October 2013- Constantly hungry and counting down to maternity leave.

[GTbaby]

Right off to finish the last thread

It's killing me Natalie My stomach is in knots.
I asked the midwife how successful the surgery is likely to be and she said she didn't have an answer. I told her that I'd be continuing with the pregnancy no matter what and she said "Yesterday was a shock for you so maybe speak to the cardiologist when your head is clearer". So I think they might try and advise termination again but that's not an option for us now that we've come this far.

MoN I am pleased to hear that the test for 22Q was clear, although as Natalieand said, it is obviously still no doubt very stressful. My opinion on the midwife's comment would be that I doubt she sees this very often, and so just wants to make sure that you know that you do not have to make any decisions yet until you have seen the specialist who can offer you more experienced advice.

Given what they've found MoN I would say this is the best outcome... Obviously, it's horrible and scary, but if it is "just" a heart defect, that is I believe generally treatable / workable albeit you're in for a rough ride. X x x x

What heart condition did the fetal cardiologist diagnose her with? Or has he not gone as far as that yet just had a general look kind of thing? I hope they don't make u wait weeks for an appt they really should have made your second anomaly scan a few days after the first one when they couldn't see everything clearly. Hope your getting lots of RL support xxxxx

Oh mon, that is some good news at least. I hope you get a clearer picture from your cardiologist, they really can do wonders with tiny hearts.

MoN I am so pleased baby doesn't have 22Q. I know a few babies that have heart ops in days following birth and all now doing well. Yorkhill do truly amazing work (my own DH is one of them and stands at 6'4" now)

My guess is you will be scanned regularly from now till birth and by then a plan will be in place for what will happen after delivery.

We too were offered termination at 24 weeks with dd1 due to brain and having hole in heart but like you there was no way I could consider it. Thankfully main hole closed before birth and smaller one in first years of life.

Sending you all my love x

glad its hopefully not as bad as it could have been Mon but must still be so stressful for you. I couldn't consider a termination this late on, stick to your instincts and don't let them make you feel as though your decision is wrong, it will be right for you no matter what x

That's nice Jelly, that you had a positive outcome...... really hoping you do too MoN xxxx

MoN - fingers crossed for your next appointment.

Annoyed with hubby today, trying to conserve money and he has spent £30 on a box of crap, literally a box of crap - boffers.com

Sfnfsjnfkzmfll,sfmksnfjsn grrrr!!

Thankyou to you all for your comments. I'm feeling a wee bit more positive today and just hoping now that her condition doesn't get any worse.
Thanks Jelly for sharing your story. I need positive stories.

Natalie what it says on my notes is that she has a (VSD) ventrical system defect and a small pulmonary artery.

MoN - that's good news. One step at a time.

Feeling a bit hormonal, I know it's irrational. Just...sometimes I feel my mum doesn't make such a fuss of me/bump as she did for her first grandchildren. Not that it matters. She'll love it, and loves me, just as much. But she never asks how I am, how I've slept, touching bump etc, as she did for the first couple (not mine). Whinge whinge.

Tell me about it hotsoup this is my mums 5th grandchild but 2nd grandson and she just seems to have absolutely no interest in me at all. I desperately want a baby shower but I can't hint anymore about it that I have she doesn't even bat an eyelid :-/ maybe its cos were ultra sensitive?ive always been least favourite anyway so it shouldn't really come as a suprise xx

hotsoup I feel very much the same as you about my mum. I know she's excited, but I do feel she's less bothered about my pg as she is about my sister's children. I think its that I live further away and she feels a bit far away from the whole situation but it does make me feel a bit sad sometimes. I'm sure both our mums will be different when babies actually arrive!!

MoN have been thinking of you all day & so glad to hear you've got the all clear with regards to 22Q. I know it's still serious but with any luck the cardiologist will be able to give you much better idea come Monday (did I make it up that you have an appt then?!). All this uncertainty & hanging about must be killing you. But thank god it's not 22Q is my over riding feeling. Having positive stories from this neck of the woods must help a bit.xx

The Midwife is going to contact me on Monday to arrange another appointment tucking. I think my care may be transerred from the Princess Royal to the Southern General now that they have discovered the heart problem as that's where the specialists at Yorkhill work from now that the Queen Mothers Maternity is closed.

Thankyou for all the good luck wishes for our move, think well need them
MoN am so relieved for you that initial tests have come back with positive news, I really hope the cardiologist is able to give you more information and reassure you in some way.
hotsoup I felt the same in both my pregnancys, my mum has 5 and the youngest is only 10 so I think shes still distracted by the others, they also live abroad. but she is amazing with DS now and Ive invited her to one of my research scans that DH cant make. I wasnt sure if shed want to but shes really excited. Has made me think is maybe more my insecurities than her doing anything. could you talk to her about how your feeling?
are we all done with 20 week scans now?

I'm very glad it's not 22Q MoN. I know lots of people have said it already but I too know two people (30s now) who had hole(s) in their hearts and are completely fit and healthy adults.
We are here for you xx

Hope you get some rest tonight, MoN - the 22Q news is good, and I hope the cardiologist can help too x

Oh that is really good news MoN about not 22Q. I'm so pleased for you x x

Glad you got a little bit of good news MoN x

Fingers crossed for you MoN.

Puts my rather petty moan about my MIL in the shade but she has managed to annoy me already this morning. They've come to our town to look at two houses (they currently live 90 miles away) which are a mile up the road from us. They have no friends or other family here and I'm dreading having to find excuses why she can't just pop in all the time while I'm on mat leave. DH has already had a chat about boundaries if they do move, but she doesn't get that now, so there's no reason why she would get that when she really can just pop in rather than phoning every day

She brought me a maternity blouse today - very sweet of her to think of me but it would have been a size too small before I was pregnant, never mind now with my pregnancy mega boobs and it's hideous. I bet she can't take it back and of course now I feel bad foe rejecting it even though I never asked her to get me the damned blouse. Gah!

Oh dear comtesse I've not even met my prospective MIL yet. She's meant to be coming to stay later in the Summer though and I'm thinking about inviting her to stay for a few weeks after the birth to help out with the older kids as I'm guessing our baby will be in hospital for quite a while.
She lives in Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire and has said that she's thinking about moving to Glasgow. I'd said to Dp that if she's serious she can live with us until she finds somewhere so I hope she's not a nightmare.

How are you feeling today, MoN? Or is that a stupid question?

My MiL is ok, trying not to be too cloying, but a bit intense. My FiL, on the other hand, I could happily see jettisoned from a fast moving vehicle as he takes great pleasure in saying wholly inappropriate things and won't be dissuaded from doing so. I'm glad they live 70 miles/90 mins+ drive away, to be honest.
My own parents are a complete contrast - vaguely interested and pleased for us, but largely getting on with their lives regardless (they've got a 4 week holiday to South America booked for around the due date, too).

I'm not feeling too bad Shire. I think we've come to the realisation that no amount of worrying is going to change anything and that we've got to preserve our energy for the tough times ahead when she is actually here.