Weeks 14 through 15 were spent preparing a 1970-something Winnebago for a trip from Irvine, California, to my hometown in Le Mars, Iowa, where Justin and I are currently spending the summer, with my dad and five-year-old nephew, Zach.
There were some great parts of the trip. The Winnebago was vintage, and a lot of fun to travel with, and Zion National Park in Utah was gorgeous. It was quickly added to my list of favorite places, and I had a great time hiking, especially the beginning of the Narrows. It was way too cold to go very far, and I just didn't feel that it would be the wisest decision while pregnant. I hope to return someday, though, and hike both the Narrows, and Angel's Landing!
However, not all of the trip was a cake-walk. In fact, due to my health, I was unfortunately miserable most of the time. Not only was I dealing with the tail end of hyperemesis gravidarum and all the fun things like dehydration that come with it, but we also left California right after finals week, which, as always, coincides with my bi-annual cough that turns into severe bronchitis exacerbated by my asthma. It just gets worse and worse until it's unbearable. I spent most of the trip coughing, occasionally hacking stuff up, and puffing my rescue inhaler every couple of hours. It got so bad, that the coughing became so frequent and strong that I ended up injuring a rib. It was so painful I couldn't get a deep breath in. Luckily, an affiliate hospital of my insurance, Kaiser Permanente, was on the route home. I was admitted to the emergency room (shocker, I know) for evaluation and an x-ray. I was expecting to get a nebulizer treatment and steroids for the bronchitis/asthma, and the x-ray just to make sure my rib was puncturing anything, but after the results from the blood work, my doctor was concerned about blood clots, as my d-dimer test for clotting factors was elevated. Needless to say, it was a terrifying night. Luckily, I was released after several hours, as I only had a few small clotting issues that were not dangerous enough to keep me overnight. Justin and I stayed overnight in Colorado, and made it Le Mars the next morning.
We have been here for about half a month now. I have had one bad flare up of hyperemesis, but appears to be staying away. Even light nausea has reduced, so long as I keep food in my stomach. *knock on wood*
Justin is working production at the south plant at Wells Blue Bunny and is enjoying his new temporary job, and I am taking a few summer courses at Western Iowa Tech Community College. Miss Sadie Lou is enjoying a new friendship with her dog cousin, Leroy, and the little Jellie Bean is becoming more and more active by the day.
I begin care under my temporary OB for the summer starting on Friday, and will hopefully have anatomy scan the next week or the week after. Yes, that's the scan where we try to get the kid to spread his or her legs and show us the goods so everyone can buy us a bunch of pink or blue stuff. :p
We're also having a blast and half dealing with CUI and some financial aid mix ups. More on that later.
That's all for now, and I promise for weeks 19 and 20 I will have prompt and more detailed posts!
Love,
Ellie
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