When we last left off, I had just been told that I might want to abort the pregnancy due to suspected placenta accreta. Hot times!
There are many things I do not like about living in a large city. Noise. Lack of open fields of wildflowers. The smell of garbage in the summer. However, lack of access to medical care is not one of these problems. After doing some frantic googling, I decided that I would consult a high risk OB/GYN to see what they had to say about my hungry placenta. I scheduled an appointment for a second opinion for which I had to wait a week. What a long week that was!
The doctor that I was referred to was a balding Israeli who I had to work really hard to make laugh (always my goal in any medical appointment). Upon reviewing my ultrasound, he said he was not even sure I had placenta accreta and that even if I did have it, there were measures that could be taken to prevent the worst case scenario. As it turned out, the 8% risk of maternal death was largely based on cases where people were unaware that they had placenta accreta. He said that, at most, I was looking at a 1% chance of an early exit from Earth which is not that far off from the general population. Score! He further reassured me that their office delivered about 1 accreta baby a week and that they hadn't lost anyone yet. Double score! I immediately switched to this new office and decided to continue the pregnancy. ALWAYS SEEK A SECOND OPINION.
Of course, since I was now high risk, I was scheduled for monthly ultrasounds, bedrest for the last six weeks, and a scheduled early delivery of 35 weeks. I spent the days leading up to each ultrasound overwhelmed with anxiety about what they might find. Had the accreta gotten worse and become increta or, worst of all, percreta? Was the baby okay? I found the baby's kicks to be the only reassuring piece of this pregnancy although the baby enjoyed a day on, day off schedule wherein they would kick up a storm one day and the next day, I would barely feel anything. What a pip.
Things were relatively calm until week 28 when it turned out that I had mild gestational diabetes AND the baby had hydronephrosis, or a dilated kidney. These are both relatively mild complications, particularly when you know about them ahead of time. Hydronephrosis is much more common in boys, so this really cemented my belief that the baby's sex was male. It was at this point that we through all of our girl names out the window. :::::foreshadowing:::::
Week 30 rolled around and I began my period of confinement which was largely spent watching Friday Night Lights, doing kick counts, and picking things up around the apartment with a grabber tool. I was particularly nervous as week 34 rolled around since that was when I hemorrhaged with Seth, but the day passed like any other. I did make one trip to the ER when I had some light bleeding (#terrified) which turned out to be nothing (#likemostanxietytriggers). I was extremely worried but also extremely relieved to be nearing the scheduled delivery date. It was immensely helpful to have visitors during this time and I truly appreciate everyone who came over and pretended to not notice my inability to have a conversation of any intelligence.
Since they knew that I would be delivering early, I went into the hospital a few days before to begin my steroid shots for the baby's lungs. Because I was so anxious that I would start bleeding at home like I did with Seth, I was fervently hoping that they would find something at the hospital that would cause them to admit me until the delivery (4 days later). As luck would have it, I had a contraction on the monitor. Then I had another one. Then, I had a third one that really hurt! YESSSSSSSSS. Hospital admittance ACHIEVED. I was very lucky to have so much support from Eric, Elizabeth, and others who were able to take care of the kids during this time! After I entered the hospital, I spent the next four days hanging out in my hospital room, eating hospital food, and watching HGTV. Aside from missing Leo, Seth and Eric, I was in heaven. Being only one floor away from an operating room felt like a warm security blanket wrapped around me.
The morning of June 19th came. I had no idea what the day was going to look like, but I did know that I was REALLY hungry. I also knew that whatever was going to happen, was going to happen by 10:30am.
Keep your eyes peeled for Part 3 wherein there are two major surprises, one infected abcess, a NICU stay, and a happy ending.
 |
| Pregnant in the background! |
There are many things I do not like about living in a large city. Noise. Lack of open fields of wildflowers. The smell of garbage in the summer. However, lack of access to medical care is not one of these problems. After doing some frantic googling, I decided that I would consult a high risk OB/GYN to see what they had to say about my hungry placenta. I scheduled an appointment for a second opinion for which I had to wait a week. What a long week that was!
The doctor that I was referred to was a balding Israeli who I had to work really hard to make laugh (always my goal in any medical appointment). Upon reviewing my ultrasound, he said he was not even sure I had placenta accreta and that even if I did have it, there were measures that could be taken to prevent the worst case scenario. As it turned out, the 8% risk of maternal death was largely based on cases where people were unaware that they had placenta accreta. He said that, at most, I was looking at a 1% chance of an early exit from Earth which is not that far off from the general population. Score! He further reassured me that their office delivered about 1 accreta baby a week and that they hadn't lost anyone yet. Double score! I immediately switched to this new office and decided to continue the pregnancy. ALWAYS SEEK A SECOND OPINION.
Of course, since I was now high risk, I was scheduled for monthly ultrasounds, bedrest for the last six weeks, and a scheduled early delivery of 35 weeks. I spent the days leading up to each ultrasound overwhelmed with anxiety about what they might find. Had the accreta gotten worse and become increta or, worst of all, percreta? Was the baby okay? I found the baby's kicks to be the only reassuring piece of this pregnancy although the baby enjoyed a day on, day off schedule wherein they would kick up a storm one day and the next day, I would barely feel anything. What a pip.
Things were relatively calm until week 28 when it turned out that I had mild gestational diabetes AND the baby had hydronephrosis, or a dilated kidney. These are both relatively mild complications, particularly when you know about them ahead of time. Hydronephrosis is much more common in boys, so this really cemented my belief that the baby's sex was male. It was at this point that we through all of our girl names out the window. :::::foreshadowing:::::
 |
| I took this in the school bathroom before going on bedrest. #maternityphotoshoot |
Week 30 rolled around and I began my period of confinement which was largely spent watching Friday Night Lights, doing kick counts, and picking things up around the apartment with a grabber tool. I was particularly nervous as week 34 rolled around since that was when I hemorrhaged with Seth, but the day passed like any other. I did make one trip to the ER when I had some light bleeding (#terrified) which turned out to be nothing (#likemostanxietytriggers). I was extremely worried but also extremely relieved to be nearing the scheduled delivery date. It was immensely helpful to have visitors during this time and I truly appreciate everyone who came over and pretended to not notice my inability to have a conversation of any intelligence.
Since they knew that I would be delivering early, I went into the hospital a few days before to begin my steroid shots for the baby's lungs. Because I was so anxious that I would start bleeding at home like I did with Seth, I was fervently hoping that they would find something at the hospital that would cause them to admit me until the delivery (4 days later). As luck would have it, I had a contraction on the monitor. Then I had another one. Then, I had a third one that really hurt! YESSSSSSSSS. Hospital admittance ACHIEVED. I was very lucky to have so much support from Eric, Elizabeth, and others who were able to take care of the kids during this time! After I entered the hospital, I spent the next four days hanging out in my hospital room, eating hospital food, and watching HGTV. Aside from missing Leo, Seth and Eric, I was in heaven. Being only one floor away from an operating room felt like a warm security blanket wrapped around me.
The morning of June 19th came. I had no idea what the day was going to look like, but I did know that I was REALLY hungry. I also knew that whatever was going to happen, was going to happen by 10:30am.
Keep your eyes peeled for Part 3 wherein there are two major surprises, one infected abcess, a NICU stay, and a happy ending.
It’s amazing to believe we are quickly approaching our Dana’s first �� birthday ��! She has grown to be such a beautiful and wonderful darling girl❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Tall and Strong, adorable in every way, intelligent and joyful!! Well done to you, Mommy and Daddy, for a historic year. Of parenting my three terrific grandchildren �❤️
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