On March 12th I went down for a regular OB appt.! At 30 weeks they always start me doing AFI's (fetal monitoring), NST's (ultrasound to check fluid) and then the regular OB appt. follows! So this day I went into NST appt. then I went to my OB and the Doctor said that in the ultrasound something needed to be double checked so they needed to send me to the Maternal Fetal Medicine unit and get a second opinion... never telling me what needed to be double checked! I guess I didn't think much of it at first but as the week went on I couldn't help but wonder what was up! The doctor also said I was measuring at 35 weeks when I was only 31 weeks! So they needed to check baby's growth!
All the fuzziness on the back of her head is hair!
So on March 19th a week later I finally had my appt. with Maternal Fetal Medicine! The ultrasound nurse came in and checked everything from the fluid to measurements of the baby to all the different organs! Then the Specialist came in and took a quick look at what she did then paused and said we needed to talk! He briefly said your daughter has something call DUODENAL ATRESIA. Basically a bowel obstruction and that I would need to now deliver this baby at the U of U and she would then need a pediatric surgeon to fix this problem immediately after she was born!
I was in shock! I didn't even know what to say or how to react! It just seemed so unreal!
We then left and went to his office where we talked about it a little more and he helped me plan out what we needed to do next!
Duodenal Atresia is a condition in which the first part of the small bowel (the duodenum) has not developed properly. It is not open and cannot allow the passage of stomach contents. The cause of duodenal atresia is unknown, but it is thought to result from problems during an embryo's development in which the duodenum does not normally change from a solid to a tube-like structure.
Duodenal atresia is seen in more than 1 in 10,000 live births. Approximately 20-30% of infants with duodenal atresia have Down Syndrome.
He said he didn't believe she had Down Syndrome because her facial features don't resemble a Down's and they usually measure small in the legs and her legs at 32 weeks were measuring 36! But they took my blood and we will find out in about 2 weeks or so! We don't care either way... as long as she is here and healthy! They were also concerned with all the fluid in my stomach because of the condition she has during pregnancy there is an increase of amniotic fluid in the uterus. This increase in amniotic fluid is caused by the inability of the fetus to swallow the amniotic fluid and absorb it in their digestive tract. The fluid during pregnancy should measure between 15 and 20 cm. my fluid was measuring at 36 cm. hence the reason I was so huge! So they scheduled me to get an amnio reduction for the next day because there is a big fear I go into pre-term labor and there was just way to much fluid! Then they sent me home!
I held it together clear until the time I saw McKay and then I just lost it! Everything ran through my mind... why are my girls so difficult, why her, what if things don't go smoothly, I don't want a new doctor to deliver my baby I LOVE the one I have and a million other things! I prayed more that night then I think I ever had!
Her cute foot!
Such a cute girl already! We are already so in love with her!
The next day on March 20th I headed to the hospital so they could preform the amnio reduction! They put me in a labor and delivery room and ironically it was the room I delivered Hadlee in! I honestly started freaking out then and there! I wasn't prepared for this and why didn't I let McKay or my Mom come with me... they asked a million times! I am not this brave! I can't do this alone! Well whether I could or couldn't it was happening! They put my IV in the nurses started running in and out getting everything ready the Specialist kept coming in wondering why things weren't ready yet! Finally it was time for the main event! They gave me a relaxant thru my IV because I was scared to death and then the Specialist numbed my stomach and it began! He stuck the needle right by my belly button and took a few syringe's of fluid out and then came the bottles! He had four 1-liter bottles! He had a tube hooked to the needle in my stomach and then he hooked the end of the tube to another needle that was poked into the top of one of those bottles and the fluid started pouring in! This process took a bit but it was going very well because the baby was not getting in the way thank heaveans! They ended up getting just over 3 liters of fluid! They wanted to get 4 but the baby started to get in the way so he called it good! Yes by the way just over 3 liters... a lot!!! The ultrasound nurse checked my again and my fluid level was 26 cm... still more then they want but lots better then what it was! I couldn't believe the difference I felt in my body after that fluid was all gone! It was like a 10 pound weight was lifted off my back! They cleaned everything up and left me there to recover! I started almost immediately afterwards cramping and contracting because of all the fluid they took out! So they gave me a shot to stop the contracting but it didn't really work so they gave me another shot a couple hours afterwards and it seemed to help a little! They were never painful just there! They also gave me a shot for the baby one of two doses, a steroid to help develop her lungs in case I go into pre-term labor, I got the second shot 24 hours later from my wonderful mother! They finally let me go once I couldn't feel the cramping/contractions but they were actually still happening! I felt like this day went on forever!
Her profile!
The next 2 days my stomach was pretty sore where they had the needle! At this point though I was finally feeling a sense of peace! I knew that at this point that whatever was supposed to happen would and it was in the Lord's hands! I had researched it out more and the success rate is 95% and the chances of it showing signs of problems again for her after surgery is minimal! I still wish I could have Dr. Lunt deliver but I will be happy with whoever I have up there! We have scheduled a consult with the pediatric surgeon for March 27th up in Salt Lake and we are also supposed to be meeting with my Dr. that same day! We will have more answers after I hope since we still have so many! This all came about so fast and quick! We will be staying in Salt Lake for a couple weeks possibly more! The reason why she has to have surgery immediately afterwards is because she won't be able to eat until it's fixed! We are praying everyday all goes well! I do know we will be having her early then expected so we have been trying to get things ready! They have to find a happy medium between her lungs being developed and not going to late! So hopefully we can get that question answered next week as well!
Me a week before the amnio reduction... I grew like 4 extra inches in that week so I was even bigger!
Me two days after!
You can tell a difference if you look at my shirt! They are the same size, same shirt just different colors and the pink is all tight and the blue is all baggy in back! Ask my family also they could tell a big difference!
