define Belize: a country where one can aquire every illness known to man and pass them on to her unborn child.

I've always commented how disappointing it is to find out big news about my friends and family members through their blog. A classic example: I went out to lunch with my best friend, Abby, and she says, "So what's up with your little sister? I hear she's moving out and moving in with your older sister." I had not heard anything about this, so I was more than surprised when Abby seemed to be "in the know." She had evidently, read it on my older sister's blog.

But, despite the seemingly unpersonal qualities of blogs, I see no other way to document my current going-ons, since I have not decided to tell any of you about them yet. In other words, Jordan and I have decided to try to start our family, but we didn't want to actually tell anyone until we were sure. So, I'll be writing on here so that I can share my joys, concerns and frustrations with you, to read at a later date, rather than blurting out that I've missed my period to a complete stranger in on the street.

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Belize, I went to Student Health last Friday to make sure I'm up to date on all my vaccinations. I hadn't told anyone yet that Jordan and I were trying to get pregnant... so, when I approached the question, "Are you currently pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or may become pregnant before your trip?" I wondered where the box was for "I'm not doing anything to try to NOT have a baby."

It turns out that my typhoid vaccine is out-dated, they have no record of my second hepaptis A booster shot, and I need a rubella titer done. So, today I went in and had blood drawn for the rubella titer, and while I was there, the nurse informed me that in May I'm going to have to come back anyway to have all my titers done because I need to have serological proof that I am immune to various things before I start my full-time hospital rotations. So, I just had her draw them all today. I should find out in a week if my rubella titers are high enough (i.e., if my MMR vaccines worked in the past) for Jordan and I to start trying (this time with our NP's approval).

But, even if my rubella titer is high enough, it turns out that Belize is like the prime spot to contract hepatitis A and typhoid, as well as yellow fever and traveler's diarrhea. Thankfully the yellow fever vaccine I received in Bolivia is good until 2014, but since my last typhoid vaccine was in 2004, before my trip to Mexico, I need another one (they're only good for 3-5 years) before heading off to Belize. In the US, only the live attenuated vaccine is available, which is also contraindicated in pregnancy. So, in getting this vaccine, we need to put off trying to get pregnant until after my trip.

I realize that I was a bit delusional thinking I could pencil in the birth of my first child like getting a haircut, but the timing of this trip is really unfortunate. If we were able to get pregnant right away, we'd deliver when it would be possible for me to take 10 weeks off of school. How amazing would that be?? But, as it stands, if we wait to try until I get back from Belize, which is obviously the safest thing, then I won't deliver until I'm in my 6 week rotations. Oh well, at least I'll get some time off whenever our hypothetical baby #1 arrives. :)

So, I'll give you an update after I talk to student health and we'll have a better idea of when it's safe for Jordan and I to start trying. Until then, I am trading in my gin and tonics and diet cokes for prenatal vitamins... oh dear.