I hope it's another sunny day, I missed the last one

After spending almost all of yesterday in labor and delivery, feeling icky on magnesium sulfate, I really hope I can enjoy today.

I had 2 room moves last night, it was crazy. In addition, I got the last antepartum room when I got back to 5th floor from 6th! The maternity area is SO busy the past few days, they had to open up an older part of this floor for overflow postpartum moms and babies.

I am very happy that we didn't meet Bella quite yet. I really would like to make it to at least 32 weeks. There is such a huge difference between 30 and 32, today puts me at 30 weeks and 3 days. so if I can hang on for 11 more days I'll be happy. Ish, even putting it into days it still feels like a daunting task. I can do it though, at least, I can do my best to do it. Ultimately I know I really have no say in the matter. (Okay, confession time... after seeing #Maythe4thbewithyou trending on twitter, I really didn't want to have her on May 4th...)

Long sleeve onesies, a 4 pack of mittens and the sweetest little outfit. 

Oh oh oh! Grandma came to visit last night and she brought goodies that she and big sister Cheyenne picked out! Sooooooo cute! I took pics of course. :D And the one little outfit, you'll see, has a little monkey on the butt. I about died! I'll tell you which one. I might actually have to take pics of the front and back of that one...

3 little sleepers. The monkey one says "kisses from mommy"

Lots of little hats, some little pants to go with onsies and the monkey butt outfit!

The softest blankie ever and the first pack of receiving blankets. 

Isabella and mommy

Okay, so photobucket was annoyingly down for 2 days... Which meant no new posts, at least not picture posts.

However, it's finally up so I thought I'd share this pic of Isabella and I.

You're wondering "is that it?" and for now I have to say yes. Today is the day full of appointments though, so I am hoping I will have a lot more information and I am praying I will have at least a bit of good news to share when we get back.

Bella's heart

Sorry, I know it's been a long time since I've posted. Bedrest is a lot tougher than it sounds and as I still have contractions from time to time, it's a bit uncomfortable to sit up and type for a nice full post. Actually, did I even make the 24 week post? I think I missed it. I know I snapped a quick pic, but I think I forgot to post.  I am so focused on Bella baby's heart and health overall and trying to give her the best possible chance, other things have slipped to the wayside.

Anyhow, I'm having a good bit where if I lay down she kicks and it hurts, so I thought I'd sit more upright and that's a good position for posting.

When we saw the pediatric cardiac specialist and had the more in-depth ultrasound and echo-cardiogram we were able to better see what exactly is wrong with her heart. I am going to do my best to give at least a general overview as it's very difficult to remember what you're hearing in this type of situation.

The overall diagnosis that the other's fit under is still HRHS... Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome

Beyond this, this is what they were able to see at the 23 week exam (Which happened early due to the preterm labor.)

Tricuspid atresia
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Tricuspid atresia is a heart defect present at birth (congenital) in which one of the valves (tricuspid valve) between two of the heart's chambers isn't formed. Instead, there's solid tissue between the chambers.

If your baby is born with tricuspid atresia, blood can't flow through the heart and into the lungs to pick up oxygen as it normally would. The result is the lungs can't supply the rest of your baby's body with the oxygen it needs. Babies with tricuspid atresia tire easily, are often short of breath and have blue-tinged skin.

Tricuspid atresia is treated with surgery. Most babies with tricuspid atresia who have surgery will live well into adulthood, though follow-up surgeries are often needed.

 "Some" Pulmonary valve stenosis

Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Pulmonary valve stenosis is a condition in which the flow of blood from your heart to your lungs is slowed by a deformed pulmonary valve, or a deformity above or below the valve.

Adults occasionally have the condition as a complication of another illness, but most of the time, pulmonary valve stenosis develops before birth.

Pulmonary valve stenosis ranges from mild and without symptoms to severe and debilitating. Mild pulmonary stenosis doesn't usually worsen over time, but moderate and severe cases may get worse and require surgery. Fortunately, treatment is highly successful, and most people with pulmonary valve stenosis can expect to lead normal lives.

 Ventricular septal defect (VSD)

Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A ventricular septal defect (VSD), also called a hole in the heart, is a common heart defect that's present at birth (congenital).

A baby with a small ventricular septal defect may have no problems. A baby with a larger ventricular septal defect or associated heart defects may have a telltale bluish tint to the skin — due to oxygen-poor blood — often most visible in the lips and fingernails.

Fortunately, ventricular septal defect is readily treatable. Smaller ventricular septal defects often close on their own or don't cause problems. Others need surgical repair, sometimes not until the condition is first detected or symptoms first develop in adulthood. Many people with ventricular septal defects have normal, productive lives with few related problems.

 Okay and this one has a diagram, we'll see how it posts... I'm hoping well. lol

Congenital Heart Defects: Hypoplastic Right Ventricle

The right ventricle is small and weak because the tricuspid valve guiding the blood from the right atrium to the right ventricle did not open in the very early embryonic weeks of the baby's life, and so no blood came through to make the right ventricle grow. This condition is also called Hypoplastic Right Heart.

So, now you all know about as much as I know about little Bella's heart. Her heart is the reason it's SO imperative that I carry her as long as I possibly can. She must be at least 5 lbs before they can preform the required surgeries on her heart. They will do 3 separate surgeries, called (in order) Stage 1 (around time of birth), Glenn Procedure (around 3 months old) and the Fontan procedure (at age 5).

The Fontan procedure is the longest and most complicated. They said she has about a 70% chance of making it to or past age 5, but some people with these issues have lived into their 50's. I think my Bella will be one of those. I am giving her all of my fighting spirit that I can, I am hoping, praying and wishing for her to have strength.

Okay, I should lay my happy butt down again. I'll be darned if I am not keeping this baby in as long as I can.

To our readers, thank you for being here, for caring, for your thoughts and prayers. Please keep it up, because they work, I have faith that they work.

Much love

Chele and Bella

Happy Birthday, Papa!!!

I can't believe I almost forgot to post this today! It would have been a travesty to miss Papa's 63rd birthday! (Golly he's old!)

So, Happy birthday Papa! From your girls in Anoka! Emma, Bella and their mommy! We love you!

Holy buckets!

I can't believe it. I would have to say I am as big with Bella as I was with Emma if not bigger and I still have 9 weeks to go to get to the point I was at with Emma! I wish the angles were better, but I *think* it's fairly obvious still. Amazing...

Woohoo kicks!

Isabella kicked Stephen's hand! Someone aside from me has officially felt her kick! It's like some weird pregnancy validation for me. Why? I don't know... I am an odd duck?

How I was sitting I could see her kicks so I *knew* it could be felt by someone else. Poor Steve had to be the closest to me and I am sure he anticipated another 10 minute... "Just wait you'll feel her kick!" session, but almost as soon as he set his hand on my belly she kicked him once and then rolled away as if she were satisfied rofl.

I love this little one sooooooo much!

Better late than never?

I know I said I'd post pics of the stuff I got yesterday. Poor Emma has been feeling so crappy that I really haven't had time to do much else. So, when she jumped in the tub for a quick bubble bath I thought I'd snap the pics. They're not great, but they're pics lol. Anyhow, here is the stuff I bought for Isabella yesterday on my Target excursion.

Sleeper/Rocker, it's actually quite cute.

First bottle (It was on clearance!)

Sleepers and matching caps

The little footies were too cute!

Onesies and little matching pants

Little bibs... couldn't help it.

For when she's bigger of course.

Finally a bonus for being pregnant!

Okay, so I hardly scratched the surface of what we need, but it's a start. <3 She's going to be a take home baby, I can feel it.

And so it begins...

I couldn't figure out why on earth I was up at 5:30 am on a Sunday, but I know now. It seems there is a baby girl playing jump on mommy's bladder.

If there were ever a reason to be awake at an odd hour (for me) and smiling about it, that's one of the best in my opinion. And so I say to her... Good morning my sweet Isabella, I love you!

Regular OB appointment today.

I have to wonder how it's going to go. I checked my "MyChart" to double check the time of the appointment, it's at 10am. However, while I was checking it, I noticed that they also have the results from the Peri now. I wonder if they're going to release me as a patient, or keep me. I am hoping, since Isabella has moved, that I can ask Dr. Greves very nicely to take another peak at her heart and send it over to the Peri.

During the initial scan the little one wouldn't move for her, but she's been kicking the stuff out of my left side today, which means she moved and maybe, just maybe they can get a better look at her heart. Maybe I am foolish being hopeful that a second look might tell a more hopeful story, but maybe I'm not. I know that in the position Bella was in, they were having problems getting a good image of the right side. Maybe, just maybe the new position will show something that is even a little bit better news.

So, my hopes are...

A. Dr. Greves will agree to and give a scan today at the appointment.
B. That there is good or at least better news concerning peanut's tiny heart.
C. Even *if* there isn't better news, I can better prepare myself and let go of that hope that the issue was position based.

I really think this will be a reasonable request and all I can do is pray that she will agree to try.

So, if you read this before my appointment, please pray that my hopes are granted, especially the better ones in the bunch.

CaringBridge Website

I am not 100% sure of the benefit of the CaringBridge website. But it is certinaly there for cases like ours, so I signed Isabella up for one. For now, the two are very similar until I get more familiar with the other. But, it's there if you'd like to check it out. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/isabellamichele And there is also a link to it on the left sidebar.

If you're a mom who has used CaringBridge, maybe you can help fill me in on what it's about.

How do you cope with something like this? And, naming Peanut.

I know there is a real chance that this sweet innocent peanut is going to be born and need multiple surgeries, starting right at birth. I know that someday, to increase her life expectancy she is going to need a heart transplant.  I have all this information, but I can do nothing but wait.

I can't get it off my mind. I love her so much. I didn't care if she were a boy or a girl, my only hope was that she was healthy and I am scared to death about what all of this means. What the overall picture will look like. Will it effect her development? Will she be living with a lot of pain? Can she play like normal kids? I am so worried for her.

I know no matter what, I will do what she needs me to do to help her. There is no question in my mind that I will endure and love her to no end through whatever bumps and twists this new journey takes us on. I just wish, I pray, I hope, that it was a simple mistake. That it was because the tech couldn't get a good angle. Or, even if there is a problem, it isn't as severe as they think it is.

I love this child, I love all of my children. And just the thought of even a chance of losing one, is so overwhelming. I don't know how other's have done it. But God, please grant me the strength to get through this for my little one.

It's unfortunate that my first name choice is so popular because of a movie. This is a name I've had in mind since before we had Emma. Seeing as what we are going to be enduring, I am going to use it, despite it's popularity. The original plan was to name her Ava, but as things change, so did our name choice.


Isabella \i-sa-
bella, isab(el)-la\ as a girl's name is a variant of Elizabeth (Hebrew) and Isabel (Hebrew), and the meaning of Isabella is "God's promise; God is my oath".



Michele \m(i)-che-
le\ as a girl's name (also used as boy's name Michele), is a variant of Michaela (Hebrew) andMichelle (French, Hebrew), and the meaning of Michele is "who resembles God?".

So, her name will be Isabella Michele

If anyone is going to be there and help us all through this, it is God and as a family, we all need that support.