Bubblegum Betty

Sunday, September 8, 2013

I love PINEAPPLES!!! (Week 31)

This week has been such an amazing week!!!  I did have one little breakdown on Wednesday night.  I just got overwhelmed with everything going on with all the things I need to get done at work and all the things I need to get done at home.  On top of having to plan to for being gone and making sure our precious babies and house are taken care of, I just felt so much pressure and it finally all got to me.  But, all is good now!  I got tons of stuff done Thursday and Friday at work that I thought would take me weeks to do and was also able to get a million and a half things done at home that I also thought would take me weeks to do!  It doesn't hurt that I just prayed and prayed on Wednesday night for God to just take this weight off my shoulders and help me realize that it will all get done and it will all be ok.  I just prayed that He would give me peace and comfort and calm me as well as show me that this was just stuff and it was all going to get done.  And He did just that!  It's Sunday and my to-do list that I had on Wednesday for both home and work is literally a fourth if not less than it was on Wednesday.  I've seen God work in so many ways in my life in just the past month.  No matter how big or how small, He always takes care of me, Cody, Seiden, our dogs, our family, and our friends.  He always provides and He answers prayers...even the prayers we don't pray.  He just knows exactly what we need at every second and He is right there with us and even carries us through our trying times.  I love that my Heavenly Father loves me so much and takes care of every single aspect of my life.  He is just SO good!!!

Speaking of God and how amazingly awesome and good He is.  We had another appointment with Dr. Tabor on Tuesday.  WE GOT THE BEST NEWS EVER!!!  Seiden weighed 3 pounds and 11 ounces, had a heart rate of 147, was growing, developing, had a TON of hair, and was just simply perfect!  I know we're super partial...but I know you would all agree with me on this one :-)  And my amniotic fluid was measuring perfectly.  Praise The Lord!  When Dr. Tabor came in to check on the cyst, her hand was right up by her face.  I said, "Oh look!  There's her precious little hand...look at how cute it is!"  Dr. Tabor's response was, "More importantly, look at how perfect your amniotic fluid is and how this cyst isn't affecting her one single bit!"  He was so positive, optimistic, and encouraging about how she was growing and developing, how the amniotic fluid looked, and how that cyst hadn't gotten a single bit bigger since the last time we saw him.  As she continues to grow, that cyst just continues to be smaller in comparison to her.  And the most important thing is, is that it's not affecting how she is swallowing.  Which means that it's looking like it won't affect her breathing at all once she's here.

When he told us that it was highly unlikely it would affect her breathing, Cody asked if it was still necessary to do the exit c-section.  Dr. Tabor said yes, just because it's a precautionary measure at this point.  He said we'd probably be fine doing a regular c-section, but because the cyst is still there and because of the location of it, he sees no point in chancing it.  By doing the exit c-section, they will be delivering her head first, then clamping my uterus so that she is still connected to me and I am supplying her with oxygen.  He also said that they will probably still go ahead and insert a breathing tube, just to be safe rather than sorry.  But...that there was (more than likely) going to be no need for a tracheotomy!  Once the breathing tube is inserted, they'll cut the umbilical cord and deliver the rest of her sweet body and off she'll go to the NICU at Cooks.  After he had explained the necessity for the exit c-section, Cody then asked about the likelihood of us being there for "months."  A month ago, he called this a catastrophic event where we could be here for "months"...and the extent of "months" seemed indefinite at the time.  When Cody asked him this time about that, Dr. Tabor said it was VERY HIGHLY UNLIKELY that we will be there for months!!!  He said more like a few weeks...WEEKS!!!  And he even said that at this point, they may not even have to inject that fluid to dissolve the cyst.  That they may just watch it and monitor it to make sure it's not affecting her breathing or getting bigger, then send us home!  Now, that's not to say that we may have to do something later on if it doesn't go away on it's own.  But, that's an easy fix and such great news compared to the appointment we had a month ago when he was so discouraged about everything!  Praise God for answering our prayers, for healing Seiden, and for this testimony He is giving us.  He is the Great Physician and He continues to perform miraculous healing before our very eyes!

After the appointment with Dr. Tabor, I had a fetal MRI at Cooks so that the pediatric surgeon could just get a better grasp on exactly what was going on with the cyst.  We grabbed lunch in the hospital cafeteria...which is amazing!  They have tons of different food stations as well as a Bistro and a Subway.  And...they brew Starbucks!  Cooks has kinda the same set-up.  Except, they have a self-serve fro-yo shop, Chick-Fil-A, and full service Starbucks...heaven!!!  After we ate, we walked across the street to Cooks and went to the radiology department.  I registered and was back there within 15 minutes getting ready for the MRI.  It only took about 30 minutes to get all the pictures the doctor wanted.  The radiologist was absolutely amazing.  Not just at his job, but also his personality.  He was just so super nice and after it was done, he showed me all the pictures he had taken.  It was SO amazing to see Seiden inside my body.  She was curled up in the fetal position (head down) and you could just see her perfect little body all warm and snuggly inside me.  I have really never seen anything so cool...it took my breath away to see her like that!  We've had tons of sonograms, and those have all been amazing.  But, they only show bits and pieces of her at one time.  This MRI showed every single part of her precious little self all warm and cozy and growing and developing in my womb...so cool!  It's an absolute miracle and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with the gift of getting to experience this.

After the MRI, we decided to tour the NICU.  We were already at Cooks and had watched a video online and read all about it, but really wanted to see it in person and meet some of the staff.  We called and the nurse manager said she wasn't busy and was coming right down to meet us in front of the food court.  Her name is Tammy...and she is wonderful!  She walked us up to the NICU, showed us the waiting room, one of the single family rooms, the kitchen area, the shower and restroom area, and the washer and dryer area.  Inside the single family room, there is an incubator, a huge big screen that shows the baby's vitals and all that's going on with them, and a little spot for a nurse's station when they are in there doing some paperwork or just going to be in there longer doing things for the baby.  We also met the charge nurse, who already recognized us by our name.  Because of our situation, we are only one of a few other people who will actually be delivering in an OR at Cooks.  But, she already had all the paperwork on us and said they were already making plans to be prepared for us.  So comforting to know!  Tammy also talked about how I would have my own team of doctors and Seiden would have her own team of doctors.  Both solely concentrating on each of our needs and catering to us in every way possible to make sure it's smooth and flawless.  We decided that after Seiden is born, Cody will follow the doctors and nurses up to the NICU with her so that he can be there, see her, and just know what all is going on after she's here.  My family, Cody's family, and our friends will be there waiting for this sweet girl to enter this world.  So, he knows that if I need anything, my family is right there as well as a ton of other precious and amazing people to take care of me.  Plus, I want him to go with her so that she has her daddy there watching over her.  And...he wants to be there too...he's going to be such a good daddy.  He already is!!!  If we can't be at home delivering and Seiden is going to have special attention, there is NO place that I would rather be.  God has placed us in the hands of amazing doctors and nurses and hospitals...such a blessing!

And...just for fun...a couple of teasers!  We took maternity pics on Saturday night and should have the proofs back in two weeks or less!!!  Get ready to see those...so excited!!!  And...the nursery is complete!!!  We picked it up on Friday night and I couldn't say enough how amazing it looks and how much I love it.  Dallas and Britain did such an amazing job and it was the greatest gift they could ever give us.  It is absolutely beautiful and exceeds all of our hopes and expectations of what it would look like.  Cody wasn't able to come in until Saturday mid-afternoon, so Josh helped us move it from Among Friends to our house.  We are so blessed to have such amazing friends in our lives...I don't know what I would do without any of them and I truly love them so, so much!!!  It's been an amazing week and I know they are just going to get better and better...cause we are so close to meeting our precious girl!!!  Seiden Grace...we love you so much!  We love watching you grow, feeling you move, watching you wiggle, and loving on you every chance we get.  God has blessed us with you and we can't wait to hold you in our arms, give you the world, and lead you to Christ!!!

Seiden Grace at 31 Weeks:
  • You are the size of a pineapple...so, so sweet!!!
  • You weigh 3.11 pounds and are 18 inches long!!!
  • You have a TON of hair...I can't wait to put bows and headbands on your beautiful little head!
  • You are getting ready for your big debut!
  • You are swallowing, breathing, kicking, and sucking.
  • You can turn your head from side to side.
  • Your little body is starting to plump up and you are gaining some of that precious baby fat that we will kiss every inch of!
  • You are so active and healthy.  You do somersaults, roll around, kick, punch, wiggle, and squirm all throughout the day.  At night, when mommy is still, you make my stomach do the wave and it is precious!
  • You also love to move around for your daddy.  When he talks to you, you always respond by pushing up into my tummy, doing some somersaults, or bumping his hands.  You and your daddy are going to have a precious relationship and I am so thankful for that!
  • We love you so much beautiful girl.  You mean the world to us and we so look forward to seeing how beautiful you are, holding you, kissing you, and being your parents!!!
Only 9 Weeks To Go!!!
 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment