Posts by Grace Jackson11

Megan Reed said:I don't have an issue with having a discussion.

I just feel bad that you didn't finish medical school, so you could actually go out and do some good for people on this planet, since you're clearly such a genius. 😢 👋

Empress! 👏

Grace Jackson11 said:So, did he finally pull the trigger on that Harley? 🙂

No way! And man, I really hope he doesn't go spending all our money on some fancy bachelor pad either... at least not before he buys us that bike! 😉

Thanks, if this helps him out, that’s great, and even if it doesn't, I guess that's fine too. I could probably start rambling on about all those other middle-age symptoms now, but I suppose that just falls under ZED. :-)

Oh man, let's please not start fighting now 🙂
stormylynx4, listen, I totally get the whole thing about daily doses and overdosing, but I guess... could she actually cause any damage if she stays on this dose—or maybe even less—but does it over a long period? Like, for weeks at a time?
In the meantime, he’s going to keep up with all the testing. He just got some little gadget, like a tiny EKG monitor the size of a pocket planner, that he has to wear and then just snap a photo of with his phone to send to a cardiologist who's basically on call 24/7.
Thanks everyone for all the help. And about that stuff regarding staying active and living a healthy lifestyle... I suppose we'll get to that once we finally pull off "Plan B." For now, we're just dealing with this...

Thanks, that’s pretty much what I was thinking and how I’ve been trying to look at it. Does anyone know if you can actually overdose on magnesium? I did a little bit of googling and found out you shouldn't overdo it, but I couldn't find any specific numbers or anything. I guess it probably wouldn't do much harm if I just take it whenever I'm feeling a bit down.

My sweetheart has been dealing with these heart palpitations for a while now. I’ve tried to google everything, but nothing really comes up that fits. He usually describes it like his heart just "skips a beat," and then he starts feeling all dizzy and lightheaded. In the end, both he and I—each looking at it from our own perspective, I guess—concluded that it might all be in his head, since his job is so physically demanding and stressful. It always seems to happen right when he finally manages to relax.
He’s started taking magnesium and Vitamin B6 now. I know he can take as much B6 as he needs, but what about the magnesium? I mean, what's actually happening there... is it like calcium, where you shouldn't take it for too long? He just takes the pills whenever he feels exhausted or knows he's got a super intense day ahead of him. This silly box from some overseas brand says not to exceed the daily recommended dose (which is 2 tablets with plenty of water), but it doesn't actually list the specific ingredients for those tablets.

I'm back, my lunch was boiling over.
So, look, I’m not advocating for routine episiotomies, or any procedure just for the sake of doing it. I was just trying to explain that it doesn't have to be "butchery." My situation is just one case—well, two—so I'm not generalizing based on that. What actually got you interested in this issue? What’s your experience been like? Were you actually in the delivery room? Do you know what led to episiotomies being introduced into medical practice in the first place? And honestly, do our hospitals even have enough resources—like staffing, beds, equipment—to allow for a more individualized approach?
I'm not sure if a woman should always get to decide exactly what she wants, but she absolutely needs to be consulted. You have to explain the procedure, the reasons behind it, and the consequences—absolutely. And that applies everywhere, not just at the maternity ward.
I agree that you need to prepare your body with massages, exercises, and creams, I just wanted to say that sometimes that isn't enough. Okay, fine, you got under my skin, so I snapped at you a little. I've worked with my body my whole life; I did special prenatal exercises, used all the creams... Even if my first incision was unnecessary, it didn't hurt me!
And regarding bringing up studies... we had those studies about the link between MMR and autism, and studies about iron levels in spinach...
I really value how much effort you're putting in and your interest in this topic; I think it's incredibly important and informative. It's just that your aggressive tone and how stubbornly you stick to one single thesis bothered me. Maybe if you had framed things differently... maybe if you judged a poorly executed cut that led to tearing, or an unnecessary one that left a scar interfering with daily life...
As for your other questions, we haven't sued anyone. We would sue in cases of permanent disability, or if someone couldn't perform daily functions, etc., but we did loudly demand explanations for everything. In the end, my experience was positive; I got the answers I was looking for, and I accepted them.
To all the future moms we might have stressed out—wishing you so much happiness. It really isn't even half as scary as it seems from the posts by Justin Fox and myself, and that little bit of discomfort is worth a million stitches and scars.

No, the thing is, it really bugs me when people try to label something as just pure butchery based on nothing but a few studies.
I definitely agree, though, that both my own experiences and your posts are super helpful for everyone here.

Justin Fox said:So, you had a really bad experience. 7.5 months sounds like it was premature—was it rushed because it was an emergency? Did you prepare at all? Like, did you do any massage work? And how did you feel after your first birth where you mentioned having an episiotomy (if I'm understanding you right)?

Justin Fox, are you maybe a man?😬

My first birth... let's just say things went smooth, and I never even felt the scar. Maybe it wasn't strictly necessary, but it didn't cause harm either (that’s my whole point!). My second birth, though... that was premature. You don't need a PhD to figure that one out, it was just rushed...
It seems like you think a cut is just an invitation for tearing. I don't see it that way, because with my first baby—who was normally large after the incision—I didn't tear even a millimeter. But with the second one, without the incision, I ended up with 17 stitches and scars that I definitely still feel.
The incision wound healed almost immediately, but the tearing wound? That hurt for weeks. I couldn't sit down; I had to pee standing up... and through different phases of my hormonal cycle, I can still feel that scar "acting up," even now, 11 years later.
Just ask my husband if he'd want them to "do that" to his darling wife.
To go back to the beginning, episiotomies are done routinely specifically so that what happened to me doesn't happen. It makes delivery easier for everyone. Maybe, with better hospital organization, more midwives and doctors, a more personalized approach, and all that, they could avoid the routine and only do it when actually needed. But with how things are set up for us right now, I guess it's better to do it routinely for everyone than to not do it at all.
And one more thing... about those massages that are supposed to help... for your darling wife...

Come here, Justin Fox, honey, please just trade places with me. I’m sitting here with 17 stitches because I tore so badly, and my baby is barely the size of a little chick—maybe a pound or something. I’m 7 and a half months along with my second, and honestly? I would give anything for just a routine checkup and those few simple stitches I had after my first baby.

Grace Jackson11😢

www.suvag.com
It wasn't too hard to track down, right?

The Suvag center in Chicago