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A healthy person is...



 
 
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  #11  
Old July 18th 06, 07:20 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Joybelle
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Posts: 89
Default A healthy person is...


"Pologirl" wrote in message
oups.com...

Anyway, my midwife says that locally (she thinks due to the altitude,
which is well above sea level), it is more common for women with
uncontrolled blood glucose to have babies with IUGR, than babies with
macrosomia etc. And that a diet low in simple carbohydrates (not low
calorie! not low carb!) seems to improve (increase) the growth and
birthweight of the babies. That is good enough reason for me to do the
3-hr, 100g glucose tolerance test.


I was going to say something about this in previous posts. When I saw the
dietician, my diet wasn't restricted. I had to make "choices", but I wasn't
ever starving or eating too little, and I'll admit I was probably eating
better than I'd been prior to being diagnosed. If I remember right, I ate
something like 4-5 carb choices for breakfast, 1-2 for a snack, 4-5 for
lunch, 1-2 for a snack, 3-4 for supper and 1-2 for a bedtime snack. Or
something like that, but I was eating frequently and well. Also was given a
bunch of info on proportion sizes, etc. If the diet was restrictive, to be
honest, I wouldn't have done it.

Joy


  #12  
Old July 21st 06, 09:18 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Pologirl
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Posts: 342
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR

I am SuperWoman, capable of dodging speeding bullets as fast as her OBs
shoot 'em!

Gestational diabetes. I passed the 3-hour GDTT (which is also the
diagnostic test for diabetes, period) with no blood glucose counts over
100 (in whatever units are used in the US). Whew. That test took
about 4 hours total, and involved 4 needle sticks. I had the blood
draws for all the other tests done at the 4th needle stick. In all,
4+8 = 12 little tubes of blood. Monkey Boy sat on my lap throughout
and was very good. This serves to acustom him a little to the scarier
aspects of his own physician visits. If Mommy can be calm for a needle
stick, so can he. He already knows they hurt; what he does not know,
being only 2, is how adults would prefer him to deal with them.

Oligohydramnios. This week's US showed no fluid in the baby's kidneys
now, and plenty of amniotic fluid. No hydronephrosis and no
oligohydramnios, yay! And the dramatic increase in amniotic fluid is
further evidence that the baby's kidneys are normal.

Re IUGR, the US also produced much better measurements all around
except abdominal circumference (AC). But I think here too this baby is
taking after Monkey Boy. His AC too was disproportionately small in
prenatal USs and at birth. So the suspected IUGR may indeed be not
IUGR, rather nothing wrong at all.

The baby also passed this week's 2nd NST, again with flying colors.
And the US showed good breathing motion, so the baby's lungs are
maturing nicely.

Next week, I get a prenatal visit, which should include results of all
the blood tests hunting for a blood clotting and/or immune system
disorder. ALso, two more NSTs and an US, the US to look specifically
at the sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT). In this week's US, there does
appear to be an abnormal extra artery in the vicinity of the SCT. That
could be very, very bad news, by allowing the SCT to grow much faster
than the rest of the baby and hence become much larger. But as we are
now at 30 weeks, the prognosis is not anywhere near as dire as it would
have been 10 or even 5 weeks ago. And this baby clearly is otherwise
healthy and vigorous, all good signs in case growth of the SCT does
necessitate an early C-section.

  #13  
Old July 22nd 06, 04:09 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Pologirl
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Posts: 342
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR

Andrea Phillips wrote:
[...] I really admire the matter-of-fact way you're taking all of
this as it comes at you, though, that's for sure.


Partly, that's an act. One way to Make It So is to Act As If. Part of
me desperately wants to have a complete breakdown and let/make someone
else be in control of everything. But there isn't anyone to do that
for me.

DH is very caring and supportive, but he had a very sheltered
upbringing. This is all way outside his experience and his comfort
zone, and he copes mainly by thinking about other, less scary things.
At present he also cannot cope with the unpleasant discovery that our
roof leaks, something that I too am mostly ignoring.

2yo Monkey Boy is very sensitive. He saw me crying one day in
frustration at screwups with our medical insurance, and said "Mommy is
broken." That just about broke my heart. He was only testing a
theory, I suppose, because he was relatively calm. I am his rock, so
how can I break? Contrast that to the following scene. We watch maybe
1 hour of TV per day; today he saw on a TV show a figurine
accidentally smashed, and broke into violent tears and wailing. We
immediately turned the TV off and I held him and assured him the people
on the show would glue the broken figurine back together and it would
be all okay. He took maybe 5 minutes to calm down.

  #14  
Old July 23rd 06, 05:40 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Joybelle
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Posts: 89
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


"Pologirl" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am SuperWoman, capable of dodging speeding bullets as fast as her OBs
shoot 'em!


FABULOUS!!! That is awesome news all around. Hopefully, now, there isn't
anything going on with an abnormal extra artery. You are in my thoughts
often, pologirl, and I am so happy for you and to read such a good report!


Joy



  #15  
Old July 23rd 06, 08:21 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Joybelle
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Posts: 89
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


"Pologirl" wrote in message
ups.com...
Andrea Phillips wrote:
[...] I really admire the matter-of-fact way you're taking all of
this as it comes at you, though, that's for sure.


Partly, that's an act. One way to Make It So is to Act As If. Part of
me desperately wants to have a complete breakdown and let/make someone
else be in control of everything. But there isn't anyone to do that
for me.


((((HUGS)))) I know, so know, the feeling.

DH is very caring and supportive, but he had a very sheltered
upbringing. This is all way outside his experience and his comfort
zone, and he copes mainly by thinking about other, less scary things.
At present he also cannot cope with the unpleasant discovery that our
roof leaks, something that I too am mostly ignoring.


I remember the day my ceiling in the kitchen started pouring water from a
roof leak. I just sat there and watched it before I did anything because it
felt quite overwhelming to do anything at all!!

I will say, that once the pregnancy ended, and all the what ifs, maybes,
hows, the uncertainty, unknowns, became more dealable, I guess would be the
word. My son is here, he had major surgeries within hours of being born. I
feel blessed and lucky he survived, and he's had surgeries since then. They
are life-sapping events, but they also end up being life renewing, if that
makes any sense.

I told my husband after Grant was born, "y'know all kids come with the
potential to have problems, but this one has huge warning labels". When
people want know whether he'll be able to walk, or they assume because he's
alive he's Healthy, it's hard to answer. It used to matter a great deal,
and now, it's more about what can he do, and I'll be pleased with whatever
we get.

My house is an utter and complete disaster. Somedays, I look at it, and I
care. Actually, lately, I have been achieving somethings around here. I
think what you and your hubby are going through is normal. It Will get
better, but it does take time.

2yo Monkey Boy is very sensitive. He saw me crying one day in
frustration at screwups with our medical insurance, and said "Mommy is
broken." That just about broke my heart. He was only testing a
theory, I suppose, because he was relatively calm. I am his rock, so
how can I break? Contrast that to the following scene. We watch maybe
1 hour of TV per day; today he saw on a TV show a figurine
accidentally smashed, and broke into violent tears and wailing. We
immediately turned the TV off and I held him and assured him the people
on the show would glue the broken figurine back together and it would
be all okay. He took maybe 5 minutes to calm down.


That was, and has been, the hardest part for me, how this affected the other
kids. Not easy. Poor Monkey Boy. My son was two, also, and he turned
three shortly after G was born. G was in the hospital when my second
daughter was to have her fifth birthday party, and he was to have his third.
It broke my heart having to miss that day, and when I returned he just DID
NOT UNDERSTAND. It has been tough figuring out how to not let him
completely run roughshod over everyone (he expressed himself through lots of
anger and hitting, biting, punching) and giving him the love and reassurance
(and understanding) he needs. My 5yo tells me everytime I leave the house
she doesn't want me to go because she's afraid I'll hit a deer and die. My
7 yo is a bit more blase about things, but she's asked often, when we're
going through a surgery, if G will die.

Your poor little tyke. They are so amazing, aren't they, in seeing how
we feel? I think my kids are what held me together no matter how often I
just wanted to break down. There were days (are days) where I didn't hold
it all together, but I think my kids have been my rock so that I can be
their rock, y'know? I hold onto them, and therefore I'm strong for them.

I often receive comments about how strong I am, but I don't think that's the
case. I'm doing what has to be done. When you are in the situation, you
have the choice. Do i deal or not? When you choose to deal, you take it
one day at a time. Sometimes you fail, sometimes you succeed, most of the
time you just "do".

Being at 30 weeks was a tough time. Those last few weeks are so full of ups
and downs. Positive appointments, negative appointments, it was crazy. so
close, yet so far. Take care. You continue to be in my thoughts.

Joy


  #16  
Old July 24th 06, 03:41 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Pologirl
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Posts: 342
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


Joybelle wrote:
Hopefully, now, there isn't anything going on with an abnormal extra artery.


I hope not too. But it is a very bad sign. We have been expecting the
tumor to eventually grow itself an arterial tap, but hoping it would
not happen. Without its own dedicated blood supply, a tumor cannot
grow very rapidly; with one, it can.

  #17  
Old July 27th 06, 10:24 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Joybelle
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Posts: 89
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


"Pologirl" wrote in message
oups.com...

Joybelle wrote:
Hopefully, now, there isn't anything going on with an abnormal extra

artery.

I hope not too. But it is a very bad sign. We have been expecting the
tumor to eventually grow itself an arterial tap, but hoping it would
not happen. Without its own dedicated blood supply, a tumor cannot
grow very rapidly; with one, it can.


Hope all is well, Pologirl. Do you have any recent news about the abnormal
extra artery?

Hugs to you and your sweet baby.

Joy


  #18  
Old July 29th 06, 05:01 AM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Pologirl
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Posts: 342
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


"Pologirl" wrote
We have been expecting the
tumor to eventually grow itself an arterial tap, but hoping it would
not happen. Without its own dedicated blood supply, a tumor cannot
grow very rapidly; with one, it can.



Joybelle wrote:
Hope all is well, Pologirl. Do you have any recent news about the abnormal
extra artery?

Hugs to you and your sweet baby.


Thanks!

Bottom line: no news is good news.

This week's US again showed what appears to be a new, dedicated artery,
but the mass shows no significant growth since 2 weeks ago. Baby's
kidneys, bladder, heart, head, spine, placenta all look normal. The
bladder still appears to be pushed a little high in the abdomen, but
the kidneys and heart are where they belong. Growth is on curve, and 2
non stress tests were normal, all of which suggests the baby is simply
small, not suffering IUGR. The gazillion blood tests fishing for
possible maternal causes of IUGR are not all in yet, but all those in
so far are normal. The amniotic fluid was okay but less than last
week's abundant volume: I need to continue drinking far more water
than feels like enough. Ugh.

The US radiologist was very surprised not to see significant growth of
the mass, and wondered out loud if the mass might not be a
sacrococcygeal teratoma at all. In which case, WHAT IS IT? It looks
even less like a neural tube defect... Argh. The MRI planned for
after the baby is born will be important here, to see before surgery
exactly how large this mass is and what organs are involved or
impacted. Once the baby is outside me, the MRI team can use a special
tiny-baby sized sensor array to get new images of much higher
resolution. Then the surgical team can make its own plan of attack.

  #19  
Old July 29th 06, 01:48 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Andrea Phillips
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Posts: 48
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


Pologirl wrote:

This week's US again showed what appears to be a new, dedicated artery,
but the mass shows no significant growth since 2 weeks ago. Baby's


That's something of a relief, then.

kidneys, bladder, heart, head, spine, placenta all look normal. The
bladder still appears to be pushed a little high in the abdomen, but
the kidneys and heart are where they belong. Growth is on curve, and 2
non stress tests were normal, all of which suggests the baby is simply
small, not suffering IUGR. The gazillion blood tests fishing for
possible maternal causes of IUGR are not all in yet, but all those in
so far are normal. The amniotic fluid was okay but less than last
week's abundant volume: I need to continue drinking far more water
than feels like enough. Ugh.


So far so good... Hey, maybe there's something to having a poclet of
the internet rooting for you, then


The US radiologist was very surprised not to see significant growth of
the mass, and wondered out loud if the mass might not be a
sacrococcygeal teratoma at all. In which case, WHAT IS IT? It looks
even less like a neural tube defect... Argh. The MRI planned for


Gosh, that's got to be so incredibly frustrating. To become so informed
about what you're facing and then find out now that it might be
something totally different, which you may not be prepared for... when
are you due? And at this point do you stand a good chance of making it
to term, or are you likely to see an early induction/section? It sounds
like things are going well enough that they'll let you keep cooking for
now since it doesn't look like IUGR, but the situation can change
pretty rapidly.

after the baby is born will be important here, to see before surgery
exactly how large this mass is and what organs are involved or
impacted. Once the baby is outside me, the MRI team can use a special
tiny-baby sized sensor array to get new images of much higher
resolution. Then the surgical team can make its own plan of attack.


How fast will all of this happen after birth? Within hours? Days? Weeks
or months?

  #20  
Old July 29th 06, 11:43 PM posted to misc.kids.pregnancy
Pologirl
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Posts: 342
Default Gestational diabetes, oligohydramnios, IUGR


Re IUGR, I am dealing with two schools of professional approach. The
one says "baby under 10th percentile equals IUGR, period; monitor
closely and if *anything* looks off do an early C-section". The other
says "baby under 10th percentile equals *possible* IUGR: must find out
if baby is falling off its growth curve. If so, monitor closely and if
anything *else* looks off do an early C-section". My current
management reflects a compromise between these two schools. This baby
is under 10th percentile on several measures, but is on curve.
Nonetheless, I am being monitored very closely. So far all looks okay.
An OB without nerves of steel probably would be thinking "IUGR + SCT =
take the baby *now*". But by all accounts, babies with SCT do better
the longer they are allowed to cook, all else being equal. The
diagnosis of SCT itself is not sufficient reason to take the baby
early.

What if this isn't an SCT? To some extent, it doesn't matter. A tumor
is a tumor, and any tumor that gets a good blood supply can grow so
fast that it kills the patient. I still think it is an SCT, despite
the unusual course of development. I asked my team at AFCC
specifically about the blood supply issue, when I first met with them,
and they assured me that most SCTs they first see growing slowly
continue to grow slowly. This is contrary to the (necessarily somewhat
simplified) textbook chapters on SCTs, which either state that all SCTs
grow at an incredible rate, or are vague on this point. But, I am
comfortable with AFCC's experience with SCTs.

I have to say this baby is already a survivor. Of babies diagnosed
with SCT before 30 weeks, fully 25% are terminated and another 35% die
of complications before they make it to 40 weeks (in or ex utero). The
very first decision I made was not to terminate, to give this baby a
chance, but I did have to think about it. I made my decision on two
points. One, the situation was not already hopeless: the mass was
small and both of us were otherwise healthy. Two, among the "SCT
stories" I found on the Internet (most written by the mother), by far
the most painful *to me* were the ones in which the mother chose to
terminate and later learned enough about SCT to realize her baby might
have had a chance not only to live, but to live a normal life. I am
pro-choice, and my personal choice in this pregnancy is to gamble on
life.

Post delivery, the plan is for surgery within hours or days. Within
hours only if there is a serious complication that makes haste
necessary. Any unnecessary delay is to be avoided, because the mass
can within weeks become malignant and in any case the mass will
interfere with various bodily functions that become necessary once the
baby is ex utero. The interference can rapidly become life
threatening.

 




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