This past week – like, RIGHT after I posted at the end of my 18th week, we felt more than just a baby flutter, but a real kick.  And, Steven felt it too.  So, we can officially feel baby kicks and headbutts and such.

I’ve still been itchy and rashy, which isn’t really NEW – but, I did finally go to the doctor yesterday because it was getting to be a bit much (backtrack to yesterday’s post for more info about why).  Anyhow, my doctor pretty much looked at me, drew some blood, and found the baby’s heartbeat (and measured it) and then promptly told me to head over to the dermatologist (who she’d already called for me and they were waiting) because she’s “no good with rashes.”  I appreciated that.  I like people who aren’t afraid to admit that they aren’t know-it-alls and sometimes don’t know what to do and THEN they point you to someone who does (or figure it out).  Plus, she got me an appt for RIGHT THEN, so I wouldn’t have to make any phone calls or more trips.  Yay.

Before I left her office, I handed her some of the research I’d done online.  I had printed out an article from a medical journal and handed that to her, asking if she’d heard of it and if I seemed to match up.  She waved it off, saying it was probably nothing bad like that.  And, as grateful as I am for her positivity, I knew she wasn’t really sure.

So, I headed over to the dermatologist and kept my mouth shut about anything I’d researched and just let them ask me their questions and then practically flashed them all because they wanted to see ALL of the rashes.  And, they did.  And, since I’d just had blood drawn (from the most fantastic nurse EVER, because I never feel hardly anything), they were able to tack their labs onto that sample, rather than poke me again.  I was grateful…again.  The dermatologist shot me out a prescription for some steroid cream which is supposed to be safe for pregnancy (although the drugstore inserts always like to scare the bejeebus out of me).  I’m supposed to use this cream on my entire body where the rashes and itching occurs twice a day, and then come back in a week as we wait for my blood tests.  I really did try to get out of the follow up visit, but she was pretty much adamant.  They’re worried enough that they want to track the rashes – she wants to know if they disappear but I still have other symptoms, if they move at all, get bigger, get darker, change designs, etc.  So, I’ll be making that other trip into town (we country folk must drive an hour out to see our doctors, and *I* don’t have a car, making these trips a little bit of a pain in my ass…although sometimes necessary.)

So far, the dermatologist isn’t really sure WHAT it is that I have.  Whatever it is, it’s not a “classic representation” of anything.  As she looked over the rashes, she kept saying “There are tons of rashes that come with normal pregnancy, and this looks like none of them.  Cholestasis usually occurs later in pregnancy, so this wouldn’t be a classic case, but we should test anyhow since you match the symptoms and you don’t have to be a classic case to get it…”  Smiling, I reminded her that NONE of my pregnancy was really “classic.”

She’s going to test for the really bad stuff, as well as some other random things, and while I am hoping it’s not the bad stuff, it would be nice to know WHY so we would know HOW to fix it.  I tend to like to know when my body is acting kooky so I can fix the source, call me crazy.

Moods.  My moods have been a roller coaster lately, but most of that is not pregnancy-related, except for when I start crying because they killed a baby or kid in a movie.  Or, a dog.  Or, cow.  Or, when someone tells me detailed stories of a deer getting hit (thanks, mom) – that makes me cry.  But, besides all that…

Eating.  I’m definitely eating and getting some cravings.  Like Red’s donuts (no other kind will suffice).  And, like jalapeno poppers.  Of course, I give in to them because I figure that if I don’t, I’ll eat worse stuff just trying to make them go away, and in the end eat it anyhow.  And, also – because it MUST mean my body is deficient of something, right?  And, I can’t deprive the baby or it’s nutrient source (me) of things like grease and sugar and empty calories, now can I?  No, I cannot.

Nightmares.  I think I wrote about this last week, but I’m too lazy to go see.  Still having nightmares.  And, about the weirdest stuff.  Seriously, I am dreaming about the most whacked out crap.  Want to know my last nightmare before  I woke up?  My leftover donuts were stuck to the bag.  And, when I tried to peel them out, they tasted like nasty grease (almost like Walmart donuts, actually).  I was really sad, but that’s not an example of the worst of nightmares, just an example of the stupidity of them.  Donuts?  Really?  Most of the donuts …I mean, nightmares…wake me up and I’m all freaked out and tensed and want to be comforted and such – which is kind of hard when I’m demanding to not be touched due to the itching that will follow.

Exercising.  Hahahahahahahah.  That was funny.

Welcome back!