Pink Unicorns and Blueberry Snow Cones…and a Big Announcement (Really!)

 

Morning, folks! If you are one of the eight followers reading my blog when you're taking your iPad to the bathroom, you must be wondering, “Where has she been?”

I’m sorry for being away for so long and not dropping you a line – just like Roy, that guy you dated back in high school. After a date you thought went well, he never called you. Oh, wait. In the nineties, wasn’t it all about pagers? He never paged you – or me. J Ok, done with high school reminiscing.

I guarantee you I’m no Roy. At least I have a good reason for not being in touch.

Five weeks ago, I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and had to be hospitalized and put on bed rest until my baby was born. Preeclampsia happens when you have high blood pressure and too much protein in your urine. There are other symptoms as well, but those are some of the big ones.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan once said that he wished hospitals didn’t have that health requirement to check in, otherwise he’d do it because it combines eating in bed and sleeping – his favorite activities. Well, I should tweet him to set the record straight.

There’s no sleeping; the term “bed rest” is used loosely. Every half hour, someone walks in to check on you, and while on a daily basis I love getting attention, after a while it gets old. And the food! Think airline food, but they let it cool down for about four hours before serving it to you. Soggy steamed broccoli. Yum!

My baby must have been tired of that food too, because at 31 weeks and four days, he decided he’d had enough and it was time to come out. So, for the past four weeks, Oliver has been in the NICU, growing and recovering from a surgery he needed due to a leak in his stomach. My blood pressure spiked after his birth because I was so stressed out. Every time the nurse came to take a reading, I’d try to visualize pink unicorns and blueberry snow cones to get relaxed so I could get a better reading. A friend of mine suggested I think of Ryan Gosling to calm down, but I tried it once and it didn’t work. Wonder why.

Anyway, now I have good news: My BP is stable and Oliver is doing well. He’s been a fighter – he’s supposed to come home in a month or so. He’s very cute and full of personality, and the nurses always comment on his facial expressions. What can I say? Kiddo has a flair for the dramatic. J

Anyway. So there you have it. Stay tuned for writing-related news soon!