6 Weeks To Go...

Things are getting so very exciting! I am nearing 33 weeks along and doing fantastic. I remember thinking at the very beginning of this pregnancy - I'm talking in the first few weeks - that it seemed like an eternity until our baby would be born. Since then, time has flown by and it's so evident that she'll be here before we know it.

We've been seeing my OBGYN twice a week and have had nothing but good news at each check-up. Also, she has picked a date that we'll have the baby (that's if she hasn't decided to join us before then). On November 30th, we'll go to the hospital and either induce or have a c-section, depending on what's best at the time for the baby and I. It's just astonishing that that's only 6 weeks from today.

Recently, we met with the anesthesiologist who will be present during our procedure. It was important to actually talk to him before hand so we could discuss certain complications that can occur related to my spinal cord injury, specifically called autonomic dysreflexia. Mom, Jacob and I all liked him a lot and were glad that he seemed very knowledgeable about my condition. He also did an X-ray to make sure he could do an epidural with the type of spinal fusion and hardware that I have in my back. All looked great.

Jacob and I had a really good time and learned a lot at our birthing class. Plus, it was at the hospital where I'll deliver and we got to see our beautiful rooms, with gorgeous views overlooking the North Georgia mountains. It all felt perfect. And, I must say that I was very proud when my sweet husband was the only Dad out of all there who was brave enough to get up and practice swaddling in front of the group. This little girl has no idea how lucky she is.

As we all expected, my mobility is getting more limited by the day. With determination and some help, though, I'm still maintaining my basic independence. I've started to cut out certain things that are becoming too difficult and have gotten extra creative with other daily living tasks. But these days, I'm finding more and more that even if I am able to do something - like get dressed, get out of the house, climb up into our SUV - I'm so exhausted by the time I'm finished that I have to lay back for a bit. Over the next weeks, I'll pay close attention to my body and my strength and reduce my schedule accordingly. For the time being, I'm hanging in there and being very thankful for those around me, as well as a sympathetic work environment.

Last week I had a little baby shower with some wonderful ladies I know and brought home a beautiful bassinet. I loved watching Jacob put it together. This weekend, we'll enjoy a co-ed baby shower with some family and friends. We can't wait to celebrate the coming arrival of our little girl!

I feel so fortunate that I'm experiencing this journey with the man of my dreams. I'm still in awe at how our love continues to grow each day and how comfortable and content we've felt during this entire process. I also continue to be amazed by the strength and potential of the human body. It's all an amazing miracle that I'm proud to share with you. Thanks for reading and have a happy week!

Getting Closer Everday...

It seems like all the pieces are coming together.  We've got two months left and the excitement is growing everyday. Last weekend, Jacob painted her room a beautiful "sun shower yellow." It's starting to feel like a nursery with the valence hung up, little hangers in the closet and a few of her things filling up some of the space. My talented husband also started construction on the accessible crib. He's doing such a great job and I can't wait to see the finished product.

We had our first "non-stress tests" (or NST) this week. In the last two weeks or so, I've had some tightening in my abdomen that we think could possibly be some minor contractions. My doctor assured me that "Braxton Hicks" are pretty common and harmless unless they started to occur more frequently. Just to be safe and keep a good eye on things, we'll start going in twice a week for these NST's, which monitor for contractions, as well as the baby's activity. When I go in, I lay on the table (with plenty of pillows) for about 40 minutes to an hour with a belt strapped to my belly. A print out provides the information the doctor is looking for. The first of these tests went great and I loved it when my doctor came in at the end, looked at the read-out, smiled and shook her head and said, "This is one beautiful baby. Everything is perfect, you can go on home."

This week, I had a great time speaking to the first-year Occupational Therapy students at Brenau University. This is the third time I've spoken to that class about mobility issues and being a wheelchair user, but the first time I've had the opportunity to share insights as to what my experiences are while pregnant. I've had many occupational therapists make a real positive impact on me over the years, so I am glad to offer any knowledge that might help these students. They were pretty impressed that at 7 1/2 months along, that I can still lift myself up into our Chevy Trail Blazer, on my own. We're in the process of getting a new accessible vehicle for me, and I look forward to that more than I can say!

I feel so fortunate to still be feeling so great this far along. Aside from some spells of exhaustion, some occasional cramped feelings (especially after I eat), shortness of breath here and there, and a recent slight increase in muscles spasms - I can't help but consider myself lucky. Also, despite some extra time and effort it takes for me to accomplish daily tasks, I'm still managing to take care of myself pretty much as usual, and I'm thankful for that as well.

As Jacob lit our first fire today, I had a noticeable awareness that we are nearing the season that our daughter will join us. She'll be here before we know it. Next weekend, we'll attend our child birth class. In three weeks, we'll have the first of our baby showers. I have a feeling we'll be pretty busy from here on out. And I'm looking forward to every moment of it.

Remember, if you or someone you know has some questions for me, feel free to send an email here, and you may also share this post. Thanks for following along and until next time, Happy Fall!

Motivating the Cadets at Riverside Military Academy

Today, I had the honor and privilege of speaking to the cadets at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia.  I was invited to speak as a part of their character development series, after a referral from my friend and colleague, Dr. Bill Lampton.  The experience was something I’ll never forget. 

My speech was entitled "It's All About the Attitude."  I shared my story and discussed the importance of a positive attitude and overcoming challenges.  This was the biggest audience I've had the opportunity to speak to, with over 350 cadets (grades 7-12), as well as staff members, faculty and some parents.  Also, Jacob, my parents, and few of my colleagues from Brenau University were in attendance as honorary guests.

And I must add, saying we were treated like honorary guests is an understatement.  From the moment we arrived, everyone was so kind and definitely among the most respectful group of people I've had the pleasure of spending time with.  After my speech, we were invited to stand next to the President, Dr. and Colonel Jim Benson, as the cadets performed an amazing Pass and Review.  I was so impressed by the young men and so honored to stand with my husband beside the Colonel.  

After the cadet's demonstration, we were all hosted for lunch in their beautiful dining hall.  My heart was warmed as person after person approached me and expressed that they enjoyed my presentation.  Having the opportunity to inspire those cadets to take advantage of their own potential was something I am truly grateful for.

President of Riverside Military Academy, Dr. Jim Benson, COL, and myself in the dining hall.

Two Down, One To Go...

Unbelievably, we are beginning the third trimester!  I'm seven months pregnant and lately, time seems to be flying by.  In less than 12 weeks, if we hit the due date, we'll be holding our baby girl.  While everything around me (and inside of me) confirms that this is reality, it all still feels like a dream.

I am very noticeably pregnant to everyone around me now, and I love it.  I feel very natural as an expectant Mom and I'm extremely proud to be carrying this baby in my belly.  Don't get me wrong - I have my moments of doubt in which I promise my husband I'll be back to my fit self that was pre-pregnancy, however, most of the time I feel healthy and beautiful.   The picture above was taken two weeks ago, already, so I'll post another picture this week to show how quickly I'm growing.

If you've been following my blog, you know that I've started making adjustments in my life to keep up with my changing mobility.  Well, remaining independent has gotten increasingly tougher in the recent weeks.  I'm having a lot of trouble getting dressed, although I can still manage.  Transferring into and out of my wheelchair is getting pretty shaky and I can tell that I'm just not as confident in my movements.  I'm still taking it one day at a time, though, and I'll seek extra help as I need it.

I'm still feeling really good, all things considered.  I am starting to get much more tired again, so I'm paying attention to sleep in a little when I can and give myself a break when needed.  I also did some research on pregnancy and spinal cord injuries and found that some of my exhaustion could sometimes be related to a lack of oxygen.  Many people with spinal cord injuries at my level and above often have weaker breathing than most people because of the lack of muscles supporting the diaphragm.  I read that this can be exaggerated for women who are pregnant, as there is extra pressure from underneath.  Plus, things are simply getting crowded since I am almost always in a seated position (my sources report that she is approximately 2 1/2 pounds and 15 inches long!).  So, when I notice I'm short of breath or extremely tired all of a sudden, I've been making a point to stretch myself out some and take some purposefully deep breaths.  It seems to be helping.

We haven't even had our baby showers yet and our home is starting to fill up with baby stuff.  It's so much fun going through it all and imagining the days to come.  And speaking of exciting, we absolutely love feeling our little girl move all the time!  She is so active, letting us know she's awake and healthy each and every day with all kinds of little movements.  If I'm having a moment of tension or getting a little frustrated about something, she always seems to move around a bit, to bring a smile to my face and remind me what a miracle this is.


Thanks again for reading, friends.  Please feel free to share this and know that you can always contact me privately for more questions.  I appreciate the opportunity to share this experience.  Have a great week!

Under 15 Weeks To Go, And Counting!

Well, we're already over 25 weeks along, and getting close to the end of the second trimester.  While in one hand it feels like she'll never get here, time also seems to be flying by.  As you can see from the photo, my belly is growing at a rapid pace.  And I'm still feeling fantastic.

Just in the last week and a half or so, I've started feeling her movements inside of me.  If you read my last blog, I was only feeling her with my hand on the outside just a short time ago.  Now, however, I can totally feel her moving around in there all the time.  I've also seen my belly move with my own eyes from the outside.  She's an active baby and I'm loving these amazing sensations. 

I'll be seeing my doctor every two weeks until 30 weeks, then begin going weekly until the baby comes.  We're still unsure if I'll feel contractions when they happen, so they'll be monitoring things closely to be safe.  At last week's visit, we were both healthy and developing right on schedule.  If she's anything like her Mama, this little girl will take her time and come when she's good and ready.

Last week we received a package from our friends at Colours Wheelchair.  Jacob is getting concerned that I won't be as sturdy in the coming weeks and that I'll have a hard time catching myself if I lose my balance in a wheelie.  So, despite my protests, we now have some wheelie bars (that prevent me from flipping over backwards) that we can put on if that time comes.  I haven't worn wheelie bars since I was like 11 years old.  They're kind of like training wheels for someone who's a professional cyclist.  I'm going to feel like a total rookie with them on, but whatever keeps the baby safe is what I'm going to do.

Jacob and I are headed to the stores today to finish up our baby registries.  We've done a lot online, but there's some stuff that we just need to check out in person.  A baby sure comes with a lot of stuff!  It's all so exciting!

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week and as always, feel free to send me an email if you have any personal or more private questions I can answer!  I'm happy to share!

She's Dancing in There!

When I first got pregnant, my sister-in-law told me about a really cool website - and I've discovered the iPhone app - called BabyCenter.com.  Every week, they send updates to my phone telling me what's happening with the baby, how she's developing and what changes are happening with my own body.  It's really interesting and we look forward to receiving the little notifications each week.  Today marked 23 weeks, and I was delighted by the first few sentences of our update this morning.  It read, "Turn on the radio and sway to the music.  With a sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance."  Wow.  Now, that's what I'm talking about.

All my resources say that our baby is now probably almost a foot long and over a pound in weight.  And it's obvious she's getting bigger and becoming more active because over the past week, both Jacob and I have felt her move on several occasions.  While I'm not clearly feeling the movements inside of me (as I did the flutters early on), I do get a feeling which makes me instinctively place my hand on a particular spot on my belly and suddenly, I feel her dancing underneath the palm of my hand.  I love it and I can't wait to feel her more as she grows. 

We had a great visit at the doctor this week.  My OBGYN agreed that I don't need to continue seeing the high-risk doctor, as my pregnancy is going so smoothly and the baby seems totally healthy.  She shared some exciting news in that at 24 weeks - just a week away - the baby will be "viable."  In other words, she would survive if she came anytime after that point.  It amazes me that we've already come this far.  Also, knowing that she would live, even if she came early, gives me this wonderful sense of peace that I can't quite explain.  From here on out, I'll see the doctor much more regularly to monitor the progress.

Even with this belly that is getting quite big, I'm still managing to climb up into our Trail Blazer and my Mom's SUV without any assistance; however, I can tell that my days are numbered.  I can barely touch my fingertips to the floor when I bend over.  Hills are getting increasingly difficult to push up.  Even dressing is becoming a little more of a challenge.  But, all of this was to be expected.  I know that I've got a while to go, and I haven't seen the toughest part yet.  I'll continue to be creative and learn new ways to maneuver.  Plus, like it or not, I'll have to accept the help of the people around me.  I'm accustomed to doing things on my own and proving my independence, however, my sister-in-law recently gave me some more great advice.  She said, "You need to ask for help because your pregnant, not because you're in a wheelchair."  Thanks, sis.  That makes sense. 

Things are really getting exciting.  At 5 1/2 months, we're spending free time working on the nursery, planning guest lists for baby showers and registering for all the necessary baby supplies.  We're having so much fun and learning a lot.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to get in touch if you have any specific questions.  I'm really enjoying sharing our journey with others and educating people on the extraordinary potential of the human body.  Until next time...

Half-Way There!

This week I dreamed of our baby girl for the very first time.  I’m not sure if it was spending time with my little cousins over the past two weeks, or if it’s simply the fact that we’re half way through this pregnancy, but it was awesome.  I remember being surrounded by family and friends and looking down into sparkling baby blue eyes.  I woke up with the warmest feeling.

It’s hard to believe that I’m already 5 months – or 21 weeks – along. At last week’s appointment, the baby’s heartbeat was strong and steady, as were my vitals.  As we move forward – just growing the baby, as they put it – they’ll want to see me a little more frequently to make sure nothing's going on that I can't feel.  We got to meet the new midwife at my doctor’s office and we really liked her.  She’s positive, happy and excited to be a part of a pregnancy that’s pretty unique.  I love educating people, so I’m glad to have another person involved that’s eager to learn.

I continue to be amazed at how much more in love I am with Jacob as each day passes.  He’s such a good man and I can’t begin to imagine doing this without him.  With my growing belly, I’m finding moments where I’m less confident transferring into and out of my wheelchair or unable to reach something that I could manage before, and he’s always there to offer assistance – without  making me feel “unable.”  Plus, while my body’s changing and I’m experiencing random little side effects of being pregnant, he never stops making me feel beautiful.  I’ve got to be the luckiest girl in the world.

We’re having a blast preparing the baby’s room.  We’re still nailing down a theme – but knowing us, it will probably be something beachy.  It’s exciting just sitting in the room and dreaming of creative ways to make things as accessible as possible for me.  So many people are asking me questions that begin with “What are you going to do when…” or “How are you gonna…” and my answer is usually the same: We’re not sure, but we’re really excited to find out.

We’re loving every second of this and can’t wait for what’s to come.  I hope that my experience can inspire other women to do what some think is impossible.  Life is a miracle and the possibilities are endless with the right attitude.