Latest Updates

4/22 Doc Visit:

I am still measuring small so my doctor wanted another ultrasound to check her growth.  My protein levels were high again, so I am doing the 24-hour urine test again.  And starting May 6th, I will have 2 appt's per week, where they do stress testing (with a band around my belly to monitor movement, etc...)  It's going to be a lot of appt's and work juggling, so not too excited about that, but flip side is that having things monitored closely is good.

 

4/24 Ultrasound Results:

The ultrasound was at 7am.  It looks like she is in the 33rd percentile for overall size, which is down from 56th percentile last month.  But she does weigh just over 4 lbs, which is good in my mind.  I will have to wait for the doctor to get the "official" results and see what she says about it all.

3/20 Ultrasound Update

I had the ultrasound this morning....  Here are the pictures.  (We got another round of 3-D pictures too, which was great!)

 

She is measuring right on track according to the technician, so no concerns about that... 

 

2lbs, 10oz. 

Heartbeat = 139

28-Week Doc Visit

Had my 28-week appointment with Dr. Thum today.  We talked over several issues (I came prepared with a list this time!)

Summary of the appt:  

• She is measuring a bit small (belly measurements.)  So I am to get another growth ultrasound for size measurements (working on getting that scheduled now.)  Dr. Thum was originally going to wait a few weeks to do this, but given things are on the smaller side, she wants to compare against the last one.  She just wants to keep a close eye on me, given the history.
• My Protein level was +1, so that was sent off to the lab for further testing…  again, signs of “potential” preeclampsia, but my blood pressure is fine, so nothing alarming at this point.
• Had the “glucose challenge screen test” done today.  This is intended to identify gestational diabetes.  You basically consume a glucose drink in under 5-minutes and then wait 1 hour to have blood taken.  The stuff made me sick to my stomach and I didn’t enjoy the process.  I don’t remember feeling quite that bad after the test with Luke.

24-Week Ultrasound (checking growth)

I had the ultrasound this afternoon - Joe was able to join me, so that was great.  We had the same tech who we had last time, which was nice (it doesn't happen very often since there are 30 of them!)  We like him so it was fun to visit.

He got through about 1/2 of the body measurements and said that everything looked just fine.  He said everything was measuring within ~a 10-day range of the due-date, which is all normal.  He said "you are just all baby."

And then?!  He told us he was going to try something else, given she was "positioned just right."  So he did a 3-D scan, which we have never had before!  So cool...  He said the odds of getting it right are low, but he could tell she was in a good position to try it.  So we have some neat face pictures of her this time around!  She also yawned for us, which was fun to see. 

Week 24-Update

I just returned from my 24-week appointment... 

Her heartbeat was around 150 and strong, so that was good!

However the urine in my protein was high again (+2) and my weight gain is low again (like last time.)  So this prompted the doctor to add a bunch of items to the plate:

1. I headed to the lab for some bloodwork...
2. I am started on another 24-hour urine/protein test
3. I scheduled an appt. with the other ultrasound clinic for a measurement ultrasound (to ensure she is growing okay.)  TOMORROW at 4pm.
4. I was referred to a nutritionist - to talk through weight gain options + severe constipation issues.

So more to come on all of those results.

As far as the personal side of things...  they are going well.  The weeks seem to be going slow right now, but I am sure that will change soon.  I traveled to CA yesterday and it was the first time I started to feel a bit "uncomfortable" trying to get around and move quickly around the airport, etc...

I am not overly concerned about my weight issue right now - I went through the exact same thing with Luke.  But I don't like the thought of dealing with the preeclampsia thing again.  I will be anxious to get the u/s results on the baby's growth...

One other side note.  I did receive an email from Dr. Jean-Baptiste and she told me that she won't be coming back to the clinic.  I am so very sad about this news.  However, she said she will be in the NW for awhile and wants to meet the baby and keep in touch.  I also chatted with her assistant today (who will remain working at the office) and she told me that Dr. Thum and Dr. Jean-Baptiste went to med school together and are good friends.  She said I would be in good hands with Dr. Thum.

Amnio Update

Just received the call from the genetics counselor.  Very good news indeed…

 

·         All 46 chromosomes are normal!

·         And we have confirmation of a girl!

 

Yesterday, we had the follow-up to the 20-week ultrasound (they needed to get some spinal measurements.)  All looked good there too.

 

And I told my boss and co-workers yesterday as well, so that is a stress-relief.

 

A Happy Friday.  J

The News...

The appointment today took 2.5 hours - I had no idea I would be gone that long (didn't remember that.) I had more genetics counseling, a ton of ultrasound baby measurements (which I thought was to take place on January 24th), and the amniocentesis. I walked in the door after the appointment, with one minute left to spare, for an important meeting at work. WHEW!

The amnio itself was “textbook” the doctor said… no issues (except for the fact that it hurts to have a long needle stuck in your stomach!) :-)  But I felt so relieved and thankful that it went smoothly...

Anyway, here are the latest details:

• Measurements are within 1 day of the forecasted due date of June 13th
• Heartbeat = 156
• I could clearly see all 4 chambers of the heart - pretty amazing!
• And... from what it appears, we are having a GIRL.

Joe and I went out to dinner tonight and opened the envelope which had the ultrasound picture showing the sex. Joe has been guessing a girl, I have been pretty sure it would be a boy. We TRULY were fine either way, so there was certainly no disappointment! We are feeling very blessed by the news.

 

I won’t have the final amnio results for about one week – which will give us 99.9 accuracy on the genetic issues.

 

Out to dinner:  Envelope with the results!

FACE!  :-)

THE BIG NEWS:  A GIRL!

18-Weeks (Tomorrow) - Doc Visit Update

There was no ultrasound today, but I am scheduled for the 20-week ultrasound on 1/24 (this is where they measure all the body parts, etc.)  I will be at 18-weeks tomorrow.

• My urine was good – no protein in it (this was rarely the case during my pregnancy with Luke.)
• The baby's heartbeat was good – 156.
• I went to the lab for bloodwork – doc wanted to test my thyroid levels, to have a baseline if there are any preeclampsia issues.
• Dr. Jean-Baptiste is still out - they received word that she would be gone through February (and could be longer.)  So, I scheduled my upcoming appointments with the new doctor (Dr. Thum) which is fine, as I really do like her - she is caring, attentive and has made me feel comfortable.  But I would be lying if I didn't say that I miss Dr. Jean-Baptiste.  I loved visiting with her and trusted her so much...
• Dr. Thum did tell me she is more than happy to write a letter that recommends I don't travel (if and when I get to feeling like I don't want to.)  So that is good to know.

Next up = Friday's amnio...  after my whirlwind trip to San Jose (at the crack of dawn tomorrow:  6:15am flight.)  I will update more when I know anything.

Latest

The results from my 2^nd blood test (sequential screening) came back – it was good news.  Risk of Downs = 1/1100 and both spina bifida and Trisomy 18 came back 1/5000.  We are still planning on moving forward with the Amniocentesis at this point.  It is scheduled for this Friday…  

And here is the side bar story of my constant juggling of career-life and personal-life.  As soon as I started working Monday (after a nice, long vacation) the very first email I read was from my manager.  He wanted to know if I was going to be in San Jose this week.  I had not planned on it (I am going next week.)  But I then had to scramble to find something that could work, as he wanted to meet face-to-face to go over an important presentation.  He is flying to China next week, so this week was the only option.  But of course I have a OB/GYN appt. on Wednesday and the Amnio on Friday.  So this left me trying to find flights for Thursday…  And of course, there were no return flights (this late in the game.)  So I now have to leave Portland in the dark morning, spend the night in San Jose, get up at the break of dawn in San Jose, and head back to Portland Friday morning to make it for the Amnio appt. 

Anyway – all is going well with the pregnancy, I think.  No more bleeding (thank goodness.)  I certainly feel like I am growing bigger much faster at this stage than I did with Luke.  My back is already starting to hurt and I just feel “big.”

As mentioned, my OB/GYN appt. is tomorrow, so hopefully all is well!

My next HUGE hurdle is telling my manager that I am pregnant.  This, after we met before Christmas where he told me he needed me to be “his right hand man” in 2013 – and that my role would have a lot more exposure as he needed me to present to the execs and help him out, etc…  Being a woman, who is committed to her career is such a tough balance (and given high tech is a “man’s world” it makes it even more difficult.)  Everyone questions whether you are “really” coming back, really committed, etc…  Heck, I even have done this when working with pregnant employees – it’s human nature to wonder - and it is based on facts (% of women who choose to stay at home.)  So when you are on this end of things – at the level I am in my career, it is VERY challenging.  Most women my age have kids from 10-15 years old, not tending to three children who will be 5, 2 and a newborn.  I am still not quite sure how I am going to get through it all, to be honest.  But I do know that I have the best husband by my side, who truly shares in 50% of the parenting.  I couldn’t do it without his support.

ANYWAY – I don’t mean to sound like I am complaining…  I am completely blessed and so I am trying to keep that perspective.  I love my family, have a great career and feel blessed to be in a position where I have the opportunity to find life-balance. 

Will let you know how the appointment goes tomorrow…  and after Friday’s amnio.

12/5: Doctor Visit

I had received a call yesterday from the doctor’s office saying that my regular OB/GYN (Dr. Jean-Baptiste) had a family emergency and will be out for a month or more.  WHAT?  :-(

I felt awful for her (being gone that long can’t be anything good.)  But at the same time, I was frustrated because that means I have no real doctor right now.  And given my history, bleeding and all the other complications surrounding me, I felt a bit insecure.  Anyway, they squished me in to see the “on-call” doctor, but it was scheduled for 15 minutes, which was a lot shorter than it was supposed to be.

This morning, right before my appointment, I got pretty sick and thought I wasn’t going to be able go, but I ended up feeling “okay” right before I needed to leave the house.  I was sort of negative about the whole thing, thinking I wasn’t going to get much care/concern.

Whenever you go for appointments, you have to give a urine sample, so I did that…. But was shocked when I looked to see that my urine was basically a light red color (blood.)  SIGH…

The nurse took my vitals and told me the doctor would be in shortly…  she then came back 5-minutes later and said the doctor had looked at my urine and said she wanted to go ahead and complete an exam, so I had to get dressed in the gown.

So when the doctor came in and we chatted – I knew right away I liked her.  She talked with me about everything that had happened to date.  She told me why bleeding occurs sometimes and said she was sending my urine off to the lab for better results.  She also said she wanted to do the exam to check my cervix, just to make sure it was okay.  And then she would listen for the heartbeat with the Doppler.  If she didn’t hear one, she would do an ultrasound…  She said I should be monitored carefully and have ultrasounds more often than most, given the situation.

So long story short:

• Cervix was good – still closed, no bad signs
• Heartbeat was about 165

So she will call me with the blood results.  I am scheduled to see her again on January 9^th.  But she said to call her, even if I was a bit nervous and just needed to hear the heartbeat (which I thought was very kind of her.)

Not sure how I am feeling.  Pregnancies don’t seem to be something I get to “enjoy” or really appreciate in life…  I just feel anxious and concerned the entire time.

Sequential Screening, Part 1 Results

The blood work and ultrasound results came back today.  Sequential Screening is a way to estimate the chance that a baby will be born with Down syndrome, trisomy 18, or an open neural tube defect such as spina bifida.  This is a two-part test, so I will have to have a follow-up, which refines the results on January 3^rd.  

Results for Downs came back = 1 in 310

Results for trisomy 18 came back = 1 in 1800

So the Downs is definitely lower than what we had with Luke (he was 1:28.)  So we will wait to see what the next part shows, but all-in-all, this was good news.

11/29: Ultrasound

I went in this morning for the Sequential Screening process... they do an ultrasound + blood-work and will be able to make some assessments for any genetic abnormalities. I can't remember how long it takes for the results, but maybe a week or so. (This is the same test where we found out that Luke had a 1/28 chance of having Downs.)

I told the technician about the bleeding, so she took special care to look for any of the "issue" areas and measure everything. She did show me where the blood was coming from - a long area at the bottom of the uterus, but it's not the placenta, which is good. She said sometimes it is somewhat like a bruise. So they will watch it and re-measure it again to see what has changed.

Today is the first day I haven't been bleeding... I hope it stops.

The baby is about 2 inches from crown to rump now... and the heartbeat was 171 bpm. The growth was still in-line with the June 13th due date.

11/26: Another Doc Visit

I woke up this morning so frustrated, as I was bleeding again… 

We took Samuel to school, but Luke was a mess – with his lungs and croup, so we already knew we had to figure something out.

These things cause me so much stress because I was supposed to be flying to San Jose for some important meetings this week.  But with my bleeding and Luke’s sickness, Joe had to make a fast decision to take another day off of work, while I was waiting on the phone to see about getting in to see a doctor.  

They could see me at 8:30am, which meant Joe wasn’t going to be able to get back in time to watch Luke.  So, I had to go across to the neighbor and ask if we could “borrow” their nanny to watch Luke.  They were more than accommodating, but I felt bad.

Anyway – bleeding continued.

The doctor I saw was nice.  He walked me through the probable cause of the bleeding, but wanted to check with the ultrasound.  He would see the placenta was still attached and there was no blood around it.  But he could see some pockets in the uterine walls that were bleeding, which he said isn’t “ideal” but it’s not bad news.  And we saw a very active little baby…

I am to take it easy for 2 weeks – and if the bleeding continues, the 2 weeks starts over.  I see the ultrasound people on Thursday for the sequential screening, which he said was perfect, given they can check more closely for the bleeding issues.

So here I am at home…  working but home.  But very stressed about the job situation.  Missing work – critical F2F meetings is not good.

11/25: ER

Spent Sunday at the ER... I woke up at 4:30am and went to the bathroom. I felt sort of "wet" but was so out-of-it that I made the deduction that it was sweat (I was sleeping on a heating pad.) And so I went back to sleep... When I woke back up at 7am, I realized I had been bleeding.

After calling the emergency # to my doctor's office, we were told to do to the ER. So we had a neighbor come over to watch the boys (bless her heart!) Once we got to the ER, they put me through the standard process, which took 5.5 hours. The bleeding was a lot, so I was pretty much convinced it was bad news. I went on an IV for fluids, then had blood-work and a urinalysis... each of which takes 1 hour per... Then had an exam, and then had a ultrasound.

However, I was so relieved to see there is still a baby (active little one) with a strong heartbeat... I can't tell you how good I felt when I saw that. No idea what the bleeding was, but all seems to be okay right now... wait and see at this point. I am suppose to fly out tomorrow for 2 nights - a very big presentation on Tuesday, so just dreading all of this. I just want to sleep...

10/29 Update

They are saying about 7.5 weeks, which makes no sense even if I went back a period... Perplexed.

Heartbeat is 156.

I am completely overwhelmed right now. For so many reasons.

The Unexpected

Once again life has thrown me a curve ball.

I guess after all that I have been through with pregnancy struggles - and being put through the extreme of "clinical" process where you have to analyze and document everything that happens along the way, I have gotten to know my body pretty well.

Something just felt "off" last week.  I had flu-like symptoms, I had "odd" cramp feelings and just sensed something was different with me.  I actually joked to Joe about the "what if" of being pregnant (which we both laughed off, of course.)  But it wasn't even time for my period yet, so it wasn't stupid to even think it.

On Thursday (10/25), I just wanted to put my mind to rest, so I went out and bought a pregnancy test at lunchtime.  I had to get the one that said it could pickup hCG 6 days early (my period wasn't due for another 4 days or so.)  I put it aside and forgot about it once I got back to work meetings, etc..  Then late afternoon I remembered it.  I actually walked into the bathroom and said outloud "why are you even bothering Jill?  What a waste of money."

But I did it anyway.  Instead of putting it down and coming back to it (as I usually do) I just watched it.  And again said "this is so stupid, of course it's going to come back showing:  NOT PREGNANT."

However, as I watched it develop - 2 lines, not 1 showed up.  And it wasn't even faint - it was clearly showing 2 lines, which meant, PREGNANT.

WHAT?  Are you kidding me...  I was completely overwhelmed.

I decided to call Dr. Jean-Baptiste's office - my history is not great in this area, and given I am almost 41 years old, I figured it was best to get some advice.  A nurse called me back and we talked for quite some time.  Given my last period was on 9/28, that would say at best, I could only be a couple of weeks along (since conception.)  But given my history, she wanted me to get some bloodwork so that we could have a baseline to start with.  So I headed to the hospital lab and had blood taken.

I missed the call back on Thursday night, but the nurse left a message and said something like: “I have great news – your numbers are looking really good, so I will have someone call you in the morning about next steps.”  Joe and I just looked at each other…  why is that good news (or bad news?)  I know I am pregnant – it’s just a number.  Anyway, she said someone would be calling me in the morning.

FRIDAY:  I called at 10am because no one had called back - left a message.  Left another message at 2pm with the “message-taker” to have the nurse please call me.   I finally heard from them at 3:30pm and was told my hCG level was at 96,863 (what?!)  This range (on average) would be the level of someone in the 7-8 week range of pregnancy.  So we talked through my last period and if it was "normal."  I don't know... it was long, light - sort of odd.  But I am pretty sure it was a period.  Right?  I think?  The nurse says maybe it was some sort of implantation going on...   So now I am really frazzled and confused.

I was told I should get an ultrasound scheduled as soon as I could.  I am now scheduled for that on Monday at 12:30pm. 

So now... the long weekend wait.

Curve Ball... Latest Update

Read the below post "SGA" first - if you haven't done so yet... (wrote it this morning.)




I received a call from my doctor shortly after blogging this morning... she went through the verbal results she had received from the other doctor (ultrasound measurements) and said that the baby had actually lost a bit of weight since the last measurements we did - and was in fact below the 10th percentile. She told me that if my body was ready, she wanted to take the baby on MONDAY... if things aren't quite ready, she might wait 1-2 more days. But she said I am not to go back to work anymore, get some rest this weekend and prepare for a baby next week.

So... WOW. This changed our weekend plans a bit - we are both just trying to prepare mentally for what is about to happen - we could have a new baby this Monday. So my parents are going to head over tomorrow (at least it made that part of the logistics go easier: to be able to plan their 5 1/2 hour trip over here.)

So now we are just trying to get all the little things wrapped up and ready.


Will keep you posted...

Week 37: "SGA..."

I had a doctor’s appt. yesterday afternoon. I was expecting it to be pretty “routine” as it hasn’t seemed like much is going on this week (other than my typical pain.) :-)

 

We brought Samuel with us to finally meet my doctor, Dr. Jean-Baptiste (if you don’t remember, she is also Haitian.) So it was fun when we got there for all the staff to meet him. And he was so patient and did well in the check-up room with us too.

 

So all started out pretty routine – measuring my belly (36cm) and then using the hand-held Doppler to hear the heartbeat… but she said it seemed “a bit low” so she wanted to get a monitor on me just to do a second check. She also decided she wanted to measure the amniotic fluid. So I spent about 40 minutes on with the monitor on me. The heartbeat ended up looking fine and I was having some stronger contractions. Then she got out the ultrasound equipment and measured the fluids, which were also at good levels. She also shared the news that it seems he has flipped around and in the right position!!! (great news!) Maybe my crawling around on all fours and trying new sleeping positions has been working (thanks Heidi!)

 

However… she said “I am just looking at a small baby. I want to have you go to the other clinic and have them take measurements again – like the last time, just to see what they are seeing.”

 

She told us if the baby was above the 10th percentile (SGA, which means “Small for Gestational Age”), then they would let things play out and target Week 39 for delivery, but if the baby turned out to be below the 10th percentile, then she would probably want it out sooner (just to be safe if it had stopped growing, so they could address any issues sooner than later.) She just wanted to be on the safe side and get things checked out.

 

So they called over to the other clinic (better equipment) and got us in. We had to rush as it was already 4:50pm. The technician took all the measurements and also told us that he is pretty low in the pelvis and faced like he should be right now (YAY!) However, when I asked about his size, all she said was “he is a bit on the small side, so I am having out doctor review the results right now.” Then the doctor came in and said he was just below the 10th percentile and that he had talked with my doctor and I should expect a call from her. He said there was no “urgency” to getting him out right now, but that she would probably want to discuss next steps and timing for things.

 

So… she did try to call last night, but we weren’t at home yet. However her assistant setup an appt. at 9:45 on Monday to be monitored again and I am assuming we will find out what we are going to do next. My mind is going crazy over not knowing the plan… is it going to be next week, or the following?! Is this really going to be THAT soon? 

 

Will keep you posted after Monday's appt…

 

Thumbs up!

SGA:   http://www.baby2see.com/baby_birth_weight.html

 

About 10 percent of fetuses are low birth weight. A health care provider may suspect fetal growth restriction if the mother's uterus measurement (fundal height) is lower than expected. This can be confirmed with a series of ultrasounds that will monitor how quickly the fetus is growing.

Measurements can be taken of the fetus' head and limbs and compared with a growth chart to estimate fetal weight. In some cases, fetal growth can be improved by treating any condition in the mother (such as high blood pressure) that may be a contributing factor.

The health care provider will closely monitor the well being of a growth restricted fetus using ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring. If these tests show that the baby is having problems, the baby may need to be delivered early.

The main causes for Low Birth Weight:

1. The two main causes of LBW are early delivery, also known as preterm birth, and poor fetal growth. About 70% of all LBW babies are born preterm - before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.
2. The remaining 30% of low birth weight babies are born at full term, but did not grow properly in the womb.

6/20 Update

Well - I had a rough weekend.  On Friday something changed - in my lower abdomen and the pain was constant.  We had a breastfeeding class on Saturday morning, and I got though that okay, but by Saturday evening, I ended up calling the hospital.  

The nurses said it was best to just come in and get checked out.  So we went at 7:30pm (with Samuel in tow) to the labor & delivery floor.  We were there around and hour (so not too bad) and we were both glad we went in, as they were able to check things out for me (including making sure the baby heartbeat was okay, since I hadn't been feeling him move around.)  I was also on a monitor and having some contractions, but only dilated 1.5cm, which is pretty normal for this time.  But I was really dehydrated (after they checked my urine sample) and still had some protein in my urine, so I will talk with my doctor later this week.  They sent me home with a sleeping pill, which was nice.  

We are "thinking" or hoping that maybe he is turning and or dropping down - which is causing the pain.  But it is a constant pain that is really impacting my ability to walk and stuff...  going to be a long month ahead (if I make it that long.)  Work is going to be a struggle, but I am really trying to buckle down and just get through it the best that I can.

6/6 Doctor Appt. Update

I had my regular checkup yesterday...  Joe was able to go too, which is always comforting.

Heartbeat:  ~ 130 (on track)
Belly Measurement:  34cm (right on track)
No protein found in my urine (good news)
Blood pressure:  117/78 (good)

She is pleased with the progress and felt good about his size, etc...  She still thinks I need to gain more weight though.  SIGH - I am seriously trying!  I think I have eaten more ice cream, cheese and pork tenderloin the past month, than I have in 5 years!  :-)

She did a quick ultrasound to see how he was positioned - he has his head down right now, which is good news.  But unfortunately right now, he is faced the wrong way (his face should be toward my back.)  She isn't overly concerned at this point, as we still have a lot of time... but just wanted me to be aware.  This position could cause a lot of pain and a very lengthy birthing process.  So I would appreciate prayers about this one...

Other than that - I am doing okay.  Things are definitely getting uncomfortable at this point - it's hard to sit in a cubicle all day long.  He spends a lot of time kicking my right rib and it feels pretty bruised at this point.  Joe gave me another gift of a home-massage on Sunday, which was so nice!  The woman does a great job and I am so thankful he has set these up for me!  We are thinking of maybe doing one more...  :-)

Ultrasound Update, 32.3 Weeks

I had the ultrasound this morning (I was thankful that Joe could be there too.)  We didn't walk out of there with any pictures - sorry! (the baby is getting big enough to where it's hard to see the "whole" body at once.)  But the lab technician got all the organ measurements (heart, lungs, femur, head, etc.)  They plug all of those into an equation and it determines the weight and how things are lining up.  Here are those results:

• Weight = 3 lbs, 14 oz.
• 34th percentile for size (my doc said she would only get concerned if it were less than 13th percentile)
• Also - his heartbeat was at 136 bpm

Ultrasound Planned for 5/24

I had my regular appt. with my OB/GYN last Friday (20th.)  Everything on my labs, etc... looked to be normal and on track.  And the heartbeat was strong too.  She did measure my belly and felt that I was a bit on the small end (should have been 32cm, when I measured 30cm.)  But she honestly wasn't overly concerned, as she feels that I am just smaller than most.  However, she thought we should be on the safe side and get me in for an ultrasound this week, just to make sure.  She said I would most likely be less than the 50th percentile, and would only be concerned if I was in the 10-15% range.

So I am scheduled to go to the "good" ultrasound center tomorrow morning (Tuesday) at 8am.  I will post some pictures if they turn out okay.

Other:  Joe scheduled a 90-minute home massage for me on Saturday night.  It was SO NICE...  I didn't realize how sore/stressed I was until she hit the rough spots.  I was so thankful that Joe did that for me.

Week 32: http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/Pregnancy/calendar/week/32

Mid-May... Counting Down!

• 64 days to go…  the way I am feeling now, that seems like forever away!  J
• Tomorrow I will hit 31 weeks.
• I won't see my OBGYN until next Friday (20th.)

I had to go see my regular doctor yesterday, regarding acid reflux – it’s getting so bad.  I just don’t have a lot of room in my body right now and anything I eat/drink gives me a hard time these days.  He gave me some prescription pills, but asked that I not take anything until I verify with my OBGYN first…  So I need to do that today.

He was also shocked that I was as far along as I am… he asked me if they could be off by a month.  I laughed and told him I have been monitored since 6 weeks – and in fact watched like a hawk.  To me, I feel large – very large.  And the pain of the skin/ribs being pulled is really tough on me right now.  OUCH!  I am running out of clothes to wear (that I actually feel okay in) and I am just out-of-breath all of the time (not something I enjoy whatsoever!  Though I know I have 40% more blood going through me right now.)  So, while I know I am blessed by this pregnancy… I also know I am not one to be all happy and content actually “being” pregnant.  This is not a fun process to put your body though by any means!  J

We have one more class left at the hospital (5/16) and then we will be on our own.  I think Joe and I are both a bit paranoid about the whole process.  And then there is the coordination for Samuel – where will he go on short-notice?  We need to get this stuff figured out.

I am happy to report that we have most of the baby room figured out now…  we have been working on it little by little (being pretty cautious/guarded until recently.)  And our second BOB arrived this week, so that Joe and I can both go on walks/runs together once I feel up to it again.  I CANNOT WAIT for that day!  J

It’s Friday…  ALWAYS a good thing!

Quick Infection Update

The doctor called and said the 24-hour urine test came back negative, so they left me on the antibiotics I had started and hopefully it was a UTI that will be fixed with that!  All the other tests came back normal, so that was very good news (I was pretty concerned it was something with my kidneys.) 

I will hit 29 weeks tomorrow…  78 days to go.  That seems really short (given all we have gone through to this point!)  I can visibly see the movement now.

We have been to the hospital to check out the process and area where we will go (though they won’t let you see the rooms, due to new laws.)  And we also attended our first Childbirth Preparation class last Monday night (we have 3 more Monday’s to go.)  We were with 12 other couples, all due in the June/July timeframe.  I am not really sure if I will remember all the breathing stuff, but they showed/described a lot of what happens with models and pictures, which I appreciated.


And in case you are wondering...  I have NO ISSUES using drugs to get through this process.  (insert smile here!)  I appreciate (and have a lot of respect for) all those women who are able to make it through the natual way, but I won't be including myself in that category.  :-)

A Few Things...

I went to have my glucose/anemia blood work done on Thursday (I wasn’t with my normal doctor, but did see one that I have seen before and I like her.)  So every time I go into the doctor, they check my urine for protein levels.  Normally it comes back 0, and on occasion it has been at 1 (which they haven’t been overly concerned about.)  However, on Thursday it came back 3, which is pretty high.  It can be a sign of preeclampsia or other urinary/kidney infections.  So the doctor ordered some additional blood work, as well as a 24-hour urine collection.  L

We also went over the hemorrhoid issue and varicose vein issue (in my legs.)  She gave me some cream for the hemorrhoid and told me if it got much worse that they may have to lance it.  REALLY?  Yikes!  That sounds more painful that the hemorrhoid itself!  But…  I am pretty miserable, so we will just watch it.  And she sent me to a pharmacy for some special stockings for the varicose veins (which cost $69!)  Another big Yikes!  All the “extra” things I have had to get for my pregnancy is starting to add up (pillow, belt, stockings, over-the-counter meds, etc…)

So anyway – I had to keep my urine in a jug that looked like an OJ container for 24-hours.  Thank goodness I had the day off on Friday (for Easter) so that I didn’t have to worry about dealing with that during work!  That might have been a bit tough (pardon my ice chest and jug!)  J  So I got that turned in and am still awaiting the lab results on it (hopefully today.) 

But the doctor did call my Friday afternoon and told me that the blood work came back and I do have an infection of some sort… (though my glucose/anemia tests were fine - whew!)  They won’t have definitive results until the urine test gets back, but she wanted to put me on a generic antibiotic so that we could start dealing with it…  if it turns out to be kidney (vs. urinary) then I may need to swap meds or do something else.  So hopefully I will get news on that today, but I started the meds in the meantime.

Will update when/if I get any updated results… 

Third Trimester!

I apologize that I haven’t updated any details in awhile…  I guess these past few weeks have just been a lot of waiting & growing.  I am happy to say that today, I hit the 3^rd trimester though!  Who would have ever thought it possible…  

The past couple of weeks things have been a bit tougher on my physically.  I have to wear a back/tummy brace now, or I have problems making it through the day (back pain and spasms.)  I got a wonderful, big u-shaped pillow for nights, which has really been helping me sleep better.  I also have some painful varicose veins in my legs and the other problem is hemorrhoids and constipation – not fun in combination (did you know hemorrhoids are actually varicose veins too?)  So things are pretty painful in this category, but there isn’t a lot I can do… except deal with it.  J

Here are some details about WEEK 27:

You are now in the third trimester, and last, of your pregnancy! Your baby's crown-to-rump length is about 9.6 inches and your baby's total length is approximately 15.3 inches! Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds 3 ounces and is going to grow rapidly during this last trimester! Your uterus is about 2.8 inches above your bellybutton.

If your baby were born now, it would have an 85% chance of surviving. Even though your baby is still not fully developed, she would be well within the limits of premature viability. You still have approximately 13 weeks left of your pregnancy, and during this time your baby must continue to grow and develop. If your baby was born at this time, she would have several complications that would require special attention. Because babies do not have adequate amounts of fat at this time, your baby would have to be kept inside of an incubator for warmth. Because the air sacs in your baby's lungs do not yet have surfactant, she would require an artificial respirator. Your baby's brain, liver and immune system still need to develop more also.

We moved Samuel to a new room last weekend, with the help of Joe’s brother.  We decided we needed to transition him sooner than later.  He is going to go through so many changes (rooms, new baby, school) and we thought it would be best if we could get him through this first one prior to anything additional.  So far he has done GREAT.   He has had 6 nights in the new room and has slept through the night each time!  This has been a huge blessing and weight lifted off of our shoulders.  We had to move him downstairs, so we weren’t sure if he would feel lonely or not.  But so far – all is well…

I guess that is the update for now…  I will try to be better about posting.

3/15 Thoughts

Okay… just thought I would post some honest thoughts.  

I FINALLY hit the point where I am visibly pregnant (well…  given I wear sweaters and coats all the time, it still isn’t “that” obvious.)  However, to me – I look pregnant.

And it’s getting uncomfortable to move, sleep and just “be.”  This week I have really noticed pain in my lower back and ribs – it’s tough to sit at my desk all day.  And my skin just feels like it’s getting pulled really tight, which just plain doesn’t feel very good.  I think I have gained about 5-6 pounds now.  Sleeping is a bit uncomfortable now too – SIGH.

Not that I feel good about complaining though…  This has been one very long “journey” to create a family, so I want to make sure the “feeling blessed” part is clearly stated.  J  I just want to make sure I document my pregnancy feelings along the way.

I won’t see my doctor again until March 28^th – so a couple more weeks (and even that won’t be much of a checkup.)  I think they will do the glucose screening in April, to check for gestational diabetes.  Other than that, it’s just sort of moving along at this point.  I can definitely feel movement now – he can be an active little fellow when he wants!

Final Amnio Test Results

I just got a call from the lab…  the genetics counselor said that they got the final results back on the amniocentesis (this is for all the testing.)  She said all chromosomes came back normal.  So this was all very good news.

I am finally starting to look & feel pregnant.  And as you know, we shared the news with people on the blog/FB last week (though everyone at my work still isn’t aware.)  I am sure word will get around quickly though.

I will still keep this blog updated, as I don’t plan to share “all” the personal details with the world.  J  But I do want those of you I have shared this blog with to get updates, so I will post relevant info when I see the doc, etc...  

Thanks for your prayers!

March 1st News

Genetics Results and a regular doctor’s appt. today

We went all day yesterday, hoping we might get a call from the genetics counselor with the amniocentesis “rapid” results (just a partial result, but includes Downs)  However, when 5pm hit, I knew we would be waiting another day.

So when an “unknown” call came in on my cell phone at 9:02am, I knew that was it…  I scrambled to get up from my desk and head to a quiet room.  I was pretty anxious.  But when Karen said “Hi Jill I have some good news for you” – I felt so much relief.  She said the Down Syndrome came back negative, as well as Trisomy 18.  So now we just need to wait for the other results to be sure all other issues are in the clear (another week or so.)  But she said this is all very good news and we are in the clear for those items.

I also asked if she could definitively give gender results with the data she had…  she said that she could do that and that it definitely has X and Y chromosomes, which makes that a BOY.  So now we know for sure.

I called Joe with the news and then headed straight to my regular doctor’s appt… 

The doctor was able to review the ultrasound results with me.  She said all organs were located and look good for measurements, etc…  and she said everything is tracking and looks to be on target for the due date (size and weight-wise.)  She was glad that I had done the amnio and had received the results back this morning…  she is very happy for us with all the positive news to-date.  She also listened to the heartbeat, which was around 160 bpm today (always good to hear it!)

So...  I guess we are breathing some sighs of relief now.  That was a big hurdle, mentally… more so than I probably realized.

The Gender Update!

We had a really nice evening tonight... We haven't gone out to a "nice" restaurant for a long time, so it was nice to go to our favorite “celebration” restaurant: The Chart House. And they gave us a table right on the window - so our view was perfect! The food was SO GOOD (we ate like little pigs, but oh well!)

Now for the news everyone really wants to know:

BACKGROUND: Everyone has suspected a girl - mostly because of the strong heartbeat all along. And yes, a girl is what my gynecologist had given me as her guess a couple of weeks ago (after looking at the ultrasound in her office.) So Joe and I went into this evening pretty much knowing what to expect.

So, you can imagine the shock when we opened up the envelope and saw the “BOY” box was checked… I had to do a double-take. We were both quite surprised by it – but of course had no “real” preference, in the end. However we are a bit leery of the results now… just because we had 2 differing opinions. So… I might ask my doctor to see if we can do another ultrasound on Tuesday when I go in to see her for my regular appointment. Would just be nice to know if she sees something different than she did before.

Joe opening the envelope

The Outcome!

February 25th Ultrasound Update

Summary:
• Heartbeat: 153 bpm, weight = 12 oz
• Organs: All look good/normal
• Appointment: Much different than we expected – took us 2 hours

Well, the pictures aren't as good as we hoped to share with others... but the little one wouldn't cooperate to get a good profile picture! It was definitely very active today, moving all over. The technician spent a lot of time measuring all the body parts and viewing all the critical areas… She took a ton of pictures, but most of them were just up-close shots of organs and bones (not all that interesting to most of you probably!) But we enjoyed seeing everything and that there continues to be a strong heartbeat (153 today.)

She had us cover our eyes when we got close to the genital area; so that we wouldn’t be able to see the organs… so tonight we have a piece of paper in an envelope that we will open at dinner (while on a real date!)

The appointment took an interesting turn though… The doctor (at the center) reviewed the ultrasound results and came in and chatted with us about next steps. She said nothing looked abnormal or concerning… however signs of Downs would only typically be “caught” 40% of the time using this methodology. She shared with us some statistics and also other factors about being prepared, etc… that people who “know” ahead of time typically have a much better birth experience (even if the baby has Downs) when they know what to expect. I immediately pictured giving birth to the baby and in that very moment of extreme joy – being told it has Downs. Please keep in mind that we are prepared for this – we will cherish whatever baby God has in store for us… and there will be no disappointment (we just pray it is healthy.) But we talked about it and after talking with the genetics counselor (after the regular doctor) that maybe doing an amniocentesis was the right thing to do (though we still were – and still are - pretty hesitant and stressed about the whole thing.) We are just thinking that maybe we are at a point where preparing mentally would be good.  We also factored in the other test result benefits - things like being able to do surgery in the womb for heart issues, etc…

So… right then and there – I had the procedure done.

Things went fine and they said it was textbook with no issues. I am not sure how long “after” it will take to know about infections or cramping, etc… so we are PRAYING that we made the right choice. We should have the Down Syndrome results on Monday or Tuesday. The rest of the chromosome results won’t be for 10 days or so.

So, we are both internalizing everything… going back and forth wondering what the outcome will be. Praying no damage was done… also praying that whatever news we get – our hearts will be prepared.

And tonight? We are going to the Chart House (our special restaurant for special occasions) and we will open up the envelope and find out the sex of the little one. So I will share that news very soon!

FACE

 LITTLE FOOT

By Week

Baby Names

Names

Pregnancy

February 16th Update (Week 18.5)

Of course the day I need to go to the doctor, it snows in Portland and traffic is a nightmare!  What should have taken me 10 minutes, took 35 and was more annoying than anything.  Fortunately I am an "over-planner" and walked in right on-time.

I really hesitate to post the ultrasound pictures below, because they aren't taken with the greatest equipment, so it's hard to see much. HOWEVER... the fact that my doctor offered an ultrasound today was awesome and something I didn't anticipate! I was just hoping to hear the heartbeat, so when she said "do you want me to do an ultrasound?" I lit up and said "of course!" :-)

My doctor is very optimistic (just the way she is) and she said she didn’t see anything that stands out as an issue, and in fact, she said everything is looking great. We could clearly see the heartbeat (strong!) and the bladder and stomach. We could also see the spine and ribs. The little one was moving all over the place – flipping and turning, so that was fun. (The hands and feet were kicking and waving.) And she did give me her thoughts on the sex of the baby, but I am not going to share that right now [smiley face.]  Joe and I will both go in for the 20-week ultrasound (with the good equipment) next Friday, so we will wait until then to share the “official” news once we have them check it out.

They will also check to see if there are any signs of Down Syndrome or other abnormalities.  I will meet with my regular doctor a couple of days after that to review the results.

It’s hard to believe next Friday/Saturday will mark the halfway point (20 weeks)… amazing. I am still pinching myself and being pretty reserved about the whole thing… my doctor and I talked about God's timing and how you just can't second-guess His plans in life.  I wouldn't have traded getting Samuel home for anything - and so, in my mind things played out the way they should have (hindsight is always 20/20 though, huh?)

I still haven’t shared the news with co-workers or anyone new.

More to come next Friday! Thanks you so much for your continued thoughts and prayers!

These are mostly for you to see the face - the face is on the RIGHT side of the picture.  The lower one shows the baby looking straight ahead - pretty amazing to see the facial features.