October 19th Appointment

Sorry, I am so late with the update again.
Our appointment on Monday 10/19/09 was very routine. We did have a sonogram this time, the NST monitor and the appointment with the Dr. We actually saw Dr. Nosovitch this time. The past four appointments it’s just been the Nurse Practitioners. We did get some fairly good news. In the past sonograms, Dr. Nosovitch had seen the liver, stomach and intestines in the chest cavity. This time he said he did not see the liver in there. He said it could have moved its way down below the diaphragm. I really didn’t like the woman who did our sonogram this time, which is why I am not overly excited about what the Dr. had told us. Next sonogram, we have the Sr. Sonographer (Katie will be doing it), and we can’t wait because she is the nicest and most accurate. She explains everything to us that she is doing, and has a personality unlike the one we had Monday.
Briana weighs approximately 4lbs. right now. That is very good. She needs to bulk up so she is as big as possible at birth for surgery purposes.

Next week, on Monday, we have another Echocardiogram and our routine Dr. appointment with the monitor (NST). We are crossing our fingers that she cooperates this time (for my sake too, that kind of hurt last time). We are hoping that they can see everything they are looking for. Their main concern is the possible hole between the two bottom chambers of the heart. If they did in fact see this months ago, they told us it may seal itself by the time they go to look again. Let’s hope this is the case.
I also asked the Dr. when he might possibly induce me, and he said the week after Thanksgiving. When we get an official date, I will let you know.

Coming up…
We have our meeting with Dr. Ratner (PEDS surgeon) on 11/4/09.
We also have another sonogram scheduled for 11/16/09.
Other than that, from now on every Monday we have a routine appointment with the monitor (NST).

I will keep you updated as the weeks get closer.
~Angela

October 13th Apt.

Not much to report on today. Just a regular visit where they checked the fluids and put me on the monitor. We are doing good. Next week we have a sonogram. The following week is another Echocardiogram. Let's cross our fingers that she doesn't try any tricks and cooperates this time.
~Angela

Update on Monday 10/5/09 Apt.

We met with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on Monday 10/5/09, and they just explained to us the different breathing machines and tried to answer any questions we had. They can’t answer many questions, because everything is so unknown until Briana is born. They cannot tell the seriousness of her defect until she is born. The NICU will be on hand when she is born to take her immediately and stabilize her. Because they do not know how developed the lungs are, it is hard to tell anything at this point. They did let us know that there is definitely Liver, Stomach and some of the intestines in the chest cavity (on the Left side). Again they can not tell how large the hole is in the diaphragm either. The Neonatologist (Dr. Boura’a: He is from Texas Children’s Hospital and new to Crouse.) also explained a little bit about sealing the hernia and the likelihood that they will have to use a Gore-tex patch to seal the hole. This is more of a question that the surgeon will answer. We meet with the Surgeon Dr. Ratner on 11/4/09.

We did get to see the NICU unit. He showed us the machines in the NICU that he was explaining to us.

Another question we had was about the survival rate (A lot of what I have been reading said 50%. He said that Crouse Hospital has a higher than the National average rate of survival, but again every case is different. The National average is probably around 70% survival with CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia) and he thought that Crouse Hospital was around high 80%- low 90%.

That was a little more relieving to hear. We have been hearing nothing but good things about Crouse Hospital , so we are confident that the baby will get the best care possible.

We also had a regular Dr. visit Monday 10/5/09. Not too much to report there, everything is still looking good. I am getting better. The nurse practitioner listened to my lungs and she said they sound clear. I still feel tight in my chest and keep coughing, but she told me to continue taking my inhaler and that will help break up the mucus. Other then that, we are doing as good as can be expected.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Sick...Day 3

This is the third and final day of being home sick. It seems like I am getting a little better each day. If you hear my voice, and cough it still sounds really bad, but it seems to be working it's way out. Just resting and hoping it goes away... I will be going back to work tomorrow. I really hope I don't have to go on bed rest towards the end of my pregnancy, because this was making me stir crazy. Even though I am resting, it feels like I am grounded. Well, I'll write again after my Monday appointment with more updates.
~Angela