I've hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy! It's been no mean feat, so I'm celebrating by writing a blog post. My brain is even more frazzled than before and cannot be trusted (I leave items in the randomest places having thought I've put them away and my husband doesn't ask for my help at all much anymore as I've lost all the little common sense I had!) but I shall try my best to relay my experiences so far, for anyone interested.
My constant companions, Sickness and Extreme Exhaustion, are finally taking the hint they're not wanted and leaving me at times. Extreme Exhaustion seems very reluctant to leave, I think he feels at home amongst the M.E symptoms. Together they've made the first half of pregnancy a lot tougher than my previous ones. I didn't have as much extra exhaustion with the first two as I have with this one.
I was getting new symptoms crop up before pregnancy, but even more so in pregnancy. Symptoms like leg cramps, burning sensations in one leg, increased headaches, increased dizzy spells, increased breathlessness, pelvic pain, pulling muscles, thirst, and more. All symptoms of both M.E and pregnancy and it's hard to tell what's what. My usual M.E symptoms are still always there and have become more prevalent.
I got my hopes up the other week, when I was given an appointment with a consultant, that M.E might be taken into consideration when dealing with my pregnancy, particularly during labour and birth. Alas, a debilitating trip to the hospital resulted in nothing more than a quick chat to say there's nothing that can be done and they don't need to see me again. It never gets easier being told there's nothing that can be done. One midwife has taken it seriously though, so it gives me hope that another may. It's more prominent in my notes now thanks to her.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Motherhood is the toughest job I've had to do, but the rewards far outweigh the negatives. I was devastated when illness made me lose my job and my social life. The prognosis of M.E was a hard pill to swallow. At 26 I thought my life was resigned to nothingness. But thanks to the support of my husband, family and friends I'm able to be a mother and life has gained more meaning and fulfillment than I could have hoped for. I am the world to these little people. I may not be the most active, entertaining mum, but I am always there for my kids, I'm always available for cuddles and they know they are loved.
