Update from Pediatric Surgeon

I just realized that we haven't updated since our appointment with the pediatric surgeon. To make a long story short, the pediatric surgeon does not think that Hendrix will ever need surgery, and thinks he will grow out of the lung "problem". We go back for another chest xray at the end of March and as long as everything looks the same, he will have another chest xray 3 months later...and so on. Basically, the surgeon just wants to keep an eye on things, and watch our troubles go away! Praise the Lord, and please just keep praying that God will continue to take care of our family.

This is the verse I speak over Hendrix, we would love for you to pray it over him as well:

You will bless God every chance you get; your lungs will expand with his praise.

39 week appt.

Just got back from the dr. I'm up to 2.5 cm dilated (1.5 last week) still 80% effaced. She stripped my membranes (not nearly as painful as I thought) and once again said, "any day now, he is REALLY low"..and said that she thinks I will go fast once it starts. Come on baby!!!!!

37 week appt (2 days early)

Had an appt this afternoon. This was the 3rd time I've been checked. I forgot to ask the first 2 times about effacement, so this is how it went:

2 weeks ago 1/2 cm dilated and 50% effaced
1 week ago 1/2 cm dilated and 60 % effaced
today 1 and 1/2 cm dilated and 75% effaced

She said I was making really good progress and was "right on track"THEN...after a little more talking she said "ok we will do a sono next week unless you've had the baby by then" WHOA! I'm not sure if she was over exaggerating because she was getting such a rise out of DH with the less than 3 weeks talk or what....anyhoo...I'm (possibly too) excited about my progress!

36 Week Appointment

Wonderful appt. today!! I tested NEGATIVE (thank you Lord, ths was an answered prayer) for Group B Strep. Dr. looked at my glucose book and said my numbers were looking good (I was worried she would be super anal about them)...checked for dilation again, I made it a point to be as relaxed as possible and not fight it and it was SOOOOO much less painful this time- I'm still 1/2cm dilated (hey I'm only 36wks so not stressing). Since David and my mom are out of town (ski trip) I took my David's mom with me since I had a sonogram scheduled. I wanted her to be able to see Hendrix "in person". She loved it! He is measuring 5lbs 9oz which my Dr. said was good especially since I have gestational diabetes (don't want him too big).....so I think that's about it! I will scan his new pic in and post it later....I'm a bit worried b/c in the pic his nose looks HUGE!!!! Oh well. He'll still be the cutest thing I've ever seen!

35 Week Appointment

Went to the dr. this morning for my 35week appt. She swabbed for strep b, results to be in at next week's appt. Basically if I have it (as 1 in 3 women do) then I will be given antibiotics during labor. She also checked me for dilation (OUCH!) and I was 1/2 cm dilated, which she said is right on with where I am (35wks) and nothing out of the ordinary (basically, don't get excited). Next week she will do a sonogram to measure Hendrix and make sure he's not getting too big too fast...and another dilation check..yay.

33 week appt.

Had a normal appt today, nothing out of the ordinary. I go back in 2 weeks (35weeks) for my Strep B swab...not looking forward to THAT...and I start weekly appts after that. At my 36 week appt (in 3 weeks) they are going to do a sono to measure bones, head, and abdomen. Oh and she said that starting in 2 weeks (35 week) they would check for dilation every time...FUN STUFF! The only sucky part is that David is going on the yearly family ski trip and will miss the sonogram. Hmm..not feeling too sorry for him since he gets to go and I don't!

Praise the Lord!!

Today I am 32 weeks pregnant...8 months....in approx. 8 weeks we will have our little boy in our arms!!!!

David and I went to the high risk doctor today, in hopes of being released from him, and able to go solely to our OB. We found out that Hendrix is approx. 3lbs11oz, is posterior (sunny side up) and is ALL boy, if you get my drift. The dr is looking, and looking, and looking..saying "I can't see anything... Merry Christmas, your gift is that you don't have to come hang out with me anymore, congratulations"!

Those words were like heavenly music to our ears. We couldn't stop smiling the entire way out of the office and by the time we reached the elevators I couldn't help but tearing up. Our little boy has been healed! No more abnormal lung tissue! God is SOOOO good, all the time.

Now we will only be going to our regular OB. We have an appt one week from today(33 weeks), then again in 2 weeks (35weeks), then EVERY WEEK after that!!! I can't stop smiling!

30 weeks

Well actually tomorrow will be 30 weeks. WOW 30 weeks, where did the time go? I can't believe that sometime in the next 10 weeks I will have a baby boy to care for!!

We went to the regular doctor today, and did the regular stuff. Pee in a cup, check weight (she says I'm doing good there), blood pressure (still great), listen to Hendrix beating heart (148) and measure my uterus (30 exactly)....then she asked why I hadn't made the appt with the dietician yet since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I told her I had declined, and she nicely, kindly, told me I didn't have a choice unless I wanted to find a new doctor/group. Oops! So she made a note for the dietician to call me again. Sigh.

We also had the chance to go over our Birth Plan with her today, which went well. There were a few things that she told me aren't really negotiable, but they were minor things that I didn't mind compromising on. Overall, the birth plan conversation went well, especially since I have so many wishes about the birth.

Our next appt with her is in 3 weeks, and that will start going every 2 weeks. Until I hit 35 weeks, then I will be going every week!! AND...our next high risk dr appt is in 2 weeks. I'm hoping he will officially release us (even though I love the fact that I get to see Hendrix every time we go to the high risk)..if he doesn't then we might be going to HIM every 2 weeks as well. Gosh, I've been to the doctor more for this pregnancy than every other dr. visit in my entire life put together!!! This is just the beginning of the many things I will do for my son... :0)

Waiting Game

Well I took my 3 hour glucose test this morning. Not as bad/boring as I thought it would be, thank goodness. Now I just have to wait for the results to come back. The 1 hr test results were back in 24 hrs so I will call tomorrow afternoon to see if the 3 hr results are back ...holding my breath...

We went back to the high risk doctor this afternoon. We had to see our dr. partner since our high risk was out of town. Appt lasted about 10 minutes (normally about 30) and all he said was "looks good, come back in 4 weeks"...so no real news to share. Oh and the u/s tech (who always does her thing first and then the dr does another u/s..she said "wow he's all over the place did you have a lot of caffeine today?" I said "nope thats just him lately, wiggly worm" Oh and she said that his head is WAYYYY down there (guess that's the position we're going for) which means the hard thing I feel above my belly button is his butt!!

Failed

That's right, I did not pass my one hour glucose screening. Soooo this coming Wednesday I get the joy, neigh, the HONOR..lol..to take the 3 hour glucose CHALLENGE...Oh my. I decided that while giving up carbs and sugars completely would only make me miserable, I CAN give up half (or more) of the carbs and sugar that I never (until now) have thought twice about eating. We will see if this makes any difference in my levels when I test on Wednesday. Please pray for me, I love anything bread or chocolate related. This is a test.

Glucose Test

Today I went in for my glucose test after drinking a bottle of nasty red liquid similar to Hawaiian Punch, and of course watching my sugar cravings all day. I'm really worried b/c #my mom had gestational diabetes with both my brother and me. More importantly I'm worried b/c carbs are my FAVORITE thing to eat. Chips and salsa!! Corn tortillas! Anything bread really..LOVE IT. So I'm really hoping that my body works properly and makes enough insulin to cover the extra work of growing a baby. I should find out in just a few days!

God is SO good!

God is good..all the time. David and I had another high risk appt today, and I can't even begin to describe the joy and thankfulness that fills our hearts right now. The doctor said that he couldn't even believe he was looking at the same baby, his lungs have improved THAT much. He went on to say that it was almost scary because if this would have been our first time in to his office and he didn't know what we were coming in for, he probably would have missed the mass when looking at the sonogram. He said that the mass is DEFINITELY shrinking, his heart is almost back in it's normal spot (the mass was shoving it way over) and he doesn't think that Hendrix will have any hydrops forming (those would need in-utero surgery). He said since things are looking so good that we can have 4 week appts now instead of going in every 2 weeks..We also found our that our little boy is (approx.) 1lb 8 oz, and today I hit the 6 month mark! The doctor also said "congratulations" as he walked out the door. Hearing a doctor say "I can't believe this" is the most in-awe-of-God thing ever...it's like God said "hey watch this". We cannot express enough our deepest appreciation for all the people who know our situation and have been praying for us. At no time this week did I ever have FEAR or WORRY about this appt. today. I thought about it a few times, but with a very peaceful heart. That speaks nothing to me and everything to the prayers that are being prayed and answered, and to a God who is the greatest Comforter there is. I cried on the way home, just in awe of what God has done, how His mercy has shown up, and how His healing hands have been on Hendrix. To think that God is taking care of my son in the ways I can't is breathtaking.

Psa 34:1 I bless GOD every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

This is a verse my father in law sent me and I've really hung on to it the past month, praying that not only my lungs, but Hendrix's lungs too, would expand with praise for God...and they have.

14wk. appt.

We had our 14wk appt yesterday. The nurse started off by weighing me..I'm now back to my pre-pregnancy weight (I lost 4 pounds in the first trimester). No ultrasound this time, but they did use the fetal heart monitor and goo on my belly to find the heartbeat. This time it was in the 150's. I broke the news to my dr. that I wanted a natural birth, and thankfully she was supportive. I told her that I've been getting headaches every day, and let me tell you she did not look a bit surprised. Apparently my hormones are still fluctuating up and down, which in return causes headaches, and she told me I can expect them frequently until about week 20. YAY! :-( On to the WONDERFUL NEWS...we scheduled the BIG ultrasound for Sept. 3...so in just (haha, "just" who am I kidding) in 5 weeks we will know the gender of this wonderful bean growing inside me!! SAHWEET!!!