Week 8 of pregnancy is always our worst. Two of our four losses have happened at this particular gestational stage -- at 8 1/2 weeks to be precise. But I'll be 9 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and all is well. My progesterone levels are holding steady (with a result of 23.6 from Friday's draw), a baby still growing 2 days ahead of schedule (by today's scan), and a heartbeat of 184. I'm really so surprised. It's nearly like I'm a normal human being.
Emotionally, things were a bit harder this week. During week 7, I was miserable physically -- so miserable, I was sure I was miscarrying -- yet my ultrasound showed everything to be well. During week 8, I felt great physically and was certain that meant the baby's heart had stopped and I'd had a missed miscarriage. Fortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong and the baby is just fine. I suppose my physical well-being is a bonus, not a bad omen. I really should just embrace how I feel physically and take advantage of my need for a good long nap.
I'm still dealing with intermittent brown spotting, but at my appointment today, Dr. T (my MFM) was unconcerned. The spotting could be related to the ectopic pregnancy still being reabsorbed (it's smaller now and the yolk sac is flattening). It could be implantation bleeding just slow to release. It could be anything really, but nothing to be concerned about at this stage. He did prescribe a Grade B antibiotic to ward off any bacterial infections that may result from the spotting, but it's more of a precaution than a need. Dr. T just doesn't want there to be any irritation around my cervix, and an infection would be an irritant.
Not one person on my care team is willing to take any risks with this pregnancy, and I'm really so glad -- no, grateful -- for such conscientiousness.
I really am so surprised to be at 9 weeks. I've only ever been this far along with Gracie and Zachary. Being at this stage nearly makes me feel ready to make the public announcement. Nearly.
Showing posts with label 8 weeks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8 weeks. Show all posts
Monday, January 5, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Even Strangers Concede...
James is working on a search for an MFM/Perinatologist in Wisconsin. When following up with his client yesterday, an OB who serves as president of the group, he shared our recent obstetrical experiences by e-mail. (They'd talked about the fact I was expecting when they met recently, so James caught him up on the heterotopic pregnancy and its progress.) James thought his response was hilarious, but I'm not sure I agree:
WOW !!
You could get an entire high risk OB education with your wife. I have seen alot, including abdominal cerclage, etc. I can truly say I have never seen or known anybody with heterotopic pregnancy. Thank goodness it has resolved without surgery.
Have a peaceful New Year,
Herb
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
On Growing, Collapsing, and the Grace of God
Today, we had a follow-up sonogram after a few scary, sketchy days. We were warned at the last two sonograms to anticipate fluctuating hormone levels as Baby B began to deteriorate, but when we watched my progesterone level drop from 35 to 20, we were really concerned. Particularly, when the drop came with several days of intermittent spotting.
Over the last three blood draws, the climb in my HCg level slowed remarkably going from 25,009 to 30,055 to 37,969. Again, such a change was predicted -- even a drop was mentioned -- but to watch what should be a predictor of health slug by was worrisome. The doctor, though, is wholly unconcerned. In fact, at my exam he was nearly celebratory, even pumping his fists in the air, saying "Yay!"
As a precaution with regards to the declining progesterone level, and maybe to shut me up, Dr. K (my OB/GYN) doubled the supplement I'm taking. Really, I'm not sure that he anticipated a 15 unit drop in four days, and since I'm at the stage where historically my levels bottom out and cause a miscarriage, I think he's either unwilling to take a chance, or more willing to appease me. Regardless of his motive, I'm grateful that he's so conservative and not willing to take one change lightly. In two weeks, the placenta should be fully functional and I'll begin weaning off the supplements completely, moving back down to one per day, then one every other day, and so on. Two weeks more seems like a lifetime.
At today's scan, we were all able to see that Baby B's gestational sac is making clear progress in deterioration. Dr. K recalled the last results on his computer and reviewed Dr. T's images, and was confident that our worries have decreased. He had a difficult time getting clear measurements because the edges of the gestational sac show signs of bleeding (which is likely related to my increased spotting) and are hazy with debris as it collapses in on itself. He said there is still a chance of ovarian rupture until the gestational sac is completely gone, and advised me to take pain on the left side or increased bleeding seriously. Dr. T (my MFM/Perinatologist) will follow up in a week, but based on the rate of deterioration since Wednesday, Dr. K wondered if he would see anything at all. We'll know for sure in six days.
Seeing how the sac had deteriorated was rather bittersweet. We're so pleased I don't have to have surgery at this stage and risk the life of Baby A, but at the same time, watching something so lovely disappear is disheartening -- especially when Dr. K was able to identify the location where the fetal pole (heartbeat) likely began and ended.
To clarify, though, we are not ungrateful. It is such a relief to be at this stage growing a baby that is safely implanted high above my cervix -- a baby who has a strong and healthy heartbeat and who is now measuring three days ahead of schedule. It is such a relief to not be forced into deciding to kill one baby to hopefully save another, while really risking both. It's a relief now to imagine that my pregnancy could become very much like a normal pregnancy, and that there could be days ahead absent of questions and concerns. Based on the fact that we've seen a healthy heartbeat and accurate growth now four times, there's a very good chance the day will come that we'll bring home another baby.
Our Heavenly Father has been far more gracious to us than we could have every hoped He would be. We are awed by His mercy, and we are humbled by His love for us. Saying "Thank You" for all this is just not enough...
Over the last three blood draws, the climb in my HCg level slowed remarkably going from 25,009 to 30,055 to 37,969. Again, such a change was predicted -- even a drop was mentioned -- but to watch what should be a predictor of health slug by was worrisome. The doctor, though, is wholly unconcerned. In fact, at my exam he was nearly celebratory, even pumping his fists in the air, saying "Yay!"
As a precaution with regards to the declining progesterone level, and maybe to shut me up, Dr. K (my OB/GYN) doubled the supplement I'm taking. Really, I'm not sure that he anticipated a 15 unit drop in four days, and since I'm at the stage where historically my levels bottom out and cause a miscarriage, I think he's either unwilling to take a chance, or more willing to appease me. Regardless of his motive, I'm grateful that he's so conservative and not willing to take one change lightly. In two weeks, the placenta should be fully functional and I'll begin weaning off the supplements completely, moving back down to one per day, then one every other day, and so on. Two weeks more seems like a lifetime.
At today's scan, we were all able to see that Baby B's gestational sac is making clear progress in deterioration. Dr. K recalled the last results on his computer and reviewed Dr. T's images, and was confident that our worries have decreased. He had a difficult time getting clear measurements because the edges of the gestational sac show signs of bleeding (which is likely related to my increased spotting) and are hazy with debris as it collapses in on itself. He said there is still a chance of ovarian rupture until the gestational sac is completely gone, and advised me to take pain on the left side or increased bleeding seriously. Dr. T (my MFM/Perinatologist) will follow up in a week, but based on the rate of deterioration since Wednesday, Dr. K wondered if he would see anything at all. We'll know for sure in six days.
Seeing how the sac had deteriorated was rather bittersweet. We're so pleased I don't have to have surgery at this stage and risk the life of Baby A, but at the same time, watching something so lovely disappear is disheartening -- especially when Dr. K was able to identify the location where the fetal pole (heartbeat) likely began and ended.
To clarify, though, we are not ungrateful. It is such a relief to be at this stage growing a baby that is safely implanted high above my cervix -- a baby who has a strong and healthy heartbeat and who is now measuring three days ahead of schedule. It is such a relief to not be forced into deciding to kill one baby to hopefully save another, while really risking both. It's a relief now to imagine that my pregnancy could become very much like a normal pregnancy, and that there could be days ahead absent of questions and concerns. Based on the fact that we've seen a healthy heartbeat and accurate growth now four times, there's a very good chance the day will come that we'll bring home another baby.
Our Heavenly Father has been far more gracious to us than we could have every hoped He would be. We are awed by His mercy, and we are humbled by His love for us. Saying "Thank You" for all this is just not enough...
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