You know when you go to the dmv and wait in a line only to find out you are getting a number to stand and wait in another line? In some ways that is how I feel right now, although we got some answers this week there are still a lot he was not able to answer and a lot more questions we now have. I’m still trying to process everything so bare w me as you read this email it may be a little scattered.
We met with the specialist here Dr. Bennett on Wednesday. They did another ultra sound, and everything is showing normal besides the tumor. Afterwards we met with him and his nurse to discuss the plan on action. Dr Bennett has done 4 other exit surgeries , and we would be the first at Children’s Mercy (the high risk delivery unit just open in March) The top hospital for exit procedures only do maybe 1 surgery every 4 months, he said you would not find a Doctor who has performed the producer more than 20 times. He repeated many times that an exit is not like a c-section, it is extremely more risky for the baby and for me. There is a good chance for bleeding out for the both of us plus the level of anesthesia they put me under is extremely high. As well the healing on the body is a lot harder.
He has some concerns about doing the exit. He is concerned that the mass is too big and therefor the risk of the surgery out ways the likelihood of them being able to successfully remove the tumor as well as not knowing the cause of the tumor. The tumor has grown some sense the last ultrasound enough that he wants to monitor it closely but not enough that he is concerned yet. He had not been able to review the MRI that had been done in Boise and without talking to some of his colleagues he did not want to make a definite recommendation. I will have another ultrasound as soon I come back in town as well as another MRI to try and better see where the tumor is starting. The next thing is the placement of my placenta, on the front. If it stays where it is at then cutting would be very tricky and may be impossible to do successfully. As the uterus grows the placenta should hopefully rise higher allowing them to cut.
There are three options that he discussed. First is that we will move forward w the exit here in kc that is the plan that we are going with. He is currently putting together a team and will have all of them look over the results and discuss, when Chris and I come back we will meet with all of them for a more detailed plan. He also wants me to have weekly visits to monitor the fluids and the baby. As for now he wants to wait till around 37wks (early to mid feb) to deliver bc the need for the lungs to grow. If they can get an airway established they will wait to remove the tumor till they baby is stronger. Chris asked for a time line. He said that a month of recovery for the baby would be extremely optimistic and we should look at a few months at best but they will not know for sure till the baby is born. … the second option is if after they review things he or any of his team feels it is above their ability he would send us to another hospital, Cincinnati or Philadelphia , he would set up everything and still work w those hospital. … the third option is that I delivery naturally and spend the few days w the baby. This would be because they feel that even with the exit procedure the baby would have little to no chance of survival and therefore putting the baby and I in a lot of pain and risk would not seem right. Dr Bennett is honest and up front he does not feel like this is where we are headed but he did feel strongly that it needs to be considered because of the situation.
Like I said I am still processing all of this. We have a lot of planning and organizing to do over the next couple weeks. Chris will not be student teaching next spring, his schooling will be delayed and the earliest we will be back would be may ish we think.
Please continue to pray for the wisdom of the team. Please pray for a miracle. And please continue to pray for the baby. I am ok with people asking questions, not sure I will know the answer but I am ok with talking about it. We are also not keeping anything a secret, the more people to pray the better! Thank you for all your support!
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