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Monday, January 26, 2009

Monday Already?

My "Jess weekend" flew by way too quickly, and before I knew it, Jerry's hungover self was home. I did have a nice weekend though with the appropriate mixture of alone time and friend time, and while it's always nice to have the house to myself, it's also nice to have Jerry home.

Anyhoo, the weekend is over, and that means it's back to work today (hi-ho, hi-ho). Unfortunately, this also means I broke a 6-day-no-puke streak this morning by barfing here at school. It's kind of amazing how quickly the vomit can strike me down, but however seemingly random, I have detected a pattern. The stages are as follows:
  • Sudden stomach distress. This is hard to describe in very thorough or telling detail. The stomach simply does not feel right.
  • Following this tummy distress is the "urp urge." This is where I feel my stomach contract like it's gonna heave, and I experience a wave of nausea. At this point, I have to stop what I'm doing and I usually do one of two things: put my hand on my tummy (because outside reassurance might help settle the little fella) or put my hands to my mouth.
  • Then, there's the saliva. I don't know about you, but for me, right before I puke, my mouth gets all saliva-y. I usually try to take deep breaths at this point and swallow slowly.
  • The "urp urge" increases and I have an actual moment where I think I'm gonna hurl right then and there. At this point, I know I must quickly get to a toilet.
  • To the bathroom I go!

Thankfully, the nature of this vomiting means that I don't have to huddle near the toilet for a few moments before anything happens, so there's never that period of time spent hugging the porcelain in puke-limbo. By the time I reach the toilet, my stomach has pushed the "eject" button and there's no time for contemplation. So at least there's very little anticipation or agony of will-I-or-won't-I throw up.

Since the barf-isode of this morning, I have felt fine. In fact, right after I puked, I felt just dandy. And on the whole, the nausea has decreased in both severity and occurrence in the past few weeks, and I have only puked about 4 or 5 times since starting back to classes on January 5th. So, as I begin to move out of the first trimester (this is week 12 -- so I'm getting ready to say "auf weidersehen" to the first 3 months), hopefully the pattern of feel-good days begins to overshadow the pattern of feel-like-crap days.

As a side note to this discussion of my less than pleasant morning sickness, I was talking to my mother a few weeks ago, trying to complain to her about not feeling good, and she said, "Well, just remember, no one dies of morning sickness."

Not true, Mom.

Women can die of a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is essentially excessive vomiting due to pregnancy in which the woman becomes so malnourished and dehydrated that her vital systems shut down and she dies. In modern, developed countries, this almost never happens anymore because doctors either prescribe medication or hospitalize women who suffer from such extreme sickness, but in some third world countries and in eras past, women do and did die of this. In fact, the author Charlotte Bronte (who wrote "Jane Eyre") died of it.

I have, by no means, an "extreme case" of morning sickness. I just have the sort of symptoms that more than half of pregnant women suffer from, and at least it doesn't keep me from regular life. It's just uncomfortable and sometimes inconvenient.

Alrighty, I guess I've talked my fill about barf today, so I'd best be off! I plan to run this evening before bowling; we're still enjoying some cooler weather here so the run should be enjoyable.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perfect lunch time reading...

raulgonemobile said...

Glad you're starting to feel better..

I found the Bronte tidbit fascinating!

Razz said...

**putting down sandwich**

Teacher Pursuits said...

I call the excess saliva-y thing the spit-tooeys.

You are so near the end of this puke nonsense... so very close!

lifestudent said...

They claim that morning sickness can be a sign of a good/healthy pregnancy. Personally, I think that is BS. They are just tying to find a way to make women feel better about the thinks that suck during pregnancy. Its like telling a woman that rain on her wedding day is good luck. They just say that so she doesnt spend the whole day crying.

Either way, if it makes you feel better ... every time you puke just think how good it is for your baby :)

Carly said...

My poor neighbor was one of those women you described with massive morning sickness. She spent most of her pregnancy in the hospital.

Glad the puking frequency is going down a bit. It truly sucks and I feel for you.

Carolina John said...

LOL, that's too funny Jess. Speaking of puking, i was just talking to my mother....

Hang in there tiger. the morning sickness will go away as your body gets used to the new hormones.

Erin said...

I think you fit the traditional first trimester sickness. *unlike my 22 weeks of pure ickiness. You will be over it soon and onto better days.

Marcy said...

Whoooaaaa chica that was a lot of barf talk even for me HAHA JK!

Don't worry the end is in sight (hopefully soon!)

Anonymous said...

Not to freak you out but my friend threw up every day of her pregnancy- oddly enough her doctor told her to start drinking slim fast- yes. I KNOW. She also had to go in for an IV of vitamins once in a while. The plus side of that was that she only gained 18lbs (the wench) and the day after she gave birth she was wearing her pre-pregnancy jeans. Only women who become shamu while pregnant like me understand this.

Anonymous said...

Glad I read this after I ate. Oh, how I would enjoy a weekend alone by myself!

teacherwoman said...

Boy did the weekend go by fast.

I get that icky "salvia-y" feeling when I am going to puke also. It basically seals the deal and there is no going back once that starts up. yuck.

Viv said...

Aww Jess just catching up glad everything else is going well, the running while baking. The other tests. I hope this morning sickness stuff ends soon and you have a glorious 2nd trimester. Hang in there

Marlene said...

I agree, at least you don't have to hang out over the bowl forever. But here's hoping the morning sickness is over with before long.

Anonymous said...

Glad you are feeling better and hope you are almost done with this part. I never threw up much from morning sickness. Oddly, with Shoo, I threw up every night in the last trimester from the horrid heartburn.

The Boring Runner said...

Maybe all of the barfing is to get you used to it in prep for all of the BABY barf that you are going to get to put up with!

Unknown said...

I hope the barfiness is soon to be over for you - onto the fun 2nd trimester!!

Laurel said...

Wow, no sympathy from mom, huh? Damn, you can't catch a break.

Glad to hear you are starting to feel better. And especially that you don't have to hover over the toilet and wait. I have to do that when I get sick and it's the worst! Usually, having my face so close to the toilet is what finally pushes me over the edge.

Unknown said...

Hope the worst is over and there are many better non-puke days ahead!

SavvyFitChica said...

one of the most pleasant, cheerful posts ever...

*sigh*

just kidding... but you crack me up so I'm not at all surprised that I just read bullet points that describe your up-chuck sensations! =)

Aron said...

6 days is a pretty good streak right?? i hope its done with soon!! almost to the good trimester :)

are you showing at all yet? do we get belly pics along the way?

Stuart said...

First Tri voms, fingers crossed it'll pass.

I dread to think you keywords for the Bronte factoid!

Sarah said...

My friend had that condition. She had to be admitted to the hospital for a few days and they had to rehydrate and nourish her through IV because she spent about a week being able to hold absolutely nothing down!

P.O.M. said...

I do adore being able to prove one's mother incorrect. Bravo!!

Agate Lake Girl said...

Yes, I have the saliva-y stage too. It's like the point of no return for me. Once the saliva comes I know it's time to hustle to the bathroom. :)

sRod said...

And I thought runners were only uncomfortably open about pooping.