Doctor's Orders

So, I had a baby check-up appointment yesterday. The nurse was very friendly and we were talking about my infuriating stroller with one crazy shopping cart like wheel. She was telling me about her stroller nightmares as she was taking my blood pressure and then she suddenly stopped talking. She scrunched up her face and took it again, this time silent. Perplexed, she took it one more time. I then felt the need to tell her that whatever was wrong, it was me. She looked at me like I was going to tell her I had some medical problem, but what I really needed to tell her was this kind of stuff always happens to me and the things around me. I can't tell you the number of times I have heard, "I have been doing this for ____ (fill in appropriate number of years) and I have NEVER seen anything like this before". Well, she agreed, she had never seen a blood pressure so low. 82/20 to be exact. She called in another nurse to take it again and she came up with the same thing.

I wasn't that worried at the time (I usually have low blood pressure and my mom had low blood pressure) and I was actually glad to hear that there might be a medical reason for the EXTREME fatigue I have been feeling. We have had so many illnesses go though our house this winter that it is hard to know what symptom goes to what condition. I get dizzy every now and then, but I thought it was because of the head colds. There have been several times I have told Sam that I really didn't feel well and I needed to eat something right away, but he always looked at me like I was kind of rude when I had to start eating without him (he does tend to dilly dally - sorry Sam but you do). After talking to the doctor and hearing that a drop in blood pressure is common, I may be anemic and that I was probably dehydrated, I thought okay and went on my way. By the way, baby is fine with a heart rate of 150 - maybe the rumor is true and it's a girl?

Out of curiosity, I called my mom to find out what her numbers were and when I told her mine I thought she was going to pass out. I called the nurse back and explained that during the last 3 pregnancies nothing like this happened and didn't they think that 82/20 was a bit too low. She said that the only REAL symptom of clinical low blood pressure was dizziness and blacking out. Can you just imagine me passed out? Laney would head straight for the cabinet and start stuffing her face with marshmallows and Owen would probably toss powdered sugar over my limp body. Unfortunately, that is just the way it goes and they cannot do anything to prevent it other than instructing me to change my diet. Thanks lady! Anyway, her medical advice: drink a soda and eat some salty chips. She said that sugar and salt were good for retaining fluid and increasing blood pressure. Being the rule-follower that I am I decided to stop by Zingerman's this morning and get myself some "medicine".

A decaf coffee and, my favorite, a sugar crisp muffin. By the way, I think the French Breakfast Puffs the Pioneer Woman Cooks whipped up are the same thing - I am both excited and scared to death because they are really good, but not too good for you (note the 2/3 c shortening and 2 sticks of butter). I think the only thing that puffs when you make these is your bottom.

Anyway, the "medicine" seems to be working because my blood pressure is up to 90/56. So, by the end of this pregnancy my blood pressure should be just fine, but I will probably weigh 400 pounds, have clogged arteries and diabetes...

By the way, I added a widget to my sidebar that counts down the days until your due date, but I have to say, it is really starting to creep me out. Have you seen how fast that skinny little baby spins? That is probably an accurate picture of my kids who all have superhuman energy, but still kind of strange.