Because most philosophies that frown on reproduction don't survive.

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Now I Lay Me Down...

So I'm trying this little thing that's going to wreak a bit of havoc with my NaNo word count. It's called "bed rest".

That's not what the midwife said, technically. She said my blood pressure is pushing up to borderline (122/90, if it means anything to you), that I was on my feet too much (which anyone who knows my current sedentary habits would find a stretch), and that I needed to be off them. For three days. And it doesn't count sitting with my feet up; I have to be on my side. "You can get up to go to the bathroom," she said. Three days of rest and lots of good protein and several gallons of water should turn it around, she said. And that's what we want, because otherwise jeopardizing my ability to have a home birth, blah blah, increased risk of preeclampsia, blah blah. I can't get all exercised about preeclampsia, because Downton Abbey we ain't, but I did have some question as to whether my feet and legs actually had any more swelling room, so fine. It would be nice to see my ankle bones again. And I can't really get any of my shoes on except the kicks I wore around all summer, which are getting a bit light for the cool weather.

Obviously I'm fudging now, because I'm sitting at the computer writing this post, but that's because I thought, "Oh, I'll write on the iPad in bed, using the wireless keyboard," but it turns out that Darwin accidentally took that with him on a business trip to Washington DC, a trip which, coincidentally, is over the same three days I'm supposed to be supine. I like these charming touches; they prove that God has a sense of humor. The big girls are helping, of course, but I'm telling you right now that I can't see running a five-child household single-parent style for three days without being on my feet for just a titch longer than it takes to go to the bathroom, even if we've canceled classes and are eating easy canned pork and beans instead of the jambalaya I wanted to make for dinner.

On the other hand, the kids happily watched six hours of DVDs today (the old Pride and Prejudice series, so it's all right) and did their chores nicely and went to bed with only the slightest fuss about who slept in which bed. Some families, apparently, have this thing where a child sleeps in the same bed every night, but it seems that's not how we roll here, at least not until that front room finally gets painted. And maybe I'll finish my interlibrary loan book. And I'm going to take several technological leaps backward and try writing with my quill pen on foolscap, which is so crazy it just might work.

In the meantime, take a gander at someone else's finished novel: USA Today is running an exclusive book trailer for Cruel Beauty, Darwin's sister's debut novel, out in January. Also, she has a website, so take and read.

9 comments:

Melanie Bettinelli said...

Oh dear. Praying for you. That sounds like a trial, no matter how much you try to see the lighter side.

mandamum said...

Oh, Mrs. Darwin. Best to you and your ankles, and your blood pressure. That is interesting about God's sense of humor... but it gives your kids a chance to show they could imitate Laura Ingalls (or her compatriots) and run a household at a crazy young age if they *really* needed to, right? :p

And...now you're inspiring me to put my feet up more, and drink gallons of water and eat more protein, pro-actively as it were. As I compulsively check *my* ankle-bones.....

mandamum said...

And NaNo has a kids section, where they can choose word count goals. Seems a bed-rested author should get some consideration as well....

Catholic Bibliophagist said...

Yikes! After reading your description of swollen ankles in the intro to Stillwater 41, I was going to extoll the wonders of compression stockings. (If I'd worn them as I was told to when i was pregnant, maybe I wouldn't now have to wear them all the time.) But it sounds like this is more serious than varicose veins.

Wish I lived near enough to help.

Bernadette said...

Want me to come up for part of the weekend and cook? I'll bring up my sewing box and give Julia more lessons. I have to get a room ready to be painted, so I can't be there the entire weekend, but part of it at least could be yours.

MrsDarwin said...

I'd be delighted to see you any time, B, but Darwin will be back Friday afternoon so I'll have weekend support.

On a happy note, after being mostly laying down for the past 20 hours, I can see my (comparatively) lovely slender ankles, and I've dropped two pounds. Bed rest: the next fad in weight loss regimens.

bearing said...

Ugh, glad you're seeing some improvement in just a day. Make sure some kid is tasked with bringing you glasses of ice water, and ideally, peeled grapes.

Jenny said...

Hopefully the excess fluid will subside and you will get back to your regular schedule soon.

Yay for children who are pretty self-sufficient. It really is a lifesaver.

Catholic Bibliophagist said...

Whew! Glad to hear that 20 hours have brought improvement.