Catch-up (Catsup? Ketchup?)

The nurse who had me popping baby aspirin and shopping for blood donors called today. Apparently what she meant to say last week is that I need to schedule an appointment with the hematologist but overall it is no big deal since about half of all Caucasian women carry a heterogeneous MTHFR mutation. She had no recollection of having spoken to me about this before and no idea that she had called in a prescription for me or told me to start taking aspirin. It was... odd. Funny odd, like a Monty Python sketch but still odd. In the absence of existing evidence to the contrary we will assert that she is the crazy one, but keep an eye on me, won't you? I have always assumed that when I go mad it will be more Ophelia-like what with the flowers and the abbreviated swims but you never know.

In sum we are downgrading the MTHFR mutation to an Orange Alert and Steve is back in the HippoG yearbook as Most Likely to Cause a Miscarriage.

Going to DC to help with the new baby was absolutely The Right Thing to do and I am still glowing with the rectitudinousness of it all. To be honest with you, I was worried beforehand that I was going to find the situation painful and envy-making. Why, if Steve hadn't tampered with the Pharoah's tomb long these many years ago I would have a newborn too! But it was absolutely fine. My sister-in-law staggered around and updated her hourly intake-output baby charts (*) and I made bland, healthy freezables to her specifications (who knew ground beef and semolina were so evil? and don't even get us started on our Family Favorite: whole milk) and chush-chush-chushed the baby. I gave him his first bath and held him when he got his Hep vaccination and generally loved him all over the damned place. It was good. I think he likes me.

I am in limbo again and it makes me thick and stupid. On the Second Baby front I am just waiting, waiting, waiting to start a post-D&C cycle so we can do... something. Six weeks and counting, for those of you who care. On the First Baby front Patrick is just Patrick in the same way coffee ice cream covered in hot fudge topped with fresh whipped cream and swimming in Frangelico is just... well, you know, he is absolutely delicious. His newest joke, which he delivers as a monologue, is: "Knock-knock! Who's there? Zebra? There is no zebra! That made the zebra cry. Hahahahahahaha......." 

I seem to find Deadwood strangely erotic so Steve, in that simple way he has of finding joy in even the most repetitious of acts, is happy. He just put three new windows into the basement, creating both literal and metaphoric light at the end of that tunnel. Remind me to tell you what colors we did down there... actually, remind me to tell you everything I have promised to mention and haven't. Seriously, post below. What do I owe you? What do you want to know? Did I tell you where we are sending Packy to school next year? Did I ever finish answering your questions from before?

Seems like a good a time as any to catch-up, so ask.

Comments

[e]

grrr, I am getting your email but apparently you aren't getting my responses, hence the communicating via the comments. At any rate, email me your phone # and I will CALL you. How terribly old fashioned, I know.

glad the baby holding went so well. we missed you!

[Cat, Galloping]

And there I was all worried that my comment on the last MTHFR post was all contradictory to your doctor's advice and everything and would therefore irritate. If there's one thing I've learned a thing or two about in this process, it's MTHFR. (And if there's another, it's ANA, so post if she ever gets all freaky about that.)

I think you still owe us on Packy's school for next year.

[Lisa S (et al, aka Stolidoli)]

Instead of telling us, could you post pictures of the basement? Then we could try to name the color. It would be like a game for grown-ups who love redecorating.

You never did tell me how that gravy came out. You know, my Italian Sunday Classic with pork? Did you like it? Are you waking up at dawn to chop garlic on Sunday mornings yet?

[Lisa]

I rather liked the zebra joke. That kid's got a future in comedy!

[Serina]

Oh, how cute is Packy for a nickname?! I love it!

[tracy]

First, has someone already pointed out that it's impossible to read "MTHFR" without thinking "motherfucker?"

Second, here is my 4-year-old friend's favorite knock-knock joke:

Knock knock!
Who's there?
Blue.
Blue who?
Oh, you don't have to cry about it! Knock knock!
Who's there?
Red.
Red who?
Oh, you don't have to cry about it! Knock knock...

[-Blue]

Well I for one am sort of dissapointed that you turned out NOT to be a hideous mutant. I was jealous. I'm a huge Comic Geek and had visions fo you, oh, sprouting a prehensile tail and teleportation abilities.

Oh well, you still have your mutant ability to spot assvice from across town.

Ask you anything? So howcome you see these skanky chicks in the Wal-Mart in bedroom slippers? What's up with that?

Yep. I need to go back to bed. Bah!

-Blue

[giddy]

What is the significance of the asterisk next to the "intake-output charts"? I feel certain you have something clever to tell us about them......

[Libby]

You still have not told us how the mustard chicken turned out. You know the one you wanted to make when you were in DC, but did not have the recipe. We all looked like crazy for that recipe. Did it help?

[helllonwheeels]

Deadwood fucking ROCKS. Fucking poetic and erotic. I tried to phrase that the way the show would have but all I could come up with was fucking.

[Danae]

Glad you're back, Julia.
Missed you.

[Pamplemousse]

Ian McShane and the guy that plays Seth - mmm!

What colours did you use in the basement?

[mary]

I'm with hellonwheels & Pamplemousse regarding Deadwood. Best show on TV now. Al & Seth are both on my to-do list. I can't be the only one calling people "cocksuckers" lately. It's definitely not helping my pottymouth.

[Katherine]

I hate like sin to ask, but is it *really* called the "MTHFR" mutation?

Because every time I see that acronym, I'm so like "Oh, 'motherf*****'!" And then five seconds later: "Oh, wait... she probably doesn't mean it like that."

Come on now, Jules. Truth or dare: MTHFR or not? ;-)

[Megan]

I have the motherfucker mutation too. I'm compound heterozygous. I've been seeing a hemotologist and he says its heparin shots for me. Every 12 hours from the instant the second line appears.
I hope you get better news!

[MistressMary]

I have no special requests. Oh wait, I just thought of one. Do you know the song "Hey Hey Julia" by Robert Palmer? If you don't, you need to hear it. I sing it everytime I read your blog.

[Janonymous]

Deadwood, mmmm mmm delicious tv.

Yes, Katherine, it really is called MTHFR, which can stand for what I exclaimed at each miscarriage because of it, or for MethyleneTetraHydroFolate Reductase. Whatever. Causes difficulty metabolizing folate and increases likelihood of clots, so more potential risk of neural tube defects in fetus and complications from clots in placenta/decreased O2 to fetus.

I took aspirin through the [successful] pregnancy and had the placenta monitored via hi-res u/s every 2 wks.

I would also like pix of the basement. I have no basement, we are at sea level, and I covet yours.

Jan

[shannon]

Hey, could you post a link to that great list of things one can do with baking soda?