Thank you for the prayers, messages, and support over the past few days. I guess our little guy is just letting us know what we have in store once he gets here! I am going to try to keep up with this blog for the time being so that we can keep friends and family posted about when our son will decide to make an appearance.
Just to back up a little bit...On Tuesday evening I began not feeling quite right. I wasn't too concerned because I assumed I was over-reacting, and I have had a tendency to be a little paranoid about every wierd thing happening to my body throughout this pregnancy. I already had my 28 week doctor's appointment scheduled for the next day, so I decided to wait to go in until then. By Wednesday morning, I was really not feeling good, so I got an earlier appointment and went in just in case. I guess looking back, I should have connected the dots, but it never occured to me that my water had broken Tuesday night and that the cramping I was feeling was contractions. The doctor had my mom take me straight to the hospital where I have been since.
The first couple days were stressful...they immediately gave me steriods to help mature Lee's lungs so that if he came this early, his lungs would at least work better. They also gave me a magnesium IV to try to stop the contractions at least while they were able to finish the steroids...that was miserable. The doctors seemed to think that delivery within days would be likely. At a little less than 29 weeks, Lee should be fine, he would just spend a lot of time in the NICU. The NICU doctors, the perinatalogists, and my doctors all came in to discuss what would happen. They have been wonderful. Call it answered prayers, but on Friday morning my contractions just stopped.
Where we stand now...
Lee is doing great. His heartrate is good. He is about 3 lbs, and he is very active. He hasn't minded any of this one bit. There is currently as much amniotic fluid around him as there would be had my water never broken. At this point, he produces his own through his pee...I guess he pees a lot.
They will not stop my contractions again if they start back up. It is more dangerous to keep stopping them, than to just let me go naturally. Also, since my water has broken, there is no barrier between the outside world and baby, so infection is the biggest concern. I am on loads of antibiotics, but if for some reason I start showing signs of infection, I will be induced. If none of that happens, they will let LJ continue to bake until I am 34 weeks (October 22). At that point, it is riskier not to deliver than to deliver him early. So here we are...
I have been moved to the High Risk Pregnancy unit at Northside...the best place in the world to be. I was lucky to have Matt here since Wednesday, but he went home tonight. We realized that some sort of normal activities have to resume, at least for one of us, so he will be back at work tomorrow. I know the puppies are happy to have him back. The hospital is about an hour from our house, so its not overly convenient, but we will make it work. Mom and Dad have visited everyday too, so that helps. It is just going to be a new kind of normal.
To let everyone know, my wife is the most courageous, faithful, wonderful woman I have ever met. She has been a rock throughout this entire process. I am truly blessed to have her as the mother of our little boy. He will be our miracle and its because of all of your steadfast prayers that we have come this far. God has tested us, and we continue to let Him lead. Please continue to pray for us and little LJ. Even though we would love to be able to hold him now, we have faith that God will keep him safely inside the womb until week 34 comes and are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to allow God to work. Sydney, I love you!
ReplyDelete