Finally Minnesota residents

April 10th was the last time I posted. Life went downhill for awhile after that. The week of April 10th I had a neurological stress reaction that left my right side paralyzed and me in a wheelchair.

I took things day by day, my cholestasis increased in severity and I was transferred to a maternal fetal specialist for my care. I had time able contractions from the end of April until I delivered James. On June 1st I went for a routine ultrasound where they discovered the cord was wrapped around his neck 4 times. I went directly to Abbott Hospital that afternoon. After a crazy weekend of them deciding whether or not I needed a c-section right away, it was determined I had a less then 3% chance of giving birth before 37 weeks. So I was sent down to Sister Kenny for intense physical therapy and I was to be monitored by labor and delivery twice a day. I couldn't believe that was happening, and I told them I'd see them in a week, not a month and a half that they said.

4 days later I had a placenta abruption and was rushed upstairs for an emergency c-section. James Patrick Kenny was born a little after 10am on June 8th, 2012, two days after our 3rd wedding anniversary. He was born at 33 weeks, not the 37 weeks, so I guess I am the 3%. Lol.

2 days post c-section I was again sent to Sister Kenny for physical therapy. I was finally discharged from the hospital totally on July 1st. So for all those keeping track, I was in the hospital for an entire month.

We closed on our new house in Shakopee, MN on September 11th and I still have a long road to recovery. I am walking with a cane and we are looking for part time helpers to help me with the kids starting in January. Post partum hit me really hard this time around and my blood work is all funky, they are still trying to determine what is wrong with me. Hehe, I'm unique.

James is a happy and healthy 5 month old and Miriam is our crazy and energetic 2 and a half year old.  We are hoping for a quiet, non eventful 2013.

Changes and a new adventure

Well by now, most of you who read my blog already know this, but I will tell you anyway.  I am 25 weeks 4 days pregnant with Baby Kenny #2. It's a boy and we will be naming him James Patrick Kenny.  He is due July 23rd 2012, but because of my cholestasis of pregnancy, I will be delivering this little guy between 35 and 37 weeks. That means James Patrick might be sharing a birthday with his older sister, we shall see.

Did I do anything different that cycle you may ask? Yes, two new medications were added to my regime, Low Dose Naltrexone and a thyroid medication because my T3 levels were low. We also did a novena (we are Catholic) to Our Lady of the Milk Grotto and received the rock powder from there. We got a positive pregnancy test on day 7 of the novena.

Since it took us 11 months to conceive, this should be an easy pregnancy right? Yeah, not so much.  I was sick from the very beginning, feeling like I had the plague from about 3 weeks 3 days pregnant to the present.  At least now I'm gaining a little bit of weight. At almost 26 weeks I've gained 7-10lbs total.

On top of the morning sickness fun for which I'm taking the highest dose of zofran possible, the cholestasis itching kicked in at 16 weeks! 16 weeks, really? The liver specialist started me on the Urso medication at around 22 weeks. Most days the itching is pretty under control and I don't want to chop my hands and feet off, Easter being the exception. I didn't watch what I was eating; too much grease, fat and cheese for my liver to process, and then with cheesecake for dessert, that was not a good night.

And the hits just keep on coming. At my 20 week ultrasound I was told that I had placenta previa and was put on modified bed rest. And finally, my Cerebral Palsy has been causing some pretty bad muscle spasms as well as pain and pressure in my abdomen. One night about 3 weeks ago the pain was so bad that I went to the hospital to get monitored. It turns out I was having a tummy spasm that stayed locked in the spasm for about 6 hours. My doctor thinks I'm making it up and the nurse was quite rude about explaining what a contraction felt like. Needless to say, my contractions never felt like what she described even when I was in active labor with Miriam. But no worries to anyone thinking I will ignore future pain because the doctor will judge me. I have enough issues to know that I'm not making this up, and I will go back to the hospital if need be. And on a side note, Miriam and I have been staying at my parents house in Minnesota since mid-January, and they have been taking great care of us through out all this craziness. I don't think I left anything out and will try to update this blog a lot more often.