About My Pregnancy and MVP

I thought that I would share about my heart condition, and how my pregnancy went just in case it can be helpful to others or just amusing.

As I said in my last blog I have a heart murmur called Mitral Valve Prolapse with Dysautonomia. Now this is a very common heart murmur among women. It is a struggle to live with and, at times, can be quite debilitating. The hardest part of MVP is the struggle with panic attacks, low blood pressure, and angina. All in all the panic attacks are the worst. Sometimes it gets so bad you don't want to leave your house, be in large groups of people, or drive depending on where and what set off your attack. One thing that people with MVP have to give up is caffeine...so yep you guessed it CHOCOLATE! Now how ironic is it that this murmur MOSTLY effects women and WE have to give up chocolate! That is the one special treat that makes us forget about all our woes (mostly men) and has a natural calming effect...so much for grabbing a chocolate bar during those panic attacks! OK, so I filled you in a little bit about my MVP so that explaining my pregnancy symptoms will make more sense.

My 1st Trimester:
I found out that I was pregnant at 4 weeks (July 16, 2008). I knew that I felt different that month, I just knew I was pregnant. I did that classy thing (HA ha yeah right) and went to CVS to purchase a pregnancy test. I was so incredibly eager to know that I went ahead and tested right there at the store (yeah like I said CLASSY). That test screamed PREGNANT before I could wait 2 minutes!! So, I went home in a daze and called my hubby to tell him the news. He did not act surprised (his family has some 6th sense about pregnant women lol). When he arrived home we bought another test just to make sure (and YES I was pregnant). The next day I called the doc's office and set up an appointment for July 30th. At the appointment they did an ultrasound and I was 6 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I got to see my little "rice baby" as I called it since the little thing was no bigger than a grain of rice. Dr. Banks tried to talk to me and explain ALL the things that I might go through...but even that wasn't enough to prepare me. It was about 2 days later that the morning sickness began. It was HORRIBLE! Nothing that I could eat would taste good, and even if it had it would be coming back up soon anyway. My heart was racing off the charts, and flipping and skipping beats left and right. My anxiety was at an all time high and I couldn't take as much medication because of the pregnancy. My second check-up with Dr. Banks (August 13th) went alright. I had another ultrasound and I was 8 weeks and 1 day pregnant. At this point everyone but a handful thought that I was going to be having a girl. I don't know why they just did. I continued to be sick and my poor husband was working 40 hours and taking over my house wife duties lol. Finally football season rolled around and every Saturday we got to go to my Dad's house to watch us some good 'ole ALABAMA FOOTBALL ROLL TIDE!!! I went back to the Doc's office September 4th for a Downs Syndrome check and all the results came back normal Praise the Lord!! Alabama continued to win their games and finally when my 12th week rolled around I could start to breathe easier and keep food down (for that I was grateful).

My 2nd Trimester:
Two weeks into my 2nd trimester I was feeling FANTASTIC with all kinds of energy! Mo's Mom and middle sister Shazia (and her twin babies) came to visit us for the Muslim holiday called Eid. Mo's Mom made some spicy food and that was the first time I felt my baby move (Tues. September 30th 15 weeks)! I had another routine check-up with Dr. Banks (October 2nd). He just checked baby's heart beat and sent me home very pleased that I didn't look "green" anymore. Alabama STILL continued to win their games and finally the big day for me, my husband, and Baby Dinky Doo (as my mother had affectionately nicknamed it) arrived. October 23rd I was 18 weeks and 2 days pregnant. We showed up at the Doc's office hearts racing for our baby's anatomy test. Now, like I said, almost EVERYONE thought that this child was a girl...so me and my husband did too from our "brain-washing" lol. We had decided on names already, but mostly we were deciding on how to spell the girls name we chose which was Sunnie/Sunny Marie (my middle name) Syed. Now if it was a boy he would be Shawn Danish (Mo's middle name) Syed. It came time in the ultrasound to find out if it was a boy or girl and I laughed so hard when I saw I was having Mr. Shawn lol. There was NO DOUBT that my baby was a boy! His daddy was so proud. We were ecstatic telling the family (who mostly were shocked but delighted). Alabama continued to win their games, I continued to feel fabulous and took over my house wife duties again PLUS some, and the holidays were approaching! Mo and I threw a Halloween party and a Christmas party with a turn-out of 20 people or more at each. The Holidays, my 23rd Birthday and my routine appointments (November 20th and December 18th) seemed to fly right by and then I was in my last stretch of pregnancy! Oh and Alabama beat Auburn for once in like seven years and they were #1 in the country too (until Florida...ugh).

My 3rd Trimester (so far):
My 3rd Trimester started off with my WIC appointment. WIC is a government program that helps Moms and their children to better afford milk, eggs, cheese, and so on and to keep them healthy. Basically you have these coupons you get every month to buy milk, cereal, juice, eggs, cheese and peanut butter or dried beans. This program is truly a blessing as it has helped many young families who struggle to afford the new lifestyle with baby. Also at this point in my pregnancy I noticed that I was starting to slow down and feel tired and restless again like I did in my 1st trimester. I had a Doc appointment January 8th (29 weeks and 2 days) and Shawn was doing very well. Dr. Banks told me that at this time I was going to start coming in every two weeks to see him. January 18th Mo's Mom and Dad came in town from Chicago to spend some time with us since my Baby Shower was January 24th. I had another routine check-up January 22nd (My Mom's B'day) and then two days later it was Baby Shower time! My Mom, my Cousins Rachael, Jessica, Sarah, and Jennifer, my Aunt Brenda, my Friends Jennifer, and Liz, and my Mom's Friend Susan ALL HELPED put it together! It was jungle-themed after the crib bedding that Mo and I picked out. Mo's youngest sister Shanilla came into town from Chicago too for the shower and I was able to meet her for the first time. The Baby Shower was WONDERFUL and Shawn is completely set for whenever he arrives...he is spoiled already! At the last appointment I went to February 5th Dr. Banks and I had a good laugh since Shawn was moving around so much! He loves to rest his feet on my ribs...ugh. Other than that I have felt and seen a baby hand and foot and I can't even begin to describe the joy it brings to my heart and my husbands.

So now I have about 6 more weeks to go and I am VERY impatient. The nights are getting longer with more frequent trips to the bathroom and tossing and turning from leg cramps. I'm monitoring Shawn's movements and he is on an interesting little schedule lol that will absolutely keep me and his daddy up all night when he gets here. My next appointment is February 19th and I'll keep you posted...until I blog again!!