Remembering Joaquin

A few days ago, I was remembering our baby angel Joaquin as it has been 20 months since he went on a lifetime vacation to heaven on February 2010.  Oh yes, did I mention that Apollo is not our first baby?  Yeah 2 years ago I used to have a different blogsite about my pregnancy with our little angel and called it the Hammination.  It was back in 2009 and it was a very special 5 months because during that time, even as short as it is, i get to be a mom for the first time.  We are to name our baby Joaquin, and today he is our little angel and Apollo's personal angel (as I want to believe!).

Yesterday I dug through my old journal and read through some of the memories we had while we are carrying Joaquin.  Joaquin will always be in our hearts.  In fact, when we started conceptualizing our dream business of setting up our own trading firm, we named it after him.  That's how the Joaquin FX Trading came about last April 2010.

We miss you Joaquin!

Joaquin Journal

 March 13, 2010

The best memories of being pregnant is the feeling of knowing that you are breathing and eating and sleeping for someone else other than yourself.  I was blessed to have experienced 5 months of those, and even if things turned out the way that we do not expect it to, I would never regret having gone through it.

This is a picture of my belly at 4 months smiling and saying hello to the whole world!   Happy Belly indeed.

March 12, 2010

We Love You Joaquin

Today I wanted to memorialize my little ham who is now resting in the hands of God.  Last February 5, 2010, my husband Ryan and I found out that our little ham lost his heartbeat at the age of 18 weeks (true gestation age is 22 weeks).  We already knew he was a boy and we are supposed to name our little baby Joaquin.  We are very excited so when we heard the news from the sonologist that she cannot appreciate the baby’s heartbeat, it felt like the whole world’s problems were thrown over our shoulders.  It was the most painful thing to hear.

But we’ve come to finally understand and accept after several weeks of denial and mourning.  Our little baby is now our angel.  We will never forget him and we will always thank God for that short window of opportunity that I am able to experience to be a mother with my own baby.  And we know one day soon we will be blessed with another baby.
We thank all our family and friends who supported and prayed with us through this very difficult time.  We love our Joaquin and we know we will meet him one day.
Ryan and Chrissie

_____________________________________

My Hammy Thoughts

September 27, 2009

Sept 25, 2009 marks the day I learned that my life will finally change forever (well i have the same feeling when I got married, but this time it’s different!).

My husband and I have been wanting to have a baby ham sooner or later (sooner is better); both of us are not getting any younger and we would really love to have a family ham soon despite our current long distance situation.

For the last three weeks, i have been like this:

I eat alot but I never noticed that I am eating too much.

I could get moody but not too moody to the point that my hubby thinks I am freaking out.

I love to sleep but not usually in the middle of a super stressful work.

I know I am missing my period but it does not bother me coz my period is unpredictable at times.

I know on that day i have to take the Ptest coz Ryan has a “feeling” that I’ve got a little ham inside.

I am a caffeine-addict and probably drinks like 4 mugs of coffee a day. I guess something inside me is screaming i want a baby but how can i give up on the only legal stimulant any human can ever have anytime any day.

So much for that “feeling,” I am glad I finally took the test! Thank you hubba bubba! We will be Daddy Ham and Mommy Ham!!!

Our prayers answered, our wishes granted. We wanted to memorialize every single milestone of this most important and exciting journey in our married life! So, I am dedicating this blogsite to documenting these events on a regular basis. Ryan and I are grateful for this blessing and for the support of all our friends and family.

For the purpose of this coffe-based blog site, I will be using weird terms like:

Ham- refers to human beings who forms part of the Cortez-Herron Family, this may also signify a living object that has the physical attributes of someone who loves to eat.

Baby Ham – a baby form of a Ham

Daddy Ham and Mommy Ham- refers to the parent(s) ham, male and female consecutively

Original Little Ham- refers to our niece Micah C. Hilario, the original ham

Ninong Ham and Ninang Ham- refers to Ryan and Chrissie, consecutively when refering to Little Ham

ham poop- refers to a cuss word that we will use in order not to exploit our future baby ham’s and Little ham’s mindset

hamination- refers to the whole process of giving life to a little precious ham.

hammyhood- refers to being a parent ham

Beware that:

Ryan and Chris Ann are crazy and not afraid of crazy retarded stuff

Ryan and Chris Ann are fun loving people despite the first warning above

Ryan and Chris Ann encourages comments and suggestions from you all and very open to advices and education on raising a new baby!

Love, Soon to be mommy and daddy ham

September 30, 2009

I wanted to go back to history to trace when the hamination actually began.

July 24-30, 2009 - My last Menstrual period.

Aug 25-Sept 9, 2009 – Hamination Process is ongoing haha, yeah that’s when my hubba bubba and I are quite busy haha. This is also the time that I am ovulating, which is 2 weeks prior to my next menstrual period.

Sept 8, 2009 - My hubba and I spent the night at the hotel and we took a Ptest (because he brought a kit!). Of course it was negative that time but I know we are both holding our breaths as we watch the line form. It was so funny because that is the very first time I have ever used a Ptest and instead of following the correct procedures (of using the dropper), I peed on the whole thing instead… nasty and still accurate coz it still turned out negative at that time.

Sept 7-11, 2009 week - when my next menstrual period is supposed to be, but whoops, missed it!

Sept 14 – 18, 2009 week – I knew I missed my period but I still refuse to take the test. My hubba’s adamant about me taking the Ptest, but I wanted to wait abit longer coz I am afraid it will come out negative and we will be disapoointed even though we know we are not banking too much on it. i guess my hesitation is brought about by the fact that it may be too early to tell. Ryan said he had a “feeling”. I’m not really believing what he is “feeling” but it’s been eating me inside (i just am too stubborn to admit he could be true!).

Sept 20,2009 – aha, I remember to well the day that my hubby finally lost it. I am very cranky that day and for the last several days actually. He is cranky too coz of my mood and I started telling him that I do not want to hear Pregnancy test again coz i hate pressure!

Sept 22,2009 – For some reason, we are both too uptight about the whole pregnancy thing so we stopped talking about it. My guilty conscience is probably bugging me because I was dreaming about pregnancy test and being pregnant for several days. I was like what the F***!

Sept 23,2009 – I told Ryan about all my dreams about pregnancy. He finally lost it and told me to get the freakin test! I know he was bummed out that I wouldn’t want to hear about him asking me constantly about it and then i will start talking about these dreams I am having. I have to go to Social Security office that day so I was like, ok ok i will think about it

Sept 24,2009 – Still have not taken the test. He probably thinks I’m a stubborn ham poop.

Sept 25,2009 – On my way to Social Security office. On the way back, I decided to get to p-test kits – Medic and Blue Cross. I remember buying Medic from Mercury Drug Store and buying Blue Cross from Watsons at SM mall of asia.

Sept 25,2009 11:10PM - I locked myself in the small quarters of the bathroom, peed on a tabo.dipper (i washed it after with Xonrox!). I opted to read instructions this time and used the dropper to get the pee sample and drop if to on the test kit. Mind I was sweating that time and for some reason, somewhere in my subconscious I was hoping that I would see two purple lines. I put the sample at the same time, closed my eyes for two minutes and opened them with my heart pounding so fast…

Sept 25,2009 11:25PM - It took me a good 10-15 minutes to get out of the bathroom and get a hold of my self coz I am just filled with so much awe and surprise and excitement. This is the moment in time that I can officially tell I am speechless! I am going to be a mommy ham! The rest is history. I called my baby to tell him the good news! We are so excited.

Sept 26-27, 2009 – Typhoon Ondoy hits the Philippines! I don’t want my baby to be a typhoon baby but i did not get to go to the OB due to the terrible weather.

Sept 28, 2009 – Made sure I got off work early to run to the OB in MOA. Dra. Liboro is the name of the OB and she confirmed that I am 9 weeks preggy! Counting from the 1st day of my last menstrual period. It’s so cool! I did all my lab work requirements, hematology, urinology, blood typing, hepatitis test, papsmear. I will not get my transvaginal ultrasound til tomorrow in another clinic across. My results will be read to me by the OB Gy on Monday Oct 5 when I go back for my second consultation. I am still trying to figure out who will be my permanent OB Gy. I found an OB Gy refered by Rem’s professor named Dr. Josefa Cruel. Accordingly she is not cruel but she is about 70. Not sure if I want an old OB or a younger generation OB. Will see…

Sept 29, 2009 - I got my transvaginal ultrasound today and I am happy that everything is OK. Even if I am officially 9 weeks preggo, gestation age of the baby is 5 weeks. meaning from the time that my egg got fertilized (which is counting backwards is the first week that Ryan is here!! ha, sharpshooter!!) Dr. Liboro is yet to interpret the results to me but according to the OB who did the ultrasound, there is already a yolk sac that is in a good position inside my uterus. The baby is not yet visible but the visibility of the yolk sac or the embryo sac is a good manifestation that I am so prego!! I am starting to understand all this and gathering more informatoin from the net so i would follow all the OB’s advise and results of all my test. It is so exciting and I love it! I can’t wait for my next ultrasound coz I was recommended to have another one in two weeks so I can hear the baby’s heartbeat and see that small of a tadpole swimming inside my ham sac.

Pic below shows the yolk sac (see the dark round spot on the first ultrasound picture).  The second picture shows the actual position of the yolk sac.  Neat!

Week1&2 -  Aug 31-Sept 13, 2009

Blissful, blissful week with my beloved husband.
We are living a dream, coffee, cigs, tv, chitchat and hamination.   I’m starting to get bummed this week because I know that my Ryan is going back next week but we are making the most of our time together.  FOr some reason we keep on talking about wanting a little ham and we know that subconsciously we want our every encounter to be positive with a little ham being planted.

My husband left for the US Sept 9 and it’s sad time again but we promised each other as always that we will always be happy despite missing each other and that we will have a genuine smile and laughter at all times.  We are coping up and we know in just a few weeks, we’ll be together again!

Week 3 – Sept 14-20, 2009

I am so missing my period this week.  Ryan already left for TN and I am left here on my own again, missing my baby, but I know we will be together after 3 months again.  I know I am supposed to have my period this week and Ryan has been pestering me to take a ptset. He can “feel” that something is going to happen.  Hmmp! I don’t want pressure, and I don’t want any disappointments and most of all I want to experience the excitement of barfing out my meal while int he middle of the dinner table and me running to the kitchen sink, and then slowly a realization will occur to me that I am pregnant. Well I think that is an exaggerted pictorial of how most women find out if their pregnant. I will not barf i promise!

Week 4 – Sept 21-27, 2009

OMG I am totally missing my period this week and over the first half of the week, Ryan and I are cutting at each other because I would not take the Ptest.  I just do not want to.. I  did not realize my hubba has been noticing how irritable I am for the last two weeks.  Why should I know, I know I am not!  ahaha..  Anywho, I finally felt sorry for my hubby, i took the test Sept 25, at 1110PM after spending stupid time at the stupid social security office just to get my picture taken.

I was exhausted and all but I am already ready to take the test.  I brought two brands – Medic and Blue Cross just to be sure.  the ptest normally takes 1-3 minutes to show the results.  mine did not even take 1 minute!  It’s so visible after I, with much emphasis, followed the INSTRUCTIONS correctly this time haha.  I know I did it right.  I am so pregnant! Love it!
Found out from mom a few days later that she has been noticing me blowing up so fast over the last 3 weeks, since Ryan left.  I blame it on her food.  haha

Week 5 – Sept 28-Oct 4, 2009

HAPPY!  That is what I am this week.  I am just so freakin happy about knowing that I’d be a mom.  I went to the OB Gy today, Dr. Liboro,  for a test and got good results from my Urinology (urine test), Hematology (blood test), hepatitis test.  My VDRL and Pap smear results will be available next week Oct 5.  I started drinking my daily dose of folic acid (for the baby’s development) and additional dose of Calcium aid.  I also have to cut out coffee totally, drink my Anmum maternity milk mornings and evenings and make sure I eat healthy everyday (which I already do).

Coffee is the biggest thing that is affecting me right now coz all my life I drink at least 2 cups of coffee everyday.  I drink extra glasses of water daily too

Weird things I have been feeling this week:

• excessive peeing
• fatigue and sleepiness
• drowsiness
• craving to eat (nothing specific but I love to eat)
• love sleeping, always sleepy and wants to just sleep

I also had my transvaginal ultrasound this week.  I had partial results but the OB Dr. Liboro is yet to read the results of my TVU. So far, the OB who did the US said everything looked good.  The baby is not yet visible so I am recommended to come back in 2-3 weeks so I can see the baby and hear the heartbeat.

The black hole is the yolk sac (or the home of my baby).  Having a yolk sac means there is an embryo forming in my uterus.  OB said my womb and my ovaries are both in good condition.  whoopee!!

Mommy Ham’s Vital Stats as of Sept 30, 2009
Weight – 68kilos=149lbs (OMG!)
Waistline – 35 inches! (OMG!)
Gestation Age – 5 weeks
Prenatal Age – 9 weeks

Week 6 – Oct 5-11, 2009

Whew! talk about feeling pregnant; it’s not just bloated tummy and weird queasy feeling in your stomach, there are also first timer symptom scares!  It happened last Sunday, I was peeing for like the 10th time in like 3 hours and I saw something reddish and the next thing I know i was yelling, “MOMMMMMMMMM”  look at this???

Mom, as I already know how she gets easily nervous, freaked out more than i did. She was like get to bed and do not stand up!

So I went to bed but after about 4 hours, there are still some spots so we decided to go see an OB instead.  Tito Nestor and Meme are so kind enough to look after ham ham and take me to Asian hospital.

I found out that indeed, spotting is normal and the kind that i have are just old blood residue (it’s brownish in color).  The OB is Doc Lozada and she said that it’s perfectly normal.  Nevertheless, they opted to have me go through another transvaginal ultrasound to confirm how my uterus and baby is.

Here are the results:

• Baby is in good condition.  It now has a heartbeat and I saw it and I got teary eyed! hihi.  The baby’s heartbeat is at 102beats per minute which according to the doc is a a bit slower than a normal 5 weeks and 6 day old baby.  Normal heart rate is about 120 and 160 beats .  She said nothing to worry about because the baby is too young and it usually varies.  Well I am sure baby will be health!  Important thing is there is a heart beat yay!!!
• I am very happy to know that my uterus and ovaries are in very healthy condition.  no signs of abnormalities, no mass development like myoma.  However, there is a bit of old blood still in my uterus which is the brownish discharge that I was experiencing last Sunday.
• Bleeding is brownish meaning it is old blood.  If it is red, it means something serious

I have a slight UTI which is probably causing the abdominal and pelvic area pains.  OB said it is not a major track infection (as I am not even feeling any kind of pain when I pee) but it’s probably something that I got due to the oversensitivity of a woman to infection during prego period.  That just means extra careful!!!

OBGyn Prescription

• Bed Rest for 7 days (I tell you what, I am too stubborn to follow.  What can I do we have a two story house!)
• I was given three medicines:

Dydrogesterone – 3 X a day (continuous) – to help strengthen the baby’s hold

Isoxsuprine – 3 X a day (1 weeks) – to help stop bleeding and infection

Amoxicillin – 3 X a day (5 days) – to help cure my UTI

Caltrate Plus – Calcium – 2 X a day continuous – to help my bones (I am already taking this med prior to the other three prescribed meds, i was asked to stop my folic Acid for now but to continue my Anmum Maternal milk).

Weird Feelings I am feeling this week:

• Constipation!  Constipation!  Constipation!  I need to fart and poop people!
• Tummy pains due to my constipation.
• Super sleepiness and laziness.  Everytime I have to drink my meds, I am just gone!  gone! gone!  Not even 5 minutes of drinking my meds.  I think that’s the main purpose of having m relax and be in complete bed rest, and the medicine is helping me go to sleep. I love it
• Food cravings.  I just crave for everything.  I am noticing I am craving so much for sweet food. Not so much on chocolate coz I am not a big chocolate person.
• I did noticed my belly is much higher now.  Normally when I get fat, the first signs of my love handle appears at my lower tummy.  This time I can distinguish I am preggo coz my upper tummy (under my boob) is the part that’s getting bigger).   I am not fat, I am prego!

Coffee Momma’s stats this week:

Weight – 70KG (hampoop!)

Waistline - 35 inches

Prenatal Age – 10 weeks

Gestation Age – 6 weeks

Week 7 – October 12-18, 2009

Well after bed ridden for one week, it’s about time to get up and stwetch my tired muscles.  I am not really bed ridden coz I have to stand up to do things like pee, shower, eat and I have to do these activities downstairs so i have my fair share of exercise.  Nevertheless, I tried to be good and follow doc’s orders to relax and sleep most of the time in between work, which is probably about 80% of my day.  I did not bleed the whole week that i was on bed rest so the bed rest and medication did help, I suppose.

Well, I actually went out for the first time last Sunday Oct 11 and went to Mall of Asia to meet up with Landz and Pinks.  I am so happy to be out and we hanged out for half the day.  I’ve been good though coz we just sat and ate at Haggen Dazs, walk for a bit, got some Chowking (craving for chao fan haha), went to watch “The Ugly Truth” (i like the movie, it is the ugly truth!) and ate at Wendy’s (sorry I have been craving for Bacon Mushroom Melt for the last 5 days!!!, now i want one again!).  I had so much fun that I felt guilty and scared that I tired myself too much.

Anyway, I went to the OB last Monday (12th).  This time she will be my permanent OB.  My uncle marlon had me on a goose chase coz he did not tell me that the doc that I was looking for is dead!  You see, he and Tito Nestor refered me to the same good doctor, Dr. Enverga Santos.  Silly Tito Marlon was talking about the daughter of that dead OB.  Anyway I spent like an hour going through hospital halls, trying to call my mom, tito marlon and tita baby to check the room of the doc (which I got the wrong room # from tito marlon) and the name (which again, the OB is dead, I should be looking for the daughter who is also an OB and apparently has a different surname that tita baby cannot tell).  Anyway finally Tito Marlon found me and ushered me to my new OB.

Dr. Ma. Fe. Villafria (that’s her name). I was her last patient coz her clinic hours that day is only up to 4PM.  i got there at 345PM and had a chance to chat with her regarding my situation over the last three weeks and how I jumped from one OB to another.  She was thrilled that I chose her to be my OB, plus she has a cool motherly assistant!.

Consultation went well, I was advised to stop my medication that I have been taking for 7 days.  I was given a new prenatal multivitamins called Natalbes which contains all sorts of nutriments and minerals that preggers need.  Since last week I was found to have a mild UTI, I am supposed to gear away from salty food, drink more vitamin Cs.

I was asked to get another transvaginal ultrasound and urinalysis (to check if I am clear off UTI).  I am yet to get the result of my urinalysis, but oh boy I got the best surprise of all during my ultrasound!  Not the fact that I got a 65 year old gay sonologist who did my TVU (haha), I  heard my baby ham’s heartbeat!  The hambeats of it’s precious heart are like music to my ears, I cried!  It sound like thug-thug-thug-thug-thug! I love hearing it, I wish I could’ve recorded it  but I cant coz its not a 4D ultrasound. Nevertheless, there has been great improvements on baby ham’s heart rate.  It went up from 102 to 138 beats per minute!  Baby ham now has a normal heartbeat!  According to doc, it is exactly 7 weeks old and it actually grew bigger than he 6th week ultrasound.  My uterus and my ovaries are well kept and baby is healthy!  Oh i loved hearing those good news coz I always get ait antsy before getting an ultrasound (thinking that something might be wrong).

Result of Week 7 Transvaginal Ultrasound.  You will see baby ham looking like a worm this time!  It has a tail!!

Anywho… this week I have been:

• Still constipated. I have this whoosh (silent stinky fart) all the time and I so want to emit a big gas explosion. Again, they said it’s normal but it is annoying!  I wanna fart like my big daddy diddy pop!
• Tender breast. I need to buy new bras.  Seriously, I think it grew bigger than it already is, I am scared! haha
• Sleepiness. Always sleepy, seriously.
• Cravings for Burger - specifically Bacon Mushroom Melt.  I promised myself I am going to get another one this week.  I need one!  My baby wanted to order one for me but its like 2 in the morning and i have work tomorrow so I opted to sleep instead haha
• Pee pee pee. Yeah I have to pee constantly I hate getting up all the time to pee.  But I have to drink tons of water to replenish my bodily fluid, especially that our little ham here is hoarding our H2O supply
• I am not nauseus or vomitty, not once. I have a pretty easy first trimested I would say and I am happy about it!

Coffee Momma’s stats this week:

Weight – 70KG (I did not gain any weight)

Waistline - 35 inches (did not expand but my tummy is higher)

Prenatal Age – 11 weeks

Gestation Age - 7 weeks

Fetal Heart Rate – 138 beats per minute (normal)

I love this week, it’s good news week coz I am not spotting and baby ham is in good hammy condition and I am getting fatter (i already am but so what?).

Daddy Ham – I miss you so much I hope to see you this coming holiday!  We love you!!

For more information about my OB, here are her contact details and schedule:

Dr. Ma. Fe Villafria, M.D

Clinic:MB 209
Makati Medical Center
(+632) 893-4164

Schedule:

MWF, 10am – 4:30pm (First come, first served)
Sat, 10am – 2pm (First come, first served)
TTh, 10am – 12pm (First come, first served)

Pictures of third Transvaginal Ultrasound

Week 12 – November 2009 (sometime)

You have no idea what I have been through over the last three weeks, most of all over the last three days.

First of all, I wanted to kick myself for not being able to update my blog over the last three weeks coz I’m becoming a workaholic dog again.  Since the 15th of October, I have been working from our new (temporary) office in Makati, my new project/baby coz I was the one who set it up so it has been a busy chaotic week.  Without a site director there, I have to take the lead over the last three weeks and its draining every morsel of energy i have.  Everyday I go home exhausted, apologetic to my growing ham that mommy is not being a good mommy and for pushing us hard.

Well I have been diligent though in ensuring I have at least 7 hours of sleep, drinking tons of water, eating healthy and drinking my multivitamins (Natalbes) and Duphaston (the one that makes the baby stay there amidst my stressful life right now), and having daily dosage of conversation with my hubba.

Anyways, this week I have given a sign that gurl, you have to slow down.  Started off Nov 7 Saturday when my left kilikili (armpits)started hurting (REALLY BAD!!!!).  i am so annoyed coz every movement of my arms or even my hands is causing pressure in my armpits.  It feels as if there is bruise inside and its digging through every tissue in my kilikili.  Anywho, Ryan and I did some research and common knowledge that we found out is that it coule be my milk duct is starting to form and apparently this bodily instrument is sort connected to my armpits, causing my armpits to get swollen and painful.  This just means that my boobs are going to get bigger and and I am forming milk! yay!

Ok so there’s the story of the armpit pains.  I thought it ended last Monday when the pain subsided and I noticed how tired I was to the point that I just wanted to stay in bed that afternoon I got home.  Monday Night, Nov 10, I suddenly got the chills and realized that I am with fever.  I got a bit scared, asked my mom what i am going to do and while I was talking to her, I noticed these rashes all over my body.  It’s not itchy nor lumpy nor watery.  It is just plain red.  It hurts though when I apply pressure to the red spots on my body.  it feels exactly like a bruise would feel like.  I went to my OB the following day and she is scared that I may have developed measles (even though I had it when I was one).  I was given permission to take paracetamol to help with my fever and we will monitor over the next 24 hours.  So I was sent home.

Nov 11 is the big day of my project launch at the office and I know i have to be there but I was chilling and my fever shoot up to 40degree farenheit that Tuesday night, I know I cannot go to work.  So I ended up taking time off much to my dismay of missing my project’s debut.  Mom accompanied me to the doctor that day due to my hubby’s insistent.  I was just feeling like a vegetable.  Every single muscle in my body aches and my fever does not stop and this day, the red spots are huge, throbbing and covering me from head to toe.  i am just happy it did not hit my face and my tummy and my little back.  But I have this one big gigantic zit sitting on my nose (ARGGH!).

Anywho, i went to my OB and she was mortified.  She immediately refered me to an allergologist coz she is suspecting it maybe a skin allergy of sorts.  Name of my allergologist is Dr. Lourdes Aragon-De Veyra.  She is an allergologist/dermatologist.  The moment that she saw me, she said that she already has an idea of what happened to me.  She said she had a patient before that went to her one month after taking her pregnancy medication and has exactly what I have.  She is suspecting that I may have a negative blood allergic reaction to either Natalbes (multivitamins) or Duphaston. Either one is a suspect, but in order for us to know, with the consent of Dr. Villafria my OB, I need to stop taking those two medicines and take some Prednisone instead.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone.

The allergologist wrote down the name of the allergy but you know how doctor’s scribbles look like.  I could barely read it but I figured it out finally after my second visit. I have this thing called VASCULITIS.  http://www.medicinenet.com/vasculitis/article.htm

.  Dr. De-Veyra said that all women’s immune system are different.  It tends to react differently to foreign objects that invades your body, and for a pregnant women, the reason why we get all these crazy stuff is because they tend to spit out what needs to be spat out.  So the body rejects everything else to try to save the baby.  Which is funny because I was just thinking to myself a few weeks back how lucky I am that I am not going through all those crazy normal pregnany stuff like throwing up or being woozy all the time or having food aversion or cravings.  Nothing of those crazy whacky things.  Then tan tan tan tannnnn.. voila!  i have these allergies that made me look like I am one of Cruella’s pet dalmatians!  Loves it! haha.  not really, it’s disgusting and it hurts.  I stopped being feverish today thank God.

Well it’s been the third day that I have been trying to recover from this awful skin drama which made me look like a battered/buttered pregnant woman and I think I am healing quite nicely.  So aside from Predisone, I was also given Chorphenamine which is supposed to counter any allergice itchiness.  I only have to drink it once since i am not itchy at all.  ia m in constant muscular pain!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorphenamine She also prescribed me Clobetasol Lotion (which she made herself coz the brand is her name and Makati Medical’s!) that I will apply on my ugly spots.  It seems to work!

Since she is a dermatologist, i opted to consult this big zit sitting on my nose that is bothering me oh so ever and the pimple breakout that I am having over the last 2 weeks.  First she was not happy I popped the zit (which i did before I went to the hospital coz there is pus inside eulllkkk).  She gave me this uber expensive facial wash (that I know my husband is not happy I bought it hehe) that could help me and told me to stop using Dove on my face (I never knew Dove is bad for the face!).  It’s really nice on the face.  It’s a foaming facial wash and what goes out of the bottle is literally just foam.  I was thinking I cannot believe i paid 1.5K just for foam but it makes a difference after just 2 days!  Serious ako!  It’s called Neova.  I will be going back to her for another consultation tomorrow, Saturday Nov 14.  So she is going to check how my dalmatian spots are coming along and I have a facial cleaning session with her whoopee!  vanity is a privelege that preggy ladies should not compromise! haha

Anywho enough of my drama, other than the armpit pain, the nonstop fever, my dalmatian dots and my muscle pains, babuh is all good!  I am not supposed to have my next ultrasound til my 5th month.  My OB tried to give me a sonogram a few days ago to check if my belly age is good for a sonogram but she said its too young.  normally the sonogram is done on the 5th month.  Which reminds me that I will be almost 4 months next week!  yipee!!! Again, the title of my blog is only WEEK 11 (gestational age), but I am officially 16 mnths prego hehe.

DAY 4 – Nov 14 Doctor Diagnosis

I am definitely healing, that’s what Dr. De-Veyra said.  My spots are darker and I am not having the muscular pains no more.  HOWEVER, she can’t give me any other medicine coz I am preggers!  And that only means one thing… it will take some time before these ugly blotches disappear!  It was so devastating but I’d rather put up with this than put my health and my baby’s health at risk.  She did, however, got me again with one of her sales pitch which had me purchasing another lotion once I am done with my Clobe lotion.  I have to pay another 20 freakin bucks again, arggh!! Sorry hubby… girls would do anything in the name of vanity!

My vital stats this week:

Weight - a whooping 160 lbs (ouch it hurts to hear i weight that much )

Waistline - oh gosh I could wear my husband’s pants – 38 inches now

BP – 110 / 80 (three weeks ago I was at 120/80)

Medications that were prescribed to me:

Predisone – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone

Chlorphenamine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorphenamine

Neova - http://www.procyte.com/brand.php?bid=2

Clobetasol Lotion - http://www.drugs.com/cdi/clobetasol-lotion.html

Doctor Information:

Name: ARAGON-DE VEYRA, Ma. Lourdes

Department: Dermatology

Clinic: MB 221, Makati Medical Center

Contact #: (+632) 856-0597

Schedule:

MW, 10am – 6pm (First come, first served)
TThF, 1am – 6pm (First come, first served)
Sat, 9am – 1pm (First come, first served)

Pictures of my Allergy

These documented pictures of how I look like is not suitable for people.  Viewer discretion is advised especially for those who has weak tummys over something ever so disgusto haha

DAY 1 of my allergy – You could barely see the red spots (i also took a shot of my big belly!)

DAY 2 of my allergy – you could see how the spots are more visible and increased in number

DAY 3 of my allergy – the spots are fewer but it got darker.  It’s pretty much healing the way that a bruise (or pasa) will heal.

DAY 4 of my allergy – the spots are definitely darker today.  The ones in my arms are barely visible but the ones in my legs are totally disgusting.

November 12, 2009

November 10, 2009 marks the day that I seriously thought that this is the worst thing that a pregnant woman could ever experience. Then I realize just after a few seconds that I am overly exaggerating coz my baby is fine and so am I (not 100% coz I was feverish all day long). Well to make the long story short, here is just my daily documented shots of how my vasculitis is progressing. I opted to take shots of my legs (not really to showcase them coz they are not legs to be proud of haha) but it is where majority of the blood spots formed and are visible. I cannot help but also take a photo of the Clobe lotion I am taking which uhmmm is what made this album a PG 18 album haha. Have pity on me! LOL

Week 18 OR Week 21 – January 7, 2010

I went to the new Delivery Room Ultrasound in the new wing of Makati Medical Center at the 5th floor to get my first pelvic ultrasound.   I do not have an appointment but my OB told me to just go there and get one.  She even advised me to have the sonologist check on the baby’s gender since  I am already on my 20th week.  So off I went and have to wait for 3 friggin hours coz I do not have an appointment.  Well, I went with Mom so we hanged out at Starbucks to grab some snacks while waiting.  Then my turn finally came and I was sitting there on the bed with my belly exposed and cold gel being squirted on it by the sonologist.  Then there it was the first time I sad little hamham with a head and legs and heart beating really fast! Oh the joy!  I think I almost choked up.  Apparently, the OB said the baby’s size is only 17 weeks and 5 days, when I am expecting little ham to be on it’s 21st week.  Other than that, the other signs are really good.  It’s got a heart, liver, face, brain, kidney and the sonologist even thought he saw a scrotum!  Our little ham may be a baby boy, but he is only 90% sure coz Little Ham keeps on moving his legs haha!!!  Yay!!  Gosh, my husband will be surprised coz the whole time we are preparing for a girl’s name!  Well, i think we would have a little Ryan Herron! Yay!!   I am so happy I cannot wait to go home and call my baby to tell him the good news.

here is a picture of my ultrasound

January 14, 2010 – search for Baby boy names

Whew this is harder than I thought it would be!  In the first place, why did we even put it in our heads that we are goign to have a baby girl and did not have any baby boy name contingencies?  Well not that we do not have any time, I am 4 months away from giving birth so we do have time.  However, since we have been both so keen on having a baby girl, we are having a hard time coming up wiht baby boy names.  To list off, here are a few that we both like, and some that each of us hates

1. Alexander
2. Lord
3. Lord Alexander
4. Liam (we scrapped this off)
5. Joaquin (Ryan hates this)
6. Raphael
7. Apollo
8. Lucas (but Ryan’s nephew is named Lucas)

Can you believe it?  We can only come up with eight names!!  Eight names!!  The search is on.  We just hated the websites that has baby names on it!

January 22, 2010

Mommy Ham and Baby Ham are super excited!!!  Daddy Ham will be coming home soon and we cannot wait.  There are several tasks at hand that we will need to accomplish when my husband gets here:

• Get another ultrasound to know our baby’s gender
• Think up of baby boys name (so far both of us are in disagreement of each other’s suggestions!)
• Make a laundry list of  baby needs (for shopping purposes)
• Shop for baby things that we can shop for as early as now
• Budget Planning
• Have a good time!

Seriously cannot wait yay!

My Belly Shots