Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Baby Bridget's Beats - 31 weeks - Echo #3

Today was another marathon of appointments for little miss Bridget. We started out our morning at Primary Childrens where we had an echocardiogram done for her heart. These scans take a VERY long time and they are getting hard on me physically. Anyone who has been pregnant knows how hard it can be to lay on your back for an extended period of time. Add in the tension of trying to hold still and the anxiety of getting your unborn child checked out and it is just not a fun thing... I had a really rough time of it this morning. I had to sit up several times and take breaks throughout the scan. BUT, we got it done!

The Dr is very pleased with the way the echo went today. He said Bridget is hanging in there really really well. Her heart rate was at 63 today and that is stable for her! She is growing really well. Everything physically is on pace and she is still blowing them away at how well she is doing. (Yes I did still have extra students and Drs scanning me to view the condition again this time.)

I then took a half a mile walk (yes I logged it today) to my next appointment at the main U of U Hospital. Met with an OB from my new group of Drs and got an update on how things are going pregnancy wise.

Bridget is measuring at 31 weeks gestation which is perfect because I am 31 weeks along! Pregnancy is going well. It is looking like Bridget and I will make it to 39 weeks and that is when we plan on delivering. So, we won't have a leap day baby like we thought. But, if she can make it to 39 weeks, she will be born around the 22nd of February. Cross your fingers!

The Dr and I had a talk about depression. I let her know that I suffered pretty severely from "baby blues" after my other pregnancies and I can already feel the depression setting in right now with all that is going on. We talked about the real effects that depression can have and how things might be heightened with our current situation. She warned me that I might find that I feel guilty a lot after Bridget is here. (If I am with my two toddlers at home I might feel I am abandoning my baby in the NICU, or if I am visiting my baby in the NICU I might feel I am abandoning my two kids at home). I let her know the guilt I was already feeling because it is MY autoimmune disease that caused her this harm in the first place. We talked a lot of about real feelings and it was really nice of her to go into details and examples with me. Makes me feel more normal and it helps me be aware of some feelings that could come up in the future. Depression is a VERY real thing and I am so glad to have a Dr that understands and can help. She started me on some antidepressants and I am so glad they are safe for baby and safe for me to start right now! It takes a few weeks for them to really take effect so I am glad I can start even before Bridget gets here, it makes me feel more calm.

Once I finished up there I was sent downstairs to have some blood drawn. My bloodwork from two weeks ago had high thyroid levels. Which could mean I have hyperthyroidism. This is easily medicated and could even be only a temporary thing but if we are having "real talk" I will tell you the news hit me a little hard. I am tired of new diagnosis coming my way. I am tired of adding on medications.  But, we will just have to wait for the test results and go from there. Take it one thing at a time, right?

After I had my blood drawn I made my half mile walk back down to my car and headed out. Bridget is stable and is doing well. I am to keep up with my fetal movement monitoring every day, up my calorie intake and rest when I feel my body needs it. Just need to keep her in there another 8 weeks!

The next echo isn't for 4 more weeks! I do have other appointments between now and then to keep an eye on things, but it is really good that they feel comfortable enough to wait for the next echo. Good job Bridget! Keep fighting girl!

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