Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
More doctors
Monday we went to Harper's two week appointment. I mentioned to the doctor that during my stay in the hospital they did several ultrasounds, and they saw some extra fluid on her kidney. Dr. Hanes felt it necessary to do a repeat ultrasound to rule anything out and get some peace of mind from what the prenatal ultrasounds found.
Today we went to the hospital to get an ultrasound. I also delivered some pumpkin spice brownies to the labor and delivery floor for all my nurses. The ultrasound went by easily. I expected there to be lots of screaming from Harper, but they did such a great job trying to keep her warm and comfortable. The ultrasound technician told us what they were looking for. She explained that if they saw something alarming they would ask us to stay, but if they did see anything too alarming that I should hear back from my doctor within a few days.
I received a phone call at 4:00 this afternoon from Dr. Hanes office. My phone was in the car, so I missed it. I listened to the message and it was Dr. Hanes herself. I took this as not a great sign, so I immediately called back.
Dr. Hanes and the radiologist seem to think that Harper only has one kidney. They think that in the prenatal ultrasounds the extra fluid they were seeing was due to the fact that the one kidney is enlarged. Today, they could not find her second kidney. It could be there, but likely if it is there it is much smaller/underdeveloped. In the prenatal ultrasounds there were shadows where the other kidney is supposed to be, so it was missed. This is not uncommon. Ultrasounds can be tricky and shadows appear. If I would have been able to see the high risk specialist while in the hospital we might have seen this before but that would not change anything.
We will be referred to a specialist who will run more tests and give us an idea of what to expect. Dr. Hanes explained a lot of what to expect. It was sudden and unexpected news, so I wasn't prepared with questions, which are now forming in our heads. We go back to Dr. Hanes in a few weeks, and hopefully we will have seen the specialist by then.
Thanks for following our story and keep this on your prayer list. Dr. Hanes said that although it is not common for this to happen, it is not rare either. I know two young boys that were born with only one kidney and they are healthy. People can live a healthy life with only one kidney. It is just different when it is your own child, and you just want to do anything possible for them to be healthy!
Today we went to the hospital to get an ultrasound. I also delivered some pumpkin spice brownies to the labor and delivery floor for all my nurses. The ultrasound went by easily. I expected there to be lots of screaming from Harper, but they did such a great job trying to keep her warm and comfortable. The ultrasound technician told us what they were looking for. She explained that if they saw something alarming they would ask us to stay, but if they did see anything too alarming that I should hear back from my doctor within a few days.
I received a phone call at 4:00 this afternoon from Dr. Hanes office. My phone was in the car, so I missed it. I listened to the message and it was Dr. Hanes herself. I took this as not a great sign, so I immediately called back.
Dr. Hanes and the radiologist seem to think that Harper only has one kidney. They think that in the prenatal ultrasounds the extra fluid they were seeing was due to the fact that the one kidney is enlarged. Today, they could not find her second kidney. It could be there, but likely if it is there it is much smaller/underdeveloped. In the prenatal ultrasounds there were shadows where the other kidney is supposed to be, so it was missed. This is not uncommon. Ultrasounds can be tricky and shadows appear. If I would have been able to see the high risk specialist while in the hospital we might have seen this before but that would not change anything.
We will be referred to a specialist who will run more tests and give us an idea of what to expect. Dr. Hanes explained a lot of what to expect. It was sudden and unexpected news, so I wasn't prepared with questions, which are now forming in our heads. We go back to Dr. Hanes in a few weeks, and hopefully we will have seen the specialist by then.
Thanks for following our story and keep this on your prayer list. Dr. Hanes said that although it is not common for this to happen, it is not rare either. I know two young boys that were born with only one kidney and they are healthy. People can live a healthy life with only one kidney. It is just different when it is your own child, and you just want to do anything possible for them to be healthy!
Harper'a arrival
Harper Grace Bruner was born on September 13, 2010 at 6:58 pm. She weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and 18 1/2 inches long.
After spending one week on bedrest at home, 24 days in the hospital on bedrest, and then 6 more days at home on bedrest, she decided to come at 35 weeks. We went for regular appointment and decided that she was ready. We went over to labor and delivery to check back in. I was greeted with friendly faces, and this time much happier to be in the hospital.
I got my epidural at about 4:00 pm. The doctor came and broke my water and started the pitocin to induce more contractions. Harper did not like the drugs and her heart rate plummeted. At that point the nurses started rushing around and more people just showed up in my room. They stopped all medications, laid me on my back and started oxygen. After about 5 minutes, her heart rate finally rebounded. The nurse said that we were seconds away from an emergency c-section. They did an excellent job of not letting me know how serious it was in order to keep me calm. Soon after it was time for the big moment! The NICU nurses were called to be at delivery because she was coming at 35 weeks which is about 5 weeks preterm.
She was born at 6:58. She came out crying loudly, and the NICU nurses were pleased with her right away. Because she was so early, she had to go to NICU to be monitored. (if she would have been born at midnight she would not of had to go, but 35 week babies HAVE to go, 35 weeks and 1 day babies don't go unless they need to) DJ followed her to NICU to get progress updates. That was a really long 30 minutes! Soon enough he came back and the update was that she was doing AWESOME! Everybody but me got to go back and see her. (I was still under the influence of the epidural and couldn't move my legs) After spending two hours in the NICU, she came back to my room and we were reunited!
She is doing awesome! At her two week appointment she weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. So she is growing fast already!
After spending one week on bedrest at home, 24 days in the hospital on bedrest, and then 6 more days at home on bedrest, she decided to come at 35 weeks. We went for regular appointment and decided that she was ready. We went over to labor and delivery to check back in. I was greeted with friendly faces, and this time much happier to be in the hospital.
I got my epidural at about 4:00 pm. The doctor came and broke my water and started the pitocin to induce more contractions. Harper did not like the drugs and her heart rate plummeted. At that point the nurses started rushing around and more people just showed up in my room. They stopped all medications, laid me on my back and started oxygen. After about 5 minutes, her heart rate finally rebounded. The nurse said that we were seconds away from an emergency c-section. They did an excellent job of not letting me know how serious it was in order to keep me calm. Soon after it was time for the big moment! The NICU nurses were called to be at delivery because she was coming at 35 weeks which is about 5 weeks preterm.
She was born at 6:58. She came out crying loudly, and the NICU nurses were pleased with her right away. Because she was so early, she had to go to NICU to be monitored. (if she would have been born at midnight she would not of had to go, but 35 week babies HAVE to go, 35 weeks and 1 day babies don't go unless they need to) DJ followed her to NICU to get progress updates. That was a really long 30 minutes! Soon enough he came back and the update was that she was doing AWESOME! Everybody but me got to go back and see her. (I was still under the influence of the epidural and couldn't move my legs) After spending two hours in the NICU, she came back to my room and we were reunited!
She is doing awesome! At her two week appointment she weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. So she is growing fast already!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Tuesday September 7th
I am writing this post from my couch! Yippee! The doctor visited me this morning, and released me right before 11 am. I had a very calm weekend, and she felt confident in releasing me. I am still considered to be having pre-term labor because I am still having contractions. Because of this I am still on bed rest and on the medications to stop contractions until I deliver, or until 37 weeks whichever comes first. I go to the doctor on Thursday, and will continue to go to the doctor two times a week. I am so thankful to be in my house!
I was packed up my things (really I just sat and gave directions to my mother-in law, and she packed) on a very large cart. I had been at the hospital 24 days so I felt like I had moved in. I had a full shower of things, a bag of clothes, a hamper, a bag of snacks, knitting materials, gifts, flowers, books, magazines, computer, and other random things. I feel like I am in a weird transition phase right now. I think that I will have a big adjustment to being here at home. I will not have nurses at my beckon call, which also means I will not have people coming in and out of my room checking vitals. With that being said, I did feel like I needed to say goodbye to all of my favorite nurses. I am so thankful to so many of them. I had a few who really made the hospital stay bearable. Becky always knew how to lighten the mood and keep things upbeat. Barb was my nurse mother, she brought DVD's for DJ to watch and she even brought me a donut one day! Kristin was a sweetheart, who was a friendly face and helpful ally. There were many others that were extremely nice and helpful, those 3 in particular stuck out and will remain special to me. I will get to go back and see some of them when I deliver-so it wasn't goodbye, just see you later!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support! Prayer was what got me this far! We still need your prayers as we go through the adjustment of being home on bed rest. We still need prayers for a healthy baby in a few weeks. After this week (I am 34 weeks), we are even more in the clear, and technically at 37 weeks, I will be full-term and can stop medications. The doctor and nurses laughed because they did everything possible to stop labor, and now I will probably go post-term, begging for them to induce!
I was packed up my things (really I just sat and gave directions to my mother-in law, and she packed) on a very large cart. I had been at the hospital 24 days so I felt like I had moved in. I had a full shower of things, a bag of clothes, a hamper, a bag of snacks, knitting materials, gifts, flowers, books, magazines, computer, and other random things. I feel like I am in a weird transition phase right now. I think that I will have a big adjustment to being here at home. I will not have nurses at my beckon call, which also means I will not have people coming in and out of my room checking vitals. With that being said, I did feel like I needed to say goodbye to all of my favorite nurses. I am so thankful to so many of them. I had a few who really made the hospital stay bearable. Becky always knew how to lighten the mood and keep things upbeat. Barb was my nurse mother, she brought DVD's for DJ to watch and she even brought me a donut one day! Kristin was a sweetheart, who was a friendly face and helpful ally. There were many others that were extremely nice and helpful, those 3 in particular stuck out and will remain special to me. I will get to go back and see some of them when I deliver-so it wasn't goodbye, just see you later!
Thank you for all of your prayers and support! Prayer was what got me this far! We still need your prayers as we go through the adjustment of being home on bed rest. We still need prayers for a healthy baby in a few weeks. After this week (I am 34 weeks), we are even more in the clear, and technically at 37 weeks, I will be full-term and can stop medications. The doctor and nurses laughed because they did everything possible to stop labor, and now I will probably go post-term, begging for them to induce!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday August 30
Today is day 17 here at IBMC. I have been able to be pretty positive through a majority of these days. Granted, I have had my moments! I have tried my best to keep my 'eye on the prize' , but darnit, I am sick of this place! I am going to take a quick moment to rant and complain and maybe I will get it out of my system! I am sick of the food, I am sick of this room, I am sick of the wonderful nurses coming in the middle of the night and asking me if I am still doing ok :) I am sick of daytime television reruns, and I am sick of being medicated. I miss Slayton so bad it hurts, I miss DJ, I miss my house, my bed, my dogs...my freedom. OK there I am done, now I am going to get up from the proverbial gutter and get my butt positive again.
There has been no real change in my status. I am still having contractions but the contractions are not causing labor (I am not dilating), and the last few days have been rough. I am having quite alot of contractions. They don't really hurt, they are just annoying and uncomfortable. They upped my medications again, which makes me jittery and irritable, which I am sure that you can't tell from this post :) Yesterday my doctor told me that if I wanted I could stop taking the brethine, which I did not take any today. The brethine is the medicine that makes me the most irritable, and jittery, although it does work at making me a little more comfortable contraction wise, so it is a give and take.
Next week will be 34 weeks. The doctor told me yesterday that if I make it that far, then we would get me up and walking and monitor me as I become more mobile, and if I still have no change then they would send me home. I have very mixed emotions about this. Part of me is SOOOO ready to go home, but another part of me doesn't want to to go home without having this baby. I feel like I have made it this long so what's a little longer? A few of my nurses agree that I will not be going home without a baby so I guess we will just have to wait and see. I am in God's hands and I know that he will keep me and Harper protected.
There has been no real change in my status. I am still having contractions but the contractions are not causing labor (I am not dilating), and the last few days have been rough. I am having quite alot of contractions. They don't really hurt, they are just annoying and uncomfortable. They upped my medications again, which makes me jittery and irritable, which I am sure that you can't tell from this post :) Yesterday my doctor told me that if I wanted I could stop taking the brethine, which I did not take any today. The brethine is the medicine that makes me the most irritable, and jittery, although it does work at making me a little more comfortable contraction wise, so it is a give and take.
Next week will be 34 weeks. The doctor told me yesterday that if I make it that far, then we would get me up and walking and monitor me as I become more mobile, and if I still have no change then they would send me home. I have very mixed emotions about this. Part of me is SOOOO ready to go home, but another part of me doesn't want to to go home without having this baby. I feel like I have made it this long so what's a little longer? A few of my nurses agree that I will not be going home without a baby so I guess we will just have to wait and see. I am in God's hands and I know that he will keep me and Harper protected.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thursday August 26
Today was a pretty good day. I had several visitors that helped to brighten my day. My best friend Brooke had a beautiful baby girl on August 17th, so I did not get to be there to help welcome Mallory James into this world. Today Brooke and Mallory visited me up here in the hospital. Mallory is gorgeous and precious. It was so good to catch up with my friend and to see her life changing with the welcome of a new baby. Some other great friends visited too. It is really nice to have visitors to help keep my spirits up and to have someone /something to talk about!
Good news from the doctor today also! The spot on Harper's kidney that the doctor was concerned about has turned out to be nothing to be concerned about. Yay God! My doctor consulted with the high risk doctor and shared the reports. The report showed that Harper had fluid on one of her kidney's and the doctor would be concerned if it was higher than 7 (I am not sure 7 what: mm, ml etc...) and Harper's is 4.2. So that was relieving news.
Last night, I found a website that had a lot of information about bed rest, it was kind of an online support group/share group about bedrest. It had some funny antidotes and other interesting ways to pass my time :) As I say that, I can honestly say that the time here has not been awful. The weekdays go by fairly fast because I have a set routine of things to do. My routine is fairly boring: eat, shower, watch a few TV shows, eat, journal/blog, read, knit, surf the Internet, eat, watch some more TV sleep, repeat. In between all of these things they come and check on me and check my vitals, and I have to have a NST (non-stress test-hook me up to monitors to monitor baby) 4-5 times a day.
I have got to skype with Slayton the last three nights. It is so awesome! I feel like I am on Back To The Future. Technology is so cool! I get to read Slayton books and say prayers. It is a pretty good alternative to not being there! Slayton thinks it is pretty cool too.
Today marked day 13 here at the hospital. Let's hope I can make it another 13 :)
Good news from the doctor today also! The spot on Harper's kidney that the doctor was concerned about has turned out to be nothing to be concerned about. Yay God! My doctor consulted with the high risk doctor and shared the reports. The report showed that Harper had fluid on one of her kidney's and the doctor would be concerned if it was higher than 7 (I am not sure 7 what: mm, ml etc...) and Harper's is 4.2. So that was relieving news.
Last night, I found a website that had a lot of information about bed rest, it was kind of an online support group/share group about bedrest. It had some funny antidotes and other interesting ways to pass my time :) As I say that, I can honestly say that the time here has not been awful. The weekdays go by fairly fast because I have a set routine of things to do. My routine is fairly boring: eat, shower, watch a few TV shows, eat, journal/blog, read, knit, surf the Internet, eat, watch some more TV sleep, repeat. In between all of these things they come and check on me and check my vitals, and I have to have a NST (non-stress test-hook me up to monitors to monitor baby) 4-5 times a day.
I have got to skype with Slayton the last three nights. It is so awesome! I feel like I am on Back To The Future. Technology is so cool! I get to read Slayton books and say prayers. It is a pretty good alternative to not being there! Slayton thinks it is pretty cool too.
Today marked day 13 here at the hospital. Let's hope I can make it another 13 :)
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