Time is running out..................

Today I am 35 weeks. I went to the doctor's office today and found that I am 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced. The doctor stated that this is pretty typical for a 2nd pregnancy and that he wasn't extremely worried. He did however give me a steroid shot and I will get another one tomorrow and one more next week more than likely. I am seeing him every 6 days now rather than 7. My blood pressure was high for the first time for me and the doctor believes it is from a new med that they put me on. He did not seem concerned. My fluid is high but not high enough to be "drained". He stated that when I return next week to his office that if I am 2 centimeters and around 80% effaced that he will want me to make my way towards the University of Michigan. Baby Aiden is around 5.5 pounds and doing great with practicing his breathing. Ultrasound is as normal as can be for a CDH baby.  After the appointment, I came home and immediately panicked and packed everything I needed just in case. Then I called the Perinatal Nurse Coordinator, Jeannie and spoke with her about everything which made me feel better. She has been a lifesaver through all of this. Thank you Carrie & Brian Baker for introducing me to Jeannie and the wonderful staff at U of M.

I did however already meet with my doctor this week on Monday evening in the ER. I was having tons of Braxton Hicks which they stated that past 34 weeks they pretty much call them "real" contractions. They were about 15 minutes apart and had lasted several hours even after drinking tons of water and putting my feet up. They told me to come into the ER due to the fact that I am not a "typical" case because Baby Aiden has CDH and I am not delivering in town. He ordered a shot to help stop the contractions and boy did that hurt. They did end up stopping and I was able to go home after a couple of hours with a new med (Procardia). I have not had consistent contractions since Monday until last night which only lasted for an hour. I am praying I make it to 37 weeks which I then become considered full-term.

This past weekend was extremely busy. I went to University of Michigan on Thursday July 7th. I had a Fetal MRI, an OB appointment, an ultrasound, a Fetal ECHO, and a meeting with the Pediatric Surgeon. I traveled to Michigan with my mother because Greg is in the middle of summer school and we did not want him to miss any classes. He will be graduating in August with his Bachelors Degree in Accounting. YEAH GREG! At our meeting with Dr. M (Pediatric Surgeon) we discussed numbers and the delivery plan. Last time we were in Michigan we received "puzzling" numbers because the LHR was 1.6 and the lung volume did not match up...it was 6.12. Usually the lung volume with an LHR of 1.6 should have been a 12. The doctor stated that this usually means that the readings were not accurate from the Fetal MRI or there was an organ that was up that they couldn't make out. Today we found out the the 1.6 LHR was never our true number and that it was more of a 1.09. Still decent but not great which means that the ECMO will definitely be primed and ready for the baby if he needs it. It definitely wasn't news we wanted to hear but knowing that we still have a 60%-65% for survival for baby is promising. We also found out that the liver is still down and the doctor stated that at this point nothing else should be moving into the chest cavity which is great news. Having the liver up is not a good chance for survival for CDH babies. I was sad leaving U of M last week but I am staying positive in knowing that Baby Aiden is a fighter and we will definitely be bringing him home.

On Friday July 8th following my Michigan trip, Carrie and Brian Baker held a benefit for Baby Aiden at The Shiloh. It was a great success and there were over 350-400 people who showed up to support our family. There was a silent auction, raffles, Corn Hole tournament, Texas Hold'em tournament, childrens' games, dinner provided by Texas Roadhouse, and a cash bar. Greg, Cole, and myself cannot thank everyone enough especially the Bakers, Natalie Zehr, The Shiloh, Texas Roadhouse (Bryan & Matt), volunteers, family and friends for the generous donations and time that everyone helped make the benefit so successful. Texas Roadhouse has also dedicated a night on Thursday July 21st to give our famly 10% of their generated food sales that night as a donation. Come on out on that night and get some yummy food. We are so truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

I am mentally trying to prepare leaving Greg and Cole when I go to Michigan. Greg, Cole, and my immediate family will be with me during the birth of Baby Aiden. Greg will stay with me as much as he can and bring Cole to see me but not seeing both of them everyday as I do now will be extrhemely emotional. I am trying to stay positive but worry about the effects it may take on both Greg and Cole. I hope Cole knows how much I love and miss him and we don't loose the bond that we built up over the last 3 years. I hope that Greg can handle working full-time, finishing school and becoming a single dad until I can come home with the baby. I worry a lot! I worry for Greg, for Cole, for Baby Aiden especially, about bills, about returning to work, missing my family, the list goes on and on. I hope that I will be able to focus on the right things at the right times. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to keep the blog updated more as we get closer and closer to Baby Aiden coming into the world.

Thanks for all your support and prayers,

Leslie, Greg, Cole and Baby Aiden (due August 2011)