Mexico

I took absolutely NO photos on our trip, and part of me is really glad that I didn't. I remember crying and crying when I looked at myself in the mirror. I kept thinking about the movie Hitch and wished I only looked that good.

So at 5 weeks pregnant and 2 days after I had the stomach flu, Chase, Mom, Ruark, Joyce and I all climbed aboard the plane to sunny Mexico. The plane went great, I was really nauseous and the only thing I had been able to keep down for 3 days was Sprite. So by the time we got to Phoenix, picked up our bags, took the shuttle and got our rental car. I WAS STARVING. My mom has a favorite seafood restaurant named Paupadoux's. We got there and I was eating all the complimentary bread I could grab as well as all of the club crackers and saltines that were on the table. By the time the food finally came, I was pretty comfortable. You can imagine how little I had to eat with my stomach shrinking from no food. Thankfully that's probably the thing that saved me. "Thank you Heavenly Father for the stomach flu!"

Within minutes after the seafood platter was sat down in front of Chase and I, my throat started itching. My mom noticed something was wrong right away, whereas I complained that it was just because of my dry skin. Immediately my appetite was gone, and I started feeling really woozy and felt like I was going to pass out. So we paid the check and got in the car...I was itching and scratching for two hours when we finally stopped at a gas station and I was able to look in the mirror and everyone got a good look at me. I was covered in welts, my face, neck, throat, ears, arms and torso were all inflamed and swelling. By the time we got to Yuma I was sure it would be out of my system. Morning came and it was so much worse, my tongue was swollen. So I called my brother, the doctor. That's when I started telling everyone in my family that didn't know I am pregnant. He told me what to take and when I asked about just going and getting a shot at the hospital I found out, it could kill the baby. But if your throat closes off I guess the same thing happens, only we would both die.

So I covered myself in Benedryl cream and downed pill after pill of Benedryl and Claritin...For three days in Mexico it continually got worse. My eyes were swelling and to be honest everything was in a daze. I remember how warm it was down there but thank goodness everyone took care of Ruark so that I could sleep. At one point I remember my stomach swelling so much I looked like I was 7 months pregnant. I felt awful.

It wasn't until 5 days later that everything was out of my system and it started to die down. This was the day we got home. The next day when we had a family dinner it flared up and got even worse, apparently now I'm allergic to a certain protein which causes it to flare up. So I was sick (food poisoning sick) for the next 2 days. I lost 7 pounds and I spent the next 2 weeks on the couch, which really cut in to all of my Christmas plans.

I am so lucky I didn't have to get a shot, and I truly believe it's because my husband is a righteous Priesthood holder who was able to protect our little baby through all of his blessings he gave us along the way. I can't wait to be a mom to this little baby, I just feel so bad, he/she has already been through SO much in there and we've only just begun.