The Study

I mentioned the pre-eclampsia study that I'm involved with before. To recap: since my mother was hypertensive by the time she was my age, I am an eligible candidate for the study. They gave me as many ovulation detectors and pregnancy tests as I could possibly use. Once I was pregnant, I recorded everything I ate for three days (including weights and volumes, if I salted it or it had ice in it), peed in a jug for 24 hours and went to the hospital for a few hours of tests. They drew a lot of blood, injected a lot of saline and some dye, did several ultrasounds on veins and kidneys, and made me exercise to exhaustion.

They sent me food to eat for the second trimester, but I came down with a terrible cold and felt like hell and begged off. Since the tests are time sensitive, I couldn't make it up once I felt better.

I started eating their food Monday night for my third trimester tests. I recorded everything I ate all day Monday, up until my Monday dinner. I ate their prepackaged food and was still starving. So I ate more food and wrote it on my list. They are studying preeclampsia, which is tied to diabetes and hypertension, so the sodium, sugar, and potassium levels are very strictly proportioned.

Yesterday I was gone in the middle of the day and didn't get home until nearly 9. I was starving, because I hadn't brought any of my food with me, except snacks that could handle not being refrigerated. I had a lot of food waiting for me when I got home... I ate the broccoli and tried to eat the macaroni and cheese, but there was entirely too much spinach in it. All the meals are "healthful" and terribly bland. Except the breakfast cereals and the mac and cheese. The mac and cheese would be awesome if it didn't have so much wilted, limp, gross spinach baked into it. I ate a huge salad and the broccoli, you'd think they could forgo the spinach. Or at least cut back by half. It literally comprises half the content. And I hate spinach.

So the food is bland and there is nothing I can do about it. I have started collecting urine again. I cannot swallow the prenatal vitamins they gave me. I cheated a bit on the first day of food... I hope they still want me and are willing to compensate me for my time.

My goal, when I started was to save all the compensation money and pay for diaper service. But that was last September. Money issues have changed and I may need to pay the electric bill with my compensation. I didn't get any money for the second trimester, since I was sick. I bought a bra and a belly band with the money I received for the first trimester. It's expensive being well-endowed. Damned comfy bra, though.

Tomorrow, I will have been fasting since midnight. I will fast through getting showered, dressed, and on the bus to the hospital for 8:30am. They will collect more urine and blood and run a few more tests and then they will feed me. It will not be enough. I ate my breakfast and my morning snack in one sitting this morning. Two hours ago. I'm seriously thinking about lunch. It's appropriate, time-wise, but it's only been two hours since breakfast. (Have I mentioned that I love summer vacation and sleeping in?)

Bryn has promised me lunch at Misery Loves Co. Big Red - where ever it is. And I have requested that if the weather permits, we head to the lake for a swim. Bryn plans on going hiking with Boo in the morning while I'm at the hospital and they'll pick me up on the quest for the MLC truck.

This time, I'll let you know how the testing went. Seriously.