19 weeks

Today I am 19 weeks pregnant! Slowly but surely I am crossing off the weeks and getting closer to meeting the little one! I had a nurse visit yesterday and thank GOODNESS got my bandage changed. I only had it on an extra day because of the holiday but it was hanging by a thread! The skin is just so darn irritated now that cleaning and bandage changes are extremely painful and my arm itches and burns so intensely for hours afterwards. Yesterday I literally had to sit on my other hand and bite my lip to keep from clawing off the bandage it was so itchy. She ran my labs and called me back with the results today. Would you believe that my levels were the worst they have been this whole time?!? I just don't get it. My sodium dropped to 132 which is a new low for me and I remember my doctor saying that 130 is when they get VERY concerned. I haven't had normal sodium levels in months but I just can't believe it dropped when I am getting sodium for four hours a day in my IV! My potassium also dropped out of normal range to 3.5 (it was 3.7 last week). Doctor's orders were to continue with the two bags and retest on Monday. I got to thinking about it and am wondering whether the fact that I have been drinking more water on my own the past week is part of the problem. I think that maybe I am getting TOO much fluids and this is diluting my blood too much. I will talk to my doctor when I see him again next week and maybe go down to one bag a day.

I am very excited that I have been able to drink more water lately. It feels so good to be drinking semi normally and I am getting anywhere from 32-40 oz myself in a day. That is HUGE! This summer I couldn't even take 8 oz orally! I also am having a huge appetite lately and can definitely tell I am gaining a lot of weight. I know it is all good and for the baby but I feel like I am gaining a lot all at once! I guess I have some catching up to do. I don't want to jinx myself especially since I had an awful day on Sunday but yesterday I only threw up ONCE! Once. I haven't only thrown up once since the day I found out I was pregnant. So far today I have only gotten sick once also so we will see. Could the vomiting possibly be slowing down or even ending soon!?

Besides this marking my 19th week of pregnancy, the other big milestone is that tomorrow marks two months that I have had the PICC in. TWO MONTHS. I really can't believe it. I never thought I would ever have it in this long and yet here I am. I am proud to think that I have survived the awfulness that has accompanied having the PICC for this long and I guess looking back that I am maybe stronger than I realized. Here's to hoping that I will get it out before the three month mark!