Friday, July 24, 2009

One Year Ago

One year ago today we got the call that changed our lives. Today is the anniversary of our match for Samuel. We were starting to get really anxious and beginning to wonder if we would ever get a match. God knew exactly what he was doing. Samuel was meant for us from the beginning. Its been quite a year and I wouldn't change a thing. He is truly a gift from God. I continue to pray that R has found peace with her decision.

August is a very busy month for us. Davis turns 6 on the 7th and Samuel turns 1 on the 24th. Two parties to plan. And getting ready for kindergarten. Fun times ahead!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Reading My OB/GYN Records

I recently got a copy of my records from my OB/GYN since he is semi-retiring and I am finding a new GYN to do my annual exams. In reading through the records I can't help but be so grateful that Davis is healthy. God was really watching us that day almost 6 years ago. Reading about Davis' delivery and also about our two losses has brought back a flood of memories. A few things of note in the delivery records are below.

From the typed operative report under Postoperative Dianosis:
1. A 31-32 week gestation with ruptured membranes
2. Breech presentation
3. Fetal distress suggestive of cord compression
4. Cord prolapse
5. Bicornuate uterus (turns out it is actually unicornuate with a rudimentary horn but what a way to get diagnosed with a uterine anomoly)

From the operative report under Indications:

The patient was being observed in labor and delivery with a diagnosis of premature, preterm rupture of membranes and had begun demonstrating bradycardiac episodes suggesting cord compression. At 1800, while I was at the bedside, the baby had an acute bradycardiac episode which was nonresponsive to position changes. Cervical exam was perform and she was 4 cm dilted with a foot present in va.gin.a. There was no cord palpable, but with the pregression of dilation and presence of the feet, the assumption was that she had either an occult or partial cord prolapse causing the bradycardiac episode. . . . decision was made to proceed with the rapid sequence induction and cesarean section.

From Findings section: A vigorous male infant from the breech presentation with the umbilical cord prolapse to the level of the feet.

I remember the nurses in the NICU commenting about how lucky we were since he was the baby with the prolapsed cord. I didn't understand at the time what that meant and was mostly in a daze for the first few weeks of his life.

For the 5 years after his birth as we tried to have number two I was always concerned about the risk of premature delivery again. The chances are great that with my uterus I would never be able to carry a baby to term. God really knew what he was doing when he led us to adoption and brought our precious Samuel into our family. Our family in now complete and I wouldn't change a thing.