Friday, April 28, 2017

Perinatal Specialist Appt

Today has officially made it to the list of my top 5 terrible, horrible days. As most of you follow me on Facebook and Instagram, you know that today was my appointment with my perinatal specialist.

 Here is what I posted:
I had my perinatal specialist appointment today and we received some heartbreaking news. We were told a handful of things and want to keep some of it private until we learn more and know more. But one of the things we have been told is that baby girl's kidneys aren't working and that there's backed up fluid. I have another doctor appointment next week but we won't have all the answers until they run more tests and as time goes by. But we will keep you posted. We would be so grateful if you could include our family in your prayers, especially for the baby. Thanks everyone.

As I lay here in bed with my thoughts and emotions all over the place, I can't help but think about the future and what it holds for my family and my baby girl. I hate being in this limbo stage where we are waiting to see if her kidneys will get better on their own with time or if they won't and get worse. One of the worst things about this situation is that I can't help her. I'm useless and it's out of my control. As a mother, there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for my children. And being in this situation just plain sucks. It's heartbreaking.

I'm physically and emotionally drained and my eyelids just want to close but when I close them, I cry. Or my mind starts going a million miles a minute on repeat of what the specialist told me. I guess I'm just rambling now. I'm sorry! I'll probably edit a lot of this out anyways but for now, I'm just writing what comes to mind.

It absolutely sucked not having anybody with me at this appointment. My husband is in Georgia and my mom and MIL are in other states. Receiving news like that is terrible but man, receiving news like that ALONE stinks big time. I had to wait in my car for what feels like forever (prob closer to 35 minutes) until I could stop shaking and crying.

I've been on google quite a bit since hearing the news and a lot of what I read has had happy endings. I'm hopeful that with time and prayer that she will be ok. Like I said in my post, we found out some other things as well, which we want to keep private until it is confirmed 100%. But her kidneys issues are the only thing that has been confirmed. I knew going into this pregnancy that I would get preeclampsia and I was prepared for that. I was NOT prepared for anything else. But here we are. In limbo and playing the waiting game. I hate it.

Has anybody gone through this or know anyone that has?! How was the outcome?! Also, the specialist wants me to start taking a baby aspirin every day. Has anyone had to take a baby aspirin throughout your pregnancy for preeclampsia? I'm curious to hear more information. (Besides google)

As I've read all of your comments, over and over again, I can't help but feel SO incredibly grateful for the family and friendships I am blessed with. It's so comforting to know that even if we don't talk a lot or see each other a lot, that you guys are there and praying and rallying around me and baby girl. It brings tears to my eyes. I HOPE that she can feel all this love too and I hope she knows that so many people are praying for her health. I can't tell you how much it means to me. Thank you.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Baby Harrison #3 News

Hey everyone!

I've been anxiously waiting to make a special announcement and that is that we are PREGNANT!
Which most of you know by now but still, it feels so good typing those words! Here is how we announced our pregnancy at 14 weeks!


I've been asked quite a bit about this pregnancy and thought I'd fill in a lot of questions.

The last post I wrote, I talked about how we have been struggling to get pregnant and that come January, we would be seeing a fertility specialist. Well in January, I made an appointment and the soonest they could get me in was February 6th. I made the appointment and like every month, for the last two years, we tracked our ovulation but not like I had been previously. In the back of my mind, I thought "oh well" we see a specialist next month and we will get answers. So I wasn't as persistent and on it as I had been before. Or I should say "we". (Man, this is kind of awkward to write about haha!) Anyways, I guess by not stressing about it and trying as hard as we had been, that's what we needed.

On Thursday, Feb 2nd, I was packing for our trip to Utah and realized I'd have to pack tampons. So just for kicks (because I KNEW that I wouldn't be pregnant) I took a test. Instead of waiting to see the "negative" result, I put the test on my dresser, facing up and went about my day. Between mommy duties with Maddox and watching the little girl I care for, I totally spaced on the test. So later that afternoon, I walked in my room to grab flip flops and looked down at the test as I was walking straight by it and I had to do a double take. POSITIVE. Whaaaaaaat?! My knees completely buckled and I fell straight to the floor in tears. I immediately went and took another one to be sure and this time, I didn't put it down. I watched as both the lines went solid pink! Marc was going to be home later that evening, so I waited to tell him. Hardest thing ever but I kept quiet. When he got home, I showed him the stick and he was so excited. Of course, I cried! I canceled my fertility appointment and we left for Utah and had a great time.

Fast forward to when I was about 6 weeks pregnant, I called to make an appt with a dr and the soonest they could get me in was when I would be almost 14 weeks. (Even with my history of preeclampsia and the miscarriage) So, at about 9 weeks pregnant, I started getting really nervous about having another miscarriage so I scheduled an early ultrasound through a private company so that I could see the baby and hear the heartbeat. We waited to tell the boys until I was 10 weeks and on the day that we were going to go to the ultrasound place. The boys were excited and we had my MIL and mom come too! When we got there, the tech confirmed my due date and sure enough, the baby was alive and growing! Thank goodness! We got some pictures and went on with our day.



I finally had my first OB appointment on April 6th and I was a few days shy of being 14 weeks. She did the normal papsmear and check-up and then we went over my pregnancy history. My appointment took 4 hours! It was so long but so worth it. She too, confirmed my due date as October 9th and we did a transvaginal ultrasound to see the baby better. Because I developed preeclampsia with my two boys, my doctor wants to be very proactive this go around. With Paxton, I developed preeclampsia at 34 weeks and made it to 36 weeks for delivery and with Maddox, I developed it at 28 weeks and made it to 36 weeks. (At the time, we thought we made it to 37 weeks but my other doctor kept in her notes that his due date was actually a week later than we thought which made his birth be 36 weeks gestation) Anyways, at my appointment, my blood pressure was a little higher than she liked at 127/87. What threw me for a loop was that she told me I was high risk. I told her that at the end of my pregnancies, I was high risk but not now. She corrected me and told me that I'm considered high risk NOW because of my history. That word "high risk" just sounds scary and I definitely wouldn't classify me as high risk now, but what the heck do I know. Right?! Here is what I know so far and will have to do:

- 24 hour urine collection once a month followed by labs (already did my first one)
- I see my doctor every two weeks for appointment
- I have to see a perinatal specialist once a month (my first appt is on April 28th)
- I have to keep a log of my blood pressure and take it twice a day
- I can't have any caffeine because it contributes to high blood pressure (sucks cause I LOVE me some Cherry Pepsi and Dr.Pepper :( boo!)
- If I make it to 36 weeks, we will have a scheduled c-section (I've had both boys that way) and that puts the baby's "due date" as September 10th. We will discuss this more as I get further along in this pregnancy.

So, this baby will be here in September, right before my birthday on the 20th and I couldn't think of a better present than that! We've had 3 ultrasounds already so here's a compilation of our favorites. Here is our little babe at 14 weeks.



Hopefully that answered everyone's questions. If not, let me know what else you want to know! And if you wouldn't mind, we'd love some good vibes and prayers sent our way that this pregnancy will go well and that I won't have to be on bedrest for more than 8 weeks! 😘