27 July 2009

Doing Well

I can see that the blog will suffer while Joseph is little. Still. If something has to suffer, that's the way it should be.

I can let you know that:

• I'm really sorry for not updating people earlier when Joseph was born. I'd estimated that he'd be born about 8am, but because in a planned caesarean they work slowly and methodically, everything was so cruisy that he was born at 9am, then I was in recovery, Joseph puffed some oxygen, we went back to the ward and then just chilled out together. We didn't log on to reassure our friends, it even took us a long time to let Australian friends and family know via phonecall or text message. In the meantime, people are waiting, wondering ... Sorry!

• We're doing okay. Joseph is looking so great and drinking and sleeping to his heart's content. I'm getting more sleep too. That previous post about "sleep depravation" didn't mean I'm currently getting no sleep, it was something that just occurred to me: the typo, the second meaning. I can't promise I'll be feeling well-rested in a week or two though.

• Although everyone says, "Ask for lots of pain relief," they really don't give you much (just PRN panadol/paracetamol). So at the best of times, things are sore and achy, then when you forget to take your medication you get really bad. Not all that great.

• Breastfeeding is about as bad as it usually is, with a few extra complications thrown in. Like, for example, when I was expressing and realised I was producing PINK MILK! Not strawberry, though. To explain how one produces pink milk, I'll need another dot point...

• There's a new fad in either Queensland Health or my hospital, but it's raising the eyebrows of other doctors and nurses. What they're doing is giving every lady who has a caesarean some sub-cutaneous heparin 12-hourly to combat potential DVT. Which means a jab of a blood-thinning drug so you don't get blood clots from lying down too much after surgery. WELL. I don't think I needed it. I was up and about 24 hours after surgery and wearing my lovely pressure stockings, but on top of that, the heparin made me BLEED. I scratched my elbow - BLOOD. They'd jab me with the evening dose of heparin - BLOOD pouring out the needle site of the morning's dose. I'd express some milk - PINK. Everyone say it with me: "Eeewww!"

• And then there was the ultimate BLOOD story to end all BLOOD stories. I'm not sure if you're ready for it (despite the fact that the blood did not come from below the waist.)

ElbaPlague hit me again quite badly on about Day 3. I have had bad colds before. This is not the worst I've had, but I am sick - very very sick with constant nose-blowing and violent coughing. Imagine what that's like after a c-section, when your pain relief isn't all that crash-hot. Hmm. Please direct any spare prayers towards this ElbaPlague being finally stamped out. We'll pray as if prayer's the only thing that works and I'll take antibiotics as if antibiotics are the only thing that works, and together we will see this thing dead, once and for all. Because today marks 60 days of being sick for me, and I am over it.

• Joseph is lovely. Extremely, totally, wonderfully, awesomely cute and lovely.

Look at my sons. Both asleep.

15 comments:

Hippomanic Jen said...

Okay, so it appears that you are seriously sleep depraved.

Does this fully express what you have room for in your mind at this time?

Femina said...

Ooh... how many comments can we get on a non-post before you notice?

Anonymous said...

I guess we could go for a record, providing we don't slam the door on the way out and wake the baby. Or Mum!
Judy B

Givinya De Elba said...

HA! I made it into a real post! Now we all look a bit silly.

Jen said...

I just love your 2 boys together, they are so darn cute!

Pink milk, that is a new one.

Anonymous said...

That is one lovely photo there....look at the natural way he is holding Joseph's head.
Pain stuff.....maybe the occasional paracatamol with codeine. Can you buy that over the counter there..or does it affect the baby?
pink milk.....I know its the strawberry season over here, but ready made milkshake..on tap.
Anne uk. Only joking, hope the pink is all gone!!

Alison said...

Pink milk...never knew that could happen.

What a sweet picture. I will pray for the Plague to be over!

Joy said...

I'll start praying the plague will be be gone from you and yours.
Do you have a neti pot. I know you need one more thing to do right now, but they do help with getting the gunk thru your sinuses.

That is one sweet picture. Nat is a wonderful and protective big brother.

Joy

Sassy Britches said...

Ohhhh my! I am so glad to hear everything is going along (not necessarily smoothly but at least in a forward motion, right?). You sound so happy despite all the blodd issues and the plague. I'm praying for you and all the little ones plus Mr. de Elba!

Swift Jan said...

Sorry to hear about the plague. I really hope it all goes away soon!!
Thinking of you often xx

CynthiaK said...

Wow, pink milk. That's insane!

Hope you are feeling better very very soon. And, for the record, those sleeping boys are adorable.

Jodie said...

Praying that you'll feel better soon, and that the rest of the clan will stay well. Those pics from your last post made my toes curl remembering breastfeeding nightmares I'd rather forget!

Schmoochiepoo said...

Beautiful picture :)

Allegro ma non troppo said...

Nat looks quite old and mature there! Like if you squint, you can imagine him in his thirties holding his own son.

sewfunbymonique said...

Now that is a picture to cherish! Hope your blood starts clotting again soon!I will pray for your FULL recovery!!