Day Nine: 24 Weeks and 1 day

September 12th 2015

23 Weeks and 1 day today

Feels so good to have made it one day past the 23 week mark. For those of you interested in the survival of infants born at 24 weeks check out the statistics. Gone up a lot in one week!

Charles and Rachel brought the kids up to the hospital while Bill rounded on his patients this morning. I get so excited to see my babies and Elise. They are such blessings.

Rachel and Charles watched the kids during the evening so Bill and I could have a date night in my room after he was done with work. Thank you!

The night wouldn't be complete without some excitement. Baby Abby was having a lot of abnormal heart rates last night so we had to do some extra monitoring and I had to sleep with my body and head down to keep pressure off of my pelvis. Everything turned out okay and baby Abby did great after we repositioned. 

Opened day 8 a day late. Trey was happy....

Words of Encouragement:

So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Day Eight: 24 Weeks 0 Days

September 11, 2015

24 Weeks

At midnight last night we made 24 weeks. This a huge milestone for baby Abby. Her survival rate has now reached 75% and each day is another 1% until we reach 25 weeks. We have done all that we can at this point for baby Abby. We have received IV and oral antibiotics, steroids, progesterone, fluids and magnesium. We will continue to rest, hydrate, monitor and pray for baby Abby.

We celebrated this evening with cupcakes. Every day is another blessing but we decided to celebrate each week as a huge success and get the kids excited for baby Abby.

 
I was so excited to see my kids after a long week and my time with them is so precious. I feel like they both have grown so much since last weekend. I'm thankful they are happy and healthy this Friday.

Words of Encouragement:

I have told you these things, so that in me you maybe peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Dinner date

Trey's cupcake mess

Ignore my daughter

Wish I could snuggle and watch movies all day long 

Rachel included a "time to smile" in her bags each day. This has been my favorite one!

Day Seven: 23 weeks and 6 days

September 10th 2015

Day Seven: 23 weeks and 6 days

Today was another blessed day and I couldn't wait to write down my excitement that another day was over. I had a wonderful visitor in the morning who brought me Starbucks, coffee creamer and much needed Febreze spray (I feel like my room stinks). Thank you Mandy.

I know I  have said this already and I'm repeating myself but the little things really help me get through the day and having good conversation truly makes the day fly. I also enough all the little gifts my friends and family have given me. Again the little things are very appreciated and make my day!

As we approached 24 weeks a great milestone my excitement was cut short around 3pm as I started to bleed and have sharp shooting pains with some contractions. My nurse immediately put me on the monitor, upped my IV fluids and made me NPO in preparations for surgery. Blood work and ultrasound was done quickly. Doctor did a quick exam and determined that I was dilated 1-2cm. Pain and bleeding could be associated with placenta previa. After all the excitement everything was okay. My labs looked good, no infection, ultrasound of baby girl looked great and pain eased. Still bleeding and having some contractions during the night but as Bill and I are learning there are going to be many of these scares as my body prepares itself for delivery. The nurses and doctors take everything very seriously and are very thorough at the end of the day-and we appreciate all that they do.

I wanted to thank two good girl friends, Shannon & Jen who drove up to see me yesterday and were actually in the parking lot when all this went down. I appreciate your support, love and prayers as I was struggling last yesterday.

Words of Encouragement:

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Phillipians 4:13

Mandy brought me these cute frames for the kids to decorate

I did a little decorating!

Day Six: 23 weeks and 5 days

September 9th, 2015

Day Six: 23 weeks and 5 days

Today is the 13th day I have been on bedrest. The 13th day! I can't believe it and feeling so blessed that we have made it this far. We are getting the IV antibiotics, have gotten the steroids and finished my magnesium dose this morning. It wasn't fun but we did it. The bolus of magnesium was awful; burned my vein and I felt pretty warm and loopy for a while. Trying to get sleep was also difficult because I had to have hourly vitals all night long and couldn't move so I could keep baby's heart rate on the monitor. Since she is so tiny and my placenta is anterior we often can't find her, so once we do find her I literally don't move. Lack of sleep and magnesium on board I had a pretty bad headache this morning but I really can't complain-even though I just did ;)

Today was gloomy outside and I wasn't feeling very upbeat this morning after a long night. I was looking forward to my visits today from Leslie and Aunt Angela though. Leslie was bringing me smoothie king and Aunt Angela was bringing Starbucks coffee, seriously the BEST! The simplest things are so wonderful when you are on bedrest. Feeling so blessed to have such wonderful ladies in my life to help me during this difficult time. Got to hold and snuggle little miss Emmeline today as well and she is such an angel. Can't wait to hold my baby Abby.

Grandma Rosie flew in late last night to help Bill with the kids as they had become sick and weren't going to be able to go to Mandy's house. Thank goodness she arrived when she did because Emma got sick today and threw up. Really wish I could be with them to snuggle while they are sick. It was pretty lonely tonight and I was struggling not being able to hug and hold them. I was pretty upset and broke down and today's words of encouragement really helped me.

Words of Encouragement:

In the day when I cried out, you answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.

Psalm 138:3

Angela read this to me today before leaving and really helped remind me of how thankful I am for another day with my little dancer....

Day Five: 23 weeks and 4 days

September 8th 2015

Day 5: 23 weeks and 4 days

Today was another blessed day! Got to see baby girl on ultrasounds again. She has a strong heart beat but she is squished in there. She is literally folded in half like a burrito, such a flexible little dancer. We will continue to get ultrasounds twice a week. 

Words of Encouragement:

Do not be afraid, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. The Lord will fight for you, and shall hold your peace.


Exodus 14:13 

Rachel's daily gift bags come with words of encouragement that a place on the door.

Wasn't able to see the kids because Trey came down with the nasty stomach bug but daddy is being a great nurse. It was Emma's first day of preschool today and I was so upset that I missed it but daddy did a great job getting her to school. Trey unfortunately had to miss his first day due to the stomach bug but was lucky enough to spend the day with daddy at work. YES-poor Bill had to take his throwing up, diarrhea 2 year old to his office so he could see patients.  Thankfully Bill's wonderful transcriptionist took care of him.

No fever or contractions today for me. Talked to the Maternal Fetal Specialist and we decided to start IV magnesium tonight as part of the plan to help neurological function in Abby when she is born.  You start with a 6 gram bolus dose then continue on a maintains does for 12 hours. I have heard some pretty bad stories about magnesium so I'm nervous for tonights journey but staying positive that I'm getting the chance to get it. Magnesium can make you feel like you have the flu so please pray for me. 

Had another special visitor today. Having visitors really makes the time go buy faster and helps me keep my mind off of the kids. It was so nice to see Liz today and her beautiful and happy baby girl. Struggling more and more each day not being able to see my own babies. Praying that they get healthy soon so they can come see me in the hospital. 

Baby Rachel Cedrone

Gifts from Austin Heart-Thank you!

Day Four: 23 weeks and 3 days

September 7th, 2015

Day Four: 23 weeks and 3 days

Today was another blessed day. Got started back on IV antibiotics for another 5 days, no fever or contractions. Baby is happy and healthy on the monitor. Unable to see the kids today because they have a little virus but we faced time for the first time which was great. Got a special visitor named Elise today and her smiling face made my day! No news is good news when your on bedrest.

Word of Encouragement:

The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Daily breakfast

Silly Boy

Trying on soccer cleats with her daddy and uncle Charles

Cousin FUN!

Special Visitor!

passing time with this new obsession 

Day Three: 23 weeks and 2 days

September 6th, 2015

Day three: 23 weeks and 2 days. 

Today was a great day-no news! Stopped IV antibiotics and switched to oral every 8 hours. No contractions, bleeding or fever. Trey and Bill came to visit today during the day and we had a great day, plus I got Starbucks.  Rachel drove up in the afternoon and stayed late. Really made my day go by fast having visitors. Very grateful for wonderful friends and family. Thank you all for your prayers today.

Words of Encouragement:

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "with man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".

                                              Matthew 19:26

Rachel gave Emma princess hair!