And I thought that this time would be so simple...
You know that saying, "Never assume anything. When you assume it only makes an ass of u and me"? I totally get that this week.
On Friday, Janaury 28th, I decided I'd better go to the ER as I had been having cramps on and off that had turned into steady cramps that wouldn't stop. They did a quick scan to just check heart rate on the baby and started me on IV fluids since they thought the cramping might be caused by dehydration. About an hour later, I was told I'd be going down to the radiology department to have a full ultrasound scan done. It seemed uneventful, but not long after I had gotten back to my room in the ER, my personal OB walked in...that's when I started to get nervous. He told me that my amniotic fluid levels were VERY low and he'd feel best if I were admitted for a few days to push as many IV fluids as we safely could and see if it would help the fluid levels go up. Over the next two days, we did just that, along with ultrasounds to check the fluid levels on Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, we didn't see what we'd hoped to see. The fluid had increased, but only a minuscule bit. I was discharged with orders to do modified bedrest and continue to force water.
Monday I was contacted by my OB's office and told an appointment had been made with a geneticist. That same week, on Friday, we found ourselves having yet another ultrasound and being told that there was still an extremely low amount of fluid around the baby. There was so little that they were unable to even get the measurements and pictures of the spine they needed because our sweet baby couldn't stretch out enough to show the full length of the spinal column. After the ultrasound technician left, I laid back on the exam table and cried silently. I'd hoped so much that it was just that I'd not been taking in enough water. I'm terrible about drinking only diet sodas and not getting in adequate water in a day, so I'd prayed that was all it was. Jeff held me as I cried and prayed silently.
About 15 minutes later, the geneticist, Dr. H, came in. She was a wealth of information, however, most of it wasn't good. Okay, none of it was. She diagnosed me with unexplained oligohydraminos and then began to tell me the possible reasons for it.
1) Baby K may not have a stomach/bladder/kidneys or may not have correctly functioning kidneys.
2) Baby K may have Trisomy 18
3) Baby K may have Down's Syndrome or any other number of chromosome defects.
4) There may be a problem with the placenta passing the nutrients needed to Baby K because of blood pressure related or diabetic related issues from me.
Then came the REALLY "optimistic" stuff:
1) Baby K's head is being pressed together on each side by the pressure of the uterus since there is not enough fluid to hold the uterus up and off of the baby.
2) This same pressure can compress and keep the lungs from developing normally.
3) I have a MUCH higher risk of miscarriage or pROM.
4) The likelihood of the baby having to be delivered early is extremely high. The average is between 28-32 weeks.
5) Baby K may face multiple surgeries soon after birth.
6) S/he may very well be born without kidneys...
Eventually, I think my brain just shut off. I don't remember most of the rest of that day after we got to my parents' house to pick up Kamden and I just melted into my mom's arms and bawled. I slept a lot. When I wasn't sleeping, I was numbly staring into space or was crying.
Since that time, I've had such an outpouring of love, encouragement and prayers, it's been overwhelming. I've had websites shared with me that share the story of a baby going through the same situation and going on to be a completely healthy child. I've had the elders of my church pray over me and over the baby. And since that time, I've seen my father be healed of heart complications. I know that I serve a God who still performs miracles and who specializes in the impossible. I'm trying to lean on the memories of the miracles I've seen Him do before and remember that He can do the same for me.
In the mean time, I am set to see my regular OB/GYN, Dr. S, on the 17th and will be scheduled to see the geneticist for another scan by the end of the month. I'm continuing to tell Scooter (Baby K) daily that I'm not going to stop fighting as long as s/he doesn't, and I mean it. I'll never give up.
On Friday, Janaury 28th, I decided I'd better go to the ER as I had been having cramps on and off that had turned into steady cramps that wouldn't stop. They did a quick scan to just check heart rate on the baby and started me on IV fluids since they thought the cramping might be caused by dehydration. About an hour later, I was told I'd be going down to the radiology department to have a full ultrasound scan done. It seemed uneventful, but not long after I had gotten back to my room in the ER, my personal OB walked in...that's when I started to get nervous. He told me that my amniotic fluid levels were VERY low and he'd feel best if I were admitted for a few days to push as many IV fluids as we safely could and see if it would help the fluid levels go up. Over the next two days, we did just that, along with ultrasounds to check the fluid levels on Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, we didn't see what we'd hoped to see. The fluid had increased, but only a minuscule bit. I was discharged with orders to do modified bedrest and continue to force water.
Monday I was contacted by my OB's office and told an appointment had been made with a geneticist. That same week, on Friday, we found ourselves having yet another ultrasound and being told that there was still an extremely low amount of fluid around the baby. There was so little that they were unable to even get the measurements and pictures of the spine they needed because our sweet baby couldn't stretch out enough to show the full length of the spinal column. After the ultrasound technician left, I laid back on the exam table and cried silently. I'd hoped so much that it was just that I'd not been taking in enough water. I'm terrible about drinking only diet sodas and not getting in adequate water in a day, so I'd prayed that was all it was. Jeff held me as I cried and prayed silently.
About 15 minutes later, the geneticist, Dr. H, came in. She was a wealth of information, however, most of it wasn't good. Okay, none of it was. She diagnosed me with unexplained oligohydraminos and then began to tell me the possible reasons for it.
1) Baby K may not have a stomach/bladder/kidneys or may not have correctly functioning kidneys.
2) Baby K may have Trisomy 18
3) Baby K may have Down's Syndrome or any other number of chromosome defects.
4) There may be a problem with the placenta passing the nutrients needed to Baby K because of blood pressure related or diabetic related issues from me.
Then came the REALLY "optimistic" stuff:
1) Baby K's head is being pressed together on each side by the pressure of the uterus since there is not enough fluid to hold the uterus up and off of the baby.
2) This same pressure can compress and keep the lungs from developing normally.
3) I have a MUCH higher risk of miscarriage or pROM.
4) The likelihood of the baby having to be delivered early is extremely high. The average is between 28-32 weeks.
5) Baby K may face multiple surgeries soon after birth.
6) S/he may very well be born without kidneys...
Eventually, I think my brain just shut off. I don't remember most of the rest of that day after we got to my parents' house to pick up Kamden and I just melted into my mom's arms and bawled. I slept a lot. When I wasn't sleeping, I was numbly staring into space or was crying.
Since that time, I've had such an outpouring of love, encouragement and prayers, it's been overwhelming. I've had websites shared with me that share the story of a baby going through the same situation and going on to be a completely healthy child. I've had the elders of my church pray over me and over the baby. And since that time, I've seen my father be healed of heart complications. I know that I serve a God who still performs miracles and who specializes in the impossible. I'm trying to lean on the memories of the miracles I've seen Him do before and remember that He can do the same for me.
In the mean time, I am set to see my regular OB/GYN, Dr. S, on the 17th and will be scheduled to see the geneticist for another scan by the end of the month. I'm continuing to tell Scooter (Baby K) daily that I'm not going to stop fighting as long as s/he doesn't, and I mean it. I'll never give up.
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