So last week my fanny pack was really acting up. My Elvis Pelvis as one friend put it (thanks Kerensa!).
Fanny pack is not a rude word here in the states. It is in Ireland. In the states it means your bum or as we say in Ireland your arse. Not in Ireland. Ireland well it means the front of the lady - as they say in Greys Anatomy - your V-jay-jay (which is how I refer to it in gynies office as my Doc seems to think that's funny...) So I call it my fanny pack here in States which is not taken as rude when I really mean the Irish meaning... Yep truth is out folks, I mean my SPD. But considering that SPD sounds like a sexually transmitted disease instead of full name of Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) easier to say fanny pack problems. Even saying Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) sounds wrong some how. Nobody wants to hear that coming from you. So I just say my fanny pack is acting up. The above is not an xray of me... Dont worry not getting microwaved during pregnancy..
And acting up it was. It took me 10 minutes to get from my front door to my car at the kerb right outside my house. And we don't have a driveway folks. Its pretty much come out front door and theres the smallest path in world and there's the kerb. Its not like we're in Tara from gone with the wind. Think more Coronation Street (for those across pond their soap reference)or Melrose place (for our this side of pond and you're old enough to remember 80's music and TV) where they come out front door and trip over their car. Got that mental image, grand that's the one we're going for.
So I saw the PT lady twice this week, Chiro once (was supposed to see them twice but literally couldn't drive to get to them). Helped lots and thought to myself what else helps...
So things that really help my SPD/Elvis Pelvis
1)Ice packs. Fanny ice packs that are long and narrow for sitting on or putting between legs in bed really help lots. Things that my hubbie gets awards for is pulling same icepack or a pillow up between my legs to correctly position as cant open legs when lying down. So that conversation goes like this, sweetie/hun/J can you do me a favor? (all sentences nearly start like that now... push it up, no pull it with both hands, yes, don't open my legs, right yep get it in there , yep like that, can you pull from behind - that's great. And all in reference to a pillow or icepack...
2) walking in swimming pool in 3 feet of water or more. This is heavenly. In the water I can actually walk. I can do all my exercises I know really help with the SPD. When I got bad with the SPD month 4 of pregnancy, it got a lot better for 5th and 6th month doing these exercises but problem is you cant do them if you cant walk or open legs, or turn in bed at all. So walking in water is fantastic and thankfully at my PT place I get to use the pool afterwards and walk in water and feel great. Coming out of the water sucks. As I walk up steps (sideways and one step at a time as cant alternate stepping up) all the weight comes back and I feel like an astronaut returning to earth my limbs heavy with the returning gravity.. However I move much easier than before getting into pool so I try and see it as a will see you again Mr pool moment and glad I got in.
3) Resting and not walking or driving. You have to be careful of not sitting immobile too long as that just freezes everything up but resting with fanny ice pack really helps and letting the aggravated area calm down a bit does wonders. For this alone very thankful to Dev and Whitney my co-workers who have become my legs to go see customers and do all day open house type events which would kick my arse and fanny pack literally.
Lots of folks asked am I still working (including all my doctors who want me not too but thankfully I can work from home and not drive except maybe one day where I try and see 3 customers to make it worthwhile). Still selling my accounts so my boss is pretty much grand as long as still selling :-)
I thought I could work up till d-day or is that c-day since not due date but c-section date? However now I know I cant do that. Since a) probably be in wee panic mode of shite those things have to come out of baby crib for baby to be there and we need to do more that two rooms ready (front room and office are now grand however neither is really involved with baby lol). b) if I am moving like this week I need couple of weeks off so I can do some of the getting ready since I move like I am in a much slower dimension or like I'm 90 yrs old. C) may go early and then planned date of c-section of August 17th doesn't mean diddly...
4) seeing my PT lady and my chiro lady for their help. Sometimes hate going as means have to walk but it really really helps so much better about going now. Also the PT people are very near and they have the pool so helping a bit more now. My chiro is wonderful about that, she doesn't get insulted that something else is working well at moment. That's a real doctor, one whose focus is me getting better and not them feeling better about their practice.
In a side bar she also hooked me up with a new friend from the office - a fellow patient S who is trying to get preggers and as Dr Deb put it - you guys have to meet you will love each other. She was very right and we had lunch last week and my sister Gra was teasing me saying only in America would your chiro match u up with new sister chicks. Yep that's true and glad of it. I've been missing missing my sister chick Sheila since she went East. So happy for her as I know that's where shes supposed to be but wish she was here also and would like that instant transport device folks to see her sooner and easier! She's coming to bay area soon for a visit so that's awesome.
5) himself being supportive. He's doing all the stuff that I did without having to be pinged around the house so that I don't have to try and do. It was 90-100 degrees here nearly all week which I'm sure was not helping with fanny pack and he was a trooper in helping me around house and helping me (including driving us to movies Friday night from around our house to the front door of movie theatre.) The movie theatre is maybe a block and half away. I mean a short short block, like going across streets - not down a long street. But couldn't walk it so he drove us. We saw knocked up , it was a funny wee brain candy movie. Its not the classic of 40 yr old virgin but has some excellent moments including Ryan Seacrest making fun of himself and also sex during pregnancy scene that had myself and himself laughing out loud.
6) being OK with not being as mobile or active as I'm used to. It's been a big change for me - taking a breath and saying OK, feck it I cant do that and no used getting annoyed so that I realize its hopefully going to be lot lot better after Hobbit comes and no body has taken the light bulb from the tunnel. My PT, Chiro both agree its just acting up as getting more and more preggers and Hobbit has dropped down more (with their foot I swear just on my bladder nerve, not making me want to go bathroom but that nerve that feels like a UTI coming on...) and Hobbit is a lot bigger now at 30 weeks. (probably around 3 lbs and 17 inches long...) So I do my exercises in water and I go to my appointments and could have it a lot worse.
So PT, Chiro and Swimming oh my.... That's my yellow brick road for now folks. Till I get to the c-section castle in 9 weeks. That's the oh my..