So... challenges with my pregnancy.

For those following this you know that Kelley and I have wanted to get pregnant for a very long time. We also knew that getting pregnant would have it's own sets of challenges and trials.

My first appointment with an obstetrician was pretty quick, and she knew enough to know that I needed to see a peri-natal specialist. What is a peri-natal specialist? Someone who specializes in high risk pregnancies, which, I am.

There are quite few issues and things that we covered, and I would say that Dr. Dickson definitely made me feel better about a lot of my worries.

One of my worries was my pain medication for my back. I've been taking pain medication for a long time for my back problems, and would be willing to stop taking it all if it meant the safety or health of the baby, Dr. Dickson however feels that my coming off of the medication would be more dangerous for the baby than my staying on it.

Basically the biggest worry we have due to the pain medication is the baby being born dependent on the medication. I was worried that the pain medication would cause birth defects, or other such problems, but there are no studies showing such things. Also, my coming off of the pain medication, and my pain going up the way it does when I can't get a break from it, is more dangerous for the baby than anything else. Pain, from what I was told, can cause miscarriages, pre-term birth, AND birth defects. My blood pressure goes up with pain, which also causes it's own defects, and can cause heart problems, and stuff like that. So, the pain medication is not going anywhere.

We were also concerned about my nerve pain medication, also used to help insomnia and as an anti-depressant. I was told to get off of this medication ASAP - I was told that, again, there is nothing showing that the amitriptylene causes any problems. It's classified as a class D medication because a medication similiar to it caused a problem. So, again, a huge relief.

Next, my gastric bypass surgery. There are issues that come with it, one is the malabsorbtion issues with food and medications - I was told that seeing as how I can eat a good amount, and my weight is steady I should be okay. I need to make sure I'm getting in my protein and water, but as long as I do that it's good. I was put on a chewable prenatal vitamin just in case my pouch couldn't absorb the whole huge prenatal pill. I will say the chewable is NASTY, disgusting, gross, ucky, EWWW, and I find myself trying to find anything strong to wash it down with to get rid of the flavor.

The biggest problem is that people who have had gastric bypass surgery is there is evidence of an increased risk of late term miscarriages. Meaning that at 7 months people have lost their babies out of the blue. I am very glad that Dr. Dickson knew this, as I had never heard it before, and no one I had talked to had either. Dr. Dickson's solution is that starting at 30 weeks they will start monitoring the fluid levels in the womb - whatever the water pouch is called - and they will start doing weekly, or if needed, bi-weekly stress tests on the baby. Basically making sure the baby is reacting the way they want him/her to be. He said that the moment he thinks something isn't looking right, he'll pull the baby. It sucks to think of all this, but at the same time, this doctor is on the ball, he knows what he's doing and I'm glad he does.

Now - a huge concern is my back, and how it's going to play in all this, and how the baby is going to play in the part of my back. My back shouldn't pose any problems to the baby - the baby very well could to my back. At the same time, with my spine being as unstable as it is, reaching up to grab a plate from the cubbard could cause a problem to my back.

Yes, there is talk of a wheelchair later on during the pregnancy, there is talk about being put on bedrest for extended periods of time, but at the same time, my back could handle the pregnancy great and I could be fine. There is discussion and concern over regular vaginal delivery versus a c-section. The concern is that regular delivery could very easily be the straw that broke the camels back, BUT it could be fine. It's just like every day life for me, anything could set my back off, or it could be fine. So, what all my current doctors are telling me is that it's going to come down to how my back handles being pregnant. The choice is there for what I want, and we'll see when we get there. I've had other doctors talk about not even considering a regular delivery, so hearing the doctors now telling me it's up in the air, feels good.

Dr. Dickson has asked, and expressed, that he would like our baby delivered in Tucson, where his main office is located. He feels that Tucson Medical Center will be better equipped for any complication that may arise than Casa Grande Regional Medical Center is. Mainly - the baby being born dependent on my pain mediation and going through the withdrawal symptoms and such.

Right now - that's really it. I'm not freaking out worried about anything, anymore. The things that I was super freaked about, I now feel better about.