Posts by Bradley Gray54

I’ve got just two days left until my due date, and honestly, my stomach is huge, my back is killing me, and I feel like I’m constantly running to the restroom, BUT...

1. Whether I’m at the grocery store, Walmart, CVS, or the post office—everywhere, really—there isn't a soul who would think to let me skip ahead in line!🙂

Every single day, I find myself standing in the checkout line with just a few items, while the person in front of me has a cart overflowing with groceries. They often turn around several times and just stare at my belly like it’s some kind of strange phenomenon, but letting me go first? No way!!
The cashiers never cut me ahead either, even when they see me waiting there.
People truly lack empathy; they just don't seem to care about anyone else.
I’m not sure if the big supermarkets in Chicago have dedicated lanes for pregnant women or people with disabilities, but here in my town, they definitely don't!

There was one single time when I was actually allowed to go ahead of others at the local precinct. I was there to pick up my new ID, and I had priority because there was a notice taped to the glass stating that pregnant women and people with disabilities get precedence.

2. Most drivers (with very few exceptions) in my area (central California) are—to put it politely—absolutely unrefined!

Right by my building entrance, there’s a crosswalk without a traffic light where I end up waiting for several minutes every time I try to cross the street. God forbid someone actually stops their car at the crosswalk to let me pass! So, I always wait until the entire line of cars clears out, ensuring the road is completely empty so I can cross in peace.

On top of that, I often find that just as I finally feel safe crossing the street, some idiot will speed right past me, cutting me off while I'm literally in the middle of the crosswalk!😠
Not to mention the constant fear that someone might eventually run me over.😢

now I've vented a little bit!

Nadia, what do you think—would orthopedic sandals actually make a difference?
I’m thinking about picking up some Birkenstocks since they seem incredibly comfortable.

I just got back from running some errands downtown. It wasn't anything intense, just a leisurely hour-long walk there and back, but now my left foot is absolutely throbbing.🙄

Hey everyone, how are you all holding up with this summer heatwave?

It’s honestly so frustrating because whenever I head downtown, my feet and lower legs start swelling up within an hour 🙄.
Even when I wear loose, comfortable sandals, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Once I finally take them off, they leave deep indentations in my skin, and then I'm stuck having to lie down with my legs elevated just to get rid of the cramps and that heavy sensation.
Yesterday, it felt as if my legs were made of solid concrete—just incredibly heavy and sluggish.

And I simply can't get used to the fact that I can't just wander around like I used to. Before I was pregnant, I was always rushing everywhere on foot because I love walking, but now I feel exhausted after such a short time, almost like some old lady 😢 who's huffing and puffing just climbing the stairs.

The worst part is, summer is still so far from being over...

Help, I’m not entirely sure where else to turn, so I thought I would try asking here.

I keep seeing this on the forums:
What does it actually mean when someone says they are, for example, 7+3 or 26+5?
What is that number following the plus sign actually supposed to signify??
I am quite new to all of this, so please excuse my ignorance! 😁

What has truly caught me off guard is this overwhelming, indescribable sense of exhaustion.🙂
I find myself sleeping for fifteen hours a day, lacking any semblance of motivation, feeling completely drained, unkempt, and just generally physically broken. It feels as though I have been merely existing, without truly living, for three weeks now.🙂
Today, I lacked even the basic strength required to change out of my pajamas into something more suitable for being at home. I had intended to take a short walk outside this afternoon, but that plan fell through because I ended up collapsing back into bed for another bout of sleep.
And then there is this relentless, constant nausea.🙂Any food with even a hint of a strong scent makes me feel absolutely revolted. I sit there watching my husband eat his soup, while I can barely manage to 🤮
. On top of all this, I find myself bursting into tears over something as simple as a photo of a puppy or even a random commercial.😲
I am incredibly lucky that my husband is so wonderful to me—he is so optimistic and provides such steady support. However, he keeps trying to nudge me toward eating things like boiled chicken or similar foods, but I simply cannot bring myself to do it.😢

Steven Chavez 😲😢

I’ve been sitting here reading through your post, and I honestly feel for you; specifically regarding how much money you’re burning through every single month just to deal with those endless, exhausting nights spent tossing and turning. 🙂
I think I would completely lose my mind if I were in your shoes right now.
Have you had a chance to check if your blood work is looking okay?

Hang in there, and don't let it get you down. 🙂

here is a little something to cheer you up 😉

I came across this article suggesting that women with wider hips and more prominent curves might experience more intense pain due to higher estrogen levels, and apparently, some researchers in Italy have actually linked this physical trait to attractiveness 🤣

Hmm... it’s an interesting theory, I suppose, though who can truly say if there is any real truth to it? 😁
I used to have much narrower hips, but they flared out quite a bit just a few years ago, which means 🤷
I also find myself frequently drinking sage with honey—which happens to be my absolute favorite tea 😍—and fennel, since people claim it’s a cure-all, yet I haven't noticed any actual relief regarding these specific issues

But really, I have simply come to terms with the fact that this is just my lot in life, and there isn't much I can do about it

My previous gynecologist once told me, "Oh, you poor women, it seems it's just your destiny to suffer!"

You really ought to go see a gynecologist, because that level of bleeding is just too much. You'll end up becoming anemic, if you haven't already.

I have consulted with gynecologists about this numerous times, yet every single one tells me that this is simply how my body functions—that for certain women, this volume is perfectly normal and I should just learn to live with it😢.
I have never dealt with anemia, and my blood work always comes back perfect.
It is just that it makes my daily life incredibly difficult, not to mention the sheer amount of money I waste on sanitary products😠.

I even tried taking birth control for a while, but it didn't do anything to reduce the flow at all!

My heart truly goes out to everyone dealing with this...😢

From the very beginning, I have been plagued by incredibly painful and heavy periods. What’s more, I’ve started to notice that as I get older, these struggles seem to be intensifying.

For me, it isn't just abdominal pain; I suffer from intestinal cramps, and my legs and arms ache so much that I feel like I'm coming down with the flu, while my head throbs with what feels like a relentless migraine.
Essentially, it is an absolute nightmare from head to toe... and it lasts for four days every single month.🙂

In the early days, I relied on Voltaren, but I eventually had to stop because it was causing issues with my digestive system. Later, I discovered Neofen, and I have been taking it for nearly ten years now because it actually works for me. Typically, I take a 400 mg dose all at once, which provides relief for about six hours. I make sure to eat a little something before taking it, as I find it works more effectively that way. I also try to lie down for half an hour afterward, which seems to help the medication settle in better. I have tried taking it "on the go" a few times, but it didn't seem to have any effect at all.

The most difficult part is how often I end up staining my clothes, so I completely avoid wearing jeans; instead, I stick to dark skirts or dresses paired with black leggings or tights. I realized that this helps hold everything in place much more securely. My bed linens also get ruined regularly, no matter how careful I try to be—perhaps I should look into adult diapers?!🙂

And what is 😲 most frustrating of all is that every single month, I go through three to three packs of pads! For the first two days, I use nothing but the largest overnight varieties, as anything else simply isn't absorbent enough for me.

And so it goes...😢