Stuff

Pregnant women need to sleep a lot.

I sort of forgot how much until a few weeks ago.

There isn’t much time in the day after that, teaching my kids stuff, and getting work done for blogging, if I could get an idea out in a coherent fashion.

So in the interest of having at least one new post up here this week, here is the bullet point version of the last several.

I’m still working on IRS forms, but this is the very last stage, I hope.

It got warm, my kids are swimming.

The Boy gets his “robot face” today. Also known as an expander and head gear to his orthodontist. Perhaps his jaw will get bigger fast enough that we won’t need to get braces alter to straighten all the teeth coming in.

We got to see Hannah perform again last weekend and had dinner with her. It was really good. It also made us wish for more time with her.

I am almost 26 weeks pregnant and have yet to have any kind prenatal care. I’ve been turned down by one subsidized insurance place because we make too much money, and then turned down by the next option, one we have used before, because we don’t make enough. So then I talked to the first place that turned me down and they said, “OH! Your husband is self-employed. That changes everything. You should have told us that.” (I did.)

So I resubmitted information waited a month when they told me it should be reviewed in 10 days and they still hadn’t seen it when I called. Let’s just say that cutbacks and the recent legislation have turned what was an already overworked and top heavy organization into a complete and total mess. An actual conversation I had.

“I’ve been trying to call the number I was given but no one has responded.”

“Oh, that number doesn’t work anymore.”

“What do you mean, it’s still taking messages.”

“Well, your local office no longer gets those messages, it’s been redirected here, only no one here checks them, so no one ever heard your message.”

“Great. What’ the new number?”

“Oh, there isn’t one. I will call them for you and give them your contact information and they will contact you for an appointment within 3 working days.”

That was 2 weeks ago. I am so full of optimism about this right now. Can’t you tell?

If it weren’t for the fact that I’m RH negative and in 2 weeks I need to have an antibody screen to make sure that I don’t need a rogham shot to ensure my blood doesn’t attack my baby’s blood if there has been a cross over, I would be tempted to just say throw in the towel and abandon the entire system altogether.

I’ve pushed out babies by myself before. Sure, there were people there, but I did it. I could do it again, barring anything unforseen. I’m about ready to go completely unassisted here.

I could go see my old midwife, (whom we can’t afford because we need to purchase a 6 passenger vehicle instead to fit all the kids, sob) she could order the tests, draw my blood and we could pay for that out of pocket. it’s only a few hundred dollars. hah! Then I could pay her for the postpartum shot as well.

These are the things I am considering as options right now.

I have an appointment tomorrow with some other agency that is supposed to be able to figure out this mess a bit and get coverage started. We’ll see if they can do anything.

We’re also probably moving in 2 months when our lease expires to someplace bigger. So I am staring around at stuff thinking about packing it all. Aaron goes to Thailand for 2 weeks in June. I will be packing while he’s gone I expect and then we move a few days after his return. I’ll be 7 and a half months.

I’ve done that before too.

Really, in spite of it all, this has not been a hard pregnancy. I’ve been here before so I know what I need to do, with or without a doctor taking tests. Jelly bean is kicking a flip-flopping up a storm and I’m sure everything is fine.

Between the IRS and MediCal I am simply weary of paperwork, and bureaucracy.

My neighbor, who was due a month after me miscarried a week and a half ago. The baby had a heart defect. I cried when she told me. The only good thing really, about losing a baby, is that you have an idea of what the person in front of you is going through. There are no words of comfort, not really. But a hug while she cries will go a long way toward helping her feel loved, I think. My heart is aching for her, and realizing afresh how blessed I am with every little kick.

all content © Carrien Blue

8 thoughts on “Stuff

  1. Thinking of you today….

    Good to get an update. Hope it all goes well with the OB care.
    Love,
    Mary, mom to many

  2. Hi Carrien,

    Oh man, so sorry for the mess and trouble you're having getting antenatal care. Things are quite different here for antenatal care, all our care is free. (Antenatal, delivery and postnatal.) But what I can relate to is the new sense of confidence about going unassisted. I wanted to plan an unassisted birth, but couldn't bring myself to actually decide on having no help at the birth just in case. Instead, baby decided to be born faster than expected and the midwife didn't make it in time. I got my beautiful unassisted birth anyway 🙂 Was so nice not having someone tell me what to do or to examine me. Perfect in fact.
    I hope everything sorts out for you and that you also get a beautiful natural delivery of your little one.
    I teared up when you told of your friends loss…such a terribly difficult thing.

  3. Oh anonymous-It's so kind of you to drop in, read this one post and then bravely leave your name and contact info after asking your very poorly informed question.

    If you were a regular reader you would know that this child was not planned, for exactly these reasons we were trying not to conceive.

    That we conceived anyway was something beyond our control.

    That we choose to give thanks for and welcome this unplanned child, however much of a burden it may be to do so reflects our core belief that life is the most important thing.

    If you think, as you seem to be suggesting, that I ought to have murdered my unborn child instead of juggling my life in order to welcome it then you and I have nothing else to talk about.

    I would far rather deal with the inconvenience, knowing that the potential for blessing is huge, than knowingly kill one of my own children. I'm a bit weird that way.

  4. sleeping eating crying laughing there are lots of things to do more of when preg. Sorry to hear about your neighbor; the process of life is so difficult and confusing sometimes

  5. ahhh, Medical– I used that with my fist-18 years ago now. So many offices, phone calls, papers late in the mail. I didn't get seen until about 6 months. They didn't like my SSN because I also have Canadian citizenship–it was awful. The very worst part, though was how-at almost very appointment the Medical workers would ask me if I wanted to have this baby (as in would i like to abort now so they don't have to help me). Hope everything works out for you!

  6. Wow, I caught you at a time where I can get to know you a lil. Just stopping by as I am following you now on Twitter.
    Would love for you to follow and stop by for a cup of coffee. That is, after, much needed, rest. Lots of rest… ha!
    Ginger
    @heresmycuplord

  7. Aaaaaaah, I see what your circumstances are now. The things we do to have a simple natural birth. Sigh. Our midwife comes from another state, three hours away just because she loves us. If she didn't do that, I'd probably birth unassisted, and that is not my preference.

    I do my own prenatal care, occassionally calling in a local CPM (CPM's can't practice legally in my state) to help with issues when they arise. Check my BP at the pharmacy, and generally just go by how I'm feeling. MW and I talk a lot on the phone and she is very involved in my personal life, so that helps.

    Pray for wisdom, sister. He gives to those who ask without doubting.

    ~Fearless Mamma
    http://www.audacitermatris.com

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