09-5-2008 - Concert Season

My mood while writing this blog: Ok

I am a traveling elementary school band teacher. I have 3 schools, which means 3 concerts in December and 3 concerts in May. Concert season is always stressful; there's the planning and preparation, hoping the kids do well (as their performance is a reflection of your teaching, afterall). There's the logistical planning: typing up and copying programs for three concerts, seating charts, music selection, awards (in May), band shirts (in December), getting the chairs/stands/instruments/music from point A to point B and back again afterwards. The first is usually the most stressful because you're really nervous about how it's going to go. The second is a breeze and the third is torture because you JUST WANT TO BE DONE ALREADY!

When it came time to do my concerts in December I was 16 weeks pregnant with my first child. I worked hard and got each of the three concerts done successfully. The last one was on Dec 13th. Once it's all over I ALWAYS end up sick. I guess it's my body finally letting its defenses down. December was absolutely no different. I woke up sick Dec 14th. I was coughing and had a stuffy head, fever - the whole 9 yards. It's normal for me, so I thought nothing of it. It's also normal to get sick when you're pregnant.

Exactly one week later I was in the ER with SHARP cramps and had been spotting. They did an ultrasound and we saw a happy baby. They listened with the doppler and we heard a strong heartbeat. They took urine samples (with a catheter - I do NOT recommend it), did a pelvic exam, took plenty of blood and wound up sending me home with no answers. The next morning I miscarried and we discovered that I had contracted an infection that had spread into my blood stream. It was determined that this is what caused the miscarriage.

This pregnancy will be different. I have to be on top of my health. I have to be the NUMBER ONE advocate for my own health. I KNOW this pregnancy will go full-term (or at least long enough for a healthy baby).

So here it is, concert season again. I had a concert on Tuesday, then another one Yesterday and the last one this coming Monday. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. It still hurts. I have been having headaches as well (nothing new in pregnancy though). After talking with my husband, we decided that I needed to call the OB and find out what they think I should do.

At lunch I called the triage line and received a call back half an hour later. They told me to go to the ER. I negotiated (can't afford the ER right now...or at least I would rather not have to try to afford it) and we settled on urgent care. I will go when I get off work.

I have been dreading May for the past 2 months (since I found out we were pregnant again). Afterall, these are the same circumstances under which we lost our last child. I was scared that it could happen again, and now it is starting. I hope I am able to stay on top of this for the next 6 months. I will update again this evening.