Our "Little Fighter"

Update:


So I've nicknamed our little one: our "Little Fighter"...


We had our special Memorial Day dr. appointment today and I quote what my doctor said, "I'm surprised!" He is surprised the baby is still growing, the heartbeat is so strong and the blood clot is looking better!...


The blood clot (hard to tell in the ultrasound but it's the area to the left of the baby's sac) is still there, but it is more "organized" as the doctor put it. Which is actually a good thing. It is not as much like a bleed, more like a bruise now. It is lighter in color on the ultrasound than 4 days ago which means it could be slowly going away! There is still a risk since it is right next to the baby's sac but since the blood clot is changing in color, it's good news that it might just go away. My doctor says I need to be on a moderate bed rest now. I can do more things now but I need to lay down as often as I can.


So, I am 8 weeks today and already this was my 4th ultrasound and doctor visit. The baby is growing and measuring right. The heartbeat is strong and everything inside the sac seems to be developing fine. The doctor did say that the pressure from the clot could have caused and can still cause some structural issues with the baby (birth defects...) but we will know more in the second trimester.


There are so many emotions running through my mind (more 'bed rest' is hard with the kiddos, can't go on walks with the kiddos, can't play at the park with the kiddos, issues with the baby, still a possibility to miscarriage...) It's so difficult right now for me. As I deal with these thoughts and emotions I am reminded of God's goodness and kindness, even through the darkest moments.

I have another blood test tomorrow and another ultrasound at the end of next week... this is going to be a LONG wait...

Ps 56:4 "In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid..."

Dr. Appt

So, it seems that my posts are all about Dr appts :) This next week marks B's 3 month post-op mark and his ear looks AMAZING. So, I will be taking pictures soon and posting them to show off how good it looks!

Thank you to those who have prayed for my doctor appt. We went in this morning and he did the ultrasound. The baby's heartbeat was beating nice and strong! .... although.... the blood clot has gotten bigger and it is pressed up against the sac, where the placenta is. So, that isn't good news at all. My doctor is so great and so calm and encouraging, even with not so good news. He explained that I have about a 50% chance to miscarry at this point. I'm on 'strict bed rest' until my next dr. appt on Monday. The office is closed on Monday but he wants to see me then, and not wait until Tuesday. So, I will be going in to have an ultrasound on Monday morning to see how everything is going. If I bleed or cramp at all until then, I need to call the doctor and go in.
So that means 4 days of laying on the couch/bed. Ugh... it's so hard to do, especially with 2 little kiddos at home. We were all packed and ready to go to Arizona for the weekend and leave after my doctor appt. but that planned changed. My sister and mom are helping a lot with the kids this weekend and I am so grateful for it.
So... that is that. Of course I have the natural feelings of "WHY? and REALLY? NOW? THIS IS NOT WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW...WITH ALL WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, NOW THIS?..." and for those of you who know me well, I'm always out and about with the kiddos, at different parks all the time. So this is a real challenge for me. I know God has his plan for us and this is all a part of it. Even though I have my moments of crying and doubts, I choose to put my whole trust in God and will glorify Him through this.
I'll update more on Monday. Hopefully good news... but it's all in God's plan so we'll see :)

To all my blog readers...

Thank you so much for checking in and reading about our experiences as a family. This blog was set up to document B's journey through his surgeries. It has been an amazing way to keep others connected to our story and now we are able to help others through our experiences. It's been so wonderful how God has blessed us with that! I hope I can help other families forever with our experiences with research, doctors, specialists and recovery.

We have definitely felt the love and prayers from everyone as we went through each surgery and recovery time. Brennan will still have one last surgery, date unknown as of now. The doctor likes to do a "touch up" surgery within a year of the medpor surgery to make it 'perfect'! She waits to see how the ear heals and does a "small" surgery to match the ear to the other ear as best as she can. We don't see the doctor for a couple more months but I'm sure we will discuss it then. I don't expect the surgery to be until the beginning of next year sometime. Until then, we are just letting B's ear heal and enjoying his new life with 2 ears and better hearing!!!

AND!!!...
We have exciting news as a family!!! We are expecting! We surprised our family on Mother's Day! We haven't announced it on Facebook yet but we have told people when the topic comes up. We had an ultrasound a week and a half ago and all that was visible was an empty sac. The doctor said it could mean that I was just earlier than we thought or something might be wrong. I did blood work on that day and had to wait the weekend to get the results. The doctor called on Monday and said my blood count was great. So, then we had to wait until our next ultrasound which was this past Thursday. We had the ultrasound, which measured me at 6 weeks and 4 days and it was hard to see much in the sac. But, the doctor did find a flickering of a heart beat!!! Then, he found 2 small blood clots right outside the gestational sac. He said if they get worse they can cause a miscarriage. But, there is a chance they can go away on their own too. We have another ultrasound next Thursday and until then I'm supposed to take it very easy and not exercise. Ugh.... no exercising... oh well, it's definitely worth it. So, I'm taking it easy and waiting for Thursday. It's another lesson on trusting in God and His plan for us.
So, if you can keep us in your prayers this week that would be AWESOME!!! Thanks.

4 years old!!!

Geez it's been a while since I posted. Lots going on! B turned 4... oh my. He is at such a fun age because he totally got excited about his birthday and understands so much more about it. We had a family birthday party for him on Mother's Day. Then, on his actual birthday we took him to do his favorite thing... miniature golf, or as B calls it, the "golf store". Tomorrow we are meeting 2 of his friends at the movies for a movie birthday party! (notice it's a low key party for his 'healing') :) So, it's been a fun filled week of celebrating.

At our favorite place, the BEACH!!! I found an amazing location where NOBODY goes so it's kind of like a private beach. It's right next to the bathrooms and by a lifeguard tower, and seriously, everytime I run by it on the bike path, there is nobody on the beach by the area. So, I took the kids there to play in the sand and it was wonderful. All to ourselves!!! Hopefully it stays like this in the summer!

Our usual picture on the pier

Swing time!

Park time!

At our favorite park!

Opening his presents at the "golf store"

Golf time!

Never too early to learn :)

Seriously his favorite thing to do

this might be his sport

Cheese!

Picnic in the yard!

Helping mommy bake muffins for his preschool birthday party

Birthday boy!

Birthday at preschool!

Family birthday time at the Melting Pot!!! Yummy!

3D chalk glasses... but oh such a BIG DEAL!!! He is wearing glasses! It's a new thing to be able to wear glasses, now that he has 2 ears to hold them up!!!

Back to playing on our backyard swingset!!!

cousins over for B's birthday

He's wanted this for a long time!

I love his excitement!

I can't believe he is 4! He is such a blessing in our life! God has already done amazing things in his life and I can't wait to see what He has in store for our little guy!