Mama Pains

"Children will destroy your body!" my friend Debby informed me when I was about eight months pregnant with Moira.
As we ate our lunch in the teacher's room she continued explaining how with each of her three pregnancies, a different part of her body was permanently scarred. She wasn't just talking about stretch marks or saggy skin on her abdomen. Instead she explained of frequent visits with the periodontist. Her teeth fell victim to her twin girls, (or was it her son?) Then she had ankle issues which she attributed to her youngest daughter. There was some other injury or ailment that occurred post-childbirth that I cannot remember three years later, however Debby was adamant that her children were the culprit. With each pregnancy, a different body part was injured.
I remember praying "Dear God, please don't let anything like this happen to me, especially with my teeth!" (I have reoccurring nightmares about my teeth falling out!)
Pregnancy one came and went. No real issues so to speak,
EXCEPT...
I started to notice that my eyes were getting a little worse. Maybe it's just age or too much time watching television. Either way, I have been dragging my feet about heading to the eye doctor. My formerly fabulous eye sight is starting to go on me. Before Mo, I could read signs fairly far away. Now I'm noticing I need to get a little bit closer. I do believe I may finally need to get glasses for things far away.
Kid two put a little more damage on my body. I noticed about six months post partum that when I climbed up and down the stairs my knees hurt. Of course, I was carrying a few more lbs. then I ever had so I just attributed the pain to my slight weight gain. Within a few months that pain disappeared and I thought little of it.
About two months ago, I noticed my fingers were swelling. My rings would feel tight, tighter then the ever did when I was largely pregnant. My watch, which previously was loose enough to hang, now left it's imprint on my wrist. Waking up in the morning, I would often find my fingers numb. Taking a moment to touch each finger to my thumb seemed to help loosen them. I tried to snap at music class and when that movement hurt I realized I needed to do something. Looking back now I realize each week, the pain remained.
My ankles and feet are feeling the pain too. Now they have been swollen too. Shoes that were loose at one point, now seemed a little tighter. If I attempt to curl my toes, the joints ached.
I don't know what's wrong with me. I do not eat a lot of salt, haven't had soda (except for a few gulps) for close to six months, and I wasn't even this swollen at 38 week pregnant. I am hopeful that a trip to the doctor can help me out tomorrow.
Damn you Debby! You were right!
Kids do destroy your body, as I'm blaming this on Maeve!