Day 18

Quick Update: Saw a new perinatologist yesterday with some surprisingly positive results. Fluid levels are up over 8 and have hit the “normal-low” range. The baby’s growth is on target.

Here is a more detailed account of yesterday’s events.

The water from the shower muffled the sobs that erupted as I once again prepared to see another doctor. It had been more than two weeks since we’d be advised to terminate the pregnancy, and while there had been glimmers of hope, overall the prognosis was bleak.

Tuesday morning I methodically reviewed dozens of medical studies I’d collected in the past two weeks without emotion as I prepared questions for the new perinatologist. As the water from the shower release from above with it came all the emotions I’d been bottling up – not one pPROM baby prior to a 19 week rupture had survived.

By the time my father came up to let me know it was time to leave, I had long dried my tears and was now dressed and ready to go. One look at me and his voice grew quiet as he asked, “What’s wrong.”

“I don’t know if I can do this again…it just seems like we are waiting for the baby to die.” I said as my eyes welled up with tears once again.

With a gentle defiance, Dad reminded me that most of the time the “right thing” isn’t easy, but for right now, Baby Wittenberg had a heartbeat and was surviving the ordeal, the rest is in God’s hands.
…..
The nurse had just finished my basic vitals and I was recounting “our story” once again when Brian arrived. Soon after the ultrasound technician joined us. Over the next 45 minutes, we chatted as she went to work snapping pictures and taking measurements of each part of our baby’s anatomy. She pointed out each part – the spine, brain, head, eyes, nose, lips, hands, abdomen, kidneys, bladder, legs, feet, heart…etc.

She giggled out loud when she jiggled my belly and the baby began to squirm. “I need to get a good shot of the heart and right now its shadowed by the baby’s spine,” she explained. As she began to laugh, I was reminded of the shock and joy I felt when Brian and I saw our first ultrasound picture in December.

This was different from every other ultrasound since the incident. Normally, they simply focus on the amniotic fluid; this tech seemed unconcerned about the fluid level. About half way through the exam, Brian couldn’t wait anymore and asked the question we both really wanted to know, “How many centimeters of fluid does the baby have.”

Much to our surprise, she told us that their practice normally don’t measure fluid prior to 24 weeks, because the baby is so small it can be a very inexact science and the doctor would explain more. She must have seen the instant look of despair on our faces. After all, waiting for “the doctor to explain” we’ve come to discover means waiting on someone who gets paid much more to deliver the bad news the tech, nurse, etc. discovered during the initial exam.

“No, really we don’t generally measure this early,” she quickly added, “at this point looking at four quadrants at different angles it is too easy to count the same fluid twice. But, if I take a picture like this, you can see there is a large 3.5 c.m. pocket of fluid here at the top and another one the same size here at the bottom.” Sensing our shock she added, “Normally, we’d see a little more at this point and you really need to ask the doctor, but from what I’m seeing you look to be on the low end of normal.”
……
After introducing himself and once again asking me to recount the details of the last 3 weeks, the doctor sat down next to me, picked up the ultrasound wand and began his own examination of our little one.

"After looking through your chart and given your story, I thought I’d be coming in to give you disappointing news today, but you seem to be one of the very rare exceptions.”

He went on to explain that given the steady increase in the fluid level to date, it seems I could be one of those very rare cases where the amniotic bags seals over. The best part - the baby now has enough fluid to develop properly.

We aren’t out of the woods yet. An infection could still set in, which would jeopardize my health as well as Baby Wittenberg. However, with each day that goes by without leaking, my body once again begins to build up a barrier and the chance of infection becomes less likely.
…..
As we ended the doctor said, “Yours is one of those cases medical science just can’t explain.”

Maybe they can’t be I can.

Thanks everyone for their consistent prayers. These past three weeks, we tried very diligently to continue to honor and praise God through the storm. Today, we are thankful that He has chosen to calm the waters.