36 Weeks and Counting Down...

Well, as the title reads, I'm 36 weeks pregnant plus a few days! Payton Layne is getting big. At our last ultrasound, she weighed 6 pounds and 4 ounces. Of course, this is an estimate. But we did get to see her chubby little cheeks and HAIR! Yes, she has hair...just like Karlee did when she was born. She might even have more.

I have to admit, I am miserable. Every time I have a doctor's appointment I get sent to Labor and Delivery to be monitored. It seems that my blood pressure is too high. They suspect pre-ecclampsia (I did a 24 hour urine test that came back high with protein), but they also found out that I have severe anemia. It is causing tachycardia - or making my heart work overtime. My resting pulse is around 136 - 144. They told me that if I should happen to go into labor now, I'd most likely need a blood transfusion. So I am now on meds to correct this, but apparently it takes a few weeks to build up your blood cells. The medicine makes me sick on top of being sick. I am still very swollen and my feet feel so bruised! I have a cold, making it hard to breathe. The anemia makes it hard to breathe as well - my body isn't getting the oxygen from the red blood cells that it needs (which is a reason that my heart has to work so hard). Plus there is Payton, who sometimes likes to push up into my lungs!

My pelvis is still giving me lots of trouble. Payton's added weight makes it extremely hard to walk let alone stand for a period of time. I am mostly immobile. I don't go anywhere except to the doctors and once in awhile I get cabin fever and try to make it out in the store but always end up regretting it. Just standing to do the dishes is horrible - I end up leaning over the sink and trying to put my weight onto the side of the counter. Carrying Karlee is almost out of the question. It's a good thing that she can climb up the stairs and walk down holding my hand. EG has been giving her baths for me and I only lift her to either put her in or take her out of a carseat (when I have to take her with me to my appointments), to put her on her changing table, or to put her in her crib.

I am having a hard time getting up from a sitting position and a really difficult time getting in and out of bed. Now EG has to help me put my pants on most of the time and he always does my socks and shoes. Hahaha! I feel so helpless sometimes. The one day I waited to take a shower after he left for work and I could not get my pants on!! I was just too sore to lift my legs and couldn't manuever my feet through my pants. I ended up wearing a nightgown until he came home. I hardly ever wear socks. My feet swell so badly that my shoes hardly fit, let alone my socks.

I don't know how I can possibly get any bigger! I feel different - I think Payton has shifted her position or something. There is a LOT of pressure now and I feel all of her movements - some of which can be very painful. I can't wait until she's here - for obvious reasons and just to finally have her here. I have lots of stronger contractions now and am constantly questioning whether the day has finally come or not! But I have four weeks to go - she could come anytime between now and then.