Maybe some hope?

So after a 3 hour appointment with the Peri and doing the sonos and dopplers, my boy has shown some signs of growth. He is still a solid 2 1/2 weeks behind his sister but this time he did actually grow some which I take as a positive. The weird part is his head and limbs have grown appropriatly, but his abdomen has only grown slightly.
The dr says his blood flow is still not great, but not as bad as he anticipated at this point. I have to go for weekly cervical checks, pre-term monitoring and sono's to check on things, but maybe there is a little hope??

He told me not to get my hopes up to much as the "data" they have collected up until I am at 22 weeks (2 weeks away) will give us a bit more solid answers on what has happened, and there is still a chance that what they have been saying all along may happen.

But I am going to take today as one of the better in these last 5 months and go from there.

Thank you all for your kind words and for all of the encouragment and prayers - it may have just paid off

 

Great news! Keeping lots of fingers and toes crossed for you and your little man! I can't imagine that this has been an easy journey for you, and I hope that we can all be here to hold your hand through the process!

 

Joanna that is excellent news!! :yahoo:

 

That is AWSOME!!!!! I know you are not out of the clear and there is still risk and fear you are facing but what amazing news!!!! :woohoo: . We will continue to pray here for you, your babies and Family. Hope is hope, right?!

 

AMAZING NEWS!!!!! Im so happy for you and your family. We will continue to hold you in our thoughts and prayers! :hug:

 

Joanna that is great & hopeful news :hug:
I will be keeping you all in my thoughts & hoping that he continues to grow

 

Thank you all!!!!

I think I am going to be cautiously optomistic....but I'm seizing today!

 

Wonderful news!! I will keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers!!!

 

i'm still thinking about you over here!!! it's so nice to hear the good news, and i'll be praying for your little boy! rest up and drink your water!

 

That's great news! I hope he just continues to do better and better. :hug:

 

Just remember that God is a God of miracles! I am so excited that he is still alive *your boy* and will continue to keep him in my prayers!

 

I check here daily for updates on you and am so glad to see this post. Never give up hope as it got me to where I am today. That little guy has shown that he is a fighter. I hope the info the Peri gives you the next few weeks is good. Hang in there!

 

What great news! I´m so happy for you, I will continue praying for your little boy!!!!

 

I'm so glad to hear the news, I do think miracles can happen and with this many prayers on your side I think it is possible. That little man is a real fighter and may just prove all those MD's wrong. Love and hope can make all things possible and I'm sending some your way!!! Keep fighting little man and stay strong for him Momma.....

You'll be in my prayers for sure!!!!

 

What a lucky woman I am to have all of this support!

:grouphug:

 

Joanna - That is great news. Dr's always seem to give the dooms day scenario, but they have to realize that hope is all we have. I'm praying that little man catches up and sticks around for the long haul.

 

Joanna, that is wonderful news. :yahoo: I am glad you got some hopeful news. :Clap: I will be keeping my fingers crossed!!

 

I knew it! I hope your doctor is finally realizing that anything is possible. I'm still praying for your little man and his sister. My girl has had increased dopplers this week, but she's still fighting.

I know your little boy can make it. You're doing great! :woohoo: :woohoo:

 

Good news! We are thinking of you and your little fighter daily! Here's hoping we keep going in this direction. I am pulling for you!! :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

oanna--How wonderul--Im so happ fr you With God all things a possible

 

Joanna I am so happy to see that there is some hope. What a little fighter you have there!! :hug:

 

Wonderful news! He's a little fighter! I've been through this and I know there is a chance that everything will be ok.

 

Awesome news!!!! I am so happy for you and your family, I will continue to send prayers your way.

Erica

 

Joanna, :Clap: great news. :hug: :hug: We'll all keep sending positive thoughts your way. :grouphug:

 

Joanna, I am so happy that you have gotten good news today! You and your son are both fighters! I keep your family in my prayers, I think of you often and I am hoping for your miracle!

 

Awesome!! I hope this means things will be fine!! Keep us posted.

 

All the best! Some growth is a good sign and I'm sure he's a fighter! We'll keep all of you in our prayers! :hug:

 

HI Joanna,

I have just accidently ended up on this site and have just read your posts and previous posts to date. I have join this forum straight away to let you know I am experiencing just about exactly the same thing on the other side of the world. Truth be known, I didn't think anyone else in the world was going through what I am and I am comforted by the fact that you are experiencing a similar journey and your baby is still fighting to live. This is my story.... (some of the terminology may be different here in Australia but you will get the drift!)

Over the last month and a half my husband and I have been going through hell. At 8 weeks into my pregnancy I had some bleeding and cramping, I went into see my ob straight away. He did an ultrasound and noticed a second sac but could not find a second heart beat. He sent me to the hospital for a more detailed ultrasound. Here I was told I was having twins – two babies were there with two strong heat beats - but one was half the size of the other. The technician called in the doctor who took one look and told me the little baby most likely had something wrong with it and when I came back at 12 weeks that it wouldn’t be there. I would have miscarried it and my body would have absorbed it.

We waited and waited, devastated, grieving but still hoping. At 11 weeks we went back in to see our ob. He did an ultrasound and found the small twin was still kicking on. Our spirits lifted, he said it looked good, and we were over the moon. We told our parents and a few very close friends. We were excited and scared about the prospect of twins.

However, we took another blow. Our 12 week scan started off well. The large twin is perfect with absolutely nothing to worry about. They moved onto twin two. At first all was looking well – strong heart beat, all its fingers and toes – but then they found a little hernia in the umbilical chord. The technician didn’t seem overly concerned at first, but her face gave her away. We finished the scan and waited patiently for the doctor to see us. The doctor told us it didn’t look good. The baby was still small (it measures 8 days behind the other), the placenta is small, there isn’t a lot of amniotic fluid, it has a hernia and it didn’t appear to have a nasal bone. She wasn’t concerned about down syndrome, but told us she thought it was trisomy 18. She followed this up by telling us it was fatal and not to read about it as it would only upset us. She said she wanted to do a CVS (where they take cells form the placenta to confirm a chromosomal disorder). The risk of miscarriage after a CVS is 1 in 200. We questioned whether the baby could have been conceived later, they are non-identical, she said it was possible but not probable. We asked if we could come back in a week as the baby was only measuring at 11 weeks and see if there were any changes, and if we needed to, do a CVS then. She said that was fine, but we needed to work out whether it had trisomy 18 because and these were her words “you will need to terminate so your other twin isn’t at risk and the sooner the better”. As you can imagine we were devastated.


During the following week we researched (despite her telling us not to) everything we could about trisomy 18, 13 and 21. We needed to be informed. We found out that trisomy 18 was fatal and that the baby would die in utero and if it didn’t it may take a few breaths, possibly live a couple of hours and if we were lucky a day. The ob rang me and said that the sono's were overacting and to not do the CVS. He has been exceptionally caring towards us and has gone out of his way to give us advice. By the time we went for our scan we were prepared for the worst, knew everything about trisomy 18, 13 and 21 and were sure we wouldn’t’ be having the CVS.


The next scan came and we took another blow. They could see a nasal bone this time, but were still convinced it was trisomy 18. So convinced were they that they kept pushing the CVS and the need for termination. They siad they could terminate it that day for us if we wanted! My husband and I asked for some time to ourselves, went for a walk came back and said we would do the CVS – only because we could not go through another week of waiting and hoping only to be dealt another awful blow the following week. I had the CVS, cried the entire time and prayed my babies wouldn’t miscarriage. I was sore for the next 24 hours and had the most depressing weekend waiting for the results, hoping and praying.

I got the call when the FISH results came in. The doctor said, “Well, this one is up for a fight”. My baby doesn’t have trisomy 18, 13 or 21. Despite the doctor being so sure. We were so relieved. We still have a tough road ahead. Baby is still small and still has a hernia. The risk of miscarriage it is still high. It may also have other problems along the way, but it is not a chromosomal disorder. The hernia can be fixed with an operation once it is born. We went again this week to see the ob and he said the baby is still growing. (I am 15 weeks.) We have another full scan at 18 weeks. We are going to a different ultrasound place and getting a second opinion from another doctor. We have been told twice now that I am going to lose my liitle girl if not both of them. So far we have defied the odds and I plan to keep fighting and hoping in my babies so they make it to the end.

Joanna, you know your body and babies better then anyone. Stay strong and keep hoping. Ask for a second opinion if you can. Also remeber that (and this is definately true here in Australia) the people testsing and scanning are looking for problems and do not mention or look for the positivies. My little one has a strong heart beat at this stage, but that apparently counts for nothing in their eyes.

I believe we both have little miracles happening and I believe everything happens for a reason. I have a 2 year old and both my husband and I look at her completely differently after this experience - We are taking nothing for granted any more.

Be positive. I think if I don't hope in my baby, who will? I will be praying and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers as I go through a similar journey. Please stay in touch and keep updating. As I said it is comforting to know I am not alone.

Sorry about the length of the post everyone and thanks for listening. I look forward to being involved in this forum.

kittymum xx

 

kittymum, you told your story very nicely. We will keep all of you in our thoughts here. Im sorry you have struggled but glad to hear the news for you is hopeful.

 

That's GREAT news! Sending positive vibes your way.......... :hug:

 

That's great! He's a fighter!

 

I check on here everyday to see if you have any updates. I am very excited for your little man. I will be praying very hard for him!!!!!!!!

 

I keep checking on you. And I am so happy for you. Hang on lil man and fight for your mommy.
I will keep you in my prays.
Stay possitive and God Bless you all.

 

Oh Joanna! That is wonderful news! Let's keep hoping all these prayers are working and he keeps growing stronger and better everyday!

 

Wishing you and your little fighter all the best!!!