Parker has joined us!

Friday, August 31 started off like the usual day in the hospital.  Antibiotics were served up at 6:00 AM, vitals were checked and the doctor/resident came in to check on me at about 6:30.  I find it interesting that all medical staff wants you to sleep, yet they wake their patients up extremely early and check vitals every 4 hours throughout the night.  The visit from the doctor this time was better as we set the date for me to be induced!  I only had to make it to September 19^th, which would put me at 34 weeks.  To me this was a very long time to be in the hospital on bed rest, but keeping Parker in the womb was the most ideal.  Apparently Parker had other plans.

At 1:45 PM I was taken down for my non-stress test, which was a daily occurrence.  They would watch the baby’s heartbeat and my contractions for 20 minutes.  There I am, laying on the table, texting Jared and playing on my phone when I feel this gush of fluid… and then a second gush.  I call my nurse in, and yes my water has broken.  Within 5 minutes the contractions have begun and I am off to Labor and Delivery.  Poor Jared is in North Salt Lake, at least 30 minutes away as he gets the text that my water has broken and I am in labor, on my way to labor and delivery.  Jared left work immediately and sped to the hospital.  By the time Jared arrived I had my epidural and was dilated 6+. At about 4:45 PM they took me to operating room as I was dilated to a 9.  It took a bit to get to a 10.  After an hour of pushing the doctor’s way, I looked at the doctor, told him I was going to push my way and within 2 pushes my little Parker had joined us.  He was passed thru immediately to the NICU.  Jared went in to spend time with our little miracle, while I was taken care of. 

I must admit, I am grateful for epidurals.  It made labor amazing!  I would highly recommend an epidural!    

Parker entered the world on Friday, August 31, 2012 at 6:17 PM.  He was 18 inches long and 4 lbs 14 oz.  Parker was a great size for being 31 weeks and 2 days.  He was stuck in the birth canal for an hour, so his poor little head was very misshaped and bruised. 

 I didn’t get to see my sweet boy until later, as I was taken to recovery and I had to wait until I could stand.  My legs were so incredibly numb; it was a very strange feeling.  About midnight my amazing hubby took me down to the NICU to see my miracle boy.  He was perfect. 

His first night he was using a C-Pap to breath.  His lungs were still premature, even though I had both steroid shots to help his lungs.  But he is a rock star and was moved to a nose canula the next day.  Parker has seen his tough days where he struggled remembering to breath and his heart rate would decrease.  Those instances have decreased immensely. 

Poor Parker was born with my sensitive skin and bad veins.  He had an IV that blew, creating a sore on his little wrist that the staff ended up calling in a wound care team to look at it and take care of it.  It is now healing and looking so much better, after about a week.  After that vein blow out, then put the IV in his forehead. It broke my heart.  They then put in something similar to pick line, but it entered at his wrist and the tube was in his vein up to his shoulder.  This was scary, but so much better for him. 

Tuesday, September 4^th was a tough day for Parker, Jared and I.  This was the day of the forehead IV, the pick line and Parker struggled with breathing and keeping his heart rate up.  It was a scary day for all. But Parker is a fighter and has pulled out if it amazingly.

On September 9^th, Parker had several firsts. He was finally able to wear clothes, he was breathing on his own, no IV’s, and he was in an open bed!  This was a huge step and blessing for him.  Parker loves to pull his leads off and his feeding tube out, so now his hands were covered, as were his leads, to help prevent this.   

This week has been much better.  He is handling his feedings so well that I was able to start non-nutritive feedings. With this, I pump and then as he is eating, I try to have him latch on.  This is great practice.  It is the first step in being able to give him oral feedings, including bottles.  We are trying this twice a day and are having some success! 

We are so grateful for our little miracle and how well he is doing.  We are grateful for all of the love and support we have been shown, as well as all of the prayers.  Thank you so much!  

More Adventure at IMC

Wednesday August 29^th was an eventful day.  The contractions were nonexistent during the morning hours! This was nice.  My first visit from the nurse is at 5:00 AM for my antibiotic, then at 6:00 for my vitals to be checked and usually the resident and family practitioner stops in between 6 and 7.  This process definitely starts the day off early.  This is all worth it for our little Parker.  It was nice to take my antibiotics by mouth today and have the IV removed.  The vein was very red, swollen and sore from the antibiotics.  Wednesday morning I had another non stress test to watch my contractions and Parker’s heart rate. His heart rate was still in a great range!  This is always a huge relief.  I have a non stress test daily and then the nurses will check his heart rate at least twice a day as well.  It can be checked more frequently if I have any concerns or am not feeling him move much.  I was also visited by the Social Worker yesterday.  I know it is routine, checking in on my well being and how I am dealing with everything that is going on.  Having taken a few social work classes, I had expected this visit. It was great, I also talked to him about his master’s degree, as that is where I am headed after this current adventure!  Jared and I have had fun playing card games, chatting and enjoying some down time together.  It was fun to have a few visitors and sorry to those that I missed.  Jared and I were able to tour the NICU and learn the process we will go thru when Parker comes.  I am so grateful for modern medicine and for this wonderful facility.  I know that Parker will be fine and eventually this adventure will calm down as we move onto our next adventure, whatever that may be! 

For those of you wondering, yes I can have visitors.  Visiting hours are 11-8.  I am at the Women’s Center and IMC in Murray.  It is building #7.  I am in room 314.  

It was Monday, August 27^th when I noticed that I was leaking fluid so I called my doctor. They got me in an hour later, running 3 different tests to verify what the fluid was.  One test was positive for ambionic fluid, one was negative and the third was inconclusive.  Next my doctor called over to Intermountain Medical center to get a second opinion.  Well I was sent over to IMC for additional tests.  I love the violation of the tests!  It was confirmed that I was leaking fluid, so I was admitted.  During the process an ultrasound was performed to measure the amount of fluid remaining in the sac.  The amount was great still, but I am now on bed rest and will be in the hospital until Parker joins us.  Labor is inevitable now that my sac is ruptured.  Contractions began during the admission process and grew stronger. These lasted for 18 hours and then calmed down.  I slept for an hour and a half the first night, other than that the nurses were in and out every hour thru the night, checking vitals on me and on Parker.  I was hooked up to a fetal heart rate monitor and to a monitor measuring and timing the contractions.  Needless to say it was a very long night.  Tuesday morning I was sent to have another ultrasound done.  It was discovered thru this test that I have lost about half of the fluid in the sac, but was still in a safe zone and Parker’s heart rate was still great and consistent.  At this point I was moved to a regular room and no longer had to wear monitors 24 hours a day.  This was great, it made sleeping much easier and the nurses only looked in every two hours and took my vitals every 4 hours.  This made sleeping much easier Tuesday night.   I will admit, being in bed is very tough.  I am a busy body and don’t do well being down.  But I will do what it takes to get my little boy here safely.

Jared has been amazing thru all of this, taking such great care of me and of Parker.  My co-workers have been great as has my ward and neighbors. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers, for all of the help with our dogs and other needs, wants and crazy desires.  Jared and I are greatly appreciative.  

The start of pregnancy

Wow, it has been a very long time.  I guess this is the perfect opportunity to do some updating.  It was Thursday, February 23^rd, 2012 when the discovery was made that Jared and I would be expecting a little bundle of joy, due date October 31, 2012.  Jared and I are ecstatic.  So here goes the next adventure of our married life.  Our first ultrasound was at 8 weeks and everything was moving along fantastic.  I am very grateful that I did not have a lot of morning sickness.  I discovered that eating something every 2 hours kept the nausea away.  Honey Nut Cheerios were the perfect snack.  I also craved spicy food. Jared’s homemade salsa was heaven sent!  At 15 weeks we discovered we would be having a sweet little boy.  Needless to say, both of us were very surprised as 3 girls preceded our little boy.  MaKayla, Celeste and Emma are beyond excited to have a little brother.  They thoroughly enjoyed talking to my belly all summer long.  Up to week 30, the pregnancy was going smooth.  

Christmas and Family Pictures 2011

Our Wedding, October 7, 2011

The Start of Something Amazing...

So here comes the start of something that could be amazing or just something. Anna and I started an incredible adventure called marriage together a couple of months ago and can say that life has yet to slow down or get dull. We have learned so much about who we are and who we are becoming in the last little while and needless to say we have also yet to stop laughing. The three young ladies that I have brought into this marriage from a previous one have been such a blessing and a tremendous learning tool that we truly feel as though they are a wondrous gift from our loving Heavenly Father. I know that my learning curve hasn't been as drastic or as amazing as Anna's but I do know that I have grown more than I can care to admit at this point. Life is fun, it is certainly an adventure and we are really looking forward to sharing our adventures and knowledge with those we know, we love and we cherish.