Just Some Clarification...

Many of you have asked questions and I figured I would just answer a few of them here for all to see.



1. Have they tested for Downs Syndrome?



Aside from ultrasound I don't opt for other testing, so we did not do the blood test, but she shows no other signs of Downs Syndrome, nuchal fold is normal (which was not the case with Asher), nasal bone is normal and all of the other "soft markers" have not been seen. I assure you, that we are aware that though many doctors treat DS and most other "disabilities" as though they are the worst case scenario, we know otherwise. We will welcome any child the Lord gives us with open arms however He chose to create them.



2. Did you just fail the 1 hour glucose or the 3 hour.



I only failed the one hour, which I hear has a high false positive rate, I will be doing the three hour test on Monday morning. I am not really looking forward to it, but I know that it is necessary for my health and for baby's so in the grand scheme of things, it is inconvenient, but not that big of a deal.



3. What does it mean to be anemic?



It just means my iron levels are low, which is relatively common at this stage of pregnancy as baby takes what she needs and leaves me with what is left. I have been told to take an iron supplement twice a day in addition to my prentatal vitamin to prevent problems with me or baby or during birth. Anemia can be a serious problem if left untreated. It typically makes you a little dizzy and tired and even pale which are all symptoms I HAVE been having but I am typically a pale girl, and well tired and dizzy, I just figured it was all related to pregnancy, motherhood and stress. It can cause complications during and after birth so it is good to know now so I can start taking the supplements.



4. Have they diagnosed the baby with anything yet?



No, and maybe I didn't make that clear enough from the get go. Both Isaac and Asher were born with central nervous system issues, with Isaac I went in at 37 weeks, had an ultrasound and they saw fluid on his brain and a few other issues and decided to c section me right away to find out what was going on. After he was born it was noted that his head and brain had stopped growing and developing around 18 weeks. Otherwise he was pretty perfect. No other defects were found. I was told that a uterine infection likely assaulted his brain growth and that it was a "fluke".



Asher was a different story. During my 18 week ultrasound several anomalies were seen. He had a VSD or hole in one of the chambers of his heart, he was thought to have club feet (which he did not), He had fluid on his lungs, his head was small and his brain was already behind in growth. We were then sent to Pittsburgh where it seemed a new problem was found at each visit. So though Asher also had a small head and arrested brain development they had largely different issues as well. Doctors have tried to link the two and have yet to come up with a true diagnosis for what might be going on, they assume they are linked, but cannot tell for sure.



SOOOO....since they both had microcephaly, or small heads and underdeveloped brains that is now what doctors are on the look out for. I am currently 29 weeks and until this point there has been no indication that baby girl's head or brain was not growing or developing. At Monday's appointment, the doctor said that if it were anyone else he really wouldn't even be concerned but because of our history with microcephaly he just wanted to monitor because one of her measurements was coming back small. Her femur, abdominal circumference and BPD (diameter of her head)are all pretty average. Her head circumference growth seems to have slowed to the 6th percentile. Her overall growth is 46th percentile. So she has NOT been diagnosed with anything, and there is no definite problem. Just concern. I am panicked because this is EXACTLY how it all started with Asher, just concern. I have heard that because she is head down, there is a chance that the head circumference is not an accurate measurement and I am SOOOO hoping that s the case, that all of this worry is for nothing. Unfortuately my prior experiences tell me that when there is concern, it will be confirmed and possibly worse than imagined.



5. Are you going to Pittsburgh?



After much deliberation I have decided to head to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning. Howard cannot go because he can't afford to use his days off as he will need them when this baby gets here so a friend has offered to take me and another friend has offered to watch the boys. My appointment is at 9:30 and we will be leaving here around 7 am.