The Early Experience

It wasn't until thursday, September 18th 2008, that we were able to get another ultrasound. I went through so much trying to schedule this appointment. I guess everybody needed an ultrasound at that time. They were fully booked. Finally, around 1pm on this day, we saw our little angel for the first time. It was nothing but a yolk sac with a heart beat but it was the most beautiful creature we had ever seen. It felt so wonderful, no words can explain. It measured 6weeks and 1day old. The lady performing the ultrasound asked me if I was getting sick and I replied....NO.... I should have knocked on wood. I did not start getting sick until around the following weekend. I would get so nauseous and weak I could barely do something around the house. I could't cook...I couldn't clean...I couldn't exercise....and all I did was throw up. I hated all kinds of food and smells. I even hated how James smell. I did not want him close to me. I had just changed jobs and at this time I was working on the geriatric psychiatry floor at Johns Hopkins. My new co-workers probably thought I hated the job because I was so miserable. The pictures here show when Audrey was just weeks pregnant. Oh the swimsuit one was just days or maybe one week pregnant.

Being a nurse at that time was the hardest thing to do. I hated the smell of all the pills I had to give my patients and watching them take the pills was so difficult because it made me want to puke. The worst part was when I had to assist a patient get washed up. The smell of all perfumes or colognes or body gels was so overwhelming. Not to mention the smell of my patients' urine and poop....Yuck...It was a battle to even brush my teeth in the morning because I hated and still hate the smell of mint. I stopped brushing my teeth at night because I just couldn't bring myself to do that twice a day. I knew all the bathrooms at Johns Hopkins Hospital just in case I had run in and puke my guts out. This was horrible but James was always there to help me get through it. He did all the cooking and the cleaning and the running around. And oh...he had to make a lot of runs to the grocery store to get me my cravings. I could only eat the things that I craved. It started with pineapple and then I hated pineapples, then I was craving all sorts of unhelathy Ghanaian dishes like palmnut soup, but of course I was too weak to make it and James doesn't know how to make that so I lived on cerelac for a while and then all I ate was mangoes. I could eat mango after mango after mango. I don't know what I would have done without James during those days. He helped me so much and showed me so much love and never complained about anything and I love him for that ( I always love him).

Onthe 29th of September, James and I went for another OB appointment. We heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time. We had see it the first time around but this time we could hear it. The heartbeat was strong and 156BPM.

On November 6th, on my sister Sandra's birthday, we had another OB appointment and everything was fine. I was feeling better at this point. My morning sickness was history and I had my energy back. I was back to doing all the things I used to do including going to the gym and eating my salads etc. My life was normal now. Well not all that normal but special because my body is the home for a very special baby and thus I have a lot of restrictions.....I can't wear my favorite heels, I can't eat too much of my favorite tuna salad sandwich, and I can only exercise moderately and lift weights moderately. But that is okay because my life has so many things that make me feel blessed and special and fills my heart with joy. Everything means so much more to me now. I see christmas lights and I cry...weird?

On December 9th, I went for my OB appointment alone because James had to work. I missed him so much. He is my support person and not having him there created a void. I felt the cold gel on my abdomen, then the wand. Very soon, I heard our baby's heartbeat nice and strong and again it was 156BPM. It felt so wonderful and again, words cannot explain.