When Clean Underwear Isn't Enough

Mamas often tell their kids to make sure to wear clean undies just in case they get in an accident. What mamas need to be teaching their kids is that, no matter how strongly you believe you can laze around in PJs all day because you don't need to go out of the house and no one will see you, people will come to you - so dress up and look decent already!

I had such a day last Wednesday. Our morning playgroup was canceled. Aside from dropping Gabe at the bus stop after lunch I didn't have to leave the house. I.e. I wasn't going to be seen by anyone.

Right?

Wrong!

I let Gideon and Zion stay in their jammies. I, at least, put on a pair of jeans. Accompanied by my most comfy sweatshirt (read, my favorite 15 year old, ratty, threadbare, holey sweatshirt). I put on no make up and put my hair up in a pony tail. I looked, well, I don't even know if there are adequate words for how dumpy I looked that day. Remember, when you picture this in your mind, that I'm also massively pregnant. he he

That morning a dear friend from my Bible study called and asked if she could come help with a big chore around the house suggesting scrubbing toilets or my stove. Well, as luck would have it, I had already had the wishful thought that someone would come and clean my stove top so I said yes.

So, I get Gabe to the bus and Gideon and Zion down for nap and Friend comes over and goes to work. A little while into it she starts feeling overheated so I open a window and ask her if I can feed her or if she needs to take a break. At first she says no but then after a bit confesses that she doesn't think she is going to be able to finish so I have her sit down and get her some water. By the time I get back with it though she is flat out on my couch and having massive muscle contractions that are contorting her arms and hands and she is in a great deal of pain.

I call 911 and explain that my friend is having an episode of some sort and needs to be seen. I didn't think about what I expected to happen until after my house was full of people but I really thought they'd send an EMT unit with two people. I did not expect the EMT unit with two people and their five friends. I ended up with three emergency vehicles in front of my house and more people in my living room then it's seen in a while. Stove Cleaning Friend, me, my other friend who was visiting, and seven firefighters and EMTs.

Wow.

While they were checking out Friend the kids started to fuss so pregnant ol' me waddles up the stairs and comes down with Gideon on my hip and Zion in tow. It was only then that I realized what I must have looked like. Threadbare Mama looking worse than a celebrity caught with no make-up on for the cover of a tabloid with a three-year old, two-year old and one due practically any day.

I don't feel bad for having kids or having them close together. But I do wish we'd looked perhaps a little more like ourselves that day and a little less like a family out of Grapes of Wrath.

Let that be a lesson to ya! Even if you think you won't be seen, you never know. At least put on a little mascara and shirt without holes for cryin' out loud!
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And don't worry about my friend. They took her to the hospital and ran a battery of tests and suspect that she had a potassium crash which effected, not only her muscles, but her blood pressure (they EMTs couldn't get a bottom number at all when she was here) but they sent her home later the same day and I've seen her a number of times since then and she feels fine. Next time she comes I told her I'm making her eat a banana!

Kudos to all the folks who showed up to help my friend. They were really awesome, especially the gal who said my house smelled fantastic (I was baking bread at the time) and the guy who I nearly gave a heart attack to because he showed up a little later and when I answered the door I think he thought the call was for me and well, he was expecting a "woman having an episode" not a "lady about to pop". The look of relief on his face when I pointed to the back of the house and said "she's back there" was priceless.
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On another note, I have an ultrasound tomorrow. I really, really hope this will be my last one. They will once again check the position of the placenta and the cord and check baby's size and position. Baby has been head down the last two visits to my midwife so - woohoo! I'm praying that everything will look perfect and I'll get the green light for the birth center birth I have been hoping for. Feel free to pray with me!

Also, I've had some signs that this baby won't be satisfied coming late like the others. A couple of times I've wondered if I would be calling my midwife by the end of the night. While that sounds well and good it's just too early. If baby wants to come before 37 my midwife will have to transfer my care to an OB for a hospital delivery. So. I also need this baby to wait just a little longer. June 7 or 8th to be 37 weeks. Stick around just a wee bit more Little One. :)