Our Christmas celebration began a day early when I talked to the actual doctor who had ordered the MRI on baby B's brain. She called me about 3:30 and gave me a little bit more information about what the MRI showed.
She said that he is reassured by the findings on the MRI. She explained (essentially the same thing I had heard) that baby B has a slightly larger 4th ventricle and slightly smaller vermis of her cerebellum. She said these findings are mild and could potentially be a normal variant-but there is no way to tell just yet. She explained that while we are calling this "Dandy-Walker variant" we won't know for sure until they do a follow up MRI of baby B's brain after she is born. She said that most DW variant patients are missing the corpus callosum between the two sides of the brain-which our baby is not missing. Also, most DW variant patients have other abnormalities in their heart, kidneys, limbs, etc. and our baby has no other abnormalities. :) She said that as far as news goes, this is the best news they could have hoped for. She did keep telling me that none of this is 100% but that everything looks good and we need to be hopeful that nothing else shows up. She said normally the next step would be to do an amnio but because I am pregnant with the most rare type of twins and that baby A looks perfect, we do not need to put them in danger by doing an amnio. Also, she said she would order an echo on baby B's heart but her heart looks strong, everything is in place, and there isn't really a reason to go down that road-except if that would make me feel better. I am not going to do the echo at this point-they are keeping such a close eye on these little girlies that they feel like if something were to come up we could make a new plan. All in all, the best news would be to have everything resolved and perfectly normal but since I knew there was something going on-this is the best news we could have hoped for. I am very relieved and thankful for this wonderful news. Today I am going to meet with a pediatric neurologist to hopefully find out more about what could happen in the future. I'll be sure to update about that when I get a chance.
Christmas was fun! Jake had a great time getting into opening presents-we quickly learned that we couldn't let him fool us that he doesn't know how to open presents-he is a pro at it now. He handed us presents to help him with but once we stopped helping him, he did it on his own. What a turkey! Towards the end of the day when we were opening up stockings J-man was opening everyone's presents! It is hard to know what they will do when they only have a couple of opportunities to open presents every year. I guess we need to wrap up old toys and have him practice so he is ready once September comes! Just kidding. J loved turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. He ate an entire Christmas dinner after he woke up from his nap. It is much easier eating and enjoying our meals when he is still sleeping. I'm so glad he had a good day. Christmas is so much more fun after having kids. I can't imagine ever having another Christmas celebration without seeing the joy through a child's eyes. It was perfect.
I am going to hospital prison a week from today! It has come so quickly! I can hardly believe that I will be 25 weeks along at the end of this week-especially when all of my baby apps tell me that at 24 weeks babies are viable (although they have many, many, many health problems and need serious medical interventions). The thought of having these babies right now is terrifying so I am looking forward to being on monitors daily and keeping them inside until they are healthier. The NICU doctor I talked to a few weeks ago said this is the most critical time to stay pregnant with the main goal of staying pregnant until 30 weeks-which puts me at February 2nd. Hopefully I am crossing my fingers and saying all of my prayers that they will be mellow and well-behaved babies and will stay inside until 34 weeks (March 1st). Who knows though....
I am all packed and ready to go because the next few days are packed with so much to do. I am going to Fort Collins tomorrow to spend time with my parents and to do some last minute shopping for the newborn essentials that we will need to have at home-so we don't have to think about it while the babies are in the NICU. Friday I have a growth ultrasound with my high risk doctor to check everyone's progress. This upcoming weekend we are getting a new car. This is usually exciting BUT it is very stressful with the timing and needing to get this figured out before I go to the hospital-so it is one less thing we need to do after they are here. I am trying to be real thinking about the babies being in the NICU. Who knows how long/short they will be there but I know I will not want to be going all around running errands and getting things done. I will want to be with them as much as I can until it will be time to pick up Jake and spend the evening and night at home with just him. I am looking forward to this time with him, especially since it will have been SO long since I have just been with my best boy. Bobby is going to the last Broncos game on Sunday and on Monday I am getting my hair cut and running a few last errands before Tuesday is here. I'll update about the neurologist appointment when I can but I am crossing my fingers for only the very best news possible.
Pictures soon, I promise!
No comments:
Post a Comment