Restrictions

At my doctor appointment yesterday, my blood pressure was up a little- again. This is the reason I am restricted from exercise. Apparently, when BP goes up in pregnancy, exercise makes it worse, not better. Pretty strange phenomenon for the MD to say "hey, your blood pressure is a little high...quit working out and spend more time laying down!"

Because it was up again yesterday, I am now restricted to working only 40 hours a week. I saw a different doctor yesterday (mine was out of the office) and I think she was a bit of an alarmist because when I told her I was frustrated by my BP continuing to raise inexplicably, she at first just suggested extra rest, especially on my left side, and then, in an off-the-cuff sort of way, she said "bed rest." Which means no work. Or getting up. At all. Uhhh....what? No. Actually not an option, absent a true medical emergency. I feel fine and have none of the other red flags associated with high blood pressure in pregnancy (headaches, blurry vision, abnormal blood tests). So, after a brief breakdown in which I described having the bank foreclose on our house and bringing Pavo home to a cardboard box, the substitute MD backed off and suggested dropping from 50 hours a week to 40 hours a week. Ok, that's doable. I have a phone call placed to my main MD and am waiting for a call back so we can discuss how maybe she needs to make a note in my chart that alarmist doctors ought to tone it down a little when I'm on the table.

So, today I worked only from 8am-4pm. It was really weird, and I felt almost guilty leaving so early, even though I know it's the responsible decision, and it is totally ok with my boss. I feel lucky that I work for a place that is understanding and values me as a whole person, not just for the money I bring in. When I told my boss about my new restrictions, he said it's important to take are of myself, do whatever I need to do, and that I have a whole career ahead of me to worry about "making" enough hours. Small business life is a good life.

I am under strict orders to spend as much time with my feet up (and preferably laying on my left side) as possible. And alternating between Law and Order and the Simpsons. Ok, not the last part. Eduardo has been great and is cooking me food with no salt and giving me lots of head-rubs. My mom comes to my appointments with me so that I have someone to keep me grounded when my worry gets the best of me and I envision cardboard box homes.

It's unclear what will happen next. I'm at about 34 weeks and it's possible that, if my BP goes up much more or if I develop any other complications associated with it, they could possibly induce at week 37 or so? Or, I guess whenever they decide it's "time." In any case, even if Pavo was born this very night, chances are he would be just fine--34 weeks would be early, but not generally very problematic. Please cross fingers for after November 10th- it would be really lame to not be able to attend my own baby shower or to tell the hospital staff "Sorry, we can't take him home; the baby shower isn't until November 10th so we won't have a car seat until then..."