For a medicated cycle (I'm taking progesterone supplementation), my level should be 15. It's 14.8, so I have to keep taking the darn things... Grrrr.....
Come on placenta, grow and take over!
Jonah and Noah
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Weekly Check-in
How far along? 9w3d, almost a PRUNE!
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Getting a little more uncomfortable, I can feel a little knot if I lay on my stomach.
Best moment this week? The relief I feel when I let myself throw up.
Movement: Just my uterus stretching.
Food cravings: Not much; our fridge is completely empty. I would like some grilled cheese, though.
What I miss? A calm stomach (I'm repeating this, b/c I had an especially nauseated week)
What I am looking forward to? Can't wait to see the little bugger this Thursday, hopefully arms and legs will be moving!
Milestones: baby moves around, curves fingers around objects and already has fingerprints!
What I'm nervous about: Upcoming surgery
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Getting a little more uncomfortable, I can feel a little knot if I lay on my stomach.
Best moment this week? The relief I feel when I let myself throw up.
Movement: Just my uterus stretching.
Food cravings: Not much; our fridge is completely empty. I would like some grilled cheese, though.
What I miss? A calm stomach (I'm repeating this, b/c I had an especially nauseated week)
What I am looking forward to? Can't wait to see the little bugger this Thursday, hopefully arms and legs will be moving!
Milestones: baby moves around, curves fingers around objects and already has fingerprints!
What I'm nervous about: Upcoming surgery
Anxiety Setting In...
Don't get me wrong - I'm super happy about the hope this TAC surgery will give me. I'm just having a case of the jitters, cold feet, whatever you want to call it. I will be flying exactly 870 miles each way from home to IND, and driving 370 miles each way from Indy to Chicago. I'll be checking into a hospital, having tons of needles in my body, having my stomach cut open, and my cervix banded tightly. I'll be sewn back up and left to recover.
The reality of the surgery is setting in!!!!!!! It's always felt like so far away, now here we are almost a week away. I have very short moments where I'm almost scared enough to call it quits and just drive to my OB and get the transvaginal cerclage, but no WAY am I going to give up like that.
I want this, and I know it will be worth it in the end. When I look back in a few years, it will just be a blip on the radar. One thing at a time...
The reality of the surgery is setting in!!!!!!! It's always felt like so far away, now here we are almost a week away. I have very short moments where I'm almost scared enough to call it quits and just drive to my OB and get the transvaginal cerclage, but no WAY am I going to give up like that.
I want this, and I know it will be worth it in the end. When I look back in a few years, it will just be a blip on the radar. One thing at a time...
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Group B Strep = Positive :(
I got a phone call from my OB nurse yesterday morning right before I was going into a meeting (great timing, right?) and she told me that I tested positive for Group B Strep in my urine. After sending a panic filled email to the Mr. that had some not-so-feminine curse words in it, I ran into the meeting and bit my nails for the next hour. Actually, not literally, I have some pretty great nails that I don't bite. But figuratively, you get my drift.
Fortunately, when I got it together and was able to see clearly and Google something, as well as ask fellow Bumpies, it turns out that it's fairly common (up to 30% of women are carriers) and it doesn't really affect anything until birth. Since we know about it this early on, I will be considered high risk for GBS during delivery and will be pumped full of antibiotics before my scheduled C-section. I've lived with the idea that since jr. high, I've been allergic to penicillin, so I guess I need to get tested somehow to see if that's true. I don't want to risk using a less inferior antibiotic at birth because I might be allergic.
Crisis averted!!!
Fortunately, when I got it together and was able to see clearly and Google something, as well as ask fellow Bumpies, it turns out that it's fairly common (up to 30% of women are carriers) and it doesn't really affect anything until birth. Since we know about it this early on, I will be considered high risk for GBS during delivery and will be pumped full of antibiotics before my scheduled C-section. I've lived with the idea that since jr. high, I've been allergic to penicillin, so I guess I need to get tested somehow to see if that's true. I don't want to risk using a less inferior antibiotic at birth because I might be allergic.
Crisis averted!!!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Weekly Check-In
How far along? 8w4d, I believe we're almost an olive!!!
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Not as much, the drop dead exhaustion is getting a little more manageable
Best moment this week? 3rd ultraound showed a perfect baby with a heartbeat of 180 BPM!
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Finally craving healthier food (fruits and veggies) like I did the whole time with the twins
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? Nothing really
What I am looking forward to? Surgery Day
Milestones: arms and legs are sprouting!
What I'm nervous about: Trying to have another anxiety-free week, so... nothing!
UPDATE on the "mass" - my RE said that it just looks like a corpus luteum cyst and it's getting smaller, so nothing to worry about. My right ovary was much bigger than my left, so it's still there, but she says it's nothing to worry about. Good news!
Baby looked great at u/s today, s/he actually looked like a curled up cocktail shrimp - I can't wait for the bean to get bigger so we can see arms and legs waving around! The surgery date is coming VERY quickly and I'm trying to make a list of things we have to get done before we leave the state for a week, but by the time I get home, I have no energy to do anything besides throw something together for dinner, clean up the kitchen (perfectly, since we've been having ant invasions) and read Sookie Stackhouse novels. I just finished #10, so I'm pretty sad about that. I started My Antonia by Willa Cather, but it's definitely not pulling me in as much as the Stackhouse novels... Hmmm, classic novel vs. mass market vampire thriller. It's like Kashi vs. Froot Loops for your health.
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Not as much, the drop dead exhaustion is getting a little more manageable
Best moment this week? 3rd ultraound showed a perfect baby with a heartbeat of 180 BPM!
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Finally craving healthier food (fruits and veggies) like I did the whole time with the twins
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? Nothing really
What I am looking forward to? Surgery Day
Milestones: arms and legs are sprouting!
What I'm nervous about: Trying to have another anxiety-free week, so... nothing!
UPDATE on the "mass" - my RE said that it just looks like a corpus luteum cyst and it's getting smaller, so nothing to worry about. My right ovary was much bigger than my left, so it's still there, but she says it's nothing to worry about. Good news!
Baby looked great at u/s today, s/he actually looked like a curled up cocktail shrimp - I can't wait for the bean to get bigger so we can see arms and legs waving around! The surgery date is coming VERY quickly and I'm trying to make a list of things we have to get done before we leave the state for a week, but by the time I get home, I have no energy to do anything besides throw something together for dinner, clean up the kitchen (perfectly, since we've been having ant invasions) and read Sookie Stackhouse novels. I just finished #10, so I'm pretty sad about that. I started My Antonia by Willa Cather, but it's definitely not pulling me in as much as the Stackhouse novels... Hmmm, classic novel vs. mass market vampire thriller. It's like Kashi vs. Froot Loops for your health.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Posted Jonah and Noah's Story
They deserve their own tab, so you will see it above. I copied my story from my personal blog of the horrific week when I lost them, rather than re-type the entire thing. I will miss them forever, and re-reading the story and seeing their gorgeous and perfect little bodies makes me hurt for them all over again, but they are the reason I am moving forward. Their memory gives me strength and courage to fight for their earthly siblings' futures.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Surgery Details!
We'll stay in a hotel Wednesday night, September 8. I'll be checking into the hospital at 10 am on Thursday, September 9. The surgery will take place that day, I'll stay overnight, and hopefully be discharged the next day, on Friday! Dr. H recommends staying in the city for one more day just in case I need to get back to the hospital quickly, so we'll most likely fly back home on Saturday. This will be a VERY quick trip for such a life-changing event.
Told My OB....
She was great! I was really nervous to tell her, since we had already had her plan in place - to get the preventative transvaginal cerclage at 14 weeks. She did admit that some of her patients with the TVC ended up on bedrest and early contractions, which made me feel even more sure about the TAC. She said it was my experience, and I was making a choice for my health, and she supported that. Around 16 weeks, we'll start weekly P17 shots that keep the uterus calm and continue those through nearly the end. I knew in my heart she would be understanding after all that she saw us go through, but there was of course this small fear that I would have to find a new OB. I feel like I can't handle ANY curveballs this time around, I'm already on pins and needles as it is!
Speaking of curve balls, apparently during my ultrasound there was an unidentified mass measuring about 1 inch around on my right ovary. The sonographer was looking for blood flow on it, presumably making sure it wasn't a baby growing outside of where it's supposed to. Although incredibly rare, it's called a heteroectopic pregnancy, and she didn't exactly rule that out. Whatever the mass is, it currently did not have a heartbeat. It is most likely a corpus luteal cyst that will eventually break down on it's own. I'm going to have Dr. Haney check it out visually when he's in there in a few weeks, if it's not gone by then. It surely gave us quite a scare; seriously, please, no more curveballs! I have enough to worry about.
Speaking of curve balls, apparently during my ultrasound there was an unidentified mass measuring about 1 inch around on my right ovary. The sonographer was looking for blood flow on it, presumably making sure it wasn't a baby growing outside of where it's supposed to. Although incredibly rare, it's called a heteroectopic pregnancy, and she didn't exactly rule that out. Whatever the mass is, it currently did not have a heartbeat. It is most likely a corpus luteal cyst that will eventually break down on it's own. I'm going to have Dr. Haney check it out visually when he's in there in a few weeks, if it's not gone by then. It surely gave us quite a scare; seriously, please, no more curveballs! I have enough to worry about.
Weekly Check-in
How far along? 7w5d, baby is the size of a raspberry!
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Not as much, the drop dead exhaustion is getting a little more manageable
Best moment this week? Seeing the bean again - first OB appt was Tuesday, and I got some Zofran, so the nausea is getting under control.
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Chinese food and fruit Gushers
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? Nothing really
What I am looking forward to? Surgery Day
Milestones: Baby's growing fast!
What I'm nervous about: Some crazy mass on my right ovary...
Weight gain/loss: 0
Sleep? Not as much, the drop dead exhaustion is getting a little more manageable
Best moment this week? Seeing the bean again - first OB appt was Tuesday, and I got some Zofran, so the nausea is getting under control.
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Chinese food and fruit Gushers
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? Nothing really
What I am looking forward to? Surgery Day
Milestones: Baby's growing fast!
What I'm nervous about: Some crazy mass on my right ovary...
 |
| 7w4d ultrasound |
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Date is SET for the TAC!!!!!!
Thursday, September 9! 29 more days! The gentleman who deals with insurance seems to think we'll be just fine in that respect, so I guess we're going to roll into the unknown as far as cost goes, but we are considering it a leap of faith. Scary, but we have to do what we have to do.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Weekly Check-in
Oops, forgot to do this last week!
How far along? 6w4d, baby is the size of a blueberry!?
Weight gain/loss: 0. I think. I've been too scared to get on the scale.
Sleep? Allllll the time.
Best moment this week? Well, it was last week, but we got to see the little bean and the little heart beating away.
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Goldfish crackers (cheddar)
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? A calm stomach
What I am looking forward to? Crazily enough, I'm looking forward to getting cut open and having my bionic cervix!!!!
Milestones: Heartbeat!
What I'm nervous about: trying not to be... at least for this week, anyway.
How far along? 6w4d, baby is the size of a blueberry!?
Weight gain/loss: 0. I think. I've been too scared to get on the scale.
Sleep? Allllll the time.
Best moment this week? Well, it was last week, but we got to see the little bean and the little heart beating away.
Movement: Umm, definitely not!
Food cravings: Goldfish crackers (cheddar)
Belly button in or out? In, hopefully for awhile
What I miss? A calm stomach
What I am looking forward to? Crazily enough, I'm looking forward to getting cut open and having my bionic cervix!!!!
Milestones: Heartbeat!
What I'm nervous about: trying not to be... at least for this week, anyway.
Monday, August 9, 2010
6w0d Ultrasound last Friday
Everything looked great, just one baby with a perfect heartbeat of 117 BPM!
Next ultrasound is next Tuesday with my OB. I get to tell her that I'm getting the TAC procedure, which I'm kind of nervous about. She was my OB with the twins and delivered them, so we have an emotional connection. I think I'll mainly rely on the MFM for my higher level ultrasounds and what-not.
Next ultrasound is next Tuesday with my OB. I get to tell her that I'm getting the TAC procedure, which I'm kind of nervous about. She was my OB with the twins and delivered them, so we have an emotional connection. I think I'll mainly rely on the MFM for my higher level ultrasounds and what-not.
Step 3: Scheduling TAC in progress!
At this point, we're shooting for August 31 or September 2 for my TAC surgery! No issues with the insurance pre-authorization (I still don't know how much we'll have to pay OOP, but I will keep you updated). So far, so good!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Step 2...done
Step 1 was the phone consult with Dr. Haney. Check!
Step 2 was sending off my insurance info. Check!
Here's what Aetna says. I've lost 2 babies and the only thing that's going to work for me is this TAC. I'm hoping and praying that it will be covered. We've met our OOP limit for this year due to the $40k delivery/week in the hospital when I lost the twins, so best case scenario is that we pay nothing OOP. Worst case is we pay a little, but I will fight that they pay the majority. This can be a deal-killer for so many couples and that breaks my heart. It shouldn't be about money. I'll keep you updated.
EDIT: One month after surgery we received our Insurance Statement - we only owe $130 to Dr. Haney as a copay!!!!!!!! SO exciting! We would have made it work to pay ANY amount of money, but to have to pay so little is just amazing. The surgery was $22,000. Insurance negotiated it to $15k. If you think about it, $15k is PENNIES to pay in relation to the cost of 8 weeks of NICU for a pre-term newborn, or another $40k preterm delivery. Great job, Aetna!
Step 2 was sending off my insurance info. Check!
Here's what Aetna says. I've lost 2 babies and the only thing that's going to work for me is this TAC. I'm hoping and praying that it will be covered. We've met our OOP limit for this year due to the $40k delivery/week in the hospital when I lost the twins, so best case scenario is that we pay nothing OOP. Worst case is we pay a little, but I will fight that they pay the majority. This can be a deal-killer for so many couples and that breaks my heart. It shouldn't be about money. I'll keep you updated.
EDIT: One month after surgery we received our Insurance Statement - we only owe $130 to Dr. Haney as a copay!!!!!!!! SO exciting! We would have made it work to pay ANY amount of money, but to have to pay so little is just amazing. The surgery was $22,000. Insurance negotiated it to $15k. If you think about it, $15k is PENNIES to pay in relation to the cost of 8 weeks of NICU for a pre-term newborn, or another $40k preterm delivery. Great job, Aetna!
A link from Liverpool... Success Story!
Video in link:
BBC - Liverpool doctors fit woman with bionic cervix
"Experts at Liverpool Women's Hospital have performed a minor miracle on a couple who had four miscarriages and lost one premature baby.
Janet Walker and Graham Lobb, who live in Windermere, were about to give up trying for a baby after six years of heartache.
Doctors at Liverpool Women's Hospital fitted Janet with a bionic cervix and she recently gave birth to Ainka.
The cervix allowed Janet to carry Ainka to 37 weeks, when she gave birth by caesarean section."
BBC - Liverpool doctors fit woman with bionic cervix
"Experts at Liverpool Women's Hospital have performed a minor miracle on a couple who had four miscarriages and lost one premature baby.
Janet Walker and Graham Lobb, who live in Windermere, were about to give up trying for a baby after six years of heartache.
Doctors at Liverpool Women's Hospital fitted Janet with a bionic cervix and she recently gave birth to Ainka.
The cervix allowed Janet to carry Ainka to 37 weeks, when she gave birth by caesarean section."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)