PSA: Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Just a public service announcement about Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Do you know what it is? Most people do not. As a sufferer, I wish there was more public awareness of this disease. Lots of good information can be found here about it. Wikipedia defines it as "unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids." I think of it more as non-consensual bulimia. It's like having the stomach flu or food poisoning for months on end, really. It's thought that about 2% of pregnant women suffer from it.

A little comparison between morning sickness and HG:

Morning Sickness	Hyperemesis Gravidarum
You lose little if any weight.	You lose 5-20 pounds or more. (> 5% of pre-pregnancy weight)
Nausea and vomiting do not interfere with your ability to eat or drink enough each day.	Nausea and vomiting cause you to eat very little and get dehydrated from vomiting if not treated.
You vomit infrequently and the nausea is episodic but not severe. It may cause discomfort and misery.	You vomit often and may vomit bile or blood if not treated. Nausea is usually moderate to severe and constant.
Dietary and/or lifestyle changes are enough to help you feel better most of the time.	You will probably require fluid hydration through a vein and/or medications to stop the vomiting.
You typically will improve gradually after the first trimester, but may be a little queasy at times during the remainder of your pregnancy.	You usually feel somewhat better by mid-pregnancy, but you may continue to be nauseous and/or vomit until late pregnancy.
You will be able to work most days and care for your family.	You will likely be unable to work for weeks or months, and may need help caring for yourself.

I had it with my daughter. I started throwing up at 4.5 weeks. Stopped at just shy of 39 weeks when she was delivered. There were 10 days in between that I hadn't thrown up at least once. It was frustrating, to say the least. I lost almost 25 lbs the first 5 months. My doctor dismissed it as being one of the unlucky women who was sick the whole time (although she did prescribe drugs to help). Fortunately, my schedule was flexible and I was able to stay home most of the time in my drug induced comatose state with a bucket nearby.

I'm expecting again. Have HG, again. Have a new doctor that has been aggressive in treating it from very early on. I've seen my doctor almost weekly for weight checks, ketones in urine, blood draws for malnutrition, hydration, etc. My elbow pits (yes, that's what I call them) are finally feeling/looking like normal from having needles in them. I've actually started to feel like I'm not dying. However, I'm still sick. It's just instead of throwing up 10-20+ times per day, I throw up 3-5ish times per day.

Maybe the most important part of this PSA, things not to say to me (or I might just hurl on you):

1.Try eating crackers, ginger, dry cereal etc.
Really? You mean I threw up for 35 weeks with my daughter and 13+ weeks so far this time and this was all I needed to do? Um, I can't keep down my own saliva. I've tried eating these things. The result: I throw them up.

2. You just have to keep eating. Just keep something in your stomach.
See reply above.

3. I had morning sickness too. You'll feel better in a few weeks.
I'd like to believe I'll feel better in a few weeks. If by 'few', you mean 20, you're right. I will hopefully be enjoying a little newborn then. And, I don't want to hear about your nausea and throwing up 3 times but feeling like you were going to vomit. I wasn't exaggerating when I compared HG to having the stomach flu or food poisoning for months on end. I'm sorry that you didn't feel well, but unless you had HG I can guarantee you it's not the same and I feel worse.

4. At least you will not have a lot of weight to lose after the pregnancy.
That's true. I weighed less than I did pre-pregnancy when I left the hospital with my daughter. However, I would rather gain 70 lbs and have to exercise for 4 years to lose it than feel like crap all of the time.

5. You should try to not take so much medicine.
If I don't take it (sometimes even if I do) I will end up in the hospital with IVs in my arm.

6. Exercise will help, go for a walk.
Okay, I usually don't have strength to get from my bed or couch to the toilet and have a bucket nearby but let me go for a brisk constitutional around the block. On good days I might make it downstairs to do laundry and throw up promptly upon my return back upstairs.

7. What do you want to eat? Do you want to go to lunch/dinner sometime?
Food doesn't taste very good the second time around. I'm at a point where the idea of eating is depressing and nauseating. Yes I still eat, but it's more of a chore. I have already had to apologize more than I'd like to restaurant staff when I haven't made it to the restroom.

8. It will all be worth it.
Yes, it will be worth it. However, I don't need someone else to tell me this. Maybe it's just the pregnant, emotional me, but when people say this I feel like they are completely dismissing how I feel now.

In addition, I appreciate contact from the outside world since I don't get out much. Generally, I don't want to see you in person unless I feel comfortable in my pajamas throwing up in a bucket in front of you (which there are very few people that qualify) or I am having a good day and feel somewhat decent. I also don't feel like talking on the phone much, but texts and emails are always good.

Hopefully this PSA has been informative. If not, at least is was somewhat therapeutic for me to write it. Just remember that with me and others, this disease is real. It's not something that is a consequence of action (other than becoming pregnant) or lack of will power. The suffering that comes as a result is not a choice any more than having cancer, MS, or other diseases. The best thing that you can do as a friend or family of someone suffering is to be nice, be as understanding as possible and be willing to help.

What have I done for someone today?

R's mom, Marjie, passed away about a week and a half ago at the age of 65. We knew this day was coming even though it came much sooner than we would have liked. We are sad, especially R and his dad. We feel at peace with the situation and are happy that Marjie has been released from what she endured. It is hard to think of the years that are to come without her. Sad to think that L and other future kidlings will never know their Grandma Marjie (in this life at least).

So, you may be confused with the title of this post. The reason I chose it: Marjie lived a life of service. She may not have always been the best at receiving service, but she was exemplary at giving it. Even with her many physical limitations, she was always doing something for someone else. As we started to go through some of her things last week, we found dozens of projects she had started for other people. There were coming home outfits for newborns in third world countries, leper bandages, multiple quilts, sweaters, socks, shoes etc. for other people. She truly utilized her sewing and knitting skills to help others. I'll admit that I've felt overwhelmed at her willingness to give and serve. I am not the seamstress she was, nor will I ever be. Kind of wishing that R had siblings since the task of being Marjie's living legacy is a large one.

I'm reminded of this talk by Pres. Monson on which my title is based. "Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives." I know that Marjie had a purpose and fulfilled it by serving others.

I know that I am often guilty of having the intention of doing something and never getting around to it, as Pres. Monson talks about. "We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes. "

So, my goal is to be more like my dear mother-in-law. I encourage you to do the same.

Blessing Dress

A good friend of mine was in need of a blessing dress for her little newborn daughter. Since she wanted something fairly simple, I decided I could tackle the task. I realized in the process that it has been a LONG time since I've sewed anything "real". Yes, I've done blankets, quilts, skirts, pajama pants, etc. However, I haven't done anything with sleeves, button plackets, or that I've wanted to turn out 'nice' for a very long time. Over 10 years in fact.

I had a pattern. However, I knew from the beginning I wanted things different. So, I altered the bodice, sleeves, skirt, pretty much the whole thing. I also made it a lot smaller. I'm not quite sure that pattern makers have ever seen a newborn. I took out almost 7 inches around the bodice. In the end, I ended up making and drawing an entirely new pattern. I think it turned out nicely.







Maybe I should go into business... I have been thinking about how I could make a little money from home.

If nothing else, it was nice to be able to do something nice for someone else. It also provided good practice since I've been wanting to make some dresses for my daughter.

4th of July

Door decor for the 4th of July (well, it will stay up all through July) was a rag flag.

We had ~25 people over to our house on the 3rd to celebrate the holiday and our 1 year anniversary in our house! (I can't believe how fast time has flown.) The outdoor decorations included patriotic gummy bears with pull'n'peel "fireworks" (kind of droopy but I thought it still worked well) and patriotic pinwheels.
Also, tissue balls (I had red and white ones but this was my only picture). Don't mind the ugly electric breaker and meter box in the background. One of my next projects is to build a box/cupboard around it in order to hide the ugliness and to hang my outdoor clock and thermometer on. (As a side note...Apparently the city we live in required for the breakers to be outdoors when our house was built, weird.)
Besides lots of good food, we had a slip and slide, bocce, frisbee and all sorts of other activities. Fun was had by all.

Coconut Cream Pie

I have been craving coconut cream pie since the day before Mother's Day. They had samples at Costco. It was so good. I sat and debated whether or not I should get one. I decided against it since my mom was coming over for dinner and is allergic to milk. I decided it would be mean to have such a yummy dessert that she wouldn't be able to eat.

Since Mother's Day, I have been to Costco many times. Every time I go look at the coconut cream pie. Every time I decide that I don't need it. Plus, it's HUGE and I really don't need that much of it. So, I decided to make my own.


It was delicious. Looking at the pictures makes me want to make another one to eat. I found some recipes online and modified them for the ingredients I had and what sounded good.

Crust (I kind of made up my own recipe that sounded yummy)

Vanilla Wafers
Almonds
Shredded Coconut
Butter

I added everything to my food processor until crumby (I didn't really measure, I just added things in the ratios I thought they'd be good). I pressed into the 9" pie pan and baked on 350 for about 8 minutes.

Filling

1 1/2 c. coconut milk
~3/4 c. whole milk
~3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
~3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. corn starch
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. flaked coconut

Make a custard by mixing coconut milk, milk, cream, sugar, salt, corn starch, and eggs. Heat and medium heat whisking constantly for ~20 minutes until thickened (you want it very thick). Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and coconut.

Pour into crust and let set in fridge for at least a couple of hours (I made 2 pies and the one that set overnight was better).

Topping:
~1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tblsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c toasted coconut

Toast coconut in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes on cookie sheet (stirring as needed).
Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Put cream on top of pie filling. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serve. Yum.
3/4 c. flaked coconut

12.5 lbs

Garden update: As of today, I have harvested 12.5 lbs from my garden (radishes, lettuce, and peas). There are 2 peppers (about 4 and 1.5 inches), almost all of the pepper plants have buds, 4 tomatoes that are about golf ball size, and 3 squash plants that are flowering.

This picture was from last week.


Since then, I picked quite a few radishes and a few heads of lettuce to make room for some additional pepper plants (bringing my total to 11 plants) and zucchini (bringing total of plants to 7). The newly transplanted zucchini is not looking so good though. Squash transplants can take awhile to set and I'm hoping that I didn't put them in too late. (The additional plants were all free, however. So if they don't make it, it's not too big a loss.)

This is my garden today (after picking):
Today's harvest: 1 lb 10 oz radishes, 1 lb 3 oz peas

Many people have asked me how I am weighing my produce. I use my kitchen scale. Here it is in use weighing my daughter when she was 2 weeks old (Yes, she still had her cord and was just 6 lbs 11 oz. Hard to imagine her being that small now).

Seedy Art

I got this idea from my friend Kasia's blog, which has a lot of fun projects. It was really easy and <$1 for all three. I already had some frames that I painted (although if you're looking for your own frames DI usually has tons for $0.50-1.00) and burlap. The seeds were from Wal Mart but their selection wasn't very good. I later found more at Honks and they were 6 for a $1.