googling ailments leads you here
if you were to google ’round ligament pain’ you would be given a ton conflicting information (like most things when it comes to internet-diagnosing yourself for whatever is pestering you. which is why i continue to google my pregnancy ailments. because that makes sense.)
you’ll read that ’round ligament pain’ is sharp. and dull. and a shooting pain. and only lasts a few seconds. but is also a longer-lasting ache.
you’ll read that it can lead to cramping, but if it does, you should call your doctor.
but then you’ll read that the sharp, stabbing pain can lead to lower abdominal cramping. so that’s fun.
and then you’ll read about calling your doctor if there is also nausea and vomiting associated with the sharp but dull shooting but longer-lasting pain because IT’S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING AT ANY OTHER POINT THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY.
it’s not at all confusing. actually, it’s pretty straight forward.
which is why i have been on the phone with my obgyn’s nurse most mornings of this week, and is also why i have a prenatal massage scheduled for tomorrow morning.
because i’m totally on top of knowing my body and understanding all of its happenings. i’ve been to this horse-and-pony ride before.
my body is totally a wonderland.
my solution for the dog has people questioning my sanity (no surprise)
red has behaved so horribly since we moved. honestly, he’s been awful and i have even referred to him as “a marley dog” on more than one occasion. and yes, i know he’s a lab and high-energy and needs a lot of attention and and and… but he’s trained. he is five years old and he’s trained.
he knows better. and he’s still being a bastard.
nothing is enough for him. no amount of attention, outside time, treats, walks, play time, none of it is ever enough. and ya know what? it needs to be enough, because while i love animals and think they’re fantastic, the bottom line is, they’re animals. my dog is not going to take priority over the humans in my life.
we treat him well. red is very loved. even on the days when he takes out his anger on us by leaving surprise turds throughout the house because we left him for a few hours, we still love him. he pisses us off, but we love him. he annoys the hell out of us, but we love him.
it dawned on me this weekend, when discussing red’s abundant attention-grabbing antics, that i may have a solution to this problem. i have figured out how to occupy the dog while still being able to live our lives.
we need a second dog.
i’ve mentioned it to a few people and have gotten mixed responses. some people think it’s a great idea and that red having a companion would help out his current shitty behavior. and other people think my pregnant status has caused me to multiply everything in my life, including canines, which is just crazy.
here’s the thing though… i am crazy. i was crazy enough to go along with paul and pick out red to bring home 3 days before paul left for japan for months. i’m crazy enough to add kids to this wack-a-doo world that we live in. pretty sure i’m crazy enough to seriously consider getting a dog for the dog.
red needs a friend. and i may just be crazy enough to find one for him… thereby filling our lives with more shit than i ever thought possible.
*EDITED TO ADD* comments below are awesome and give me a lot to think about… but i should mention that a cat is not an option for us as i am DEATHLY allergic to them. so thanks to those of you who have offered another type of animal as a suggestion, but a cat would literally kill me. kthxbye!
the secret is out
paul went with me to my doctor’s appointment this morning…
pickle is doing great! growing and swimming and being just all around awesome.
we found out what we’re having and want to share the news with you, click on over here to find out!
(hint… we are tickled!)
the klug crew: tuesday, all things considered
billy’s latest post can be found by clicking here.
there is something i have always loved about male writers. even thinking back to creative writing classes i took in high school, the guys who were in my classes were some of the most unique voices and perspectives that i enjoyed. and now, some of my most treasured blogs that i read are written by men. why is that? why am i so intrigued by the male writer? i’ve never been able to put my finger on it… is it simply the fact that they’re male? is it that their voice is so different from that of a female? is there a sensitivity that comes with a male artist that i admire? a vulnerability not typically seen in the average male? i don’t know. maybe a combination of all of the above. whatever “it” is that i have always adored about male writers, my friend billy has it. and as much as i admire him already, and have for the years that i have known him, it’s his writing that really strikes a chord with me.
(more simply said, you should read his post today.)
after getting a solid night of rest (that was surprisingly uninterrupted by pee breaks. i think i am THAT TIRED that i prefer to just pee myself than get out of bed… not that i peed the bed, i’m just sayin), i feel like i am capable of expressing a somewhat coherent thought today.
i’ve attempted to wrap my brain around this entire ependymoma situation that our friends and their very brave two year old are up against. i can’t do it. at least i haven’t been able to do it yet. i don’t know if my anger or fear or my love/hate relationship with my faith is keeping me from piecing all of this together… i dunno.
what i do know is that the brilliant surgeons who worked on sweet malorie yesterday, were able to go home saying “i did a damn good job at work today.” i can wrap my brain around that.
paul and i are finding that when we talk about billy and rachel, we are constantly using the phrase, “all things considered…” and i’m wondering now if perhaps that phrase is something that should be used more often, or at least reflected on more often.
how was your day?
well, all things considered, i’d say it was…
how’s the job search going?
all things considered, not bad…
when you stop and think for a second about the number of times in each day that you are asked “how are you? how’s it going? doin ok today?” by anyone, stranger or friend, it’s A LOT.
how do you answer those questions? do you have enough of a perspective on life to pause and say, “all things considered…” before answering? i don’t know that i do. i’m not convinced yet that i have enough perspective on life and its fragility like my friend billy does.
what i do know is that all things considered, today is a day to celebrate. there is a beautiful little girl who survived insurmountable odds yesterday in enduring a surgery that to most is simply unreal. so whatever comes their way this week, whatever results the biopsy shows, whatever bumps are along malorie’s road to recovery… all things considered, today is a day to celebrate.
the klug crew: monday 7:59 am
UPDATE 7:38 pm EST, from Billy’s facebook page: “I’m so happy I am sick to my stomach. The surgeon said tumor is 100% removed and there is no noticeable nerve damage. It was ependymoma, so more analysis needed as to malignancy. More details on blog later tonight after I take a deep breath and kiss my baby girl. Thanks to everyone for the prayers and praise Jesus for being Mal’s keeper.”
if you have seen my facebook page or my twitter stream, you know we are absolutely DELIRIOUS with this huge success. getting the news directly from rachel’s very exhausted but joyous voice just made today’s victory that much sweeter.
make sure to check billy and rachel’s blog later tonight for more detailed updates.
and, THANK YOU for your continued and unwavering support. the posts and updates will continue as i receive them and learn more about the road they have ahead of them.
UPDATE 4:29 pm EST, from Billy’s facebook page: “90% OF THE TUMOR HAS BEEN REMOVED!!! no signs of complications yet. still no results from lab biopsy.”
UPDATE: 3:20 pm EST, please check Billy and Rachel’s most recent blog post for the most current and detailed information.
UPDATE: 1:49 pm EST, from Billy’s facebook page: “Just got a call from the surgeons. The first tissue samples have been removed and are undergoing preliminary analysis now. Procedure expected to last 2-3 more hours. They will come tell us their findings soon.”
please visit their blog here for more info.
i will keep you posted as i receive more information.
all updates that i am receiving from family are immediately going on my facebook page and my twitter account with the hashtag #PrayersForMal
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i’ve been awake for hours, though i know what i feel in the pit of my stomach is absolutely nothing compared to our friends, billy and rachel.
surgery for malorie is scheduled to begin at 8. she will likely be in the operating room for a big chunk of the day and i will update you here as soon as i get word that she is out.
for the last two days that paul and i have had knowledge of what our friends are up against, i have gone back and forth between anxiously anticipating today, wanting it to arrive, wanting to know this demon of a tumor is out of sweet malorie’s brain… and i have also been scared to see today arrive. i’ve watched the clock, willing it to slow down out of my own selfishness and fear.
from my home-front, i have been able to connect with rachel’s godmother, who will most likely keep me posted until i can speak with either rachel or billy themselves. rachel has lost her voice, so she and i were able to text back and forth yesterday. she told me that malorie was “fiesty” yesterday, which instantly made me cry, because she is such a fiesty child, just like her daddy… a dimpled spitfire, which is one of the things i love most about both her and her dad.
when i dropped jackson off at school this morning, i gave him extra hugs from his godparents, billy and rachel. then i kissed the top of his head from malorie… for malorie.
and now we wait.
please head over to billy and rachel’s blog to send love and support. his most recent post was last night. you can find that by clicking here. if you are just arriving here and need to catch up, please start by reading billy’s post here.
as always, thank you for the kindness and support that you have shown our friends. it does not go unnoticed.
Have a Sip
