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Welcome to the Danger Zone!

The Danger Zone

No shave this morning...well...or over the past few days. Maybe one later...yeah...probably after the work out. Anyway...

As I mentioned before, I had an impromptu visit with a Marine Corps Buddy of mine. For about two years or so...Jerrod and I were pretty much inseparable. Over the years we kind of...I don't want to say lost touch...but our interactions were very sporadic. Anyway, it was good to see my friend again...and I really think it was actually therapeutic, or even good for the soul. We reminisced, we laughed, came to tears a couple of times, and hugged it out when the visit was over. Even though our communications with each other have been limited over the years...it was like we never even were apart.

Jerrod is my age...in his mid/late 40s. I learned that he had a fungal infection in his lung over the past three years and has had two heart attacks. When I learned that...I felt lower than low. Where was I? Self absorbed in my own world worry about my problems...that mostly were not problems at all. I have had numerous military "buddies" pass away over the last the last ten years or so. Squandered opportunities to fulfill my life as well as theirs. I NEED to be better at this part of my life. I am not saying I need to visit every person I have come in contact with...but I really need to be better at communicating with old and new friends. You never know when they just might not be there anymore.

It was a good visit...and from just a day and a half with an old friend...I learned a very important life lesson!
 
Razor: Merkur - Progress
Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum (New Blade)
Soap/Cream: CBL Master Barber - Dragon's Blood (Shave # 5)
Brush: Graydog Brush in Cocobolo with Maggard Razors 26mm Mixed 70/30 Badger and Boar
The Penultimate Aftershave - Humphrey's Witch Hazel
The Ultimate Aftershave: Stirling - Sharp Dressed Man

Again...still using the CBL Master Barber Soap. At this point...yeah...the soap smells like Dragon's Blood...but not like my original tub of Ghost Dragon's Blood. It's more of intensity than anything else. This version that I have now, smells like a more clean soapy version of the scent...that I like very much. The soap with go with just about any kind of scent that is out there...which is perfect for those who like to mix it up a bit.

I am getting this soap dialed in just nice and I find that if you ad a bit more water you are rewarded with a slicker soap, more voluminous lather, and yes...even a better post shave feel. I wouldn't call this soap "thirsty" by any means...but add a bit more water than you usually do. Therefore, because of this, I didn't find this shave drying as I did other shaves. I ended up with a close to...but not quite...BBS shave.

The Danger Zone

So...on Friday the wife had to go back and see the doc. This is starting to be more of weekly occurrence now as opposed to once a month. I guess that mean that we are getting close. Anyway...the wife had to get a RhoGAM shot. For those who don't know what that is (because before the wife was pregnant I had no idea any of this existed) it is a brand of Rho (D) Immune Globulin. Okay...I am going to really butcher all this so when I am done...if someone that knows a lot more about this than I do wants to fill in the blanks...please do so.

So there is this thing called a Rhesus (Rh) Factor. The Rh Factor is an antigen that is on your Red Blood Cells. It is notably referred to as positive and negative. So that is where you get the O+ or O- blood types. Anyway...evidently during pregnancy...if the mother has a negative Rh factor and it's possible that the baby has a positive Rh factor...there can be some sever complications.

It turns out that the wife is O- and I am O+. So...she had to get a RhoGAM shot. All is well except...about eight hours after the shot...the wife started to break out in hives. Like break out all over her arms and legs. I found this interesting as she broke out in hives only in areas that could be exposed to the sun (except her face). And she was in the sun later Friday after the shot. Anyway...a call to the doc and they think it was an allergic reaction to a preservative in the RhoGam. So...she has been taking Benedryl (as instructed) and oatmeal baths as well as cold showers. It seems to help...but she is still having issues this morning. She is making another call to the doc this morning. The bad thing is...she needs another shot/treatment just before delivery too. Hopefully they can find something that the wife doesn't react to.

Hope all is well with the cadre and I hope your Tuesday is the best ever!
 
Have they told you about meconium yet? I don't have kids, but every father/friend I know shudders at the mention of the word.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
fhalden said:
Have they told you about meconium yet? I don't have kids, but every father/friend I know shudders at the mention of the word.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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Had to look it up...not sure that bothers me so much as when I learned about Fetal Resorption. Not that it applies to my situation...but when I learned that was a thing...I FREAKED OUT!!!
 
That Rh antigen problem is definitely an interesting one. I'm glad it's being addressed, although it would be great if she didn't have the allergic reaction.
 
bentheduck said:
That Rh antigen problem is definitely an interesting one. I'm glad it's being addressed, although it would be great if she didn't have the allergic reaction.
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Yeah...me too. Evidently it's not a serious issue...but one that my wife has to deal with. My concern is that when they give her another injection just before labor, is she going to have to deal with an allergic reaction then also? Days after childbirth? Evidently it is rare with RhoGAM. But here we are.

Wife is at the Doctor's Office now. Listened to baby's heartbeat and everything is fine. Doing another Ultrasound also just to make sure. Doc doesn't want to give a cortisone shot but has her switching from benadryl to claritin during the day and benadryl at night. She is due back on Friday to see how things are.
 
dangerousdon said:
Yeah...me too. Evidently it's not a serious issue...but one that my wife has to deal with. My concern is that when they give her another injection just before labor, is she going to have to deal with an allergic reaction then also? Days after childbirth? Evidently it is rare with RhoGAM. But here we are.

Wife is at the Doctor's Office now. Listened to baby's heartbeat and everything is fine. Doing another Ultrasound also just to make sure. Doc doesn't want to give a cortisone shot but has her switching from benadryl to claritin during the day and benadryl at night. She is due back on Friday to see how things are.
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with that particular treatment, but I'm almost certain that there's another formulation out there that doesn't have the same preservative. And if they have to use the same brand/formulation, maybe get doctor can work some sorcery and order up a drip to ease the administration or something. I dunno. I'm actually going to look it up when I finish this report because I'm actually really curious now.
 
BarberDave said:
no matter the time, the distance or the lack of communications, those of us that stood a post, walked the line, and signed the blank check will always be brothers. When we do get together it is like time never passed
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That is the truth. I'm thinking I need to write my old Navy buddy a letter. We shared a house for a year when our ship was in the Bremerton, Washington shipyard. When the carrier returned to Alameda, CA, we went parachuting together up in Antioch. Great memories of reckless years.
 
bentheduck said:
I'm not familiar with that particular treatment, but I'm almost certain that there's another formulation out there that doesn't have the same preservative. And if they have to use the same brand/formulation, maybe get doctor can work some sorcery and order up a drip to ease the administration or something. I dunno. I'm actually going to look it up when I finish this report because I'm actually really curious now.
Click to expand...

So it turns out that the Doc said she needed to look into it also. It seems that Richelle's hives are VERY rare. It does happen from time to time though. Doc said that just before delivery, they are actually going to check the blood type of the baby. If the baby has the same blood type, they wont administer the RhoGAM. So we are praying for O- in the baby so Richelle doesn't have to go through all that.

NurseDave said:
episiotomy is another favorite.
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dangerousdon said:
It's looking like Cesarean for the wife. Baby is Breech and the doc doesn't think the baby will turn.
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Looks like the baby made a fool of us all. Evidently she turned and now is in the head down position...so regular labor is still on the table for now!
 
Graybeard57 said:
That is the truth. I'm thinking I need to write my old Navy buddy a letter. We shared a house for a year when our ship was in the Bremerton, Washington shipyard. When the carrier returned to Alameda, CA, we went parachuting together up in Antioch. Great memories of reckless years.
Click to expand...
I say do it Bruce! A letter...a phone call...a text...email...whatever you do...it's good! I am learning all too quickly that our buddies may not be here tomorrow. So...do what you can to reach out to them now. You won't regret it.
 
woodpusher said:
When is the approx due date, Don?
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Right now it is October 23rd. So...you know...just a little over two months away. The doc was talking about inducing a couple weeks early because Richelle is considered "Advanced Maternal Age." 🤪 I have called her that a couple of times...but believe me...it doesn't go well.

If this whole thing wasn't real before...it just got REAL.
 
Any hope of convincing wifey to hand on for another month? Sharing a bday with the fruit of your loins would be awesome (and provide me with a dangerous vibe!)
Failing that, what about Oct.31st and name KJ as Godfather? A creepy doll every Bday!
 
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