Shuttle launch...delayed?

Um, yeah. So I went for the "lung development" amnio today...by the way, not my favorite thing. Once they got the ENORMOUS needle in my belly, Baby Girl decided to wriggle around thereby forcing the doc to wriggle the needle around...THAT felt good. It actually reminded me a scene from Pulp Fiction to be precise.

Anyway...they ran the "fast" test results and just called me back to say....drumroll please..."the test results are borderline". Translation? We are still a maybe, possible, perhaps 'GO' for Monday but the complete results won't come back until over the weekend (when the MOMS nurse is off) but she assured me that she will pass the word to the on-call mid-wife who will try, maybe, perhaps, if she can...pass the full results on to me. If they don't get back to me, then we go in on Monday and see what they say then.

Ummmm, ok.

Sooooooo, whatever. We wait. Baby Girl sure does want to make an entrance, huh?

On a bright note...they did say her "extremities have great movement"...and she weighs approx. 6.94lbs! Now, that's something I want to hear!

As always...thank you for your prayers and we'll keep you posted!

Observations on Philly...

Random things we've noted since arrival...

1. All the gas stations here are full-service...interesting...haven't seen this for 20 or so years. What's the protocol here, peeps? To tip or not to tip?

2. The national epidemic for obesity is lost on NJ...there's a Dunkin Donuts about every 3rd block (much like Starbucks in Seattle).

3. The City of Philly really is the City of Brotherly Love...the lady at the Museum today asked why I was in a wheelchair. I told her the basics and she comped us parking, a carousel ride, and 6 tickets to return. She also asked if she could pray for us!

4. Traffic patterns here MAKE NO SENSE...
a. Exits are often to the left.
b. Once you are on a main street, you can't turn right OR left at stoplights. You have to veer off a ramp (that can be either before or after a light) and then use go thru THAT intersection on the cross-street....huh? Brian and I have decided that someone made an excessive amount of "No Turn" signs and needed to unload them somehow.
c. They have some streetcars but the driving lanes are on the same roads IN THE SAME LANE....who gets the right of way there? My guess is, well, I'll have to let you know that one. We've a got a rental and it's a NO FAULT state...I'll keep you posted.

Let's see what else I can up with...

Philly update #2....

Today was a good day at the hosptial/doctor. No ultrasound today, which is ok by me. The rest of the pre-natal stuff is all good. And, I got to meet one of the OB surgreons...although, probably not the one doing the cutting next week. He said "Hey, I know you! We've talked about you in our meetings...you're the funny one!" That, I must say, made my day. He also noted that I didn't have much to talk with him about. I've been through a c-section before so I really already know that it pretty much stinks and why it stinks.

Caroline was a trooper at the hosptial...as was Brian for that matter. We took our laptop with us and she watched Veggie Tales most of the time and let all the folks talk to us that needed to talk to us, without interruption....a HUGE accomplishment if you know our little "chatty Cathy".

We were able visit the Aquarium last week in not-so-beautiful Camden, NJ as well as the Philly zoo and mall. Brian has had to start pushing me around in a wheelchair, but it's worth it (at least to me!) since we are not confined to the room AND, more importantly, it staves off the contractions. We are planning to head to the Please Touch Children's Museum tomorrow.

My amnio is still planned for Thursday at 9:00am and then I have to go back on Friday for pre-op stuff and bloodwork. If the amnio comes back Thursday evening and says Baby Girl's lungs are mature...she will be delivered on Monday, 11/22....just one week from today! If they aren't yet ready to go, she'll be delivered Wednesday, 11/24. Her closure surgery will then either be the 23rd or 26th.

There is another MOMS patient here right now that had the pre-natal surgery last month and she has asked to meet us, so we will say hello to her on Thursday when we head back to the hospital. I believe this is her first baby...I can't imagine dealing with this not knowing what a "normal" pregnancy is actually like. My prayers to her and her family. I was able to meet another participant when we were here for our evalation in August and it was such a great experience to be able to meet another family who had gone through what we are about to.

The study folks have also decided to let us go ahead and stay here in the hotel for the duration of the week rather then moving us to the Camden Ronald McDonald House. I think that's best for all of us. We have a nice hotel, near lots of stuff and have gotten into a nice routine. HOPEFULLY, next Monday, we will be able to move to the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House just 6 blocks from CHOP when the baby arrives...fingers crossed!

Just as a side note, somewhere along the way Caroline has started calling her new sister "Baby-Delphia". I have no idea where that comes from as she understands that we are IN Philadelphia but insists that is her sister's name.

As always....thanks to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We know we couldn't have gone though this without family, friends, and most of all, God...

Till next time...

Philly Update #1

Here, safe and sound. We went to CHOP today for my first appt. and it was ok. Everything has continued to progress...club feet (yep, back in the picture again), and the hydrocepheleus (sp?) had progressed as well...they say this is all to be expected. Contractions have lessened since we got here, but they kept telling me they are glad I'm here to keep an eye on me.

C-section etc. is still on the books for Nov. 22 as long as the amnio on Nov 18 says her lungs are ready to go...if not, c-section will be on 11/24 and her surgery will be on 11/26. They ran thru the what to expect stuff with me and I also met with a mid-wife and the anesthesiologist....nothing really new there.

On a side note...I got my cheesesteak! So, I can mark that off my list. I don't head back to CHOP until Monday and then again on Wednesday...so I've got some hours to fill until then.

BTW, not that I reccommend you going to the hospital, but this place is amazing. Their level of care far exceeds anything I've ever experienced...the peri-natalogist, whom I affectionately refer to as Batman (he looks and sounds like Adam West!) happened to walk thru the waiting room and stopped to chat with my sister and me as if we were old friends. They always make sure you are comfortable and that they realize that although THEY do this everyday, you don't...I feel very "looked-after"....a huge change from Dr. Clown.

Thanks to all of you for making me feel "looked-after" as well. Greedily, I ask you to keep the prayers coming!

And it all falls into place

All the details have been changed and the arrangements made. I will fly to Philly on Sunday and will meet my sister there (Thanks, Gretel!). Brian and Caroline will meet me there on Wednesday and the waiting game will begin for the arrival of Baby Sister.

Thanks to everyone for all your thoughts and prayers...and to Tiffany for bringing us dinner tonight! Oh yeah, and today is Brian and my anniversary--4 years, people! I think this will be one to remember...almost as chaotic as our wedding day, actually.

I'm feeling much better today with all the decisions and plans having worked out....praise God! And have only had 2 contractions...praise God, again!

Once again, I'll keep y'all posted!

And away we go...

Just got off the phone with my doc in Charlotte and the study coordinator in Philly...looks like we are headed up earlier than expected....either Sunday or Monday of this week! We have alot to do before then and so much to get straight.

All the docs (here and at CHOP) are going to discuss tomorrow am and we'll get the new plan together. I'll post an update tomorrow when we know for sure.

Testing Positive and ready for my cheesesteak...

Why is it that testing positive for something is usually something negative and vice versa? That seems weird to me....anyway....had my visit with Dr. Clown today and had another Fetal Fibro Nectin test...with a positive result this time. Here's what the doctor sa id..."A negative result means you are 99% not going to go into labor within the next 2 weeks...a positive reults mean, you may or may not go into labor for several weeks"...nice.

What do I do with that? I've called the Philly people and we are waiting to hear back from them to help us decide what to do....go early? Or wait it out...

More later...