December 18, 2009

3 lbs :-)

So I will be 30 weeks pregnant this Sunday. How exciting!!!

I went in for an ultrasound on Monday. Layla weighs in at 3 lbs!! She is at the 52nd percentile. Right in the middle. I would post some of the pictures but the tech. was not as good as some of the other ones and the images that she gave me didn't turn out very good. There will be many more to come. I will start going in for weekly ultrasounds every week starting at my 32nd week of pregnancy. I will also see my regular ob weekly. So 2 drs. apts. every week till I have little Layla.

I had a appointment with my regular ob today. I lost 2 lbs....I don't know how that happened! Everything looks good, my blood pressure has been really good! I have been experiencing a lot of pressure when I do to much...exercising/housework etc. So the Dr. ordered me to take it easy from now on. He feels I am doing to much and is concerned with preterm labor. So I will be taking it easy.

We are almost done with the nursery, I will post pictures when it is all done. This past weekend Chad and I put a quote up on the wall in Layla's nursery. I absolutely love it and I think it fits perfectly, since she is our little miracle.

I thought I would post some tummy pictures!

4 Months



7 Months



December 4, 2009

7 Months!!!!

Well it has been a long time since my last post. A lot has been going on.... two ultrasounds, we started setting up the nursery, and a visit to WI.

I had two ultrasounds since my last post, one at 20 weeks 3 days and the other at 25 weeks. I am now 27 weeks 5 days.... just about 28 weeks. I can't believe I am in my third trimester. How time flies by. At my last ultrasound she weighed 1lb 13oz, she is in the 58th percentile. We are so happy that she is growing right on track.

The ultrasounds turned out pretty dark but here are a few:

20w 3d
She was 13oz at this ultrasound!!

20w 3d

25 weeks...So cool to see her facial profile!! I think she has my nose:)

25 weeks

Nursery!!!

My parents visited in October and so we decided to start getting the nursery ready. Chad had painted the room about a week before they arrived. Our color scheme....pink, dark brown, white. We are are so appreciative to my parents for helping set up the crib and changing table. We just got the glider and ottoman. It is SO comfortable, Chad loves to sit in it:)

Chad and my Dad had just gone golfing that morning.





















Thanksgiving in WI:)

We just got back from visiting WI for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to see family and friends. We also have decided on a name for our baby girl: Layla Grace Prelog. I have loved the name Layla for so many years!! And Grace is my Mom's name.

We wanted to go back for Christmas but the Dr. won't clear me to go. So it will be Christmas in Florida this year for the Prelog's!! It will sure be the warmest Christmas we will every have had:)

When we were in WI I had two showers for Baby Layla!!! My Mom had a shower for me and so did Chad's Mom. It was so nice of them and we are so thankful for all there hard work. Thank you everyone for the wonderful gifts for Layla!! They are much appreciated! Needless to say we couldn't see out the back of our SUV on the way home :)

Here are just a few pictures from the shower and our visit with Layla's future cousins:

Cake.....Yum!!!



Opening presents...our Neice Amber was my little helper!


Our Neice Amber and I

My Mom and I

Amber reading to Great-Grammy! She is reading Where The Wild Things Are...Chad loves that book:)


Amber loves her Uncle Chad!!!


Me and our nephew Joshua

Our nephew Nicholas:
We were so happy to be able to see him play in a soccer tournament while on our visit!!





September 15, 2009

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

We went in for my ultrasound with the specialist and found out we are having a GIRL!!! We are both so very excited. We would have been happy with either a boy or a girl. We can't wait to start getting the nursery ready!!

I am 16 weeks 2 days today. I will be going in every 4 weeks to the high-risk specialist for ultrasounds and to monitor the growth. I will still be going to my regular obgyn for checkups, but all the ultrasounds will be at the specialist. The concern is my blood pressure and my small septum. I have already had to do a 24 hr urine, that was fun! We are just staying positive and praying for a strong healthy baby girl!!

Right now she is just where she should be for 16 weeks. The ultrasound was really cool, we got to view the ultrasound on a 32 inch flat screen TV. We saw her kidneys, spine, bones and got to watch her heart valves pump her blood, it was amazing!

Here are some of the ultrasound pictures:


My favorite one, her little handprint!!!



August 13, 2009

Second Ultrasound!!

A lot has happened since the last time I wrote. I went in for my last appointment/ultrasound with Dr. D., we were sad but also so very happy that he helped us to get where we are today.
He has always encouraged us to never give up hope.
I just adore him and will miss seeing him.

I had my second ultrasound, which put me at 8 weeks 3 days. My due date is Feb. 28th, 2010. This time we got to hear the heartbeat. I was absolutely amazing. The picture is a little blurry.
I also had my first appointment with my regular obgyn. She is sending me to a perinatologist, which is a specialist that handles only high-risk pregnancies. I am considered high-risk because of the small septum that is left in my uterus and also my high blood pressure. The baby will not have as much room to grow as a normal shaped uterus, so they have to monitor me more closely. The possibility that I will have a c-section is pretty high. So I will be seeing my regular ob and a perinatologist. At that appointment it will be a consult along with an ultrasound. It is in september so I will post the pictures once we have the ultrasound.

Right now I am 11 weeks 4 days. I can't believe that I am almost done with my first trimester. I have definitely felt the effects of being pregnant. I am nausea all day, have heartburn, and I am so tired. I am hoping that it will get better when I get to my second trimester.

But in the end I will never complain about the way I feel and the difficulties that I may experience with this pregnancy because having a child will erase all those feeling. This baby is our little miracle.

July 10, 2009

First Ultrasound!



Our first ultrasound with Dr. D. was this past Wednesday. It was SO exciting. Dr. D was so happy for us. Chad and I were able to see the flicker of a heartbeat. I can't even describe how amazing it was. Dr. D. told us that you never give up hope.

We have been waiting for this day for so long it was quite overwhelming. We thank God each day for this beautiful miracle.

My next ultrasound is in 2 weeks, it will be the last time I will have to see my Reproductive Endocrinologist, I will then "graduate" to my regular obgyn. We are going to miss Dr. D., he has been such a huge part of our lives for so many months.

June 29, 2009

BFP!!!


Well it is official, I got a Big Fat Positive!!!!!

A little over a week ago we found out. I went in for blood work that confirmed it!!! We told our family and a few friends that have been there for us through this struggle. We plan on telling everyone else once I get to the second trimester. Since I am a high risk pregnancy we feel more comfortable waiting to tell everyone.

It sure does not seem real yet. We are SO very blessed and are SO excited --- Chad is still a little cautious because of everything we have been through.

I have my first ultrasound on July 8th (my nephew Matthew's 16th birthday!!!) which is a good sign! We can't wait!

Long time No write!

I again have not written in a long time. The last few months have been extremely hard and I just didn't feel like writing.

The surgery was almost a complete success. I found out after a few ultrasounds that I have a very small septum left from the surgery. I was concerned, but my Dr. does not seem to be concerned and has assured me that he would preform another surgery if it was necessary. So my worries have gone away regarding the shape of my uterus.

Since I last wrote I have been seeing much more of Dr. D. He started me on clomid and after several failed attempts moved on to a new infertility drug called Femera. Femera was originally used for breast cancer patients and now it is also used for infertility. Dr. D. also mentioned to Chad and I that we should start "thinking" about IVF. Which caught me off guard and brought me to tears. I just thought we where not there yet with our treatments and never thought we would have to even think about it. We have to see how my body will react to the new drug........

Through all of this Chad and I have stayed positive and have turned to God. It has definitely been a hard year for us and through it all we have become stronger as a couple. I don't know what I would do without Chad in my life, he is my rock!!

March 27, 2009

Success!!

I haven't written in so long. Well the surgery went well--it was a success!! I went into the hospital around 9am and left at 6pm. The nurses at the hospital took such good care of me. My Mom flew down and stayed for a few days after my surgery. It was so nice to have her here.

I had a catheter left in my uterus for a few days. That was so uncomfortable and such a nuisance (it was all worth it ). Poor Chad he had a hard time with it. The CO2 that they pump in you for the surgery lingered in me for about a week, which causes shoulder and chest pain. I could actually smell it releasing from my body. It was so weird.

I went in for my post-op and to take out the catheter on the Friday following my surgery. Dr. D took the catheter out and it was pain free!! He showed me some photos from the surgery, it was crazy. Dr. D said that he removed 80-90% of the septum, which he was happy with. He felt that should be enough to have a successful pregnancy. He also removed a cyst and some endometriosis (which I had a feeling I may have). Women with a mullerian anomaly have a higher chance of having endometriosis than women with a normal shaped uterus. That scared me, since endometriosis is a cause of infertility. I have to talk to him more about it at my next appointment. But all in all I am happy that everything went well.

I was put on estrogen for 30 days to build up the lining of my uterus. Once I start my cycle I will have to call and make an appointment for another ultrasound. I am getting to be a "Pro" at ultrasounds and I am not even pregnant. Dr. D is not sure if he is going to have me do another HSG (I am praying I won't have to). We will just have to see at the ultrasound what he thinks and our next step. I can't wait till that appointment!!!

March 4, 2009

Pre-op Appointment

Today was the pre-op appointment. It went really well. We saw Dr. D first and he did another ultrasound to make sure everything looked good. After the surgery Dr. D will leave a balloon catheter in my uterus (in order to keep the space open) for about 5 days. I hear it can be quite uncomfortable but all this is so well worth it. I will also be put on estrogen for a month to help the lining of my uterus heal faster. I feel So bad for Chad!!! I signed some consent forms and he went over the possibility that he may (1out of 5 chance) have to do another surgery if this one is not successful. But we are being positive!!

After Dr. Ds appointment I was sent to meet with the case nurse which was so incredibly sweet. She went over everything about the surgery. I had lab work done and an EKG because of my high blood pressure.

It is finally going to happen!!!

March 3, 2009

Surgery Here We Come

I finally have scheduled my surgery to resect my septum via laparoscopy/hysteroscopy. The surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 1oth. The excitement is overwhelming. The day is finally going to be here soon. Since March 10th is the birthday of a very close friend of mine, I am sure that I will never forget that date:)

I have a pre-op appointment tomorrow with Dr. D and a case nurse from the hospital. Chad is coming with, which it comforting that he will be there.

February 24, 2009

What exactly is a Uterine Septum??

I was pretty shocked when I found out that I had a septate uterus(SU- septate uterus is just another name for a uterine septum). My RE told me he didn't have any brochures/pamphlets that would help explain what mullerian anomalies (abnormally shaped uterus) were. So the web became my friend. I began to research what a septate uterus was and I didn't find much on the internet. The most valuable information for me was to read blogs from women that are going through this same situation. I wanted to explain a little bit about my birth defect.

Most of the following information is from another woman's blog (I put in my own info.) because I think she explains really well what a septate uterus is:

When I was in utero (in my mom's belly!), something went wrong, not drastically wrong, I was still born with all fingers and toes. The funny thing is, I wouldn't discover this until the age of 29 during an ultrasound. In every female, ducts termed Mullerian ducts are present. These ducts go through a transformative process during gestation (in utero) in order to form the reproductive tract and organs. There are several different types of Mullerian Anomalies, or differences of the uterus. Mullerian Anomalies are pretty rare and present in about 1-3% of women. My Mullerian ducts ended up not fusing together totally, which resulted in me being born with a septum in my uterus. A septum is best defined as a piece of tissue with no blood flow (avascular). Septate uteri have either a sub-septum which stretches across the inside of the top of the uterus and comes downward (fundus) or a complete septum which stretches across the top and then all the way down the middle of the uterus to the cervix, where the birth canal begins. Mine is a complete septum which measures 5 cm.

Septate uteri are associated with a very high miscarriage rate. The miscarriage rate is 80%-90%. This is because the fetus either implants on the septum and quickly miscarries early because there are no blood vessels to sustain the pregnancy. Or, due to intrauterine growth restriction meaning that the baby simply grows out of room to grow or the placenta attaches to the septum. Normally, the uterus stretches like a balloon. When a septum is present, think of a balloon being attached to a piece of cardboard. Because the septum is fibrous and not stretchy, that part of the uterus cannot stretch to accommodate the growing baby as a normal uterus stretches.

That is why I have decided to have surgery to remove the septum.

Chad & I were talking last night about how we are so excited about this surgery. I am nervous but the excitement has overcome the fear. This is the first big step and many more to follow.

For right now our "children" are our dogs, Sam and Jackson. We love them SO very much. Jackson is the black lab and Sam is a doberman mix. We rescued Sam from a shelter about 4 years ago. I am a big advocate of adopting animals from shelters. There are so many pets that are up for adoption. Chad & I will forever adopt our dogs from shelters:)





February 13, 2009

My Story

Oh where do I start....October 2008 I was told by my gyno that I had a "abnormally shaped uterus" my world was turned upside down. I was devastated and so uneducated on what exactly a bicornuate uterus or a uterine septum was. I left my doctors office feeling lost....but when I got home and starting reading blogs from other women that are going through the same thing, I learned more from those women then I have from any of my doctors. I've been fortunate not having a m/c. My heart goes out to those women that have had to endure such pain. I am SO SORRY.

This is my story so far.......
Chad (my DH) & I decided it was finally time to start a family. I was so excited, this is what I have longed for. I have been with my DH for about 8 years (married 3) before we actually started ttc. Crazy isn't... I just always thought that it would be a piece of cake to get pregnant, since everyone around me was having babies left and right. We tried for a few months and I had been having some lower abdominal/pelvic pain. So I called my gyno and they squeezed me in for an apt. (the whole pelvic pain thing they don't take lightly). I didn't have an infection, but my dr. wanted me to get an ultrasound just to make sure everything was alright. I figured everything would be just fine. So I went in for my date with the "special wand". I knew that something was just not right when the ultrasound tech. asked me twice " So you have never had a ultrasound done before?" NO... after the ultrasound I waited to see my Dr. , as I sat in the waiting room I began to get scared. They called my name and it was my turn...to see Dr. G. She tells me that she doesn't know why I am having pelvic pain: "Your ovaries, tubes, and cervix look good...., But your uterus is "shaped abnormally". What does that mean??? She explains that I either have a bicornuate uterus (heart-shaped) or a uterine septum. It seems as if she doesn't know a lot about this. She draws me two different pictures of what my uterus may look like. My heart dropped to the floor. She started explaining all the risks involved with both. She stated that if it was a septum it should be surgically removed. I was referred to a Reproductive Endocrinologist(RE)...a fancy name for an infertility specialist. I can't even describe my feelings.

I finally had my new patient consult with my RE (Dr. D)about a month later. The first appointment was quick and I felt like I was shuffled out the door. But he is a good Dr. and the clinic has been rated one of the best infertility clinics in the U.S., so I had to put my feelings aside. We talked about why I was there (BU or SU) and he ordered more tests: blood work, another ultrasound, Chad's test and an HSG.

About a month later I went in for my HSG. I was very nervous just knowing that I should find out if I have a BU or SU and also if my tubes are open. I am not going to lie, it was pretty painful. Dr. D talked me through the whole procedure and I was glad when it was over.

That same week we went in for our reconsult.
The Results:
Fallopian tubes open ---(that's Great)
Chad's tests came out good
Blood work showed I'm NOT ovulating (not good)
Diagnosed with a septate uterus (SU)(uterine septum)

Dr. D. sat us down and we discussed the results. To make a long story short, I am going to have the surgery done to resect the septum via lap/hyst. It should be done within the next few weeks and we are praying for a successful outcome.

This is my journey:
I wanted to start my own blog to tell my story and hopefully it will help educate on mullerian anomalies. My dream is that this blog will turn into our child's journey through life.