Gestational Thrombocytopenia

Say that 5 times fast!

Those 2 words have been running through my mind ever since my diagnosis last week at the Hematologist's office.

What this basically means if that during pregnancy I have a low platelet count.  This is a concern because having low platelets may hinder your ability to clot.  Not a good thing when a delivery in my future.  Also, you are not allowed to have an epidural if your count is too low as this would be life-threatening for me.

Apparently, when the doctor compared my counts with my two past pregnancies he said I was low with them all and there was no way I should have have an epidural with either.  We have no idea why this was never caught or mentioned at all to me but now we know.

I have another appointment for blood work and a visit with that hematologist in a month.  He will keep an eye on my count.  If at any point if dips dangerously low or if right before my due date my count if low he may offer steroids and or a blood transfusion.  Right now there is nothing to be done but to call him if I start bruising easily or have lots of bleeding (nose, gums, cuts, etc) or develop red dots on my skin.  I also have to stay away from taking any ibuprofen.  Other than that I just pray.

So medically speaking that is where I am at.... through in the fact that my Mirena plays the X factor in this mix and there is not a dull moment to be had with the pregnancy. Emotionally, I don't know what to make of it right now.  I am afraid and unsure of what the future weeks will hold.  I just have to hang on and like everything else.....go with the flow.  And maybe practice some natural breathing techniques too.

A bit of cramping this week and a bad week for my lower back too.  Things just had to be getting better soon.

Here is a positive thinking video...........

My Watchtower

When you are a Mother or an expecting Mother, you are constantly on guard.  You look out for your child, you look ahead to make sure they are on the right path, you look out for dangers or problems coming up so you can tackle them before they get too big.  You are in a watchtower for the rest of your life.  I don’t mind this job at all, in fact the more years that go by of being a Mother the more confident I have become.  I have learned that you need to listen to that little voice in your head, that feeling of something is just off and react.  No matter how small it is…….please listen and respond.  I have learned this over and over with my kids on anything from a tugging at the ear that was an ear infection when they showed no other signs and people thought you were being silly even wasting your time at the doctor.  To listening to your newborn baby cry every night and nurse inconsolably and all the other little signs that lead my to realize something is not right,  only to find out that she has an acid reflux problem and with the correct medication was a happy baby. 

I am telling you this because I want to remind you how important you are as an advocate and protector of your children.  And also to have faith and confidence in yourself that you know what to do. 

I have had to bring both my kids to the doctor and E.R. in the last couple weeks.  I made the call enough is enough and brought them in.  My son had Pneumonia and my daughter had Serum Sickness.   Click here, about serum sickness, if you want to read what that is all about.  It is an adverse reaction to an antibiotic she was on.    I don’t have the energy to write about it and I sincerely hope that you don’t ever have to deal with this issue with your child.  It is horrendous. 

I started my Monday morning with a call from the doctor.  She had the results of my tests for Gestational Diabetes and for Anemia.  Good news is I don’t have either of them.  Bad news is that my platelet count is low.  I had to head off to the lab again for a bigger round of blood work and liver function testing and am scheduled with a Hematologist for later in the week.  She didn’t really have too much information for me on the phone except to say that the normal range is 150-400.  My numbers at the beginning of this pregnancy were 150 and they are now 111.  A number of reasons could be the cause and this will need further testing.  She also mentioned that if my number remain low I will not be able to get an epidural.  Besides the scare that when you platelets are low you have trouble clotting or healing, this is horrible news given the history of my last two births, the placenta did not deliver naturally and they had to manually extract it.  The pain of that is beyond words and one of my biggest fears.  With my son,  the epidural worked only on half my body and the pain was so intense I seriously thought I would die.  The birth was nothing compared to that.  And it was no easy one either having to use a vacuum to get him out.  With my daughter’s birth,  I was aware that this could happen again and when the 1^st epidural didn’t really take, I had them try again and that was exactly what prevented me from feeling the horrible pain of pulling the placenta from my body again. 

I was super angry yesterday.  Not fearful but mad.  How much can one person take?  As if my pregnancy wasn’t complicated enough already…..now this!  Come on!  And then after being angry I got scared. 

Today is a new day.  I am going to push that anger and fear aside and move forward.  I will have faith that my platelet number will go up, have faith that my health care providers with do what is best for me and just like, Bob says “ Every little thing………is gonna be alright!”  And also on the bright side of things, when I was in my watchtower looking out for this new baby I  mentioned to the doc about my extreme thirst.  This  caused her to do  the Diabetes test a month earlier that normal is what brought us to find this out.  So that little thing that you know is not right and you think “aw it is nothing”………….please don’t ignore it.  Speak up.  For some reason or another it is a sign.  We found this out a month ahead and will have a month more of getting those numbers back up where they need to be. 

My Mother is going with me to the appointment on Thursday.  She is still up in her watchtower for me and I totally appreciate that.

“Don’t worry.  About a thing.  Every little thing….is  gonna be alright.”

Physical Therapy, Contractions and a Pre-Term Labor Test, Oh My!

Last week was quite the week……not in a good way.

Last Sunday I started getting Round Ligament Pain (You know…..that short and  sharp, stabbing pain if you suddenly change position or maybe after a very active day.  It’s that pain that starts from inside your groin, moving upward to the top of your hips.)  It felt like electric shocks for me and was caused by too much running around and carrying sick kids. 

The next day I started my physical therapy for the lower back pain I have been having since December.  Therapy was good and I felt positive that this was going to help relieve some pain if I kept at it.  So, I started the recommended stretches that week and by the end of the week I realized two things.  One, my back was feeling a bit better.  I wasn’t getting those horrible pains that made me feel like I would drop on the floor when I moved around.  Two, I started having Braxton Hicks contractions on and off throughout the week.  Then it lead to contractions that started as soon as I did the stretches and then waking up in the middle of the night with horrible cramps and an achy back that woke me out of a dead sleep a couple of times.  Of course, when I was doing the stretches and felt contractions I stopped doing them but that didn’t stop the contractions.  I know this was not good.

So, off to the doc I went.  They did a test for pre-term labor called  Fetal fibronectin.  I had no idea there was such a test that would tell you (if you are before 37 weeks of pregnancy) that you may go into labor in the next 48 hours.  So I am passing along some info here to you.  I have been lucky with my two previous pregnancies to have gone full term.  To quote the March of Dimes website about this test, “The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test measures the levels of fFN in secretions from a pregnant woman's vagina and cervix. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the fFN test may be useful for some pregnant women with symptoms of preterm labor  to help predict their risk of premature delivery.”  Then,  she checked my cervix for any dilation or softening and luckily that was none.  It was then decided that there was no need to send out for the results on the fFN test but the swab for that must be done before you check the cervix or it could have affected the results. 

My physical therapy moves are now modified so hopefully that will help things and keep contractions away.  When you have contractions this early you are asked if you have been drinking enough water because lack of water causes contractions.  My answer was, “that is impossible because all I do is drink water……ridiculous amounts of water.”  Which brings me to being tested a month earlier than usual for Gestational Diabetes.  (a sign of GD is extreme thirst)   And because I mentioned it MUST be ice water I drink…..lots and lots of ice, I am also being tested for anemia.  Apparently, when you are anemic you may crave ice.  I was anemic the 1^st pregnancy so we shall see.

Interesting week for sure.  I learned a lot and am thankful to have baby nice and safe still. 

On a happier note than all of this, I SAW the baby moving in my belly last night.  I was watching TV and felt the baby really moving around and looked at my belly and could see her moving all about.  It was great and more entertaining that the show we were watching.  Such a sight! 

Here’s to a boring week to come. 

Custom One Pocket Pinafore

Here is a look at my latest Custom One Pocket Pinafore that I sewed.  Woodland creatures are always so charming! 

My Esty Shop, My Sweet Marmalade now has listings for Custom Pinafores.  You pick the size and color/theme (or I am happy to dream up something for you) and I create a unique garment for your special lady in your life.  Sizes available are Newborn - 5T. 

I really had a good time with this one.  My husband (who rarely gets that enthusiastic over baby dresses) was gushing over this one.  He thought I should have made more for sale and one for our daughter too.  I reminded him that this was a Custom order and will remain a one-of-a-kind but felt really good that he loved it as much as I did.  

Inspiring!

I found this video this morning on Facebook page for Reece's Rainbow and I was moved!

Although message is clearly about the gifts that come with raising or knowing a child with Down Syndrome and spreading this message of acceptance for International Down Syndrome Day, it is SO much more than that.

This is such a great message for all parents no matter what the situation is.....expecting or about to adopt a child with special needs, for parents expecting a baby maybe they were not expecting, for parents who worry about the future of their children and need a reminder to enjoy the present gifts. 

I hope you gain something from watching.  I know I have.

Happy Friday, Everyone!!

The Bump

I haven't shown the Bump in a while.  So.........

20 Weeks and 5 day!

I asked my 3 year old son last night if he knew any pretty girl names we could call the baby until she was born,  since we haven't decided a name yet.  He said right away, "Auroa!"  I am quite certain that he has no idea the meaning of that word but either way it is has a nice sound to it.  My Husband asked him if he meant to say Dora, since that tv show was on in his room but he said no.  Clearly, he said Auroa.  What a little hippie boy I am raising.  Like Mother like Son. 



Bits of A Snow Day

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