Henry’s World

Been having a stroke of bad luck when it came to getting prenatal care, I had no way of contacting my first obstetrician (OB), which frightened me when I started bleeding in my 4th month and the on-call OB didn’t call till the next day.

Luckily the OB that had delivered my first two was available at the time I was looking to change so I got an appointment for the first week of December, lo and behold they didn’t participate in my health plan (though I had specifically asked and assured they did).

Here I was 4.5 months along and only one prenatal appointment to my name with various complications.

I looked for an OB in my neighborhood and was told that it would take them a week to decide if they wanted to accept me or not. So after filling out my medical/pregnancy history, I cooled on my heels and 3-days later got a call from the office that I had been accepted into the program and had an appointment the following Tuesday. I show up only to be told after a Q & A session with the nurse and doctor that I was too high risk, though I assumed this was the reason I had filled out a medical question up front so they’d know what they were dealing with.

So here I am past midpoint scrambling to find a high-risk specialist which was complicated and made easier by the fact that the maternal fetal specialist in my area approved by my insurance company was 2-hours away, and he was the only approved specialist.

It was more a necessary decision at that point since I had been lagging due to all the changes in receiving adequate prenatal care, so had my first appointment yesterday 12/20 and it was just great. I’ll have an ultrasound (hopefully my husband will see baby for the first time), and follow-up prenatal visit the on the same day and a week later see an endocrinologist for an overactive thyroid.

I’m feeling very content and looking forward to breaking the news to the rest of my family about my pregnancy and enjoying this Christmas with my children and husband.

Though not all-inclusive, below is list of the basic necessities to take along to the hospital for delivery;

For Mom
____ Comfortable robe
____ Nightgown
____ Nursing bra and nursing pads
____ Warm socks
____ Slippers
____ Comfortable outfit you can wear home
____ Sanitary pads
____ Toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturizer, lip balm
____ Hair clips, barrettes
____ Brush or comb
____ Toothbrush and toothpaste

For Your Labor Partner
____ Change of clothes
____ Book or magazine
____ Toothbrush, toothpaste, and other basic toiletries
____ At least $20 in cash and change for snacks, phone calls, and so forth
____ Snacks or soft drinks in small cooler
____ Watch with a second hand for timing contractions

For Baby
____ Car seat
____ Newborn hat
____ 2 receiving blankets
____ 2 “onesies”
____ 2 pairs of socks
____ “Going home” outfit — including sweater or bunting if the weather is cold
____ Diapers and diaper bag

Documents
____ Birth plan
____ Insurance cards
____ Address book with phone numbers
____ Birth announcements and postage stamps

Extras
____ Electric heated massager or tennis ball (very helpful for lower back pain or leg cramps)
____ Massage oil
____ Personal stereo and headphones
____ Favorite tapes or compact discs
____ Some books and magazines
____ Camera or video camera (and film!)
____ Extra pillow
____ Gift for sibling
____ Hard candy to suck on during labor
____ Lanolin, if nursing
____ Cell phone

1. It’s more fun to color outside the lines.

2. If you’re going to draw on the wall, do it behind the couch.

3. Ask why until you understand.

4. Hang on tight.

5. Even if you’ve been fishing for 3 hours and haven’t gotten anything except poison ivy and a sunburn, you’re still better off than the worm.

6. Make up the rules as you go along.

7. It doesn’t matter who started it.

8. Ask for sprinkles.

9. If the horse you are drawing looks more like a dog, make it a dog.

10. Save a place in line for your friends.

11. Sometimes you take the test before you’ve finished studying.

12. If you want a kitten, start asking for a horse.

13. Picking your nose when no one else is looking is still picking your nose.

14. Keep banging until someone opens the door.

15. Making your bed is a waste of time.

16. There is no good reason why clothes have to match.

17. Even Popeye didn’t eat his spinach until he absolutely had to.

18. If your dog doesn’t like someone, you probably shouldn’t either.

19. Toads aren’t ugly, there just toads.

20. Don’t pop someone else’s bubble.

21. You work so hard pedaling uphill that you hate to brake on the way down.

22. If you stand on tiptoe to be measured this year, you’ll have to stand on tiptoe for the rest of your life.

23. You can’t ask to start over just because you are losing the game.

24. Chasing the cat is more fun than catching it.

25. Make your mother proud of you.

(Author Unknown)

Courtesy of Nina Camp

Courtesy of a well know known package carrier who initially were supposed to deliver this package to Dumfries, VA on December 8, look how it’s traveled.

Dec 9, 2004
3:43 am Scanned at ***** sort facility HARRISBURG, PA

Dec 8, 2004
9:10 am Scanned at ***** location WASHINGTON - HD, MD
8:42 am In transit WASHINGTON - HD, MD
6:51 am Scanned at ***** destination location WASHINGTON - HD, MD
4:10 am Arrived at ***** sort facility ALEXANDRIA - HD, VA
1:43 am Departed ***** sort facility HARRISBURG, PA

Dec 7, 2004
6:22 pm Scanned at ***** sort facility HARRISBURG, PA
2:07 am Departed ***** sort facility ATLANTA, GA

Dec 6, 2004
7:32 pm Scanned at ***** sort facility ATLANTA, GA
2:40 pm Package information transmitted to ***** ATLANTA, GA
1:32 pm Customer-Loaded Trailer Picked Up ATLANTA, GA