I spent 4 days at the house on bed rest. I was sitting outside in a chair, it was one of those really warm beautiful days outside... a bee came near me, I swatted. My water broke. I screamed for Drew. We were in the car within minutes on the way to the hospital. We drove to the one nearest our house as fast as Drew could drive. Dathan was convinced we were headed to the hospital because I'm afraid of bees. Almost two months later he is still telling people this. I was having contractions every few minutes and the Dr's at our local hospital were working on getting them under control before they would send me in an ambulance where I would have access to a NICU if I delivered today. It took a few hours but with magnesium (yes more magnesium!) the contractions were stopped and I had not lost all my fluid. I was given antibiotics to avoid infection and the goal was to get me safely to the other hospital. I have always wondered what an ambulance ride would be like... traveling backwards in the ambulance on magnesium. Not for the faint of heart. Anyone ever ride in the rear seat of a station wagon after drinking too much orange soda? And your parents are saving on gas so they won't run the air conditioner. It's comparable. I never thought I would ever admit this but I wish I had taken a selfie or at least asked one of the paramedics to take a picture.
I made it to the other Hospital and was stable. I spent the next two weeks on strict bed rest there. I was so thankful for every single day I was there. I would have gladly spent more time there but the morning of November 24th I wasn't just leaking amniotic fluid. I was bleeding. I called Drew and asked him to leave work. I was pretty sure today was the day. The Dr's asked me what my pain levels were, I told them about a 3-4. They were trying to determine if I had an abrupt placenta. On the ultrasound they could see that no blood was flowing to parts of it, but they were not sure if that was from the surgery. Drew heard 3-4 come from me and he, Thank God, informed them that a 3-4 in my world is about a 8-9 in normal people. I was rushed in then for an emergency C-section. I was prepped and ready within the hour. My C-section had to be done a certain way because of the Fetal surgery, the exact two Doctors that I wanted to deliver Dakota were working that night. One of them was on-call and rushed in. She made it moments before Delivery. Dakota was born on November 24th at 7:48pm 2lbs 15oz... She was kicking and crying. The Dr's told us then that had they waited another hour it could have been a true emergency, my placenta was 2/3 detached. It was an absolute miracle that Drew mentioned my tolerance for pain was inaccurate. Like I said girl has a flair for dramatics...
Dakota and Drew left me in the OR and went to the NICU. I visited her the next day.
To answer those awkward questions that everyone is thinking but no one wants to ask...
To us, Dakota is absolutely perfect. We knew that fetal surgery had its risks and we did not want to look back and say what if. No matter the outcome. She is now 34 weeks adjusted, she spent 6 days on oxygen and 10 days in the NICU before she was brought to the Continuing Care Nursery for babies that just need to feed, rest, and grow. We have no idea when she will come home from the hospital but hopefully soon. Little lady does have a big head, my friend says its for her smarty-pants brains, due to mild hydrocephalus. She is just above the high end of normal, nothing that would cause her brain damage or even be of concern. Previous to the surgery it was much larger! A huge prayer had been answered there! Her bowel and bladder are working normally and she has movement all the way to her individual toes. We are not sure she has much sensation in her feet, but she has some. She has lots and lots of strength in her legs but we won't know if she will ever walk until... well, she walks. If she doesn't we're OK with that. The surgery is not a cure for Spina Bifida, but it was our best effort at reducing the effects from it.
To us, Dakota is absolutely perfect. We knew that fetal surgery had its risks and we did not want to look back and say what if. No matter the outcome. She is now 34 weeks adjusted, she spent 6 days on oxygen and 10 days in the NICU before she was brought to the Continuing Care Nursery for babies that just need to feed, rest, and grow. We have no idea when she will come home from the hospital but hopefully soon. Little lady does have a big head, my friend says its for her smarty-pants brains, due to mild hydrocephalus. She is just above the high end of normal, nothing that would cause her brain damage or even be of concern. Previous to the surgery it was much larger! A huge prayer had been answered there! Her bowel and bladder are working normally and she has movement all the way to her individual toes. We are not sure she has much sensation in her feet, but she has some. She has lots and lots of strength in her legs but we won't know if she will ever walk until... well, she walks. If she doesn't we're OK with that. The surgery is not a cure for Spina Bifida, but it was our best effort at reducing the effects from it.
This last picture is a picture of Dakota on the last day we could have legally chosen abortion, or as the doctors call it... Medical Termination due to Spina Bifida. Let that sink in...
She is beautiful.
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