Problematic platelets and mega migraine... BUT super scan!

34 weeks and 4 days

Where is the time going?! Yesterday was a busy day for us-with a midwife appointment, and a heart scan in Oxford, followed by a doctors appointment for me (baby Chappo seems to have hijacked my immune system!)

Problematic platelets

Just before Christmas my midwife warned me that my blood platelet levels were lower than they'd like, but still within an ok range (137). It simply meant I needed monitoring. So I had a retest on Friday, and was told yesterday that they've taken quite a dip again. This time I'm hovering around 100, which is when they start to 'do something about it'. By that I mean, refer me to a consultant, not that that's needed for me as I already have one, and a referral to a haematologist. Not really sure on what all this means, but should find out on Tuesday at our appointment. I just know it affects my bloods ability to clot, and now needs v close monitoring as it has implications for labour.

I got home and was a tad upset at the thought of a further complication-I explained to Tim that I'd spent the last 5 months worrying about baby (we both had), and now I'm worrying about my own health! As usual, Tim kept his cool, did a bit of googling (he too hates not knowing about things) and then reassured me that he'd read stories of women with much lower levels who were fine. After a hug and cry, I was ready for the next hurdle that day...

Super scan

After the midwife appointment, we set out for what we hoped would be our final visit to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. Not a single nerve this time-probably because I was more focused on the migraine that had been plaguing me for days! We arrived early - in true Chapman style - and as usual spent more time in the waiting room than in with the cardiologists. That could only mean one thing though, the heart scan was as normal as could be :) We were given the disclaimer 'this doesn't mean that a problem won't develop after birth' but for now, we were happy, and so were both of the cardiologists.

Baby chappo needs her heart scanning once born, and then within 6 weeks of birth, when Dr Archer

from John Radcliffe pays a visit to our local hospital, but these are just precautionary.

Mega migraine

Since Saturday I've had the most nasty migraine! One of the down sides of pregnancy as many of you know, is that your immune system doesn't work as well to protect you as it is on overdrive protecting baby. I've had a sinus infection since October, and the doctors have tried to treat it with numerous antibiotics, but with no joy. It's reared it's ugly head again, but this time the doctors won't give me any more antibiotics, which I completely understand. So for now, it's snotty sinuses, and a hurty head, but hey if it means baby chappo is being well protected, then that's fine by me :)

What's in store or us?

On Tuesday (always a Tuesday!!), we have an appointment with the consultant to discuss the birth plan, and now to also discuss my blood platelet levels. I'm very keen to be as clued up as possible about everything given that it is likely baby will arrive early, even though the consultant doesn't agree, but then she doesn't appear to know much about Turner Syndrome!

Maternity leave is also becoming a reality now, I finish next Friday! I still cannot imagine not being at work-being ill and having to stay at home has driven me mad. Anyway, I'm convinced that baby Chappo will only give me a few days peace before she arrives....maybe on a Tuesday!

A relatively uneventful week....

...well apart from a minor argument with an icy path!

Maternity leave looming

12 working days left-gosh that sounds scary! I haven't not worked in years, I'm not saying that bringing up a baby isn't hard work, it's just I can't quite believe I won't be going to school everyday. We have interviews coming up for my maternity cover, and I keep getting mixed feelings-protective over my class, my classroom, and my job, silly really!

I'll be finishing at exactly 36 weeks, so if she does decide to come early, I'm hoping she'll give me a few days at least to put my feet up.

Big movements

I know they say that towards the end of the pregnancy the baby moves less due to less space, well baby Chappos moving just as much, and at times I'd say practising her somersaults! Between each midwife visit and scan, she loves to flip round, so hoping she settles on head down soon.

Final purchases

We are just in the process of paying for our pram and car seat-need a small mortgage for that! They're due to arrive in a large MotherCare lorry (I imagine) a week on Monday, which is very exciting :) We've also bought a few little vests and sleep suits, just enough for the first few days. 

Lots of support

We are still totally overwhelmed by the amount of support we've received from friends and family. Lots of friends from the past have recently been in contact to say how much they enjoy our blog, and are rooting for our baby girl. The amount of support, well wishes and prayers should be more than enough to last her a lifetime.

We've also received support in a different sense in that my little brother has recently signed up for a triathlon in aid of Turner Syndrome Support Society UK. Whilst he's super fit, he's never competed in a triathlon before. But not one to give a halfhearted attempt, he's signed up for the hardest of the 3 levels! If you'd like to take a look at his fundraising page, google 'Bob Read Just Giving' and it should be the first link. Just take a look and see how fab he is :) 

Another super source of support has been emails from a friend of a friend (of a friend). For several months we've been in contact with a fabulous family who've got a young daughter with Turner Syndrome. It's really valuable to us as I am able to share all sorts of things that are on my mind, and ask lots of questions, and she's always there to provide excellent, first hand advice (as well as pics of her lovely daughters).

Busy week next week!

So, I promise that between now and my next post, I will have no more arguments with the weather. I'll be back in just under a week with the results from our last scan at Oxford (hopefully), and my bloods. 

Due date - 6 and a half weeks....

32weeks and another good scan-another milestone reached!

32 weeks and counting down

Back when we first found out that little one had Turner Syndrome, if you'd have told me that we'd still be going strong at 32 weeks, I'm not sure I'd have believed you! But then I'm not sure I believed that getting beyond that first day of finding out was even possible, but here we are....

32 week scan

Whilst sat in the scan waiting room this afternoon, we calculated that we had seen baby chappo on various heart, growth and general scans, 9 times so far. Today was number ten. The nerves were today replaced with 'how big do you think she is this time?' 'How much do you think she's grown in the last 4 weeks?' 'How many weeks behind might she be this time?'

We were called into the ultrasound room (thankfully we still haven't been back in THAT room) and as I lay on the bed, the nerves set in once again, despite the fact the baby had spent the morning booting me (I think she got bored at antenatal class!). The sonographer had read our novel, sorry I mean hospital notes, and just got straight down to work. Within 10 minutes she had concluded that baby chappo was measuring at 32 weeks, had an average amount of amniotic fluid, and weighed roughly 3lb 15oz. Excellent news! Not only had she caught up again, but all was well, and she was nearly 4lb with 8 weeks to go....if she stays in that long.

Also to our surprise, the sonograher asked us to wait outside whilst she booked us a final growth scan at 36 weeks-BONUS, I didn't even need to ask :)

Antenatal classes

Last Tuesday was the first of our two antenatal classes, with this morning being the second. We ourselves had chosen to attend the Jan classes instead of Feb, as we felt that The last 2 weeks of Feb (which was when the classes were scheduled) were pushing it with regards to baby potentially coming early.

The classes were informative, if not a tad scary - mainly the labour part, but I imagine I'm most certainly not the first or last to be scared at the thought of labour! Today's class frustrated me somewhat though....having read, and been told by mothers of TS children, that TS babies struggle to breast fed (for some unknown reason), our whole class was on breast feeding. The final ten minutes were about bottle feeding. Now I know that health care professionsals are obliged to 'push' the whole breast is best message, and I totally get that, but what about us mums who want to but are unlikely to be able to?! We could have done with a little more than ten minutes on bottle feeding, anyhow, not the end of the world.

The next few weeks...

A week on Friday I have to have my bloods re-done :( we found out from our midwife that my platelet levels are low. Apparently this has something to do with helping the blood to clot, and is a problem that needs addressing if they don't increase, or if they go even lower. You'll be pleased that I have resisted the urge to google this as I've figured I don't wan't to worry myself about anything else, but as Tim well knows, I am worrying! I just keep reminding myself that I have no control over this, as with the whole pregnancy in general. It's on my prayer list though!

Two weeks today we have what we hope will be our final heart scan at John Radcliffe, Oxford. If all is well with this, then no more Oxford, just heart checks at the local hospital. Yay!! Though I do think that the 2 cardiologists that we've been seeing are fabulous.

Three weeks today we have an appointment with our consultant, though going by past experiences it will probably be a totally different person again.

So there we are, all up to date. We've up-ed our game in terms of buying baby things, only the essentials though like a bottle set, changing bag, and first set of baby clothes for the hospital. Next step - get the changing bag and my bag prepped for hospital!

Anxieties attack!

31weeks + 1 day

Time really is flying! If anyone had have told us when we first found out that our baby had Turner Syndrome, that we'd still be a going strong at 31 weeks, I'd have found it hard to believe. I think I can safely I have finally got over the daily feeling of 'what if this is the day that something goes wrong?' though it now seems to have been replaced with an entirely new fear...... Birth!

Risk factors in the 3rd trimester?

So whilst I say that birth is my new fear, the classic labour etc fears are somewhere near the top of my mind, but the fear of something else has taken over. 

Having googled a lot about Turner Syndrome, and read a lot of personal stories on the Internet, there seems to be a lot of cases where low amniotic fluid in the 3rd trimester is a huge risk. Unfortunately, as there is very little published information about this (probably because only 10% of Turner Syndrome cases are diagnosed in pregnancy), I cannot find anything to put my mind at ease, or to present my midwife and consultant with to back up my fears. All I can find is several cases where babies had to be delivered early - around 35 or 36 weeks - due to insufficient fluids. Low amniotic fluid does have a medical name - oligohydramnios - and is very dangerous. From what I have read, it is slightly more common in pregnancies of certain syndromes. 

After spending days worrying about this, I have decided to mention it to my midwife at our next appointment, as we won't be seeing the consultant for another 4 weeks (at 35 weeks). If our consultant has it her way, and all is well at the 32 week scan, she won't scan us again this pregnancy, and that is pretty much the only way to detect this problem.

So, have decided i'm going to be vocal about my concerns, regardless of how neurotic and over the top it may seem. We're not getting this far into a pregnancy that was only given 1% chance of making it,  for something like this to possibly affect it.

You be may be thinking 'just stop googling woman!' but because our healthcare professionals know so little about TS, I almost feel like it is down to us to make sure that we can do and find out as much as possible.

Pregnancy firsts...

Yesterday I experienced my first feeling of baby Chappo having hiccups! At first I thought she was practicing some rhythmic punching or kicking, but I soon realised it was baby hiccups. It lasted for about 15 minutes, and certainly made me and Tim smile :) 

Our beautiful nursery

After getting most of our nursery furniture over the holidays, Tim has finally finished his project-the nursery. I must say that he's done an amazing job of creating a tranquil, yet fun room for our little girl, and like he said-there's only one thing missing!

The week ahead: Tuesday is a busy day for us with our first antenatal class, and a midwife appointment.
Everything always seems to be on a Tuesday, maybe she'll be born on a Tuesday?!