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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Good-bye, Pregnancy Clothes!

I got rid of them.  You know, the clothes that aren't maternity per se, but have been a little too big for you for the past 5 years?  The ones you know will be great for the first tri?  They're gone. 

Feels great to be free of them.  I've been in a weird space lately:  inspired by our adoption research to start nesting, which sometimes means buying stuff, and also wanting to give a ton of away.  Make room for the stuff we're really gonna use.

For the record, the friend I gave my clothes to is only a size larger than I.  I think being on the Pill brings me to that size, but seeing as me and Pill do not mix (HATE), I felt good about freeing those clothes to a better home.  It reminds me of how Tom & Lorenzo (fashion blog) frequently say "Girl, that's not your dress.  Let it be free for some other girl to buy."  The 9 pairs of pants I gave away looked so awesome on my friend.

To go with the nesting and hence spending money trend, we're getting a housecleaning service.  This is huge.  I'd been fantasizing about having one after we had a kid or two.  We'll both be working outside the home then, and it seemed like a good place to put some money for the sake of my sanity.  But then this illness started ("illness" sounds more interesting than "pain episode"...and I'm just sick of writing "pain") and the house has gotten grungier and grungier.  I physically can't do the cleaning, and the hubster has very different standards (read:  no standards), and I don't want to get into a nagging, resentful cycle with him when I ask him to do something.

The initial cleaning is next week, just in time for a house guest who's coming in for one night, and also in time for our second meeting with our local adoption resource.  They adoptive couple is coming over and giving us more info about how to get started.  I have to admit, I'm having a really hard time doing anything about adoption lately and I'm hoping this meeting jump-starts me.  My husband and I are halfway through a video we received from an adoption broker, but the last time we watched any of it was weeks ago.  I blame the illness (pain, whatev).

I'm going to PT every week now and I think it's helping.  Learned how to use a TENS unit today; it's a little device with electrodes that stick on you and stimulate your muscles.  So that by stimulating them, they somehow relearn how to relax.  I don't get it but it does seem to be helping.  Luckily, my dad had a TENS he sent to me, so I don't have to worry about insurance covering a personal unit or not.

I started taking unsanctioned turmeric.  Usually, I'm wary of supplements unless my doctor and I are both very comfortable with them, but I just up and started taking this.  Turmeric is a spice often used in curried dishes, and it's thought to have anti-inflammatory (and maybe antioxidant?) properties.  The amount I'm taking daily could easily be equivalent to how much I ingested daily if I ate as much Indian food as I wish I was eating, so I'm just not worried.  My internet research yielded nothing alarming.  My mom swears by turmeric for her arthritis, which was a huge burden before she started taking it.

I'm in a pretty good place emotionally.  It's CD1, which is a blessing in my current circumstances, as weird as it is to say as a long-time TTCer.  It now means that all the PMSy, crampy horribleness will be over in a few days and I *should* have a couple of weeks of relief after that, even if relief these days means only slightly less pain. 

I'm optimistic, though.  PT will help; it has to.  And my need to hold my adopted baby is getting stronger and stronger as my pain gets more manageable, so I see us making some progress there.  Hold me accountable! :)

7 comments:

  1. I love progress! I can tell from your posts that your spirit seems a little better!

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  2. Ooh! Cleaning service! Love it! I think that is an awesome idea due to your illness. :) good for you! I cant wait to her how your adoption meeting goes! Very exciting to be moving forward!

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  3. As overwhelming as it all must be (illness/pain, adoption research, etc), I'd say you deserve a cleaning service! Enjoy the break... And the nice clean house. And please, let us know how the second meeting goes!
    I am still here if you ever felt like having a conversation might be helpful... Now that I'm feeling tons better myself, I'm happy to chat anytime, if you like. Just shoot me an email and let me know!
    Thinking of you and always hoping for the best!

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  4. Yay! I love the quote about the dress/clothes: "let it be free for some other woman..." LOVE.

    Can't wait to enjoy your cleaning service vicariously. I'd be happy if I never cleaned another thing. Sounds divine.

    I'm so glad things are looking up. ; )

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  5. And here I thought I was the only woman who hung on to her "fat clothes" in case of pregnancy. lol Good job on letting them go!

    It's great to see the hopefulness and happiness in this post. I hope things continue to improve. :)

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  6. Glad to hear that the tens unit is working for you. I loved mine too before it died.

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  7. What a positive post. You are really getting things done and taking what control you can of your life and your pain. I am proud of you and can't wait for things to start happening.

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