Another update

The CCH called and our appointment is changed to June 2nd, which is Wednesday. So we will be leaving on Tuesday. I am actually sort of excited it is earlier because we all know I have NO patience when it comes to waiting.

Cincinnati here we come

I got the call from Cincinnati Children's Hospital yesterday about our appointment. The nurse called and went over stuff with me and gave me a short run down of all they will be doing. We are leaving Thursday the 3rd of June and my appointments will be on that Friday. I will be having several test run and then they will assess her teratoma and we will meet with a doctor and a fetal surgeon.

They are hoping to send us home the following day and never see us again. Once we are back in Birmingham, Dr. Gonzalez will monitor me and Baby A (Blakely) each week with echos and ultrasounds to keep track of the growth. Crossing our fingers she and Baby B (Palmer) make it to a viable gestational age and then they will deliver them via c-section. Blakely "Blake" will then be taken to Children's Hospital here in Birmingham the day of her birth or day after for surgery and will remain in the NICU at Children's until she is fully recovered and can come home. Palmer & I will stay wherever I deliver and then they will send Palmer home once the NICU feels she is good to go.

The nurse at CCH stated that due to my twin pregnancy the options of intrauterine ablation or surgery is not going to happen. It is too risky to the other baby. So if this teratoma is rapid growing the only option will be to deliver the twins, no matter how old or developed they are. If it is before 26 weeks they will be delivered at CCH not here in Birmingham. That is the worst case scenario since most twins are viable before 28 weeks. They are hoping this is not going to happen.

Please keep us in your prayers for safe travel and keep praying that the teratoma is slow growing and not effecting other organs and that her heart remains stable.

Latest Update on Baby A

We heard from Cincinnati today. The coordinator took my information and registered me into their system. She said they were just waiting on my records from Dr. Gonzalez office. Hopefully they got it today and will call tomorrow with my appointment.

I also got a call from my regular OB, Dr. Christine today. She consulted with her friend, a MFM doctor at UAB who said that Cincinnati was the place to be. So that maybe me feel good. Again they both reinterated that the best option is to keep her in for as long as possible and then resect the teratoma after she is born. This would happen the day of or day after she is born at Children's Hospital here in Birmingham, unless they have to take her before she is viable.

I will update once we have our appointment.

Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT) - My Child Has - Children's Hospital Boston

Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT) - My Child Has - Children's Hospital Boston

See earlier post for details

SCT

Today we visited Dr. Gonzalez who is a maternal fetal specialist at Brookwood Medical here in Birmingham. We went to see him because Baby A has a mass on her coccyx or hiney. After a very indepth ultrasound the doctor determined she has a sacrococcygeal teretoma or hiney tumor. The tumor is most commonly benign. This teratoma is due to chromosomes that at conception could not make up their mind what they wanted to do or be. So they formed on the outside of her body. They have cells and vessels like any other portion of her body. Because of this blood is being pumped into the teratoma.
If untreated it will continue to grow as she grows. It can grow to be bigger than her and will at that point put her at risk for heart failure. So the treatment is to remove it inutero. We are being sent to a more specialized doctor at a different hospital in either Miami, Houston, Cincinnati, or Pittsburg. Our doctor is waiting to hear who has the first available appointment. We will then go there and meet with them to get their opinion,diagnosis, and treatment.
From what we understand, after the removal or killing of the tumor she will continue to have normal fetal development and lead a normal life.
Visit the post in the other entry for all the details and treatment options if you are curious.
We are thankful it isn't anymore more serious but are obviously still concerned about her. Keep us in your prayers!

Belly Pics

Here is what the "BELLY" looks like at 19 weeks. It seems to be growing really quickly. I also saw my OB this week. The babies are growing as they should and their heartrates are strong. Baby A has a questionable protrusion coming from the top of her sacrum. We are visiting a maternal fetal medicine doctor today to get a more indepth evaluation. We are hoping and praying she is fine.

Baby Bumps

This is me at 17 weeks. Much bigger the second go round with twins!

Follow up

I had my follow up today for the "incident" over the weekend. They did a ultrasound, heart rates were normal, babies looked good. I got a great picture of Baby A (possibly Blakely) and her sweet profile. She literally looks just like AK. Its scary.

Dr. Christine measured me but now that I think about it I forgot to ask about that and checked my cervix. She said all is calm on that home front, which is great news. No dilation is good dilation! She said to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and to try and be off my feet for 4-5 hours a day. I laughed!

We are scheduled to see her again for my reg. 3 week checkup on the 18th. Can't wait!