In for Good.

I've been slow to post an update on my blog, so thought I'd include an email I just sent out to family.

Sunday morning I had more heavy bleeding and so went to the hospital.  Throughout the day I thought that I may also be leaking amniotic fluid.  On Monday, I had an ultrasound which confirmed that my membranes had indeed ruptured (called pPROM).  Most likely due to the incessant bleeding and chronic abruption of my placenta throughout my pregnancy.  This sealed my fate for being hospitalized until I deliver.  They started me immediately on IV antibiotics to continue for 2 days, then switched to oral antibiotics for 5 days.  Infection & Preterm labor are the big concerns right now, just hoping labor holds off for several more weeks so that Sara can continue to grow and gain weight.

It's already been 6 days, and things have stayed stable, which is wonderful.  Every day and subsequently every week is a big milestone!  The neonatologists, perinatologists, cardiologists, and OB's are all communicating and know me and Sara very well now, which is actually quite comforting.  The plan is to stay here at UVRMC until Sara gets close to weighing 2kg, or 4.4lbs.  That is the absolute minimum weight they will consider her for surgery, which she needs to survive.  The bigger she can be when she is delivered, the better chance she will have for surgery, and higher chance that surgery would be successful. They will measure her growth again at 32 weeks. (I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow) If she's getting close to the 4.4lbs, I'll be transferred to the U of U hospital so the Primary Children's doctors can assess her immediately when she's born. 

At our last ultrasound, the fluid around her heart & lung had stayed the same.  Really just slivers.  The perinatalogist explained that it's actually mild on the scale of severity, and since it's stayed the same for several weeks now, he doesn't think it'll cause any problems.  That was good to hear.

So, for now I'm just chillin' in the hospital.  They've given me a huge room that's all nice and new since I'm here for awhile.  It has a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and I have a great view of the mountains.  It's really hard not to be home with my kiddos, and not to be able to be the wife and mother I like to.  I know this is what has to be done right now, and we're just trying to make the best of our situation.  My sister has been bringing the boys by to visit often.  :)  Reid will come down again to visit next weekend.  This has been rough on him too, being far away especially while I'm in the hospital.  We all wish he could be down in UT with us, but know that it's important for him to save his vacation days for when Sara is born.  He is a trooper!  

We've had to think through some very difficult scenarios, and make tentative decisions so the nurses & doctors know our wishes, and can be prepared should I go into labor in the near future before Sara's able to have surgery.  Oy.  Rough stuff.

Thank you, thank you, for all for your kind words, faith, prayers, and fasting.  We appreciate it so much.  We hope you are well!  xoxo - Kristen