So Am I Pregnant Again?

Okay first off, the answer to that is no.

I have been feeling a little off, and when my husband did some woodworking I was overcome with the smell. I was worried because I am not quite ready for baby number three. I mean baby number two is, well not even one.

Here is why this post even bothers to make the blog. I wasn't stressed out of my gourd because of morning sickness. I didn't even think about it. It never crossed my mind until I decided to post. My fear was, well financial. I was worried about affording three kids in a not so pretty economy (am I alone on this? I doubt it...LOL).

So here it is. I went from feeling for about twentyfive years that I was the only person with emetophobia, to learning what was really wrong with me (thank you Dr. D but I am not BiPolar - I have emetophobia and a tinge of OCD), to getting married and suprise getting pregnant with baby #1, surviving pregnancy and choosing to have baby number two, to worrying about being pregnant with number three from a completely rational "normal person" fear of money.

So things with emet can get better. They do get better, and after everything you can lead the normal life you always dreamt of. I know my biggest fear growing up was getting pregnant, and now that I have done it twice and survived I am not afraid of it at all. Sigh...happy sigh...of relief.

Pondering The Emet Connection

There are so many of us out there and it would really help if we could get connected on a more personal level. granted I pretty much publish my life via the internet so I don't know how much more personal it gets (LOL).

So ideas. Should we add to the blog...

A discussion board (if so how)

Ways to contact each other via instant messanger

Any other ideas (Skype, Conference call, etc.)

Oh I just don't know but I have had a lot of people email me saying they want to talk to someone else that understands (crazy how alone we feel and I think, I really do, that it is in part because we don't know or understand that we really do have a true phobia that is driving some of our out of the ordinary behaviors.)

Give me your input.

Thanks.

An Emetophobe goes to the Emergency Room

It seems like just yesterday (the beginning of November to be exact) that I was sick the first time. I had a horrible head cold that took me down for a few days so I waould be safe for the next wfew months, right?

Wrong. It started on Monday with me feeling dizzy. I knew one of two things was happening. I was either pregnant again (not trying, but I do eventually want a third) or getting a sinus infection. I was wrong on both counts. As Monday turned into Tuesday and I still didn't feel better I realized that I have to get myself to the doctor. The problem, I don't actually have a general practitioner right now (it's complicated, but to sum things up my old MD is no longer on my current insurance).

I tried to put things off, then Wednesday, a low grade fever, and lots of green phlegm hit me. I had no choice but to go to the emergency clinic type place that is open all sorts of hours and my insurance covers (yet they don't cover my Dr. I had since 16, argh...). So around 4 on Wednesday I sucked it up and went off to see the emergency type doctor guy.

Here is the thing, when you have emetophobia going to the emergency room, or even taking the kids to the doctors is a serious issue. You don't want to be surrounded by germs, who knows who sat in that waiting room chair before you and what if they had Swine Flu, or even worse Norovirus (the black plague to us emets). I was of course prepared with plenty of hand sanitizer, my own pen for signing things, and wet ones wipes to wipe down the chair, bottom of my purse, chair handles, you name it. I looked like a freak, but what is a girl to do.

When I finally got into see the doctor he had the nurse try to give me a throat swab. She tried like five times before just giving up. I can not deal with throat swabs, I try sitting on my hands, she tried holding my tongue, but I am so scared it will make me throw up I snap my mouth shut. She consulted the Doctor, he spent all of one minute with me and diagnosed me with bronchitis.

He started writing me a prescription for cough medicine and antibiotics until I told him that I was nursing and he nixed the whole cough syrup deal. I was kind of bummed because I am not a fan of coughing (again fear something is going to come up).

I walked out the door and realized, oh dear the prescription was of erythromycin a.k.a. the stomach killer. I again freaked out but then realized there was nothing I could do.

I have been taking the stomach killer for a week now with some serious tummy issues (hence the lack of posts). I am feeling better, but I probably won't be posting as often as I would like too.

Hope you all have been able to stay well.

Is The Swine Flu Over?

It seems like I have been hearing less and less about the Swine Flu. In fact no one I know has gotten it in the past few weeks so I am hoping, fingers crossed, that it has run its course.

I know the Swine Flu shots are now easier to obtain and I should take my kids, but I still haven't. I mean the fact that their doctor opted not to offer the shot kind of sent a red flag up in my eye. There doctor advocates a yearly flu shot, but won't even carry the Swine Flu vaccine, I'm just saying that is a little odd.

So as the second wave of Swine Flu slows down I will just keep my fingers crossed that the third wave never hits.

Gossip Girl

Well you know the thing is I have a life outside the wild world of emetophobia and one of them is television. I like bad tv. I like Gossip Girl, 90210, and even Melrose place.
I lead a pretty darn normal life. I am working on starting a crafting business, teaching my children all sorts of fun things, and having fun adventures, and you know what I live life without worrying about getting sic every five minutes.

So what are your bad television habits? And wouldn't it be great to see an emetophobe on television. What show would they work on, and who? Silver on 90210 or Blair Waldorf and her perfection on GG?

Pregnant with Emetophobia - You Can Do It

I feel like this is my biggest question ever, how do I get through pregnancy if I have emetophobia?

It is so very stressful, initially. The whole, oh no I am going to get morning sickness, how am I going to do this, etc. The thing is after you get over the initial shock and fear about how this will impact your emetophobia you will begin to relax and learn that this whole morning sickness thing is so overrated. I did not, I repeat did not, throw up during my first pregnancy. I was nauseous, and got the dry heaves, but something amazing overtakes your body, you focus on the baby and the emet melts away (unfortunately it came back after babies one and two).

Seriously you are so focused on your pregnancy that you really don't have time to worry about getting sick. I am not kidding you.

Have faith in yourself, you can do this, and it is so very amazing and worth it. I am even contemplating getting pregnant with my third as we speak.

It is scary, but I pretty much posted on this site during my whole pregnancy so feel free to look back and explore all of my old posts. Good luck to all of you who are plannign on taking the leap. you can do it. You are not alone. I am there for you.

Craft Blog Love

Lately I have been obsessed with all these crafty blogs. I love the crafting goodness, the refashionistas, and the true artists out there.

I want to start a crafty blog, but a few things are stopping me.

1. I already have two or three blogs that I don't even bother writing about.
2. I have two kids with ridiculous schedules. I don't know how or why but I have them in every activity known to man.
3. I am not all that crafty.

So maybe if I ever get around to it, and that is a big maybe, I will post some crafty goodness for you all on this lovely mental health blog. Yeah fear of vomiting and refashioning old t-shirts, they totally go together don't you think...LOL