Total Load-Mode

I’ve been down with the flu since Tuesday. High fever, no voice, chills, body aches, cough, all that yummy stuff. Not to be playing an invisible violin here… but I gotta say that this sucks. We called the OB/GYN on Thursday and they insisted I come in right away.

You’d think we live in the boondocks, but the nearest hospital is an hour away. This is where we had to go on Thursday, but I honestly don’t remember much of how we got there or got back home. In fact, this event may have happened on Wednesday or Friday, I have no idea. Fortunately, Tim was driving. This is the same hospital that I’ll be delivering in this summer. If my labor is as short as my mom’s (1.5 hours with me), we’ll just have to pray it doesn’t happen during rush hour… otherwise Tim may have to play Dr. Dad on Highway 41. *insert nervous laugh here*

Anyhooo… the important news is that the baby is OK. His/her heartrate was unusually rapid, and that doctor said that was due to the fever… but it sounded strong and healthy. So it looks like everything is OK. Phew! I was instructed to take every measure possible to keep my fever down as it can be dangerous for the baby. So I have been popping Tylenol and Tim was plopping cold rags on my head.

Today (day 5), my fever has finally broken. Hurray!! The doctor said the pregnancy results in a weakened immune system (something about my body needing to not “reject’ the baby). She said the symptoms could be much worse than a typical flu, and I should expect it to last at least twice as long. NICE.

This was my first experience with maternal guilt. I know I didn’t catch the flu on purpose, but I feel so bad that it is effecting the baby. Poor little mini-muffin. It seems unfair that s/he has to pay a price with an elevated heart rate for my stupid weakened immune system. Ahh… so I already feel like a real mother, what with the guilt and worry.

I think Tim is the real victim here. He’s been working at home this week so he could keep an eye on me. He goes to the store constantly because I seem only capable of thinking of the one thing I need at that exact moment in time rather than predicting things I may need in the future. Tim is outstanding in the field of husband excellence.

I’m so sick of being in bed watching TV Land. I love Leave it to Beaver, but I’m not sure this is realistic training for parenthood. So Tim, forever the patient caregiver, brought me this computer. I’m propped up with pillowed typing as both kitties are snuggled up with me. Yarrrr. Hopefully ‘real life’ will resume next week.

Now you'd better go and wash your hands after reading this post. And spray your screen down with Lysol. I don't want you getting this too.

PS- I am still really out of it, so let's just politely pretend that any "typos" you may have noticed in the above blog entry represent stylistic choices. Thanks.