Now that you are all caught up on
Beckett's birthstory, it is time to ramble about the craziness that followed after.
Cole and I had hoped with such a difficult pregnancy that once I delivered thigns would finally be better. I would be healthy, my body would start healing, and the worst would be behind us.
I wish I could say that was the case, but in many ways, delivery was just the beginning of more medical issues.
Unfortunately, even though only 4 months ago, everything has already jumbled into a blur and I can't remember much of the details. So, I will do my best to just give a little recap.
While in the hospital, and probably the first week at home, I was still in excruciating pain due to my pelvis and sacrum issues. Walking was still extremely difficult and painful. Breastfeeding was also an issue, as it always is for me, but luckily this time I was under no misguided belief that it would go better. I knew how terrible it would be and didn't set my hopes up for anything gelse. Good thing I didn't, too, because once again it was very rough. Beckett did latch better then any of his siblings and that was a true blessing. But the pain was excruciating and once again, like with Felicity, I had to take Percocet around the clock just to continue with breastfeeding. I hate having to do that, but I always say that if a month on pain meds means I get to nurse my babe for a year or longer, then it is worth it.
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| Tavian meeting his baby brother for the first time. He was still calling him "Rocca" :) |
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| Grammy snuggling with two of her Grandbabies |
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| So happy to be reunited with my little ones again! |
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| I'm pretty sure Felicity was most excited about seeing Mommy again! |
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Unfortunately I couldn't move at all because of the pain but Cole was able to put both of them
up on the bed with me so I could give them loves! |
A week after delivery I was having really bad abdominal pain. Standing up straight was hurting and it was very, very tender to the touch. I honestly thought at first that it might be constipation...especially because percocet can make that worse. Thankfully I finally decided to go in and see a Dr., and after a pelvic exam (which by the way is super miserable so soon after delivery!), they told me that I had a uterine infection. Not fun at all. I also had to have my blood drawn multiple times which I am admittedly not a fan of!
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One of our first nights home Amy, Dave (her now fiancé), and Elissa all came to have dinner
and meet the new addition. So glad to have had this time with them and that we got to meet Dave! |
Breastfeeding honestly didn't get better until 6 weeks. Six straight weeks of constant, horrible pain while nursing. I think with Felicity it was at least 8 weeks though so there was some improvement. My milk supply was great this time as well so that was good. I think two...or maybe 3 weeks in I got a double breast infection. If you have never had one than you don't know that I mean it when I say it feels like you could just keel over and die. I have had a breast infection before and even though I know it is bad, you still forget just how horrible it is until you are experiencing another one. I also had a plugged duct on and off for weeks but thankfully was able to keep those from turning into infections.
The last, horrible hurrah started probably around 4 or 5 weeks postpartum. In the evenings around 7, right as I was getting ready to start relaxing for the night, I would start having horrible stomach aches. I started to feel nauseous and just really sick and unsure if I would throw up or not. This started happening every few days. I would be fine and then out of nowhere...bam! Super sick! Cole and I both thought it was really weird and didn't know what to make of it.
After a week or two the pain started to come every single night...and sometimes during the day. It was so excruciating that I couldn't sleep...couldn't even watch tv. I would just lay there with my eyes closed trying to relax because I was clenched so tightly from the pain. I would just pray that I would fall asleep. The only even minor pain relief I would get is from a super hot bath. Even then the pain didn't really go away, it just seemed like I numbed my body enough to have some relief. This is around the time that I would start puking from the pain. Overall it was a horrible experience. There were many times that Beckett's middle of the night feedings were in the bathtub because the pain was too horrible for me to be anywhere else.
I realized from my own research that it was most likely my gallbladder.
(on a side note, I actually ended up in the emergency room 2 months after Felicity's birth with similar pain to this, but they did an ultrasound on my gallbladder and said there were no stones and it looked fine so they sent me on my way. I think they officially called it heartburn and gave me some Prilosec. Looking back I'm pretty sure it really was issues with my gallbladder..not with stones, but with it's function!)
This time they took more blood to check if it was likely I had stones, and everything came back normal. But they said it may still not be functioning well. I had a hydascan to check my gallbladder's function and it was only functioning at 17%. It is supposed to be a minimum of 45%...so clearly that was the issue. So, as much as I didn't want to, and as much as I tried to find an alternative, I ended up having surgery to remove my gallbladder around 6 weeks postpartum. It was a very difficult, stressful time!
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In the recovery room immediately after surgery. I was pretty groggy but Cole and
my Dad came to be with me and I was so glad to have them there. Cole brought me yummy Berry Blendz :) |
I had the surgery on a Thursday morning and Cole was already back to work on Monday. In retrospect we should have planned for much more time to recover...it was actually a really painful recovery and it was really hard not having Cole off of work to help out for longer.
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| All of my incisions from the surgery. Not too bad when you think that they actually removed an organ! |
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Recovering at home in bed. Felicity continually asked to see my "owies" and was always there to snuggle
and give me lots of loves and kisses. She kissed my incisions a lot! |
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My sweet boy asked Cole if he could get me flowers to help me feel better.
He is too stinking sweet! |
Things are finally getting better and I am finally starting to heal. I still see a chiropractor every week and have to get in for massages to help with the continued recovery of my pelvis, sacrum, and ribs. Thankfully, I am not having any stomach issues anymore. I have heard that having your gallbladder removed doesn't always fix the problem, or that for some it brings about other issues, but praise God for me everything has gotten better!
So, that's my little drama for you! It is amazing what all we are capable of going through. It was so very hard but I am thankful that things are looking up, and above all, I know every. last. second. of it was worth it.
Am I right?!?
Already it feels like life couldn't "be" without this little man in it. I look at him all the time and just sit praising God that I get to be his Momma. God is good and little ones truly make it all worth while!
