Trisomy 18

I wish I had more time to blog, but school is really taking up a lot of my time lately. I want to be caught up and ahead by the time Ella comes, so I'm working extra hard. Besides that, my astronomy class has gotten a lot harder. I have a really low B right now, and if I can pull a C out of it, I will be happy. On a good note, though, I have As in all my other classes, and a perfect score in history.

Today, I had to do a three page Internet activity for my developmental psychology class. It was over birth defects and genetic counseling. The first sheet required us to go to the March of Dimes Web site, and we had to identify three birth defects or disorders. I thought I would definitely do Trisomy 18, since I know so much about it. Imagine my surprise when it didn't have its own category. Instead, it was lumped in with Down Syndrome and other chromosomal disorders. Down Syndrome had its own category though.

I realize Down Syndrome is much more common than Trisomy 18, and I know they are related to each other. But, I still think a defect that affects one in 3,000 pregnancies and one in 6,000 births should have its own category on the March of Dimes Web site. So, I went ahead and included it as one disorders I could describe. I knew all about it anyway, even if the information the March of Dimes gave was a little less than detailed.

From the list of three, I had to pick one to go into greater detail about, so of course, I chose Trisomy 18. I was glad to do it, and I even told the professor that I had personal experience with it as we lost a baby to it last year.

So, I'm wondering if I should write to the March of Dimes and ask them to give Trisomy 18 its own category. I think it deserves it, and I'm beginning to think it's a lot more common than previously thought. I mean, I find tons of blogs from families who are affected, and there are quite a few on Baby Center who have been affected, too.

Baby shower, grades and doctor's appointment

My sister-in-law called me the other day and asked me if Oct. 24 would be a good day for a shower. I was shocked. I really wasn't expecting one, since Ella isn't our first baby, but I am glad and really appreciate that she's doing it.

Several years ago, we thought we weren't going to have any more children, so we got rid of all of our baby stuff. Then, after my granny died, I decided I really did want another one. So, we got pregnant with Jenna and had only bought one thing, a Winnie the Pooh Pack and Play, before she was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. We didn't buy anything else after that.

Since I wasn't sure if I was going to have a baby shower and thought I probably wouldn't, we started buying what we would need for the baby. I have the stroller and car seat (a Winnie the Pooh travel system), the crib, a diaper bag and a few other things.

My sister-in-law wanted to know what we needed, so I decided to register. It hit me when I was registering that we are really going to be bringing a baby home in November. I am still having trouble believing it, but it's getting easier.

Also, I am doing extremely well in school. Right now, I have an A in Astronomy and History and a B in my Developmental Psych class. We haven't had a test in my psychology of personality class yet, but we will later this week. My seminar on careers in psychology class is a pass/fail class, but I am passing it. I am really proud of myself.

I had my 29 week appointment today. I had gained three more pounds for a total of 16 pounds. My blood pressure was 130/80, which the doctor said was good. I am now going every two weeks for appointments and have made them up until my due date. This is another jolt of realty that we will be having a baby in November. I guess I've just not wanted to let myself believe it so I wouldn't get hurt if something bad happened.

Now, I just have to get over the nerves of how this is going to change our whole lives. I know it's going to be better, but definitely different.

I quit my job today

It's been coming for a while now. I don't care for the new editor at all. He's very passive agressive, and while we get along (I can pretty much get along with anyone), I hate the way he handles assignments and he plays favorites. He's just not my type of editor. I guess no one will ever live to Bob and Betty, my first editors.

Also, one of the biggest reasons is that I don't have time to go to school full time and be a mother full time, either. I know it's going to get even harder when Ella gets here, so I knew I needed to do it. Also, my house is a huge wreck, and Brian has had to take up a lot of the slack. He doesn't really have time to do that either, as he works 12 to 14 hours a day, five days a week.

My other two reasons for doing it are that I'm only getting 16 to 19 hours a week and getting paid $8 an hour to do it and that I'm about to go to every other week for appointments. It just wasn't worth the effort to be honest. And, soon after the two week appointments come the every week, and I'm just giving my job everything it deserves.

I'm still going to be working for the newspaper, just on a freelance basis. I'll write two articles a week for them, and I'll almost what I did working there part time. So, I'm going back to being unemployed, but I know it's for the best this time.

Insensitive comments

Today, I had to take Tessa to the doctor. She was running a fever yesterday and had a sore throat, headache and stuffed up nose. She had also been exposed to the flu last week, and I didn't want to take any chances.

Instead of seeing her pediatrician, who we love, we had to see the nurse practitioner. She asked me if this pregnancy was our second child, and I said, no that we had lost one last year due to Trisomy 18.

Tessa told her that her name was Jenna. And, then the lady said something to me that floored me. She said, "That must have been hard. My dog died a few days ago."

My mouth dropped open. I didn't honestly know what to say to her. I think I mumbled something about being sorry for her loss, but I'm not sure.

I love my dog, and she is a member of the family. However, her loss, and the loss of my other pets over the years, in no way compares to the loss of my child. I still can't believe she said that.