Posts by Michelle Thomas38

silentbison17 said:It’s like some kind of damn karma—the allergy tests are awful. She reacts to almost everything. Not everything, maybe, but she reacted to about 70% of the panel, just at lower levels... eggs, milk, flour, peanuts, whitefish, trout, ragweed, pine, pollen... There's no way I can isolate her from the world based on that...

Thank you all so much, you've really comforted me. 😉

I know there's just the possibility that she might struggle with a natural birth later on due to years of Ventolin potentially affecting heart rhythm, but hey, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...🙂

silentbison17 said:I have a friend with Asthma whose heart function has weakened from long-term Ventolin use. They suspect her heart might not handle a natural birth, but thankfully, she’ll have a C-section.

Regarding the ocean, I'm glad it helps you.
We live about 10 meters from the water. 😁 We're on the beach every morning and evening, and we walk along the shore even in winter. She was doing great in July; she didn't cough once and we weren't using Fentanyl patch then. But after the first big storm hit, she had such bad obstructions that we didn't sleep for three days because of her choking. So, in terms of the long term, the ocean doesn't help us at all.

The point is, we get hit by these massive, harsh winds. We're tucked in a canyon surrounded by mountains, a river, and the sea... if it were just the sea, it would be better, but it's humid here and the wind is brutal.

I don't know who told her that, but she can absolutely have a normal vaginal birth—unless there are other medical reasons for a C-section, I mean. It has to be something completely unrelated to asthma...

I’ve been dealing with this for ages—constant treatments, several rounds of testing, and a mountain of hospital stays due to bronchitis and bronchial asthma, which eventually shifted into allergic asthma. I’ve spent plenty of time in seaside clinics too, living off Ventolin and various other inhalers and meds... yet I still had two kids, naturally, without any complications whatsoever. Plus, just ten days before my second birth, I was literally hooked up to IV drips and inhalations just so I could actually make it through the delivery, since my asthma decided to flare up right at the worst possible moment. So, my take? If everything is being managed and treated properly, there shouldn't be any real obstacles to a natural birth when you're dealing with asthma.

It honestly caught me off guard how much less mobile I am this pregnancy—it’s like I’m just totally incapable of getting anything done lately... 🤷 I mean, I just didn't think it would hit me this hard.

coppersailor16 said:Does Dr. Divić take new patients? And where exactly is her office in San Francisco? I really don't want to be stuck on some massive waiting list... Also, does she happen to work on Saturdays?

I think she’s still accepting new patients—there was a sign on the door about it... Her office is right across from the local community clinic, I believe it's at 4 Liberty Square, upstairs (it's right next to the pediatric center)
As for wait times, I honestly have no clue. Your best bet is to just call or swing by in person to set something up. Just stay away on Mondays if you can, because it always gets pretty crowded then... and I'm pretty sure she doesn't work Saturdays

coppersailor16 said:Can anyone recommend a good gynecologist in San Francisco? My husband and I have been trying to conceive for over a year now and I’m honestly starting to get anxious—so I'm planning to start running tests in September... I was thinking about going to the CIA, but after reading all your experiences... now I have no clue where to go! 😕

Are you thinking of going private or sticking with public health insurance?
I can give you a recommendation for my current OB/GYN (Dr. Divić). I'm actually pregnant right now and am really happy with her—plus a few family friends have gone to her too and they were just as satisfied... she also suggested someone else for an ultrasound while she was on vacation, just to keep our minds at ease since there was a long gap between appointments, but normally she does an ultrasound during every visit and explains everything you want to know... her nurse is great too, no issues at all if you need a referral or a prescription.

As for the CIA, I don't know much about the full roster of gynecologists there... I saw Sparac for a 3D ultrasound, though it wasn't a full exam, because he was covering for my regular doctor who was on vacation. I don't have anything bad to say about him—he covered everything needed via the ultrasound, was pretty thorough, and answered all our questions... I left feeling pretty satisfied.

feralpanther11 said:I mean, seriously—how is a family of three supposed to survive on nothing but part-time gigs from a campus placement service?

What would be better—him messing around with some useless degree and struggling through life, or just getting it over with so he can land a solid job and actually secure his future?
Summer’s right around the corner—plenty of side hustles popping up to stack some cash and actually put something aside for once. I wouldn't be the first person to grind like that, and I certainly won't be the last. If you can build up a decent nest egg now, you'll be set when the baby finally arrives and all those expenses start hitting at once.

ironrider20 said:Look, sorry, but I think we should actually be giving her some support instead of just judging her for having a kid when things aren't perfect. Honestly, she should just be happy she even got pregnant on the first try—some people struggle so much just to conceive. And as for money... I mean, I'm working right now, but I definitely had less cash in my pocket now than I did back when I was a student.

Exactly...
The more you grind today, the less money you actually end up with. And let’s be real—parents are still going to be breathing down your neck about wedding plans and every other life decision because, at the end of the day, you'll probably be leaning on them. I guess the idea is to build up your own stash so that if things get tight, the folks can step in and help out when needed... maybe.

I mean, what’s the big deal if you have kids before getting married? Honestly, how many people are in that exact same situation and doing just fine? Don't let them start dictating your life like that—if you give in now, they'll just keep pushing.
And as for him needing to drop out of college to find a full-time job—who even says that? I guess he should just focus on finishing his degree, and in the meantime, maybe just pick up some part-time gigs through a temp agency or something...

Steven Harris16 said:Because I have to—that's the reality. I wouldn't choose to have a wedding right now if it were up to me, but we don't really have a choice. My partner and I aren't making the calls here because our financial situation is such that we're essentially forced to let them take the lead. We'll let them pay, but we fully intend to pay them back, and we're praying that the gifts from half the guests will cover the remaining costs. The hardest part is knowing that I'm hurting both myself and my baby with all this tension; my partner and I end up bickering over every little thing, which leaves us both feeling miserable afterward. 😢 It breaks my heart that I won't actually get to enjoy my own wedding, instead just swaying around heavily 😢 and counting down the minutes until every single guest finally heads home.😢

Why do you have to? You're an adult—you're responsible for yourself. You don't have to do anything just because someone else dictates it... You and your partner need to sit down, talk about what you actually want for the wedding, and set some boundaries. It's not your parents getting married, it's you guys, and you should be the ones enjoying the day. If you cave now, they're just going to keep pushing you regarding the baby and everything else later on...

Think about yourself and the little life inside you...

velvettiger15 said:🤔 I don't get it. 🤷 Why would you have to get hitched right now? And why does it even need to be this massive, crazy blowout for 500 people?

If I were in your shoes (which I'm not—I've got two kids with my partner without being married, and plenty of other girls here too 😁), I’d just do a quick courthouse thing with two witnesses and a nice dinner. Then, once the baby is a year or two old, throw the big party for everyone—and by then, you'll have had time to save up some cash so you can do it exactly how you want. 😉

That’s exactly what we did, and it couldn't have been better... Only the witnesses knew the plans. We went out to dinner and just enjoyed ourselves—I actually felt nauseous that day. Maybe you'll resent your parents for this approach, but it's your life, not theirs.

Jeffrey Sullivan10 said:So, I just took a test, and it came back negative... 😢
I’ve really been getting my hopes up with all of this... It wasn't exactly planned, but honestly, I would have been so happy if it had been positive...

Try taking it with your first urine of the morning instead...

mrs. piggy, maybe try one of those early detection tests—I think they call them one-step tests or something—around $5.00 because... I actually took one just two days before my period was due and it showed a positive right away. I did it around 6 PM, and then I tested again about a week after my expected period date using a Clearblue test, and it still showed a positive immediately.