Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Change of Plans!





Hi Everyone!
Well there is a change of plans. I went into Women's Hospital today for my scheduled check up. The perinatologists have decided that they should induce me earlier than July 13th as they are concerned with Alistairs slow growth. This makes them wonder if the placenta is still not nourishing him properly; so they would rather have him delivered earlier than have him malnourished in the womb. So they are going to start the induction process July 6th! Less than a week away. WOW how things change. Anyhow just so you know, due to the fact they are inducing me doesn't mean I will deliver that day. It could be up to a week from that date and they plan to keep me in the hosptial while they convince my body to start labour earlier than what would naturally occur. Anyhow the ultrasound showed his heart to be doing well with no concerns in that regard. I've also got a decreased amniotic fluid level around Alistair compared to the past which is a good thing. So there you have it things are a changing. There is also a possibility that we could end up in Edmonton or the United States. This is said as it will all depend on bed availiablity for Alistair and myself. So if their NICU is full then we need to go where there is a bed and staffing. Its not the plan but the alternate plan if things fill up here for whatever reason. So at least there is lots of plans around here. So Jason will be moving to the lower mainland on July 5th to be here for his wife and son when he arrives.

Anyhow I just had George down for this past weekend which was super nice. One day we kicked back with cousin Bo who introduced us to a great Malaysian Restaurant which was excellent. We also spent several hours playing board games and watching a movie together. Nice and mellow. Another day George and I headed down to Niatross. While George did a bunch of maintenance I sat on deck and read a book and watched the world go by. It was great to have him down not only to bond with but he was a great help. I got my fridge full of groceries and he actually did cleaning for me! Kuddos to Georgie Porge! Love ya bro! : )
Well people the sun is shining and the flowers are in full bloom and gorgeous. Its only a matter of time now before Jason and I become parents! Its a very exciting time and of course the unknown is somewhat trying but we know its all out of our hands. We just feel fortunate that we have a great team working for the best outcome for Alistair. The deciding factor on how soon he'll have surgery and how soon we will get to go home is based mainly on his vascular system in his lungs. As I've been advised it doesn't matter so much how large or small his lungs are but how the vascular system of his lungs react to medications. Sometimes the complications occur when the vessels do not dilate with medications and the pressure backs up into the heart causing heart failure and poorly oxygenated blood. So that will be the first step for Alistair to accomplish. Not sure when I'll be on this blog again but I may just add another note before heading to the hosptial on the 6th.
So make sure all of you that are heading to those weddings up north have an extra good time up there on our behalf!
Cheers Julie

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

36 weeks 2 days!











So I'm not sure how often some of you may have thought I'd blog. But i really have no idea what I'd write about on a daily basis, as I'm sure you don't want to hear about daily intake, number of kicks, bowel habits etc...! So for now I was thinking about once a week! Maybe more once the little guy decides to join the outside world.

Life is going along tickideeboo. I am of course ecstatic that we've hit 36 weeks (and two days now!) Every day counts! Today I had my weekly ultrasound and checkup with the perinatologist. Alistair is growing, not as fast as the average little gaffer but he's growing! He now is an aproximately 5 lbs! Yes I have all that tummy and just a little guy. I actually have decreased fluid levels around him which is expected and ok. This is likely why I am sleeping and feeling better than when we were at 32 weeks. So bonus for that. His heart is also ticking along nicely, still with no concerns ....so another bonus.

As for me I am feeling really supported and time is flying by rather quickly. All my bridesmaids have been down in the last couple of weeks. Marcy visited the weekend before last and treated me to lots of good food, a bunch of chinwagging, and to the aquarium to see the little baby baluga. Then this last weekend I had Candace down who pampered me with a pedicure and over 4 days we were able to sort out the worlds problems. I also got a surprise visit from my bud Lise while Candace was down so lots of visitors. Now I get to look forward to my brother this weekend. So no end of visitors.

On top of the visitors I've had even more support whether it is dinner and a movie with my cousin Bo or incredilbly supportive and touching E-mails/phone calls from old and new friends and family. It is really incredible to me how people have reached out and I just want you to all know I really have been touched by all your kind words and support. I will be passing on all the good vibes to Alistair and Jason!

Alistair has definitely kicked it up a notch! Literally! When Candace was down she would sit in a chair across the room and could see Alistair booting me up a storm. The belly definitely does some wave action at times!

Well people...I sure appreciate the support!
I'll keep you posted!
Cheers Julie

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Keeping you posted!






Well i figured that since i have been advised to put my feet up 3x a day for 3 hours each I may as well get into this blogging thing. I figure this way you all can keep posted with how little Alistair progresses inside, and once he's outside his massive swimming pool he so seems to love at the moment! Today we hit the 35 week mark which is a great relief to me. Every day that goes by gives Alistair that much more strength to survive out in the real world. So for those of you that don't know there is a total of 40 weeks in a pregnancy for the little guy to meet full term. So 5 weeks to go! I have been informed that I will be induced between 39 & 40 weeks. Basically this means that medication will be used to start labour if I haven't done so already on my own. This willl be done as stats show that there is an increase in mortality within the womb if children with CDH (congenital diaphragmatic hernia) are not delivered prior to 40 weeks.

Jason was just down to visit for a week which was great timing as there were A LOT of appointments scheduled then. In that week we got in two ultrasounds, 3 home visits assessing Alistairs heart, two meetings with two seperate perinatologist, a meeting with the general surgeon, and a meeting with a neonatologist who gave us a tour of the NICU as well. So needless to say it was a super busy week. However, it was nice for both of us to beable to be together during this time so that we could grasp the reality of it all together.

I am feeling great physically and mentally now that I am settled into the big city. This last week Alistair has really picked up on the activity level. He obviously likes the evenings as my stomach starts doing the wave from about 7pm to 9pm. It really is quite bizzare to see him rolling about in there!

Well we'll see how well i keep up on this blogging thing. I'm really hoping that it will be nice for all of you following the birth more so than prior to.

K Love to All! Julie

Sunday, June 7, 2009

34 weeks and Counting!


Hello Hello! ( i sent this out early june to some of you)

Well I thought it was about time I sent another update. I'm happy to say that we've reached 34 weeks gestation! This is a good thing as full term is at 40 weeks and the longer he stays in his nice little swimming pool the more developed and fatter he'll get. This will allow him to fight all the better when he gets out in the real world.

I had to move down to Vancouver about 2 weeks earlier than expected as I have polyhydramnios. Which they expected could happen. Basically the kid has a big swimming pool as he is no longer able to swallow or breath in the amniotic fluid (fluid around the babe) which helps maintain a balance. So my tummy has been growing and growing and growing! I was measuring 37 weeks gestation at 33! Hence the fact the belly is hangin out under my shirt in the pics I've attached! Anyhow they were thinking of draining off some of the fluid but he is totally content and I have to be unable to speak in a full sentences while sitting which is definitely not happening. I'm happy with this as with this "decompression" i could be set into labour. Anyhow, I think the belly is going out more than up as you'll see in the pics. Apart from that there was concern about the placenta not nourishing him properly but that seems to be ruled out at the present. They did some checks of the flow of the umbilical cord and the blood flow seems to be appropriate. Whew! If its not one thing its another.

I drove down to PG May 18th and then Mom jumped in the truck and we headed south through snow storms until Cache Creek. We found my new home which happens to be very convenient. Its an apartment about 10km from the hosptial with a great 180 deg view of the mtns. George also flew down for the weekend and while I flaked out they worked on Niatross to pretty her up a bit. It was nice to have them there for the transition of northern girl to big city girl.

I really have been far from lonely down here. After Mom and George left, friends from up in Ft St John were down, one of which took the fun prego pics in VanDusen Botanical Gardens. I then had a visit from another friend from FSJ for a night. I've also been busy with old high school friends and my cousin Bo and his girlfriend Alisha. On top of that I have an antepartum home care nurse come to the apartment 2x a week to monitor Alistair's heart in relation to his movements plus a weekly ultrasound and doc visit. So if anything I have to remember i have to slow down some as they have me on restricted activity as they don't want me going into labour early if at all possible.

So not sure if I had told you in the last E-mail but Jason decided he was sick of me calling the kid "The Kid" so he took it upon himself to name the little guy. So he is Alstair Bernard MacMillan. Both names are formed from Jason's grandfathers names, Alison and Bernard.

Jason is down now for a week which is great. We decided he should come down now rather than earlier as we have appointments with a general surgeon, NICU doc, plus he'll catch a couple of ultrasounds. It was great as the lady who did the ultrasound on Friday is really passionate about prego ultrasounds and she knew Jason hadn't been about for awhile so she really took the time to show him absolutely everything:heart, profile, healthy brian, lungs, arms, legs, feet, etc... She says he has Jason's nose and he thought he had mine! So whatever the outcome it will be a big one! : )

After Jason leaves I still won't be alone. Then my buds Marcy and Candace will come for a few days over the next two weekends. After that George and another bud may come in the weeks after. So this girl is feeling incredibly supported.


So it really is just a growing and waiting game. I'm enjoying the fresh fruit and veg while I'm at it and getting to see a completely different side of Vancouver than I ususally do. As generally we head straight to the boat and go out to sea. Yesterday Jason and I got ourselves out to Stevensons which is at the mouth of the Fraser River. A great deal of fish tugs park there and great fish and chips are served on the wharf. So we had our feast of halibut and cod. Well I just wanted to keep you posted and let you know apart from feeling more and more like a big beached whale things are presently ticking along nicely.

Hope this finds you all well!

Cheers Julie