Tests Keep Pointing to Good News

Baby Z and I are still doing well but are still on bed rest for the time being. The staff at Mission Hospital has been great and plans have been made for pretty much every scenario that might come up over the next couple of months.

I have received the two rounds of steroid shots to help speed the development of Baby Z's lungs and I have received three vaccinations that will help build my immune system for when they take my spleen (Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, Haemophilus b). We had an ultrasound to check on the cyst on my spleen and while it appears to be in a bit of a different position than it was the last two times, it does not appear to be making any significant growths or changes so that is very very good news. The ultrasound we got when we first were admitted (on August 27th) showed that the placenta previa is still complete and that there are "spots" of blood that have formed between the uterus and the placenta (which is normal in pregnancy) - however, since my placenta is over my cervix, that blood has a place to leak, which might be the reason for the bleeding I had. It could also be a blood clot forming, though, but it was too early to tell at the last ultrasound whether it was a normal pool or if it is a blood clot.

I also had an MRI done because I've had a facial twitch since one of our first pregnancies (so several years now). They wanted to rule out that I had a cyst or growth in my brain as it would affect the choice of anesthesia they could use when we get ready to deliver. Thankfully, the MRI came back normal, so the twitch could just be Bells Palsy or Hemifacial Spasm.

We've been told that we'll revisit whether they want me to stay in the hospital or be released after the next ultrasound (which is scheduled for September 17th). They will look at the August 27th ultrasound and compare it to determine what's going on and then we can discuss whether I am to stay on bed rest in the hospital, at home, or if I can have some of my restrictions lifted. Baby Z will be 27 weeks along by then, so she'll be getting big enough to start squishing my organs up which is when we have to start really monitoring the cyst on my spleen, so even if the previa is looking stable, they may decide to keep us hospitalized until delivery just because of that. I am mentally preparing myself to be here for the long haul.

It still sounds like we're looking to have a C-section at 36 weeks at the latest (mid-November) as long as nothing goes wrong before that which would require her to come any earlier.

Fortunately, though, all of the monitoring we've done has been normal - Baby Z is very active and we're both doing fine!

If anyone is local to Asheville and wants to come by and visit, feel free! We are at Mission Hospital in the Maternal/Fetal wing in room C494. Paul is doing good - still visiting every day and is now in charge of the house, laundry, getting the nursery ready and still working full-time. Amber is still doing some work from the hospital - thank goodness for wifi and the ability to do a lot of that from afar.

Thank you all for praying for us and Baby Z. We are hoping to keep her "cooking" for as long as possible! We can't wait to meet this little miracle when she gets here.

-Amber