Do you ever feel like you can't catch a break. Seriously. The last few months have been a bit insane and every time I think we're about over the craziness something else happens to put me firmly in my place.
Let's back up, shall we. As I have been pretty MIA in my publisher notes and regular local articles and there's a reason for that. Let me share.
July
If you know me or have read my bio you know in addition to being your local MacKid publisher I have a full time job and own an improv comedy business. July and August for my regular job is slammed as it's Back to School mode and no matter how much prep I attempt to do I still end up buried with work. Literally, no one sees my face for about two months. On top of that, AIC (my improv business) is having it's first festival this week! Although, we've been planning for over a year, a lot of the big stuff happens those last few months leading up to it.
You know how it goes, all at once or nothing at all. No truer words have been spoken.
As all this starts up my husband and I find out we are expecting. Days after it was like a switch was flipped and my nausea kicked in. It was an all day, every day affair to fight it off, while being adverse to nearly all the food.
At the end of July I run a Spartan race, which I had signed up for last winter. Not thinking clearly, I didn't opt out of the obstacle where you had to completely submerge yourself in muddy water. Water that every runner before you has also immersed themselves in - we ran on the last day, one of the last runs to go out. So needless to say two days later I was out for the count. Full on sick, where I had to actually take the day off because I couldn't even muster the energy to work my very flexible work from home job. It was bad.
August
The beginning of August Clifton and I head to the doctor for our first pre-natal appointment. She starts going over the complications of a high risk pregnancy as I’m 36 and over 35 is considered high risk.
- Gestational diabetes
- High blood pressure
- After 35 you’re more likely to have twins
We proceed to the ultra sound.
Doctor: “There’s your bladder.”
Pause
Doctor: “What do ya’ll see?”
Can I just say I hate being asked questions. Like eye appointments when you read off the letters gives me anxiety cause it’s like a pop quiz.
So here I am not saying anything but thinking.
"Which one am I looking at?"
"Why is my bladder next to the fetus, didn’t we pass that?"
My husband says out loud “Are there two?”
To which my doctor responds, “Yep, you’re having twins!”
I think at this point I said “What?” and looked at my husband thinking Is this really happening. It was like that movie moment that you’ve watched a hundred times except this isn’t a movie, this is your life.
Please don't get this wrong as we are extremely grateful and excited but it took a solid week of us repeating out loud to one another "We're having twins" for the shock to wear off as we weren't expecting this. This certainly explains the level of nausea and low energy I've been experiencing though!
End of August my son takes my phone for a swim in our doggy bowl. I'd love to say that I handled this with grace and just embraced not having the technology but when you have three jobs, all of which you can utilize the phone to more easily get things done while also mommin' or traveling from one place to the next (husband is driving), etc. it really hinders you.
We do the usual and put the phone in our designated bag of rice. Yes, we have a designated bag of rice for all water soaked electronics. This bag has saved at least 3 phones, a Kindle and not too long ago our baby monitor.
My husband mentioned our phones were water resistant, so I made the mistake of taking it out of the rice too soon. It was working though and did for two days. Then as I was hanging up from a work call I realized the phone wasn’t working properly. I immediately noticed water in the camera lens. Back in the bag of rice my phone went.
I asked Clifton to see if we were eligible for upgrades as a back up plan because I wasn’t sure my phone was going to make it this time. Luckily enough we were and so he ordered us each phones.
His shipped the next day.
Mine was on delay.
After his arrived, Clifton tried to switch me over to his old one temporarily and it wouldn't work.
September
A week and a half goes by and I'm still without a phone. I'm headed to the women’s clothing section of Target when I hear, “Dana Hall, can you please report to Guest Services. Dana Hall, please report to guest services.”
"Wait, what?"
"Do they mean me?" "Is there another Dana Hall in Target?" "Is this a joke?" "Who knows I’m here?"
As I approach they ask if I’m Dana Hall, to which I respond “yes” and they proceed to tell me that my husband called to say that our son got sick at the Y and needs to be picked up.
After a few moments of confusion and attempting to call my husband back using Target’s phone, I leave to go pick up my son.
The drive was only 15 minutes but I legit couldn’t get to him fast enough. The entire time I was fighting back tears while also managing extreme nausea that suddenly snuck up on me.
I get to the Y and my son is sitting in a circle with kids and actually seems to be feeling better. We head home where I give him some toast as he needs to eat but I’m not ready to be more ambitious yet as I evaluate his symptoms. As he’s eating my nausea is getting worse and worse and I’m laying on the floor mustering all the energy I can to pick him and put him down for his nap. Luckily it was a quick and easy feet. After I put him in his crib I walked to our bathroom and proceeded to get sick.
"Is this my first morning sickness experience?"
After I immediately felt better and almost sat down to work but thought better of it and took a nap. We both slept for 2.5 hours. While Sawyer woke up like nothing happened, I woke up feeling very weak and worn out.
The next 24 hours were rough. Constant nausea that was so strong I was begging to throw up just so I’d feel relief. Worry that my pregnancy had taken a turn and I was going to be sick for the rest of it. Worry that I ate something bad and concern for the babies. Worrying about keeping myself hydrated when I couldn’t keep anything down. Wondering if we’d be running to the ER in the middle of the night.
Relief finally arrived about 4am but it left me weak and exhausted.
The yard sale we planned to have was cancelled.
Our 5 year Wedding Anniversary dinner was cancelled.
My husband had to take off from work, shifts he requested, to take care of me and our son.
Monday comes and we’re up early and out the door for Sawyer’s 18 month check-up. On our way, my husband tells me he’s not feeling good – his stomach is bothering him. This is not very uncommon so we both assume he ate something that upset his stomach.
We get home and quickly find out it’s more than just a stomach bug. He’s sick, same as I was. Now I have to juggle mommin’ while getting my work done and help take care of my husband and get ready for my trip on Thursday.
This is a joke, right?
What is happening right now?
I haven’t had a phone for two weeks.
My son got sick.
I got sick.
My husband is now sick.
I’m a mom.
I’ve got a trip.
I’ve got my regular job.
I’ve got our Improv business.
I’ve got MacKid
We have a comedy festival in three weeks.
I have a doctors appointment Wednesday.
I was hoping to get a pedi before I leave.
The dishes are high in the sink.
There is still 4 loads of laundry to do.
I’m pregnant.
WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?!
My husband lives by the philosophy that everything will work out. I wish I did. I try to tell myself this again and again but it’s hard and doesn’t always work. As someone who grew up never knowing what mood my mom would be in or how she would act towards me I learned quickly to expect the unexpected and be prepared for everything. That unfortunately created a constantly anxious individual who is always worried about the future and what if’s. I’ve gotten much better over the years but a habit built over 30 years ago tends to be hard to get rid of.
I'm happy to say that everything did work out and I headed off to my trip to California which was so much more than I could have ever imagined and a post for another day.
I get back four days later, excited to see my family - they're both sick, with colds.
I can't make this up.
So all last week Sawyer and Clifton are sick and I'm behind on work from my trip, doing my best to juggle it all, while knowing I'm most likely going to get whatever they have any day.
Here I am today, two days before our very first improv festival fighting a lingering cold, that I'm doing my best to not get. My husband is working doubles since he'll be off for the festival, which leaves me working three jobs, mommin' and trying to take it easy so I don't get sick.
Sure, that shouldn't be a problem - haha!
Honestly, most of this is somewhat normal, just part of this crazy life of ours. It's the constant sickness I could use a break from. So if you're reading this universe...
