new week, new worry

You remember how I went to the doctor and they freaked out over my gigantic fetus and made me come in on Thursday for an ultrasound to measure said gigantic fetus? Yeah. Worrying about my big baby is just SO last week now! Because now they're ready to worry about my blood pressure and the protein in my urine instead! Not a word mentioned about how I'm measuring or her size. I think part of that is just that I saw a different doctor today than last week, and I suppose they all have things they focus on more. This doctor phoned it in on the tape measure--I got the feeling he didn't care that much about the result.. which is okay since I didn't really want them to focus on it, since the only thing they're going to do now is apply pressure on the induction issue, I imagine.

The blood pressure was 148/98 the first time, and then they made me lay down on my left side for five minutes before she came back to take it again. It was still somewhat elevated, but I can't entirely remember if it was 130/90 or 130/98. Then there was the protein, and probably my swelling, so he became concerned about pre-eclampsia and told me to come back on Thursday to see what's going on with it. (I have graduated to TWICE A WEEK. Geez.) He left the room briefly and came back at an elevated worry level, and asked me if I was working anywhere right now, and when I said yes, he told me to take off work at least until Thursday's appointment, and he would let me know after that. I am to lay around the house and take it easy. He said his goodbyes, but as I was standing at the check-out, scheduling my next appointment, he comes up to tell me that he wants me to come back to the room and have blood drawn to have something to compare to on Thursday, if necessary. I do not know what was going on in these absences to increase the worry level.

I had today off anyway, but it is such a weird thing to suddenly have at least the next two and a half days off work, and possibly to have begun maternity leave already. It does really mess my beautiful maternity leave plan and leave slip and remaining hours up, though. :) I believe that our HR person thinks I'm absolutely nuts already, I was so organized.

M, of course, spent his lunch hour pacing around worrying. Then he called me back to let me know that as long as I was going to be doing nothing at home anyway, he wanted to give me some things to take care of. You know, like cutting down a tree, pulling down some vines, and if I get too tired, I can weed the irises. Ha! He would have felt REALLY bad if he came home to find all of that done. Naturally, there is not a chance of it actually happening. Seriously, though, he called with a real list of things to ask about. I thought it was cute. He wanted to know if I had Carrie's phone number in my phone (yes), the instructions for the LJ post thing (no, but will figure out), the cheap international calling plan from cell phone working (I need him to test this, but I have the instructions somewhere), and to tell me that we should have our bags packed and in the car (just in case) when we go to the doctor on Thursday. Then he wanted to know what I would do if my water were to break while I am home alone, and he listened to my plan carefully before giving it a nod of approval. He was (I don't know what I have done to deserve a man so adorable) worried about the electric seats in my car, and the leaking fluid and my risk of electrocution. I told him that I would probably call the L&D to make sure, but then (depending on the situation) either wait for him to get home (25 minutes) or call for assistance, since I probably wouldn't be safe to drive anyway--pretty sure he would have gotten to that if I hadn't said it, AND I intend to have plastic garbage bags available. To prevent the seats from getting wet to avoid electrocution. He seemed unusually satisfied with my answers. See, this is what happens when you worry, all of you doubters. You have plans! ;)

Anyway, after getting all of that off his chest, he seemed to be less concerned. I am personally not too worked up either, for some reason. I think it will be okay. However, I have now spent the last two hours telling and retelling this story, so I think it's time to go take a break and watch some daytime television. Doctor's orders.

Questions for the Smart Internet People I Know

1. How can you tell if you have hard water?

2. Has anyone had any experience with individual health insurance? We have been pricing the options both at my job and M's, but M received a quote of $200 PER WEEK for family rates--over $10,000 per year just for insurance. Mine would be somewhat cheaper, but a friend suggested that I check the insurance company's website directly. You can get insurance pretty cheaply, according to the websites I looked at. Specifically, the best possible plan available from Humana, which is the company that M's job offers, is three thousand dollars a year cheaper, and includes dental and a lower deductible. Is there a catch? I'm not sure what the numbers would work out to compared to my job when taking into account that I would get money for waiving insurance, but seriously, how could a employer's group coverage be more expensive and less comprehensive than an individual? What's the point? Insurance comes out of your paycheck pre-taxed, I believe, but would it actually make THAT much of a difference?

3. M bought me a song from Walmart.com, but then his computer died, and we lost the license to listen to it. We still have the .wma file, but it won't freaking play. Beyond calling Walmart--which I'm not going to do for $0.88--and them telling me that there's nothing they'll do about it... how do I get this stupid song back? M says to just buy it again, because if it makes me happy for five minutes then it's worth the price. I'm not really above giving them another dollar, but I just hate to on principle since we JUST paid for it. The song is Guy Clark and Emmylou Harris, I Don't Love You Much Do I, if you're curious. I have been meaning to put together a good labor CD and I'd like to put that song on there. Am I screwed?