I have been emetophobic for as long as I can remember. My longest
stretch without V*ing, was 7 years. This all ended when I got
pregnant. I found out I was pregnant on May 19, 2005. I was a
month along. I felt wonderful. The only symptoms of pregnancy I
had were sore breasts, and a heightened sense of smell. I
remember thinking to myself.. what's the "morning sickness" people
are always talking about, this is easy! Two weeks later, it all came
crashing down. It started out as just severe nausea. I felt as if I
was going to V at every moment of the day. For four days I fought it
off. On the fifth day, my world fell apart. I woke up feeling worse
than I'd ever felt before. I started to V at 8 in the am, and was not
able to stop until my husband took me too the ER that evening. I
was severely dehydrated, so they hooked me up to IV's and gave
me (at the time) the sweetest gift anyone has ever given me, a drip
of Phenergan. My nausea subsided within 15 minutes and I drifted off
to sleep. I remember thinking, well this is just a one time thing, it
won't happen again. How little I knew...

So began a now 5 month battle with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. For
those of you who don't already know this is severe nausea and
vomiting throughout pregnancy, causing massive weight loss, and
sometimes even death of the fetus and or mother. Only 1% of the
population get it.. I guess I am one of those lucky few. I have been
on heavy doses of Phenergan and Zofran since the 4th time I was
admitted for dehydration. They help some, but I still have more bad
days than good. I have been admitted into the hospital 9 times due
to severe dehydration.

What suprises me most, is that I still haven't gotten used to all the V*
ing. I've V*ed more times in the past 5 months, than I think most
normal people do in their entire lives, and it still scares the hell out of
me. While I haven't gotten used to it, I have learned to deal with it as
a factor in my daily life. I've had to quit school and work in order to
deal with HG. Anytime I leave the house (which is a rarity) I take lots
of sick bags, just in case I can't make it to a bathroom. I've become
more ostracized from my close friends than I ever thought possible,
the only people I have day to day contact with are my husband, and
parents.

The only thing that does help me deal with this all, is knowing in the
end I will have the greatest gift God will ever give me... my little boy.
I know I will love him that much more, because I had to go through
hell, to get to him. I am 6 months pregnant today and while I have
lost 14 lbs in the process, my little boy is as healthy as can be and
even measuring large! It amazes me how I can deal with what to me
is the scariest thing in the world, to get to what will be my new
sweetest gift of all time. My baby boy!