This morning was the rescheduled OB visit. Why rescheduled? Because 2 weeks ago (and 2 weeks before the original appt) I got a phone message that my 8am appointment had to be rescheduled for the doc to go "an emergency surgery". Now perhaps it is just me, but I am not aware of any EMERGENCY that you can schedule 2 weeks in advance-- they'd be a lot less, well EMERGENT if you knew when they were going to be. So anyway, my 10:30 appt (be there by 10 to sign in or else)-- Craig and I get taken to a room at 10:55, then sit for another 25 minutes til the doc comes in. GRRRR-- you already rescheduled me for YOUR convenience (I am not buying the planned emergency thing) and then you are LATE for my appointment-- I don't think so. ARGH. Not much I can do about it, but grrrrrrr....
Anyway, covered the basics, I'm fine, things are ok, I can finally eat again, lalalalala... all ok. She tells me the hair loss thing is "normal" -- and should go away eventually (by eventually she means by 6 months after delivery) and all is in good shape there. Then she pulls out the Doppler thing and we get to hear Tadpole! YAY! She had no trouble finding the heartbeat or anything so we found out right away that Tadpole's heart is thumping away at 16obpm she tells me (though the screen on the gadget said 154) and that is just where it should be. So that is all happy dandy news. I think Craig is glad that for a day or two I will be less neurotic about it all since all looks well and we should be in good stead for the next while. So after waiting an hour and 20 minutes, the actual appointment was all of 5 minutes long-- 3 of which was the doc trying to figure out why they'd never told me I had a UTI after my last visit and why I wasn't on anything for it!
We got the next round of appointments set up-- the BIG ultrasound (the one where they look at all the anatomy stuff and those kinda things) is on October 2nd! (which will be one heck of a b-day present!) and then the next visit with the Doc on the 5th. So, no appointments in September, and then we get to "see" the Tadpole again. YAY! So on to Trimester 2, when hopefully at somepoint I will start looking pregnant and stop looking like I ate 3 lunches at a time.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Starting year 5-- That makes it... Jesse and the Glowing Mouse?
Another exciting year of grad school has begun. Marked by the halls swarming with confused first year med students so damn certain they could cure diseases in the hallway with one hand behind their backs (and maybe blindfolded) and absurdly proud of their green scrubs, another year of me hiding in the lab is here.
Lab is same old same old this week, I am still plugging away at the paper and trying to get my mice to behave. My super important took me two years to breed this damn mouse mouse, FINALLY got a tumor... (this is a good thing) so I am checking on it semi-neurotically to make sure it keeps going normally and all that-- I need this thing to live and the tumor the get big so that I can hypothetically graduate some day. So, keep your fingers crossed that this little gal is doing ok. I think I should name her... hmm, what though? I'll have to think about that!
I am now 12 weeks pregnant and wonderfully, somewhat able to eat again! (ok, don't let me jinx myself there-- its been 2 days) I have actually managed to eat DINNER for the last 2 days-- and I am hoping that this means that soon I will have regained control of my stomach! Craig and I went to my parents for the weekend and I got some stretch-y clothes-- my jeans are too snug these days even with the weight loss-- so I have been rubberbanding them to give me a few more days-- but the end of these is quickly approaching.
My next doctors visit is Wednesday--- I am excited/nervous about it-- I'm looking forward to getting some confirmation that things are going well and hopefully reassuring some of my fears-- I did not expect to worry so much-- well, at least not until Tadpole was going to school or dating or something-- but I am. So I think I may get to hear the heartbeat this time-- and from my insane reading of books and internet-- if the heartbeat is normal at that point, then the chances of my making it to a healthy baby go WAY up... which would be nice to hear. So I have to make it through 6 more days of nutty worry until the appointment-- and then 6 more months of worry about Tadpole til I can see them, and then... well... many many many more years of worry about everything else.... sheesh... I just never expected this.
Outside of that, Craig's out of town for the weekend for a Bachelor party. My parents are in town for corvette week. And I'm hoping to get some of the house dug out this weekend while I have it to myself. I am feeling less like a zombie, most of the time, so maybe some work will actually be accomplished (unless its 90+ degrees again)
Thats it from here. I'll try and get some fun science up soon!
Lab is same old same old this week, I am still plugging away at the paper and trying to get my mice to behave. My super important took me two years to breed this damn mouse mouse, FINALLY got a tumor... (this is a good thing) so I am checking on it semi-neurotically to make sure it keeps going normally and all that-- I need this thing to live and the tumor the get big so that I can hypothetically graduate some day. So, keep your fingers crossed that this little gal is doing ok. I think I should name her... hmm, what though? I'll have to think about that!
I am now 12 weeks pregnant and wonderfully, somewhat able to eat again! (ok, don't let me jinx myself there-- its been 2 days) I have actually managed to eat DINNER for the last 2 days-- and I am hoping that this means that soon I will have regained control of my stomach! Craig and I went to my parents for the weekend and I got some stretch-y clothes-- my jeans are too snug these days even with the weight loss-- so I have been rubberbanding them to give me a few more days-- but the end of these is quickly approaching.
My next doctors visit is Wednesday--- I am excited/nervous about it-- I'm looking forward to getting some confirmation that things are going well and hopefully reassuring some of my fears-- I did not expect to worry so much-- well, at least not until Tadpole was going to school or dating or something-- but I am. So I think I may get to hear the heartbeat this time-- and from my insane reading of books and internet-- if the heartbeat is normal at that point, then the chances of my making it to a healthy baby go WAY up... which would be nice to hear. So I have to make it through 6 more days of nutty worry until the appointment-- and then 6 more months of worry about Tadpole til I can see them, and then... well... many many many more years of worry about everything else.... sheesh... I just never expected this.
Outside of that, Craig's out of town for the weekend for a Bachelor party. My parents are in town for corvette week. And I'm hoping to get some of the house dug out this weekend while I have it to myself. I am feeling less like a zombie, most of the time, so maybe some work will actually be accomplished (unless its 90+ degrees again)
Thats it from here. I'll try and get some fun science up soon!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Another week down...
Sometimes my boss will say things that give me hope that SOMEDAY I may actually graduate. Someone in the lab made a comment about hoping their family's genetic diseases and their husband's family's diseases balance out in their kids... and the boss said genetics don't work that way... but I was able to explain that for multi-gene traits, that sometimes it could be possible that they do... and then comes the phrase from the boss "You know, talking like that comes from people who are almost ready to graduate." Ahhhh... now if it were only really true.
I am pretty sure this whole baby thing will set me back a ways in terms of when I graduate. I am hoping its not more than a month or 2 delay-- but in reality, who knows. I am very lucky that my boss is really understanding and seems excited for us, but -- well.. I still have to convince my committee that things will be ok. I think that should go ok as well. I am making pretty great progress on my thesis research -- and they have been happy with my progress on that-- and I am working on writing my first first authored paper (ok, technically, my 2nd-- but my undergrad research advisor was a lazy bum and never submitted it after the revisions)-- and my PhD research is WAY cooler than my undergrad stuff- so thats ok too.
Ugh.. its just a little bit of a headache.
Outside of that, I am finally working on this paper-- I've got 6 pages written so far! (and thats single spaced, normal font too-- with no pictures!) but its yet to head off for any editing, which I am truly dreading. I am just looking forward to it going out and having it DONE with. The writing is my least favorite part of science. I can deal with the mixing chemicals, mouse surgeries and tedious molecular biology procedures-- but writing, blah blah blah. It does give me a nice excuse to plop my bottom at my desk every day though-- so I am enjoying that! Our lab moved to a new room in November, and now we can have food at our desks-- so I can snack and drink my lemonade all day if I wanted (and well, if the Tadpole would let me!).
Nothing too big in Tadpole news, I am 11 weeks pregnant today (well... ok, today, yesterday, tomorow-- depends on whose due date we are using. I figured the 6th, the OB the 4th-- so we'll split the difference and call it the 5th of March) Apparently that means I have just about 2 weeks left in the first trimester-- I can't wait for them to pass! Because when they go I have the promise of my stomach returning to its normal purpose of actually being hungry and digesting food. Interestingly, it is an odd assortment of things that I actually am eating these days... strawberry fruit roll-ups, fudgesicles (see, that's calcium), pears and strawberries, and vanilla wafers, and microwave buttered popcorn have all been pretty appealing. I am trying to gak down some meats and such when I can-- hot pockets have been doing ok most days at lunch. Its not the most balanced diet-- but I figure its better than continuing to lose weight everyday. I've got vitamins and the same calcium supplements I have been taking for a while-- so hopefully, it'll be just another few weeks and I can get into the whole "eating for two" part of pregnancy. I've got my next doc visit in 2 weeks... so I am anxious to have a professional opinion that everythings looking good.
It seems I am sharing one symptom with my soon-to-be sister-in-law. She apparently can NOT stand the smell of pepperoni either since the whole chemo thing started ... how weird is that?! Speaking of Christina, please keep her in your prayers, she's back in the hospital for her next bout of treatment leading up to her transplant. So pray for a speedy and total recovery so she and my little brother can get themselves hitched.
I am pretty sure this whole baby thing will set me back a ways in terms of when I graduate. I am hoping its not more than a month or 2 delay-- but in reality, who knows. I am very lucky that my boss is really understanding and seems excited for us, but -- well.. I still have to convince my committee that things will be ok. I think that should go ok as well. I am making pretty great progress on my thesis research -- and they have been happy with my progress on that-- and I am working on writing my first first authored paper (ok, technically, my 2nd-- but my undergrad research advisor was a lazy bum and never submitted it after the revisions)-- and my PhD research is WAY cooler than my undergrad stuff- so thats ok too.
Ugh.. its just a little bit of a headache.
Outside of that, I am finally working on this paper-- I've got 6 pages written so far! (and thats single spaced, normal font too-- with no pictures!) but its yet to head off for any editing, which I am truly dreading. I am just looking forward to it going out and having it DONE with. The writing is my least favorite part of science. I can deal with the mixing chemicals, mouse surgeries and tedious molecular biology procedures-- but writing, blah blah blah. It does give me a nice excuse to plop my bottom at my desk every day though-- so I am enjoying that! Our lab moved to a new room in November, and now we can have food at our desks-- so I can snack and drink my lemonade all day if I wanted (and well, if the Tadpole would let me!).
Nothing too big in Tadpole news, I am 11 weeks pregnant today (well... ok, today, yesterday, tomorow-- depends on whose due date we are using. I figured the 6th, the OB the 4th-- so we'll split the difference and call it the 5th of March) Apparently that means I have just about 2 weeks left in the first trimester-- I can't wait for them to pass! Because when they go I have the promise of my stomach returning to its normal purpose of actually being hungry and digesting food. Interestingly, it is an odd assortment of things that I actually am eating these days... strawberry fruit roll-ups, fudgesicles (see, that's calcium), pears and strawberries, and vanilla wafers, and microwave buttered popcorn have all been pretty appealing. I am trying to gak down some meats and such when I can-- hot pockets have been doing ok most days at lunch. Its not the most balanced diet-- but I figure its better than continuing to lose weight everyday. I've got vitamins and the same calcium supplements I have been taking for a while-- so hopefully, it'll be just another few weeks and I can get into the whole "eating for two" part of pregnancy. I've got my next doc visit in 2 weeks... so I am anxious to have a professional opinion that everythings looking good.
It seems I am sharing one symptom with my soon-to-be sister-in-law. She apparently can NOT stand the smell of pepperoni either since the whole chemo thing started ... how weird is that?! Speaking of Christina, please keep her in your prayers, she's back in the hospital for her next bout of treatment leading up to her transplant. So pray for a speedy and total recovery so she and my little brother can get themselves hitched.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Most Fabulous Wonderful Bestest Chocolate Dessert/Cake Thing Ever!!!!
My Intern brought in the recipe for his mom's amazing chocolate cake. I will share it here-- hope you enjoy! I've eaten the final result, but never made it for myself-- so I will let you know if I figure out any more tricks!
Chocolate Delight
8oz chocolate (Lindt comes recommended)
8oz unsaled butter
8oz sugar
6 eggs
2T flour
1t lemon juice
cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 375. You will need a Bain Marie. (water bath)
1) Separate egg yolks from whites
2) Melt the chocolatewith the butter in a double boiler until smooth. Then let it cool.
3) Combine egg yolks with sugar until white. Add flour.
4) Combine chocolate/butter with sugar/egg yolks.
5) Beat egg white (I'm guessing until stiff) then add lemon juice at the end.
6) Add delicately (fold?) egg whites into the chocolate/butter/sugar/egg yolks mixture.
7) Grease and lightly flour (cocoa?) a baking dish (I would say in the 6x12 kind of size was what it looked like)
8) Bake 50-55 minutes. Let cool and then refridgerate over night.
9) Unmold (may involve a quick dip of the baking sheet in warm water (like a jello)) and coat with cocoa powder.
10) Enjoy! (that was on the instructions!!)
Chocolate Delight
8oz chocolate (Lindt comes recommended)
8oz unsaled butter
8oz sugar
6 eggs
2T flour
1t lemon juice
cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 375. You will need a Bain Marie. (water bath)
1) Separate egg yolks from whites
2) Melt the chocolatewith the butter in a double boiler until smooth. Then let it cool.
3) Combine egg yolks with sugar until white. Add flour.
4) Combine chocolate/butter with sugar/egg yolks.
5) Beat egg white (I'm guessing until stiff) then add lemon juice at the end.
6) Add delicately (fold?) egg whites into the chocolate/butter/sugar/egg yolks mixture.
7) Grease and lightly flour (cocoa?) a baking dish (I would say in the 6x12 kind of size was what it looked like)
8) Bake 50-55 minutes. Let cool and then refridgerate over night.
9) Unmold (may involve a quick dip of the baking sheet in warm water (like a jello)) and coat with cocoa powder.
10) Enjoy! (that was on the instructions!!)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Fun Science of the Day!
Charades at the Zoo: Orangutans Win!
"When orang-utans want a human to hand over a tasty treat, they use a similar strategy to that used in the game 'charades', say researchers. They repeat signals that work, and modify those that don't, revealing surprisingly sophisticated communication skills."
Or have they just trained us humans to give them the snacks they want?!
Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit...
"If undercooked, a veggie meal can wreak just as much havoc on your gastrointestinal (GI) tract as improperly prepared meat, fish, or dairy products....Many types of beans contain a class of proteins called lectins. Researchers have long known that, if not destroyed by cooking, lectins can cause a severe form of food poisoning with attendant nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea."
I always KNEW there was a reason I didn't like those things!
If all they wanted was to make people sick to their stomach... just get 'em pregnant!
"The handheld device using light-emitting diodes to emit super-bright pulses of light at rapidly changing wavelengths, causing disorientation, nausea and even vomiting in whomever it's pointed at."
Now if only there was a REVERSE switch on this bugger... I would definitely buy one!
OK, thats it in the realm of random scienc-y news for the day.
My interns last day is Thursday-- so I should regain a normal schedule then.
"When orang-utans want a human to hand over a tasty treat, they use a similar strategy to that used in the game 'charades', say researchers. They repeat signals that work, and modify those that don't, revealing surprisingly sophisticated communication skills."
Or have they just trained us humans to give them the snacks they want?!
Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit...
"If undercooked, a veggie meal can wreak just as much havoc on your gastrointestinal (GI) tract as improperly prepared meat, fish, or dairy products....Many types of beans contain a class of proteins called lectins. Researchers have long known that, if not destroyed by cooking, lectins can cause a severe form of food poisoning with attendant nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea."
I always KNEW there was a reason I didn't like those things!
If all they wanted was to make people sick to their stomach... just get 'em pregnant!
"The handheld device using light-emitting diodes to emit super-bright pulses of light at rapidly changing wavelengths, causing disorientation, nausea and even vomiting in whomever it's pointed at."
Now if only there was a REVERSE switch on this bugger... I would definitely buy one!
OK, thats it in the realm of random scienc-y news for the day.
My interns last day is Thursday-- so I should regain a normal schedule then.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Random updates
So another week of me being a bum has passed and so time for some updates.
Work-- My boss was out last week and today our amazing wonderful lab manager is out. Its been chaos. I want to go back to my nice little world of just supervising myself and my college intern. He's actually done next Thursday-- so this week has been a bit of a scramble to get his data all together and get him ready to present it at the poster symposium. In other news... his mom makes a damn good chocolate cake. The moistest (is that a word??) cake I have ever had. Not too sweet, and then dusted in cocoa. YUM. Its like a cross between a mousse and a cake-- served chilled. YUM YUM YUM. We have been begging for the recipe... and as soon as she translates it out of French... It will be mine. I will try and share!
Home-- My kitchen floor is all done, complete with thresholds and all that kinda stuff. I can finally go in my kitchen barefoot. I also finally got a doorbell button too--- no more touching the bare wires together to signal guests or anything. Plus its easier to pick on the Murph now... the doorbell drives him bonkers.
Tadpole-- Not too much news on that front. My stomach's still not so happy with me-- and well, that kinda is depressing. Its been 3 weeks since I have cooked anything more involved than buttered noodles. And for me, that's just sad. I just have no interest in food. Oh... and one big food aversion is making itself VERY clear. Craig and his love for pepperoni being what it is, its a BIG problem. Seriously one whiff of that stuff and I could have happily thrown him and his "pepperoni quesadilla" out the window last night. ugh. Never had that response before. Craig thinks I am really nuts. Other than that though, Craig's being a really good sport with my being under the weather. I was complaining that I wasn't doing anything "useful" and his response was that sure I was, I was growing our baby. So that was sweet of him. He's also been willing to run out for whatever kind of food I mention I might possibly feel hungry for pretty much whenever I ask-- so he's been spoiling me. I've really been a lazy bum though-- I make it too work and then get home eat a little and go to bed... I don't remember the last time I went to bed at 7 every night!
Things here are good, its blazingly hot-- I want fall to get here already-- then I can get some work done around the house without suffering from heat stroke and we can get started on cleaning out and decorating the Tadpole's room.
Congrats to Mom on her latest triathalon finish! She cut 6 minutes off of her previous best swim time!! Great job!
Work-- My boss was out last week and today our amazing wonderful lab manager is out. Its been chaos. I want to go back to my nice little world of just supervising myself and my college intern. He's actually done next Thursday-- so this week has been a bit of a scramble to get his data all together and get him ready to present it at the poster symposium. In other news... his mom makes a damn good chocolate cake. The moistest (is that a word??) cake I have ever had. Not too sweet, and then dusted in cocoa. YUM. Its like a cross between a mousse and a cake-- served chilled. YUM YUM YUM. We have been begging for the recipe... and as soon as she translates it out of French... It will be mine. I will try and share!
Home-- My kitchen floor is all done, complete with thresholds and all that kinda stuff. I can finally go in my kitchen barefoot. I also finally got a doorbell button too--- no more touching the bare wires together to signal guests or anything. Plus its easier to pick on the Murph now... the doorbell drives him bonkers.
Tadpole-- Not too much news on that front. My stomach's still not so happy with me-- and well, that kinda is depressing. Its been 3 weeks since I have cooked anything more involved than buttered noodles. And for me, that's just sad. I just have no interest in food. Oh... and one big food aversion is making itself VERY clear. Craig and his love for pepperoni being what it is, its a BIG problem. Seriously one whiff of that stuff and I could have happily thrown him and his "pepperoni quesadilla" out the window last night. ugh. Never had that response before. Craig thinks I am really nuts. Other than that though, Craig's being a really good sport with my being under the weather. I was complaining that I wasn't doing anything "useful" and his response was that sure I was, I was growing our baby. So that was sweet of him. He's also been willing to run out for whatever kind of food I mention I might possibly feel hungry for pretty much whenever I ask-- so he's been spoiling me. I've really been a lazy bum though-- I make it too work and then get home eat a little and go to bed... I don't remember the last time I went to bed at 7 every night!
Things here are good, its blazingly hot-- I want fall to get here already-- then I can get some work done around the house without suffering from heat stroke and we can get started on cleaning out and decorating the Tadpole's room.
Congrats to Mom on her latest triathalon finish! She cut 6 minutes off of her previous best swim time!! Great job!
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