A Pregnant Trucker's Story
As you can see by the new layout, design and header, this little truckers life is about to make a drastic change. Actually, the changes have already begun. But they keep telling me they'll just keep growing and growing.... ;)
I've not blogged in quite some time, as some of you have pointed out via e-mail and comments. I appreciate the concern, as always. But it's been nothing more than just having been too darned exhausted most of the time to even bother breaking out the laptop. Heck I think this is the first time since my last blog that I actually have taken the laptop out of its' case.
Luckily, I can moderate blog comments via e-mail on my iPhone so that part has been easy peasy. But honestly, by the time I'm done working for the day all I have energy for before my eyes close on the world and I drift off to never-never land for 8-10 hours is call and talk to my hubby and maybe post an update on FB.
So far, though, pregnancy hasn't been too terrible. I only had a few instances of full on morning sickness and the rest has just been an annoying near constant nausea and extreme exhaustion. Both of which present a new set of challenges while being an over-the-road truck driver.
I admit I had a few weeks where I wasn't sure I could even keep going. I was so tired I was stopping to take a nap two or three times a day, which kept me from taking any really tight loads or long hauls. But not once did I get service failed for it. I muscled through the worst of the exhaustion pretty well, though, if I do say so myself. I just made it work. Napping whenever possible, eating right to keep my energy up naturally, and getting all the rest I could get every night.
It wasn't a cake walk though, that's for sure. I had about a solid 6 weeks where I just had to purse my lips, furrow my brow, and plow on with life. Plus, I didn't even know until the first weekend of July that I was, without a doubt, pregnant. I suspected of course, but I wasn't sure.
I refused to take a home pregnancy test on the road. I just couldn't bring myself to do it 1) alone on the road and 2) in a truck stop bathroom. (not the kind of story you want to tell your child one day..."I was at this truck stop in Arkansas when I decided to pee on a stick and found out you were on the way") So I waited for a scheduled home time to take the test at home with my hubby there for moral support. Of course, after taking two tests the night I got home and one the next morning, I went to my Dr.'s office and got a definite confirmation.
Luckily in the past couple of weeks things have begun to even out. My energy levels are increasing every day. The nausea has lessened to maybe once a week instead of all day, every day. And I'm feeling pretty darn good. I do still find I get worn out quickly if I have to put in a long day, but I'm managing my time better and I've found that some simple honesty with my boss and dispatcher keeps me from having to run too hard.
But again, as I said before, being pregnant on the road has created a new set of challenges. Like having to find a restroom more often than ever before. And staying comfortable while I spend the long hours behind the wheel. I find myself getting out to stretch and flex at each rest stop to keep the blood flowing and the muscles from getting too sore. I'm also making a more concerted effort to find healthy food and snacking options when and where I can.
But I won't have much longer to worry about these things from a trucking standpoint. I have decided that October will be the last hurrah for me as an OTR trucker. I will need time to prepare the house for the little nuggets arrival and prepare myself as well. I have set a tentative date for turning in my keys, subject to change of course depending on my next Dr.'s appointment and how I feel about life as that date approaches. I'll miss trucking it up, but I'm really looking forward to these changes in my life.
I just can't wait to be a stay at home mom.
Plus, I really couldn't be more thrilled to be growing a new life inside me. I haven't gotten to see the little nugget yet, but we did get to hear the heartbeat during my last time at home and let me tell you, it was the most beautiful sound ever. Poor hubby thought I was having second thoughts or something when I started sobbing like a baby when the midwife found the strong little beats with the Doppler device. But it was just pure joy spilling out of me. To be making a family with the man I love more than life itself is just an amazing thing.
I hope you all don't mind the shift in my blogging as I go from mother trucker to simply, mother. All of my trucking stuff will remain in the archives, so don't worry about those things going away. You can always go back and re-read posts about my life on the road and the lessons I learned (often the hard way) any time. But I really hope that you will continue on with me as my journey takes a new path.
I've not blogged in quite some time, as some of you have pointed out via e-mail and comments. I appreciate the concern, as always. But it's been nothing more than just having been too darned exhausted most of the time to even bother breaking out the laptop. Heck I think this is the first time since my last blog that I actually have taken the laptop out of its' case.
Luckily, I can moderate blog comments via e-mail on my iPhone so that part has been easy peasy. But honestly, by the time I'm done working for the day all I have energy for before my eyes close on the world and I drift off to never-never land for 8-10 hours is call and talk to my hubby and maybe post an update on FB.
So far, though, pregnancy hasn't been too terrible. I only had a few instances of full on morning sickness and the rest has just been an annoying near constant nausea and extreme exhaustion. Both of which present a new set of challenges while being an over-the-road truck driver.
I admit I had a few weeks where I wasn't sure I could even keep going. I was so tired I was stopping to take a nap two or three times a day, which kept me from taking any really tight loads or long hauls. But not once did I get service failed for it. I muscled through the worst of the exhaustion pretty well, though, if I do say so myself. I just made it work. Napping whenever possible, eating right to keep my energy up naturally, and getting all the rest I could get every night.
It wasn't a cake walk though, that's for sure. I had about a solid 6 weeks where I just had to purse my lips, furrow my brow, and plow on with life. Plus, I didn't even know until the first weekend of July that I was, without a doubt, pregnant. I suspected of course, but I wasn't sure.
I refused to take a home pregnancy test on the road. I just couldn't bring myself to do it 1) alone on the road and 2) in a truck stop bathroom. (not the kind of story you want to tell your child one day..."I was at this truck stop in Arkansas when I decided to pee on a stick and found out you were on the way") So I waited for a scheduled home time to take the test at home with my hubby there for moral support. Of course, after taking two tests the night I got home and one the next morning, I went to my Dr.'s office and got a definite confirmation.
Luckily in the past couple of weeks things have begun to even out. My energy levels are increasing every day. The nausea has lessened to maybe once a week instead of all day, every day. And I'm feeling pretty darn good. I do still find I get worn out quickly if I have to put in a long day, but I'm managing my time better and I've found that some simple honesty with my boss and dispatcher keeps me from having to run too hard.
But again, as I said before, being pregnant on the road has created a new set of challenges. Like having to find a restroom more often than ever before. And staying comfortable while I spend the long hours behind the wheel. I find myself getting out to stretch and flex at each rest stop to keep the blood flowing and the muscles from getting too sore. I'm also making a more concerted effort to find healthy food and snacking options when and where I can.
But I won't have much longer to worry about these things from a trucking standpoint. I have decided that October will be the last hurrah for me as an OTR trucker. I will need time to prepare the house for the little nuggets arrival and prepare myself as well. I have set a tentative date for turning in my keys, subject to change of course depending on my next Dr.'s appointment and how I feel about life as that date approaches. I'll miss trucking it up, but I'm really looking forward to these changes in my life.
I just can't wait to be a stay at home mom.
Plus, I really couldn't be more thrilled to be growing a new life inside me. I haven't gotten to see the little nugget yet, but we did get to hear the heartbeat during my last time at home and let me tell you, it was the most beautiful sound ever. Poor hubby thought I was having second thoughts or something when I started sobbing like a baby when the midwife found the strong little beats with the Doppler device. But it was just pure joy spilling out of me. To be making a family with the man I love more than life itself is just an amazing thing.
I hope you all don't mind the shift in my blogging as I go from mother trucker to simply, mother. All of my trucking stuff will remain in the archives, so don't worry about those things going away. You can always go back and re-read posts about my life on the road and the lessons I learned (often the hard way) any time. But I really hope that you will continue on with me as my journey takes a new path.
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