My profile

I experienced a miracle! Ah, but isn't childbirth always described as such? In my case, my dr's thought I had uterine cancer. I went through the biopsy, and all the tests. Thankfully negative. But they found I had endometriosis. Badly at that. And somehow, through all my medical issues, and age, I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy.

FINDING OUT: Since I was already 43, a diabetic, with a seizure, migraine, metabolic disorder and lower spinal injury and congenital spina bifida occulta, combined with the endometriosis, my Dr. explained to me that the chances of me getting pregnant was minimal, if at all. And if I did, that implantation would be nearly impossible. The endometrium wasn't hospitable for life. I was destroyed when I heard that. I figured, i'd wait later in life. Not for selfish reasons, but because I had to be sure I found the right man. And faced with never having a child kept me in bed crying for weeks.

The day I went in to start the treatments for endometriosis, they did a routine pregnancy test. My Dr. walks in and says "I don't know what to tell you... you're actually pregnant." I was confused. Thrilled. I cried. Then I got worried. What if it wasn't viable. The homrone levels weren't increasing the way they were supposed to. My dr. said to prepare for a miscarriage. I knew in my heart this was my last and only chance. Then when I went in for the next hormonal level check (the 5th one actually)... something amazing happened. It didn't double, it quadrupled. Again, my Dr. was surprised.

THE TESTS: Then came the amnio and ultrasound that would let us know what "IT" was going to be: A BOY! Just as I had always known I was going to have.

Due to my age, and medical complications, an amnio was a no brainer for me. I spent a week worrying, and having retched dreams of all that could go wrong. But alas, as worrying usually is, it was wasted. He had no signs of any of the health issues they test for. Another large sigh of relief.

Then my diabetes came into focus. Get it under control. They sent me to a perinatalogist. A rather strict one at that. I knew I wanted this baby more than anything, so I whipped my sugars into submission. Before pregancy, my fasting sugars were anywhere between 130 - 350. I got it down to under 95 in the mornings. My postprandials were perfect. It was actually a cake walk, up to the last two months. Then it became a challenge and my insulin was increased to 84 units (total) a day. Totally worth it.

Then the NST's started. They were a mixed bag. Some good, some not so good that required me to go over to the hospital and have them hook me up. Always it would turn out fine. They figured he was on his cord.

THE BIG DAY: My maternity leave at work was April 3rd. Due date was April 28th. Two weeks to enjoy and relax before the big event. NO SUCH LUCK. On my first day off, I cleaned and prepared. And I pushed myself into labor. BUT, I didn't know I was in labor. I was sore from cleaning.

On my 2nd day off, I went in for my normal NST. Again, he wasn't cooperating, so off to the hospital. 15 minutes before they were to let me go, his heart beat dropped sharply. Then they noticed my blood pressure started to rise. I"m normally 103/67. About there. It jumped to 148/84. Not high for most people, but for me, that was a massive jump. They had the dr. do an exam and she said "whoa.. you are already 4 cm dialated." I was suprised and asked "aren't I supposed to feel something like that?" Apparantly not. So they admitted me, 3 weeks early. I was in labor for 12 hours 26 minutes. I pushed for only 1 hour 45 minutes. He would have come quicker had it not been for the excruiciating headache I had. made pushing painful. I couldn't feel a thing from my waist down. Two epidurals later. If my life depended on me moving a toe. I'd be a dead woman. They had to move my lower body at all times. Had it not been for the headache, delivery woudln't have been painful at all. They informed me that I would probably need an episiotmy. Then I heard, "oh never mind", I asked "I don't need it", Dr's response "nope... you just ripped wide open".. JOY... not! Thankfully it wasn't a full rip. All the nurses kept telling me how great I was doing, that I was plesant, and they enjoyed being in there with me. I kept making quirks and jokes. Even the dr. laughed. I asked "if this baby doesn't come out in the next 30 minutes, do I get everything for free?"... the Dr. looked up at me and laughed "this isn't like delivering a pizza ya know". My fiance wanted to know if I was going to yell/scream/shout at him... all I said was "nope.. but if you'd like, i'll ask one of the nurses to do it, and maybe even have her slap you around a bit too."... he just laughed. Till that awful headache hit me. Then he was there with a warm towel, cold towel and kisses. Atredies Alexander came out at 6:24 am at 8 pds, 6 oz, 19 inches long. I got to hold him, and cry.

NICU: Then they did what they did...and then came the news he'd be in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for awhile. We had to wait 11 days before we could take him home. Apparantly I had a viral cold when I went in and he got it during birth combined with beng a baby of a diabetic mother, he didn't want to eat on his own. The day they let him come home he had to prove he could eat 2 oz. in one sitting. and show a weight gain of 3 grams total over two days. That is just so miniscule in the scheme of life, for us to bring him home, there was a point where those numbers seemed almost impossible. His sugar levels stabilized, and he gained 3.1 grams. We get to go home!!

GOING HOME... COLIC BABY: We were overjoyed that he was now home. Feedings were an issues. He wouldn't breast feed. Then he was allergic to regular formula, then the sensitive formulas, then lactose intolerant (as I am and my entire maternal side of my family), so SOY was now his formula of choice. But figuring all that out gave him horrible gas. He was colicy. I thought my head was going to pop off. But then I remembered something someone said to be once.. "Where's my blowdryer..I can't travel with my baby without it"... I thought, ok, that's an odd statement. She explained that while her daughter had colic, that turning on the blowdryer would stop it immediately. I thought weird. but ok. So when I experienced it.. i ran for my blow dryer and turned in on. MAGICCCCCCCC!!!! it worked like a charm. I couldn't belive it. Immediately at that too. So then I bought one of those cd's with white noise. It doesn't work quite as well, but does work. He passed out of his colic stage in 3 1/2 weeks.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: He's 72 days old today. At 3 weeks he was able to hold his head up. He was able to rollover at 6 1/2 weeks (that gave us a god awful scare), his movements were fluid and circular and not jerky by 6 weeks. At 8 weeks he was holding his bottle up with one hand. In a few months we expect him to drive us to work.. hahahaha... he wanted out of the womb lickety split and wants to grow up so fast.

THE FUTURE: Now we have a normal, healthy little boy who has his whole life ahead of him. We are so excited. And now all we have are the days of unsurity whereby this forum will serve a huge and useful purpose. Thanks for reading... thanks for any input... and good look to all of you new mommies!!