Difficult Ending = Beautiful Beginning

Well more like a huge thud! We hit a deer 2.5 hrs from home :( . After emotions ran high and the shock subsided, Roger and I prayed. We prayed The Lord would lead us to a garage. My husband needed help pulling the fender off our tire, I was unable to help due to my surgery. So we noisily crawled to a garage 3 miles away. A gentlemen by the name of Clayton, from Clayton's Garage, stood in silence as he looked my husband up and down. Clayton is very much a country man, maybe even a mountain man. He's had 5 wives, 6 children and 12 grandchildren. He proceeded to tell us how he became an alcoholic and compulsive smoker...which is how he looked so young for 59 ;) . He hooked the fender guard up to a winch and pulled. Thankfully that was all that needed done, immediately. Now the other damage...well, we see an insurance adjuster Friday for the other stuff but the important cargo was all safe and sound!  

Galveston, TX Pavilion for Women Texas Childrens The day after Easter when I was admitted for preterm labor. My Iron Man Emergency surgery 5/8/14. The team was assembling. PAIN! But alive! First time holding Gabriel First night without the NICU, a hotel on the way home.

For the first time, our son has breathed the outside air. We are going HOME! Gabriel is a mighty 18 days old, 35.6 wks gestation. Weighing in at 5lbs 9oz and 19" long. I plan on getting a post put together of all our answered prayers. Of all the ways The Lord has so obviously taken the lead in this uncertain journey.  I'm so humbled by all the support and prayers from people all over. In the past 3 months my blog has gotten over 3500 views. My journey through Accreta has a purpose. Loosing my uterus has a purpose, the trials, the uncertainties, the joys of overcoming such a condition as Percreta has a purpose. It's all for the Lord's glory. He's big, He's here and His plan for my condition is not over. I have a story to tell of how faithful, merciful, patient and loving our God is. When I had nothing else to give, no more energy to research, no more tears to cry over leaving my children, I had no choice but to surrender. No choice but to crawl into the...

Not sure I'll have a recognizable belly button after the healing but honestly I'm surprised my incision turned out as nice as it did :)  When I was told I would have an incision from above my belly button to below my  pubic bone I was thinking I'm going to have this massive purple line down my belly. I've only ever seen "key hole" incision, where they cut around the belly button. I was pleasantly surprised my dr went through mine. But I will miss my belly button...never thought I'd say that in my lifetime :) Here's part of my incision (it's not as crocked as it looks in the pic ;) ): Here it is untouched :) Good bye flawless belly, hello warrior scar :) 

Toddlers grow so fast. When I left, just under 8 weeks ago, Elias (18months) could only say a few words and call me momma, he couldn't climb on the couch or see over the table. Now. He's talking in full sentences, can see very well over the kitchen table...and grab stuff that is close by ;) climbing up down from the couch and stairs. When the kids FaceTime me, if he hears my voice he'll come running and saying "hi, mommy!!!" And proceed to tell me about what's on his mind :). My girls's hair is so long. They are maturing at an alarming rate. Even their choice of words, how they carry themselves, their voices are so wise and mature. My 13 yr old will soon be mistaken as my sister, like Chelsea (my 20 yr old) so often is ;) . My kids need their momma. It's been next to an eternity since I've seen them or so it seems and to my 3 yr old and 18 month old, it most certainly has been an eternity. My sweet Eva, who is 3, can get dressed, go to the bathroom...

Thank you for the hearts of volunteers!  Our write up on Preemie Prints Blog I found this organization on Facebook. They are a group of photographers who volunteer their skill and time to take pics of baby's in the NICU. This service is free to NICU moms and dads. They will also do a 1yr NICU graduation photo session of the child. I'm so thankful for this organization. Megan with  Megan Matula Photography  came and took photos of us today.

We've been sleeping in Gabriel's room to ensure he takes all feeds by mouth and it gives us a chance to bond and get to know him completely. It's been great but being a parent of a preemie is tough work. Here's a little glimpse into life of a nicu daddy :)  Daddy taking Gabriel's temperature.  Of course diaper changing :)  Feeding (Gabriel's first bottle feed by the way :) ) And of course baby snuggles (and a very tired daddy) Now to learn to parent a preemie without the comfort of the monitoring

The neonatologist rounding today, after hearing Gabriel's 24 hr report said, when our neo team rounds tomorrow we should talk about discharge planning!! On my goodness!! This isn't without the persistence and hard work on Roger and I's part. Gabriel has to take all his mommy milk via mouth (preferably bottle so they can monitor his intake even though he nurses like a champ!) and Gabriel works so hard and gets tired but we are patient and persistent and it's paying off!! I hope to home by next week squeezing my other kiddos!!! What a long, eventful, full of blessings these past  2 months have been. I'm SO ready to be home! Thank you Lord for safety, answered prayers, those who have prayed and petitioned to You on our behalf from all over the world and a healthy mom and baby who both are recovering at Gods speed ;) 

Gabriel is doing fantastic! No cpap and no IV :) . I got to hold him while he was being fed through his tube and I gave him his paci and he started to suck on it! Such a big boy :). Today he weighs 4lbs 14.5oz. He's still under the lights but I got to hold him for 30 mins. He's still having Brady/apnea spells but he's been able to stir himself out of them. This doesn't mean he won't need to go back on cpap but for now it's a big step :) . I'm also being discharged today. Everyday a dr or 2 comes in my room to introduce themselves and say they were present for my delivery. And for the record, 95% of those in attendance for my surgery were female ;) . I'm thankful for this because as women, mothers they understand the position I'm in in loosing my uterus by default of circumstances, not by choice. There's a huge difference.  Today I'm a bit more emotional but I imagine this is expected as well as probably get worse over the course ...

Baby Gabriel is doing well. He's on room air but the cpap is helping in keeping his lungs open. They've increased his feeds from 6cc's to 18cc's to 24cc's and at 3am they'll increase it to 30cc's :). He's a little boy with a big appetite! IV should be taken out tonight at 3am as well. He's still under the photo therapy lights but hopefully tomorrow's levels show he's better. They are going to try taking him off cpap again tomorrow. The chevon blanket I slept with for 3 months in my pillow case. I wanted something from me to be with him when I couldn't be. I also got to hold him again! Such a wonderful Mother's Day gift :)  Pumping is going well. My husband is a rock star! Here he is at 4am this morning putting my milk in containers for our little guy :)  Mommys milk :)  The prayers, messages, texts and FB shares have me in awe! Truly. God is so abundant, every where, all the time.  As I lay on the OR table, a...

It's a term used for those of us with accreta. Dr was concerned with the frequency and intensity of my contractions. So the decision was made to deliver.  Such a scary, surreal feeling. Everyone was in a somber mood, they know the risks these surgeries pose. I wish it was a happy exciting time but reality is it's frightening, unpredictable and not routine. Accreta surgeries are research cases here, no surgery is done the same.  But! My case was a best case scenario! I had Increta with focal Percreta. They did get pics for me but I haven't received them yet. My surgery took 4.5 hrs. Received no blood during the surgery but did need a unit after.  Yesterday I was in the ICU so I couldn't see my little guy. But the hospital has family vision, it's the next best thing :) Last night I got to hold my little one :)  Gabriel Matthias Born 5/8/14 at 33 weeks 2 days 5lbs 4oz and 18.5" He came out kicking and screaming but then quickly fe...

On the magnesium sulfate again. My dr is consulting the Accreta team to see if today is delivery day. 

A song that has spoken to me in so many ways. Broken Hallelujah by The Afters I had a post written up but deleted it. Nothing needs to be said, it's all in the words of the song.

Yesterday was my ultrasound. Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of his face :(. But good news is The Lord is growing him nice and big. He's in the 71% at 4lbs 12oz, that's 2lbs in 4 weeks. Looking at close to 6lbs at birth.  My surgery date has been moved to the 15th at 10am ct. My dr said it was because more people will be available that day. I'm thinking some people want to get in on an accreta surgery (Greys Anatomy comes to mind ;) ). That's one more day to grow my baby, one more day to be whole, one more day to look at my unblemshied, pregnant belly, one more day to sit and think and pray.  They monitor me at 8am, 1pm and 8pm. My contractions seem to be picking back up slowly but surely. My drs comments, "we are ready".  Here's a selfie of me being monitored :)  Because this big guy doesn't like his already cramped space being invaded he usually wiggles and squirms away from them so they have to go at him at angle, with a wash cloth :) . We i...