The last few months have fortunately been peppered with good news about the progress of our pregnancy.  Teddy looks to be doing very well and Meg is feeling seemingly as good as she can feel at just over 38 weeks pregnant.  We’re counting our blessings for what has felt like a “normal” pregnancy over the last few months.

One of the blessings we’ve counted is our experience with the organization Hospitality Homes here in Boston.  Hospitality Homes gives local residents the opportunity to donate their living spaces to visitors in Boston for medical purposes.  We have been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to stay in a beautiful condo in Beacon Hill with our amazing hosts.  It has been such a relief of stress to have one less big thing on our minds and we are incredibly grateful for the generosity and positive mission of our hosts and the Hospitality Homes organization.

We arrived in Boston about a week and a half ago and have since been getting settled and attending a few appointments at Boston Children’s and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals.  Fortunately, my new employer has an office in Boston from which I have been able to work, which has been another piece of the puzzle that has come together really well.  And we’ve had the chance to catch up with some amazing friends in Boston — some who have traveled from near and far — as we prepare to welcome Teddy into the world.

Over the last 10 days, we’ve had our final fetal echo at Boston Children’s, our first meeting with our local obstetrician at Brigham and Women’s, and a non-stress test to see how Teddy’s heart is holding up.  All appointments have gone very well and we are so comforted to be in such good hands.

Most importantly, Meg is scheduled to be induced this Sunday afternoon, and then we will be praying for the best.  We are incredibly excited and hopeful that all will continue to go well.  We will continue to update the blog as time goes on, and again Meg and I would like to express our deepest gratitude for the supportive gestures that we have received over the last few months.  We are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by some amazing people.  Keep the thoughts, prayers and positive vibes coming!

Thanks to all of you who have checked in and continued your thoughts and prayers for baby Theo.  And a big thanks to my amazing mother-in-law, Annette, for joining us on our trip to Boston at the end of December.  It was reassuring, as a nurse, to hear your positive feedback on the hospital and staff, and your comic relief during the lactation consultation will never get old!  We are both grateful to have you with us on our journey.

Our appointments with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital were very eventful, and Brian and I left feeling comfortable, prepared and hopeful.  I met with Brigham and Women’s first and they are ready for our arrival on March 20th.  During the appointment with Brigham and Women’s, I was told that I would be induced at approximately 39 weeks, which would fall around March 30th.

After leaving Brigham and Women’s, we met with a lactation consultant at Boston Children’s. The goal will be to give Theo as much skin-to-skin contact and breast milk before he goes in for his first procedure at about a week old.  We can’t wait for the opportunity to hold Theo and we’re hopeful that the first week goes smoothly.

We were then given a tour of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.  I was surprised with the ease that we felt while the nurse took us around the CICU.  The images we had of Theo in an incubator following his first procedure were far from what we’ll experience.  The babies in the CICU were so peaceful in their own small hospital beds and private rooms, and the nurses were in the middle of replacing their “Merry Christmas” balloons with “Happy New Year” balloons.  The nurse told us that Brian and I will have access to the CICU 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and visitors will be welcome two at a time.

After our tour of the CICU, we had a follow-up fetal echocardiogram, and as always, the doctors did a wonderful job explaining the results.  At a previous appointment, the doctors thought that Theo’s heart had two ventricles that were inverted and missing the wall that separated them; however, we were informed after our most recent echo that there is only one large ventricle with a second “collection chamber” that will not function as a ventricle.  This eliminates the possibility of doing the biventricular procedure that would result in two working ventricles, but it makes the treatment plan much simpler and the surgical procedures much more routine.

We are still uncertain whether Theo will have a stent or shunt put in place during his first procedure.  Our fingers are crossed that the less invasive stent can be used, but we won’t know which option is best until after birth.  In the meantime, we remain hopeful.  We will continue seeing the OB here in Rochester every two weeks, and Theo seems to be doing just fine.  He is very, very active!  And we have been active as well — this whole “nesting” thing is in full force.  We are getting ready for our little warrior!

Mantra for 2019:  “Trust the Path”

 

 

 

Today was a great day.  Brian and I saw our High Risk OB for a “growth ultrasound” to measure how Theo is growing.  Looks like I am in for a treat because as of now, his weight puts him in the 73rd percentile!  This is great news considering bigger babies do better with both surgery and recovery.  I was also not surprised to see him doing flips and downward dogs because that is just about what it feels like to me these days.  The appointment was positive all around.  The ultrasound tech used words like “perfect” and “beautiful” when referring to his organs and overall development.  Considering the news we’ve received to this point, this was music to our ears.

Brian and I are feeling comforted and relieved with our recent commitment to delivering  in Boston.  After covering all of our bases in both Boston and Rochester, it became clear that Boston has the experience needed to give Theo the absolute best care.  Our next step is a follow-up fetal echo at Boston Children’s, a tour of the cardiac intensive care unit, and an appointment at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital where I will deliver Theo.  Boston Children’s and Brigham and Women’s’ are attached which will make Theo’s transfer after delivery nice and convenient.  This follow up, tour, etc., will take place on December 28th.

It’s sounding like this will be our last trip to Boston until we are there at 37 weeks to begin the countdown to Theo’s arrival.  In the meantime, we will continue routine care with our OB here in Rochester. Planning ahead, we have reserved space with the housing offered through Boston Children’s and will likely be staying with friends  occasionally to switch things up.  Things are coming together and we are feeling incredibly confident in this decision.

I’m finally allowing myself to think about the fun stuff!  We can’t wait to meet this little heart warrior.

“You are fierce.  You’re a survivor.  You’re a fighter through and through.  Little brave, breathe.  There is a warrior within you.”  -Beau Taplin