Baby Schuhtastic

Haven Elizabeth Schuh is here!

Born Tuesday, August 19th at 9:20 pm

4 lbs 13 oz and 18 inches long

Haven is doing well but in the NICU since she decided to make her grand entrance early.  Aaron and I are doing well, overall, but feeling tired and overwhelmed at times.  We want Haven to come home soon.

Your prayers are coveted.  I'll update more soon...

The Mean Phlebotomist

I don't much like needles.  I don't like having my blood taken.  I can trace it all back to a blood test I had done in 5th grade, where the blood-drawer had to dig around for a vein and it took forever and was painful.  And the results from the test showed nothing, so they proceeded to do two more tests. Ever since then, I detest needles.  I get shaky and warm and sweaty and cold and faint if anyone tries to stick me with a needle - whether it's the poor dentist trying to administer novacaine, or the impatient phlebotomist trying to take blood out of me.  When I was young, my mother would call ahead to any clinic or dentist or what have you to let them know that I didn't handle needles very well and that they might want to prepare themselves for some possible fainting.

What doesn't help me at all, when faced with a needle, is to have someone who is mean or impatient with me.  If the person with the needle rolls their eyes and treats me like I'm an idiot, I freak out all the more.  I KNOW it doesn't hurt - that's not really the issue at this point.  The issue is that my body has a response that I can't seem to short circuit.  It associates bad things with needles and your impatience or meanness or eye-rolling doesn't help cause.  

So.

This is why I put off baby-making for so long.  I heard that they want to take your blood.  And not just once, but a million times.  And then, to have the baby, they want to give  you an IV.  All of this information was enough to keep me on the pill.  But then in January, there I was staring at two pink lines, knowing that someone was now going to want to do a blood test.  At least one, if not two, or a gazillion.   I would have to gird myself for this.

The first time I went in for a blood test, the waiting room was crowded and the wait was long and I thought "This place is just filled with needles and vials!  That's all they do here - fill vials with people's precious blood!"  When I was finally called in, with Aaron in tow to provide moral support (and catch me if necessary), I explained to the woman that I don't handle needles very well and that I would need to lay down so as to not faint on her.

And then, miracle of all miracles!  She was nice!  She was so kind.  She, of course, wanted me to lay down.  She didn't want me to faint!  She would find the arm with the best looking vein and she would use a small needle and she would work as quickly as she could!  Oh, and look at her pictures of her dogs on her wall!  And all of the crayon-penned notes from the kids who have survived blood tests from her!  She didn't think I was a wimp at all - she'd rather know that I didn't do well and work accordingly than have me try to NOT be what I am (afraid and woozy). And you know what??  It worked.  It was the best blood test ever.  I barely felt a thing, I barely got any of the wooziness, and I was sitting up within just a few minutes (I usually have to lay there for awhile to let my system calm down and recalibrate).

The doctor wanted like five more blood tests (that may be an exaggeration) and as long as I went to see the Wonderful and Kind Phlebotomist (WKP), everything was fine.  I would smile, I would laugh, I wouldn't faint, and I would be in and out in no time flat.  Everything was fine, until last week.  When I saw the Mean Phlebotomist (MP).

I didn't think it would be so bad to not see the WKP - I thought, I've been fine the last few times, I'm doing so much better at this, how bad can it be to not have WKP draw blood?

How bad can it be?  Bad.  The photo is seven days post-blood draw and that's the biggest bruise anyone I know has seen after a blood test.  MP was terrible.  I'll spare you the details but she was mean and, frankly, unskilled.  Lots of jabbing, lots of movement (I felt every vial change) and not much sympathy.

If there's a next time, I will only go to WKP.  I've also considered finding out if WKP administers IV's and if so, if she can attend my labor for that purpose only.  It probably doesn't work that way.  My hope is that I can get away with no IV - or that I end up with WKIVP (Wonderful and Kind IV Person).

Clear skies

In Los Angeles, every once in awhile comes a crystal clear, see-for-miles-on-end kind of day. We had such a day on Memorial Day weekend, when our friends Joy and Ryan were in town for a visit and decided to do a short hike up on Mulholland Drive, just west of the 405. The storms and cool weather had cleared out and polished the view on all sides - rain clouds to the north made for a dramatic view of the San Fernando Valley and her mountains, downtown Los Angeles stood tall and bright to the east, and to the south we could see the glittering ocean, the beaches, and even Catalina Island. It was a spectacular day. A treasure of an LA day.

It was a lovely weekend with Joy and Ryan. They really wanted to go to the beach during their visit, but it was just too cold and Ryan doesn't like to be cold (I don't either). Ryan also doesn't like to go for walks, but we had promised him special treats if he came with. I don't think we followed through on the special treats, and I don't know we'll be able to coax him along again, but at least it was a beautiful day.

(that's Joy and Ryan running down a hill)

Pregnancy: Week 25

Six months?! I'm already six months pregnant, which means that I'm about 60% through my pregnancy. Well, this is certainly going along remarkably fast.

Aaron and I have been working like mad to sort, toss, organize and create space in our apartment for a baby and baby stuff. I cleaned our files (why did we have that file with the one piece of paper in it that meant nothing?) and organized our photos (wow - I've just never had good hair), while Aaron hung drawers and shelves in our closet (which may or may not have involved some sawing of wood) and sorted through camera and film gear. We are soon to get rid of our TV! Which means we'll have some room in the living room for the computer. And sometime this summer, I will relinquish my wonderful desk that Aaron made me to his parents, on long-term loan. I'm having trouble parting with this last one, as it represents my space, physically and emotionally. I'm not sure all the ways that this baby will change us, change our lives, but I'm pretty sure it's going to change things. And part of that means not always having my space - both physically and emotionally. To giving up the project table, even only temporarily, represents this shift. Not necessarily bad, but change nonetheless.

I'm feeling good and enjoying carrying around this little girl inside of me. Aaron seems to be enjoying her too lately, feeling her kick more often, talking to her, and connecting. I hope he sees some promise in all of her kicking for a future life in soccer.

Any ideas for names?

Pregnancy: Week 24

Ugh

I scratched my eye today. Don't even ask me how because I can't believe I didn't BLINK in time. Okay fine, I was untangling a rope, the end of it (with the plastic tape on it) flipped up and hit me in the eye before I had time to blink. I didn't blink. I thought our reflexes were supposed to be fast enough to prevent these sorts of things?

I went to the eye doctor and it is indeed scratched, right in the center of my eye. Part of it is superficial (nearest the center of my eye) and part of it is quite deep (further out). The deep part will most likely scar, which could create vision problems depending on how the scarring shapes up. I realize that scars can be cool, but a scar on the eye means no one can see it but me. All the time.

So, here's to speedy healing as I sleep and rest. Here's to not much effect from the scarring. And here's hoping for no headaches the next few days.

Update, Sat AM: Apparently, sleep really is a good healer and eyes heal quickly (I should have remembered this from eye surgery). My eye feels MUCH better this morning and my vision seems fine or better, at least. WooHoo!

On a better note - I head to the mountains of southern Oregon tomorrow morning for a week-long contemplative retreat. I'm so excited. There aren't even words to tell you how excited. I often joke that this is where my soul lives - in the Northwest - and I'm only partly joking when I say that.

Fresh mountain pine air - here I come.

Pretty Girl

After a long hard day of swimming in the pool and playing with other dogs, Zoe got a bath, thanks to our friends at doggie day care.  This is no small feat, as our 105 pound bred-for-water-rescue galoot doesn't like to get her pretty little feet wet.  Since it's such a big job, we revel in the loveliness that is our clean dog - soft, shiny, fluffy, and smelling so very wonderful. When I walked in to pick Zoe up from her day of hard work, the girls at day care squealed when they saw me and said "She has bows in her hair!"  Indeed, she has bows and she is very very cute.  Perhaps even cuter than when she wears her pink bathrobe.