I’m not really sure what all to say here, so I’m just going to give all the facts I can. Shalee, my daughter, is 23 weeks pregnant with a little boy, Maverick Gene, but is in preterm labor.
So, for this last whole week, Shalee has been in the hospital. She went in last Friday for bleeding. They sent her home on Saturday, and then Sunday she was sent to Temple for more bleeding. She has what they call placenta previa. Her placenta, instead of being at the top of her uterus, was on the bottom of it, and the baby was pushing down, causing all the bleeding. Because of this, they said she would have to have a C-section if she went into labor to keep her from bleeding out. Anyway, her bleeding finally slowed down. At that time, she was 22 weeks and 6 days. They wouldn’t hook her up to a baby monitor during all this because they said the baby was ‘non-viable,’ meaning too young to try and save. She had to be 23 weeks for that. The day she turned 23 weeks was the day she thought she might get to go home because the bleeding had about stopped. They came in at midnight that morning and hooked her up to monitor the baby, and at 5:30 am, her water broke. So after that, they said they didn’t want her to deliver if they could keep from it, but she had to be on strict bed rest here at the hospital since, with her water broken, the chance for infection for both mom and baby was too high. They wanted her to reach 34 weeks along if possible before delivering and were trying to do all they could to keep her from going into full labor so early.
Each and every day the baby stays inside greatly increases the baby’s chances of not only survival but health also, so we were all ready and looking at an 11-week stay in the hospital for her if she could make it to the 34-week mark. But then this morning, she started showing signs of infection and the baby signs of stress, so they told us that we were risking Shalee and the baby both if we tried to hold off delivering any longer.
We thought they were going to rush her for an immediate C-section first thing this morning, but then found that the placenta, instead of being at the bottom, has now shifted to the side, so they want to try a natural birth. So as of right now, they have been giving her meds to induce labor with the hopes she can have it naturally, but they have us in the room right next door to the operating room in case she starts bleeding too much and has to be taken immediately for the C-section, and it’s also closer to the NICU. They estimate the baby weighs about 1.2 lbs at the moment. Shalee is doing okay, or as well as she can, though Jeffery and she have had some difficult decisions to make, and it’s been hard, and she’s worried and stressed. Also, her BP, which a week ago was so high she was at risk, now it’s dropping super low and is making her be at risk for a whole new reason. We have no idea at this time what kind of care baby Maverick will need exactly when he finally makes his appearance, but regardless, with him being so little, he has a long hospital stay ahead of him. This hospital has the number one rated NICU unit in the state, and we feel like the baby will have the best care possible here, which we are so thankful for.
Most of all, the baby items Shalee had for the girls she no longer has, so they are starting from scratch, but they thought they still had plenty of time to get the things they needed. With that, plus their car being in the shop, Shalee not being able to work for a while, and the baby coming so early and not even knowing the needs that will bring, they are just overwhelmed. Jeffery is working as much as possible while at the same time trying to help with Maizleigh and being here for Shay and the baby. With everything going on, they are reaching out to any that can help. Anything, no matter how small, would be more than appreciated, and they would be forever grateful.
I will try to update here or on Facebook as time goes on and we see what happens.
