Today my second baby boy turns one year old. His birth was so similar to my first son that it seemed fitting to share his birth story on his birthday in the same way I did with my first. There were so many similarities between the two births that I can’t help but compare them. I’ve been struggling with writing this story because it’s hard for me to think about it for long periods of time, as was the case […]
Category: Parenthood
My Baby Has Caffey Disease: Our Story and Rare Disease Awareness.
A doctor told me my baby likely had Caffey disease when he was only eight hours old. We had to wait on genetic testing to confirm it, but the rare disease was already causing my son severe pain. Somewhere around 3 in 1,000 infants are diagnosed with Caffey disease globally, although many are likely undiagnosed because the bone manifestations are minor and go unnoticed. But some babies can have bones that double to triple in width. The doctors told me […]
The First Trimester With My Second Baby.
We’re expecting a second little Meena in June 2021! This first trimester has been quite different compared to my previous pregnancy – and not just because I’m taking care of a two-year-old while pregnant. My medical care has gone a bit differently and I’ve had more varied and intense symptoms. Thankfully, my lupus hasn’t been as intense – so far – and I have a lot of help. In this post, I’m going to detail what it’s been like to […]
2020 Yearly Digest.
This year was not one I have been eager to reflect on. I had to force myself to start the process of reviewing 2020 for my annual digest. But, once I got started I was rather surprised to remember how many positive things did happen this year. Writing this digest is always a therapeutic process. There’s not a big trip to share, but we did find smaller ways to travel and enjoy time together. So much time together. It was […]
My Experiences Going to the Doctor During COVID-19.
When my city’s stay-at-home order when into effect on March 25, I was nervous about more than just COVID-19. As a chronically ill person, I was worried about the potential loss of medical care during the shutdown. My concern was heightened by the flurry of phone calls I received – two days before things closed – rescheduling all my upcoming appointments. During the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had one telehealth appointment and 12 in-office appointments. The […]
What I’m Struggling With During COVID-19 and Why I’m Thankful Anyway.
This isn’t exactly a well put together blog post where I convey a wealth of information. Those are my favorite kind to share, but I’ve been struggling to write one since March. Like many people during the time of COVID-19, I’m not in a great place mentally, physically, or emotionally. This post is more a catalog of what I’ve been struggling with over the past few months, with a few positives thrown in. I am trying to be thankful for […]
Birth and Lupus: Baby Meena’s Birth Story.
Today Baby Meena is one year old. Yes, it has taken me a year to finish writing his birth story. I wrote down many details in the first two weeks, intending to get the story out much sooner, but I was somewhat traumatized from giving birth and had to stop reliving it in my mind for a while. Life was also really hard with a newborn as a parent with lupus. I have struggled mightily in all areas of my life […]
A Lupus Flare and a Teething Baby.
For the first five months, my baby has been an easygoing, dream baby. He has slept 12 hours straight through the night almost every night since he was six weeks old. In fact, he slept so well that from week eight to 12 my husband had to wake him up at night to ensure he consumed enough milk overall (a newborn shouldn’t sleep for more than around four hours without eating). He is one of the happiest and sweetest babies […]