Update on baby

I had another ultrasound and appt. today. The placenta is still low but the baby is no longer in breach position currently. They said today that the level on the spine is looking like an L4. That is not an L5, but at least it's not an L3. I asked about the head measurements and strangely enough, the head is actually looking small right now. It's in the 5th percentile. The doc said it is common for the brain to slip back a little because there is more room with the gap in the spine (or something like that) but that with the hydrocephalus that usually evens out more but it's still looking small. Hmm, strange. Well, we shall see what comes of this. They had me take a test for gestational diabetes. I had to drink this orange drink, which really just tasted like overly sweet soda and then have my blood drawn an hour later. Well, that's about all that's new for today.

I'm been finding a lot of hymns, either on my Cd or just hearing them at church where I really appreciate the words. I never really thought of myself as the type to be doing this, but if it can give anyone else the strength and comfort it gives me sometimes, I would like to share it. So here are the words to my latest "favorite", 'How Firm a Foundation". (All the verses are good, I just put the ones I liked best.)

(3rd verse)
Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand

( 4th verse)
When through the deep waters I cause thee to go
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress

(5th verse)
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply
The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine

(7th verse)
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake
I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

Our baby

Well for those of you who don't know, on February 24 I went in for my ultrasound. I prefer not to think about the details of that day so, long story short, we found out our baby has spina bifida. It was very devastating. We talked to the perinatologist who explained more about it to us. Many of you might know or know of someone with spina bifida but you really can't compare any two cases, they are never the same. Anyways, with spina bifida, there is a gap in the spine. Basically, it sounds like the higher the gap, the worse the disability. At the very bottom of the spine is the area that controls bowel and bladder control so I guess most people with spina bifida do have problems with that. The perinatologist told us it looked about like an L5, which meant she would likely be in a wheelchair, I guess kinda paralyzed or something from the waist down. He said hydrocephalus often goes along with spina bifida. The fluid leaks out through the hole in the spine and goes up into the brain. At our most recent appt. her head measurement was 12 when it should normally be 10 for a baby at this point in the pregnancy. We don't know how much bigger it will get. This could likely cause brain damage though, we just don't know to what extent and will just have to see how things go. A few days after the first appt. we saw a pediatric neurologist up at Doernbecher's Hospital in Portland who was more optimistic about the outlook, sounding like she may be able to use braces rather than a wheelchair. But then on the next appt. (with our new perinatologist up at the hospital) with a more recent ultrasound, they saw that the gap was actually looking a little higher, like maybe an L4 or L3, so who knows? It sounds now like she may be able to use braces as a child but more likely have to use a wheelchair as an adult. Again, that just sounds like the most likely scenario right now, it could be a little better or worse. I guess maybe I'm more worried about the extent of brain damage and her mental ability. There are also other possible syndromes that could go along with the spina bifida that we may have to deal with. I was looking at some pictures of babies with spina bifida the other night, I guess hoping for a little comfort that she could still look normal. I found that some did, and others did not, I am really worried about her having a big head. They will do some operations right after birth, one of them to put in a shunt ( a tube) that will drain the fluid from her brain to her abdomen. It will be under the skin so it won't be visible. It is also sounding likely that I will have to have a C-section. I guess the placenta or something is low right now. Well, that is how things are going right now. I will try to keep you all updated.