The Latest

Yesterday we had appointments with the cardiologist and the OB. The cardiologist had also arranged for us to meet with one of the neonatalogists that will be caring for Jethro. We like the neonatalogist, he was very open in answering our questions, and seemed to be very upfront about what will be happening with the baby if things continue the way they are. I was asking him about Jethro being able to wear his own booties, hats, etc. And he was saying, yes, he could have his own things, and they encourage blankies from home, favorite toys (do newborns have favorite toys?), etc. He made mention of a favorite stuffed animal. I said, "A pistol?" He answered with, "Well, as long as it doesn't have live ammunition, we could probably do that." That may seem like a rather random toy to ask about, but those of you who know us, know that our little boys are almost always armed. :-) And, there is a story behind the question...

I was on the phone with Mom the other night, and Josiah ran up and put a pistol on my very pregnant belly. I said, "Oh, is this for me?" He just looked at me and said, "It's Jethro's." LOL It's one of the reasons I like to know ahead of time if we are having a boy or girl. We can give them their name, and it just helps make that baby a little more "real" to the other children before they are actually a presence in our home.

So, after meeting with the neonatalogist, we had another echo done on Jethro's heart. We met with a different cardiologist than we have been, and it was "nice" to get a little different perspective. Besides having Ebstein's, Jethro has what they are referring to as "functioning" Pulmonary Atresia. From the reading I have done, it is common for there to be problems with the pulmonary valve when Ebstein's is present. What this means for Jethro is that the Pulmonary Valve is not functioning, but it is allowing blood flow in the wrong direction. Which tells us that the lower right chamber of his heart is not pumping hard enough to push the blood through in the right direction. The Pulmonary Atresia really complicates things. That valve can be replaced, but it is a short term fix at best. There apparently really is no "real" fix for Pulmonary Atresia.

We were at the cardiologist's office for over 2 hours ~ much of which was spent on my back, while they did the echo on his heart. So then we were late for my OB appt. When we got there, we found out that I didn't "pass" the glucose test I had to take last time. Now they want me to do the 3-hour glucose test ~ and do it right away so if there's a problem, we can do something about it. :-/ Only it wasn't so urgent they couldn't wait 2 weeks to let me know that I didn't do so well. Have I mentioned how frustrated I am with seeing an OB? Once again I will say that the care is just sub-standard to what I am accustomed to receiving. Midwives may not be able to offer the "high-tech" care, but they offer much more than that! I am so tired of feeling like I am nothing more than a chart and a paycheck.

One bright spot is that Jethro is once again head-down! What a good baby. :-)

Prayer Requests:

• That Mike and I would have wisdom. We are dealing with several different doctors ~ not all of whom are very communicative with us ~ and there are lots of things to consider and make decisions about. In most cases, we know what the dr.s want, and we know what we want ~ but we need wisdom from the One who *knows* what is best for Jethro and me.
• For the Pulmonary Atresia. Please pray specifically that God will heal Jethro's Pulmonary Valve. We are asking for a miracle. It's pretty well documented that the valve is not working. It is not something that will "heal" or "fix" on it's own. The Ebstein's is serious enough in and of itself, but the Pulmonary Atresia truly complicates things. It would simplify them greatly if God would choose to take that out of the picture.
• For my emotional well-being. I manage to keep my eyes uplifted most of the time. I do trust my Heavenly Father and I am walking in faith. However, it feels like every time I turn around in this pregnancy, something else is going wrong. I know that God doesn't owe me anything ~ He has already blessed me beyond measure, but at the moment I am struggling with all the "little" things that aren't "right". I know that when I am weak, He is strong...I'm just having a real hard time dealing with the weakness right now.
• A job for Mike. My darling husband has been out of work for almost a year now. He has not sat idle for the past year, but there has been no "job". He did have an interview last week, and we are still waiting to hear back from them. It is hard for a man not to be able to put his hand to the plow and provide for his family. I am specifically praying for a job with good benefits, so that as soon as Jethro is born, we can get him on insurance.