Sunday, March 24, 2013

19 days and counting

It's so hard to believe that in 19 days we will be a family of 6! We had another doctor appointment on Friday, including a growth scan, non-stress test, and then a regular appointment. We've been doing weekly non-stress tests due to having some heart rate surprises during our appointment 3 weeks ago, when he dipped during a regular check. Since then he's been fine, but just in case we go in each Friday for an NST, fluid check, and appointment.

During Friday's growth scan we were shocked that he weighed in at 3 lbs 15 oz - a good surprise. At this rate, we expect him to be over 4.5 lbs when he arrives. The bigger, and the fiestier, the better! I also got my pertussis shot. Which leads me to the most important update - if you are not current on your pertussis shot (whooping cough), you will not be able to see the baby. Not at the hospital, and unfortunately not at our home. The risk to a baby is so high, and it's compounded immensely for a premature newborn with a family history of asthma. Unfortunately we cannot take this risk. If you have any sign of a cold at all, even just a stuffy head we ask that you wait to come see him until you have been symptom free for several days. Again, it's just not a chance we can afford to take.

We've gotten more info on how things will go during the delivery, and my surgery, what to expect for duration (4-6 hours, if not more), etc. I will probably be in the hospital for a week, though if all goes really well (please pray for this!), I could be home in 4-5 days. Jack will stay until he is able to eat, breath, and maintain his temperature on his own. We expect this to happen within 2 weeks after he is born, assuming he is cooperative. Cooperation hasn't exactly been his thing thus far :)

We will keep the blog updated as much as we can with updates, pictures, etc.. We appreciate everyone's assistance, offers for assistance, and prayers. There are still so many unknowns, which is scary, and incredibly hard for me as a planner. I think I've planned everything I can, and have prepared everything I can with one small exception; letters to the kids. I have to do this yet before the baby comes. Please pray for them, and for me, that the stress and fear of the unknown in the next 2.5 weeks doesn't become so overwhelming.

The kids are completely unaware of the complications for me. They are aware that Jack will be in the hospital for a few weeks, and that he'll be very tiny. As we get closer we may share some limited information with the boys, based on what they can understand. We may also not have them come visit until Sunday, until I am in better condition and not so 'scary'. Please don't mention any of the risks, or once you know how I am, any of the scary parts to them.

We have another appointment this Friday, for an NST and ultrasound and doctor visit. Then we meet with the gynecological oncologist, who will do the hysterectomy, on the 2nd, and one last appointment with our MFM doctor on Friday the 5th. I can't believe we're this close!

Friday, March 8, 2013

One turns into 3

Today we had another checkup for baby J. We were supposed to have 2 important appointments Tuesday, but thanks to Mother Nature, we had to reschedule. So today we ended up with a prenatal appointment and an appointment with interventional radiology. During our prenatal appointment, the baby's heartrate was lower than the doctors would have liked at one point, which resulted in a trip for an NST (non-stress test). They sent us down to meet with Interventional radiology, and then back upstairs we went.

The meeting with IR was informational. We learned that the day of the delivery, we'll first go to IR. They will put me into a twilight sedation, and insert two balloons into my groin blood vessels, so they can cut off blood flow to the uterus after the baby is delivered but before the hysterectomy. Then they will send me upstairs to surgery for the delivery. I will then be fully sedated, baby J will be delivered, and they will continue on with their business.

The NST went well. We got to have another ultrasound prior, to measure fluid. We'll now have weekly ultrasounds and NST. Mia was with us, as she wasn't feeling so hot today, and she got to see the baby. He was moving around again, and we got some great pictures and more video of him moving his arms and yawning and stretching. She thought it was pretty neat. The NST wasn't overly exciting, it went well and that's all we can ask for at this point. However, our one hour appointment turned into a three hour appointment, and the one appointment we were supposed to have today turned into 3 appointments.

Next Monday I have another appointment with yet another surgeon. Friday is our NST, which will be interesting as I will have all 3 kids with me since they all have dentist right before that. and from here on out it's weekly appointments.

Please pray that the other kids recover from everything (we had the stomach flu last week, to the point Joe was in the ER to get fluids. All finally recovered by Thursday of last week, and now Mia's got some other bug that is giving her a fever and a sore throat). We need everyone healthy so we can get ready for this baby to come in five short weeks!

Friday, February 22, 2013

27 weeks 5 days - 6 weeks til Baby Day!

Today was a big day for doctor appointments - the whole week was. Jake had 2 appointments Monday for this cough that just won't leave him alone, I had an appointment Monday with the urologist who will help with my surgery, and with the endocrinologist yesterday and we had 3 appointments today at Evanston. The urologist (who looks a lot like Aaron Rodgers; it's a shame I will only have to see him once more and it'll be while I'm asleep :)) was very reassuring. He has done this procedure 8-10 times in the past year, and has done this at both Evanston and Northwestern - our top 2 choices. He noted that both handle the procedures the same way, which I was happy to hear.

Today we met with our doctor, had an ultrasound, toured the ISCU (Infant Special Care Unit), and met one of the neonatologists. Our doctor noted that all looks to be on track. We discussed the pain I continue to have on my right side, and the new Braxton Hicks that are now accompanying it. We're watching it at this point, but unless there is bleeding, we just wait and see.

The Ultrasound was really great today - we got to see him stretching, and got a great picture of his face. He looks like a 'real baby' now, and not so much like a 'monkey' like Mia thought at our December appointment. He was 2 lbs. 9 oz. today, so he's gained almost one lb. since our last appointment.

The neonatologist gave us a lot of information, mostly reassuring. The baby will be delivered at 34 weeks 5 days, assuming he follows the rules - something he hasn't done to this point. Assuming he does follow the rules, he will be just over 4 lbs. when he is delivered. Babies that are born at this age, called late preterm babies, are considered 'feeders and growers'. The first thing they will want him to master is breathing. At this age, he should only need a nasal canula, or possibly a mask to breathe. Once he has that down, we'll work on eating. If he needs it, he'll have a tube down his nose to his belly to help him eat, but he'll be offered a bottle at every feeding. Once he masters the eating and breathing, at the same time, we'll see if he can maintain his temperature. When he accomplishes all of these things, he can come home. Now for the good news - usually babies master all of these things in tandem between 35-36 weeks. So hopefully, he's only in the ISCU for a week or two! It will all depend on him, and his motivation. He's pretty feisty right now, so we're hoping that's an indication of things to come. Of course, if he comes earlier, none of this is relevant.

We got the downlow on the different floors of the hospital, the rules of visiting the ISCU, and what to expect while we are there. Overall, another good appointment. We go back on the 5th to meet with the interventional radiologist and the gynecological oncologist, who will handle the surgery.

I'll leave you with the video they gave us - Baby Jack stretching.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Placenta Accreta - we made it to 25 weeks!

We had another doctor appointment on Friday. This was the first appointment in Evanston, as all others have been in Gurnee, so this was a whole new experience for me. I was impressed by the team - they have assigned me a nurse who will see me each visit, and they are arranging for me to see a specialist, or more than 1, per visit when I am there. At this point it appears we only have 5 more doctor appointments before baby comes. The perinatologist was there, and I was able to ask her some questions in terms of what we should prepare for with baby J coming at ~35 weeks. She said that it will really depend on him, but that 35 weekers have a lot less issues than babies that come earlier than that. The biggest concern we will need to be prepared for is breathing - he will most likely be on a nasal cannula (air) or a face mask; there should be no need for a breathing tube. Once he has that mastered, we'll focus on his eating and his ability to maintain his body temp. If we are lucky he won't be in the ISCU long, maybe just a few weeks. However, we're preparing for him to be there up to 6 weeks.

As you may know, the issue that is causing all of this trouble is Placenta Accreta (http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/placentaaccreta.html). Because of the risks associated with the PA, we are seeing a specialist through Evanston Hospital. We are blessed to have 2 of the top 15 hospitals in the country within an hour and a half from us. The #5 in the country, Northwestern, is in downtown Chicago. They deliver over 1000 babies per month, and only see one case of this per month. Evanston is #15 I believe, and they deliver 3-4 of these cases per year. Because of the high risk of complications, we are making a lot of plans, as far in advance as we can.

We were very blessed to have this discovered at our 20 week ultrasound - the risks of life-threatening complications are significantly higher if not discovered until later, or not discovered at all. Right now, the following precautions are being taken:
- The urologist, gynecological oncologist, and interventional radiologist will all be in the room, as well as blood from the blood bank. There is high risk that there will be some damage to the bladder, so the urologist will be there to assist. Because of the complexity associated with the hysterectomy during pregnancy, the GO will handle the surgery once the baby is delivered. The IR will handle placement of different medical devices to help reduce bleeding prior to it starting. However, I've been advised that I could lose up to half of my blood.
- Baby J will be delivered at 34 weeks, so there is no risk of my body going into labor. If my body were to go into labor, the risk for hemorraghing is very high, and thus a huge risk we aren't going to take.
- The Perinatologists will be in an adjoining delivery room, to immediately take him and work on him if he is sleepy. He'll then camp out in the ISCU (NICU) for the next sevearl weeks.
- We see the doctor every 2 weeks right now, and then weekly come approximately 30 or 32 weeks.

In continuing to feel blessed, we've had an amazing offer to organize a blood drive on our behalf. I spoke with the doctors about this as well, and they gave me some information so we can begin to set this up. I will share more information on this when it is available. (thank you Diane!!!). People have asked if I can donate my own blood in advance. I've been told yes, but it wouldn't be enough to meet my needs during the surgery.

Our next appointment is set for 22 February. We will have another ultrasound, and have a tour of the ISCU. We will then set up all of the appointments moving forward, including those with the specialists I mentioned above. I was able to meet with the social worker this past week as well and she addressed a number of my questions and concerns.

This is a very scary situation for us, as you can imagine. Given the limited number of cases it's hard to find others who have gone through this to relate to. We haven't told the kids anything about the risks to me, obviously. We're working on how to tell them that their brother will be in the hospital for a while - since we don't know how long, we are trying to figure out what is best. The social worker was great with that information as well. We appreciate your continued prayers.

Monday, January 28, 2013

I thought this may be the easiest way to keep everyone informed of how things are going with the pregnancy, and once baby J arrives, how to keep everyone updated on his progress. First I want to say we appreciate everyone's support as we continue to learn about and prepare for the pregnancy with the accreta. We had another appointment today with our Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) doctor through Evanston. She was very reassuring, and though they handle fewer of these cases per year than Northwestern (Northwestern sees one per month, Evanston sees several a year), the plans for treatment are similar and both doctors were good, so we have decided to deliver at Evanston. It's closer to home, so when J is in the NICU, it won't take quite as long to get down to see him or get home to the other kids.

She mentioned that if we had friends and family who want to donate blood, there will be an opportunity for that. We'll know closer to the delivery, and will let everyone who is interested know at that time. She mentioned that I will need blood, it's just a matter of how much. They will prepare as much as possible by having a gynecological oncologist (due to surgical expertise), urologist, interventional radiologist, and the NICU team onhand. J will be delivered between 34-35 weeks, depending on how he is doing, and how I am doing. During today's visit he looked great. He was moving all over, and had his hands (and feet) up by his face most of the time. He's measuring right on track, with no concerns for him at this point.

The doctor confirmed the prior doctor's plan for delivery, specialists, and planning for a hysterectomy, as this is the safest route for me. We now see the doctors every two weeks and will adjust plans and timelines accordingly after we see how J does and how I am doing. Until then, prayers are appreciated that things continue to go well, that I don't need bedrest, and that there are no complications.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

To Whom it May Concern - Stuff it

Please excuse me while I let off some steam...
To whom it may concern: (and you know who you are, because EVERYTHING seems to concern you)


I’d like to clarify a few things for you. You are not my boss. I do not report to you. Therefore, where I am is really not your business. So if I decide to use my lunch hour, which is really a lie, because it’s only 30 minutes, to take my kids to the doctor for a flu shot at 1:30 p.m., is that your business? No. Not to mention the fact that I didn’t hear your sorry ass on the 6:30 a.m. teleconference that lasted 2.5 hours. Nope. So don’t fricking worry about where I was, I don’t care that you were ‘looking all over for me’. I’m allowed to leave the building, and not tell you. Or anyone, if I don’t want to. So there. Besides, if you hadn’t been so flipping nosy last year about my kids and their doctor appointments, and if you hadn’t told me that I must ‘make up medical conditions so that I can take my kids to the doctor’, maybe I would have told you where I was going. Oh wait, that’s right, I forgot – I DON’T REPORT TO YOU.



On to the second order of business. If I want to have a meeting in my office, it’s my prerogative. I don’t care if there are 6 of us crammed in here. If I want to have a meeting so we can use my computer, I will do it. I don’t need your attitude, nor do I need you to throw things on the floor, especially my coat, to ‘make a point’. OH, and I recommend that if you DO plan on doing this, don’t go out and tell everyone that you did it, because there are only 40 people that work here. It WILL get back to me.



The third order of business today has to do with the paperwork I submitted today. Last time I checked, YOU do not need to worry about verifying my identity. YOU do not work for HR. Therefore, YOU do not get to tell me what does and does not work for identification. Did YOU get the theme here? I will submit what I have, and hopefully HR is ok with it. If not, I’ll submit something else. Oh, and don’t ask such stupid questions, like if I have someone at home that could drive other paperwork here to me at the office. Newsflash: My husband and I both work full time. Neither of us stays home with our children. I know that you think I am a bad mom, because I chose not to breastfeed my children, and because I had an epidural during childbirth, and oh, that’s right, because I ‘make up medical conditions to take my children to the doctor’, but you know, we can’t all be perfect moms. I’m not bitter though. You know why? Because I’m young, successful, and get to do lots of really cool things through my life.



So piss off witch.

PS, stop looking in my window every time you walk past.

Things kids say Thursday (Wednesday edition)

My kids have been cracking me up. I truly love the ages they are, and (most of) the things they say.

My oldest has a book about Miss Spider and her new school at Sunny Patch, and it talks about how she doesn’t have the stomach for digging in dung. He asked me what that means, I told him. Fast forward to last night.

He was sitting on the throne, taking care of some business. He yelled to his father, I know what dung means! It means pooping! Guess what, I’m dunging right now! I’m dunging!

I fell over laughing.

My 2 year old took a while to start talking, and especially to start talking clearly. He told me last week, “Nikko poop outside”. Nikko is our dog, so yes, of course that’s where he goes. Jake likes to pretend that he is a dog, or a cat, at different points throughout the day. He told me, I poop outside. I a dog. I corrected him that, no, in fact, he does not, he goes in the house, preferably in the potty since we’re trying to get him to potty train. He keeps informing me that no, he will go outside. Since our dog is very old, and will be going to ‘live with God’ tomorrow, he has been, um, using our carpet as his dumping ground of choice this week, so I am fearful that I will be blogging soon about a 2 year old who is pretending he is a dog and either (a) pooping on my carpet, or (b), outside in my backyard, squatting. Watch for those updates.

In the meantime, the 2 year old has been investigating his own body. Last night in the tub, he was grabbing all things that ‘hang’ and checking them out. He told his daddy that his ‘rocks were falling off’. Uh huh. His father was laughing hysterically about that one.