Porpois Walker Recap
May 21, 2003 - 4:36 p.m.
OK, I was a little rushed yesterday so I'll reiterate what happened at the echo and follow up with the OB visit from yesterday.
Anyway. Yesterday I mentioned the results from our echo. I didn't get into how the actual test went. The experience was well - awful. You know how ultrasound rooms are like 5'x7', basically a closet? Then they fit a table and all the equipment, you and DH and the tech...ug. This time a perinatologist, fetal cardiologist, genetics counselor and a pediatrician were in there with us. I seriously still have no idea why the pediatrician was there at all. She didn't say anything to us or anyone else, she just handed me the box of Kleenex and rubbed my shoulder before she left. So anyway, during the echo, we didn't get to see the baby at all, just a close up of her heart, which looked like a big blob. They performed lots of tests, and got kinda upset because every time she moved they had to start over. They had me lie on my side, poke at her, rock back and forth to get her to cooperate. I couldn't understand a lot of the things they were saying, lots of scary medical jargon. After they were done, the cardiologist told us that the structure of her heart is perfect. The blood blow through her heart is ok. The blood flow OUT of her heart is a little undesirable. I think that's the actual word he used. You know how dramatic doctors are?? He said they only found one pulmonary artery (How many should there be?) and that the blood flow through it was too fast or elevated for some reason. Either that artery is constricted or the arteries to the lungs are blocked. The constriction could be caused by hormones (?) or by taking medications like IB, Aspirin, multi-symptom cold medicines. None of the medications that I am currently on (just the anti-nausea meds and prenatals and Tylenol) cause these types of problems. So we have a follow up echo in 4 weeks. I'M THINKING that most likely, this will be another issue that was meant to get us all worried that will end up disapearing on it's own. After they told us what was going on, I was just so in shock. Not because it's serious or anything, just that I can't believe how these things stack up. If it's not one thing, it's another! And another. So far this has been the pregnancy from hell. They left the room and I just lost it - I've probably never cried so hard! We're just so tired of not being able to take a sigh of relief or enjoy this at all. We met with the genetics counselor afterwards and decided not to do the amnio. Supposedly, the tiny hole that the needle makes in the amniotic sac is supposed to close up after the needle is extracted. Knowing my luck and our history, my sac would probably not close up and all the fluid wouldleak out and we'd lose the pregnancy. They stop doing them at 24 weeks and resume at 32 weeks, because if an amnio were to cause problems before 24 weeks they wouldn't try to save the baby, but they'd be liable to try their best after 24 weeks because some babies survive at that point. Something about gray areas. Either way we decided to have her tested AFTER she's born. Baby Boo's tired of being poked at and fussed over.
Regardless of the outcome of the next tests we have done, we're just trying to sit back and lay low for the rest of the pregnancy. At first I enjoyed all the ultrasounds and all the special attention because it made me feel like if anything were to go wrong, we'd be right on top of it. Now I just think that technology has gotten SO good and we've been seen so much that they could find any little thing wrong and get us all worked up over it. Maybe some of these things are even normal, but because they haven't seen it that much they get all concerned over it?? Does that make sense?
OK, so that's the story. I also had my OB appt yesterday, SHE says I've gained 19 lbs, but she's counting the weight I gained back after being sick. I don't think that's fair, but that's how they do it. I say I've only gained 14 lbs because I didn't start counting lbs until I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight. No big deal, she doesn't care about weight gain at all as long as it's within range. She told me I could expect to put on 15-20 more lbs by the end of all this. That made my husband laugh so hard....I already walk like a porpois! hehe
Good News, Then Just News
May 20, 2003 - 4:17 p.m.
Today was the fetal echocardiogram. The test went well. They found no heart defects! The genetics counselor told us that they had also measured the baby's fingers, toes and arm and leg bones, none of the measurements were consistent with DS.
However, the Dr's refuse to let us go with just good news...
They did find a problem with the pulmonary artery, in which the blood flow out of the heart to the rest of the body is elevated. It could be caused by a constricted artery, or the lungs could be so immature that the arteries to them are blocked. They said that taking medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, multi-symptom cold tablets could also cause this constriction temporarily. At the appointment I told them that I hadn't taken anything but Extra Strength Tylenol. I completely forgot that for the past week I have been taking my anti-nausea medications again. I assume, since it is an antihistamine, that it could be causing the problem. I have an OB apt in a few minutes so I will have to ask them. Be back soon.
The Sun Will Come Out....
May 19, 2003 - 4:46 p.m.
Little Boo-ette weighs 1lb. already. It's about a week or two ahead of schedule, but that's ok.
I'm right on target for weight myself, and I even held it steady for this past week at 120. That's a gain of 14 lbs.
We had a busy weekend. Boo went to her first rock concert! Not really - friends of ours were playing at a bar and we went to see them play. It wasn't too smokey but it WAS loud. I must still be looking pretty good - I got hit on. Can you believe that? A guy asked me if he could buy me a drink and then read me my horoscope. It was positively lame....but I still got it. Yeah!
Anyway the music was good, the baby had turned down and was kicking me hard in the ribs all night. I could even see it through my shirt. She's been kicking all over the place this weekend. I had some kicks down by my hip, up under my bra, off to the other sides high and low. It's pretty cool.
I'm having my first case of pregnancy induced hot-flashes today. I didn't have anything to wear but a regular t-shirt and a maternity sweater this morning. I thought it would be fine, since I am typically cold all day long. It's a rainy, dreary day too. Well the people here keep turning up the heat and using their space heaters and all of a sudden I am BOILING. Like, need-to-strip-off-clothes kinda hot. I tried to take off my sweater but I wasn't wearing a maternity shirt underneath so the shirt I was wearing didn't cover my belly. I ended up borrowing a shirt from someone here but I am still so hot! I have my shoes off under my desk, that seems to be the hottest part of me. That and my legs. It's the weirdest thing. I don't think I've ever been this way!
Today is the first day that I can eat without much pain. I started getting morning sickness again last week. Then Saturday I went to a pot luck and I ate all day - I ate so much I didn't digest all of it. I could seriously feel food all the way up to my throat. I went to bed that night in so much pain, just wishing I would throw up or something. The next morning I thought I was hungry (because I always am) but when I tried to take a bit of my breaskfast the only thing I could do was chew it for the taste and spit it out. I have never been so full, still. Almost 24 hours later I was trying to eat lunch at my grandmother's house and the same thing - still full and could barely eat a bite. Yet I was ravenous at the same time. Today my digestion seems to be pretty regular, thank goodness.
Now I am starting to feel a little pukey again, and my back hurts. Oh I can't wait to be done with this.
The big test is tomorrow. Wish us all luck!