So....where to begin. Ya'll know I had mono and CMV last Oct when I was about 9 weeks along. That was a fun week in the hospital. :::insert sarcasm::: Because of the CMV infection, we have Level 2 ultrasounds every four weeks. We get the cool 4-D photos as well as higher detailed scans for growth measurements and progress in utero. Everything had been going swimmingly until a few weeks ago. The technician told us that the baby's belly was measuring in the 95th percentile and her head in the 5th percentile. The doc took us to the back room to talk to us. For the record? The back room or side room is never a good thing, at least not for us.
What they were seeing was a restricted growth in the baby. Her head measurements hadn't really changed (grown) since the last scan four weeks before. They did make sure to point out that just because the belly/head measurements were 95th/5th percentile does not mean that if she were born now she would have a fat belly and itty bitty head. Can I just say whew for everyone? We were then put on a schedule of a bio scan every week, every fourth week a level 2 ultrasound and my regular weekly visits to my OB. Um ok.
The head measurements concerned them enough to send us back to the University for a fetal MRI. We had that on Tuesday. I can't tell you how much I love the open MRI machines. I could do an MRI every day if it was an open one. This one was not. This one made me cry when they first put me in. They pulled me out of there shaking and crying and not knowing if I was going to be able to go back in there. I got a washcloth for my face and some headphones with crappy elevator music spewing forth from them. They let the husband stay in there and I thought I was hurting him with the squeezing of his hand and all but no, it's still usable.
I was throwing my bra back on (underwire and all that jazz) when the radiologist came walking through. Then the nurse came in there and said they needed more shots. Awesome. Back in the tube of death for the claustrophobic crying mom. All told we were there for two hours later and finally, we were done. We were speed walking to the parking lot because I'll be damned if I was gonna go back in there for a third time.
Yesterday we had a bio scan and afterwards the peranatologist talked to us about the scan and the MRI. The baby has a little too much fluid in the ventricles in the brain. The thought here is that she most likely was infected CMV when I had it. We won't really know anything though until she's born. Her cord blood will be tested as soon as she's born and we'll know in a couple days if she's infected. If she is, we're looking at developmental delays, possible down syndrome. The docs are cautiously optimistic about the whole thing and that's how we're looking at it too. No need to worry about things we have no control over. If she has issues when she's born and as she grows, we will deal with it because we're her parents. We love her no matter what.
On top of all that, I've been having contractions the last couple days. I went to the clinic today to see one of my nurses and she said I'm not dilated and about 40% effaced. Doesn't mean jack right now. Our foremost concern at this time is can I or should I go to Papa's memorial service/funeral that's four hours away? So far the doc is saying no because of the potential for problems to arise. I want to be there with my husband and his family. It's in Fargo so it's not like I'll be in Podunk, Iowa or anything. (I'm from Iowa, I can make fun). The husband is coming with to see the OB tomorrow. He'll have many many questions that I'll forget to ask.
I'm torn between going or staying. I try not to do the what if game but um, what if I have the baby up there and she has complications? She'll have to stay there. I sure as shit won't be leaving her. What if I stay home and yeah, hi. No baby comes? I'll feel like shit for staying home and worrying for seemingly nothing. I'm not due for another 4 weeks so in theory, I should be fine. Ya'll know how the head goes to places it shouldn't though. That's where mine has been all. day. long. It's not fun. I asked the peranatologist yesterday if she thought I would make it to the 27th (when my OB is inducing me) and she said no. Well ok then, thanks for adding that to the mix.
Bottom line(s?):
Baby is very active and weighs around 5lb10z
Baby is passing all tests for activity and "breathing" during scans
Mama has been dealing with the contractions just fine though wishes they would go away until really really needed
Mama has also gone over her highest weight (with her first child) and there are still, potentially, 4 weeks left. Awesome
More scans, ultrasounds and exams to follow. Yay merrily. Hmph.
I'll try to do a better job of updating you guys on the baby. I'm bad at it because I get so emotional about it all.
What they were seeing was a restricted growth in the baby. Her head measurements hadn't really changed (grown) since the last scan four weeks before. They did make sure to point out that just because the belly/head measurements were 95th/5th percentile does not mean that if she were born now she would have a fat belly and itty bitty head. Can I just say whew for everyone? We were then put on a schedule of a bio scan every week, every fourth week a level 2 ultrasound and my regular weekly visits to my OB. Um ok.
The head measurements concerned them enough to send us back to the University for a fetal MRI. We had that on Tuesday. I can't tell you how much I love the open MRI machines. I could do an MRI every day if it was an open one. This one was not. This one made me cry when they first put me in. They pulled me out of there shaking and crying and not knowing if I was going to be able to go back in there. I got a washcloth for my face and some headphones with crappy elevator music spewing forth from them. They let the husband stay in there and I thought I was hurting him with the squeezing of his hand and all but no, it's still usable.
I was throwing my bra back on (underwire and all that jazz) when the radiologist came walking through. Then the nurse came in there and said they needed more shots. Awesome. Back in the tube of death for the claustrophobic crying mom. All told we were there for two hours later and finally, we were done. We were speed walking to the parking lot because I'll be damned if I was gonna go back in there for a third time.
Yesterday we had a bio scan and afterwards the peranatologist talked to us about the scan and the MRI. The baby has a little too much fluid in the ventricles in the brain. The thought here is that she most likely was infected CMV when I had it. We won't really know anything though until she's born. Her cord blood will be tested as soon as she's born and we'll know in a couple days if she's infected. If she is, we're looking at developmental delays, possible down syndrome. The docs are cautiously optimistic about the whole thing and that's how we're looking at it too. No need to worry about things we have no control over. If she has issues when she's born and as she grows, we will deal with it because we're her parents. We love her no matter what.
On top of all that, I've been having contractions the last couple days. I went to the clinic today to see one of my nurses and she said I'm not dilated and about 40% effaced. Doesn't mean jack right now. Our foremost concern at this time is can I or should I go to Papa's memorial service/funeral that's four hours away? So far the doc is saying no because of the potential for problems to arise. I want to be there with my husband and his family. It's in Fargo so it's not like I'll be in Podunk, Iowa or anything. (I'm from Iowa, I can make fun). The husband is coming with to see the OB tomorrow. He'll have many many questions that I'll forget to ask.
I'm torn between going or staying. I try not to do the what if game but um, what if I have the baby up there and she has complications? She'll have to stay there. I sure as shit won't be leaving her. What if I stay home and yeah, hi. No baby comes? I'll feel like shit for staying home and worrying for seemingly nothing. I'm not due for another 4 weeks so in theory, I should be fine. Ya'll know how the head goes to places it shouldn't though. That's where mine has been all. day. long. It's not fun. I asked the peranatologist yesterday if she thought I would make it to the 27th (when my OB is inducing me) and she said no. Well ok then, thanks for adding that to the mix.
Bottom line(s?):
Baby is very active and weighs around 5lb10z
Baby is passing all tests for activity and "breathing" during scans
Mama has been dealing with the contractions just fine though wishes they would go away until really really needed
Mama has also gone over her highest weight (with her first child) and there are still, potentially, 4 weeks left. Awesome
More scans, ultrasounds and exams to follow. Yay merrily. Hmph.
I'll try to do a better job of updating you guys on the baby. I'm bad at it because I get so emotional about it all.
Comments
My name is Angie and i am a mom to a 5 year born with congenital cmv. I already had four kids and my titers for CMV were positive for both an active infection and a past infection. i am well off economically and have good hygiene. Along with other moms in my network our intention is to spread the word that avoiding cmv is something all women need to be educated on. We also provide a support group for parents,familyand friends. Please check our website http://www.stopcmv.com/ for information about CMV.
Angie Mom to Chloe
Chloe 06/18/2003
Cape Coral, FL, USA
Symptomatic Congenital CMV, hepatitis, microencephaly, inter-cranial calcifications, Deaf (ASL), reflux CMV gastrointestinal disease (in remission). AFO's and diplegia CP, Autism. http://web.mac.com/luvmykidz/congeni...n/Welcome.html
http://twitter.com/stopcmv
http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php Angela Davis Cape Coral