Another day, another dr.visit

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the continued prayers.  I do not think we would make it day to day without them. 

We went to Augusta on Monday to meet with Dr. Devoe and take a look at how things were going.  The forst thing that we do at each visit is ultrasound.  We usually spend about 45 minutes in there and they look and take about 100 pictures.  It's has been fun the last couple of times because we have gotten some great 3d shots of Tripp's face.  This time he wasn't cooperating so much.  Tripp is still in breech position and for that visit he was face down.  Natalee is usually our sonographer but she was out on leave so we met Harriet and a medical student.  Harriet was not as warm and personable as Natalee.  Since she was new to us and us to her, she felt like she needed to get very indepth pictures of his heart.  She tried for about 25 minutes and then decided it wasn't going to work.  Since he was face down, she kept getting shots of the spine and could not measure the four chambers to ensure that they were symetrical.  At this point in my pregnancy they wanted to measure to make sure that Tripp wpould not be born ASD.  Dr. Devoe came in with his 2 medical students and explained to Harriet that he wasn't concerned because the heart looked great at the last 2 visits.  We are praying that he was right and that a trip to cardiology for further testing and evaluation will not be necessary.  I am really getting worn out and extremely tired of traveling and drs. appointments. 

His ventricles were more enlarged at this visit but that is what Dr. Devoe expects to happen at each visit.  The ultrasound and measuring of my belly both agreed that Tripp was 30 weeks but on the ultrasound his head was measuring closer to 37 weeks.  Dr. Devoe has said all along that we would most like be candidtaes for a c-section and he confirmed it this time.  He said that babies will usually tell you how they need to be born.  Since Tripp is in breech position (Dr. Devoe thinks he will probably stay this way due to the lack of space to turn around) he will have to be delivered by c-section.  He also said that he doesn't want to put the pressure on me and the birth canal or Tripp's head.  We will go back August 24 for my 34 week check up and will hopefully know more of what will happen at week 37.  At week 37 when we return to Augusta, we will be there to stay.  Dr. Devoe will wait until then to do the amnio to check for lung maturity and if we are given the green light Tripp will be born the next day.  If not, then I will recieve steroid shots and wait a couple of days and then have the c-section.  I have lots to do between now and then! 

We were also told that I would have to have BPP monitoring once a week beginning at 32 weeks with Dr. Edwards in Albany.  So now in addition to going to Dr. Devoe, physical therapy, Dr. Talley/Smurda, now I have to go weekely to Dr. Edwards and be monitored!  I am so tired of burning up the road every day!  I will see Dr. Smurda or Talley at 32 weeks also and they will begin checking me to make sure that I am not dialating.  I have been having more and more contractions recently but nothing to regular.  It scares me that I will go into premature labor and have to deliver in Albany.  If that happens, Tripp will be transferred to MCG while I stay in Albany to recover.  Not at all what we want to happen.

I started back to school/work on Tuesday of this week and it has about killed me.  I know that it is only short term because in September I will leave for maternity leave, but I am not sure I will make it to then!  My back hurts so bad at night that I can barely walk.  Sleeping now is a joke and if I do fall asleep I know I am going to wake up during the night.  I am ready for some relief and no more indegestion!

Please keep the prayers coming and thanks again for the support that each of you have shown to us through this blog, with calls, gifts, cards, and emails.  I will try to update more later and maybe not wait so long!  Love you guys!

Please pray...

I have a friend from high school, Heather, that recieved some scary news about her husband.  Please pray for Heather and her husband Ryan.  Pray for their strength in the next several days as they await some test results.  Thanks!

PS - Thanks for checking on us daily through our blog.  The prayers are getting us through each day.  Please keep them coming our way too!

Waiting and waiting and more waiting!

I don't think I ever want to drink an orange sunkist ever again.  After I chocked down the orange glucose drink today I made up my mind that I do not ever want another orange drink again.  It is so sweet that it burned my throat.  After I got it down, I cleared my throat because it was buring.  I heard the nurse from the other room say "Are you ok Mrs. Hill?"  "Don't throw up.  We will have to start over."  I was not going to throw up because I did not want to do this again! I am still waiting for my glucose test results.  I went to the dr. last Thursday (July 7) to have my bloodwork for my glucose tolerance test.  Well....I FAILED!  I passed the one hour test with Kinsley with no problem.  Like I have been saying since the beginning, this pregnancy has been COMPLETELY different and opposite than my first one.  I went in today to have my 3 hour test and let me just tell you...it was purre TORTURE!  I was so hungry by the time that I left.  I had to be there between 7:30-9:00 am.  I arrived around 7:45 to get the show started.  I thought that it would be easy after they took the first bit of blood from my arm.  Wrong!  It's not like the one hour when you give blood from your arm once and then the prick your finger for the results.  Oh no! They had to take blood from my arm 3 more times after they got the first bit.  My veins look scary and I HAVE to wear short sleeve shirts.  So like I
said earlier, I was so hungry that I thought I wasn't going to make it while sitting there for 3 long hours!!  I had not eaten since last night!  To make matters worse, all of the nurses in this office were talking about food like the entire time I was there.  Fresh fruit was the topic of conversation and I could feel my mouth watering.  I hust really wanted some strawberries and pineapple.  That was happening though.

I have been home for a little while now and I still feel like I am starving.  I went through Taco Bell and inhaled my food like I had not eaten in a week.  It had only been 14 hours!!!  That food didn't stand a chance up against me!  I don't know when I will get my results but I am praying that I pass.  If not, I am going to have to go buy all new groceries.  We are not set up here for a diabetic to eat and survive. 

I would like to say thanks to those who have called, sent cards, and prayers our way.  We appreciate everything and would not have made it this far without the support.  Please continue to send the prayers for Tripp and our family.  God is sending us down this long, uncertain path for some reason that we do not yet know.  We may never know but we know that we must take this path and make the best of it.  This whole pregnancy and "Tripp" that our family has been experiencing is just a small bump in the road.  We are looking forward to what Tripp will bring to our family!  Again thanks for everything!

We go back to Augusta July 24 for our appointment on July 25.  Also been going back and forth to Albany for Physical therapy about twice a week.  Uugh!  This has been a very busy pregnancy!

Faith

The last 2 months have been such a roller coaster. It amazes me how God works in our lives.  When I first heard the diagnosis of hydrocephalus and what all that could mean, I kept asking "why me?" and "what did I do to deserve this?"  I felt completely lost and like no one could understand exactly what I was feeling.  I know it is hard for others to feel the level of fear and anxiety that I myself am feeling.  For the first 4 or 5 weeks after diagnosis it was very hard for me to talk about him and even to look at the dozens of ultrasound pictures we had of him.  I even had a hard time looking at my belly in the mirror! (Seems so silly now!)  When someone would call or come up to me and say that they had been praying for me or even just hug me, I would cry.  I wasn't able to respond back with anything but "thank you."  I almost wished that people would just stop talking about it so I would not have to think about the scary, uncertain side of things.  I have some of the best friends and family that anyone could ask for.  From calling me, emailing, texting, sending cards, and traveling to drs. appointments with me, I have seen how much everyone cares.  Thanks!

From the early days of diagnosis until now, SO MUCH HAS CHANGED INSIDE ME!  I can talk about Tripp and when people come up to me, call, or tell me they are praying for me it makes me smile.  The prayers are working and I am at peace with the plan that God has for me and my family.  It is such a relief to me that I have been able to turn all this over to God and let Him guide me through this journey each day. Please just keep the prayers coming!  God is listening!