No News Is Good News

I am so glad that I don't have much to update! So far, there hasn't been any more bleeding - HALLELUJAH! I am still paranoid that it will happen again, but the doctors have all said "maybe you're done" -- I certainly hope so. If we stay stable this week, our next ultrasound is a week from today where we'll check on Baby Z, on the previa, and on the spleen again. All of the nurses I've talked to who used to work the NICU have all told me that 30 weeks is kind of the "magic number" for weeks of gestation where they would always breathe a sigh of relief when a baby was born at that gestation or later - they said those babies have a lot fewer problems than babies born before 30 weeks (and most of them are relaying that from their experience over 10+ years ago in the NICU).

We will be 30 weeks on Thursday. Thankful to be plugging away at the days Baby Z can hold on and develop!

I haven't done a whole lot of bragging on the staff at Mission (just a little here and there) but the nurses and doctors have all been so wonderful. On the days when I had the bleeding and they had to switch me from being under the care of the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFU) unit to the Labor and Delivery (L&D) unit, I found out that the MFU nurses would keep my monitor up at their desk and watch everything happening even though I was not technically their patient any more. Even since I've been back under the care of MFU since last Wednesday, the nurse I had while under the care of L&D has come by to check on me several times. She was nurse to a lady who was in labor next door to me earlier today and once she'd finished with her, she stopped by just to ask how I was doing and to tell me she was thinking of me while she was helping deliver on the other side of the wall. I realize I am technically just a patient, but I really haven't gotten the feeling that I'm just a patient to any of the staff. They seem to genuinely care about all of us and I'm so thankful.

In addition, I am beyond grateful to be in a country where they value the life of my unborn child. I know all of the Roe vs. Wade debates that are still in the spotlight in this country and how many people still feel like life doesn't begin until birth (and, as such, is not as valuable), but any time I've talked to anyone at Mission Hospital, they've been adamant that they want Baby Z to be in the best health/shape possible and want to delay me having her any earlier than I absolutely have to. I can't imagine being in a country where if I'd had a bleed or had a large splenic cyst that the medical staff may not be as concerned about making sure that my child's interests were also considered in the course of treatment. Sometimes the nurses come in just to give her a quick listen in the afternoons even though I know on my chart it doesn't indicate they have to do that as long as I'm stable. I really feel like everyone here is as concerned for her welfare as Paul and I are.

Not much else to report at the moment, thankfully! Paul thinks he has passed the kidney stone, finally! And we're looking forward to our friends & family baby shower this weekend (at the hospital) assuming there are no more surprises. :) I may be in a wheelchair the whole time, but I am beyond excited to see everyone regardless of the fact that I won't be able to be very "active".

Thanks for all of the prayers! I know how many hundreds are lifting us up (and probably hundreds more that I don't even know about who are lifting us up). Amazes me to have so many people committed to praying for us every day. I can't wait for this little miracle to meet all of you when she gets here.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." -John 15:7