There is a God...

8:54 PM Edit This 1 Comment »
I just received a link to a performance survery for the Kitsap County Department of Community Developement... a.k.a the Occupancy Permit idiots!  WOO HOO!  I just filled it out and BOY did it feel good to get all that frustration and annoyance out.  We will see if I get any sort of response.

Eat? Nah... I don't need that.

1:39 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
I had my appointment with a GI doc on Monday.  I don't know what I expected, but I guess more than what I got.  He changed my medication from Protonix to Prevacid and told me to drop the Zantac and Mylanta (which was the best news I have ever had) and start chewing Gaviscon instead.  He gave me a packet about reflux and esophagitis and gave me some tips on trying to keep the reflux at bay.  

The best one is to never get full.  Telling a pregnant women to never get full is a very low blow.  I've been really working on it.  Small snacks all day and never sitting down for a meal.  Since I'm starting over on my medicine, I have 2 weeks before I will be feeling full effects.  Which means 2 weeks of awful heartburn until I know if it will work or not.  Gaviscon was shocking at first, foams up in your mouth and made me gag, but the second time wasn't as bad.

But when he was listening to my heart beat, he heard the babies and that was so exciting, I didn't care much about the reflux I had that night.  Last night I even felt some of the first kicks, which I think is the best part of pregnancy.  Having that constant reward for taking good care of the baby, knowing it's alive and kicking.  Pardon the pun. 

One more month and we should know the sex, then we have to try and get our basement finished before I bankrupt us buying cute little tiny outfits.   Can't wait!!

Doctor Appointment

9:52 AM Edit This 2 Comments »
I always go into these appointments with guns blazing... thinking "He WILL do something about this and he will make this better!"  By the time I leave, I'm purring like a kitten with no resolve.  He has a way of wording things to soothe me and make me believe that his method is better than mine.  Grrr... happens every time.

I have a mass above my belly button that he thinks is probably a hernia.  It's starting to hurt and get bigger, I was convinced that I need an ultrasound and I want to know exactly what it is and what the solution will be... either while pregnant or after the baby is born.  He assured me that whatever it is, there is no way to fix it while pregnant so just wait until the 20 week detailed fetal ultrasound.  Ok... I guess it makes sense.  Whatever.  And the constipation I was convinced meant my bowel was protruding through my hernia? Just normal pregnancy.  Milk of Magnesia and Citrocil.  Should get better.  I hate him.

My esophagitis and reflux and heart burn were things he actually wants to investigate further.  I got a referral to a GI doc to see what, if anything, can be done.  He thinks there will be nothing until I give birth.  On top of the Zantac and Protonix I am already on, he advised me to start taking a dose of Malox after every meal.  Which works well, but is so repulsive in flavor that I have a hard time getting it down.  The GI appointment will be on the 27th, so we will see.

The itching is something else I went in thinking there will be an answer before I leave, and I left with nothing.  He said there are a handful of pregnancy induced itching disorders... hard to figure out which is which and there is no cure besides not being pregnant anymore.  My blood work came back just fine, so it's not my bilirubin or liver.  Morgan suggested sweating it out... I still am going to try that and see.  The doc advised if it gets worse or I start seeing hives then he will send me to a dermatologist.  

So that's that... I feel like a walking medication bottle.  I am using one of those MTWTFSS pill holders so I can keep myself straight.  In the morning I have the Zofran for nausea, Protonix and Zantac for reflux, Citrocil and then Malox after breakfast.  Malox after lunch and dinner and then there's the Zantac at night along with my prenatals.  I had been taking Benedryl for the itching but he advised that I should only use that when it gets bad and not everyday.  Which is too bad... it was helping me sleep.  And on top of all that, we propped the top of my bed up on 2x4's to help prevent the reflux at night.  OH BOY!  

But the BEST news of all was that the baby is doing great.  The heart beat was very easily found and still going strong.  No matter what I go through, the second I hear that fast paced heart beat... ahhh... nothing better.  Can't wait to meet this little one and start getting back at him/her for everything they've caused.  :)  

Just because I am pissed...

5:09 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
Ever since I decided to purchase my latte stand, I have tried my hardest to do everything by the books and have spent hours trying to figure out permits and fees and licenses.  There was a master business application online that has both a federal and local check list of all the things I had to accomplish.  With the help of my friends and a big ol' notebook, I knocked through the whole thing.

I learned how to do my own payroll and I learned all about the quarterly and monthly and payroll and excise taxes... I spent countless hours trying not to miss anything.

I received a phone call from a very unpleasant woman that told me I didn't have an occupancy permit, not only that but the previous 2 owners also did not have an occupancy permit.  I was told to go to Port Orchard and talk to a man at the development building.  Ok, sure.  I go there and pick up the paperwork.  I bring it home, fill it out and mail in the $59.50.  I get another phone call from the mean woman asking me when I plan on picking up the permit.  I said I didn't know I needed to.  But ok, I will pick it up this week.  

I went to pick it up today and was told I needed to also pay a $55 penalty, the cashier couldn't give m answers so I paid and decided to take it up with the mean woman.  The mean woman called this afternoon to schedule the inspection.  I asked her about the penalty.  She told me that because they had to tell me I needed permit in the first place, I had to pay the fine.  

My question to her was how I was supposed to know I needed this permit?  Where it was listed?  Where was the notice?  How was I supposed to figure it out?  Her only response was that it was my responsibility as a business owner.  I asked if I was supposed to call every single government agency and ask if they want my money and she said "if that's what it would take".

My frustration level shot through the roof.  I tried to remain calm and I gave her my feedback and how ridiculously unfair it was, she just responded with "not to be smart, but what would you do since you have it figured out?"  wow.

Being a first time business owner, I feel so much more for all the businesses that I see go under.  It's rough.  Everyone wants a piece of you.  Everyone wants what little money you make.  The amount of taxes put on a small business is outstanding.  Almost half of all the income my business brings in, goes to taxes.  I sell latte's for goodness sake.  Then after that, I am bombarded by local governemental agencies that are mean, cruel and have no sympathy for the struggling business.

I never thought in a million years the hardest part about owning a business would be taxes, licenses and permits.  Shouldn't be that way.  Not in America.

Lately

9:09 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
So they say that someday I will laugh and someday it will just be a story, so I better document it.  Everyone knows I've been super sick with this pregnancy, well probably the last week and a half  or 2 weeks I have been less nauseas but throwing up more.  Tuesday night I decided to make chili dogs for all my AI crowd and shortly after got some serious heartburn that turned into difficulty swallowing and pain in my chest.  I thought it was seriously bad heartburn so just went to bed.  All night long I was throwing up and couldn't even swallow my own spit.  The next day I decided a doctor visit was in order.  I couldn't get into my doctor, so I had to sit at prompt care for 4 hours before they sent me to the ER.  The ER doctor diagnosed me with esophagitis.  A severe burn and inflammation to the esophagus because of all the reflux and throwing up.  They changed my antinausea meds and gave me another heartburn medication.  

I was also experiencing itching all over, the doc didn't know how to fit that into the diagnosis so I just decided to push that with my regular doctor.  I had blood tests done for that, still waiting to see why I am scratching my whole body raw.

So basically, it's going to take a month for my esophagus to heal and still I can not swallow much of anything.  Basically living off of yogurt and popcycles.  I was so desperate for real food today I started sucking on pizza crust, and I have heartburn now.  Just can't win!  This little baby is giving me so many problems, better be an easy baby!  :)

I also have what they think is an umbilical hernia.  If anyone saw me pregnant with Lo, you would know I grew straight OUT.  So when my stomach muscles came back together, they left a hole and now there's a hernia.  They think it will be ok until after I give birth, but I am waiting to have an ultrasound done for that.

I'm trying to keep my spirits up, I got to hear the babies heart beat the other day in the ER and it was so magical.  I know that I am not me right now, my body is merely a host for this little miracle.  I may have to suffer a bit, but I'm just so happy that the reason I am suffering is because of the baby.   And honestly, I would almost rather be going through this than the nonstop nausea.  At least I can put on a happy face and play with Lo and even do some cleaning.  Until I swallow or try to eat, I am doing great!

So that's that.  I have lots of pics and posts to catch up on, but I better file my quarterly taxes and catch up on business paperwork before I do that.  Maybe next week!  ;)