Maxwell Birth Story

It started out like any other day.  I was feeling pretty good.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  I got a phone call from my hematologist letting me know that my heparin (PTT) levels were too high.  So I had to lower my dosage.  Not a big deal.

Around 5pm I went to the bathroom.  When I wiped there was blood.  That made me nervous.  One of the risks of being on a blood thinner is internal bleeding.  I called Nate letting him know that I might have to go to the hospital.  He was picking up the kids from someone who was watching them.  I then got in contact with the high risk OB office.  They told me to come in to be evaluated.  I called around to find people who could watch the boys for a few hours & for the night if this was more urgent.  We had no idea what was going on.  At this point I wasn't really having any contractions accept the usually braxton hicks contractions.

We dropped the boys off with a church friend.  Then headed to the hospital --30 minute drive.  Nate dropped me off at the entrance and I was suppose to sit in a wheel chair and wait for him.  As I was sitting in the wheel chair I felt a huge gush of blood. A lady came up to me and ask if I need help.  I said "yes, I need someone to push me to Labor & delivery".  That sweet lady pushed me up there and waited with me until Nate met up with us.

I told the ladies at the Labor & Delivery desk that I was gushing blood and was on blood thinner.  I needed to be seen right away.  They were taking their sweet time.  I was feeling really anxious at this point because I had no idea what was going on with my body.  They got a room ready for me and hooked me up.  The on call OB saw me right away.  She did an exam.  She told us there was no active bleeding which was hard to believe because her hand was super bloody.  The OB told me the bleeding was probably the start of labor.  I was dilated to 4cm.  The scary part was I had just taken heparin at 4pm.

They had to start an IV and reverse the heparin.  After they gave me medicine to reverse the heparin they had to make sure my levels were safe enough to perform a spinal anesthesia.  If it wasn't safe I would of needed to be put under with general anesthesia.  They were able to reverse the heparin and prep me for a spinal.  At this point I was having pretty consistent contractions.  I had to drink some yucky stuff and be shaved.  Getting shaved hurt so bad!  The electric razor was not gentle.

I was wheeled into the OR.  Nate had to wait until they had placed my spinal.  I was super nervous during the surgery.  It all went okay.  I didn't even require a blood transfusion.  YAY!  Maxwell was born without ANY complications.  The only real complications was the reactions I was having to the IV pain meds.  My O2 stats kept on dropping.  The main reason was cause I was on pain meds over load.  The morphine wasn't working and they tried to give me some Demerol.  It was just too much for my body.

Maxwell Arthur McCoard was born at exactly 10pm on June 18th.  He weighed 4 lbs 15 oz.  Maxwell was 17 inches long.

The risk

Since I am on Lovenox which is a blood thinner.  It makes certain things more risky.  That being my c-section.  I have an increased risk for bleeding. I will not be able to get  We don't know when I'll go into labor due to my short cervix.  So that is the scary part.  I'm so scared of leaving my sweet little boys behind.  I want to be around for them for a long time.  We don't know what will happen.  At 34 weeks I can be switched over to heparin because it can be reversed but the problem is we don't know if I'll make it that far.

So so scary!

Factor V Leiden Mutation (2 copies)

When I was admitted to the hospital they ran all sort of blood tests on me.  One came out positive.  I tested positive for the genetic disorder called Factor V Leiden Mutation.  The thing is I inherited it from both my Mom & Dad.  They both had 1 copy of the disorder and passed it on to me.  Having two copies greatly increases my risk for developing more blood clots in the future.  Depending on what happens I may have to be on blood thinner for 6 months or even for the rest of my life.

If you want to read more on the condition:
http://www.genome.gov/15015167

Hospital Stay - Blood Clot

On April 8th I started having pain in my leg.  I thought it was because of being on bed rest for the past five weeks.  Nate kept on telling me to call the doctor.  April 10th I could hardly walk on it.  So I called the doctor and was able to get in.  I didn't have any of the typical symptoms of having a blood clot other then the pain.  I had no swelling, redness, or warmer skin in that area.

The doctor didn't seem concerned.  As a precaution though they sent me down to radiology to have my legs ultrasound.  It hurt really bad in my left leg.  I was told to wait in the waiting room until the radiologist reviewed the results.  The doctor called me and said they'd be admitting me cause they found a DVT in my leg.

I was admitted and was told I would be meeting with the hematologist.  That night was started on a blood thinner called Lovenox.  After that things got crazy.  They almost sent me home that weekend without even seeing a hematologist or even seeing if my levels were where they should be.  We knew this wasn't right and fought it.  We saw the hematologist and he wanted me to see a vascular surgeon.  They wanted to perform surgery on me.  It sounded like the risks were minimal so we decided to go ahead.  Come Monday the day of the surgery one of the high risk OB's came in and said the surgery was off.  There were more risks than we were informed about.

After this we decided to treat it with just the Lovenox and hope things would get better.  Before they released me from the hospital they made sure I was on a therapeutic dose of the blood thinner - Lovenox.  I was scared to go home.  So many "what ifs" running through my mind.

I ended up spending 6 days in the hospital.

25 week appointment

I had my 25 week doctors appointment yesterday. Viability goes up to 50% this week. I'm not very fond of those odds but it is better then it was.

My cervix is either measuring the same or a tiny bit shorter. No dilation which is a good thing.

Baby is weighing 1.5 lbs. I'm told that is a good weight for 25 weeks.

At every appointment I get a shot of progesterone. I'm not a fan of the side effects but I'm willing to do anything to keep baby boy in a little longer.

I hope we will be blessed with one more week! Viability goes up quite a bit in week 26. Baby stay in & warm! Keep us in your prayers!

Bed rest is hard!

When I was put on bed rest I didn't realize how hard it would be. The truth is I didn't know how long I'd be on bed rest. When we were given the news we thought that the baby would come soon that we give bed rest to try. That was almost 4 weeks ago. 

Don't get me wrong I am so glad that the baby has stayed inside! I just hope he continues to stay where he is. 

Now back to the topic of bed rest and why is so hard. Basically I have to stay in bed or laying on the couch. I am allowed to get up to make simple meals for myself like a turkey sandwich, use the restroom, and shower. Any other responsibilities my husband has to take care of. He has a lot on his plate. 

On bed rest there isn't much you can do. I spend my days watching Netflix, Reading books, and playing games on my phone. Afterwhile those things get old.

My body is starting to get sore from laying in bed all day. It takes a toll how you feel emotionally. It is hard.

The good news is but I am still pregnant. And as the days by the odds get better for baby boy. So yes bed rest is hard but if this is helping him to stay in a little bit longer then it will be worth it.

Why I am on bed rest?

I have been on bed rest for three and a half weeks.

I went in for my routine ultrasound at 21 weeks. Everything looks fine with the baby but my cervix was extremely thin. It only measuring 7 mm. So you have a better idea what that means. A normal cervix is usually about 40 mm.

The OB I saw that day sent me straight to the high-risk hospital. I was so scared and had no idea what this meant. I was checked and examined and had another ultrasound at the high-risk hospital. They confirmed that my cervix is extremely short. The doctors at the hospital told me that they had no idea what the outcome would be. I could go into labor today tomorrow or maybe a few weeks from now. That is really scary news for someone who is only 21 weeks along where the baby has no chance of survival.

So I went home and had to wait it out. A miracle happened and I made it to 23 weeks. At 23 weeks I was able to get steroid shots to strengthen the babies lungs.

Now here I am at 24 1/2 weeks and I am still pregnant. I am so grateful for each and every day that our baby is able to grow. It truly is a miracle! I hope he continues to grow as long as he can.

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
3 cups diced zucchini
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix and butter.  Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.  Add the zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion and sour cream to the remaining stuffing mixture.  Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.  Sprinkle with reserved stuffing mixture.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Serves 6.

*recipe from quick cooking magazine July/Aug 2004 issue

My firstborn, Remington...

It has been awhile since I've posted about Remington.  The past year my blog has been a lot about Campbell & his growth.  Now it is time to talk about Rem.

Remington started full day kindergarten this fall.  It was the perfect fit for him.  Being in school all day really keeps him busy.  He is the type of kid that gets bored very easily.  In some ways, he still is like an "only" child since Rem & Cam are 5 years apart. 

Rem's favorite thing to do is playing with friends.  He loves being out and talking with others.  Rem will go up to anyone in our neighborhood and ask them what they are doing.  He definitely isn't shy.  Total opposite from me.

When he isn't playing with friends you can find him playing with bey blades, cars, wii, or with the iPad. 

Despite the age difference between Remington & Campbell, they play so well together.  Rem loves playing with his brother.  I love it!

Even though Campbell is the "baby".  Rem LOVES to cuddle far more than Campbell does.  I'm glad because I definitely need the cuddles right now since my miscarriage.

It has been so fun to see how much Rem has grown in the past year.

Back to normal

Finally.  Its only been two weeks.  It seems like forever.  I am feeling like my normal self again.

The hardest part was that week after my D&C.  I don't think I've cried that much in a long time.  I need it.  Now I feel like I can move on.

I had my 2 week follow up from my surgery today.  The first thing my doctor asked me was how I was doing.  Then he added "how are you doing emotionally?".  I was honest.  The first week was hard but I THINK I am doing okay now.  I haven't cried in over a week.  That is good sign, right?  I have my sad moments but I feel like I've mourned my loss and ready to get on with life.

We also chatted about my plans for the future.  Yes, we plan on getting pregnant again.  How soon? Not sure.  It depends on how long it will take for me to gain 15 lbs.  I hate being the minority.  Gaining weight for me is such a struggle. 

I think my biggest strength to me right now is my boys.  I have been blessed with two healthy boys; 6 year old and 1 year old.  They keep me busy so I don't really have time to dwell on my loss.  I'm grateful for that!  Having them here also shows that I can have a healthy pregnancy.

I have learned from my miscarriage that I would LOVE to have kids close together.  So even though we weren't trying to get pregnant, I know that I want to have a baby in the near future.

So life is back to normal.  As normal as it can be.  Rem is back to school.  Cam is suddenly my baby again.  Nate is back to work.  I am feeling well enough to clean and be a mom.  I'm glad for that.

Merry Christmas (kind of)

I had so many plans for this Christmas.  I was going to make some cute stuff off of pinterest, bake some yummy desserts, and just make the holiday super fun for our boys (especially Remington).  Then I got pregnant.  Which I welcomed...but I wasn't able to do all the things I wanted to do because I was sick and tired.  Now I'm not pregnant and I feel like all those weeks were wasted.

I feel bad for Nate too.  He took some vacation time during the holidays and now he has to help a recovering wife.  Basically he has to step in and be the mom for a week since I can't pick up Campbell.

We did have a very good Christmas.  We enjoyed spending time with family.  I loved watching the boys open their presents.  I am grateful for all the blessings we have in our lives.  I couldn't help but be sad about the one thing missing.

I had to refocus many times to keep myself from breaking into tears.  I reminded myself of last Christmas when we got to bring home our NICU baby.  Our sweet baby Campbell.  I love him so much.  I love Rem too.  I am so grateful my boys and wonderful husband because this is definitely a hard time for me.

Even though this blog post seems like such a depressing one.  It really was a wonderful Christmas.  I just had moments of sadness which I'm sure I'll be having for awhile.

My miscarriage

I have had two pretty normal pregnancies so having a miscarriage was a big surprise to me.  I need to write everything down in hopes to remember it and so I can mourn my loss.

I found out I was pregnant on November 20th.  It was unexpected and definitely not planned.  We announced right away like we usually do.  My feelings are if I lose the pregnancy I would like the support of others to help me through.

I went to the doctor numerous times and my HCG levels were rising at a normal rate.  I did have an ultrasound the end of November but nothing could be detected.  We thought it was too early and it probably was.  Everything looked good so we scheduled a second ultrasound for December 20th in hopes to see our baby.

In December, I was very emotional because I wasn't ready for this baby.  I even told Nate I wish I weren't pregnant.  Now I feel guilty for the way I felt.  I was just overwhelmed with everything.  No I didn't cause it but still.  As the month went on I noticed my symptoms were very different with this pregnancy than any other.  I was extremely tired, nauseous but not to the point of throwing up, and got headaches all the time.  Not the symptoms I usually have.  I had a feeling something could of been wrong.

I went to my ultrasound on December 20th.  I got ready for my ultrasound.  My fears were confirmed.  No baby-- blighted ovum.  Basically it is when fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, but the embryo does not develop.  It is actually pretty common.

Dr. Crouch (best OB ever) told me my options.  Wait and miscarry at home, take a pill to speed up the miscarriage at home, or schedule an D&C.  Emotionally I couldn't handle the first two options.  I decided on the D&C.  I was scheduled for the very next day.

I was so scared about my D&C but I had the very best hospital staff available.  My doctor, the nurses, and anesthesiologist were awesome and did everything to calm my fears.  I was put asleep for the surgery and only felt a little uncomfortable after I woke up.  I was given some Demerol which helped.

The physical recovery hasn't been bad at all.  I've had c-sections and this no where compares to the pain of a c-section but of course at least you get a baby out of that (most of the time).

Now the emotional recovery has been a bit harder.  I told myself it was okay because there never really was a baby.  Yes, that is true.  I still get emotional about it.  I feel that I was pregnant for 8 weeks for nothing.  I don't know how long I will mourn this loss or how long it is normal to feel sad about it.  I try to cry about it alone so people don't see how sad and disappointed I am.

I feel like I lost a piece of me...

Campbell is ONE!

Weight: 18.65 lbs - 11.64%
Height: 27.25 in. - 0.31%
Head: 17.7 in - 19.84%

Campbell turned one today!  He is growing so fast.  Cam is crawling around like crazy.  He likes to pull himself up to furniture but hasn't figured out how to get down yet.  He just cries until someone comes to his rescue.  Cam can say a few words.  Mom, Dad, and hi.  He loves to shake his head to say "no".  Cam can sign "all done".

We just LOVE this little guy to pieces!!!!

Campbell - 6 months

Weight: 14.95 lbs - 8.35%
Height: 24.5 in. - .67%
Head: 16.55 in. - 15.7%

Campbell had his 6 month check up this week.  He is growing fast and is gaining weight.  Campbell will NOT have to wear a helmet. His head is rounding out pretty well.  Thanks to the hard work of his parents! Plus his cradle cap is getting better.

What is Campbell doing now?

- Can lift his head pretty well during tummy time.
- Can roll from side to side
- Getting close to being able to roll from back to tummy but not quite there yet
-  Loves to talk
- His favorite toy is his caterpillar
- Still sleeps thru the night

- takes two naps about 1-3 hrs
- Eats solids twice a day (breakfast & dinner)
- drinks about 3-4 eight ounce bottles a day
- enjoys bouncing in his bouncy chair though has NO interest in his jumperoo yet

Campbell - 4 months

Weight: 12.6 lbs - 3.6%
Height: 22.5 in. - .05%
Head: 15.7 in. - 6.4%

Campbell had his 4 month check up today.  He is doing really well for his age.  It looks like Campbell will always be on the low end of normal especially for his height.  Our older son, Remington, was the same way.  We will just have short boys.  At his checkup, our doctor wants us to get him looking different directions because he seems to only look one way.   Its more so out of habit but we need to break that.  The doctor also prescribed a special shampoo for Campbell's cradle cap problem.  Hopefully that will help it clear up.

What is Campbell doing now? 

- Can roll over when he wants to
- Loves to talk
- Plays with toy rings & on his play mat
- Smiles
- has pretty good control of his head except when tired
- drinks between 5-8 ounces at each feeding, every 3-5 hrs except at night
- is starting to eat cereal but prefers his formula (and so does his Mom)
- sleeping thru the night
- takes two naps, lasting 3-5 hrs
- has a very laid back personality

Campbell Birth Story

Nate & I went out for our sixth anniversary which is on Dec 3rd. We did some shopping and then went out to dinner to Texas Roadhouse. When we got to the restaurant I was feeling sick to my stomach. I only had a few bites of my dinner and Nate hurried to finish his meal. We headed home because I wasn’t feeling very well.


That night from 11pm to 2am I started having really bad diarrhea. I didn’t think much of it except that I was probably just getting a stomach bug. At 2:15 I had a really bad stomach cramp and then “pop”. My water broke! Nate had fallen asleep on the couch since I wasn’t feeling good. I ran in and told him that my water had broken. He hurried and put Rem in the car. As we were driving to the hospital I started throwing up. I walked into the ER with throw up on my shirt and wet pants. I was quite a sight to see.

I told the people at the ER that I was 35 weeks and that my water had broke. Once I got changed into a hospital gown they checked me. I was 3 ½ cm dilated, completely effaced, and his head was right there. Right then is when I started to freak out because I was worried that the baby was coming too quickly. My OB told us it would be best if I was transferred to a different hospital that had a NICU. So my OB didn’t even deliver me. They sent me by ambulance (my first ride ever in one) to another hospital 20 minutes away. In the ambulance my contractions were 2 ½ minutes apart.

Once I got to the other hospital I was dilated to an 8! At an 8 I was feeling like I needed to push. I was so scared that he was coming! I was telling everyone to hurry because I NEEDED my c-section. By the time I was prepped for surgery I had reached 9 cm.

Campbell Allen was born on December 4th at 4:35 am. He was 4 lbs 14 oz and 17.5 inches. He is currently in the NICU and will be there for a few weeks.

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 20

A picture of somewhere you would love to travel.

This is a picture of Lancaster, PA.  I've been there as a child and would love to go back!  The thing I love the most about Lancaster is the Amish people.  They live such a simple life which I love!  Don't let this picture fool you though because Lancaster is more than just farmland. 

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 19

 I took a little break from the 30 day challenge, but I'm back!!!!

A picture and a letter to someone

Dear Remington,
I hope you always know how much I love you!  I am so impressed how much you have grown this past year.  You know all your letters and are starting to learn how to read.  You are a smart little boy and I predict you will be smarter than your Mommy and Daddy one day! ;)
I feel so blessed to your Mom.  You are such a precious little boy.  I see so much of me in you!  I hope I will raise you right and that you will grow up to be a confident young man.

Love always,
your Mom

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 18

A picture of your biggest insecurity.

My teeth

I hate my teeth!  I've always had bad teeth.  Even as a kid, I had to have them all capped.  The worst thing for my teeth was getting pregnant.  I don't regret having Rem but its something you don't think about when having kids.  I had really bad morning sickness that I'd get sick when I brush my teeth.  My teeth looks like a person who has had an eating disorder.  I also suffered PPD (post-partum depression) which hurt my teeth as well because I was too depressed to take care of myself.  Sad, but true!  Now I possibly have GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) which can hurt your teeth.  When I look in the mirror I just want to cry!

This is a big reason I am back in school so I can fix my teeth.  Most dentists now a days make you pay the dental costs upfront.  So once I find a job, I can finally work towards having a nice smile again!

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 17

A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

I think going back to school has made a big impact on my life.  I have really missed going to school and I'm enjoying it so much!  I do look forward to finishing too and hopefully finding myself a job in a medical office.