January 4, 2012

Post 1

When I discovered I was pregnant with my first child I was ecstatic. I was finally going to be a mother. This was something I had thought about often the past few years.
By the time I was about 4 months pregnant I started feeling sharp pains in my abdomen. I went to the hospital and discovered I was actually having contractions and had started to dilate.

The hospital gave me a paper to sign stating that they could not guarantee they could save my baby. The nurse explained to me, in few words, that I needed to sign the paper in order to receive treatment. I was given a shot to pump up my baby’s lungs and other medications to try and stop the contractions.
I was in and out of the hospital almost every other week. I was seeing a obstetrics specialist and received a sonogram every week. My obstetrician kept commenting on the large amount of amniotic fluid I had. And every once in awhile he would catch the heart rate in the high hundreds.
By the time I was 5 months pregnant my baby’s heart rate would periodically race to about 200-300 beats per minute. I was given heart medication to slow down my heart, in order to slow down my baby’s.
I continued to have contractions and remained dilated 4 cm the entire pregnancy. On occasion, despite the heart medication, my son’s heart rate would speed up. It got to the point where, anytime I went to see my OB or perinatologist, I packed an overnight bag. I knew I would be going back to the hospital.

On Dec 1st 2010, I went for a checkup. There it was again. His tiny heart was racing. It was beating so fast it almost sounded like one continuous sound. I could barely make out a beat. She simply looked at me and said "get to the hospital, do not stop at go and don’t collect 200".

When I arrived at the hospital the nurses wasted no time in prepping me for a C-section. Everything happened so quickly. From the time I got to the hospital to the time by baby was pulled out, it felt like I was only in the hospital 10 minutes.
At 36 weeks, he weighed 9 pounds 5 ounces. I had a quick moment to glance at my son as he was rolled by me. The doctors quickly
cardioverted him in hopes that this would correct the rate and rhythm of his heart. It worked, for awhile.
As doped up as I was from the anesthesia, I still had my wits about me and all I could think of was I have got to see my baby.
I recall resting for a short time. But soon went to the NICU. It was an emotional moment, seeing my baby intubated. He was so incredibly swollen his eyes looked like little slits. His skin was cherry red and his hands were clenched into a tight fist.
I wanted to do anything and everything I could to help my baby. 



By day two at the hospital, three doctors came into my room to tell me they thought something was wrong with Gabriel. They explained they thought he had what is called Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or possible Gigantism. They kept commenting on how large he was and that his ears were so far back on his head. I didn’t see it.

They continued to talk about types of tests they would run, but by then I had pretty much tuned out. All I could think about was that something was wrong with my baby. I had no idea, that it was just the beginning.

2 comments:

  1. Mary,

    What a story! I have goose bumps from reading the beginning of your journey. It reiterates your strength! I am keeping all of your family in my prayers.

    Angie

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  2. Wow. I could not stop reading it when I started and I was aware of what was going on then. You have a gift and are doing a wonderful job!
    Love you!

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