Monday, June 25, 2012

Roo-Bug and Little Feet!

So we had a appointment today with a prenatal/infant cardiologist to look at Baby Roo-Bug's heart. It was a long sonogram, and they were a tad late coming in, so we got to get some good looks at our little one. Auntie A (technically there are three Auntie A's....this one is my youngest sister, who was in TN during the last pregnancy so it was extra special that she got to be there to see the baby on sonogram)

Baby Roo-Bug is a whole 1lb 7oz! :)

They threw around a whole lot of terms and did determine that is it not a sinus pause....which is really good! It would have meant a pacemaker was more then likely. However, there weren't enough determining factors, or actions of the heart to conclude that diagnosis, so that was ruled out today.

 The doctors did decide that they are 95% sure that is its a PAC, premature atrial contractions. That the strange beat or pause is the upper chamber of the heart is sending an extra electrical impulse too soon after the previous beat, and cause the lower chamber to pause because it can't keep up or process that extra beat. It thankfully is benign and again should be something they will grow out of without any long term complications. WAHOO!!!! PRAISE GOD! :) 

They will continue to monitor, but not weekly, we will go back to see the specialist in 4 to 6 weeks. (this helps the budget cause of the extra co-pays with the specialist) The hope is that Baby Roo will have grown out of it before birth, but will be something treatable if the baby has not, with medication or then a pacemaker, but that is only after the baby is a month old to determine if that would even be necessary. The baby did have the hiccups so that did make things a little harder for them to see everything they wanted and give a 100% on the PAC diagnosis. My sister said its just a 2nd born thing....making sure they get some extra attention too. ;) 

If you would like some more medical definition....   
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premature_atrial_contraction  


They did mention some other 5% options of more worst case scenarios, however I didn't note them, and won't write them here. Other then it could be a blockage of some sort, but they can't, without the baby being born, give 100% for any other diagnosis with the needed equipment for a proper scan. That 5% is not what we are resting in at all. Aware of it, but not dwelling, hence that is all I'll say. :) God has been faithful and continues to bring peace that does pass all understanding. We are confident He is holding us in His hands. 


I love that Baby Roo-Bug looks like they are laughing here! :) with their little hand up close to the mouth about to cover their delight. 

I know you can't really see the heart, but that is what is in the picture, along with the heart beat, you can see the pause right in the middle, and at the end. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. 


Little feet!
The chorus this song came to mind.... I remember back in the day Sandy Patti singing it....
(I've got big steps, but little feet, I've big steps little feet,  I may be small, but He lives in Me! Big steps, little feet!)
I had to look up the rest of the song and found the lyrics perfect about God's hand on our Little baby Roo-Bug

My feet are small, it takes me awhile

Sometimes it seems a block is a mile
But little is much, Jesus loves me
I've got big steps for little feet

Chorus:

I've got big steps, little feet
I've got big steps, little feet
I may be small but He lives in me
Big steps, little feet

My God is big so look inside
He does big things in a smaller size
When I am weak, He is my strength
With each step I take

In my heart and in these hands
I hold the future to this land
I know where I'm going, I know who I am
I know just why I stand   

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Baby Roo-bug Update

So we went in for another ultrasound today. Just to keep tabs on our little Roo-bug. ( I think the name combo has stuck. :) Baby is doing well, still growing which is good.

The baby's little heart does have what the doctors called a sinus pause. That is the only explanation they have right now. We do meet with another specialist next Monday. The Doctors are calling this condition benign, at present, since the baby doesn't seem to be affected by it. The heart beat is at a regular 150, but when the pause happens it drops to the higher 70s. They said the starting point for concern is 65, but really 55 is where they will take drastic action.

The pause right now though seems to be not as frequent as it was even just last week, so that is amazing! They said though that it could be how the baby was positioned this time, so they don't want to say yet that it seems to be resolving. We are still praying for that miracle of it to completely resolved before due date. I'd rather not have a c-section if I can help it. :) IF, IF this condition does continue it could mean a pacemaker for the baby to keep the heart on task once Roo-bug is born. So far, the specialist does not seem to think that will happen, and more that this will resolve and could just be the lack of maturity of the muscle of the heart and it will grow stronger with time.

Keep those prayers coming! I truly believe God's hand is in all this and only He can work the true miracle. 


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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Prayer for Baby Roo (or Bug)

So baby number two, has been yet to be dubbed. The name Baby Bug was suggested by my dear friend M. Mainly because most are convinced this baby is a girl! We won't know until October, but if this baby is a girl, she can be called our Lady bug. Since they are all so convinced, if it turns out to be a boy, he's a little stink bug for making them think he's a she. Hehe, I thought it was cute. :) Although I might be leaning more toward Baby Roo. Sticking with the Hundred Acre Woods theme...you know Bear and Roo. Votes?!


This pregnancy has been different from Baby Bear's. To start, I've not been so sick as I was with him, and time is flying by as I am at 21weeks already! Half way through! I Love feeling those flutters grow stronger to feeling bumps and kicks. Even my hubby has gotten to feel the baby move. It's possible I have gestational diabetes again, I have to go in for a 3 hour glucose test with 12hour fasting before hand. My numbers have been normal with my blood sugar test kit, even with not being on a low carbs, high protein diet I've been playing at on a few meals. So I'm hoping even though I failed the first glucose test, that with this second, everything comes back normal. At least with the new OB we have, he said that there were other measures, so even if this is the case and I have GD, going to insulin will be the last option. Which is a huge relief, that was the hardest part previously. Although lack of cake doughnuts was a close second.


Aunt A and cousins just came out for a wonderful visit! We had a ton of fun, lots of swimming, food, puzzles, walks to the park, hugs, and laughter. My sister brought a toddler bed for Bear! I'm so excited! We've been debating about a theme for the new bedroom, since we will keep the nursery for the new baby, Bear will get a new room. He LOVES Mickey Mouse! I've seen such neat things, however I've also seen really neat things for Peter Pan....I think Mickey though at this point is winning cause of ease and access to items. I can do primary colors, and shapes, and incorporate Mickey.


Bear continues to amaze me with his knowledge and growth every day. His walking is getting better and better, he just needed his cousins help, which they were more then happy to give. We've started enjoying the pool almost daily, and he loves, loves the splash pool, specially if a female life guard is on duty. He will splash, then wave, splash some more and wave again. :)


Great Grandma also came for a visit and that was so neat to introduce Bear to my Grandma. It was such a delight to see her delight! I will have to get some pictures soon. I can't believe it, but I took zero pictures this last week. Thank goodness, for Mimi, who took many with her camera. :) 


However, I do have some new sonogram picture of the Baby. :)
Foot! 

Baby's profile- head on the right side, and little hand near the baby's mouth

Another profile picture, you can see the little fingers on the hand!
We do have another update on the baby, and with this one we are asking prayer for our little one. To start what we do know is whatever is happening is not harming the baby and that is as much as we really know, the baby is growing and all brain activity is normal. Our little one has something wrong with their heart, as it has a pause and they don't know why. The Doctor hasn't seen anything like it in the 12 years of prenatal heart care he has done. 


Its not typical arrhythmia (for the electrical impulses to the heart are functioning) or heart failure or what is known as sudden death. There is no extra flutter in the atrium, or stopping of the blood pumping through the chambers but the pause happens about every 3 beats. That's the best of my understanding. 


We will meet with another specialist a week from Monday, and will go in for a ultrasound once a week to continue to make sure the baby is progressing and that this isn't causing any damage. 
It does look like if the heart continues this track and they don't know what's wrong, I will be having a c-section, since at birth they wouldn't be able to see if the baby is in any distress for a normal birth process. They said it could completely resolve itself without them ever figuring out what it was, and that is what we are praying for.  


We are thankful we made the switch to this group of doctors and specialists, they seem better equipped and knowledgeable and determined to figure out what is wrong. (the tech said even if its 2 in the morning and he figures it out he would call her to tell her he solved it, he recently had a case that was one in 7 million that he solved, so we are hopeful he will be able to help with our little one) And we are thankful that they discovered this to monitor what is going on closely. 
Thank you for those prayers! I'll continue to update you when we hear anything. We appreciate all of you prayer warriors out there and know through those prayers Dawson was healed, and we are praying the same for this Baby. 


Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is nearDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.







Monday, June 4, 2012

Steps!

So Little Bear has decided to start trying to walk and then decided not to...until now. Papa and Mimi have a truck push toy that in-spite of his stubbornness to just crawl, this was just too tempting not to make the effort with walking. After performing for Great Grandma, which he got to meet for the first time yesterday, they sent the toy home with us, so to continue his practice. I think he knew when he woke up it was in the living room, for he was super excited when I got him this morning. He raced for it!

(I'm not sure what is on TV I think it was about the Queens Jubilee, as I was trying to see the weather for the day. I'm kinda jealous my sister was there for some of that in England. I can't wait to hear about her adventures. :)