17+ weeks

Had my bi-weekly appt today. (Funny, since you usually don't start going that frequently until the END of your pregnancy.) Might even be considered weekly since on the weeks I don't go to the doc I go for an ultrasound!

Baby's heart rate was still perfect. Right around 152. Still feeling it move around too. It gets stronger everyday and I cherish every little movement. My question for the doc was "where is all the blood coming from?" The analogy I was thinking about the other day and explained to him was that of a balloon. You fill it just a little with water (say a few cm like a blood clot). Once it pops, the water is GONE. Why do my blood clots keep "popping" over and over and over? At this point, he had no definitive answer to give. Basically said the blood is coming from somewhere and we don't know where! He said we'll see what my ultrasound shows on Monday and go from there. I asked about a referral to a Perinatologist, and I have a feeling that will be coming after my next appt. with the doc (March 14th). What inside me is losing blood? This is so weird!!

I still have tons to be thankful for! I think I'll list a few:
Thankful that:
*I'm on bed rest at home and NOT stuck in the hospital!!
*I get to see/hear my kids playing all day and kiss them before nap and bed time
*Sweet friends have brought us some meals (nice stress reliever for my parents)
*My parents have basically moved in to take care of the kids AND me!
*I feel great :-)
*Wes is coming home for the weekend! YEA!

I know I have way more to be thankful for, that's just a few of the things.

HOW?

Guess I should clarify my previous post regarding the "HOW?" can you actually be on bed rest. Hubs has started his new job. Remember, we're moving! WAH HAHAHA! So, with bed rest, I got a Nanny, housekeeper, chef, chauffeur, etc. In other words, my mom has moved in. My dad is also over all day everyday helping take care of the kids. I am very fortunate to have this help!! Blessed indeed. Even though I know they do it very willingly, I still feel guilty about having someone always doing something for me and interrupting their lives. The things grandparents will do for their grandbabies (even those still in the belly!)

Updates 16+ weeks

I know you want a play by play of my day, so here it goes:

I woke up and thought, "I'm going to make an appt. with my doc on Wednesday so I can get some answers about my ultrasound that I'll have today." I was being generous making it two days from now. When I call, they inform me my doctor has left the practice!!! WHAT?!?! Seriously, he's the best doc I've ever seen. So personable, kind, genuinely concerned, etc. Since he left no contact info, I just made my appt. with his partner for Wednesday.

Go to ultrasound appt. and the tech calls the radiologist in. She points to the screen and says, "there's a subchorionic bleed here, here, here, and here!" WHAT?!?! I'm being taken over by blood clots! Radiologist does speak with me after and show me where everything is. Still appears nothing is directly behind the placenta. Good news. The baby also looks wonderful! Everything about it is perfect. It even measures a week ahead of my calendar dates (and has for the past 3 ultrasounds). The radiologist made my report STAT and said I need to go to the doctor today. Ok.

Call doc and they very kindly had me, now as a new patient, come in right away. It's really weird to be discussing viability dates (how old baby must be to survive). I think it's mostly odd because I went from a "high risk pregnancy" with multiples that had NO complications, to what should be a very low-risk pregnancy and is not. I did learn that a baby can grow fine with just 20% of the placenta functioning. I found that QUITE encouraging! Although the blood clot is measuring longer, the volume of it is actually less than what it was at past scans. More good news!!

I guess the bad news is that now doc is really encouraging total bed rest. Gosh, this is such a mixed emotion topic for me. I think it's unhealthy for my body, but WHAT IF it does make a difference? The WHAT IF is where the debate lies. There aren't many studies on the benefits of bed rest, but like the doc says, which mom out there is willing to take the risk to do a study? hmm. I dunno! Anyone have any good info? It's also not necessarily a permanent thing. He said if we can make it to 24 weeks, the uterus usually stabalizes and may not pose such a risk. Right now, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, etc. all put strain and can make the clots go places we don't want them to and they could get under the placenta (which is the baby's life line) and start removing parts of it, No placenta in tact, no baby alive. Period.

I have a follow up appt. to hear heartbeat next week, and then an ultrasound the following week. Followed by bi-weekly ultrasound. My next question will be when I start seeing the Perinatologist? Seems like the logical next step (and I have experience with that from having twins).

If any of you have ANY information on large subchorionic hemorrhages, bed rest, or good hobby's to take up :-) PLEASE let me know!

"bed rest"...really?!?!

Hard to believe I got through an entire pregnancy with twins without mentions of bed rest, and here I am at almost 16 weeks pregnant with a singleton and told I need to be on bed rest!! It's frustrating. I previously did my research, and don't think there's much positive about bed rest. It really just makes everyone feel better about the outcome, and there's nothing really proven that it works. But, once those words are spoken to you it's scary!

I ended up at the ER (again!) last night for severe bleeding. Of course I thought it was the hematoma. When they did the ultrasound I got VERY confused. The blood clot is not where it was before and now appears to be ON the placenta? At least, that is what I am gathering from the vague information I can get from doctors. I have no idea what this means for us in the long run. Of course the ultrasound report says "can not rule out placental abruption." Maybe they have to put that to cover themselves....but also VERY scary! Esp since I have a friend who just lost her full term baby due to abruption. Granted, it's still too early to do anything to save this baby if anything did happen.

On a happy note: the baby looks WONDERFUL! It was so active and the heartbeat was still around 155 bpm. I HATE to think it could all end in seconds if the placenta detaches! It's so healthy right now!!

hmm....I guess all this is just for me to vent. Gotta get it out. In the meantime, please pray for this baby!!

30

I recently turned 30. Quite honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Parts of me are excited, the rest just feels weird. The number sounds so much older and "uncool" than being in your 20's. Sounds like you should be all serious, focused, etc. I guess that's how I feel a lot of time with trying to keep 3 kids alive and well, grow a 4th, and manage to get everything else done. Seems like business, business, business. But really, I just want to be fun and crazy and goofy, like always!

For my birthday W and I went down to Jupiter Beach. We stayed at a really nice resort right on the Ocean. It was great! Well, could have been better if I wasn't preggers: NO drinking, NO hot tub, and doctor ordered "pelvic rest" for stupid blood clot. (Sorry, I know, TMI) It really was a nice break from the kiddo's and we got to have some good food! It was also wonderful to walk along the beach. We went to Blowing Rocks Park. When the tide is high the water blows up real high between the rocks. We saw a little bit, but I guess the ocean wasn't rough enough to make the water go super high. (Rereading this, I'm pretty sure it sounds like a 2nd grader wrote it. My brain isn't functioning properly lately! SORRY!)

Since I can't write eloquently, here are a few pic's or our nice weekend:



















I decided we should get up and watch the sunset. It really was beautiful!!




















A lighthouse (I think climbing to the top was against my doctors "no exercise" orders. I honestly forgot! oops!)

Elliot's Piano

We are quite terrible at remembering to have Elliot practice piano. I usually feel pretty bad sending her to lessons with ZERO days of practice. Guess that's life. The other day she came home and was very excited about practicing (guess her teacher's suggestions are paying off!) She could play Hot Cross Buns with NO music! I was so proud of her. She was practicing again today and doing all sorts of things. She knows all the names of the white keys and is learning a few other songs that she looks at the music (simplified for her age) for! I got a quick video of her playing her song. Hope you enjoy it!

Baby Update (almost 14 weeks)

We're nearing the 14 week mark with this baby :-) I had another ultrasound today to check on the subchorionic hematoma (blood clot within the uterus). It is getting smaller, but is still not resolved. Please keep praying that it will be gone soon! I really always say "Let God, be God" (that's my reminder to not worry), but I'm not always effective at taking my own advice. There's just something about being a Mom that makes you worry about your kiddo's.

Anyways, the ultrasound person was super sweet. She made us a little CD of the baby and even a few short video clips. No one's ever given us a CD! (Maybe we'll get the bill for that later. haha) Below is a video of it doing a quick kick up. You can see the feet, and all the little toes if you look quickly. The head is on the left and is facing up the first few seconds, then turns toward you!


This video is of the baby's heart. You can see it beating and all 4 chambers. A little arm is flapping on the side: