17 week check-up & ultrasound!

We started working on our gender-neutral baby room yesterday.  The room is going to be silvery-gray with white trim.  Then, we can add color on the bedspreads and crib sets.  The plan was that Dave and his friend would work on this project and I would lay low.  Of course, I'm such a control-freak, I had to be up there helping a bit.  I started feeling a not-so-good pressure and stopped after a few hours and laid down.  When I woke up this morning, I had menstural-like cramps and a back ache.  Not good.  Fortunately, I was already scheduled for my 17 week check-up this morning.  Weight:  155 lbs. Heatbeats:  140's and 150's.  She said I am measuring at 20 weeks, even though I am 17 weeks.....due to it being twins. Things looked good.  They were very concerned about the cramping, especially since they have me on "watch" due to past surgeries on my cervix.  I was supposed to see the specialist at Strong tomorrow so they could ultrasound and measure my cervix.  The doc called and asked if I could get in today.  I could, and Dave and I went in.  I had the anatomical ultrasound!  That was the coolest thing ever!  It look over 1.5 hours and we saw everything.....including 2 penises!  JOY!  I think Dave was a little bummed, because he wanted a boy/girl.  I'm delighted to have all boys!  We are both very happy.  All the measurements look good.  The babies wouldn't cooperate and turn over so we couldn't get a profile picture.  They are both upside-down and head-to-head.  The measurements show them to be 7 oz. (baby B on my right) and 8 oz. (baby A on my left).  Baby A was very active.....and usually he is the quieter of the two.  I would have guessed that baby B would be bigger, but not so.

So, back to my cervix.  It should measure 35mm.  Mine measures 24mm.  Anything under 25mm is cause for concern.  We spoke to the doctor at length.  There are options:  sewing my cervix shut, vaginal progesterone, bedrest.....but none have proven to help at all.  In fact, sewing your cervix shut has resulted in very premature births.  His best advice is to have some repeat measurements and listen to my body.  When I'm feeling pressure or cramps....lay down!  He also recommends sitting whenver possible and avoid lifting.  They can take me out of work whenever I feel it is too much.  So, not much of an answer, I guess.  He says we have to get to at least 28-32 weeks for there to be good chances of survival and no health issues, if I were to go into premature labor.   He says we have a 7 in 10 chance of things going along okay.  That kind of freaks me out.  No premature babies, please!

15 week check-up

Two good heartbeats today!  The rates are 139 and 140.  My weight:  154.  I think that's a 9 pound jump since the last post.......and I think I need to slow it down a bit!  I've definitely started to show.  The doctor is sending me to see a specialist at Strong, who I will continue to see throughout the pregnancy.  This is due to the surgeries I've had on my cervix.  They need to make sure my cervix can hold tight.  If not, I'm looking at a surgery to stitch it up.  And lots of bed rest.  In another week, I'll go in for blood work for neural-tube defects and Down Syndrome.  That just gives us the probability of there being a problem.  If the probability is high, we can continue with more tests, like an amniocentesis.  Next appointment in 2 weeks.  And, by the way, I'm feeling SO much better now.  AND, I have been feeling movements for this past week.  Very cool!!!!

12 week check-up

We met with the mid-wife this morning.  We decided to decline the testing for Down Syndrome, etc.  She did the doppler and was able to find both heart beats.  One was 150 and the other was 130.  It is always comforting to hear the heart beats.  Next appointment is scheduled for 3 weeks from now.   Weight:  145

10 week check-up

I was scheduled to have a 30 minute appointment with my ob/gyn yesterday.  She was in a rush because she had another lady in labor waiting on her.  What a cool birthday for that new baby:  11/11/11!!  Anyway, since it was a rushed appointment, not much news to report.  She did do the doppler to find the heart rates.  One baby has a strong and fast heartrate of 170.  The other one was either very slow or difficult to find.  The doc wasn't saying much.  That always worries me.  She made a comment that the second baby is hanging out behind my artery to hear the comforting sounds of my own heartbeat.  At any rate, I didn't ask more.  I not going to search out bad news.....I'll let the bad news come to me.  Trying not to worry.  We have our next appointment in 2 weeks.  Dave will be able to attend that one.  I'm wondering if I'll be seeing the doc every 2 weeks during this pregnancy??  Weight:  143  And most importantly:  Able to STOP all patches and daily injections!!!!

Name comedy

Ironically, the only time I actually feel good is when I wake up in the morning.  It doesn't last long, but whoever named it "morning sickness" was a complete moron.  So, this morning we were laying in bed talking baby stuff.  I made us a shopping list of the items we will need for the first few months.  It's not a long list, but it should max out our credit cards easily!  Here is our conversation:

Dave:  So, have you thought of names?
Me:  Not really.  I was hoping to wait until we knew the sexes, but I really love the name "Katherine/Kate".
Dave:  I want to name a boy William, after your Dad.
Me: Uh, so if we have a boy and a girl their names will be William and Kate?  Hahahahaha!!!

That would be weird.  I'm not going to think about it anymore until we know the sexes.  This is too much work!

Miserably SICK

All my estrogen and progesterone levels are still good.  Strong took me off the supplementary estrogen and progesterone......but I'm still on the patches and daily shots.  The next blood draw is in 10 days and that will reveal if I'm ready to come off of all the drugs.  However, my regular ob/gyn might want me to stay on the shots until 23 weeks.  I'm praying I understood that wrong.  I will find out on Friday when I go back for another appointment.  Coming off the supplemental estrogen and progesterone sent me into a severe 3 day migraine.  All I wanted to do was go to Emergency, but I don't know that they can give me the glorious migraine shots that they normally give me.  I suffered through.  It was rough.  Other than that, I'm completely SICK all the time.  I usually can get through work, but by 5p through the night, I'm quite sick. Some nights I can't sleep and I'm awake and throwing up.  Seriously miserable.  I can't get anything done around the house. Dishes and junk and chores piles up.  It doesn't seem to bother Dave and Evan and I'm too sick to nag or beg them to help.  We've eaten the following meals this week:  MacDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Pizza slices from the gas station.  It's been pretty rough.  I've never experienced such agony for such a long period of time.  Having Dave gone for most of the week makes it much, much worse.  I'm praying that this ends after the first trimester.  I'm at week 9 right now.  That's not very far.  It's going to be a long, long road.

First OB/GYN appointment

I had my first appointment today at my regular gyn doctor.  Of course, Strong never sent the records over.  I had to sit there for over a half hour waiting to them to fax it.  I had called them almost 2 weeks ago telling them about my appointment.  "We'll have your records sent before your appointment so your doctor knows about all the procedures you've been through."  Uh huh, right.  Again, they already have all our cash, so there's really no urgency on their part.

My doctor spent about an hour wading through all my medications with me and taking medical history information.  We don't have any "real" information about the donor.  That kind of irks me.  Strong had originally told me we'd get a 13 page packet with all the medical history.  We only got a cover sheet with her height, weight, eye and hair color, hobbies, education, and very slight info on her parents and children.  I'm probably going to call Strong and ask, but I doubt I'll get anywhere.

So, my doc won't do anything about the morning sickness.  I haven't gained any weight yet.  I'm 8 weeks along.  She said that I'm supposed to be putting on a pound a week for another month, and then 1.5 pounds a week for the rest of the pregnancy.  That's going to be rough.  Eating is a CHORE for me now. I force myself to do it so I don't feel sick all the time.  I never thought that eating would become a chore!!!!!

Strong says my medications will probably stop in a couple more weeks.  My gyn doctor says they might keep me on the shots until I'm 23 weeks along.  That is like receiving a death sentence.  My butt is completely destroyed by these shots.  It hurts more than I can put into words.  It's bruised and lumpy.  I want to cry.

I constantly have 6 estrogen patches stuck to my stomach with numbers on them so I know when to change them.  The intern was doing my exam and he looks at them and says "Are these the Powerball numbers?"  Haha!  I needed that humor! :)

Going back in 2 more weeks for next appointment.