Another off topic, inappropriate post from your admin...please forgive

Praying all turns out for the best!

Praying.

Good thoughts and best wishes flowing your way

Acara,
Prayers for a good outcome and good health for you and your family. Each day that little one stays put is a blessing.

Jane
(I understand - I'm another mom that had a high risk pregnancy and a baby that came early.)

Best wishes for you and your family, Acara. Good thoughts and prayers headed your way.

Acara, I too am sending many prayers and well wishes to you and your family (and your doctors). I also, had a high risk pregnancy and a preemie, so I understand what you are going through. Many blessings to you all.

Acara:

Know that I will pray for your wife and little one each and every day.

First and foremost .... big internet hug for middlemamma


I'd give Boffer one too ....but he get's kinda embarassed when I hug him while wearing pantyhose (long story, old forum thread joke, no worries if this makes no sense....LOL)

Secondly, no I'm not mad at anyone ...little embarrassed maybe, but not mad ...LOL

Thank you for all the well-wishes .... it was nice to finally get a chance to get home for a change of clothes (and much needed shower) & see this.

We're still on "delivery watch" for the next 21 hours.

For those of you who are lucky enough to not ever had to deal with this; preemie survival rates and permanent disability rates are astronomical (not in your favor) prior to 28 weeks. Before that point, there is only one thing that can do anything about improving the babys chance of survival & that's a massive dose of steroids to jump-start the baby lung development/lubrication and some minor benefits for the baby brain.

The dose is massive and has to be administered over two days & then there is a 24 hour period while they take effect. We got our second dose today at 6pm, so at this point we should hit our short term goal by around 6pm tomorrow.

Our next short-term goal is 28 weeks, where the mortality and permanent disability odds increase drastically (in our favor), and continue to increase (in our favor) on a logarithmic scale for every day the baby stays put in mama.

Unfortunately mama has no appreciable cervical length left, so a delivery is a sneeze or a wrong move away & gravity is not our friend

We've taken up residence in our new 150 SF apartment (hospital room) & most likely will be here for the balance of the pregnancy. I've never hoped to be in such a small space, for as long as possible, so much in my life ...... and it's not too different from when I was an engineer living on a submarine ... LOL

I'll keep everyone posted as best I can & thank you again for all the post & prayers.

Again ... most peoples pregnancy "hell" is our normal & the the silver-lining to pregnancy problems is ..... you gotta be pregnant to have them ..... so life ain't so bad


I'm sure my tomatoes are burning to a crisp in the 90 degree FL heat without water/attention & I may not have any good SFG harvest pictures for everyone this season, but I should have something much better if everything works out...LOL

Acara,

Thank you for taking the time to share! We will continue to keep you in our thoughts, prayers. Cheering you 3 along to a 28 weeks or more of course!!!!
Ha-v-v

Oh Acara, thank you so much for posting to us. Those long stints between showers and clothing changes while doing the hospital vigils are really something.

While I have always been blessed to have wonderful easy pregnancies and births, my youngest brother's wife was not so lucky. Scottie, my youngest nephew, recently turned 5. He was what they called a 'micro preemie', born at 27 weeks and weighed less than two pounds when he made his debut. Childbirth itself is an amazing miracle but Scottie takes my breath away every time I see him. He has no issues related to being a preemie. My brother was tragically killed just after they found out they were having another baby. So family members rallied around my sister in law and her other two boys, since she had to spend the majority of the pregnancy in hospital, without her husband to support her. He is the whole family's baby.

Life is an adventure. It is what happens when you make other plans and does not always go the way you want it to.

I am praying that God will give you and your wife and baby peace and strength and comfort and keep you in the palm of His hand.

Love, hugs and prayers,

Gwynn

Glad to hear baby is staying put thus far!

adding my prayers and good wishes.

Please know that I'm adding my prayers to all the others that are knocking on Heaven's Door.

Stay, Precious Baby, just stay a while longer.

Betty

Forgive my coping mechanism (gallows humor), but I have to admit I caught myself thinking as I was looking at 2-3# babies in the NICU ..... "I've got tomatoes on my vines right now, that weigh more than that"

Funny how your goals change in life. Six months ago, my goal in life was to grow a 5# tomato this season......... now I'd be the happiest man on the planet if I got a 5# healthy baby

Fingers crossed Acara! Sounds like you have your priorities in order! we will try to grow that 5# tom for you.

acara wrote:Forgive my coping mechanism (gallows humor), but I have to admit I caught myself thinking as I was looking at 2-3# babies in the NICU ..... "I've got tomatoes on my vines right now, that weigh more than that"

Funny how your goals change in life. Six months ago, my goal in life was to grow a 5# tomato this season......... now I'd be the happiest man on the planet if I got a 5# healthy baby

Awwww. Your sense of humor will keep you going, and we will make sure you , mom, and baby are covered in prayers.
My middle boy was 4lbs 3oz when born (we lost his twin during the 2nd trimester). I would cry through the pregnancy and when he was in NICU and my Mom told me to save my tears for when he became a teenager! Yesterday I took him to a parking lot to practice driving for the first time... I pray your baby "ripens on the vine."

Thanks.....the sucess stories we've heard over the last 2-3 days have been a huge help.

We're letting the Dr's do their job right now & hoping for the best ...... but I do have a back-up plan ;

Have been praying for you and your family. Thank you so much for checking in. God bless you all. Much love :!:

acara wrote:Thanks.....the sucess stories we've heard over the last 2-3 days have been a huge help.

We're letting the Dr's do their job right now & hoping for the best ...... but I do have a back-up plan ;

That velcro works so well !! Should have a "1001" uses.

acara wrote:Thanks.....the sucess stories we've heard over the last 2-3 days have been a huge help.

We're letting the Dr's do their job right now & hoping for the best

It's amazing what Dr's can do nowadays.

acara wrote: ...... but I do have a back-up plan ;

Ummmm... I don't think I even want to ask what you are thinking of doing with that!



Don't forget to take care of yourself while the professionals take care of your wife and baby!

acara wrote:Forgive my coping mechanism (gallows humor), but I have to admit I caught myself thinking as I was looking at 2-3# babies in the NICU ..... "I've got tomatoes on my vines right now, that weigh more than that"

Funny how your goals change in life. Six months ago, my goal in life was to grow a 5# tomato this season......... now I'd be the happiest man on the planet if I got a 5# healthy baby

That's not gallows humor. It's reality. But more and more techniques are being developed to assist the micro preemies and if the collective prayers and well wishes of this forum family have any power at all, you will get much closer to that 5 pounder.

And take care of yourself too, cause you are needed.

Kay

acara wrote:Thanks.....the sucess stories we've heard over the last 2-3 days have been a huge help.

We're letting the Dr's do their job right now & hoping for the best ...... but I do have a back-up plan ;

And don't forget Duct tape......the handyman's secret weapon! It comes in different colours now too.

I believe God gave us humour to use as a survival method. My favourite move, "Life is Beautiful" is the story of how one man used humour to endure a horrible situation and save his son. Sometimes it is the only way we can get through the trials that we face.

Life sure does have a way of changing our priorities doesn't it. We could hold our little Scottie in one hand when he was born. Now you can hold him at all!! Praying for a 5 pounder for you...baby that is. You'll get the 5 pound tomato another time.

Gwynn

I love clear duct tape, great for bad children. JUST KIDDING!!!!

yeah the silver stuff showed up too much and clear packing tape didn't stick as well.

Gwynn

OH, I used to long for a velcro wall like David Letterman had, then I would not have to wonder where they were or what they were up to when quiet.