Keepin the bun in the oven

One of the doctors just came in and sat with us for a while to talk and answer questions. It was the first time I felt like we weren't getting passed off.

In a nutshell, the answer to the question of how long we will be here is that Tree is the best incubator for the baby and as long as he can stay in there the better. Unless he or Tree is in danger, their goal is to stabilize the environment and keep her pregnant. He will be extracated when it becomes better for him or Tree that he is out.

Interesting bit of info: the amount of time he can stay in there now will double the amount of time taken off his stay after he's born. That is - if he can stay in Tree's belly for a week, he can leave the hospital about two weeks earlier. Rough figures, of course, but comforting just the same.

Terry

Not the first time...

For those of you who are not aware, this is not our first premie. Most of our kids have come early. Some have had no complications at all, some have had some issues that we have had to deal with, pray about, and overcome. We have been very blessed in our family. Our kids are all very strong and have faired very well. I have faith that this one, number 9, will be the same. It is in God's hands and he is always in control.

I better get some sleep.

I'll let you know more tomorrow.

Terry

10 weeks early

Tree started having contractions a couple days ago and got very concerned that there may be something wrong with the baby. Things were better the next day and we decided it was just a bad night and not a reason to be concerned.

She had some more pain and discomfort on the weekend, but this pregnancy has been so good and uneventful, we didn't think much of it.

This afternoon, I got a message that things were getting worse. I shut my laptop down and raced home to take her to the hospital.

We got checked in, they hooked her up to all the monitors, and the baby seems to be doing fine. Tree is dilated to 2 cm and she is still in a lot of pain and having regular contractions - every eight to 10 minutes. They gave her some medication to slow the contractions and try to keep the baby in their as long as possible. I don't know if that means hours, days, or weeks.

Now we wait.

I came home to check on the other kids and try to get some sleep before I have to get them up starting at 5:30 and get them off to school. Then, I have to figure out what I am going to do with the 2 1/2 year old and the 1 year old so I can go back and be with Tree.

And what about work? Hmmm...

I will have my laptop with me and use this blog to keep people up to date as much as possible.

Here we go. The story of baby number 9 begins.

Terry