Day 10 at SMMC...

Today is Day 10 at SMMC and I thought I would send out a new update!

Baby News:
The doctor decided to take me off continuous monitoring, which was a relief but also scary at first since we had been watching the baby’s heart rate non-stop for 6 or 7 days. They are now just doing daily non-stress tests, continuing with water therapy and bed rest. We’re not really sure why we’re still here, other than the doctors and nurses have just come to like Brad and I so well! Just kidding. So, I guess no news is good news, right?!

Fun Stuff at the Hospital:
Well, today was very exciting because my mother-in-law brought our precious pup up to visit us at the hospital (photo from visit, top right)! We’ve been dying to see her and miss her so much but know she is being well taken care of…maybe too well, I’m not sure she’ll ever want to come back home?? She seems pretty attached to Nana now!

LOTS OF THANKS:
Brad and I just want to thank everyone for their continued support, thoughts and prayers. It seems to really be doing us well! We’ve continued to have lots of great visits since I last wrote…Candi, Matt and Averi (from STL!), Brooke, Cheryl, Jamie and her bf Zach, my aunt Jenny and Jim, my brother Brent, Marilyn, my cousin Tina, and Amanda (with lots of spa goodies!). Amy and Aunt Patsy are working on their frequent visitor cards and have been back to see us too! Our parents continue to be an amazing help and we couldn’t get through this without them!! Thanks so much to everyone and hope you are all doing well!

Lots of love,

Brad and Tara

What you may have missed: Day 7...

Today is Day 7 at SMMC and I think it’s been a good day! I actually got some sleep last night and am sort of getting used to the monitors that I have to stay hooked up to that measure the baby’s heart rate and contractions. Thought I would try to start emailing some updates, so here goes! :)

Baby Houx Update:
The biggest news of the day is that I met with the perinatalogist and had a sonogram and found that Ty is no longer breach, which is great! They didn’t think it was likely that he would get out of the breach position since there is not a lot of fluid but Ty showed us! They measured my amniotic fluid again and it was still “normal-low” so not terrible but they still hope it will improve (the AFI was about a 5 and they want it to be around a 12 but would probably only deliver if it got down to a 2). They won’t measure the baby’s size again until two weeks from today to determine if he is growing properly or not and if it’s better for him to be “in there” or “out here.” The hope is to prevent delivery until at least 34 weeks but won’t let me go past 38 weeks. I will likely stay here in the hospital unless the heart decelerations happen to stop. Right now, I’ve been having them 2-3 times an hour but he bounces back quickly. I have been having 2-3 decelerations a day that last 5-6 minutes and are more severe. At that point they start intervention, which is rolling me around, oxygen, IV fluids and if it has not bounced back by 9-10 minutes they would prepare for an emergency c-section. My blood pressure has been better with bed rest but is still pretty border-line. They did tell me I have gestational diabetes but I’m pretty sure they’re wrong. J I have to prick my finger four times a day and the nurses tell me that my sugars have been so good and they should be pretty high since I’m on steroids…therefore, the doctors are wrong and just trying to torture me with crappy food but I am strong and will take them on!! Haha..just kidding.

Fun stuff at the hospital:
Last night Brad gave me a pedicure, which was SO sweet but my toes look ridiculous! It did hand me the biggest laugh of the past seven days though, so totally worth it. The nurses were worried that I was having contractions but I was just laughing so hard the monitor was picking it up. He painted on my toes too to “make them look bigger.” Great. So funny though! Brad has been such a trooper, working all day and staying with me all night and it is not easy to get sleep here so he has just been amazing! I don’t think I would have my sanity without him.


THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
Our parents have also been amazing! Pam has been watching Mattie for us and keeping us in line at the hospital. My mom has been shopping up a storm getting everything ready for Ty and keeps bringing me new PJ’s to wear at the hospital. My dad visits everyday and brings me freshly laundered clothes and updates me on what’s going on in the real world. J Dave is now my new dietician while also taking care of Mattie.

Thank you so much to everyone that has come to visit and for the beautiful flowers! Erin, Amy, Aesha, my brother Todd, my Aunt Patsy and Greg & Stephanie Franklin have all been out to see me and help pass the time. I’ve gotten beautiful flowers from April, the OPCC, Midtown Tennis Club, Stephanie, Don & Dianna and from Matt, Candi and Averi!! Big thank you to Haley for coordinating our lawn getting mowed while we're living at the hospital. Thank you to all of my friends and family for the cards, phone calls, funny facebook comments and texts. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to have in my life!! Brad and I really appreciate all the love, support and prayers!!

Love to you all,

Brad & Tara