just some pictures

The birth story (and days leading up to)

And this is the rest of the story:

2-11-10

I got sent home from work due to high blood pressure (160s/90s). I was due to see Dr. High Risk the next day but I just called to let them know it was high. He wanted to see me. My sister drove me to the appointment, and Matt picked up Jack from school. I think we all knew what was coming. My sister even made me pack my bags before we went to the appointment. Dr. High Risk had about 3 options. 1) admit me that night, draw labs, get another dose of steroids and probably deliver in the next two days. 2) do an amniocentesis and check the maturity of Brooke's lungs and go from there 3) give me a dose of steroids and put me on bed rest and come see him at the hospital for a check on Sunday. Dr. High Risk talked himself out of all but 1 option and he went with option 1. At this point it didn't really matter what Brooke's lung maturity was because I was the one that was getting sick. So home I went to get my bags, my hubby and Jack. We did stop at Applebee's for dinner first and then headed to the bank to pay the house payment!!!

So that evening they drew labs and gave me a dose of steroids.

2-12-10

Dr. High Risk came in bright and early and said that I could either deliver that night at 530pm or Saturday morning at 730am. Right away, I chose Saturday morning because my thought was giving her more time to cook. Matt wasn't even at the hospital yet so I said I had better wait for him. After Matt got there we just decided to do that evening at 530pm, knowing how crazy HELLP syndrome can get, very fast. My labs were trending downward (not at terrible levels...yet) and my cord flow to Brooke was dwindling and that's why Dr. High Risk thought it was best to get her out of there!

It was the longest day of my life. WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! I wasn't nervous. I was just anxious and inpatient. and STARVING!!! After breakfast I couldn't have ANYTHING. Not even a drink of water.

5pm finally came. I was weirdly calm. I walked to the OR suite and Matt waited in the post op area while they set everything up. I got my spinal and everything went well. My best friend Amy (a NICU nurse) stayed over that day from work to be there for my c-section and I couldn't have asked for anything better. She made me feel so calm knowing she was there and she was going to be taking care of Brooke after she came out. Dr. High Risk is very fast. Brooke was born at 534pm!!! She let out the best sound ever....a CRY!!!! It was music to our ears!!! The whole entire csection was awesome, calm, relaxing...if that can even be used in the same sentence as "csection". I just knew that everything was going to be all right. I knew that she was going to be almost 5lbs and that she WAS going to come home with us someday soon. I got to see her for a brief moment and then they took her to the NICU. Matt did amazing. He watched the whole thing. He can't watch me get an IV or a shot in my leg, but he watched my insides. Everything went smooth.

In post op, I went crazy. I started itching in OR like crazy and it continued for most the night. (Side effect from the spinal). Matt went to be with Brooke and my family came to sit with me. I had to stay in post op for an hour and a half and then I could go see Brooke. Matt was sending me text message pictures the whole time I was in post op so that made me feel better.

She did get a dose of surfactant and then was put on CPAP due to some retracting. I was able to see her around 7pm and we got her baptized by Pastor Dave (just as we did Jack after he was born). It was awesome! After many visitors, we finally headed back to my room. I was still STARVING and I couldn't wait to have some yummy chicken broth...haha!

2-13-10

That morning I got up and showered and walked a little bit. Dr. K in the NICU took Brooke off of CPAP and put her on nasal cannula and I was able to hold her!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!

Brooke updates since birth: She went back on CPAP for another day. Her lungs just weren't ready. She had to be on bilirubin lights for a few days due to jaundice. She also had 7 days of antibiotics to make sure she didn't have any infection in her lungs, making it harder for her to breath. She is now on 1L of oxygen at room air and it doing excellent on that. She is off of her TPN and is taking full feeds of 40ml every 3 hours. She had a little bout of puking after feeds but I think she was just getting used to a full belly, and learning how to burp without puking every time. She is back up to birth weight after falling to 4lbs 7oz and she has no more IV! She tried breastfeeding for the first time last night and did pretty good latching on (which is all we were looking for since she is just 34 weeks!)

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers!!!! We couldn't thank you enough!!!

Enjoy the pictures!

on our way to surgery

kissing mommy before heading off to surgery

kissing daddy before we headed off to surgery

Jack, checking out brooke's footprints!!

a VERY proud BIG brother

Dr. A.....one of the BEST!

daddy checking out his daughter

not a very happy camper

my awesome Valentine's present from my hubby!!! (Edible Arrangements) It was so good even though I wasn't supposed to be eating solid foods yet!

mimi, jack and satori hanging out

her isolette

snuggling mommy

looking super cute

2nd bottle

Her 2nd bottle

brooke and daddy snuggling...and daddy's NOT looking at the monitor!

Brooke Elizabeth Bowling

Brooke Elizabeth Bowling

2-12-10

534pm

4 lbs 11 oz

17.5 inches

33 weeks 2 days

the reigns are tighter

It's Monday! Which means we had our weekly OB appointment. It didn't really end like I planned today.

The reigns are now tighter.

The appointment started out okay. Well, I guess not really. I got on the scale and I gained 4lbs in 1 week. Nothing was ever said about this because in general I haven't gained that much so we will let this part slide.

Then my blood pressure was taken. It was 122/92. Not terrible but that bottome number isn't pretty. The nurse asked me if I had any questions or concerns. I told her about how I was itching all over all the time with no rash or bumps.

Then it was time to see Dr. High Risk. He took a peek at Brooke. She looks awesome. She is a little over 5lbs and her cord flow is wonderful and she is doing her practice breathing like a champ. I asked if she had any hair and he looked and she doesn't really have much. Surprising since I have so much heartburn huh?!?! Anyway.....he then asked me about my itching and I told him and he said I probably have the start of cholestasis. He called me in some Vistaril to the pharmacy and I was going to be gone.

Then I asked if he was okay with my bp and he said yeah it's okay for now. I'll see you Monday again. Then Matt asked why they didn't check my urine this time or last and he told me to go "tinkle" in the bathroom and he'd check it before we left. So I proceeded and it was +1 protein. Then he stopped us in the hall and said he wanted to see me before the end of the week. I started crying, thinking he meant I was going to have the baby this weekend. He said he just wants to pull the reigns tighter (start seeing me every 4 days) since my blood pressure is creeping up, protein is showing up in urine and the cholestatis is appeared. He would like to get 2 more weeks out of me. (I'm 33 weeks now).

So, needless to say I'm a little bummed out tonight. I know I am VERY lucky to have made it thus far and that I have a 5 pounder in my belly but I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN THE NICU for ANY reason whatsoever. I don't even want to be in there for jaundice. NOTHING!!!! I don't want to go. I want to kick and scream!!!!

I know that Dr. High Risk is doing what needs to be done. He said that he should start pulling the reigns anyway regardless of the stuff that came up today because "i'll be damned if we got you this far and something happened" and he is right. And I trust him with everything I have. I know that he is NOT going to deliver Brooke early for no reason just because he is scared. I know that he isn't going to keep her cooking when she should be delivered. I knew going into this all that at some point we would be gambling on cooking or delivering and it would come down to calling "game over"...........

but I don't have to like it!!!!!!!!

working on the nursery

we have been working on getting the nursery put together. This is just the start. Matt is finishing up right now with blinds, curtain and clock. I will post more pictures as we get it complete! ENJOY!!!