WTF Wednesday?!?!

cdepperschmidt

I noticed we’re still bitching on Monday, so I figure we need this.

cdepperschmidt

WTF to my pelvis. It hurts to walk. I’m only 31 weeks and I have to go back to teaching in a month...

jenchoo

@cdepperschmidt same boat but only for long distances or when I’ve been sitting a while. Not sure how I’ll be able to pry the new kindergarten students off their moms in this condition. Really enjoying these lazy summer days though!

halfanewt

Fellow teacher, here. Not looking forward to going back - especially to sit through all the meetings! So far walking is okay, but sitting - yuck! 

@cdepperschmidt any chance it’s temporary and will readjust before then? 

sammierose464

This is a HUGE WTF and it is going to make me super stressed out...

TLDR; the team lead at my benefits admin vendor announced she's on mat. leave starting in Oct which falls during open enrollment prep.

I've shared before I'm in corporate benefits. My MAIN project each year is Open Enrollment for benefits elections. We have both a Jan 1 start and an April 1 start. (Jan is just for our retiree population, 4/1 is for everyone else). We begin kicking off these activities next month (mid-Sept). So a HUGE chunk of prep work is done between Sept - Jan, with actual enrollment starting in Feb. Meaning I'm very busy starting next month into April. I've been STRESSING for the last few months how we need to have a good plan in place since I'll be gone. Our enrollment last year was very rough and stressful. My whole team at work was new in the role, so we relied heavily on our administration vendor. Their team lead was out last year from like Sept - May, we lost an analyst in Feb and shortly after a client lead. Meaning we had a lot of turn over and our enrollment period was super stressful with several issues. 

We found out TODAY that the same team lead who JUST got back from leave in May is going out on Maternity leave end of October. I'm frustrated that she's just now sharing this news, although I understand everyone shares in their own time. I've already been worried about them handling things while I'm out due to how stressful last year was. I've already been worried about what I will come back to in January, my busiest time of year. Now I'm even more stressed out. 

BrittanyCupcakes

@sammierose464 Did she keep it a secret from everyone until now? Surely someone at the company knew beforehand? Are there plans to bring in a temp at least while she's out to help with the workload?

sammierose464

@BrittanyCupcakes I have no idea. We just had a meeting like 3 weeks ago about how last year went and prep for this year. No one mentioned it, so either she didn't tell anyone or our vendor kept it quiet. Either way it's frustrating. I guess they are going to have someone working part time while she's out. They were understaffed last year and we had to fight for them to realize that.

spartan4life

@sammierose464 Wow that really sucks. I can't believe nobody noticed! I feel like by now so many people feel comfortable asking if I'm pregnant, I can't imaging hiding it for this long! I hope they get you all some help and things go smoother than you are anticipating.

jomama1618

My wtf is to my body! Had my appointment yesterday, that led to an ultrasound today (still waiting for the results). They said they aren't happy with the spotting, and worried my cervix is shortening, placenta has moved over my cervix or another larger SCH. That they are worried could cause issues with her growth or potential abruption. Baby is falling farther behind in growth and my belly/uterus is no longer measuring up to gestation. So they wanted an in depth ultrasound for growth as well, to watch for IUGR. It's been a long 2 days.

My HG has decided to worsen again, I'm back to waking up from a dead sleep to puke and all my meds around the clock.
I was SO excited because I've been able to eat a little bit more, and I was sure I gained something this time. ... And I lost 4 more lbs. Seriously?! I just don't get it.
Some how, despite that, I managed to fail my 1hr glucose test... I'm fairly certain I will fail the 3 hour as well (I did last time, but didn't even change my diet really and it stayed in perfect range. Again, makes no sense.) So all I can think now is how I'm going to have to monitor carbs and blood sugar, and the affect that's going to have on my already plummeting weight.
And I just generally feel like crap after the glucose test.
So WTF to my body just not cooperating and being a jerk...

On the plus side, I got some cute 3D pics of our girl!

sammierose464

It makes more sense now why she didn't come to MI (from Boston) for our meeting 2 weeks ago!

HoosOnFirst

That reminds me that my open enrollment is while I’m on leave. I should contact hr to make sure they email me at my home email when the time comes. I always do fsa and dca...

sammierose464

@HoosOnFirst is definitely important to make sure you are able to re-enroll in those as they don't roll over.

spartan4life

@jomama1618 So sorry to hear you are having a stressful couple of days! I hope all of the results come back positive and that you hear something from your doctor soon.

mamabear0416

@sammierose464 I understand people waiting for various reasons, but with her knowing when you'd be on leave you would think she might have mentioned something to you in private to give you a heads up.

@jomama1618 sorry for the rough couple of days! Fingers crossed everything with baby keeps checking out good. Hopefully the HG simmers down too. I still throw up daily, it is draining and worrisome. And if another person tells me at least I don't have to worry about loosing the baby weight I might punch them.

HoosOnFirst

sammierose464 said:

@HoosOnFirst is definitely important to make sure you are able to re-enroll in those as they don't roll over.

Yup it’s why I’m so proactive about bugging HR early before I go out. We use the full dca max by April. But I’m also planning on leaving my job next year, so I’m considering reducing my fsa because my understanding is that if I contribute more than I use by the time I leave, I’m just out the money. Gotta do some more nuanced calculations...

krzyriver

@sammierose464 That’s crazy! How did she not tell anyone when they already know you’ll be out?! I’m all about my privacy at work, but I could never do that. 

@jomama1618 I’m so sorry you’re going through all that right now. Sending creepy internet hugs your way. 

krzyriver

My WTF is also to my body. I seem to have caught a bug, which annoys me because I never get sick. But since I’m pregnant, my body feels like it’s shutting down. I was struggling all day, going back and forth between sweating and shivering, chest pains when I breathe, and then a sore throat and cough.

When I finally stopped and realized that I’ve been nauseous and haven’t kept anything down since Tuesday, I called my OB and was sent straight to L&D. My BP was 67/37! They thought the machine was broken!

I’m currently being pumped full of fluids, zofran, and they’re trying to get some food in me. I can go home once they know I won’t puke my crummy hospital food back up. 

cjx95

@krzyriver oh wow momma I'm glad you made that call!! Hopefully you start feeling better soon!! 

@jomama1618 hoping you start feeling better as well and that LO starts catching back up to where she should be! Glad you got some pictures out of everything!!

knottieamusements

@krzyriver - I’d pass you some of my BP if I could- just enough to get us both into a healthy range.  Hope you get better soon.  

@sammierose464 - That really sucks.  Just really is awful.  Have you guys considered looking for a new vendor?

rabtaido1214

@krzyriver oh my! Hope the fluids and meds have helped and you got to go home overnight. Wishing you a better day today!

spartan4life

@krzyriver I hope you are feeling better this morning! I’m so glad you called and went in to get checked!

hellopartyof5

Wowza @krzyriver!!!!! Thank goodness you went in!!!

nmadjeski

@jomama1618 ugh I'm sorry you're going through that now. I hope you start to feel better asap and lo starts catching up to where she needs to be as well! 

@krzyriver glad you went in! I hope you're feeling better and that you're home now.

@sammierose464 That's really sucky. I get being private at work but knowing you were going out at such a busy time I would have been inclined to at least pull you aside and say something. I hope they can find someone soon. 

krzyriver

Thanks ladies! They sent me home around 11-12 last night. I’m feeling a lot better today. The shivering/sweating back and forth seems to have ended. It doesn’t hurt to breathe right now. And the overall achey, hit-by-a-bus feeling is gone. Just some lingering exhaustion and my sore throat.

I’m keeping crackers and Gatorade down right now. I’ll try something bigger after my mother picks up my Zofran script.

They pulled me out of work for today and Z is at daycare so I plan to sleep a lot and binge watch the first few Sharp Objects episodes. 

sammierose464

HoosOnFirst said:

sammierose464 said:

@HoosOnFirst is definitely important to make sure you are able to re-enroll in those as they don't roll over.

Yup it’s why I’m so proactive about bugging HR early before I go out. We use the full dca max by April. But I’m also planning on leaving my job next year, so I’m considering reducing my fsa because my understanding is that if I contribute more than I use by the time I leave, I’m just out the money. Gotta do some more nuanced calculations...

Yes, FSA money does not go with you Whatever isn't used is forefitted. It's kinda annoying.

sammierose464

@krzyriver glad you're home and relaxing! Hope you start to feel better.

@knottieamusements , yes we have made it very clear that this is their last chance and if it doesn't go well we will be going out to bid. With being primarily governed by our German headquarters, we are kind of limited on vendors, but we can push to use a non-standard one if we can show proof. Unfortunately, a new vendor also means a shit ton of work on my part. I manage the entire relationship with this vendor and is our biggest one.

cagncoo12

@krzyriver glad you are home!

HoosOnFirst

sammierose464 said:

HoosOnFirst said:

sammierose464 said:

@HoosOnFirst is definitely important to make sure you are able to re-enroll in those as they don't roll over.

Yup it’s why I’m so proactive about bugging HR early before I go out. We use the full dca max by April. But I’m also planning on leaving my job next year, so I’m considering reducing my fsa because my understanding is that if I contribute more than I use by the time I leave, I’m just out the money. Gotta do some more nuanced calculations...

Yes, FSA money does not go with you Whatever isn't used is forefitted. It's kinda annoying.

Can I ask a related question? What if you are laid off but have an fsa balance? That seems unfair to be out the money in that specific scenario.

sammierose464

@HoosOnFirst that's a good question, I'll find out for you.

norahkate

My complaints seem fairly minor at this point...but i have to say that i love the way this group comes together for each other. whether it is hugs sent over the waves or jumping in with answers in various areas of expertise, it seems like everyone is really there for each other and i love it! 

@sammierose464 to anyone making work issues any more difficult than they already are, and especially so in this case when it seems clear that it would cause issues and that other people (you at least) are trying hard to avoid that.
@krzyriver i am glad to hear that you are home now. hopefully the zofran will help and you are able to just focus on taking care of yourself and getting back to healthy. i know that is a hard thing to do sometimes!
@jomama1618 thinking of you and baby girl. it is good to know that they are monitoring closely so you are in good hands, but i know that doesn't help you feel any better physically. sending you healthy wishes from here!

sammierose464

I just got off the phone with our client manager about the team lead going on leave. I guess he's only known for a month, he found out right before he was here in person to talk about last year's issues. I at least appreciate that they have spent the last month coming up with a plan and beginning to prepare. The person going on leave has the most knowledge of our account. The client manager and one of the analysts are brand new this year, and the other analyst has been on our team for a few years but I don't have high confidence in her. I expressed my nervousness, but appreciation that they are working on a plan. Jan/Feb are the busiest time for this process, so I just have to hope that they do all the prep work while I'm out and I don't come back to a shit storm.

Thanks for understanding...my husband just kinda shrugged it off and didn't really get it.

nmadjeski

Glad to hear they are working on it!  Haha sometimes they are oblivious! @sammierose464 I came home the other night and told mine that I have to basically hire a new staff before going out on leave (so like 8 weeks to do so) and I'm worried that my store will be run by basically all brand new people during our busiest quarter. Be was like "wow that sucks". 

sammierose464

@nmadjeski I would be so stressed about that! I don't think I realized you were in retail. Being gone during 4th Q for retail must be nervewracking!

mytrueloves

WTF @ my uterus. Any time I get even remotely stressed, the contractions kick up. Instantly. I'm already having contractions 3-4 times an hour, all day every day, then more if I do any type of housework. Now if I so much as think "oh shit it's garbage night and I forgot to take out the trash" my uterus kicks into high gear. Calm down! I've got 11 more weeks of this.

sammierose464

I'm sorry that's happening @mytrueloves . You're on bed rest, right? Hopefully you're able to relax and keep baby content inside!

mytrueloves

Yep. Still no cervical changes happening so they're optimistic I'll make it to term. But these are intense contractions that other people can actually feel with their hands. So I'm not having a fun time lol

sammierose464

That sounds miserable. I'm sorry

jennybean80

@krzyriver I’m glad you’re back home and starting to feel better
@jomama1618 hopefully baby girl starts to turn around and put of some weight
@mytrueloves that would be stressful in itself, hope the contractions settle down

sammierose464

@jomama1618 I totally missed your post. I am sorry you're dealing with all of that. It's frustrating that despite barely being able to eat, you might have GD on top of it. Hopefully they can help figure out a way for things to get better for you both.

dellusion

@mytrueloves, I hope your uterus calms down!  hopefully you're getting some help so you can put your feet up and rest/relax!! fx the next few weeks fly by for you. How is bed rest going with your daughter?  is she in school during the day?

I never really noticed early contractions with my previous pregnancies but now with this one, almost every time I stand up my belly goes rock hard for awhile afterwards. its so odd.  thankfully no pain, but just pressure.  we're in the home stretch though!

HoosOnFirst

@sammierose464 I work in accounting and my leave goes through fiscal year end. I know there's nothing to be done, but it would be crazy to not at least acknowledge with my team that I know the timing sucks and I'll do everything I can to make it smooth. I told them with a ton of notice so we can do all the planning!