32 Weeks!

We made it to 32 weeks! We're so thankful, and it looks like now we might even be able to go to 35. And if we're still good at 35, maybe 37??? We're praising the Lord for taking such good care of Eli.

All that said, the past few days have been eventful! On Friday I had a sonogram that showed that Eli only had one week's growth in two weeks' time. This is a concern, because it shows that he's not getting the blood flow that he needs to grow correctly. The doctor was still pleased with everything else- the baby is active and has a good, reactive heart rate and is otherwise really healthy.

On Saturday my blood pressure sky-rocketed, and I got this awful headache, which is a bad symptom to get. We eventually called my doctor on Sunday, and he got me on a low-dose blood pressure medicine, which normalized my pressures and took away the headache. And he told me he wanted me to see a specialist to get a second opinion.

So on Monday I saw my normal doctor to get all the normal tests done to make sure that I was still okay and the baby was still okay. And then yesterday we went to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. We kind of expected bad news- like "You're going to have this baby today" kind of news. But we actually got really good news! The baby, though small, still falls within the normal range, and the blood flow test showed that the medicine is helping and that Eli is getting all the blood flow he needs now. The specialist recommended just continuing what we've been doing since the baby looks really healthy and my pressures are okay as long as I'm lying down.

My doctor was thrilled with the results, and so we'll just keep doing what we've been doing- bed rest and pleny of doctor's visits and hospital tests- for as long as possible. We're praying now for 35 weeks, and 37 would be a miracle! As good as that is, though, I can't stand the thought of all that time on bed rest! :) It will all be worth it, though, once we hold our healthy baby.

This has been an emotionally draining time for us, but we have felt so supported by prayer and by the care of our family and friends. Thank you so much.

31 weeks!

We made it to 31 weeks! Every day that goes by is such a blessing. I had another doctor's appointment and round of tests yesterday, and everything still looks good. The baby is growing well, still getting the nourishment that he needs, which is such good news. My health is still good, too- all my blood work came back normal. So praise the Lord for another good week! If things keep on going this well, we might even be able to make it to 36 or 37 weeks, which would be amazing! But it's a little hard to think of lying down on bed rest for 6 more weeks. :( It is worth it, though, for the health of the baby.

Thank you all who have been praying for us, bringing us food, calling us, and being such an encouragement to us. We have seen the Lord's provision so clearly for us throughout this time, and we're so thankful. Please continue to pray for our little son, that he will continue to grow and thrive, and that both Eric and I would have patience and grace to go through this time of bed rest. Pray also for wisdom for the doctor about when to deliver the baby.

The picture is of Elisha at 30 weeks- isn't he cute? :)

The latest

Well, today I'm 30 weeks pregnant, and we're so thankful for that! Every day is a blessing. Yesterday I spent most of the day in the hospital getting tests run on both me and the baby, and, thankfully, all is still well. Baby Elisha is still growing like he should be- pushing 3 pounds now!- and getting the nourishment he needs. I'm doing well, too- all my tests came back normal.

The doctor gave me a shot of steroids to speed the baby's lung development so that hopefully he won't have as hard a time breathing when he is born. (Premature white male babies have the hardest time with lung development, for some reason.) I am lying on my side in bed for 95% of every day, and we're just praying for 32 weeks. After that we'll pray for 33, then 34. We don't want the baby to have to be in the hospital for long at all- we want to bring him home with us!

We so appreciate all your prayers and concern for us and all the help and phonecalls and gifts we've received. We feel so blessed, and there is so much to be thankful for.

Back to Bed

I hate that this blog has become more of a medical journal! But it is the best way to keep everyone updated, so here goes another installement! (Forgive me!)

Yesterday was fairly eventful. I went to the doctor for my weekly check-up, and my blood pressure was super high. This is officially preeclampsia now. I was sent over to labor and delivery, where they hooked me up to a fetal monitor and to a blood pressure/heart monitor for me, and I just laid there in the hospital room for three hours! Eric was there with me- I'm so thankful for that, and all the nurses were really nice.

The concern is that the baby isn't getting adequate nutrition, because high blood pressure slows down fetal growth. So they did a sonogram, and the baby looks perfect. He's right on schedule with where he should be- measurements, heart rate, movement, etc. It was so comforting to see him and know that he's okay. They also ran a bunch of tests on me to make sure that my liver and kidneys are still working like they should be, because that is the danger of high blood pressure to the mom. All the tests came back normal, so they sent me home with orders of "strict bed rest." They are sending a nurse to the house every day to check on me. Yikes!

We're just wanting to make it as far as we can with the pregnancy now. I'm 29 weeks today, and we are just begging the Lord for 34 weeks. Every day that goes by and that I'm still pregnant is a blessing.

I feel fine physically, but emotionally this is difficult. More than anything we want a healthy little baby, and it is so scary to think of him being born this early and having to be in the NICU. We love him so much.

We would so appreciate your prayers for our little son now! We're naming him Elisha, which means "The Lord is my salvation." We are praying that this testimony is true in his life even now.

Improvement!

After a week of being on bed rest, I went back to the doctor this morning to have my blood pressure re-checked. I could just feel it rising as I sat in the waiting room- I was so nervous!

It was still high, but not as high as last week, and the doctor is encouraged. He's given me permission to go back to work this week, as long as I'm not there for more than 6 hours a day. The rest of the time I'm supposed to be on my couch or in my bed. I will take what I can get!!! :) I'm so thankful.

The concern now is that I can make it as long as possible with the pregnancy. The blood pressure issue usually worsens as a pregnancy progresses, and right now the doctor is hoping that I can make it to 34 or 35 weeks, which is only 6 or 7 weeks away! Yikes! More than anything we want a healthy baby, so we are just praying that he can stay inside for as long as possible.

You never know what tomorrow is going to bring. I am so thankful for the Lord who sustains us through all of it.

This is Unexpected

I am writing this from home in the middle of the workday because I am on bed rest! :( This was so unexpected- I feel great and things seem to be going really well with the pregnancy, but when I went to the doctor on Monday he told me I have high blood pressure, which looks like the beginnings of preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced hypertension). I was so surprised! I had to take off of work on Tuesday and then went back to the doctor on Wednesday hoping that I'd be all better, but I wasn't. He put me on bed rest for the rest of this week, and then I go back on Monday to get re-evaluated and to decide what comes next.

I am thankful for such a good doctor who cares so much for my health and the baby's health, and I know this is what needs to happen, but it is a little hard for me to take. I feel fine, and I really miss being at work, taking walks, running errands, doing normal things. But God knows what's going on, and all of this is in His hands. I am praying for a willing, contented heart!

We would so appreciate your prayers during this time! And if you are bored and want to watch a movie on the couch, you now know who to call. :)

26 weeks

Here's the latest pregnant picture. I'm steadily growing. :) All is well, and we can't believe that in only 14 weeks we'll have a son. Crazy. We're getting his room ready, and it's looking so nice. We still need a rocking chair and some decorations for the walls and the bedding, but the basics are there, and it looks like a nursery now. A nursery in our house? Again- crazy! :)