Week 15--Stress is Mounting

So I must admit that I am not at all original in my decision to start this blog about the journey of my pregnancy. I ripped off the idea from another couple but hey--that's what the internet is for anyway right?

With that having been said the anxiety surrounding this whole ordeal is reaching its peak. Life has been positively insane ever since those 2 pink lines appeared on the pregnancy test. Having been to my 2nd prenatal visit on Monday I realized that the primary focus and goal of my OB is to scare the crap out of me. After my last prenatal visit I was sent a LETTER that I had an irregular pap smear. OK....so what does that mean? Well..."big word...big word...yada yada yada. This happens all the time." So I'm concerned but the last "This happens all the time" sets my mind at ease...at least for the next 3 weeks until my next visit. Expecting this visit to be "routine" I am in for a rude awakening when they start explaining the abnormalities and prodding me in even more invasive ways than are usually typical at the gynecologists office. You see, the abnormality is "precancerous cells" but I'm not to be alarmed. NOT TO BE ALARMED!!!! You just told me that I have precancerous cells in my body, BUT not only are they in my body but dangerously close to my unborn child and I'm NOT TO BE ALARMED?!?!?! It really doesn't matter what the risk is, the word CANCER is terrifying for anyone. Ok so on this heightened anxious state she sends me on my way assuring me that in just 7 short months we will be able to fully determine whether or not these are actually cancer producing cells. Well that should make the rest of my pregnancy stress free. As if that's not enough...on my way out the door she stops me to offer another optional test for my unborn child. This test would allow us to determine if our child has any one of 3 chromosomal abnormalities which would cause Downs Syndrome. Why would my child have Downs Syndrome? I'm a relatively healthy young woman--why would that be an issue??? So with all of this swirling through my head--I leave feeling as ease and confident about the health of my baby--yeah right!

And then of course there are the lovely limitations of OTC drugs during pregnancy which provide the ultimate pain relief. Right! I know that right now we are just paranoid being new parents to be but there are certain things that just don't feel right. Like waking up with your heart racing and having a headache that lasts for days which the all powerful Tylenol just simply won't take away. All of this leads to the absence of work. Now I feel it is necessary to note that my current employer is the absolute least sympathetic of all individuals on this entire planet. That she assumes the utmost of double standards that a runny nose constitutes her "working from home" but a hospital visit (you being the patient) is an insufficient excuse for missing work. After missing 3 hours of work--not even a whole day but 3 hours because of the unbearable pain of a headache that for all practical purposes should be categorized as a migraine less the absence of the additional symptoms that accompany the headache--I receive an email that "we need to discuss all of your recent absences and instances of leaving early" WHAT??? I've only left early 2 times without having notified you previously that I had to because of doctor's appointments. Or I'm sorry is 4 weeks not enough notice for me to leave an hour early for a doctor's appointment??? And of course doctor's notes and hospital visits are not sufficient cause for missing work...my mistake.