“Everything Looks Good”

MAN!  Today started off EARLY!  Last night, we took Jake to my parent’s house to spend the night (which was thrilling for everyone involved) since we knew we would have to be up and out the door early bird this morning.  (The girls are away at their other dad’s for the next week.)  I didn’t sleep very well – I never do when I know I have to get up before my normal alarm goes off.  I wake up a million times to look at the clock and see if I over slept!  We both set alarms (on our phones) for the same time, but you never know whose will go off first!  Today, it was Britt’s! We were up and on the road by a few minutes after six.  We had to stop for gas and drinks for the road before we would head out to the highway.  Armed with printed directions, the GPS, and a basic knowledge of where we were going, we were off.  It was nice since the traffic was so light and we were watching the sun rise as we drove.

Finding the hospital was pretty easy.  Figuring out which building exactly was a bit more challenging.  (The paperwork packet they sent to me with this all mapped out arrived TODAY – after my appointment!)    But, we had plenty of time.  So we scoped it out, found where we needed to be, and it was still early, so we drove back out to find some breakfast – Momma was HUNGRY!  We weren’t sure what time the office actually opened, so we headed up about 7:20.  They open at 7:30, and we were the first ones there!  After several pages of paperwork, we were called back to the sonogram room.

I absolutely loved the sonogram technician we had this morning!  I answered several questions about my history and condition and what brought me to them today, and then the scan started.  She spent AT LEAST 30 minutes measuring and looking at SHOCKER to see what she could see, take measurements, etc.  The baby was SUPER active, and she spent a good deal of time chasing to see if she could do a gender determination – no such luck!  After she finished, we were left to wait (for a LONG time) for the doctor to come in.  We were originally scheduled to see Dr. Stanley, but I assume due to the appointment switch, we actually saw Dr. Mirabile.  He came in talking 1,000 miles a minute about pre-natal testing and amniocentesis and 25 other things I was not really able to catch, but finally he asked if we were interested in doing any invasive testing, and Britt and I both said NO.  So, that ended that conversation.  He then took his place in the sonographer’s chair and did some poking around of his own.  While he is not 100% sure WHAT “the spot” is he did take a good look at that area and some measurements as well.  He thinks it is a small chamber within the uterus that has been created by a “band” or “adhesion” of scar tissue from my previous C-sections.  It looks to be filled with amniotic fluid, but he does not think it is bothersome, just something to watch.  He also wanted to confirm what was going on with the fluid leak, so he did a pelvic exam, and found no evidence of any amniotic fluid, so we have closed that chapter.  He wants me to continue to take it easy, and continue pelvic rest, but I can go back to work, and he wants to see me back in 4 weeks.  As we were wrapping things up and saying our goodbyes, he said “Everything looks good.”  BEST. NEWS. EVER!

This was my tweet as we left the doctor’s office (and headed to Target – CANNOT be that close and not stop in):

So relieved.  Still going to have extra scans, extra appointments, and extra care, but I think that’s not so bad, anyway.  I want to thank you ALL for the prayers.  It is so cool to see how many people are praying for our baby and our family.  Your response has been OVERWHELMING and such a blessing.  We love you all, and we thank God for each person that is lifting us up.  Our God is GREATER, and He proved that to us today.  Here’s why...

Profile:

Feet:

Isaiah 40:31 NIV  but those who hope in the lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Clear the Calendar

This afternoon, I had my regularly scheduled 16 week antepartum appointment with my obstetrician.  Peed in the cup, stepped on the scale, met the nurse in the exam room, she checked the urine and took my blood pressure.  Business as usual.  Then my (AWESOME) doctor walked in, stuck a yellow sticky note on my husband’s forehead and told me “Whatever you have on your calendar for tomorrow is cancelled.”  This was his creative way of telling us that we now have an appointment with the specialist in maternal fetal medicine in Oklahoma City TOMORROW morning (at 7:30 AM – YIKES!  That’s early – an over an hour away!), instead of in 3 weeks as I was originally told on Friday.  While I am SO GRATEFUL for the bit of string pulling that occurred to make this happen, it does make me a bit nervous that we were hurried along so quickly!

The rest of the appointment went well.  We listened to the baby’s heart beat on the Doppler.  Chatted a bit about the last few days and what we know and what we don’t know.  I have not leaked any more fluid, and I have not bled since Thursday.  He said he is much more hopeful now than he was when he got that call from the ER doc early Tuesday morning.  Britt said we have ALWAYS been full of hope, and we will continue to be that way.  I love that kind of boldness!  As long as nothing changes in the next few days, I am cleared for my day trip to Texas for a court appearance in a few days.   My doctor wants to see me back in his office next Monday, just for a little update and to hear the heartbeat, as well as to go over any reports or findings from the appointment with the specialist.

Specific prayer requests: Safe travels for tomorrow – including being able to find the place! LOL!  That the appointment goes smoothly and no one acts put out that I got “squeezed in.”  (I worked in a medical office for 2 years.  I know how this can go…).  That the sonographer can see everything clearly, and the spot on my placenta is greatly reduced in size or GONE!  That the fluid level around Shocker is still appropriate.  And that we are released to go home with few to no restrictions and we can resume a normal pregnancy from this point.  And of course for Christmas to bring us a healthy baby.

Shocker Update

We’re not out of the woods yet… Went in for our follow up with the OB this afternoon.  First stop: Ultrasound.  We got to see Shocker wave at us, hear a nice strong heart rate of 160, and see that my amniotic fluid levels were the same as they were on Tuesday, and still at a good level.  All those fall under the “Praise” category.  Unfortunately, not all of the new was quite this good.  On Tuesday, the technician had pointed out a spot to us on my placenta.  She said it was small and dark, and she was not sure what it was.  She took several pictures of it, but didn’t really say much about it.  That was when she told us my placenta was covering my cervix, as well.  So, today, she was looking at the curious spot again, (perhaps a “placental lake?”  I don’t know what that is…) and she said it looked bigger.  She took some measurements and pictures of it, and then we were done with the scan.

When we got back to see the doctor, he said that he had gone over everything the technician had seen, and he decided I needed to be referred to a specialist.  He told me this doctor he was referring me to was in the top 1% of sonographers in Oklahoma, and they will know better what we are looking at and what needs to be done (if anything).  He said this is nothing to give up hope over, but we need to be diligent and continue to take the extra steps to ensure the heath of this baby and me.

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed in the outcome.  For obvious reasons – I want a healthy baby and an easy pregnancy – and for selfish ones, too.  I don’t want to be on bed rest or limited activity or whatever label you want to give to it.  I thought we would walk in there, all would be fine and resolved, and he would say, "Rest a couple of more days, but by Monday you'll be good to go."  I don’t want people to have to make us dinner.  I don’t want Britt to have to wait on me hand and foot.  If you know me at all, you know I am a bit feisty, and don’t like to be treated like I am fragile.  Heck – have you seen me?  I am the size of a decent high school linebacker!   I am self-sufficient and don’t need kid gloves.  Until now, I guess….

So, my prayer warriors, keep on praying.  For my baby, my uterus, my family, and my attitude.  For the doctors, nurses and technicians.  For safe travels as we go back and forth to the City.  For each other – those of you that are lifting us up are so precious to us, you deserve to be lifted up, too.  I pray for all of you daily, as well.  We can make the Sun Stand Still on this one.  Christmas IS coming, and it will bring with it a Sixth Dream Weaver.  I am confident of that.  We just need to get through the next 6 months!  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… Psalm 46:1-2.

PS - I am down another  2 pounds, for a total of 8 pounds lost since my first OB visit!  YAY!