Wednesday, January 28, 2009

OB report

Here's the lowdown...

*my blood sugars are great: 103 - and my OB just wants them under 140, so no problem there.

*weight gain is fine - I mean, I'm overweight, but my *gain* is fine - in fact, she gave me a nice hi-five, which makes a gal feel good, ya know?!

*baby's birthday will be Wednesday, March 11th - kinda cool to be able to figure that out already.

*I have to have another ultrasound in two weeks - the baby was measuring too big. Since my blood sugars were good, and my babies have always been fairly small (7.0, 6.10, 6.11, 7.5) - she believes it's just a fluke, baby lying funny, belly fat, whatever....but she wants to check it out. So I get to see this little one again in two week - whoo-hoo!! (but no, dad, not the baby's sex!)

*my iron is low. Not too bad, but she wants me to take iron pills and pump my iron up, since you lose so much blood in a c-section. Also explains a bit of my tired-ness...

*as to the itching: she told me to take Benydryl (sp?) at nighttime to help with all-over itchiness. She is also having me do a 'fasting uric acid' test sometime this week ~ which would tell us if this was liver related (PUPP). That would mean my uric acid level are too high, baby would basically be swimming around in too much uric acid and I would need to take some meds to bring those levels down. She did not think it was the really bad, deliver the baby asap kind of thing - but this test will tell us more of what is going on. She did also believe it *could* just be dry, itchy, preggo skin in winter.

I'll probably get that test done Saturday, so we'll see....

Is that it? I think so. I asked her how many c-sections she had done on one woman before. She said I really didn't want to talk about that - basically, the only other woman she personally has dealt with that was like me (many c-sections) ended poorly. Momma & babies are fine, but after many (she didn't say *how* many) c-sections, this woman's placenta grew through her scar, probably/maybe into other organs. Ick, not pleasant. I'm pretty sure the stuff I've read says that leads to either a very tough surgery, lots of blood loss, and possibly a partial hysterectomy.

While my OB said that's not happening with me this time (they can see where the placenta is attaching fairly early on, through ultrasounds - mine is nice and high, up away from my incision site), you just never know about next time. She is also ABSOLUTELY fine with me having as many babies as we want - as long as my uterus isn't getting paper-thin and threatening to tear open. She told me she will take her time, check things out really well, she believes she does GREAT WORK during the surgery and that will lead to good recoveries. Yet if she sees a HUGE ol' *window*, seeing the baby clearly waving at her through my uterus - she would be concerned.

As would I!!

If that happens, if my uterus looks all stretched out and in danger of busting open - dh and I would have some praying to do and decisions to make. But I'm fairly certain we wouldn't make ANY decision while I was still laying there on the OR table. Unless it was an emergency situation, we would wait. My OB wants me to sign papers ahead of time, in case things look terrible - so she can just go ahead and do the tubal (she sees not point in going back in later, when she can just do it then) - yet she is respectful of my not wanting to (even if she doesn't agree). I just don't want to make a rash decision, lying there all drugged out on a spinal and not thinking clearly and not having time to pray and see what God has to say.

I am confident my OB will respect my decision - I really like her!! We are on the same page - lots of babies are wonderful, yet we both just don't want me (and a future baby) to be in danger. If five babies is what God wants for me, that is wonderful! If six or more is what God wants for me, I just want to be open to that as well......

*sigh* if you can avoid c-sections ladies, DO IT!! This would all be a lot easier if my uterus wasn't being cut open each time.....I'm thankful c-sections were/are available in needed situations (like my transverse & full-breech babies).........but if you don't need it - DON'T DO IT!!

Lastly, I also got to request a pediatric cath for the surgery, inserted AFTER the spinal in the OR room. Whoo-hoo!!! She wasn't phased by that request at all (you were right, Brooke). So I get my pediatric, small cath, put in AFTER the spinal so I won't have to feel it at all, I can wear a bra during the surgery (and in recovery - PTL!!), I get my IV stuff out asap - at least some good comes of many c-sections. I know what I want and I can request it ahead of time!!

Ok, enough baby-talk for today........later~

5 comments:

Blended in Texas said...

So glad to hear everything seems to be going well for you and 'baby'. Everything is going well here too. Unlike you though- I've gained ALOT of weight- about 34 pounds. Yuck and yikes! I took my glucose test yesterday and am assuming everythigng will be fine there (it always has been). I'm just a big gainer that produces some big ol' babies! =) Not too much longer for you now! Take care!

Unknown said...

Oh good that everything is good. :)You are one blessed Mama!

Anneatheart said...

Wow, not too far off. My youngest was born March 3.

My new ob did tell me that if I came to the hospital in pretty good labor, that he would let me have it vaginally. We'll see...

If I do have a c-section, I will be requesting that staples come out before I leave the hospital. The last two times they left them in for 5-6 days and they started growing to my skin. It hurt so much I cried when they removed them. Also, I will request that I not be forced to get up after the surgery and IV comes out quickly. Dh and I are discussing what to do about future children- still undecided, but we may do a tubal. I think 4 is enough :)

I was going to tell you I completely agree with your stance on homeschooling. It's very important to mold and shape them at this young age. I feel that Leiah would do better where she can get lots of different therapies (for free!) and my Alexa...oh that girl. She is so smart and is constantly on the move, I can't keep up with her. She wants to be entertained all the time and is very sassy/sneaky. It blows my mind and I just think she needs to be very busy at school. I would put her in preschool now, but it's too late in the year.

I just ordered the book 'Setting limits for the strong willed child' and the Duggar's book, so hopefully I can figure out what to do with this child! She knows all the buttons to push on everyone, especially me, and I want peace in the household!!!

Matt and I are thinking of keeping this baby's gender a surprise, but I don't know...when I want to shop for baby clothes it makes it hard!! I only have girl stuff, and even that is getting worn out! I will have the big ultrasound in March, so I have time to decide.

LAter...love the glucose test...yack!

Morgan said...

You're going to be getting the IV out right away, like as soon as you get into recovery? Will you go straight to oral pain meds instead of iv pain meds then?

I hope everything goes great for you! My husband and I want to try for our 5th. baby (which will be 5th. c-section) this summer. My doctor isn't worried at all. He's never mentioned the placenta on the scar thing, but that sure sounds scary!

I'm glad you're healthy and I hope your itchiness goes away!

Morgan

Unknown said...

Hmmm...let's see...

Morgan, nope, not *that* soon! I have IV meds for the first 24 hours, I believe. Actually, I'm not sure....I think I get some sort of narcotic at the same time as the spinal - but it lasts for 24 hours (that's what makes it possible for me to actually ENJOY the first 24 hours of my baby's life with us!!).

Anyways, this last surgery was the quickest I got the IV/cath stuff out - and I believe it was within 24 hrs: maybe that same evening, or the next morning at the latest.

As to getting up after the surgery, I *try* to do that as soon as possible. Did you have a problem with getting up and getting around last time?? I have never had issues with blood clots, but it is always on my mind after the surgery. I am *constantly* moving my feet around, trying to move my legs, getting up as soon as I can, etc.....all in an effort to ward off any clot issues.

I also HATE the cath, so the quicker I get up and prove I can make it to the bathroom (even with lots of help and support), the quicker they allow that silly cath to come out. Ick. Did I mention "ick!!"??

Also, if I had all girls, I would probably find out the sex too! Just to be prepared. But since I have 2 boys & 2 girls, with PLENTY of clothing and necessities either way - this is fun! It *is* weird not to be calling the baby by it's name yet - plus I really enjoy making blankies for my baby - and I'm just not motivated with a UNI-sex blankie.

As to the staples - YES, get them taken out asap! I have had it done both ways as well, and yes, I cried when they took them out at the doc's office, 'cause it hurt so bad! My OB said that's not what's holding you together anyways - it's the under-layer of skin, not the outer-layer. That's more cosmetic, really.

Thanks for the comments, ladies, I enjoy reading what everyone has to say about all these things~
Lori