OH MY GOSH! IT'S TIME!

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL HAVE A JULY BABY! MY WATER BROKE ABOUT 3:15AM (ISH) AND WE ARE HEADING TO THE HOSPITAL!

PLEASE KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS TODAY! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

37 Week Update

We are almost there! In 2 days, I will be 37 weeks & considered full-term. So she could be here any day now or within the next few weeks! Of course no one knows for sure, but I bet about 2 weeks and she's in our arms.

Mental note: Still on the to-do list...

1. PACK THE HOSPITAL BAG
HELLO - a must! Hey, I have the list of items to put into the bag, but I just need to knock it out and complete the project. Adam gave me a deadline of Wednesday to finish this.

2. WASH SOME BABY OUTFITS, LINENS, BLANKETS, ETC.
Got the unscented, sensitive detergent. Just waiting to pick out a few things to wash & actually throw them in the washer. I also need to pick a "going home" outfit.

3. HAVE THE CARSEAT CHECKED FOR SAFETY
Have an appointment at the Dept. of Health Services tomorrow afternoon.

4. PUT UP SOME LAST MINUTE DECORATIVE ITEMS.
Waiting on shipment to arrive containing the valance, diaper stacker, mobile, extra sheet and blanket that was a part of our bedding collection. This has been kind of a pain since this collection is only available online & some of the items were not in stock at some sites. I was able to find ALL items in stock at BabyMetro.com and placed the order. I'm hoping the shipment will arrive by the end of the week. Side note: this site had the best prices and offered free shipping!

5. FINISH THANK YOU NOTES FROM BABY SHOWERS
Over half way there.

6. MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CATS WHILE WE'RE GONE TO THE HOSPITAL
Luckily, we have large self-feeders for food & water that we will put out and the litter box takes care of the bathroom situation. But I'd like to have someone check on the cats during the time we're in the hospital to make sure they (and the house) are ok. We may call on a neighbor for this.
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Oh yeah, and Dr. Parker gave me an exam today and said I'm already 2cm dilated & 50% effaced! If you're not familiar with these terms (which I wasn't up until recently), dilation refers to how open or closed the cervix is. It needs to be 10cm before a woman can push her baby out, but to be 2cm at just shy of 37 weeks is excellent progress. Way to go cervix! Effacement refers to how thick or thin your cervix is. It starts off thick and ends up thin so that the baby can pass through. It is measured in percentages (anywhere from 0% to 100%), and 100% effacement is necessary to deliver a baby. So I'm half way there in terms of being effaced!

Dr. Parker said this is excellent news considering the fact that my labor may be induced. It should make the labor process progress quicker (God, I hope so!) since my body is naturally making progress already. Plus, the baby is in the correct position and is sitting "really low," as she described. DUH! Little Miss has been near my crotch the entire pregnancy, which is actually a good thing I guess. It's like she's devising a quick escape and has maintained her sneaky position for months. She may just POP right out! Wouldn't that be lovely :)

~ Basic Stuff ~

Baby's heartbeat: 150's
Baby's est. weight: 5.5 - 6 lbs
Mommy's weight gain: 2 lbs. in 1 week (34 lbs total)
Mommy's blood pressure: low
Mommy's fundal height: 36.5 cm
Mommy's platelet count: 112

Oh, the platelet count. My FAVORITE subject - HA! It has gone down from 130 to 112 in the last couple/few weeks. I will get more lab results later in the week from today's blood draw. Then next week is decision-making week based on the results. It sounds like my doctor is encouraging induced labor. My logic tells me to induce, but my gut tells me to do nothing and wait for labor to happen naturally. But each day I have a different opinion. Round & round my brain goes, and where it stops, no one knows...



And if you'd like to read on about my drama-filled day (imagine that!)...

I went to the doctor at 1pm. Bad timing since apparently everyone is dragging from lunch at this hour. I had to wait extra long today to be seen. The doctor checked me and released me into my favorite room, THE LAB, to have the blood sucked from my dainty little hand. Well, Katrina (the usual blood sucker) was on her lunch break and would not be back for 45 minutes. So Leslie was filling in and was supposed to draw my blood. Of course, I had to explain how I needed it drawn from my hand and not my arm. Blah, blah, blah. She got seriously nervous as she has NEVER drawn blood from someone's hand and didn't know what to do. Being the expert I am at this point in the pregnancy, I knew mostly what to do. I hung both hands down to see which would lend a better vein. We decided on righty, the all-star hand of choice. She tightened the tournicate and then didn't know what needle to use. She left and asked someone else what needle would be best. It was the butterfly, a longer, thinner needle. I confirmed that the butterfly is the needle that is used on a hand. Then she said she was nervous that I would pass out. I told her I was fine and that she should not be nervous. Then she stuck in the needle. After a few seconds, she said, "Uh oh, I was afraid of that." Um...uh oh what? She said my vein "rolled" and she stuck me in a place that wasn't giving blood. Oh brother. Then she proceeded to wiggle the needle around (ouch!) and after no luck she dislodged the needle and started eyeing the other hand. After hesitating a bit, she decided that she did not want to fail again and stick me in the wrong place. So she asked me to come back once Katrina came back from lunch. Fine.

I went to Publix as I had planned, then returned to the office. Groceries were waiting in the car. Katrina was waiting on me and was able to successfully drain lefty of a tube of blood. I was out in a flash, then I made it back to my car to take the groceries home. But as (my) luck would have it, my car would not start. Great. Seemed to be the battery. This same thing happened 2 months ago after I came out of Publix with a trunk full of groceries in the hot sun while in my last trimester of pregnancy - NOT a good combination! We had a brand new battery installed in June, so what on earth is the problem now? I called Adam and he could not leave work. But he did call around to find someone to help me. And within minutes, 2 people from church arrived. First on the scene was Pastor Keith (seen below baptizing Adam). He admitted he knew nothing about cars, but was there to help. Adam had coached him on what to wiggle around, and the car started in no time. Then David showed up, but the problem had already been resolved. I did give David a cherry popsicle (1 of many items melting in the back of my car) for offering to help. You better believe I had already started digging through the groceries when I was waiting for help to arrive. Like I had been trapped in a remote place for an unknown period of time, desperate to survive on whatever I could find in the car. I opted for an orange popsicle.


And would you know that there was no one to be seen in the parking lot when I was having the trouble, but as soon as Keith & David arrived, people started flooding the parking lot, including many capable men who could have helped. But thank God the car was easily fixed and I was on my way home in no time. I often wonder what life would be like if things went smoothly and according to plan...I have a feeling I'll never know!

Baptism Bash

This afternoon after our church service, Adam was baptized! He was actually baptized at the young age of 7, but this time around it has a different relevance. He has a much better understanding of the act of baptism and why it is important. Although he has been a Christian for many years, his fire for God has been reignited, if you will. He is re-commiting his life to Christ, and this is how he is expressing the inner change. I am so proud of him for being a respectable leader for our family, and the timing is especially significant since we have a daughter on the way. A fresh start, if you will.

Since our church meets in a high school, we do not have a baptismal pool. But we made due with 2 inflatable pools setup on the lawn. Hey, whatever works! And out of the 100 people being baptized, Adam was #1 in line. It was great that he was the 1st to go, but it barely gave me time to prepare! Luckily I HAD made it back from the bathroom. I was searching through my endless pit of a purse to find my digital camera. He was stepping into the water and I still had to take my camera out of the case, turn it on, and work my way to the front to grab a pic. Despite my camera frenzy, I did manage to get a couple shots. Just consider the circumstances if they did not turn out so well...





NOT the best picture of me, to say the least...


We were honored to have both my parents & Adam's parents join us for this special occasion. They experienced worship - BridgePointe style! And what better way to celebrate this occasion than a lunch outing to Cracker Barrel afterward! YUM!

(Almost) 36 Week Update

So I'm technically 35 weeks & 5 days, but I went in for my "36" week checkup today. LOTS to report, as usual. I'm wondering what drama I can cook up once the pregnancy is over. It will be hard to top my pregnancy roller coaster! However, I'm SURE I can think of something :)

Baby's heartbeat: 160's (highest it's ever been - guess she was hyper this morning)
Mommy's weight gain: 2 lbs in 2 weeks (32 lbs total)
Mommy's blood pressure: hmmm...they didn't tell me, so I assume it's fine
Fundal height: 36 cm (right on track)

More on the platelet count issue...
Dr. Parker reviewed the extensive notes on file for me, including the notes from the hematologist. She agreed that the hematologist is only concerned with a life or death situation, not any epidural concerns. SO - she said I will be giving blood on a weekly basis now so we can keep an eye on the count. She also discussed the strong possibility of inducing labor in the coming weeks based on the most recent platelet count. A little confusing, but as I understand, here are my choices...

1. Schedule induction if the count is at a comfortable level.
If the lab results prove that my count is over 100, we can schedule an induction right away to insure an epidural will be possible. Timing is everything, so essentially we would schedule an induction before my platelets have a chance to drop again. This would only be done between 38.5 & 39.5 weeks (around the week of August 10).

2. Schedule induction if the count is low with steriod treatment.
If the lab results come back with a count less than 100, we could administer steriod treatment and wait for it to kick in. The treatment is designed to work approximately 9-12 days after the shot is given. We would schedule an induction within this window, basically a week & a half after the treatment. Then I would be going through labor while the treatment is in it's full effect, hopefully raising the count so an epidural is possible.

3. Do nothing & let nature play out.
This means no medical intervention of any kind. No steroid treatment, no induced labor. If I do not mind the possibility of not having an epidural, then I can choose to not have any intervention and let things happen naturally. When I go into labor on my own, the count could be low or high at that time, so an epidural could or could not be an option. This would be a gamble, but a less involved process.

SO - LOTS to think about over the next week. I will get my lab results back within the next couple/few days, so we will have more information to make our decision. Adam & I are considering the pros/cons of each situation and trying to decide what's best. These are a few things that have crossed our minds...

Pros of Induction:
-Better planning & coordination for us and our families
-Best chance of having an epidural
-The baby will be here early!

Cons of Induction:
-Lack of excitement & surprise of going into labor (we were really looking forward to making those calls when no one was expecting it that Baby Emmett was on her way!)
-More of an involved process, especially if steriods are given

Although we will be making the ultimate decision with the guidance of our doctor, I would love to gather some other opinions. I just want to be sure we've thought everything through. So if you have any advise to share, let me know!!

August 11

My prediction for when Little Miss will arrive. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I have a feeling she will be early.

Adam is predicting August 16, and from what I understand his parents are predicting August 24 (yikes!).

If you have a prediction, post a comment! I'd love to know :)

The Princess is Coming!

Adam commented that our home has quickly become saturated in pink! AND I LOVE IT! Our little princess is almost here, and we are preparing for her big arrival. Her daddy has been assembling all kinds of pink things, and mommy is working behind the scenes (hospital forms, cleaning closets, making lists, etc.), when she has the energy, that is. Our home is not the same. There are reminders from place to place that she's COMING!

Take a look...

~ Her Crib ~


~ Most of her bedding ~


~ Adam testing out the glider ~


~ Daisy thinks she's the baby ~


~ Um, someone has some explaining to do ~


~ At least we know the pack & play can withstand 20 lbs ~


Note about the cats:
I've been getting blunt comments about the cats and the possibility of them harming the baby. Adam threatened to beat the cats within an inch of their life IF he ever catches them doing something that could harm the baby. Like sitting on her, smothering her, scratching her. While I understand the concern, I'd like to add my comment...nothing has happened and hopefully nothing bad will happen. People coexist with babies and pets all the time. I'm aware that even though I refer to my cats as my babies, our real baby will be far more important. We will be very mindful of the cats and their behavior. We will be very mindful of the baby at all times. We are taking steps to discipline the cats now so they walk the line once Little Miss arrives. For example, they are no longer allowed to sleep in our room. The doors to our room & the baby room are closed at night and the cats must sleep downstairs. We lined the pack & play & the crib with tin foil (a tip from Aunt Amy) so that if the cats jump in it, the sound and feeling will scare them so bad that they won't want to ever try that again. And the squirt bottle full of water has come in quite handy as well. Let's try not to overreact people.

Also, Adam's grandparents gave us this beautiful wooden swing that Adam will hang from a tree in the backyard. He's been wanting a swing for awhile, so we were thrilled when PaPaw & Wynelle surprised us with this special gift. They said there's just enough room for the two of them, plus Little Miss Emmett in the middle :)



Oh, and I forgot to report on our routine 34 week checkup at the doctor last week.

Baby's heartbeat: 152 bpm
Baby's weight: about 5 lbs
Mommy's weight gain: 1 lb in the past 2 weeks (30 lbs total)
Mommy's fundal height: right on track
Mommy's blood pressure: low
Mommy's platelet count: 130

Belly Shots - 8 Months

(Wo)Man vs. Dr.

I feel like I'm battling with the doctors over this darn blood platelet count issue. Well, THIS WOMAN (meaning me) HAS HAD IT!!! I am beyond frustrated and confused. I am told one thing at the OBGYN, then another thing at the hematologist. Actually, a better title might have been OBGYN vs. hematologist. I am just the pitiful monkey in the middle.

Here's what's going on...

The normal range for a platelet count is anywhere from 150-400. A person's count fluctuates all the time. I was told by the OBGYN that if my platelet count falls below 100, then I cannot have an epidural. Since at my last blood draw in June it had declined drastically to 110, I was given instruction to see the hematologist and (so I thought) start steriod treatment to boost the little platelets up to a comfortable level. Prepping for the big day, "D" day (delivery day). Trust me, these docs WANT me to have an epidural. So do I.

So off I went to the hematologist on Tuesday. Adam left work to attend this appointment because we assumed it was going to be a major deal. On a side note, his job situation is really serious right now, so he should not be taking ANY time off unless absolutely necessary. My blood was drawn at the hematologist's office (for the billionth time during this pregnancy!), and the count was analyzed right then and there. This office has the proper equipment to be able to do this on the spot. So my actual count at the time of the visit was 130. Dr. Franco came in and said, "Great news, your count is 'normal' and you do not need treatment." He also tested my blood for all kinds of things - lupus, rubella, B12 deficiency, etc. He mentioned that in March I was mildly anemic, but it has disappeared now so my blood is looking very good.

Relief and confusion set in at the same time. We were so thankful that the count has climbed and, although still low, closer to normal. But Dr. Franco brushed everything off and acted like nothing was wrong at all. Like he questioned me being there. I guess he sees way worse dealing with cancer patients and people with much worse situations. He claims he only gives patients steriod treatments if their count falls below 30. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!??!? 30? My count is NO WHERE NEAR 30! So then I questioned me being there, thinking that my OBGYN was being dramatic, which is making ME look dramatic. I have just been following orders, lugging myself around from doctor to doctor, getting poked at nearly every visit, and trying to not question their expertise. BUT NO MORE! This is ridiculus! (Can you tell my pregnancy hormones are out to play?) Oh, and even though Dr. Franco doesn't forsee any treatment is necessary, he still thinks it's necessary to see me back at his office in 2 weeks just to get more labwork done. This involves a 1-hour car trip each way and an office co-pay. Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind that there is greed hiding somewhere in the background here...

Then I was off to the OBGYN today, more frustrated than ever. I somehow kept my cool, but it was probably because I was meeting with Ginnene, my most favorite nurse in the world who has the ability to keep me calm at all times. I told her the story and that I'm very confused because I'm getting conflicting opinions from the doctors. She acted surprised and thought that perhaps I misunderstood Dr. Franco about a count of 30 being means for treatment. She said maybe he said/meant if it drops 30 points then we would need treatment. NO MA'AM...He did NOT say this. I confirmed with Adam & we both heard the same words out of his mouth.

Then Ginnene looked up records for another patient who had just been through steriod treatment managed by their office, not the hematologist. (UM, hello - if I could be "managing" this issue in their office, then why the heck was I sent to Dr. Franco in the first place?) Anyway, this other patient had a count of 116, then it dropped to 93 and steriod treatment was administered by Dr. Parker in their own office. After going back & forth, we finally came to the conclusion that the OBGYN & hematologist have 2 differing views on when treatment is necessary. From the OBGYN standpoint, they are concerned with the epidural, so treatment will be given if it nears 100. Dr. Franco, especially being a man (words from Ginnene, not me), is not thinking of this aspect. He's only willing to treat this problem if it jeapordizes my life I guess, not my comfort level during D day.

Get on the same page people!!!

I do feel better knowing everything is off my chest. Ginnene put a note in my file that "patient is over Dr. Franco" and she is consulting with Dr. Parker to come up with another plan. I am cancelling my appointment with Dr. Franco (NO MORE HEMATOLOGIST!) and Dr. Parker will be managing this issue at their OBGYN office from now on. So no more news for now. I go back to the OBGYN in a little over a week and we will go from there.

If anyone is still reading at this point, God bless you!

News

Just in case anyone was on the edge of their seat, not able to sleep tonight until they found out the latest news...

Everything went better than expected at the hematologist today. In a nutshell, God works miracles of all shapes & sizes, and this was true for us today. No steriod treatment is needed, at least for now and likely not at all. I will write about our adventure later. I am one tired mommy, so off to bed for me!

Thank you for your thoughts & prayers :)

I QUIT!

I didn't expect this day to come so soon, but it did. Today was my last day at work. This came as a surprise to everyone, include me, after some news from the doc last week. Basically, my blood platelet count is lower than it has ever been throughout the pregnancy. And since it's had a tendancy to drop over the last month, we can only expect it to drop more, without treatment that is. Not good news for a mommy who will be facing birth in the coming weeks. As I've mentioned before, the risks during labor/delivery include hemoraging because my blood doesn't clot properly and/or not being able to have an epidural. But thankfully, this is just a mommy problem, not a baby problem. Baby Emmett seems to be doing just fine.

So, tomorrow I plan to start steriod treatments. Adam is escorting me to the hematologist tomorrow afternoon at 2:30pm. I have no idea what to expect. Will I get shots, pills? How often will I need to be checked? Side effects? All questions that are pulsating through my head. A lot will be answered tomorrow. Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers as we continue on.

Anyway, I've been advised to get lots of rest, reduce my stress level and create the best possible environment in which to get well during my treatment. Working full time just does not fit in with this plan. But silly me truly considered trying to manage it all like I have been, even while going through treatment. That plan was shot dead as soon as I mentioned it to my family. They would not let me do this. Looking back, what was I thinking? I guess I was trying to be independent and self-sufficient, and I didn't want to burden anyone with my absense. My absense at work, my absense around the house, etc. Somehow in my fog I failed to remember little ol' me and Little Miss Emmett. Luckily, there are sane people keeping me in line. Have I mentioned lately that I can be a little stubborn!?!

My last day was bittersweet. I am sad to leave my friends at work behind, but I am relieved to not have so much on my plate. I suppose now I have a new job title...full-time mommy :)