Hope

After many hours of searching the internet for a happy ending CH story (which are hard to find on google) I came across a wonderful Cystic Hygroma Support Group where hundreds of women tells their stories and experiences with CH. Not every story was a happy one but so many are. I counted over 100 stories of perfect babies born after a CH resolved itself.

We have been very lucky and not once has our doctor recommended termination but not all doctors are like him most press termination as soon as CH is diagnosed. Many of the women on the site believe the resolution rate is actually much higher then what the doctors say because so many women are pressured into termination. The support group has given me hope.

Last night I dreamed of the baby, she was beautiful, healthy and perfect in every way. The dream was so real I could still smell the sweet sent of my baby when I woke up. I honestly thought I would roll over and see my perfect newborn lying next to me all snuggled up and warm. It almost hurt when I realized it was just a dream. Please continue to pray for our tiny person's healing. We are so very thankful to all of you.

Research can never prepare you for the pain.

Today was the day of our CVS procedure and I thought I was prepared for what was to come. But let me tell you no amount of research ever prepares you for having a 6 inch needle shoved into your placenta through your abdomen and uterus. When the doctor said you may feel slight cramping in your uterus, did nothing to prepare me for the ice pick that was slammed into my uterus and cervix. My research also didn't prepare me for the fact that the doctor would then need to twist and tilt said 6 inch needle.

My mom was kind enough to take a few pictures while everything was happening. Please ignore my neon white skin tone :)

looking for the placenta

Lots of iodine

getting ready to put the needle in

Can you see how white my fingers are from squeezing Leo's hand

If you look real close you can see the needle sitting on my lap.

Devastating news

It has been so long since I have last posted anything on here but as of 2 weeks ago our lives have taken a drastic turn.

We are expecting baby number 4 and no this baby was not planned but much wanted. After having 3 kiddos in the hospital we decided this time would be different this time we would deliver with a midwife, no drugs, in a birthing center. At our first appointment the midwife noticed that our dates and the uterus size did not match she said we felt more like 8-9 weeks instead of the 11 we thought so we where sent in for a routine ultrasound to find out our correct date. Several hours later our midwife called to tell me that the baby measured at 9 weeks which gave us the due date of March 13 and she also began to tell me that they had found a rim of fluid around our baby's head and that we needed to see a specialist in Fort Worth. Needless to say I was shocked and worried but figured it was jut a bad sono picture I mean after all I am a mother of 3 healthy babies and I was positive that #4 would be no different.

Today nearly 2 weeks after "The Call" we went to see the specialist in Fort Worth, Dr. Thigpen and had another ultrasound done and this time we have a diagnosis cystic hygroma.

Cystic hygromas are fluid-filled sacs that result from a blockage in the lymphatic system. What causes these blockages could be number of things that are all terrifying including several chromosomal abnormalities but Dr. Thigpen did give us 25% chance that it would go away on its own, that the cause would just be one of the many mysteries of a developing baby.

I return on Monday for a CVS test (chorionic villas sampling) at the appointment they will take a sample of the placenta to run genetic test to see what if anything is wrong with our baby.

I'm so terrified I have barely stopped crying I'm not sure what to do with myself except pray to beg the lord to fix our baby, to make everything ok. We hadn't even told anyone about the baby yet. Now we are telling our family about the baby and the hygroma asking them to pray, pray for strength, pray for understanding, pray for healing. We will get through whatever the lord has in store for us. We have each other, our babies and you guys our family and friends.