Shower Time!

Yesterday was Baby Girl D2's shower and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I have some great friends and a great mother in law that threw me a fabulous party. 

I was definitely missing some of my favorite Texans, mainly my momma, but these ladies took care of me!  There was tons of yummy food, the decor was pretty, presents were wonderful, but the laughter was truly the best.  I hadn't laughed that hard that much for quite some time!  

Here's a little sneak peak at the beginning of her nursery...NOTHING is decorated and/or painted yet...

Here's some random shots from week 2 of my medical leave...

 Dusty's surgery is this Tuesday...please keep those prayers and positive energy coming!!

Update

It's been a week since my last post, so let me get everyone up to speed.  First off, my bloodwork came back completely normal.  Hooray!!  So now it really is a "hurry up and wait" scenario.  As long as I can tolerate the pain until May 15, we will be meeing this beautiful baby girl and taking this yucky ovary out.  So far, the pain hasn't really gotten worse, but I have definately been trying to follow doctor's orders of taking it easy.  I can tell the difference when I don't do that.  Thankfully, things are looking good.   I will go back for another sonogram April 2 to see where we are at.

 

Now, for Dusty's back update.  Yesterday, he and I drove to LA for him to be seen by one of the best neurosurgeons in the country at Cedars Sinai.  He looked over Dusty's MRI results and did a small evaluation.  Basically, he has a very COMMON injury, however, Dusty's is larger than most which makes it a little more serious.  We were given two treatment options; one being an epidural which could last only a week or as much as a month or two and then we would be right back to where we are right now.  The other option presented was surgery.  It is a minimally invasive, 45 minute procedure where the doctor will go in and remove the part of the disc that is buldging out.  (It almost sounded like a knee scope when he described the procedure.)  It an outpatient surgery, meaning we can go home afterwards, plus Dusty would be pain free almost as soon as he woke up.

 

The doctor felt like surgery is our best option based on the type of work Dusty does and how young he is. We agreed and are set for him to go back to LA for the procedure next Tuesday, the 26th.  Yea, I know, both of us being "down" at the same time sounds crazy, but it's better now than when we have Addy AND a newborn in the house.  The last thing we need is for Dusty to be recovering from back surgery and me recovering from a ceserean and ovary removal at the same time.  What's so great about his surgery is that he will be back to work about a week or so after surgery.  His "down time" is minimal, thankfully.

 

That's the latest!  Keep those prayers coming!!!!

My how things have changed...

 

If you recall in my last post I talked about the discomfort/ pain I was feeling with this pregnancy.  Well, it got worse.  So much so that I have spent the last two days at the doctor trying to figure out what the deal is.  After having a sonogram done this morning, it was discovered that the problem is with one of my ovaries.  My right ovary is the size of a tennis ball, double the size of my "normal" one, and causing me a lot of pain.  My doctor, whom I LOVE, called it a "mass" versus a cyst. 

 

What does this mean?  Because I'm into my 30th week of pregnancy, the solution isn't simple.  It needs to be removed, but how and when?  Surgery, at this point, would be risky for baby.  To take baby out at this point is still a little sketchy because we are still 10 weeks out from due date.  So, my doctor's solution is to wait as close to my due date as possible and proceed with a scheduled cesarean to get baby and then remove the entire ovary.  He tentatively scheduled this for May 15.

 

Additionally, I had to get even more blood work done this afternoon.  He feels like my ovary is nothing to be very alarmed about, but if there is something going on in there that is abnormal, the blood counts will tell us.  If this ends up being the case, the above plan is null and void and we will figure out a new plan.  Lol. 

 

WHEN the blood work comes back normal--should know definitively by tomorrow-- then we continue to wait as close to the due date as possible for the cesarean...as long as I can tolerate the pain.  I will be monitored every two weeks with sonograms and exams.  In the meantime, I am off work...not bed rest specifically, but ordered to "take it easy."  I think  I can manage that!

 

It really was an overwhelming visit.  Dusty couldn't be with me, so my mother in law took me.  Boy, I was glad she was there or I would have walked out of that office having heard only half of what was explained.  As we were wrapping up the visit, Toni told my doctor to "take care of our girl".  His response was this...looked at me, put his hand on my shoulder, and said "as if she were my own."  Did I mention how great my doctor is?

 

 

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Update on Dusty's back:

Some of you may have known that he recently got an MRI.  The result of that MRI showed that he has two "substantial/ severe herniated discs."  He is being referred to Cedars Sinai hospital in LA...you know the one where all the celebs go to have their babies.  :-)  Surgery is a definate possibility, but we are hopeful that the doctors there will have some alternative strategies to try first.  We shall see...

 

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Please continue to keep us in your prayers...good thoughts...whatever your chosen method is! 

29 weeks down...

...and what feels like an eternity to go.  I'm now into the "30's".  Discomfort has set in.  Every time I stand up, gravity reminds me to find the nearest bathroom.  Sciatic pain is no joke either.  What has been very different this time around is how low this baby is sitting in my belly, which is causing me to have a lot of discomfort and pain very low in my pelvic area.  Seriously, I can't stand up straight after I've been sitting for awhile because of the pressure.  Doctor says its normal.  What I wanted him to say was, "Oh you poor thing...you need to stop working now."  No such luck.  Maybe I should have found a female doctor so she could sympathize with me.  Lol.  Oh yea...all I want to do is SLEEP.  All.  Day. Long. 

But...I'm still SOOO excited!

 

Dusty has been dealing with some back pain for awhile now.  It's something that has always come and gone for most of his adult life and this time, it's just not going away.  He has been seeing a chiropractor for a month or so and hasn't gotten an relief.  So yesterday we took him to get a MRI and should find out the results early this week.  Hoping for a non surgical answer to his pain!  Fingers crossed!!

Addy is still truckin' along...bigger personality everyday, I swear.  She is definately talking about the baby more.  Asked me what she will look like, where she will sleep etc.  Told me that she would share her room with baby..."Mommy, she can sleep in my room.  I would like that."  Love her.

 

Our Cowgirl!

Addy had dress up like a cowboy/ cowgirl at school last week.  She was so excited to show off to everyone what a cowgirl she really is.  That's the thing about where we live, how could she not be?!  She has helped feed the cattle in our pastures and been witness to a couple of calf births.  She just eats it all up.  One cow in particular, Beauty, is pretty fond of Miss Addy and always comes to our fence to spend quality time with our girl.

 

 

Back to cowgirl day at school.  She killed it!  And based on some of these pictures, Dusty was already cleaning the shotgun in preperation for the future boys knocking on our door.  She turns 4 in a few months and in these photos, she actually looks like it...my heart breaks a little when I see her looking so big.  She is supposed to ALWAYS be my little baby.  :-)

 

 

 

And a little silly time with my girl...