staples and bassinets.

a brief update before i succumb to my sleepiness.
today was what i have come to consider a very full day. full of half-baths and doctor's appointments, i am ready for a rest!

we began the day with one of our infamous "camode baths". for those of you unaware, this involves sticking my toilet camode half in the bathtub and half out. i then proceed to wash my hair with the detachable shower head and rinse my face, shoulders, arms and back. i have attempted a full shower, but due to time restraints this morning, had to revert to the half-bath. this is quite the fiasco to watch - lots of towels are involved since half of the water winds up on the floor anyway.

we then made our way to the baby doctor. needless to say, this was one of the most interesting visits we've made to that office! my entourage and i (bill, mom and dad) made our way in outfitted with wheelchair, walker, purses, bags and even a laptop computer (dad discovered that my ob's office is equipped with wi-fi...go figure.) the dr. was a bit wide-eyed when she saw me. apparently, little information had made it's way from iowa city to my file. we managed just fine, though...i even made it up to the table and down. baby girl's heart rate is perfect - 155 bpm, and she's measuring exactly where she should. other baby info...

current gestation: 36 weeks, 6 days
weight gain to date: no idea...i couldn't hop onto the scale today. we'll try again next thursday.
complaints: none. baby girl has been rockin' and rollin' and that is fine by me - she continues to let me know all is well in the womb.
non-complaints: see above - i cannot complain about anything at this point. i don't feel 8 months pregnant thanks to forced "bed rest" (or at least the inability to be on my feet) and she continues to sleep through the night. now if i could just train the nerves in my leg to do the same...
cravings: coffee! i have been missing my multiple cups of joe. decaf helps, but i actually wake up each morning just for my one cup of coffee! living with mom and dad, i have also rediscovered cinnamon toast - only my mom can make it just right.
activities: i'm using the walker to get around as much as possible, but it does take quite a bit out of me. i am finding that every other day i have the energy to get up and move. showers are also a big deal.
baby-related news: we broke down and bought a bassinet. we had originally decided to NOT get a bassinet, figuring we would let wee one move straight to the crib post-delivery. however, because i cannot put weight on my right leg for at least another six weeks, we knew we had to come up with something different. so, we purchased a co-sleeper bassinet that will butt up next to my mattress and allow me to tend to wee one without ever having to get out of bed. it arrived today and hopefully bill will put it together for me this evening...just in case!
non-baby related news: well, that brings me to doctor's appointment #2...

after our baby doctor's appointment and a quick bite with my sister in the always yummy hospital cafe, mom, dad and i made our way to iowa city for yet another follow-up with my surgeons. pain continues to be an issue (muscular and nerve-realted), so i had no idea what they would tell me. i also knew that today was the day they wanted to remove my stitches and staples. never having had stitches or stables, i had no idea what to anticipate, especially ing graft site. however...

the doctor thought everything looked great (still a dead fish to me - a perch according to one of my co-workers...)

i was told all the swelling will continue and is perfectly normal. i may experience some amount of swelling for at least another year.

the tingling, tenderness and pain are all "normal" given the hell my leg went through - however, my doctor doesn't speculate too much on that stuff because he just "comes to work and fixes broken legs".

i can shower but will be unable to go hot-tubbing for a while yet. tanning and beach-combing are also frowned upon (and i was so ready to bust out that bikini post-baby...ha!)

i don't have to go back to iowa city for another 6-7 weeks (yay!)

when i do go back, i'll be able to get on an exercise bike (double-yay!)

i am staple and stitch free (pictures to come on that as well) and have decided getting tattoos is more fun than having metal and nylon removed from your skin by a nurse's aid. labor is going to be a flippin' walk in the park - let's have this baby and hit starbucks afterwards!

all in all, good news all around today. the only exception is the house - we continue to show it weekly (lots of interest...good) but continue to lose out to lesser houses for lesser money (boo.) continued prayers on the sale of the house would be much appreciated - the injury+impending child have made us very anxious to get into the new house with it's open floor plan, ground level laundry and walk-in shower. the sooner ours sells, the better.

pictures to come in regards to the bassinet and staple-free leg. for now, sleep.

"Well, spring sprang. We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature. Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged. I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal." - Northern Exposure

hopefully normal is just around the bend...
go well.