Baby Drama...

Sara and I were looking forward to a break from the hospital for a few weeks. After Sara's final round of chemo on Monday and a good OB check-up on Tuesday, we thought that Chloe had made it over her final hurdle. Our assumptions were incorrect...

While getting ready for bed on Thursday night, Sara was in the bathroom and realized that she was bleeding. We called the OB triage nurse and she recommended that we come in for a check up. We hopped in the car and drove the 40 minutes to Wilford Hall Medical Center. We thought that we would be in and out and at home in bed by midnight. Once again, our assumptions were incorrect...

After an exam with the OB/GYN, the doctor told us that she was going to admit Sara for the night for closer observation. Sara was still bleeding and they needed to figure out where it was coming from. After some labs and an ultrasound, they decided that she had a partial abruption. Basically, the placenta had started to separate (tear) away from the lining of her uterus. Many different things can cause abruptions, but the docs said that the chemo has probably damaged the placenta over the course of the past 4 treatments. My understanding is that the placenta has been a filter (blocking the chemo from getting to Chloe) and has been weakened by the chemo.


So, we went from thinking we were coming in for a quick exam...to discussing anesthesia options in the event that the docs needed to do an emergency C-section at a moments notice.

After further testing, the doctors have decided that Sara will be on bed rest until Chloe arrives. She is probably (99% chance) going to be staying on bed rest at the hospital so they can monitor her closely. The reason they want her at the hospital is because if the placenta "abrupts" completely, Chloe will be disconnected from Sara and will not be getting blood or oxygen anymore. The nurse compared this to a SCUBA diver having his air line cut when he was 100s of feet underwater. If this happens, the docs will do an emergency C-section and only have a few minutes to get Chloe out. Sara received a steroid shot on Friday afternoon to speed up the development of Chloe's lungs, just in case she arrives in the near future. Even at 3 months premature, the NICU at Wilford Hall would be able to treat our baby.

We are doing well with the recent developments and continuing to trust in the plans of the Lord. Please pray for Sara. She's not too happy about being confined to a bed for the foreseeable future. Last night, I told her I felt sorry for her because it was like she was in prison. She said, "This is worse than prison...I don't even get recreation time." We laughed. Also, pray that Chloe stays inside the womb and continues to grow strong and healthy inside Momma Sara.

For we know not what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. --Author Unknown