Updates on Mommy & Summer....

Well I have a couple posts to make about our family and things going on but I am going to break it up into a couple of posts over the next coupe days!  First I will update from my last post about mine and Summer's health since I have recently found some more information out.  I went to the cardiologist, my OB and the Perinatologist (High Risk Dr's) in the last two days!  First stop the cardiologist.  Back a few weeks I went to her about the results from the heart monitor I wore for a month.  She actually said it showed some abnormalities; showing what we already knew-several palpitations but also some SVT's (Supraventricular Tackycardia) and she originally wanted to change my medication.  At the time I had been feeling 100% better and was not at the time experiencing any of the same symptoms or even a palpitation so she trusted my judgement and left all be for the time being.  I left that appt a few weeks back with high hopes and instructions to call asap if I started feeling those symptoms again.  Well......not two weeks passed and I started slowly feeling bad again.  Feeling the same bothersome heart symptoms!  Fearful of changing my medicine due to the possibility of my blood pressure rising again since I have responded so well to the current lebatolol I got put on after my admission to the hospital at 19 weeks I waited a week or so before calling but the symptoms were only getting worse and my bp at home was actually kinda rising... so I had to call her back and went back in yesterday.  At that appt we discussed my feelings and thankfully she instead of changing my medication,  agreed with me on the bp rising fear and just upped my current medication dosage- actually over doubled it.  So I went from 400mg a day to 1200mg a day.  Another scary subject that was brought up was a possible blood clot in my leg.  I have had some bad swelling in just my right leg and some severe calf cramping at night that is very painful and wakes me suddenly from sleep that is also only happening in my right leg.  As soon as she heard of this she started talking about hospitalization, blood thinners, delivering early... yikes!  She did an EKG of my heart and then rushed me back for an ultrasound of my leg to rule that out.  THANKFULLY it came back negative for any clots!  Thank the LORD!!!!  So all went well and I just left with an increased med dosage.  Immediately following that appt I had my OB appt for a bp check which also went great!!!  Even though this post is already extremely long I have to add in here that these two appts were pretty early Monday morning and involved a little almost two year old tag along!  I must say I had already prepared mentally for lots of needed patience and understanding but was amazed at the absolute DREAM that Sam was for the whole three hours both appts took!  Even through the unexpected EKG and 20 minute ultrasound they popped up on me!  We had to sit in a tiny dark room for 20 minutes while they scanned my leg and Sam literally sat in the corner quiet as a mouse and watched!  He was such a blessing!  I have also had so many people helping and offering to help me with the kids and appts- it has been a tremendous blessing and I could not be more grateful for all of it!  So moving on to today's appt with the perinatologist.  I had a 32 weeks ultrasound of sweet Summer... and as of today she checked out great!!!  She is weighing in a t a whopping 4 pounds 10 ounces.. up almost two whole pounds from just 4 weeks ago!  The dr didn't seem too thrilled about how high of a dosage the cardiologist has upped me too and is a little weary and fearful of how it may make me feel, how low in might actually make my blood pressure and the fact that the blood flow to Summer may be compromised.  Basically he just stressed to me how important it is that I monitor her activity very closely and if I notice any drop in movement from my current VERY active baby girl to check in with them asap!  As for me my bp today was only 100/60 which for me is LOW... considering my high was 178/102.  He said I will (which I already am) feel very weak, sluggish, faint lightheaded and dizzy! On another note... I mean really how much more right?!.... The "Coxsackie Virus" !  For those who don't know the boys all came down with Hand Foot Mouth aka Coxsackie Virus a couple weeks ago (causes blisters in throat and high fevers).  I heard, of course after sleeping nose to nose with all three of them at some point or another for a week that this virus can have a bad effect on pregnant women.  Ugh!  Figures! SO I mentioned it to my OB and he did some blood work.  Sure enough and to no surprise to me my results came back positive for the virus.  I don't have an active version as I am not actually sick from it but it is in my system.  According to the OB and the Peri drs they are not too concerned since I contracted it so far along in my pregnancy and are not worried about it getting passed to Summer and her being born with it. With the time that will pass between my exposure and delivery my body will have developed immunity and antibodies to the virus and those will get passed to Summer!  So.........  Thats my story and I'm stickin' to it!  No really... all this is good news to me.  Yes I have to be more cautious than your average pregnant woman but all of this for me means the possibility of no bed rest in the end which will be such a blessing!  I mean it is all in the Lords hands and all at His will but I pray and pray that Summer and I can make it to our scheduled 39 week c-seciton without any major problems!!!!!!  Please continue to pray for us and for a healthy and safe last few weeks!  Much love-

Today face picture of Summer!