32 Weeks and the H1N1 Vaccine

Last night marked my 32 week check up and it was an interesting one. I was accompanied by Dan and his mom, who is in town visiting until November 8th. I was pleased Dan came because the appointment was the same time as game 5 of the World Series, which could have been the last one. By the time we got home the game was over. Luckily for Dan, the Yankees lost and will move on to game 6.

I started with the typical weigh-in which this week was a little more than average. I am supposed to be gaining 1 pound per week which up until now, I was doing beautifully. I weighed 166 which was 4 pounds more than my 2 week ago weigh-in. I attributed it to eating not so healthily this past weekend. My goal is to gain only 2 pounds before my next visit on November 16th. My blood pressure was good at 108/70, and that is about what registers at all my visits. I measured exactly 32 cm which lines up perfectly with me being 32 weeks. I asked the doctor about my swelling because over the weekend my right foot swelled up a lot and my left foot barely at all. I had no pain but it tingled when I took a step. Also the skin half way up my leg into my shin was pink. The doctor said it is a normal amount of swelling and not to worry. Apparently veins don’t operate as well on the right side of your body so that could be why the circulation isn’t as good and the swelling has increased.

We heard Nathan’s heart beat and it was wonderful for Dan’s mom. Aside from her own three children, she’s not heard the fetal heart beat of another grandchild-to-be.

Then came the emotional part of the visit. Dan and I decided it would be best for me to receive the H1N1 vaccination and since I am in a high risk group, I was able to get it from my doctor. This was an issue that I went back and forth with for months and months, trying to decide if it would be okay for Nathan. I wasn’t concerned in the least about myself because I am not an anti-vaccine person. For this one, however, it was the fear of the unknown in how the unborn baby is affected. Months ago when I first talked with my doctor about this vaccine he said it is perfectly safe for pregnant women and if I were his wife, he would tell me to get it. I kept replaying that conversation in my head last night while sitting on the table in anticipation. The nurse came in to administer it. As the nurse got to my arm, I looked at Dan and told him to remind me that it would not harm Nathan. Dan could not tell how serious I was at that moment and made light of my question. My response to him was not to joke because this was a serious question. I put my head down as the nurse got prepared for the injection. The nurse then asked if I was having second thoughts when he could see my eyes welling up with tears. I shook my head. I then placed my right hand on my tummy and the vaccine was administered. I thought about Nathan and silently prayed that everything would be okay. Then I just lost it and all my emotions came flooding out down my cheeks. Dan came up to me and started telling me scientifically how the vaccine was inert and just the protein coat, how I wasn’t getting a live virus and how the media was making way more of a bigger deal about this than necessary. He reminded me that the risks involved with me getting the flu are far worse than any side effect of the vaccine. He and the nurse also told me that if Dr. Eichel (my doctor) told me that the vaccine was okay then to trust him. In my mind, I knew ALL of this was correct. I know I did the right thing. But in my heart I was absolutely terrified. I feel like 100% of what happens to Nathan before he’s born is my sole responsibility. Everything I eat, he eats. Everything I drink, he drinks. And everything that is injected in me is injected into him. I am carrying the most precious cargo that God has blessed us with. On the bright side, I am now vaccinated against the H1N1 flu. I just continue to pray that everything will be alright with Nathan.

My next appointment is November 16th.

Kisses,
Toni