37 Weeks

It seems like everything has been going downhill since the start of week 36. On Thursday December 1, 2011, I noticed that my belly was beginning to itch more than usual. Well the itching continued and it started looking more like a rash. Luckily I had an appointment with the doctor on the following day. I showed my doctor the rash that had started from my belly and was now on my hands and arms. He prescribed me with hydrocortisone cream 1% and sent me to a dermatologist. Well scheduled the appointment with the dermatologist on 12/6 at 7:30 am. Everyone was very friendly at the office. I went into a room with the nurse and she took down my patient history. I was then told to put on a hospital gown which I already saw coming, but still dreaded it. The doctor then came into the room along with the same nurse and he began to question me about what was going on. I outright stated that “I am miserable and I will take anything that you give me that won’t hurt my baby!” He did a dry chuckle and began to examine my arms and asked to see my stomach. He quickly stated that I had PUPPP which stands for Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. I pretty much already knew that I had PUPPP thanks to a very intelligent classmate telling me about it on facebook and of course I obsessed over researching it. The doctor told me that he wanted to biopsy my skin to ensure that nothing was auto-immune. The nurse numbed my arm which hurt just a tad bit then the doctor checked to see if I could feel anything and clipped a piece of skin off. I don’t know what anything looked like when in was happening because I never look because I’ll get lightheaded. I will get the results in two weeks.

On another note, the movement as far as kicking goes has decreased drastically and he rolls a lot which feels like pure pressure. To be in my last month of pregnancy, I get pretty good sleep. Having PUPPP and frequent urination is the cause of my frequent insomnia. I do find it very difficult to get comfortable, sitting, standing, and rolling over. My stomach feels so heavy and is feeling heavier by the day.

Results from my strep-b test were normal. During that particular visit with the doctor, labor and delivery was thoroughly discussed. I was told by my doctor that I would more than likely need a c-section otherwise possibly be in labor for 18-24 hours. I then scheduled the c-section for December 28. It would have been December 27, but that day was booked up. This pregnancy has flown by and now that it is down to the wire, it is going so slow! As I type on this day, it is 9 days away and I have so many mixed emotions with the biggest one being excitement. I am ready to meet him, get rid of this rash, and most of all get it over with.

My maternity leave started on December 16, 2011 and I was initially going to work up until December 22, 2011, but having the rash and other ailments completely changed my mind. When the rash spread to my swollen feet that was it for me with work. It itches so badly and it itches so badly it is crippling. My walking looks horrible because I am rocking and limping. The baby has been pressing on a nerve which has my entire left leg in pain.  If I must say, the 9^th month has been a month to remember.