Meet Isaiah

I found out I was pregnant in early February 2011. I had just turned 35 and pretty much had given hope that motherhood was in my immediate future, so I quickly embraced the news as my blessing. My 1^st trimester came and went with little issue except for painful fibroids at around 11wks that gave me sneak peek at the LO,  but thankfully no morning sickness. When my 2^nd trimester kicked I felt that beautiful pregnancy glow you always hear about, until my 27 week appt. when I learned that I was a carrier for SMN1 the genetic condition that is a marker for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. After speaking with genetic counselors & my physician, I made the decision to have an amniocentesis at 28- weeks because a blood test from his father & I would not rule out the condition. In my mind & heart I had already fallen in love with my unborn child, SMA or not and just wanted to prepare as best as I could for his delivery and beyond if he was diagnosed with the condition. The test took 3 long weeks to confirm, but on August 11th, it was confirmed baby boy had at least 1 copy of the SMN1 gene like me so he though he might be a carrier, he would not have SMA.

Also on Aug 11th, it was the 1st night I started feeling sick & threw up in my pregnancy. My hands & feet were also visibly swollen, but I never tested positive for protein, but I was being monitored. At my last appt that Mon. my OB took my pressure a couple of times but it also showed within normal range.  That weekend my appetite was off, which seemed odd and on Sunday night, I once again started throwing up and having cold sweats. I called my OBs office 1^st thing in the morning, of Aug. 15^th, but I really believed it was something I ate & chalked it up. By afternoon, I ran an errand at the bank & prior to returning I started to feel worst, so I stopped at the local health center around 3:30pm. The nurse asked me how far along I was and I said 32 wks, she said my pressure was high. I immediately called my OBs office, & turns out I just missed a call from them because I left my house number.  She immediately asked to speak with ER doctor & told me I needed to be transported by ambulance or get a ride to L&D. 

I got a ride & arrived by 6pm & blood tests were started & my pressure checked again.  It was getting higher.  By 7pm, the triage room went from 1 nurse to about 5 people including the on call OB,  anesthiologist. I swear everything happened so fast: I was diagnosed with a severe case of preeclampsia (pressure now peaked at 206/150) and HELLP. The only cure for this was to deliver the baby because my liver & kidneys were shutting down. I was wheeled in for my C-sec at 9:03pm & my son was born at 9:17pm, 3lbs 7oz 16 ½” long at 32wks.  Because of the HELLP condition I was given a general anesthia & no one was allowed in delivery rm. When I finally layed eyes on him later that evening, I still could not believe what had just happened that day & how tiny he was. 

After 37 days, Isaiah was discharged from the NICU at 4lbs 6 oz to the loving arms of his mama and his entire family.  There were some rough, but many beautiful days of our journey together in the NICU which I will never forget.  Isaiah is now a healthy baby at 14lbs 6oz at 6mos actual age.