Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas from The Rivers!  We love you all so much and pray you have safe travels during this holiday season.  God bless you all! 

Monday, December 14, 2009

As Thy Days

I never wanted children - or so I thought.  When Sweet Hubby and I were first married, I told him we would start discussing children in 5-7 years.  After our first year of marriage, he asked me when I thought I might want to start trying.  I told him, "Umm, let me pray about it."  A week later, God changed my heart and I was ready.  Good thing, because 2 weeks later, I was pregnant!

The week before we found out we were pregnant, I had 2 SVT spells.  SVT is basically a really fast heartrate.  For me, it was 200-220 bpm.  I didn't think anything about it because it was normal for me to have a spell every few months.  By 7 weeks of pregnancy, I had 5 spells.

I met with a cardiologist who referred me to a wonderful electrophysiologist in Nashville.  I was put on a beta blocker in hopes to control my fast heartrate.  It worked...for 2 weeks.  My dosage was increased and it worked for another 2 weeks.  By 18 weeks of pregnancy, I had been to the ER several times and was given adenosine.  Adenosine stops your heart and then immediately restarts it, hoping that it starts back in normal rythym.  It hurts.  That's all I can say.  It flippin' hurts.  The doctor added another medication.  I had to stay 2 nights in the hospital to monitor Babbling Brook's reaction to the new med.  The meds did not affect her heart rate at all!  Praise God!

At 18 1/2 weeks, we had our routine growth scan.  Everything looked great except for the placement of the umbilical cord in the placenta.  We had to return for another sonogram in 4 weeks. 

The night before the next sonogram, I started experiencing some crampiness and told Sweet Hubby I thought I was having some Braxton-Hicks contractions.  The sonogram looked great.  The tech had one last thing to check before we could go....my cervix.  The room fell silent.  She measured and measured and measured.  I could tell by her silence that something was wrong.  My cervix was short, dilating and I was contracting.  Diagnosis: Preterm labor.  Treatment:  Medicine and IMMEDIATE bed rest.

The night before the next sonogram, Babbling Brook was not moving like she should have been. Come to find out, the medicine I was on (new med) caused my amniotic fluid to decrease to a dangerous level. The good news was my cervix lengthened, however, I had to be taken off the new med and continue bedrest.

We went back the next week and my cervix had shortened, amniotic fluid was back up and they were going to try a different medication and continue bedrest.

Next week, FINALLY - good news. Cervix was great, amniotic fluid great, heart rate great but continue bed rest.

Bed rest lasted 12 weeks. At 35 weeks, I was taken off bedrest and the medication. I still had to continue my heart meds though. At 36 1/2 weeks, Babbling Brook arrived. June 21, 2008 1:06pm 5lbs 7oz. 100% healthy! Praise God.

When I was originally put on bed rest, Sweet Hubby and I prayed for the small milestones: at 23 weeks, we prayed that she just make it to 25 weeks; at 25 weeks we prayed for her to make it to 28 weeks, 28 weeks make it to 32 weeks and finally we prayed that we were ready for her as long as we could bring her home when we were discharged. God listened and God answered.

During all of this, Sweet Hubby and I clung to Deuteronomy 33:25, "As thy days are, so shall thy strength be." Had I known what all we would have had to endure through the pregnancy, I might have said NO WAY, I can't handle that. I am so thankful that I had no clue.

God gives you strength to face today, not tomorrow or yesterday, TODAY.

Our sweet Babbling Brook last Christmas




Thursday, December 3, 2009

Giving Thanks




First, I am giving thanks to God for all of the blessings in our life.  I am also very thankful for the valleys and lessons learned. 

My parents and aunt joined us for Thanksgiving this year.  This was my first Thanksgiving to host and it went off with out a hitch.  My aunt said it was because "we are all pretty laid back."  I thought Sweet Hubby was going to pass out right then and there.  If any of you know my mom (or me), you know that there is not a laid back bone in our body.  We had a laugh and she rephrased.  She meant to say, we all get along and know how to deal with each others' personalities.  We had a great visit and I am so thankful they were able to join us. 

I found myself missing my sister at times.  Like the time that my mom spent the entire 4th quarter of the Texas vs Texas A&M game yelling at the TV and never taking a breath.  Kelly and I would have loved to make fun of her then.  Especially since she was cheering on Texas for the first time. Ever. In her life.  I think I remember her threatening me not to tell a soul...hmm?  Wonder what she meant by soul?  I think the secret is safe with us, right? 

Babbling Brook came out of her shell and let her true ham-self shine.  She made silly faces, fake belly-laughed to get attention, danced and babbled words that not even I could understand.  Of course, with us in the kitchen preparing "the meal" she was always "hu-mee pease" (hungry please).  She eats more than I do - definitely her Daddy's girl!

We had a sonogram Monday and the baby is growing (approx 2 inches) and is a wiggle worm.  The heartrate is a steady 164bpm.  We should find out the sex sometime in January.  So exciting! 

How was your Thanksgiving? 




God bless,
Doni