Life Is Good: Resting

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Resting

This post is a few days overdue, but our internet croaked and the stomach bug came intruding into our home...but I'll get to that in a minute.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm resting a little more peacefully now. My stress level has gone down and I'm not feeling nearly as overwhelmed. Adjusting to strict bedrest from modified has been a bit of an adjustment for everyone. I guess I didn't realize how much of a difference there is. On modified bedrest I was allowed to get up to eat at the table, sit reclined on the couch and even take the occasional outing to a restaurant or even Wal-Mart just as long as I stayed off my feet (sitting at a table or in a wheelchair, etc.) It's completely different to lay flat all the time only getting up to go to the bathroom and incline a little eat (so I don't choke. No one wants the headline: Baby's fine! Mom chokes! hahahaha). As much as possible I'm also trying to lay head down/hips elevated to keep as much pressure off my cervix as possible.

The family is adjusting well. Daddy has really picked up the pace with helping/doing everything while we're at home. He scolds me quite often if he sees me up! Ryan has adjusted well too...much better than I first expected. I originally hoped that if I ever got put on strict bedrest I'd be admitted to the hospital at the same time. I just didn't see how it could possibly work at home with a 3 year old....a five letter word comes to mind...STRESS...and too much of it. Ryan has done so well though. He still requests my help, but he doesn't have a meltdown when I can't help and send him off to his daddy or Nana for assistance. He loves to get on the bed with me and play/snuggle/tell stories. He also has a new fascination with pulling my shirt up and beating "Baby Elmo" or driving his cars up and down my tummy. Nana is also doing well with the adjustment. Now that the weather is starting to warm up she and Ryan can go outside more which is sooooo much easier. Ryan loves the outdoors and it's amazing how just going outside for an hour can completely change his perspective on things. Nana, Papa and Ryan have recently started raising a new brood of baby chickens, so Ryan loves to go see the baby chickens and play at Papa's house.

While the news from the past week was quite a shock I've had time to think and relax some. I won't say that we aren't "out of the woods". The reality is that we could still be dealing with a preemie again if things continue in the same direction. The doctor was not overly concerned and we shouldn't be either. I had another mom offer encouragement...2 of her kids were held in only by the stitch...nearly to term. Another mom I know personally had a cervical measurement at or below 1 for 10 weeks and delivered at 36 weeks. It's not critical and we're not in any imminent danger of delivering within a week or two, but it is a BIG concern and I'm viewing it as we've just started the fight. We were coasting before...now we're fighting. I/we/the doctors now must do everything possible and be proactive in keeping our sweet baby inside for as long as possible. And that's what we're doing.

My goals have been reorganized through all this. I originally only considered it a success if we made it to 36 weeks. That was/is what I really wanted to get to...my ultimate goal. Now my goals are a little more what I'd call *realistic*. Right now my heart is set on 30 weeks. Only 8 weeks away. Preemie...yes. Dangerous still...yes. Odds...very good. Safe...pretty much. 32 weeks would be awesome. 34 weeks would be amazing. That's when the doctor would stop trying to prevent labor if it started. 36 weeks...INCREDIBLE! What's great is it could happen! Any of these...they could happen! God is always in control! I choose to rest in His Will.

I have an OB appointment on Tuesday. My list of concerns and questions is growing by the day. Like I mentioned before I was coasting. Now I'm fighting! I just hope everyone will be patient and understanding with me. One of my big concerns is the contractions and whether they are exacerbating the problem. The contractions are less (on average) now that I'm flat, but I still have some and some days are worse than others. I just want to make sure we are doing EVERYTHING possible to give this baby a fighting chance...INSIDE HIS MOMMY!

Now for the stomach bug. Ryan started puking yesterday afternoon. It was awful. He's never had a stomach illness and to see him heaving and puking and heaving and crying was heart breaking. He didn't understand at all. He kept saying, "I sick." "It's yucky." "Time to go doctor." "My tummy hurts." "My body hurts." He puked pretty much non-stop until sometime in the middle of the night. He couldn't keep anything down. This morning he woke up and seems much better. His stools were very runny for a little while this morning, but that has lessened too. I sure hope he's over it. It was hard on the little guy. It was hard on his mommy.

2 comments:

Candice said...: I had weekly visits to check my cervix from 20 weeks on. Each week I anxiously watched my OB's face as he examined me. I always told myself I was prepared for "the worst" but honestly it would have been a shock to be told things weren't as I expected.

I also have been on modified bedrest and it has been difficult, but all of us who've had a micro-preemie know know we'd do whatever is required to prevent a repeat. When I started, 28 weeks was my goal with 36 weeks being a distant possibility. Lucky for us the cerclage can do amazing things! I really hope you make it to your 36 week goal, but keep in mind that a +/-30 weeker is a far cry from our experiences with a 23/24 week micro-preemie. Best of luck to you! :o); March 13, 2010 at 2:14 PM
Hilary said...: Oh man!!! I hope that Ryan gets better..continue to pray fro yours and baby Evan's health! :); March 14, 2010 at 9:34 AM

Post a Comment

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