Life Is Good: Quick Update

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Quick Update

I had a Peri. appointment today. It didn't go so well. (This is a bit scattered in thought...I'm still trying to absorb all of the info from today.)

First...the good news...Evan is looking great. He is measuring right on for my due date. His heart looks great with no anomalies...hooray! He is measuring 22w0d with an estimated weight of 1 pound. We got more good pictures and ultrasound video, so I'll try to get those ready to post as soon as I can.

But...the bad news. My cervix dramatically shortened from 3.3 to 1.3 in just 2 weeks. That's not what I wanted nor expected to hear. There's not much more I can do to reduce my activity other than laying flat in bed all day long which I will now be doing. Potty breaks only.

Now I'm scared. This is almost exactly when everything started going south with Ryan (22w3d is when I went to the hospital and I delivered 10 days later). This isn't as critical, in fact it's quite different, but it's just too close to the familiar. My cerclage is still doing it's job and holding my cervix shut which is the most critical thing right now. I'm still having contractions, but what if I'm having more contractions than what I'm feeling? If they are possibly causing more problems I wish the doctor would put me on something to control them altogether. I most definitely will be discussing this and many other things with my OB. In fact I might even call the office tomorrow. (The Peri. is monitoring, but my OB is calling the shots.)

The dr. said we will start ffn testing and swab testing starting with my next appt. in 2 weeks. 2 weeks seems like so long. He said I'll be hospitalized if my cervix continues to shorten, if I have a positive ffn, if I start contracting more than 4 an hour or if my water breaks. As he was leaving he told me "not to worry...we'll take this one step at a time." Yeah...thanks doc. too late for that. After he left I sat and cried for a few minutes...tears of frustration...tears of fear for my baby boy...tears for the unknown.

So here I am...I've "graduated" from modified bedrest to strict...and I'm scared.

Please pray. It terrifies me to even think of having another preemie anywhere close to the gestation as Ryan. Everything is sooooo scary with a preemie. I'd 100 times rather be on bedrest, strapped in a hospital bed incubating my baby than to watch and worry about brain bleeds, apnea, heart stopping, eye problems, oxygen problems and so much more as my baby incubates in a plastic box.

Please pray we can have at least 10 more weeks with Evan safely tucked inside his Mommy's tummy. Please.

May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:10

4 comments:

mimi and Grampy said...: Julie, I have my fingers, toes, legs and eyes all crossed for you and Baby Evan. And of course you are in Grampy's an my prayers. Mimi; March 11, 2010 at 10:16 PM
Hilary said...: Oh,I can't imagine what you are feeling....I'm praying so hard for you!!!!; March 12, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Hannah Williamson said...: Julie, I have found your blog through Leticia Worsham, and I just wanted to let you know that I am praying dearly for you and sweet Evan. Your stories of Brandy and Ryan are so touching, in totally opposite ways, and I am truly amazed at your bravery through it all.

Luke 1:37 - "Nothing is impossible for God."; March 12, 2010 at 9:03 PM
B, E and C's Mommy said...: Oh, Julie...I haven't checked blogs in a few days and my heart stopped today when I read the news. Does the peri have you on a home uterine monitor? It seems like they would be able to keep track of your contractions that way and increase your terb pump as you need it to help control the contractions. I am praying that your cerclage holds tight and that you sweet miracle, Evan, will be able to stay put inside of you. This is scary and unfair, but God chose us to walk this path b/c He knew we could handle it. Stay in bed and know that you are not alone. Email me if you want: babyhopes1@hotmail.com...you know I don't MOVE from my bed, so I am here to chat whenever!
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a sheild to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30; March 13, 2010 at 1:39 PM

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Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.

Evan Alexander