Scaring the Pregnant Mama: Listeriosis

Yep. A real live listeriosis scare in my very own home. And let me tell you, pregnancy hormones intensify such scares to the red zone on that nasty little fear-o-meter. Add in a history of losing an infant just over a year ago you can make a pretty solid bet on my sanity going completely out the window. My fear-o-meter just cracked under pressure. I am in full blown neurotic-grieving-mother-mode.

SERIOUSLY Costco?!?! Your solution is that I can return my nectarines for a full refund?! I bought and ate those nectarines a month ago. Nectarines are perishable, you know. Yes, I recycled the box already. Again, it was a month ago and I can't have clutter in my tiny little home. Oh, you aren't able to tell me the lot number of the item I purchased on June 24 at your specific store? You only have the packing warehouse identification number. Right. That's not helpful based on the information you have made available to the public. I have the specific item number. I have the date purchased. I have the numbers of the countless lots that may have been contaminated. And you cannot confirm whether or not my specific purchase was part of that lot delivered on that specific date?

Perhaps I should be more irritated with Wawona Packing Company. After all. They recalled six weeks worth of fresh produce (among other packaged goods). Fresh produce perishes after two weeks--in the fridge! People have long since eaten that produce, dear packing company. It is too late. The damage has been done. Sure, no cases have yet been reported. But maybe you aren't aware that listeria is a nasty, sneaky little bugger. Sometimes, it just lives in your system silently, no symptoms whatsoever. Listeria isn't really harmless to the every-day person, no. But a baby? A pregnant woman with a compromised immune system? YES. This is a very. big. deal.

My baby could be silently suffering and consequently be born prematurely. Have I mentioned I am 23 weeks pregnant? Or worse, born still. Another baby dead. Another baby lost.

For now, I will wait and see the approach my midwife would like to take. Shall we run a blood test, confirming whether or not I have the bacteria in my blood stream, affecting my baby? Or shall we trust that because I have shown no symptoms--stomach problems (other than the usual pregnancy calamities), severe headaches, stiff neck, confusion, or convulsions--my fruit happened to be clean from listeria, and therefore all is well? So happy to have one more worry for my list. Because you know, that list just wasn't long enough before I received the recall notice.

I would have never in a million years thought eating a well-rounded diet of fresh fruits and vegetables during pregnancy could potentially jeopardize the health, no the LIFE of my baby. Thank goodness I wash everything.

Lord Jesus, take my heart and fill it with peace. Take my worries and lay them to rest. I cannot carry these worries alone. And dearest Samuel, pray for your mama. She's a bit of a wreck right now.