babypage2

I was on bedrest for a total of 8 weeks while the ovarian cyst got smaller. I continued to have problems with nausea; at 16 weeks, it finally started to subside. My blood pressure started to rise early in my pregnancy (around 10-12 weeks), but did come back down to normal...for awhile. At 18 weeks I was able to return to work a couple of days a week. After I started working again, I began having contractions-enough to scare and concern me, but nothing that indicated premature labor. I was so happy and excited to be having a baby, but this long awaited pregnancy did not go smoothly: besides frequent contractions, at 26 weeks I was diagnosed with asthma and at 30 weeks, my BP increased again and it would not come down. I was diagnosed with PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) and placed back on bedrest with medication to control my BP.

On June 25th, I was 32 weeks. I went to my doctor's appointment for a NST and Biophysical Profile. Blake did not do well on the BPP and my amniotic fluid level was below normal. Dr. C was not pleased with the NST results nor my BP-it was very high. I was admitted to the hospital for observation until we could be seen by the perinatologist, Dr. B, in Huntsville. I was also started on steroid injections that evening to help speed Blake's lung maturity. On June 26th, we had another US done: things were not any better; my amniotic fluid was even lower and my placenta was deteriorating. Dr. C told me I was going to be transferred to Huntsville because it looked like Blake would need to be delivered soon. We arrived at Huntsville by ambulance and was settled in a room. Dr. B, the perinatologist, came in and performed an US-Blake was not moving all that much by then and it was decided that he needed to be delivered. I was prepped for a Cesarean section because Blake was breech.

Blake Michael Tompkins was born at 7:57 pm on June 26, 2002, weighing in at 3 lbs 4.4 oz and measuring 15 1/2 inches long...8 weeks before his due date.

After Blake was born, the neonatologist told us that he had a cleft lip and palate. We had no idea-we had many ultrasounds done and this was not seen. After Blake was stabilized by the neonatal team, they brought him over for me to see: his eyes were open and they were so big and blue and his little head was so pink and round. I gave him a quick kiss and he was taken to the NICU. While I was in recovery, Mike took everyone in to see our new arrival. Before I was taken to my room, I was wheeled into the NICU to see my sweet little man once more. He was attached to monitors, had an IV and was getting oxygen under the oxyhood. I touched him and held his hand and then it was time for me to go and get some rest.

The next morning, Blake's neonatologist came in to let us know how he was doing. We were given good and bad news. The good news was that Blake was off of his oxygen (at 32 weeks!) and they were going to start feeding him via a tube from his mouth to his tummy. The bad news: During routine NICU x-rays, it was discovered that Blake had a spinal deformity known as hemivertebrae (some of the vertebrae in his upper spine did not harden/fuse properly and the upper spine was curved, similar to scoliosis). Then we were told that since Blake was born with the cleft lip and palate, there was a chance he had other problems too. Blake had 2 congenital heart defects: one was Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)-this is where there is a hole between the bottom chambers of the heart. The other was Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV)-this is where the aorta is coming off of the right side of the heart instead of the normal left side. Mike and I were in complete shock and so sad and angry: "our baby-Why was this happening to us and our baby?!" After we cried many tears and updated family, we went to see our baby boy. His doctor and nurses told us he was doing good. Blake continued to hold his own-he was staying off of the oxygen, requiring small amounts occasionally; he was "eating" more each day. Two days after his birth, he was moved to the Special Care Nursery (SCN)-we were thrilled! We visited him every chance we could-we fed him, held him, talked to him. He would open his eyes and look at us, squeeze our fingers with his hand, make faces for us.
However, Blake did have problems that were expected with preemies-he developed jaundice, requiring phototherapy and he would have periods of apnea; he was started on theophylline to help shorten the frequency of the apnea episodes he was having.