Phineas is here

Here is the update I wrote to send out to people:

On Saturday the baby's heartbeat started showing signs of fetal distress. It would go really high, and then really low - sometimes it sounded like it almost stopped. I was transferred to the labor & delivery floor where they continued to monitor me, but they immediately came to the conclusion that I needed to deliver via emergency c-section right away.

So, off to the OR I went, got a spinal and was in surgery within a matter of minutes. My doctor wasn't there yet, so the "generalist" started the operation. Unfortunately, he cut into my fibroid when opening my uterus (not sure if he HAD to in order to get to the baby, or if it was an accident), and I started to hemorrhage. Luckily, my doctor showed up and took over the operation. He got to the baby and pulled him out feet first, and thus Phineas ("Finny") Gavin Masters was born at 1:44 p.m. on May 14. He weighed 5 lbs, 2 ounces and cried right away, but was very sick.

My doctor made the decision to go ahead and take out my fibroid in order to stop the bleeding. It is very risky to do this to a pregnant uterus because there is so much bleeding, but I appreciate that he did it in order to save my life and to save my uterus. Unfortunately, I lost more than 50% of my blood volume and have needed four liters of blood transfused since the operation. Because the surgery took much longer than anticipated, they had to put me under general anesthesia for the last hour or so of the operation.

Finny was very, very sick when he was born. They immediately had to put him on a ventilator with 100% oxygen, and he was still struggling. Once I woke up from surgery, they took me to the NICU almost right away so I could hold him, because they didn't think he would make it through the night.

Since then, Finny continues to improve, though he has had lots of set backs as well and is considered in critical condition. He is still on a ventilator, but they have started turning down his oxygen levels and have started slowly turning off some of his medications. One of his lungs has collapsed and he has a chest tube in his side to keep it open, but when they can keep it open his blood oxygen levels are very good! We just have to keep the lung open so it can heal and he can keep working toward breathing on his own.

I've had some other problems related to the surgery as well. Not only did I have to deal with problems associated with so much blood loss, but it I've been getting these really horrible headaches, apparently associated with the spinal they did. I haven't been able to eat pretty much since the surgery, but just today they've got me on some medication that is helping - and I'm finally able to think enough to talk on the phone and get on the computer. Hopefully the headaches go away soon and I will finally be released from the hospital.

Kevin and I have arranged for a "parents" room at the hospital where Finny is, so we can be close to him during these next important few days. From what I understand, the room has an internet connection and a flat-screen TV, so it could be a big improvement over the crappy room where I've spend the last 13 weeks!

Kevin and I thank everyone for your continued thoughts and prayers. I will try to keep everyone updated on Finny's condition, and I'll try to get a picture out as soon as possible. He looks just like me.

Christine
pPROMMED at 20 weeks, 13 weeks strict bedrest, delivered at 32w5d

32 week update

Here is my 32 week update:

Hi everyone!

As you may remember, my water broke at 20 weeks and I've been on strict bedrest in the hospital ever since.

I hit 32 weeks yesterday and I'm estatic. I'm still leaking a lot of fluid, but my fluid levels have been much higher the last month or so (from under 2 afi to over 4 & 5 afi every time).

I haven't really had any problems yet, no bleeding, cramping, infection, or pain. I still haven't had one contraction (knock on wood)!

The last 12 weeks I've been on strict bedrest with no bathroom privledges, but now I'm finally getting up. It was exhausting at first, my muscles were so weak, but already after a few days of getting up I have built back some muscle tone. I've even taken a shower and washed my hair! (With no conditioner though, it looked so horrible afterwards!) I need a serious trip to the salon - my roots are VERY dark (usually they lighten significantly in the sun) and sprinkled with quite a bit of grey! It's slightly depressing. I think the trip to my hairdresser will be one of my first outings!

Last week, at 31 weeks, the baby supposedly weighed 4 lbs 1 oz, which is in the 60th percentile. We hope he weighs 5 lbs or so when he's born! Hopefully this will limit the amount of time he spends in the NICU.

I had been having lots of eating problems recently. I'm a vegetarian which limits what I can eat already, plus I have a pregnancy-related gagging problem. Now, I've eaten the same food so often (and thrown it back up) that it literally makes me sick to think about eating it. Almost every time they bring me a tray of food I throw up. So, I've started having restaraunt food delivered to my room! It is expensive, but it is the only way I can eat. I usually can order enough that it will last me for lunch and dinner. And I figure I only have 13 or so days left (WOOO HOOOOO!!!) so it is worth it to spend the money.

The other problem I've had is a high heart rate. It goes up to 120 - 130 sometimes (once it was 145!). At first the thought it was hyperthyroidism or Grave's disease, but after having some blood tests they decided that's not it. So now they don't really know what's going on, but I think it is just that my heart is out of shape. I just want to try to keep the heart rate as low as possible so the doctor's don't freak out. A few times when my HR was high the spoke about delivery (thinking it might be an indicator of infection).

And, to top it all off, I think I'm getting allergies, or maybe a cold. My nose is running LIKE CRAZY and I'm coughing and sneezing a lot. They are going to give me some bendryl today and see if that helps. I hope something helps because I'm pretty miserable.

As to my medical care, we didn't do a second round of steroids (did one round at 24 weeks) because they thought I could make it to 32, and they said at 32 it wasn't as necessary. They don't plan on doing any lung maturity tests, they want to just deliver at 34 no matter what. I'm going to ask if they will do some lung maturit tests around 34, and see if I can wait a few more days if the lungs are NOT mature, but they've said no so far.

Anyway, that's about it! Just counting down the last 13 days!