Tapioca pudding: it was just so yummy, I couldn't help myself

Yesterday, Paxlet had his 4 month check up. He weighed in at 7 kilos and 935 grams (~17,5 pounds) and measured 65 centimeters (25,6 inches). When the doctor did her examination of him, she checked his moro reflex. Let me just say that Paxlet hated that, with a passion!! He screamed worse than bloody murder and even when I picked him up to try and calm him, it took me longer than normal. When he was laid back down to continue the exam, he started crying and then screaming again. After the exam was over and I was dressing him up, he didn't want to be laying in my lap, but more so, he kept twisting his head and body to see where the doctor was. Paxlet also told the doctor what he thought of her. It's pretty cute in a sad sort of way. I don't think he wanted that lady anywhere near him.

Today I had a quick doctor's appointment. I was in with the doctor maybe 8 minutes total. At around 12 weeks of Paxlet's age (he'll be 19 weeks tomorrow), I started noticing some white-ish/yellow-ish discharge. It sometimes smells/smelled a bit, but nothing alarming. Also, I have had no other symptoms. No itching, fever, rash, bad smell, tenderness, etc. I wasn't too worried about it, but it was something different than what I am used to and what I've had before. So, I made an appointment to get it checked out. The doctor said all looks healthy and normal. If anything changes I'm to go back. I'm thinking this is just my 'new normal'.

After the doctor's appointment this morning, when Paxlet and I got home, I made some tapioca pudding. As soon as it was ready and in the fridge to cool, we left home again to go to our weekly Wednesday mom & kid group. Then, when we got home in the afternoon, I ate my half of the tapioca. (The box says one batch makes 6 1/2 cup servings.) I ate a bit of lunch, changed Paxlet's diaper, twice and played online a bit. I then decided that I had to eat the other half of the tapioca. I mean, I just couldn't stand the idea of Mr Siili eating it in front of me this evening and me not having any to eat. Plus, what he doesn't know (that I made tapioca) won't hurt him, right?! Bad me! LOL

6 week postpartum check-up

Before I go into my appointment this morning, I've got a question: How do you write a blog post with a baby on your lap? Sure, it would be easier if said baby wasn't on my lap, but the last few days he won't stay asleep unless he is in my lap or arms. So, I've got my legs propped up on the desk in front of me, the keyboard just above my knees and me typing OVER Paxlet who is sleeping on my upper lap. In other words pictures, like this:

The things I do to get my blogging fix.

My six week postpartum check-up went just fine. Not that I had any doubts, but it is always nice to have confirmation that all is well.

As with during my pregnancy the neuvola nurse checked my urine, blood pressure, hemoglobin and weight. There was nothing to be found in my urine. My blood pressure was normal. My hemoglobin was at 135, which is much better than at any point during my pregnancy or any other time that I can remember. And I haven't been taking any iron supplements since I gave birth. My weight is down to 73,1 kilos (161 pounds) from the 88 kilos (193,6 pounds) I was at a week before giving birth. I still have 7 kilos to lose to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight.

The doctor asked how the pregnancy was (I am now going to a different clinic because we moved) and how did my labor go. I was also asked about birth control. I told both the nurse and the doctor that because it took us 4 years to get Paxlet, I'm not going back on birth control. If we somehow manage to get pregnant on our own, it will be a welcome event.

Once I hopped up on the exam table, the doctor checked where my stitches had been and said they might be a bit tight or uncomfortable in the beginning (when we start to have sex again). My uterus feels normal and like it has shrunk back down to where it should be and my lady bits look just fine. The doctor also asked if I've had any infection or swelling in my breasts (nope) or any other pains (nope).

And that was that. There wasn't much to be asked from me and I didn't have any questions for either the nurse or the doctor.

Another trip to the doctor for allergy meds

It's been 2 weeks now since the birch trees have let their pollen into the wind and I am still suffereing! Most of the symptoms during the day are managable. In addition to my regular allergy pills and daily asthma med, I have another asthma medication for when my chest feels constricted from an acute asthma attack, I have eye drops for when I want to scratch my eyeballs out and I have nasal spray that sort of unblocks my nostrils, for a short while, sometimes. While none of these seem to fully relieve my symptoms, they do well enough that I can survive until it rains again and the birch, plus other pollens, lessen.

It's during the night that I'm having problems. I am not a mouth breather normally, so sleeping is difficult to do when you have to sleep with your mouth open. The reason for this is because one of my nostrils is usually fully blocked and the other one isn't fully open either. Although, which nostril it is seems to depend on which side I am sleeping on and they switch every couple of hours anyway.

So, after a particularly bad night last night for Mr Siili and myself, I called to our work nurse again to ask for another appointment with the doctor to see if there was anything else I can take to help with my nose. Our work doctor wouldn't be in the office until Thursday, so I was booked with a general doctor in the same building (still paid for by work).

This doctor was one I had seen last November for a throat infection when I was going through IVF #3. He was quite nice then and now. After asking what's the problem and me telling my symptoms, he started suggesting things I could use. I quickly interupted that I am pregnant. When I mentioned this little fact, he remembered that I had/we had been trying to get pregnant and congratulated me. Next the doctor spent probably 20 minutes looking through his medicine book to try to find something more or different I could take for my blocked nose. Unfortunately I am already taking at least one type of medication in each form that I can while pregnant.

The only thing I can really do is to try some other non-medicinal nose sprays or washes. Which, has brought me finally get up the courage and try the Sarvikuono (rhino horn), which is the Finnish version of the Neti Pot. So, this evening I'll be mixing up my solution of sea salt and warm water and rinsing out my sinuses. Wish me luck!

Went to the doctor for my cough

Like the title says, I went to the work doctor today to ask about my cough. I explained that I've had the cough since the beginning of the flu (almost 3 weeks now), it's quite painful and sometimes I cough so much and hard that I almost puke. It's not in my lungs, just my throat. Sometimes I can even cough junk up. (Yay for me, gross!) I haven't taken anything for it, because well, I'm pregnant and taking meds for stuff just don't occur to me very often. I did up my asthma meds during the worst of the flu, which is what I've been told to do. In all fairness though, as of yesterday, I do think the cough is sort of getting better. The coughing bouts are less and not nearly as harsh (most of the time).

The doctor said that there is nothing on the Finnish market that he can prescribe for me. There used to be something that could be prescribed in almost all cases, but it was pulled from the shelves and he doesn't know why. *shrug* Basically he said that I just need to wait it out and eventually I'll get fully better. He agreed with my upping my asthma meds and also recommended inhaling some steam (see, sauna is good!).

I was also able to get a referral to the chiropractor for 4 times. Aaaah, relief! (So long as I get a referral from the doctor for the chiro, my work's sickness fund will reimburse me for 80% of it! Double relief!) I believe that sitting and laying around for the entire week of my flu has helped my back to act up. Now that I'm feeling much better, I'm hoping to get back into walking more. (Just in time for the snows to be melting and icing up. Lovely!) I should also stretch a bit more.. I did a few stretches when I got home this evening and I noticed a marked difference already.

It's going to be another long day at work tomorrow. It's month end and a lot of the units I look after are closing in the afternoon, so I should get some beauty sleep so I can last the whole day.

No more stims and retrieval soon!

I so didn't mean to go this long without posting, nor to be totally absent from ICLW. I feel bad on both accounts, but at the same time, sometimes life takes over and we have to do what we have to do. Mr Siili and I have been crazily working on our financial stuff to get ready to ask for a bank loan in hopes that we can get one for our new place. So, that has pretty much taken precedence over everything else lately. I have been thinking of everyone (and I will reply to all comments!) when I haven't had my head full of numbers and fog from being sick. Yeah, I've been sick too. Anyway, while I'm stealing a few minutes from work, I'll try to update you all on where I am (we? I'm the one being stuck each day, hubby isn't doing a thing!) on the IVF schedule.

As I left off on Thursday, I had 3 appointments on Friday. The first was with a therapist/psychologist. I'm still processing what went on, but I'm not sure I'm convinced. The third appointment (yes, I'm skipping around) was with the work nurse to check out my throat and coughing. I didn't have white stuff in the back of my throat, nor a fever, so most likely no strep-throat. I made an appointment for Monday to go back if I still wasn't feeling well. The 2nd appointment of the day was with my fertility clinic.

At the fertility clinic, the ultrasound showed that I have 1+2 follicles on my right ovary and 3+3 on my left. (The first number is the bigger, more mature follicles and the second number is the slightly smaller ones.) That's only 9 little follicles. I'm a bit sad at the number. I know, I know, it only takes one... My body is responding much faster than the previous times, so my retrieval date has been bumped up again, this time to Wednesday, November 30th! The timing couldn't be worse at work! But, what's a girl to do?! I can't control my hormones, it's the doctors' fault!

While at the IVF appointment, I asked about the intense sensitivity of my lady bits. They have been so sensitive, so much so that it is almost painful. I look healthy down there (as agreed by the doctor) and no yeast infection looking stuff, so it could just be from the Menopur and Synarela. But as the weekend wore on, I just got more sore and more milky white stuff leaking, but still not yeasty. I used some cortizone cream to make myself comfortable until Monday.

Saturday was the pikkujoulut (little christmas) for all the girls on my husband's side of the family. I organized it this year, so it was in my own town. Yay for not having to take a bus or train 2 hours somewhere. Some of us met at the museum to see the Lady Ostapeck exhibit that is in town. Very interesting lady! She's American born to Finnish parents and has had a life. Her photos are beautiful and so are the dresses she has made. Then us girls went to dinner at a local pub (they brew their own beer) and chatted. It was a decent evening, but all of the girls my age have kids, so guess what the topic was about most of the evening?

Sunday was spent recovering and working more on finance stuff and trying not to cough my brains or lungs out. Mr Siili and I also had a long-ish and good discussion about life and how we view things. He still finds it scary that I say I don't think I can live my life, happily, without a kid. Although, I do know that if the day comes that I for sure won't be able to have kids, I'll have to try to learn to live with a new 'happy'. But I'm not there yet. But I find it just as scary his view on what he expects or doesn't expect from life or at least what he has learned to not to expect from it and still go on being ok and hopefully happy with it.
We got some snow during the late evening, but it was so wet that it didn't stick at all. At least not in my part of town. I can't wait for the snow to arrive!

Today, I made my way back to the work doctor's office (actual doctor, not nurse this time) and got a prescription for my throat infection and I also got something for my yeast infection. Yes, I could have just gone and bought something over the counter, but getting a prescription for it, I only have to pay 1,50€ instead. So, I'm even more medicated now, but hopefully on the mend.

As for IVF stuff. I injected my last Menopur shot last night and my last nose spray of Synarela this morning. Tonight I have a double dose (only of the powder, not the liquid) of Pregnyl, ovulation simulation. I'm not feeling as bloated and crampy as I have in the past, especially with IVF #2, but I am feeling it. My symptoms are nothing like what others have descriped, thankfully. I think yesterday is when I started noticing more symptoms: crampy, bloating!, very sore nipples and  hormonal-moodiness and the need to pee all the time (that's a new one for me).

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I ran walked quickly from work to the gym for BodyBalance. I opted out of BodyCombat this week feeling it would be just a bit too much, with bloating and a cold. Now I can finish this post. BodyBalance was an easy class and it felt good, except for one thing we did: the Rocking Horse Pose/Upward Bow. You know the one where you lie on your stomach, reach your hands back to grab your ankles and rock. Well, uhm, that was so not comfortable for multi-follicle me. 
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We're going to the retrieval appointment on Wednesday by bus. I could drive us there, but Mr Siili doesn't want to drive us home. He's doesn't like driving, especially with the weather being slushy/icy/snowy unpredictable right now. Mr Siili also has an interview on Wednesday, which means he needs to be back in our part of town earlier to take a nap get ready for it. So we'll go by bus and I have a friend that will pick me up afterward, if I'm done early enough before noon.

Wish me luck! I'm keeping you all in my thoughts! I hope my life calms down a bit so I can blog and comment again regularly.

Shanghai - doctor visit experience #2

Just as my first doctor experience here in Shanghai was not planned, this second one was planned.
I thought that since I've gone to to the acupuncturist a few times in Finland and that acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and I just happened to be going to China, I should actually try acupuncture where it originated from. So, I asked my Chinese co-workers if they could make me an appointment with an acupuncturist.

One of them, Nan*, said she had a doctor friend (let's call him Dr.Boy) at a TCM hospital that she would ask if he could help us get an appointment there. I say us, because two of the girls, Nan & Cece* (I mentioned her in my previous post) decided to join me. Neither of them had tried acupuncture before and thought that this would be a good time to check it out with me. Sunday arrived and I took a taxi to a predetermined place where Nan met me and then we walked to the clinic. Celia was waiting for us and away we went. This TCM hospital is a medical place like any other where people go to get treated. Just as you and I would go to our doctor's office or RE clinic, many Chinese people go here (or to another one that is similar) when they need to seek medical treatment.

The first building we went into to find Dr.Boy ended up being the wrong building, but I got my first taste of where real** Chinese go for medical help. It was an older building that looked a bit run down. Definitely not western by any standards. There was people everywhere and they didn't look to be waiting in any orderly fashion. I mean, I saw 10-15 people in what looked like the treatment room (or maybe the admittance area), all just standing around where you could definitely over hear what the other people are saying. And I was the only foreigner there, being stared at intently by everyone!
In the second building we found Dr.Boy or maybe he found us. Before we talked to a doctor, we went to pay our visit-fee and to get me signed in as a patient/customer there. The patient booklet and card (to track my treatments) and the visit-fee cost less then 7€. We then went to the intake room where people were diagnosed before they were treated by acupuncture and cupping. The girls decided I would be first. Thanks girls! LOL. I sat there talking to a doctor trying to explain my 'pain' and what I wanted treated with my coworkers standing right behind me and several other people who were waiting to be treated also. Again, I was the only foreigner there. I started by telling the doctor that in Finland I was being treated for back and neck pain, but mainly for fertility issues also. The first part the doctor understood, but not the latter part. So, I quickly explained to the girls and they translated to the doctor. He still seemed sort of confused, so I just forgot about that issue and kept the focus on the back and neck. Sure it would have been great to have a treatment geared towards helping me get pregnant, but really I just wanted to experience acupuncture in China. After my diagnosis was made, I needed to pay for my treatment. It only cost 4€. Then it was back to the room where I was diagnosed and I waited my turn to be taken to a bed.


The receipts, my membership card (credit card looking item) and treatment book.

The inside of my treatment book with my 'diagnosis' written in Chinese.

 The treatment beds were cordoned off by curtains (like you see in a hospital). I was sitting in my little room for about 5 minutes waiting for the doctor to come. An older lady came in the 'room' and asked me to take my shirt off and lay down on the bed. I did tell her that I have experienced acupuncture before. She then made sure I was comfortable and away we went with the treatment. I know she used brand new needles, as I could hear her opening the package (and I saw the same happen to someone else after my treatment). Only 1 of the needles twinged a bit uncomfortably as it went in, but that feeling went away almost immediately. Once all the needles were in, I was hooked up to a light electrical current for about 30 minutes (sort of like the TENS unit (transcutaneous electric nerve stimulator) I used for a while right after the car wreck I was in when I was 14). During this time, I also had a heat lamp placed on my lower back. The feeling was so relaxing,k that I think I actually dozed off for a bit. Once the time was up and the needles removed, it was time for the cupping. I've never tried cupping before, although I did know what it was. 12-15 heated glass globes were put on my back in traditional pressure point areas (if I remember correctly). Since the cups are heated before being applied, they suction onto the body and also pull a bit of the skin and muscle inside. Cupping promotes blood circulation, remove stasis, and alleviate swelling and pain. I found this procedure to be a bit painful, but not unbearable. I was left this way for 5-10 minutes and then they were removed. My treatment was complete and I was free to go.

I got dressed and then waited for the girls to finish their treatments. During this time, I was intently scrutinized by all the other patients there. Dr.Boy came to talk to me and asked questions about my experience that day and previously. He's a very sweet, young and cute guy. When the girls were done we went to have lunch and we invited Nan's friend along. At lunch, Dr.Boy explained to me the lady who did my acupuncture is ~80 years old, although I wouldn't have guessed that. She is also very well known (famous?) as a doctor in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was quite lucky to have her treat me, as usually it takes a long time to get in to see her. I was also told that this hospital is one of four, very well known and I believe one of the oldest hospitals in Shanhai.


My back  a bit more than 24hours after cupping.
(Even 5 days later, some of the markings can still be seen.)

It was a good experience and one that I am definitely glad to have been able to do. All of the doctors and staff that I came into contact with were very nice and professional. (Nan even went on about how the admittance doctor was so nice, took his time to ask questions and behaved as if he truly cared. He is her type of guy. *giggle* She's so cute, naive and young at times.) The price of the treatment, only 11€ total, is insanely cheap compared to my 45€ per visit in Finland.

*Not their real names
**I say real, because the Parkway Health hospital I went to previously seemed more for expats and foreigners. I could very well be wrong, but that is what it looked like to me.

Shanghai - doctor visit experience #1

During my visit to Shanghai, I've been to 2 different doctors. One was planned, the other not. What follows is my experience of going to a doctor here in Shanghai. I have a feeling this is going to be long, so I'm breaking it down into two posts.

The first time I went to a doctor was because I felt like I had an infection in my throat & nose area. It was something more than just irritated asthma, plus my asthma hasn't ever been quite like that, even when I don't take my medication regularly, which I have been lately. As my voice started to go, I told the team leader, Cece*, here in Shanghai, that I needed to go to the doctor for this. One of the ladies called Parkway Health hospital. From their website: "Parkway is a leading healthcare group based in Singapore, operating 16 hospitals with more than 3,000 beds in Asia." The staff is quite internatioal and the doctor I was booked a time with happened to be American (although, he didn't know I am too, because I am here with my Finnish passport).

I took a taxi to the hospital as that is the easiest way to get there (and quite cheap at aprox 3€), especially when I don't know where it is. Neither did my taxi driver. So as I am in the cab, I called Cece to have her explain it to the driver. He still didn't understand, so she hung up with me, Googled it and then called back. *phew* Finally the taxi driver understood. He got me there about 15 minutes before the appointment, but I still needed to find the exact buiolding I needed to be in.

I quickly found the building and entered it. I saw signs to the OBGYN, surgery and other places, but not a sign that looked like an outpatient clinic. Thankfully some guy in the lobby saw that I was lost and got my attention and pointed me to the elevator. My instructions said floor 2/3. Of course floor 2 wasn't where I needed to go. Once I was where I needed to be, I handed them my passport (to take a copy) and quickly filled out the registration form. Then I sat and waited.

The waiting room wasn't fancy but it was decent, clean and somewhat busy. The nurse took me to a room, asked basic questions and took my blood pressure. I then waited 5 minutes (or less) for the doctor. He asked some more questions and I explained to him that I had horrible mucus in my throat that wasn't like the healthy stuff. I was also coughing quite a bit (to try and dislodge the mucus so I could breath) and as he could hear, I had lost my voice. I also told him it wasn't in my lungs nor did it feel like a sinus infection. After examining me a bit more, he agreed. He said that it wasn't because I am a traveller here that I got sick, because locals were coming down with this also. His verdict: "Shanghai, she won this time". He wrote out a prescription for some antibiotics, hystamine/allergy pills and cough meds (pill form). These were filled for me in the pharmacy they had there as I waited. Once I got my meds, it was time to pay. And that was that! This experience was quite nice and very "western-like".

I left the building with my meds and found a taxi to take me back to work. The trip back to the office took about 45 minutes, twice as long as going there. Much more traffic and we were smack-dab in the middle of it. (I'll have to post another time about taxi drivers and traffic in general.)

The meds started working within 24 hours and now almost a week later, I feel much better. My voice is back, no more mucus and I have less coughing, especially at night. Now the only symptoms I have are asthma related. and they aren't too bad, especially when you think of how big a city I am in and the amount of pollutants are in the air.

The following are some pictures of my journey from the hospital back to work.

Street view - laundry hung out to dry

Wifi-"phone"box

There's a bunny in the cage on the right. When I asked about it later, it was mentioned that maybe it was meant to be eaten. :(
Sorry for the bad quality, but the taxi was moving.

*Not her real name