So.
I had planned to blog about my parent's trip down for Valentine's day weekend. I even took photos of our full freezer and new baby swag, but something has come up that I think you readers want to know about more!
I woke up 2 am on sunday in a pool of water on our bed, after waking up Jake I called UVA's labor and delivery and they sent me to Our Town's Community Hospital to be checked and then get transported to UVA. We packed up our bags real quick, called family and got ourselves to the hopsital.
Once there, they checked me and I had dilated to 3cm. It wasn't until after I got to the hospital that I started to have contractions. They gave me medicine to slow them down, they also gave me antibiotics and a steroid shot to help the babies lungs are much as possible.
Around 4 I got on the ambulance with two OB nurses and we took off for UVA. We made very good time, got there in less than two hours, but my contractions had gotten stronger and weren't getting farther apart. The nurses said I was humming and singing through them, I don't remember much apart from OW OW OW.
At UVA, they checked me again and I had gotten to 5cm, at that point it is nearly impossible to slow/stop labor enough to have any positive effect on the babies. Jake, his parents and my parents all arrived shortly after 8am. At 9:06, I was rolled into the OR to be prepped.
I had a spinal block, which just felt like my whole lower body just got pins and needles and then fell asleep. It worked so well that when they called Jake in (with his handsome blue unitard) I didn't know when they actually started the surgery. Every once in a while it felt like a sandbag was on my chest, but I didn't feel any pain. I did get sick from the medicines, and it happened just as they got Chucky-Sue out, so I only remember the poor girl I got sick on. Chucky-Sue did give me a scare, as she didn't start to cry right away, but she caught up quickly. Jake got to take photos as they examined both babies, and then was allowed to hold them before they went into the NICU. I was able to give them kisses and watch Jake hold them before they were whisked away for more tests.
Then Jake has his own story about following the babies to the NICU and being with them. I was taken to a recovery room, where I got to try to move my toes for four hours. I wasn't allowed out into my room until I could move my knees to get into my own bed. I now know why the nurses were so gruff about me moving, it's definitely helped me feel better faster and be able to go down and visit in the NICU.
And that's all it took for me to turn into a Mom.
a mom.
wow.
Showing posts with label UVA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UVA. Show all posts
2.09.2010
Babies Update
Yesterday Jake and I spent the day at doctor appointments at UVA for the little ones.
First up, a regular ob/gyn appointment for me. I'm healthy, happy, blood pressure is great, my stomach is HUGE. I was measuring at 40-41 weeks along (So if this was a singleton, I'd be DONE.) All we're waiting on is the results from my 3 hour GD test, but I can get those on my thursday appointment in Big City.
Then on to the fetal echocardiogram. It was amazing to see how much bigger their hearts have gotten in a month. There's been no changes, Chucky-Sue's heart is fine, Angelina's heart has an unlabeled single ventricle heart defect. Because of her uncooperative position they couldn't get a good view of the arteries and where they lead off to. The doctors are just trying to find out as much as possible before the birth, preparation is key to plan the surgeries- no one wants a surprise during surgery. The cardiologist is very happy that Angelina's heart is reactive, it rose when they got her mad with the ultrasound wand, and lowered when she fell asleep. It looks like it's a bad situation, but the best conditions this bad situation could have. (if that makes any sense?)
Last was our very long ultrasound. (Basically everyone in UVA saw me on a table with my shirt up and belly covered in sonic gel.) Chucky-Sue is a little chub-a-lub, she's measuring 5lb 1oz, with major chipmunk cheeks. Angelina is about the same length, but much skinner, she's at 3lb 9oz. She likes to keep her feet and hands by her face, so we didn't get a great look there. the tech and the doctor both commented on how much hair both babies have- I'm glad they got my hair genes ;) again, Angelina's scrunched up position made it difficult to see all the organs, they saw adrenal glands, but no clear cut picture of kidneys or bladder, but still there has to be SOMETHING, as Evelyn still has fluid around her. My Big City doctors are will be starting the non-stress tests after my appointments now, to make sure the low fluid around Angelina isn't affecting her too much.
So all in all, no new news is very good news. I have another appointment with them in a month, to hammer out details of the leg/bladder/kidney surgery(ies?) and the actual birth. (as it's looking to little Miss Diva Chucky-Sue is perfectly happy hanging out in a breech or transverse positions, she's pushed Angelina into a tiny scrunched ball under my right ribs)
It was great to see how big they are, and marvel at how much they move, jiggle and jump in there. They are a wonderful, miraculous blessing and we cannot wait to see them :)
First up, a regular ob/gyn appointment for me. I'm healthy, happy, blood pressure is great, my stomach is HUGE. I was measuring at 40-41 weeks along (So if this was a singleton, I'd be DONE.) All we're waiting on is the results from my 3 hour GD test, but I can get those on my thursday appointment in Big City.
Then on to the fetal echocardiogram. It was amazing to see how much bigger their hearts have gotten in a month. There's been no changes, Chucky-Sue's heart is fine, Angelina's heart has an unlabeled single ventricle heart defect. Because of her uncooperative position they couldn't get a good view of the arteries and where they lead off to. The doctors are just trying to find out as much as possible before the birth, preparation is key to plan the surgeries- no one wants a surprise during surgery. The cardiologist is very happy that Angelina's heart is reactive, it rose when they got her mad with the ultrasound wand, and lowered when she fell asleep. It looks like it's a bad situation, but the best conditions this bad situation could have. (if that makes any sense?)
Last was our very long ultrasound. (Basically everyone in UVA saw me on a table with my shirt up and belly covered in sonic gel.) Chucky-Sue is a little chub-a-lub, she's measuring 5lb 1oz, with major chipmunk cheeks. Angelina is about the same length, but much skinner, she's at 3lb 9oz. She likes to keep her feet and hands by her face, so we didn't get a great look there. the tech and the doctor both commented on how much hair both babies have- I'm glad they got my hair genes ;) again, Angelina's scrunched up position made it difficult to see all the organs, they saw adrenal glands, but no clear cut picture of kidneys or bladder, but still there has to be SOMETHING, as Evelyn still has fluid around her. My Big City doctors are will be starting the non-stress tests after my appointments now, to make sure the low fluid around Angelina isn't affecting her too much.
So all in all, no new news is very good news. I have another appointment with them in a month, to hammer out details of the leg/bladder/kidney surgery(ies?) and the actual birth. (as it's looking to little Miss Diva Chucky-Sue is perfectly happy hanging out in a breech or transverse positions, she's pushed Angelina into a tiny scrunched ball under my right ribs)
It was great to see how big they are, and marvel at how much they move, jiggle and jump in there. They are a wonderful, miraculous blessing and we cannot wait to see them :)
1.17.2010
Lifestyles of a Human Oven.
I know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear from lil ole me. :)
My UVA appointment went well. We met my OB/GYN team, the Pediatric Cardiologist and the NICU doctors/nurses. Jake, Grandma and I got to take a tour of the NICU and the PICU (The NICU sends any heart patients to the PICU during recovery, it's also where Evelyn will go for any future surgeries)
After meeting and talking with all these medical professionals, I've come to a conclusion about doctors:
They charge you a lot of money to say "I don't know, we'll have to wait and see." They can't tell me anything definite about the leg/lower surgeries, as they've never dealt with it before. They couldn't tell me a definite amount of heart surgeries because the heart reacts differently to each surgery. They couldn't tell me how long Angelina would be in the NICU as everyone recovers differently, and they may or may not be able to do the actual surgery when they want, etc. etc. etc. Basically too many variables for anyone to plan anything. So that means we have to plan for everything!
Heartwise, Angelina is doing remarkably well for her problems. The doctor didn't notice a whole lot of stress or a lesser blood volume in the heart. However they still couldn't tell which artery went where (to the lungs or to the body) because she has such a strange anatomy. We do know it will be at least two corrective surgeries, possibly three. Even with these surgeries she'll still need to limit her physical activity and be a bit more careful than the average person while exercising. Fun little fact, that until she has her last heart surgery, she'll be a bit blue because of the mixing of oxygen rich blood with carbon dioxide blood. "Our little Smurf" Jake has decided to call her.
The doctors have decided that they much prefer me to go into labor and then do a c-section if necessary (I could go naturally, but baby A would have to decide to move head down, and that doesn't look like it's happening!) They want to let them both grow as much as possible before taking them out. This could change if Angelina's fluids get dangerously low, but she's been pretty good so far with 7cm of fluid instead of the normal 10cm, but it's not an emergency till it gets down to 5cm.
The next UVA appointment is on the 8th of Feb, where I get to have my 506932th ultrasound! Hopfully we'll have more about the kidneys and legs then!
After the UVA trip, Jake and I started to pack up our ever-expanding pile of stuff. We have about 100 million books, enough clothes to stretch from here to california, and more dishes than I know what to do with. (I still can't part with my crepe maker!) How do two people collect so much STUFF? None of it we're able to easily part with. (Why yes, I do need a box full of souvenirs from my Paris/Nancy trip. No I will not throw away my metro tickets or music box.) Half the time I'm tempted to just throw it all away and start over in the new apartment.
As painful as packing is (I can't reach the floor, so often I get to ask Jake to pick something up so I could put it in a box. He's not as amused.) I'm very excited to get our apartment ready for the babies. And to have a washer and dryer. I may be more excited for that than the nursery.
In general news, I've gotten huge. And just when I think I can't get any huger, POP the babies grow and make me feel like I'm stealing lead filled basketballs. They are both very very active, Chucky-Sue (the lower Baby A) likes to do barrel rolls and somersaults, while Angelina is perfectly content to give me heartburn and kick my lungs. (I've noticed she kicks more when I talk more, is she already telling me to shut up??) Other than th stretching pains of being a giant, I feel good! I'm not as stressed about the babies as I was last month, both the doctors and church has helped me calm down and see the bigger picture(s). Now If I can just survive moving, I think we'll be all set for the home stretch to April!!
My UVA appointment went well. We met my OB/GYN team, the Pediatric Cardiologist and the NICU doctors/nurses. Jake, Grandma and I got to take a tour of the NICU and the PICU (The NICU sends any heart patients to the PICU during recovery, it's also where Evelyn will go for any future surgeries)
After meeting and talking with all these medical professionals, I've come to a conclusion about doctors:
They charge you a lot of money to say "I don't know, we'll have to wait and see." They can't tell me anything definite about the leg/lower surgeries, as they've never dealt with it before. They couldn't tell me a definite amount of heart surgeries because the heart reacts differently to each surgery. They couldn't tell me how long Angelina would be in the NICU as everyone recovers differently, and they may or may not be able to do the actual surgery when they want, etc. etc. etc. Basically too many variables for anyone to plan anything. So that means we have to plan for everything!
Heartwise, Angelina is doing remarkably well for her problems. The doctor didn't notice a whole lot of stress or a lesser blood volume in the heart. However they still couldn't tell which artery went where (to the lungs or to the body) because she has such a strange anatomy. We do know it will be at least two corrective surgeries, possibly three. Even with these surgeries she'll still need to limit her physical activity and be a bit more careful than the average person while exercising. Fun little fact, that until she has her last heart surgery, she'll be a bit blue because of the mixing of oxygen rich blood with carbon dioxide blood. "Our little Smurf" Jake has decided to call her.
The doctors have decided that they much prefer me to go into labor and then do a c-section if necessary (I could go naturally, but baby A would have to decide to move head down, and that doesn't look like it's happening!) They want to let them both grow as much as possible before taking them out. This could change if Angelina's fluids get dangerously low, but she's been pretty good so far with 7cm of fluid instead of the normal 10cm, but it's not an emergency till it gets down to 5cm.
The next UVA appointment is on the 8th of Feb, where I get to have my 506932th ultrasound! Hopfully we'll have more about the kidneys and legs then!
After the UVA trip, Jake and I started to pack up our ever-expanding pile of stuff. We have about 100 million books, enough clothes to stretch from here to california, and more dishes than I know what to do with. (I still can't part with my crepe maker!) How do two people collect so much STUFF? None of it we're able to easily part with. (Why yes, I do need a box full of souvenirs from my Paris/Nancy trip. No I will not throw away my metro tickets or music box.) Half the time I'm tempted to just throw it all away and start over in the new apartment.
As painful as packing is (I can't reach the floor, so often I get to ask Jake to pick something up so I could put it in a box. He's not as amused.) I'm very excited to get our apartment ready for the babies. And to have a washer and dryer. I may be more excited for that than the nursery.
In general news, I've gotten huge. And just when I think I can't get any huger, POP the babies grow and make me feel like I'm stealing lead filled basketballs. They are both very very active, Chucky-Sue (the lower Baby A) likes to do barrel rolls and somersaults, while Angelina is perfectly content to give me heartburn and kick my lungs. (I've noticed she kicks more when I talk more, is she already telling me to shut up??) Other than th stretching pains of being a giant, I feel good! I'm not as stressed about the babies as I was last month, both the doctors and church has helped me calm down and see the bigger picture(s). Now If I can just survive moving, I think we'll be all set for the home stretch to April!!
