April 21, 2017

My midwife told me to go start my first series of blood work as soon as I could. The first 3 need to be 48 hours apart. I got up around 7:00 am and left to go to the clinic. The website said they were open at 7:00 am so I imagined it wouldn't be very busy yet. I put Polysporin beside my eyes as they were dried out and sore from all the tears from the past 2 days.

I was wrong when I got there at 7:30 am. They opened at 6:00 am and now it was about an hour wait. The wait was excruciating. I hate needles too. I listen to my audio book, browse Facebook and cry trying my hardest to keep it together. I was so happy when it was finally my turn. I just wanted to get out of there and go pick up my husband at the hospital. I was done at 9:15 am.

I gas up the car, get coffee and I'm on my way. Another 45 minute drive out of town and more time with my audio book.

I was so happy when I arrived at the hospital. I walked as fast as I could to his room. It was so hard being apart for the past 24 hours. We had many embraces and he was discharged. We went to get his prescription filled at a nearby Safeway and had a Starbucks coffee while we waited. We went home and spent the day together in bed resting with our dog Casey. It was wonderful to be all together again.

My mid-wife calls around 7:30 pm with not-so-great news. My blood type is A-. She tells me I have to go to the hospital to get the WinRho (aka RhoGAM) shot.

If you are Rh-negative and you were carrying an Rh-positive fetus, there is a small chance that you have been exposed to Rh-positive blood cells from the fetal tissue during the miscarriage. A shot of RhoGAM prevents your body from producing antibodies to Rh-positive blood that could harm a fetus during a future pregnancy.

Source

We get to the hospital that has the lowest wait time according to the AHS app. When we get there I tell them what's happened and what I need to get done. They tell me they have to take my blood - again - and get it tested - again - as a precaution since it's not on their records. They said it should only take about 30 minutes. Another needle and we wait... It starts raining... We pay for parking every 30 minutes thinking it won't take long. (What a pain in the ass!) My husband is sore and tired from his surgery. I'm mentally and physically exhausted as well. 3 days and it has felt like 2 weeks has gone by.

A lady that stood up in the waiting room with a second-trimester baby bump. I immediately start crying and it takes me a while to calm down again. Another family comes in with their little baby stretcher with the arm holes on the sides. I sure hope that baby was okay. It seemed like he was in good hands. Nobody looked panicked or was crying. Everyone has their own baby stories. This experience really opened my eyes to what can happen and how everyone's journey to parenthood is different.

Finally just before midnight it's my turn (3 hours later). I mentally freak out at yet another needle. My husband holds my hand and reminds me to breathe. I get my shot and we can go home. They tell me to wait around for 15 minutes to make sure I have no adverse reactions. I know my body (at least when it comes to my allergies). It will take me much longer than 15 minutes to react.

Sure enough around 4:00 am in the morning I wake up coughing because my chest is tight and I can only take small breaths. I've experienced this before and know I will be okay. I am so tired and I don't care. I just fall back asleep. (I woke up in the morning feeling much better).

SIDE NOTE: 
I have suffered from chronic hives for over 10 years. Pretty certain I have a condition called Chronic Idiopathic Ucartia (CIU) although I haven't had this confirmed by a doctor. My sister sent me an article. I experience the same symptoms as the woman in the article. Read it here: MSN Article