I had an appointment with my doctor here in Dothan today (Dr. P). I had an ultrasound, which I was very excited about. It's been a while since I've had one that wasn't focused just on her heart. Today I got to see her whole little self and enjoy trying to sneak a peak at her face, hands, and feet. She is typically very active and has to be chased around the screen, but today she was being stubborn. We were trying to get a good shot of her profile, but she buried herself down in my hip bone and wouldn't move. Hmmmm...she may have a bigger stubborn bone that even her brother!

My main question for today was how she was growing. The last time we had a full ultrasound in Birmingham, they said she was only in the 20th percentile in size. I was curious to see if the conclusion was the same today since Dothan had reported her to be in the normal range early on. Thankfully, she was measuring in the 52nd percentile and was right on track at over 4 pounds! That was very comforting. Dr. P did say that her growth will probably slow down towards the end due to the Downs. It was also noted that it looks like she has a lot of hair! I can't wait to see what she looks like...I'm hoping for a little blondie like I was.

After reviewing the latest report from B'ham, Dr. P said they mentioned the possibility of me coming up there a month ahead of time. WHAT?! Two weeks was bad enough. I think they are being a little unreasonable, especially since I have an almost two-year-old to also think about. Of course if her life depended on it, I'd go today, but that is not the impression they gave me. In fact, they were still considering letting me deliver in Dothan at the last visit. So I think camping out up there for a month is a little extreme. I trust that the Lord will give us clearer guidance as we get closer to December. He is the only one who knows exactly the minute she is coming.

I am so deeply grateful for my doctor and nurses here in Dothan. I feel like we've been through a lot together the past few years and that they genuinely care about my family. Boy does that make all the difference in the world! God has provided so many "cushions" along this journey, one of which being a great medical team.

Our next appointment will be November 5th in Birmingham. Oh yeah...and I'll be 33 weeks on Saturday.

And just a reminder of what big brother looked like as a newborn:

God Gave Me Extra

As mentioned in the last post, Ava's particular heart defect is very prevalent among children who also have Down Syndrome. When we initially found out from Sacred Heart out of Pensacola that Ava had a heart defect, the doctor said that she would "most likely" have Down Syndrome also. At our first visit to UAB, we were told that 1/3 to 1/2 of the babies they see with this heart defect also have Downs. We decided against an amniocentesis from the beginning because it carries a risk of miscarriage. We were not willing to take that chance just to answer a question that was not going to change our decisions about the pregnancy or her care at birth. 

At our first UAB visit, the genetic counselor mentioned a non-invasive blood test that could be performed with my blood to look for a genetic difference. I did not feel strongly either way as to whether to have the test or not. When it was brought up again at our most recent UAB visit, we went ahead and did it since there was really no negative to having the information and there was no risk involved in them taking a vile of my blood. 

So we now have a confirmation that Ava does indeed have Down Syndrome. There was evidence of an extra 21st chromosome (Trisomy 21), hence the title of this post. God didn't take anything away from her. In fact, he gave her extra! And for those of us who are privileged enough to spend time with children with Down Syndrome, we know that with that extra chromosome comes extra love, extra hugs, extra smiles, extra "cuteness"...the list goes on. 

Until next time,

Krystal

Welcome To Our Blog

Welcome to our blog!! My reason for starting this blog is to keep friends and family updated on our precious Ava Caroline, who will be joining us in December, Lord willing. It is very exhausting telling the same information over and over again. I never mind people asking about Ava, but this will help keep our loved ones updated.

What we know at this point is that Ava has a complete Atrioventricular Canal defect and possible stenosis of the pulmonary artery. An AV Canal defect occurs when the chambers of the heart do not form properly, resulting in a very large hole in the center of her heart where the four chambers should meet. For a detailed explanation, click on this link http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site521/mainpageS521P0.html. There is also the possibility that Ava will have Down syndrome. This heart defect is very common in children with Downs.

We have made two trips to UAB and will make a third trip in four weeks for an update. On our last visit, we met with a Maternal/Fetal Medicine doctor, a Pediatric Cardiologist, a Genetic Counselor, and a member of the NICU staff. The doctors studied the details of her heart structures and functions and then we took a tour of the NICU.

The plan right now is for Ava to be born in Birmingham somewhere around December 15th. The best case scenario would be for her to be stable enough in the first week to come home and have several months to grow before surgery. Surgery at some point is a definite since she will essentially be in heart failure until her defects are corrected.

We are thankful for the blessing God has fearfully and wonderfully created!


Krystal