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3 pregnancies, soon to be 3 births (all c-sections)
5, 3 and due in 4 weeks
I originally posted this in December of 2006. To recap, we were in a serious car accident when I was 24 weeks pregnant with our second child, and it left me with pelvic injuries, and depression. I read my submission recently, and was shocked that I didn’t see at the time just how depressed and angry I was!
I have grown a lot since then. It has been 4.3 years since the accident, and I have finally gotten a diagnosis, and some realistic expectations from my physicians. I have an unstable pelvis, SI joint dysfunction and deterioration, and myofascial pain syndrome. I’m never going to be pain free again, and I have exhausted the available treatments at this time. I can choose to have more prolotherapy, which involves injections of a sugar solution in to the joints in my pelvis/lower back, but having had ~250 injections at this point (20 – 25 per treatment, x 10 treatments,) I have learned that they do not work. I have been in pain 24/7 for the last 4.3 years, but I no longer allow it to rule me. I beat depression, have started a support group for moms coping with chronic pain, and am using my experiences to help other moms who are in the position I was in. I have adopted a new motto in life: “It is what it is.” I cannot change what happened to me, but I can accept it, move forward, and be an advocate for those who haven’t gotten to this point yet J To remind myself of this, I designed a tattoo using some of my favorite elements, and put it over the injection sites on my lower back on June 6th, 2009.
In my original story, I was struggling with being told that I could not carry another child. I am happy to say that I am proving them wrong, because after a BCP failure in June, I am now expecting my third daughter. She will be arriving via c-section on my YDD’s birthday in 4 weeks. It has been an extremely rough pregnancy, but seeing my daughter will make it all worth while!
Thanks for reading!
My tattoo when I first got it
Me at 35 weeks with # 3 J
My girls at a wedding (flower girls)
WOW!!! Congratulations!! That’s right! our bodies are strong and prove science wrong time and time again!! I wish you an easy c-section and recovery. You have 2 beautiful daughters already and i am sure this one will be just the same!!
wow… May and June are your fertile months! LOL! Congrats on your babies and you are such a strong mama!
Thank you for sharing your story. I am glad you have found healing, even if it isn’t physical. =) I was in a car accident at 30 weeks pregnant with my 1st child – not as serious as yours (I was rear-ended while I was stopped to turn in traffic by a 16 year old driving 45 mph), but enough to start preterm labor, flip my daughter breech and ultimately lead to a c-section.
Congratulations on your beautiful family!
wonderful story… it’s inspiring that you’ve been able to work through depression, negative feelings and chronic pain. That you’ve been able to redirect those feeling and use your experience to help others!
I am so sorry for your struggles with chronic pain and send lots of strength and healing vibes your way! For the myofascial pain, have you considered wearing a day or night occlusal splint (mouth guard), just to give your mastication muscles a rest? Good luck with everything and what beautiful kids!
Is your support group online? I have SI joint issues too. How great for you to find a way to live life with chronic pain. It is hard.
I love the tat and the girls r so cute. great attitude
congrats on your pregnancy! You have a beautiful pregnant belly and two gorgeous girls :) How very lucky and blessed you are :) I also have extreme SI joint problems, I am pregnant at the moment at 24 weeks and the pain is becoming more and more painful the more my belly grows, Im sure you can relate. I am also desperate for pain relief I am soon to order an SI joint brace that supposively will give immediate relief I say hey why not, Im DESPERATE! I mean for 97 dollars free shipping and a 30 day money back guarantee why not try it out? I hope it works for me and hopefully you too! here is the link: https://www.reliefmart.com/sacroiliac.htm Congrats again and god bless!
Thanks for the comments everyone :)
We ended up having our third daughter, via section, due to pre-e at 37 weeks. She wasn’t quite ready yet, and ended up having to be ventilated and in the intensive care nursery for 10 days. We are both home now, and doing much better :) I’m still on blood pressure meds as it’s pretty out of control, but things are improving daily!
The support board is on Babycenter. Here’s the link: https://community.babycenter.com/groups/a170025/dealing_with_chronic_pain. It is a private board, but if you request to join, I will approve you immediately.
Jen…your story is incredible!! Your children are beautiful. so is your body. I just ran accross this website and have been so blessed by it. When reading your story, I was so saddened that you think you need to be in pain forever. That is so completly unacceptable! Please check out my website, especially, listen to the audio labled “facinating lecture,” you will not be diappointed. There is no need for you to be in pain. Our bodies were made to repair themselves when given the proper nutrition. You do NOT and will not be in pain!!! Please contact me..what if the info I have can help you? You deserve to be pain free, your family deserves a mom who can do everything she wants with them!!! I hope you will take the time and look at the website. The first page will have you put in your contact info, but it is only coming to me, not anyone else!! Blessings, Joann
Try a bio-mat. I’m not selling them, and I don’t get any kickback from this. But I too struggle with chronic pain and I tried one expecting nothing and I was blown away. You can find a local chiropractor or massage therapist who has one. You won’t believe it. I hope, hope, hope that you can get some relief.
HI Jen I clicked on your story because I could relate to it in some way. I seriously fractured my pelvis at 20years – have pins, plates and 18in scar to show for it, plus years of chronic pain. But I am now the mother of two young children (by c-section due to pelvic distortion) and getting used to a new body again! I am sure you get lots of advice, but hope this might help. I found a regular massage from a sensitive masseur eased my pain and helped me to accept the mental and physical trauma and my new body. I also took up yoga (again be gentle – find a remedial yoga practitioner) which helped me regain some strength, flexibility and the all important acceptance. I used ani-inflammatory painkillers for the first 6 years but now never need them Time and love (from your children and yourself) will help heal. x
I am sure you are going to get a lot of “try this” advice, but no one wants you to be in pain for the rest of your life! I hope you can find something that helps.
For me, a combination of acupuncture and chiropractic care was really helpful, but the chiropractic had to treat the pubic symphysis joint in front to be most effective. Craniosacral therapy was helpful for the headaches from whiplash after my car accident.
However, what works for one person isn’t necessarily what will work for others. I hope you find the thing that helps lessen your pain.
I’m glad your little one is all right now. Love your tatoo! Many blessings on you and yours.