Baby Isabelle @ 24 weeks
We started off with the ultrasound to get Isabelle measured and of course she didn't want to cooperate again. I wonder if this means that she is going to be stubborn. We were able to see her move her mouth like she was trying to tell us something very important and then laying back with her hands behind her head just chilling. She definitely is a character!
The Ultrasound tech tried many times to get all of the shots she felt the doctor would need to do his full assessment. She would get all her shots, clean the gel off and then leave the room only to return a few minutes later and need to get "just one more shot". After the 5th time, I began to get nervous. What was so important they needed to see that they couldn't have seen within the first hour of the ultrasound???
(Just to explain a bit...I have been an emotional basket case these last few days so at this point, I was hanging on by a thread, praying that I wouldn't lose it.)
At last, the doctor came into the room to look over all of the shots of Isabelle. At first, we got a great report. He felt that everything was looking good. He did mention that the bowels show a little bright on the ultrasound and she does have some fluid in her abdominal area but it was nothing to worry about. He said that these areas are looking better each time so he is confident that they will continue to correct themselves by the time she is born. He requested (using his doctor terminology, of course) the Ultrasound tech get some additional shots of her brain. Again... I questioned in my mind, what are they looking for??? So, after another 20 minutes, she pulled the doctor back in and he quickly told her to get us set up in the consultation room and make us comfortable. What?!? This is not something we want to hear at this point. I can't handle any additional bad news!
Our initial appointment- week 16- came flooding back to me where we were told that Isabelle had a heart defect and possible DS and that she might not even make it through the pregnancy. The doctor said that there were just too many things stacked against her at this point. We felt like we weren't given much hope. I vividly remember the nurse peaking around the doctor to see what my reaction was to this news. The only thing was... that I don't think I had a visible reaction. At that time, my world just stopped. I couldn't grasp what he was telling me and I just wanted to run. So today, those feelings came back. I needed to get some fresh air but all I smelt was a hospital room and I couldn't breath. Why was this happening to us again? Why did we have to get more bad news? Hadn't we heard enough?
To drag out the suspense of what the doctor had seen and possibly torture us just a bit longer... he wanted the tech to try and look one more time at her brain and get some additional measurements. After much anticipation, we finally found out that they were trying to measure the blood flow to her brain. During the first few shots, the blood flow showed very low but Isabelle was also laying head down and in an awkward position. The tech was having a very difficult time getting an accurate shot of her entire head. During that last ultrasound, the tech said "finally... Isabelle has moved to give me a better shot." She took the new photos to the doctor and then came back and said "false alarm... Isabelle is fine." This was great news but at this point, I had gotten myself so worked up that I needed to just get out of there fast or I was going to breakdown in their office.
All of the running around and additional ultrasounds were because the doctor thought that she was showing anemic and with that, we would have had to go through some additional testing which could have been invasive. From our understanding, they would have had to go in and take blood directly from Isabelle and have it tested. I am not sure what would have happened if she were truly anemic but thankfully, we will not have to find out.
I am going to have to give Isabelle a very stern talking to when I see her. She needs to cooperate a little better for our doctor's appointments. Mommy can't handle anymore scares like today.
3 comments:
Hi, Tonya- I got your blog from Downsyn :)
I know that the first few times we went back to the Peri after we had our amnio, I was a WRECK. Heck, we went back at the beginning of this pregnancy for checkups, and just the feeling of being there brought up all kinds of emotions. I think after you do it a couple of times, though, you get a little more comfortable- I always just had to get excited about seeing our little girl again (which totally made all of my friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time completely jealous. Which is always fun, lol). So, I guess long-story-short, I'd like to say that it gets 100% easier, but I WILL say that it gets more fun. How fun and easy aren't directly related, I don't know, but they aren't. I felt like, by the time Piper was born, we REALLY knew her. We'd seen her tons, watched her grow, got a good sense of her personality (and, ahem, ATTITUDE)... It made it so easy when she got here because we could just take HER in, all of her diagnoses aside. So, hang in there- I know the anxiety is awful sometimes, but it does get better. You are SO gonna love that little girl!!!
...and yes, Piper's been grounded until she's 32 for the stress she caused. She gets out of it every time she flashes me that little smile, though... :)
So glad Isabelle is fine!! Oh the stress of it all. Brings back memories-it's almost more than you can handle but always remember it's not more than God can handle. I seriously had to give up all the control that I was trying to take with my pregnancy with Bennett and give it over to God. Just couldn't take it anymore and it really helped. I hope you don't get anymore scares like this though!! Behave Isabelle!;)
So glad I stumbled upon your blog via Stacie's blog. Praying for you and your family, that the remainder of your pregnancy goes well, and all is well after pregnancy as well.
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