We went back to UNC again today for our 37 week checkup. All seems to be fine right now. The nurse who took my blood pressure gave me a little scare, suggesting that since my blood pressure was high, I might be at risk for pre-eclampsia. But when my doctor came in, she said that my blood pressure was the same it's been for the past month so she's not a bit concerned about it. Ethan's still measuring the right size for a baby his gestational age and we're still on target to be admitted the night of Thursday, August 9th to begin induction.
After the checkup, we met with one of the lactation consultants and she explained a lot of the administrative sides about the hospital pump availability as well as their staff availability to help if we have any questions. They are definitely encouraging me to pump since breastfeeding is questionable at this time since Ethan will be hooked up to too many wires, tubes, etc. before/after surgery. This is comforting to hear they still value trying to feed him with my milk instead of using formula or just IV fluids.
Continue to pray for Ethan's strength, health and growth in the next 2 1/2 weeks before he's due. Also please pray for the doctors and nurses who will be working with him once he's born. Our OB just told us today that she's going to be on vacation the week we're induced, and the lactation consultant we saw today is also going to be on vacation starting that weekend. But at least our heart surgeon will be back from vacation and hopefully refreshed and ready to perform his best when it's time for Ethan's surgery.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Week 36 check up
Well we went to UNC again yesterday (Tuesday). We allowed an hour for our commute, as usual, but traffic was worse than normal and it took us an hour and a half to get there. As a result, we missed our 8:00am ultrasound appointment because we arrived at 8:30am. Therefore, we had to wait around for over an hour to get squeezed in to the next available time slot. This also caused us to miss our 8:45am check up, which we didn't get to until close to 10am.
The ultrasound went well! The reason for this ultrasound was to measure the amount of amniotic fluid because it was on the low side of the normal range last week. Fortunately, things looked good, we're back to the mid-level of the normal range (normal runs between 6-20 and we were a 12). Because the results looked normal, they decided we don't need to have any more ultrasounds. We did get some great 4D pictures of Ethan yesterday during the ultrasound. We were surprised to get any at all because last week they told us that it was too late in the pregnancy to see anything because it's getting so crowded in there! But the ultrasound technician said it certainly wasn't too late to get pictures, it all depends on which way the baby's positioned. Below are some of the pictures from Ethan's most current "photo shoot"! It's amazing how much detail a 4D picture shows. We can really start to see what he's going to look like!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Fence for the Backyard
Dan spent the past 2 Saturdays building a fence for our backyard. Last Saturday, July 7th, he and his friend Aaron dug all the holes and concreted in the posts. This past Saturday, Dan was able to recruite several more friends from church to help- Todd, Jeremiah, Brian, Aaron, and also both our dads. They were able to get all the crossbeams and pickets hung. Then Sunday, Dan's brother Chris came over to help build and install the gates. We'll hopefully have some pictures to post soon.
Also last Saturday, my sister Jessica threw a really fun and intimate baby shower with some of my closest friends. Thank you Jess for your hospitality and creativity with the great food and fun games. Everyone especially seemed to enjoy the "Nursery Rhyme Charades"! Also thanks for not playing the "toilet paper to measure the mom's belly" game. :-) Dan and I got so many great gifts at this shower - many much needed items like diapers, wipes, toys, dolls, and bath items. Ethan is one blessed little boy! Now if we can just keep our dog from adopting all Ethan's toys as her own, we'll be set!
Tomorrow we go back to UNC Hospital for our weekly checkup and monitoring of the amniotic fluid. Please pray that the fluid levels have not dropped too low so that Ethan doesn't have to be delivered too early. We want him to be born as full term as possible so his lungs will be well developed. We'll let you know how the appointment goes and what the doctor plans to do if the fluid levels are low.
Also last Saturday, my sister Jessica threw a really fun and intimate baby shower with some of my closest friends. Thank you Jess for your hospitality and creativity with the great food and fun games. Everyone especially seemed to enjoy the "Nursery Rhyme Charades"! Also thanks for not playing the "toilet paper to measure the mom's belly" game. :-) Dan and I got so many great gifts at this shower - many much needed items like diapers, wipes, toys, dolls, and bath items. Ethan is one blessed little boy! Now if we can just keep our dog from adopting all Ethan's toys as her own, we'll be set!
Tomorrow we go back to UNC Hospital for our weekly checkup and monitoring of the amniotic fluid. Please pray that the fluid levels have not dropped too low so that Ethan doesn't have to be delivered too early. We want him to be born as full term as possible so his lungs will be well developed. We'll let you know how the appointment goes and what the doctor plans to do if the fluid levels are low.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Week 35 - UNC check-up
Today we visited UNC for an ultrasound, our 35 week check-up, and another tour of Labor & Delivery (L&D), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with our care coordinator. Dan and I took the tour back in March when Ethan was first diagnosed with his heart defect and we learned we'd have to deliver at UNC, but my mom was with us so it was good for her to get to know the area with us.
Everything looked normal on the ultrasound - Ethan's not showing any other defects or problems besides his heart at this time. He's already 6lb. 1oz. and in the 53rd percentile, and we still have a month to go! From here on out, we'll be traveling to UNC once a week for check-ups. The amniotic fluid is borderline on the low side so at next week's check-up, I'll also have another ultrasound to monitor the fluid level again. If it looks alright, then I won't have any more ultrasounds; but if it's looking low, they will probably monitor me weekly with an ultrasound while I'm there for my weekly check-up.
After the ultrasound, we went for our check-up, where I learned I tested positive at the last visit for Group B Strep (which they say is common in about 30% of all pregnancies), so I'll be given an antibiotic in my IV when I go into labor. And speaking of labor, Dr. Boggess has me scheduled to arrive at UNC on Thursday night, August 9th and I'll stay overnight and get induced on Friday, August 10th (if I haven't already gone into labor before then!). So one month from today, we may quite possibly be meeting our sweet little boy as he enters the world!
Once we finished with the weekly check-up, we met up with our care coordinator, Lisa. She guided us through our tour of L&D, NICU and PICU. We learned that in the NICU and PICU, parents and grandparents have 24 hr. access to Ethan, but only 2 people are allowed in his room at one time. We also learned that we are allowed to sit in on the weekly team conferences that take place every Monday afternoon. The team consists of all medical team people that will be dealing with Ethan's case, including our care coordinator. The team discusses all the current patients, so for confidentiality sake, we will only be sitting in on the part of the meeting relating directly to Ethan's status. Doctors also make daily rounds in the NICU and PICU so we can get updates at that time as well. Also, the NICU has an 800 number to call and speak to Ethan's nurse on duty at any time of day or night to get an update if we're not able to be with him! I feel like we're definitely in the right place for our son's treatment.
Thanks for the continued prayers for our son and for us. We can definitely feel the love and encouragement and support of all our friends and family!
Everything looked normal on the ultrasound - Ethan's not showing any other defects or problems besides his heart at this time. He's already 6lb. 1oz. and in the 53rd percentile, and we still have a month to go! From here on out, we'll be traveling to UNC once a week for check-ups. The amniotic fluid is borderline on the low side so at next week's check-up, I'll also have another ultrasound to monitor the fluid level again. If it looks alright, then I won't have any more ultrasounds; but if it's looking low, they will probably monitor me weekly with an ultrasound while I'm there for my weekly check-up.
After the ultrasound, we went for our check-up, where I learned I tested positive at the last visit for Group B Strep (which they say is common in about 30% of all pregnancies), so I'll be given an antibiotic in my IV when I go into labor. And speaking of labor, Dr. Boggess has me scheduled to arrive at UNC on Thursday night, August 9th and I'll stay overnight and get induced on Friday, August 10th (if I haven't already gone into labor before then!). So one month from today, we may quite possibly be meeting our sweet little boy as he enters the world!
Once we finished with the weekly check-up, we met up with our care coordinator, Lisa. She guided us through our tour of L&D, NICU and PICU. We learned that in the NICU and PICU, parents and grandparents have 24 hr. access to Ethan, but only 2 people are allowed in his room at one time. We also learned that we are allowed to sit in on the weekly team conferences that take place every Monday afternoon. The team consists of all medical team people that will be dealing with Ethan's case, including our care coordinator. The team discusses all the current patients, so for confidentiality sake, we will only be sitting in on the part of the meeting relating directly to Ethan's status. Doctors also make daily rounds in the NICU and PICU so we can get updates at that time as well. Also, the NICU has an 800 number to call and speak to Ethan's nurse on duty at any time of day or night to get an update if we're not able to be with him! I feel like we're definitely in the right place for our son's treatment.
Thanks for the continued prayers for our son and for us. We can definitely feel the love and encouragement and support of all our friends and family!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Happy July 4th!
Yesterday was a busy day, helping my parents get moved and settled into their temporary housing at our house. So far, Emma (their cat) and Gray-C (our dog) are getting along pretty well. When Gray-C gets too close to Emma, Emma will hiss at her and she backs away. We have a baby gate set up at the top of our stairs to separate the two girls - Emma stays upstairs and Gray-C stays downstairs, but likes to come to the top and stick her nose through the gate to check on Emma.
We're excited about this transition with mom and dad living with us - especially since mom has volunteered to help with the cooking! Also, it will be nice to have them around after Ethan's born. They'll be able to stay at the house and take care of it and the dog while we're staying in Chapel Hill (an hour away) with Ethan since he'll be hospitalized for at least a month after he's born, recovering from his first heart surgery.
Our next visit to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill is scheduled for Tuesday, July 10th. We'll be going for one final ultrasound, a regular check-up, and another tour of NICU and PICU. We're looking forward to get to see one more glimpse of our son before we meet him next month! We're praying he'll cooperate this time and not be so camera-shy so we can actually get to see his face with the 3D view.
Encouraging verse for the day: Psalms 22:10 NIV
"From my birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God."
This echoes our thoughts that this child that God has given us in not really ours, but His. We are blessed to be picked as his earthly parents and know that God has great plans in store for our sweet little boy!
We're excited about this transition with mom and dad living with us - especially since mom has volunteered to help with the cooking! Also, it will be nice to have them around after Ethan's born. They'll be able to stay at the house and take care of it and the dog while we're staying in Chapel Hill (an hour away) with Ethan since he'll be hospitalized for at least a month after he's born, recovering from his first heart surgery.
Our next visit to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill is scheduled for Tuesday, July 10th. We'll be going for one final ultrasound, a regular check-up, and another tour of NICU and PICU. We're looking forward to get to see one more glimpse of our son before we meet him next month! We're praying he'll cooperate this time and not be so camera-shy so we can actually get to see his face with the 3D view.
Encouraging verse for the day: Psalms 22:10 NIV
"From my birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God."
This echoes our thoughts that this child that God has given us in not really ours, but His. We are blessed to be picked as his earthly parents and know that God has great plans in store for our sweet little boy!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Dan Speaks -
I can't believe we are down to less than 6 weeks! I better start taking my vitamins : ) . The "Refer-A-Friend" and "Email Dan & Julie" parts of our main website work again now. Sorry it took me so long to fix the website. I had planned on recreating the site from scratch but have been so busy lately. Work has been nuts and I've been working on starting up a new business.
Julie's parents sold their townhouse. They are coming to live with us for a while until their new house in Wake Forest is ready. It will be nice to have them here. Mike got a Banjo for his Birthday and I play the guitar so that should be fun. We can sit out on the porch and play like a bunch of back woods mountain folk... just add shotguns. Maybe we could get Julie a jug. Would that count toward her breathing practice? Hopefully Gray-C, or "The Gray Dog" as she is more commonly called, will play nice with their cat, Emma.
One pretty major (for me anyway) project we hoped to accomplish prior to Ethan's Birthday was to put up a fence. Our neighboors will be glad to know our project has been approved. (I'm sure they are tired of all the wood and materials sitting in our driveway.) We'll be breaking ground this Saturday. Hopefully it breaks easy as there will be 16 posts requiring a 18-inch deep hole for each.
As time does draw nearer to the big day, I am surprised at what I am feeling - or more accurately what I am not feeling about becoming a father, about Ethan's heart condition. I am not anxious, I am not afraid. I just can't wait to see my new son! See what he looks like, see the color of his hair. What do I feel? I can tell you since the first week we found out about Ethan's condition, I feel prayed for. I can actually feel it sometimes. When I start to doubt or question, those thoughts are just swept away leaving in their place thoughts of God's faithfulness to me. God has proven He can take care of me. He has provided for me for 30 years. Why would He stop now? I know He won't. I often think of the verse where Jesus says to look at the birds of the field and how they do not worry about what they are going to eat tommorow. They do not store up food. God provide for the birds and I am much more important to God than a bird! Why should I worry? I like that story. It is simple. It is true.
Please keep praying for us. The only battle we have for today is that which goes on in our minds and souls. Sometimes my mind take me places that aren't good for my soul. It can be just as brutal as any physical battle. What delivers us from those battles is taking what we know of the character of God, and remembering His Truths. Pray that those things fill our minds so that there simply isn't any room left for the garbage. - Dan
Julie's parents sold their townhouse. They are coming to live with us for a while until their new house in Wake Forest is ready. It will be nice to have them here. Mike got a Banjo for his Birthday and I play the guitar so that should be fun. We can sit out on the porch and play like a bunch of back woods mountain folk... just add shotguns. Maybe we could get Julie a jug. Would that count toward her breathing practice? Hopefully Gray-C, or "The Gray Dog" as she is more commonly called, will play nice with their cat, Emma.
One pretty major (for me anyway) project we hoped to accomplish prior to Ethan's Birthday was to put up a fence. Our neighboors will be glad to know our project has been approved. (I'm sure they are tired of all the wood and materials sitting in our driveway.) We'll be breaking ground this Saturday. Hopefully it breaks easy as there will be 16 posts requiring a 18-inch deep hole for each.
As time does draw nearer to the big day, I am surprised at what I am feeling - or more accurately what I am not feeling about becoming a father, about Ethan's heart condition. I am not anxious, I am not afraid. I just can't wait to see my new son! See what he looks like, see the color of his hair. What do I feel? I can tell you since the first week we found out about Ethan's condition, I feel prayed for. I can actually feel it sometimes. When I start to doubt or question, those thoughts are just swept away leaving in their place thoughts of God's faithfulness to me. God has proven He can take care of me. He has provided for me for 30 years. Why would He stop now? I know He won't. I often think of the verse where Jesus says to look at the birds of the field and how they do not worry about what they are going to eat tommorow. They do not store up food. God provide for the birds and I am much more important to God than a bird! Why should I worry? I like that story. It is simple. It is true.
Please keep praying for us. The only battle we have for today is that which goes on in our minds and souls. Sometimes my mind take me places that aren't good for my soul. It can be just as brutal as any physical battle. What delivers us from those battles is taking what we know of the character of God, and remembering His Truths. Pray that those things fill our minds so that there simply isn't any room left for the garbage. - Dan
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