I called my OB to set up our first appointment right after I got the positive test! Waiting for that first appointment is the longest wait ever. I couldn't feel the baby yet and I didn't look pregnant yet so I was just praying that I was still pregnant. When we got to our appointment (11/9/16) we waited forever to be called back, typical right? Ugh. They finally called us back, and was confused why we were even there. They said it was just for my regular pap smear and check up. Seriously? I was so mad because I had been going there for every month for the last year, then finally got pregnant and was excited to go in and they didn't even know why. But at least we got to see our sweet baby!
Not knowing why we were there was kind of the last straw for me, I was done with our OB. Our good friend was also pregnant and just started going to a midwife that she loved. We decided to go check out their clinic and see what it was all about. I am all about hospital births and drugs so I was kind of nervous I wouldn't get to do anything I wanted. Boy was I wrong. We were called back right away and got to talk to one of the midwifes (out of 4) right away. She sat with us and answered all of our questions and we never felt rushed. We loved her and all of the things they offered at the clinic so we signed the paper work right there! I loved the thought of having my doctor actually there for my babies birth. My first dr. came and broke my water for Jenson and then I saw her a week later for my check up and that was it... It was so strange to me. I am excited to have a midwife that is there for me and my best intentions. I was 10 weeks when we went to meet with the midwife so before we left we decided to do a genetic testing so we could find out what we were having early! The results should come within 2 weeks, so it was perfect timing because we were going home for vacation and that's how we were going to tell our families!
I was starting to get worried because it had already been 3 weeks before we heard the results from the test. Even our midwife thought it was strange we had not gotten the results back yet. I knew it was supposed to be 1-2 weeks so I kept having this uneasy feeling that something came back weird with the test. When we got the call we were in Idaho at Babe's parents house. Jenson was down for a nap and it was just us and his sister there at the time. I jumped up and ran into the room with Babe, put the phone on speaker and waited to hear the news! She said that the test took so long because the test came back positive for some genetic issues. She made sure we wanted to know the sex of the baby because the issues would give it away. I kind of went numb and Babe took over. "It's a girl!" she said, but she tested positive for something called Turners Syndrome (a genetic defect in which affected women have only one X chromosome, causing developmental abnormalities and infertility.) She went through and told us all of the things that can come with TS, heart and lung defects, infertility (most likely not even having kids because she wouldn't haver periods or be able to ovulate), webbed neck, short in stature, and a few more. What we discovered was that the majority of cases (only girls can have it) don't even make it to birth. The chances of still birth or to miscarry go way up. It was so good that we were home with family for when the news came. I had all these ideas of how to tell our family what we were having, I wanted to do a fun gender reveal but it just didn't seem right anymore. We told my SIL it was a girl, then the BUT... came and I lost it. I couldn't even wrap my head around it. I was so thankful that Babe was there to talk to the midwife and be able to explain everything to me better after we hung up. After a few hours of constant tears, telling our parents and looking up TS on the internet (don't do that... haha) we called a genetic councilor to talk about our case.
We were previously given a 95% chance that the test was right. I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that our perfect little girl was going to have so many trials in her life. The genetic councilor was able to give us better news. According to my age and how far along I already was in pregnancy our chance of her actually having it went down to only 5% (what a difference!!) We knew there wasn't anything we could do about it and stress wouldn't help. We set up an appointment with a specialist for when we got back to Kansas and then decided to put it out of our mind as much as possible.
I remember going to walmart and seeing this adorable outfit, we didn't have anything up to that point but I felt like I just had to get something so I had some hope that I wouldn't loose the baby. It's the weirdest feeling trying not to get to attached but still keeping hope that everything will be okay. Every week I keep the baby I got more hope, chances of miscarriage were going down.
When we got back from vacation we had our specialists appointment. We talked to another genetic councilor, she gave us all our options but felt very positive about our situation. I then got to have another ultrasound, She was still so little that it was hard to get a good look at her heart and lungs (where the most concern would be) they also looked for fluid pockets around her neck, all signs of TS. They couldn't find anything but wanted us to come back for our 20 week appointment and get a better look. We had a few midwife appointments in between, but those were mostly just answering questions and checking to make sure there was still a strong heart beat.
We had to move our 20 week ultra sound with the specialist up a few days because of my grandpas funeral. We decided it would be fun for Jenson to go with us to this appointment so he could see his "baby sister" and he was soo excited. He kept looking at the screen and would say "awe she's so cute!" and "I wob baby sister" The ultrasound tech was so nice and even printed off his own picture that says "Hi big brother!!" on it, he still carries it around with him and asks to see baby sister all the time. The appointment was so positive. They couldn't see anything out of the normal, they even said we no longer have to go back to them and can just continue with our midwife from now on.
I got a call from my midwife the day before we were to fly out for the funeral. She mentioned that she was talking to another company that does genetic testing. They offered to do another test for free so that she could compare the 2 tests and see if they test positive for the same things or what is different. It was a good thing it was for free too because it's a $6, 000 blood test! The difference was they separate my blood and the babies blood unlike the first test where it really could be me with a mosaic TS genes. I was trying to not get my hopes up for the results but I was still praying everything would come back normal. We got the results a 2 weeks later that everything came back negative in the testing!! She didn't even test positive for TS! I still can't believe it! It doesn't mean that she doesn't have it still but we will just get her tested when she is born to make sure. But as of now we are moving forward like nothing is even wrong. What a blessing that is, such a answer to priesthood blessings and countless prayers. I don't think I will ever take for granted a healthy child again.
I am now 23 weeks and have finally felt her moving around. It had been so long since I felt it and was not sure that's what it was. But the other night I was sitting on the couch with my hands on my stomach and felt her full on kick (not just flop around) the next day Babe even got to feel her! Ahh what a answer to prayers she is, and that she can be healthy and growing like she should. I have defiantly not been as sick this pregnancy like I was with Jenson but baby girl sure knows how to make a memorable beginning for us, I just hope this stubborn little girl doesn't come out with red hair like her brother... haha
I know that the Lord answers prayers, even if they are not in the way we thought they would be. He is our ultimate comforter, all things are possible through him! I can't believe we are already on the down slope of this pregnancy!
^^ 20 weeks ^^
^^ 23 weeks ^^
nice
ReplyDelete