I am always amazed at the outpouring of love our family always seems to receive, in our fun wonderful moments, and in our difficult times! After our last blog post things were no different, thank you! We love you all so much!
With that said it's due time we gave an update.
31 Weeks: This was only a few days after we'd arrived home from the transfusion. I'd been taking it easy for a few days, but was still feeling anxious. Fortunately our levels were all low (below 1.5 the critical number). Baby girl Howard was still fighting strong with her new blood! I was feeling a little dizzy, but it turns out I was growing a baby but not eating enough calories for the both of us. After I started pigging out a little more it seemed to help a lot!
32 Weeks: Our scans were still low levels! We made it another week. We met with our general OB and started to talk dates for the 37 week induction. We felt like we were finally able to make stable plans, of course we had the "just in case" plans stirring in our minds as well. I started planning for my maternity leave at work, Mike and I made plans for his time off, and Will's care during delivery, and Marty's summer trip home, and grandparents. We spent our Memorial weekend enjoying the warm weather, showing Will lake fun (wishing it was our Lake Tahoe, but feeling gratitude for the experience). We were able to feel relaxed and enjoy our family!
33 Weeks: This is our current week. Because of the three day weekend our appointment was on Tuesday rather than the usual Monday. The levels aren't all low. They aren't all high either. They're inconsistent, which means no rush to transfusion, which is great. But there always seems to be a calm before the storm. While we aren't rushing for another intrauterine transfusion we are watching the levels trend up. We anticipate all of the levels to be higher than 1.5 at our next appointment. As a reminder at 34 weeks intrauterine transfusions are no longer an option. The only way this baby girl is getting healthy blood again is if she's delivered and gets a transfusion outside of the womb. Our specialist told us we should probably pack a bag because of the likelihood of delivery. We will see our local OB on Friday to check for hydrops (fluid around her organs due to severe anemia) so we can make sure nothing severe develops before our Monday appointment.
So, we are planning on a 34 week delivery. I'm extremely anxious. I don't know a time line for NICU care, I don't know how the transfusion will look outside of the womb, I don't know if she'll be strong enough to nurse, I don't know. And it's scary to not know.
Ultimately right now we need prayers and good thoughts for a couple of things: first that on Monday our levels aren't higher, that we get another week to keep this fighting girl cooking; second that if she comes next week she's strong and well developed, that her NICU stay will be short and that we'll have our baby girl home with us sooner rather than later.
Again, I want to express my gratitude. You all are our supports and we can't say thank you enough.
All of our love, here's to what may come in the next week!!
