We went to the OB today for our weekly appointment and non-stress test. Nothing new to report. Baby seems healthy and happy according to the non-stress test. We did discuss my 'birth plan.' Apparently there are some people who know exactly how they want to deliver...even down to what drugs they do and do not want to use. I told our OB that at this point, delivery is really secondary to us. What is much more important is getting Sam to Atlanta for heart treatment. I told her I don't care what drugs go in or what procedures they need to do, the most important thing to us is getting Sam out and to Atlanta. I think she was happy with that to some respect...I know I would totally roll my eyes if some woman came in with a typed up, contract-like birth plan when what is really important is not the mother's experience, but the healthy birth of a baby.
~Kathy
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
NO LSU???!!!
So we went to my OB today to discuss the cardiologist and perinatologist appointment results and how they will affect the rest of the pregnancy. There was good news and bad news.
The bad news...she won't let me travel to Baton Rouge this weekend for the LSU game. What a let down. I've been excited about this game for MONTHS. This will be the first season in 8 years that I will not get to attend a game in the stadium. Sigh.
The good news...we will be scheduled for an induction by the 39th week. So we will get to meet Sam a few days sooner that due date...unless he decided to come on his own earlier than that. I am going to try to work through December 12. December 13 (Saturday) is the beginning of the 39th week and if it were up to me we would schedule for that day. She wants to wait a few more weeks before we break out a schedule book though. Regardless, we will schedule induction for midnight...that gives us the best chance of delivering a baby during daylight hours (which is when the cardiologist will answer his phone...he's rich enough to be able to turn it off without consequence at night). The OB also confirmed that as soon as Sam is born, he will head straight to the NICU until he is transfered to Atlanta. So at least we can prepare for that.
No more appointments with the Cardiologist until after the baby is born (he will come see him in the NICU). No more appointments with the Perinatologist EVER. For now, we keep the weekly OB appointments with weekly non-stress tests to be sure everything is in check.
~Kathy
The bad news...she won't let me travel to Baton Rouge this weekend for the LSU game. What a let down. I've been excited about this game for MONTHS. This will be the first season in 8 years that I will not get to attend a game in the stadium. Sigh.
The good news...we will be scheduled for an induction by the 39th week. So we will get to meet Sam a few days sooner that due date...unless he decided to come on his own earlier than that. I am going to try to work through December 12. December 13 (Saturday) is the beginning of the 39th week and if it were up to me we would schedule for that day. She wants to wait a few more weeks before we break out a schedule book though. Regardless, we will schedule induction for midnight...that gives us the best chance of delivering a baby during daylight hours (which is when the cardiologist will answer his phone...he's rich enough to be able to turn it off without consequence at night). The OB also confirmed that as soon as Sam is born, he will head straight to the NICU until he is transfered to Atlanta. So at least we can prepare for that.
No more appointments with the Cardiologist until after the baby is born (he will come see him in the NICU). No more appointments with the Perinatologist EVER. For now, we keep the weekly OB appointments with weekly non-stress tests to be sure everything is in check.
~Kathy
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
ANOTHER New Diagnosis
We went to our perinatologist today...you know, the guy who's a total jerk. Well we did our ultrasound with the super nice US tech and then waited on the MD. He came in and said that the baby's growth looks good, fluid levels look good, heart looks the same, aaaaaaaand by the way there's a problem with the kidneys. Now, we had a feeling something was wrong last time with the kidneys (if you recall), but at the time it apparently wasn't necessarily a big problem. Unfortunately now it is notably an issue.
What we have now on top of the heart stuff is Hydronephrosis. Basically, the kidneys are retaining fluid. It is apparently totally random (unrelated to either genetics or the heart condition), and it is also rare to have it both kidneys as we do. We just love rackin' up the rareness with this baby. For now, it just has to be monitored. There is potential it will clear up on its own, and there is potential it will need surgical intervention to avoid renal failure. This is a decision that will be made after he is born and growing...so the heart is still our primary concern.
Other than that, the baby weights 5lbs 7oz and has an estimated due date of Dec 15 based on the measurements taken today. Dec 20 is still our official due date per the OB but I'm leaning on Dec 15 as a more likely date. We see the OB tomorrow and we will get to discuss what we learned from the Cardiologist and the Perinatologist since our last meeting, and we'll see what she thinks about induction or natural labor.
~Kathy
What we have now on top of the heart stuff is Hydronephrosis. Basically, the kidneys are retaining fluid. It is apparently totally random (unrelated to either genetics or the heart condition), and it is also rare to have it both kidneys as we do. We just love rackin' up the rareness with this baby. For now, it just has to be monitored. There is potential it will clear up on its own, and there is potential it will need surgical intervention to avoid renal failure. This is a decision that will be made after he is born and growing...so the heart is still our primary concern.
Other than that, the baby weights 5lbs 7oz and has an estimated due date of Dec 15 based on the measurements taken today. Dec 20 is still our official due date per the OB but I'm leaning on Dec 15 as a more likely date. We see the OB tomorrow and we will get to discuss what we learned from the Cardiologist and the Perinatologist since our last meeting, and we'll see what she thinks about induction or natural labor.
~Kathy
Friday, November 7, 2008
Diagnosis Tweak
We went to the Fetal Cardiologist today. He did another echocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis of Tricuspid Hypoplasia with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, Pulmonary Hypoplasia, and Ventricular Spetal Defect. Sam's heart has gotten bigger as he has gotten bigger, but the tricuspid valve, right ventricle, and pulmonary artery have not. Our new diagnosis is officially Tricuspid Atresia with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, Pulmonary Atresia, and Ventricular Septal Defect. It actually doesn't change anything....either way we would be facing the same surgeries.
The doctor pretty much said he would like me to induce but is going to leave it up to me and the OB to decide. He said what he would really rather is that I deliver during the day time, not in the middle of the night when it is hard to reach specialists both here in Macon and in Atlanta. But since that is not a guarantee even if you induce, he is going to leave it up to the OB I suppose.
I did ask him about long term prognosis and outcomes of the three surgeries we will have. Long story short, Sam has about a 75% chance of surviving each of the surgeries individually, and about a 75% chance of making it to the 5 year mark after the last surgery (so that would put him at age 7-9). Outside of that age, there is really no reliable outcome measure. It sucks to start off life with such a prognosis, but I guess there are worse situations we could be in. We have no choice but to take it one day at a time.
We see the Perinatologist on Tuesday and the OB on Wednesday. Hopefully we will have a final decision on whether or not we are inducing by the end of all of that.
~Kathy
The doctor pretty much said he would like me to induce but is going to leave it up to me and the OB to decide. He said what he would really rather is that I deliver during the day time, not in the middle of the night when it is hard to reach specialists both here in Macon and in Atlanta. But since that is not a guarantee even if you induce, he is going to leave it up to the OB I suppose.
I did ask him about long term prognosis and outcomes of the three surgeries we will have. Long story short, Sam has about a 75% chance of surviving each of the surgeries individually, and about a 75% chance of making it to the 5 year mark after the last surgery (so that would put him at age 7-9). Outside of that age, there is really no reliable outcome measure. It sucks to start off life with such a prognosis, but I guess there are worse situations we could be in. We have no choice but to take it one day at a time.
We see the Perinatologist on Tuesday and the OB on Wednesday. Hopefully we will have a final decision on whether or not we are inducing by the end of all of that.
~Kathy
Monday, November 3, 2008
Showers and Such
It has been a bit since I added to the blog...not much has happened. We started our weekly non-stress testing. It's just a 30 minute heart rate and contraction monitor. So far so good. We are really looking forward to Friday...that is our next Cardiologist appointment.
We drove to Mobile this past weekend for two Baby Showers. One was thrown by my Mom and my friend from PT school, Melanie. It was really fun for me, since the people in attendance were people I have known from all stages of my life (grade school through the present). And two of my friends brought their two precious baby girls which is always highly entertaining! The second was a Wimberly Family Baby Shower. Much like the Wimberly Family Wedding Shower, I didn't know the majority of the people there!! I feel guilty for that, but their family is HUGE! I love that even though most of the people also don't know me, they still love and support their relatives, and sent me away with plenty of goodies to help with the newest member of their ridiculously large family.
Between the two showers we got just about everything we need to bring home a baby! Tons of clothes, car seat, stroller, swing, pack n play, towels, toys, bath stuff...we really are set now. Chris and I spent all night tonight putting things together, pulling off tags, and hanging clothes! We went from having nothing to having so much...we are both so so thankful!
~Kathy
We drove to Mobile this past weekend for two Baby Showers. One was thrown by my Mom and my friend from PT school, Melanie. It was really fun for me, since the people in attendance were people I have known from all stages of my life (grade school through the present). And two of my friends brought their two precious baby girls which is always highly entertaining! The second was a Wimberly Family Baby Shower. Much like the Wimberly Family Wedding Shower, I didn't know the majority of the people there!! I feel guilty for that, but their family is HUGE! I love that even though most of the people also don't know me, they still love and support their relatives, and sent me away with plenty of goodies to help with the newest member of their ridiculously large family.
Between the two showers we got just about everything we need to bring home a baby! Tons of clothes, car seat, stroller, swing, pack n play, towels, toys, bath stuff...we really are set now. Chris and I spent all night tonight putting things together, pulling off tags, and hanging clothes! We went from having nothing to having so much...we are both so so thankful!
~Kathy
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