On 3/24 I got a “level 2″ sonogram, which is able to see the baby and its developing organs much clearer. And no, Robin, I didn’t require a level 2 sonogram because of my advanced age…haha…that is just what they do nowadays to check that the fetus is developing normally.

Here are the results:

“There is an intrauterine pregnancy containing a single living fetus in cephalic presentation at the time of examination. The placenta is grade one located anteriorly. The amount of amniotic fluid is normal. AFI = 17cm

Fetal Measurements – Gestational Age
——————————-
BPD: 5.59 cm – 23 weeks, 0 days
FL: 4.01 cm – 22 weeks, 5 days
AC: 18.58 cm – 23 weeks, 1 day
HC: 20.98 cm – 22 weeks, 5 days

Heart Rate: 143 BPM.

The head to abdominal ratio is normal for gestational age. No evident fetal abnormality is noted. Cervical length is 4.1

CONCLUSION: Intrauterine pregnancy of approximately 22 weeks 6 days gestational age by above parameters.

Estimate Due Date: 7/22/2009”

Brazilian model, Mariana Bridi is fighting for her life after losing both hands and feet to an infections caused by an untreated urinary tract infection.

Mariana is 20 years old and began feeling ill in late December. When she visited the doctor, she was told that she had kidney stones, but when her condition did not improve, it was discovered that she had a simple UTI (urinary tract infection) that had developed into septicemia since it had gone untreated. Mariana’s hands, and then her feet had to be amputated as her condition deteriorated due to the lack of circulation caused by the septicemia. Unfortunately the outlook for Mariana does not look good and she could also lose her life.

How weird and sad is this story? A simple UTI and she could end up dieing from it.

Here is the full story: CNN

As of today I am 14 weeks and 3 days pregnant (only 25 weeks and 4 days to go!). Stefan and I went to our 1st doctors appointment today and I got the basic physical stuff done. I got weighed, which I was interested in seeing how much weight I have gained so far, and to my surprise I havn’t gained any weight. I usually fluctuate between 118 and 122, and I weigh exactly 120lb right now. I was surprised because I definately feel bigger and I can see obvious changes in my body already. My waist is definately noticably thicker then it was pre-pregnancy and there is a mini baby bump .

We also got to see the baby for the first time on the sonogram machine. Although, in true Puerto Rico fashion, the sonogram’s print function was broken, so we had to take pictures of the sonograms screen with my camera:

And, here is a video of the fetal heart beat:

Although it is still too early to see the sex of the baby (that is usually done between 18 – 20 weeks), the doctor predicts that it is a boy by the sound of the heartbeat. Apparently girls heartbeats are slightly faster. Who knows how accurate that really is, but she’s got a 50/50 chance of being right .

Yep. I’m pregnant.

I found out a few weeks ago, and while I was shocked, I wasn’t surprised at all. I just knew that I was pregnant (which is a pretty weird feeling for someone that has never been prego before). My early pregnancy symptoms were:

- A total lack of energy. As in, it took effort to pick up my feet and walk across the yard

- Insatiable appetite. No matter what I would eat, I would want to eat something else.

- Distaste for alcohol. I thought giving up wine would be REALLY hard, but wine, beer and booze all tastes totally gross now.

- Bloating. I swear I looked pregnant 2 weeks after conception, but it was just pregnancy bloat.

- People looking at you differently. Maybe I just imagined this one, but I swear I would catch random people looking at me and smiling.

Like I said before, I was pretty shocked to find out that I was pregnant. It’s not like Stefan and I were trying to get pregnant, but we wern’t exactly not trying to get pregnant. I did just want it to happen, rather then the whole “let’s try and have a baby” routine. That just seems weird to me. I want a family, but I’ve never looked forward to being pregnant. And while my pregnancy has been comparatively easy (no morning sickness), I’m ready to be not pregnant again. I hate being tired all the time (I feel like a sloth), not being able to workout normally (I’m usually too tired to do anything, let alone my normal 3 mile run) and I don’t particularly enjoying feeling fat. Oh, and my skin is freaaaakkking out. I know, I know….”But pregnancy is beautiful!”. Easy for you to say .

3 months down, 7 months to go (due around July 19th).

I underwent Lasik laser eye surgery on January 18th and I’m finally now starting to see better (it’s been nearly 3 weeks since the laser zapped my poor eyeballs). I seeeee yooouuuuuuu!

The healing time of the type of Lasik that I got (PRK) is much longer then the “normal” Lasik that you hear about, but unfortunately I was expecting to be better in 1 – 2 days, like everyone else that I know that has undergone Lasik eye surgery. Honestly, I would have never have gotten PRK if I had known the exact procedure (it makes me squeamish just thinking about it) and if I had known about the healing time frame. This is what I went through:

The actual PRK surgery didn’t take long, around 1 minute per eye, but this is what they do: First the nurse gives you 10 sets of different sorts of eye drops to numb and prepare your eyeballs. You lay down under the laser and they use a metal clamp to pry your eyelids open and to keep you from blinking. Then they take a little instrument (it reminded me of a tooth polisher that your dentist uses) and sand your eyeball (they sand off all the epithelial cells). Then they take a little round cookie cutter and press it onto your eyeball, which cuts off your cornea. The doctor uses a little brush to flap your cornea over and then they zap your eye with the laser for about 20 seconds. Switch and repeat (if you’re getting both eyes done).

It was pretty hard to sit there wide awake while your eyeball is getting fucked with. Unfortunately the doctor wouldn’t even give me a Valium since the procedure is so short.

Immediately after the surgery, my long vision was better then it was before surgery, but my short vision was totally shot. They gave me sleeping pills to take after the surgery because you are supposed to keep your eyes closed as much as possible the first two days. Day one and two following the surgery wasn’t too bad since I was sleeping most of the time, but towards the end of day two my eyes started getting really uncomfortable. Not quite painful, but maddeningly uncomfortable. It felt like someone had taken sandpaper to my eyes (which, they pretty much did) and it also felt like I had something in my eyes (like a big eyelash). This last for 2 days and during that time it was really hard to keep my eyes open, so I tried to sleep as much as possible.

As for my eyesight, day 1 – 5 was weird. The quality of my long vision would come and go, but my short vision was still royally fucked up (I couldn’t read my computer no matter how hard I tried). On day 6 I had the soft contact-like bandages removed from my eyes and that is when I started noticing steady improvements in my vision. My long vision was still going in and out but my near vision started getting better with each passing day. Two days ago (17 days after surgery), I woke up and noticed a huge difference and my vision is almost totally healed. It’s finally to the point that I don’t notice that my eyes are fucked up all day long and my long vision is MUCH better then it was before surgery. My near vision is still recouping, but it’s almost 100% as well. With PRK, it can take up to 2 months to completely heal and your vision can continue to improve within that time.

Like I said before, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the surgery if I realized the extent of the healing, but with that being said, I’m glad I didn’t know because I’m glad that I had PRK/Lasik done. My vision really is so much better. Yay!

I had laser eye surgey one week ago and I still can’t see. I went from being near sighted (before PRK surgery) to being far sighted (immediately after PRK surgery) to being blur-sighted (now, 1 week after PRK surgery). It’s REALLY frustrating/annoying/scary.

At least before I could work, but now I can’t do shit. No internet (this post is a stretch. Luckly I can type with my eyes closed…), no work, no TV, no movies, no leisurely walks through the garden, no driving, no reading, no surfing, no swimming, no ANYTHING that requires eyeballs. I have been sleeping 15+ hours a day (because there is nothing else I can do) and this experiance has peaked “boring” and is cresting “depressing” at this point…

So tell me, what would you do to pass the time if you were blind(ish)?!

I had my corneas sliced and diced on Friday (3 days ago). My eyes hurt and I can’t really see…It’s starting to get verrrrry frustrating….

Today I finally put up my stripper pole and it is AWESOME. I actually really like the Platinum Stages Super Pole, it’s quite good quality and super sturdy, but then again, it better be for $400…It was easy to set up and only took 5 – 10 minutes.

Pole dancing is so much fun and a super good workout. It’s sort of like pilates on steroids. I picked it up no problem and I can already feel soreness in my arm, abs, butt and thighs. The best thing is that there are always more advanced moves to learn in order to keep the workout interesting, so I won’t get bored. I wonder how long it will take me to end up pulling these moves off:

You have to check out this video too. These girls are amazing. And after seeing that I want to put a full sound system and lighting in the gym in Puerto Rico…;)

Kuta was being clutzy this morning and accidently stomped on Monkey, which sent her into attack mode. The dumb bitch tried to eat Kutas face and tore into his eyebrow pretty good before we could separate them (1 second later).

Can’t we all just get along?!

Kuta could definately use another stitch or three, but I really don’t trust a Puerto Rican vet that I don’t know to put Kuta under anesthesia (no offense to Puerto Rican vets, but Kuta is old and has had some weird health problems). So, Stefan and I are keeping the wound clean and hopefully it will heal okay. If not, I’m flying Robin down to PR to teach Stefan and I how to stitch up a dog face…

Arg. F&$^ing Monkey. I’m not down with overly aggressive dogs and Monkey (an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier) just has that in her blood. If anyone could break the aggressive tendancy it would be Stefan and I, but we’ve had no luck.

Singer Amy Winehouse recently overdosed on ketamine, cocaine, ecstasy and heroine (seems like a reasonable mix to me. If you have a death wish…). Apparently she down with crack too.

Really? Amy Winehouse does DRUGS?! What a shocker…

Perhaps the 30lbs she’s lost should have thrown up a red flag…

Any how, she’s now bouncing in and out of “rehab” like every other celebrity that likes to party. Hopefully she can get it together, since she is a very talented singer…