dropped. Kyle said I looked dead. He said my heart rate was in the 30's. Scary. But I was fine after about 20 minutes or so. They took me back up to my room and started me on TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition), bananna bags (vitamins and nutrients) and fluids. After a week, they sent me home with this PICC line and I was put on Home Health Care. I could not even function. My Grandma, Wannie, drove out to help, my mom and sister even came out to help. I was helpless. I couldn't even fix myself something to eat. Much less, take care of my own child! I couldn't even shower by myself! It was awful! I was bed-bound for what felt like an ETERNITY!! I was on TPN for 2 weeks and was supposed to go a minimum of another week until one morning Kyle took me into the ER for my arm and side pain and they found a blood clot that extended from my elbow clear up to my collar bone.
I've NEVER experienced anything SO PAINFUL! Blood clots are awful! They then removed the PICC line and started me on Lovenox shots. Twice a day. Ugh... I HATE needles and shots!! They said if I had waited 3 more days or so, the clot could have moved into my heart and killed me. Scary. It is now October 23rd, 2011 and I am doing MUCH better. I can actually function and I feel a lot better than I did! It makes me so grateful for the gospel and the power of priesthood blessings! It definitely helped me get through that awful time!

Kyle is working hard, currently working as a personal banker for Chase Bank. He loves it! Which makes me really happy bc that is sooo important in life to love what you do. He has an AMAZING boss, we just LOVE her. I hope it only gets better from here on out for him in this career! He is so good at what he does!! He is such a hard worker and is so admired by so many for that, mainly me. Now if I could only keep my focus and become an OUTSTANDING housewife someday... it's sooo hard for me... ugh. I do my best but sometimes I don't feel it's good enough! But I'm sure every housewife has to feel that way at some point right?


Okay. I have to get this out. I need input from you all. I am SERIOUSLY scared to take on this next baby... going from having a 16 1/2 month old son, losing him, not being a mother for a year --- really hard --- to having another baby boy and now he's 2 years old, pregnant with our next little baby - [A GIRL!!!] and expecting to deliver the beginning of January 2012 - how hard it is, really?


With having a 2 year old right now and all the housework at home and all the activities I try to keep Kyler involved in - how do you do all that plus take care of a newborn baby at the same time? I'm so nervous!!!
Oh well. I'm sure I'll be fine... haha.


Well, I hope I covered everything. I will post picures soon.