Getting Nervous

Unfortunately we never received the results of the ultrasound last week. However, we did have another ultrasound yesterday and the fetal treatment team seems very pleased with the progress. We were able see both lungs on the ultrasound. The right one is still very small, since that is the side of the hernia and the liver is taking up residence there, but it did look like it responded to the balloon. No one really measures this lung, since it is the smaller of the two, and the focus is really put on the larger left lung. The left lung has responded to the balloon and has grown also. They said the results looked really good. The frustrating this is that no one can tell us what "good" means, since this is still a very experimental process. The fact that this is a right sided hernia makes it even harder for them to define, as it is so uncommon. Most of the trails that they have done with this surgery have been with left sided hernias, so I think they are learning just as much as we are. All we really know is that the lungs grew. This of course will increase the survival rate for the baby when he is born, but we don't know if it is by 4% or 40%.

The procedure to take out the balloon is scheduled for 7:30am next Thursday. I will be admitted the night before so that they can get me on an iv, antibiotics and also preterm labor meds prior to the surgery. I know what to expect now, so that makes the process a little easier. The thing that makes us the most nervous now is that the stakes are a lot higher for this procedure since I will be almost 32 weeks along. It will be almost the exact same procedure as before but the potential complications now carry an increased risk. There is an increased risk of PROM (premature rupture of membranes) and preterm labor. There is also a chance that the baby will not respond well to the surgery or any contractions I may have. We don't know what will happen if this is the case. They also informed us that there is a 1 in 3 chance of a complication that will force us to deliver at UCSF. We are praying that the procedure goes well and that we are able to return home to deliver at UofM.

Having said all of that, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers next week. I am sure that it will be a very emotional week for us and we will be exhausted when it is over.