Monday, August 24, 2009

Get Connected and Win

When I was young, I never got the chance to spend a vacation with my parents. It would have been really fun if we were able to join at least a summer camp together. But then, past is past. And so now, I'm concentrating on my own family. I want to make sure that when Daddy is here, we are able to spend quality time together. The only problem is that I'm not really familiar about the fun family events that happen in our area. If only there's a way for me to know, like those in the US, what events are coming up for the family to enjoy, it would have been less of a worry for me.

Okay, now I might have aroused your curiosity as to how can anyone from US know what fun family events are coming up in the area. It's through ParentsConnect.com widget - a cool new way to know what's going on all over the US. If you have a blog, simply install the widget on your sidebar, and that's it - everyday you can get yourself updated with what's going to happen in your area without so much fuss. And what's even more exciting about this is that it can even make you win $1000. How? When your widget gets the most views, a thousand bucks come your way. Isn't it amazing? Parents Connect doesn't just get you connected but allows you to win too. So, join now!

Post?slot_id=44665&url=http%3a%2f%2fsocialspark




Sunday, August 23, 2009

Pregnancy Update: 31 Weeks

I'm now in pregnancy week 31. If you'll ask how I am, well I'm doing fine. Although the bedrest is killing me softly, I still manage to survive day by day as long as my laptop is here to keep me occupied. I've been on bedrest for almost a month now, and believe me it's no fun at all. But what can I do, it's what my OB recommended since I had spotting a few weeks back. And with this placenta previa complication, it's really imperative that I follow her advice, or else.

So, what's with me and my baby on week 31? Well, the little one is doing great inside I guess. He still keeps doing his day and evening somersaults, and from time to time I could feel him bulge on one side and then on the other. I would even want to presume that he's having more fun while me here is having a really hard time coping with this bedrest until delivery.

Anyway, as for me, I don't eat a lot now, instead I drink more water to counter the UTI. I'm done with the medication since yesterday, and so I'm really hoping that on my next urinalysis, the UTI is already gone. With regards to my work, I'm coping as well with the work-from-home setup. Sometimes, I even feel like I'm just inside the office, chatting with my officemates regarding projects and other concerns. I'm really glad that I'm allowed to work-from-home or else I'll go crazy doing nothing in front of my laptop while on bedrest.

That's it for week 31. Due date is near and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a miracle will happen - and that baby will pull the placenta away from my cervix before my scheduled ultrasound 3 weeks from now.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Web Hosting and Me

I've been blogging for three years now, but only on a personal level, nothing really serious like niche blogging. Although I have friends who are already doing that and been encouraging me to do the same, I just can't find time to really focus on it since I find it hard to manage my time between work and looking after the kids and our new home. Maybe, just maybe, when I run out of job already, that's the time I'll take blogging into the next level - a niche blog with own domain name and webhosting.

As far as web hosting is concern, I've already found a site where I can check a list of web hosting service providers - it's Web Hosting Geeks. But mind you, they don't just provide a simple list at that. They rank them according to the features that each web host provides and they provide great web hosting reviews. So, if you are looking for webhosting like me, you'll find it very helpful in choosing which one best suits your needs.

Not only that, Web Hosting Geeks is also a very informative site as it provides articles about the basics of web hosting and more. It also includes a blog wherein you can find really interesting posts such as this: Six Essential Tips Towards E-commerce Success.

So, what else would you want to know about web hosting? Web Hosting Geeks has it all. And so, I'm really glad I found it.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

On Ken Binay's Death, Placenta Previa, Bedrest, and Placenta Accreta

After seeing the news about Mayor Jejomar Binay's daughter-in-laws death last Tuesday due to a pregnancy complication, all the more I got scared about my own condition. Ever since I was in the third month of this pregnancy, I was experiencing placenta previa. I even blogged about it here. And now that I'm already on my 7th month, I'm quite sure that the placenta is still there partially covering my cervix because of the spotting that I'm experiencing 'til now.

So, what really caused Ken Binay's death, yup that's the name of Mayor Binay's daughter-in-law? According to news, she died of hemorrhaging. She suffered from profused bleeding after giving birth to her 7-month baby girl via C-section. She had a really difficult pregnancy, on which prior to her death, she had a month of bedrest at the hospital.

Bedrest. Agh, that same word has been a part of my pregnancy as well since I've learned that I had placenta previa totalis. And after my last prenatal checkup, I was told by my OB to already file a leave from the office and have bedrest until I give birth. But then, I don't want to file a leave because that also means no salary for me for months. Good thing, I have a very considerate boss there who allowed me to work from home. So, beginning tomorrow, I'll be hitting two birds with one stone - work from home and bedrest at the same time.

Anyway, enough about me. Now, why did I mention about placenta accreta? It's because in Ken's case, that's what triggered her bleeding according to news. I became very curious about that term after watching TV Patrol, so I immediately searched more information about it. Here, let me share it to you:

What Is Placenta Accreta and How Will It Effect You?

Placenta AccretaMost women don’t really think about the placenta while they are pregnant and many don’t realize just how big a role it plays in the development of your baby. So for the same reason many of you probably wouldn’t have an idea of what happens when the placenta does not function as it should.

During a normal pregnancy the placenta attaches to the uterine wall, however there is a condition which may occur if the placenta attaches itself too deeply into the wall of the uterus. This condition is known as placenta accreta, placenta increta, or placenta percreta - and this usually depends on how severe the and how deep the placenta attaches itself. This itself is not a very common issue in pregnancies though, and usually only occurs 1 in every 2,500 pregnancies.

What are the differences between Accreta, Increta and Percreta?

The difference between the three is determined by how bad the attachment to the uterine wall is.

Placenta Accreta occurs when the placenta attaches too deep in the uterine wall but it does not penetrate the uterine muscle. This is the most common accounting for approximately 75% of all cases.

Placenta Increta occurs when the placenta attaches even deeper into the uterine wall and does penetrate into the uterine muscle. This accounts for approximately 15% of all cases.

Placenta Percreta occurs when the placenta penetrates through the entire uterine wall and attaches to another organ such as the bladder. This is the least common of the three conditions accounting for approximately 5% of all cases.

What Causes Placenta Accreta?

Although no one actually knows what causes it – it can be related to both placenta previa and previous cesarean deliveries.

Placenta accreta is present in 5% to 10% of women with placenta previa and the chances of having placenta accrete increases with each c-section – with multiple cesareans being present in over 60% of placenta accreta cases.

Are There Risks For Your Baby?

In most cases premature delivery and subsequent complications are the primary concerns for your baby with bleeding during the third trimester being an indication that there is a possibility that placenta accreta exists.

There are however risks which you may face if you have this complication. The main concern is hemorrhaging during manual attempts to detach the placenta. Severe hemorrhaging can be life threatening. Other concerns involve damage to the uterus or other organs during removal of the placenta. Hysterectomy is a common intervention, but as I am sure you know this results in the to conceive.

What is the Best Treatment For Placenta Accreta?

Unfortunately there is nothing which can be done to prevent it and there is little that can be done for treatment once placenta accreta has been diagnosed.

If you have been diagnosed with placenta accreta your healthcare provider will monitor your pregnancy with the intent of scheduling a delivery and using a surgery that may spare the uterus. You should discuss this option with your healthcare provider should you choose to have more children down the line.

Unfortunately, placenta accreta may be severe enough that a hysterectomy may be needed. Again, it is important to discuss surgical options with your healthcare provider.

Source: www.pregnancy-calendars.net
If placenta previa already scares me, well this placenta accreta scares me more. So I must admit that the news really affected me so much, and now I'm thinking what if...But erase, I don't want to entertain negative thoughts anymore because that won't do me and my baby any good. For now, I'll focus on my own case, take the bedrest really seriously, and see my OB as frequent as possible.