33 weeks baby appointment!

Just wanted to do an update. We had our appointment with the perinatologist aka high risk baby doctor on April 3rd and we are 33 weeks completed, starting our 34th! How awesome is that! My weight is right on track and my blood pressure was good as well. They has me go for bloodwork and had gotten back the results and everything is good except for my platelets which are a little low at 129. There is something called gestational thrombocytopenia which can happen in the third trimester where your platelet count drops. Mine isn't too bad and we talked to the doctor about it and she was not concerned that it would affect the baby in any way. The only thing really to worry about right now is if they drop below 100 I will not be able to have an epidural which wouldn't be good. Try will check them again at 36 weeks to monitor my platelet count and see how my number are.  

I've been experiencing dizziness as well to the point where I was falling so they had put me on meclizine for dizziness at my last visit and it's helped with the falling but I still get dizzy so I have to take it easy still. 

They did an ultrasound and our first biophysical profile also at our appointment. His heart rate was 136 bpm and he weighs 4 lbs 4 oz!! He's growing big and strong and is in the 30th percentile! They also looked at the amniotic fluid, his movements, and breathing which were all great. 

Here is a picture of our little guy at 33 weeks and 1 day: 

From now on we go to the doctors every week until he arrives and they will do the ultrasounds and biophysical profile to monitor our baby boy.  Our next appointment is Thursday, April 10th which also happens to be my birthday. I'm excited that I get to see our son on my birthday that's a perfect present to see how he is doing <3 

Bye Bye Feeding Tube

Wanted to share a little back story and some exciting news... 

Since December 2012 I have had a feeding tube.  My gastroenterologist decided that it would be best for me to stop doing TPN which is what I was doing for the year before that to get nutrition through a central line and switch to a GJ feeding tube for my nutrition. So I went from being fed through my veins to being fed through the J part of my feeding tube which sends the formula through to my intestines. The G part of the tube I used for venting out my stomach when I was extra nauseous to help prevent vomiting. Once I got the feeding tube placed I kept my hickman (aka central line through my chest) to use for iv fluids at home and iv access since I have a ton of scarring in my veins from being poked and prodded the last several years. I've been doing tube feedings since 2012 because I was unable to eat anything by mouth and needed nutrition some other way to survive. Over the course of having a feeding tube I have had to have it replaced 4-5 times due to infections, having it flip, and getting holes in it. They placed my GJ tube in my abdomen and basically there are two tubes in my tube the G that goes to my stomach to drain out and the J that I use for feeding that send formula to my small intestine. 

Up until May 30, 2013 I went without tolerating anything by mouth so the tube was very helpful. May 30th I had surgery to replace my gastric stimulator battery which is implanted in me. This allowed me to slowly start being able to tolerate things by mouth, mostly liquids. Towards the end of July I was able to start tolerating small amounts of food by mouth. I cannot begin to express how exciting it was to be able to keep some things down finally. I would still get sick with the vomiting but was able to get some nutrition by mouth. 

Fast forward to now... 

I've still on tube feedings and hook up to my formula and machine at night and run it to get extra calories for baby and I. Well about a week ago I started having some pain around my feeding tube site, most likely because with being pregnant my body is stretching.. baby is growing and getting bigger and that means all the organs and things in my body are getting shifted around. 

This past Tuesday I went in to see my GI doctor about my feeding tube. We talked about how well I'm progressing with the pregnancy, with being able to maintain my weight and take in food by mouth. We also talked about the benefits and the risks of keeping the feeding tube in and the risks outweighed the benefits of having it so he decided it would be best to take it out. So Tuesday afternoon I had my feeding tube removed. Right now I have to keep the site bandaged up and put antibiotic ointment on it to make sure it heals properly. This is the first time in a very long time that I am not having to rely on having a PICC line, midline, hickman, NJ tube, NG tube, or GJ feeding tube to help me get nutrition. I'm just relying on my Gastric Stimulator to keep working and helping me tolerate food by mouth! If for some reason I start having trouble tolerating things by mouth throughout the continuation of my pregnancy and am not getting enough nutrition for baby and I then they will go ahead and place an NJ tube which is a feeding tube through your nose (not the most comfortable thing, but it works). It is unlikely that I will have to do that though since I'm doing so well!!

Honestly I didn't think that it would come to a point where I would be able to solely get nutrition by mouth again. I thought I was going to have to rely on being fed through other methods forever with the way things have been the past 5 1/2 years with my health. I know that I won't always be this healthy and that there may be a time where I do have to go back on tube feeds or other methods of nutrition and thats alright. I'm just going to appreciate this time of where I am able to do well and my Gastroparesis is under control. I still get sick from time to time but its not near as bad as its been. It really has taught me through fighting each day to be thankful for everything.. the good, the bad, the big things, and the little things. 

Ultrasound pictures, baby school & third trimester!

Baby appointment:

We had another baby appointment, this was at our 25 weeks completed. Our baby boys heart rate was 150bpm and he weighs 1lb 11oz! We saw him open and close his mouth in the ultrasound which was amazing! He is practicing swallowing the amniotic fluid in preparation for when he is born and learns how to breathe! My weight is gold and my vitals were all normal. Usually around this time is when pregnant women have the glucose test to check for gestational diabetes;however, the nurse and doctor decided that I didn't have to do the test because they didn't want to put me through anything extra and now each time I have an appointment they will just check my blood sugar and monitor that instead. We  go back to the doctor on March 4th. Here are some photos from our ultrasound of Scott Isaac:

Child birth classes: 

Jonathan and I attended baby school as we like to call it. We went to child birth classes at the hospital where I'll be delivering and it was really helpful. I didn't know exactly what to expect going but it made me feel a lot better about labor and learning about different options and relaxation techniques. I'm glad that he went with me and it was great to know I had that support from him every step of the way. Here is a photo with our certificate of completion: 

Third trimester:

We are in the last and final trimester now!! Yay! I took this screenshot on my phone once we hit the start of the third trimester.

Now we are 27 weeks completed and starting our 28th week! Only 91 days until Scott Isaac's due date!! 

Coming up later in the week we have our 4d ultrasound! It's an early birthday present for me and I'm super excited to go on Saturday and see what he looks like! I'm so grateful that we get to do a 4d ultrasound and have so many thoughts and emotions about it.  I'll definitely post pictures for everyone to see. :) 

Here are some random pictures from the past couple of weeks :)

Thanks again for reading these little random updates and for all of the sweet messages, comments, prayers, and support! 

Update :) 22 weeks!

Hello everyone,

Well apparently its been awhile since I have updated my blog and while I'm sitting here with my feet up  listening to music and relaxing I thought it would be a perfect time to do so!

Today is Sunday, January 12, 2014, which means its a new year, the year the our son Scott Isaac will be born! I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and in my second trimester (more than halfway done!) This past week was exciting because we had another baby appointment and got to see Scottie on the ultrasound! Everything has been going really well which has been such a blessing. My health has been under control with my Gastroparesis, I still get flare ups but nothing like it was before I was pregnant. I'm always nauseous though so zofran is something I take everyday to help keep that under control. Luckily my weight has been increasing like it is supposed to and with doing the tube feedings still through my G/J tube and eating when I am able to I'm getting enough nutrition for baby and I. YAY!!

Baby Scottie is growing like he is supposed to and is already at 13 ounces! His heart rate was 138 bpm at the last appointment and he is doing so well. One of my favorite parts about seeing him this past time on the ultrasound was seeing his leg and his little foot kick and then being able to feel it as well. It was really amazing to see on the ultrasound what I've been feeling lately with his little kicks. Right now they are till tiny kicks but they are getting stronger and stronger each day. Jonathan is able to put his hand on my belly now and feel Scottie kick now that he is growing strong enough to feel him.

Alright so now for the fun part.... Pictures!! :)