Dreadful Trip

[Casey_03]

So for those of you following my pregnancy woes (and even those who have not been), it turns out I will have to travel to Budapest by train in a few days. The train ride is 24 hours. I do not have the money to fly so will have to tolerate this long ride but the possibility of something going terribly wrong and me not having access to a hospital is terrifying me, especially since I had to go to the hospital the other day for stomach pains. The idea of being stuck in a train car the size of a sardine can with 3 complete strangers and cut off from medical care for 24 hours is a bit nauseating. (I wouldn't normally mind, but in the final weeks of pregnancy, it's a bit scary - what if someone is sick? what if someone is just generally awful? etc) But nobody seems to understand why this worries me, nor is anyone the least bit sympathetic about the fact that I shouldn't be in this situation to begin with, that my employer intentionally sabotaged the work permit process and delayed this all by months. (I found out today that part of the reason they tried to sabotage this was because by law, they are required to give me 6 months of maternity leave and prove that they have done so with documentation, and they are only giving me 2.) I always thought people would be nicer to pregnant women. But that is not true.

 

[Mytime]

Why do you have to travel and how many weeks are you?

 

[Casey_03]

I have to leave the country in order to get a visa (which gives me residency). They won't do it inside the country, only at an embassy in another country. I'm 31 weeks. Theoretically, it should be fine, but there are complications that concern me.

 

[joeylittle]

@Casey_03, can anyone do the trip with you? Someone not in Ukraine right now, even? I think it would be a relief to have company, not be completely alone, even if there's no practical reason for it.

 

[Casey_03]

@joeylittle No, I wish, but there's no one. No one is even coming out for the birth. I'll just have to hope nothing goes wrong during the long train ride.

 

[Mytime]

F..k talk about a pickle. I wish I was there to help you out

 

[Powder]

Can you find a legal rep for the maternity leave? Two is not great.
Train ride ideas.
If you can lie on your left side, do that. It's best for circulation for the baby and you.
Sip water and juice to stay hydrated. Small snacks like fruit.

 

[joeylittle]

@Casey_03 - how are you? Just checking in.

 

[Casey_03]

@joeylittle A miracle happened! I made the trip and it was predictably horrendous, I became very ill ... but once I got to the embassy the guy there was incredibly sympathetic and did my paperwork in less than an hour. And I managed to find a nonstop flight back instead of one with three stopovers, so got to avoid the train and it was relatively easy, apart from them not wanting to let me on board due to the pregnancy and a lot of rude fellow travelers, etc. But I'm back now and recovering (managed to get sick with the flu during the trip) before I have to face the next stage of the whole residency debacle. I'm just relieved to be back home! Thanks for your support.

 

[joeylittle]

I'm really happy to hear that, @Casey_03 - it's nice you caught a break, finally. Sending you lots of positive thoughts for the rest of your term. :hug:

 

[AngelKeeperJ]

(((STANDING OVATION)))

 

[Sandstone]

@Casey_03 I'm so glad it went adequately well for you. It must be hard tackling all this alone.

Just one word of advice about your flu. Don't wrap yourself up and try to sweat it out. A very high fever can bring on labour. Normal bugs don't go near a high enough temperature to do it, neither do they cross the placenta, so your baby will be fine. But a period of time over 40C can precipitate it. Focus on keeping cool and hydrated.

I think of you often.