Results

I finally got the results from yesterday's blood tests (well I got some of them). In any case, I still have the antibodies and my K blood type is still negative (of course it is...that kinda thing is genetic and doesn't change, you know.) But the good news is...my hubby is also Kell negative!!!! That means that all of our babies (including Chana & Dovid) are and will be Kell negative, so I don't need to worry about killing their poor little helpless red blood cells. *whew*!!! So that's a relief. Now we just need to make sure that this fistula isn't going to be a problem (and that I don't have an incompetent cervix), and we'll be all set.

Wheeeeew!

Today I had an appointment with MFM to discuss something called "anti-k antibodies". Apparently when I gave birth to the twins I was given Kell + blood and I am Kell -. This means that my body produced antibodies against this + antigen. This also means that if my baby is Kell + and if my antibodies cross the placenta, this can result in SEVERE anemia. Anyway, this necessitated a visit to MFM for a consult. Lucky for me I am quite resourceful and got myself scheduled for an ultrasound at the same time. I made the excuse that the baby was measuring small last time and shouldn't they check up on him/her. Hehehe Anyway, I was terrified that they were going to say something was wrong. I mean, I can't feel the baby yet and I can't hear the heartbeat via doppler, so I have no way of knowing that all is well. Sure, I have symptoms, but they're not really quantifiable. Sometimes I have 'em and sometimes I forget I'm pregnant (yep it happens). And even though my tummy is rounder, it's hard to tell since my tummy has been round since I gave birth to the twins. Anyhoo, everything is looking perfect!!! (Thank G-d) The baby came back from his/her deficit and is measuring 100% on target for 9w 4d (27.5 mm) with a heart rate of 170bpm.

Looks even somewhat human doesn't (s)he? Kinda like a miniature teddy bear. When we were watching the monitor, we could even sorta see really teeny arms and legs. Oh, and speaking of the monitor...the ultrasound rooms at St. E's are high tech now! They have a nice, large monitor right on the wall where the mom can see what's going on, rather than having to crane her neck to see what the technician is doing. And the technician can have the screen facing her, so she can do her best for measurements and such. It's a win-win and I LOVE IT!

Anyway, then we got to see the head MFM doctor who discussed the anti-K stuff with us. She sent my hubby and I for blood work--me to find out exactly how much of these antibodies I have in my blood and what kind they are, and him to find out if he's Kell + or Kell -. If he's Kell - then we shouldn't have a problem. Also, the doctor talked to me about having a cerclage placed...which I told her I would prefer to wait and see how things go. I mentioned to her my cervical fistula, and she actually expressed DEEP concern about it. She was telling me of a woman who was having repeated miscarriages due to a fistula. YIPE! I told her to check with my regular OB and to take a look at the MRI to see if it's really worrisome. I sure hope not...I was under the impression that the fistula was tiny and nothing to even speak about. Geepers...why can't pregnancy be less dramatic for me? lol

MRI Results

So, my OB/Gyn called me today to give me the results from yesterday's MRI. First, I need to explain something. She is referring me to an oncologist because he deals with fistulas a lot more than she does and NOT because there's anything cancerous going on. If you look up cervical fistula, it can be caused by radiation therapy, certain cancers, PELVIC SURGERY and traumatic vaginal births. So the OB is NOT WORRIED about cancer, but she wants me to be seen by the best, and that's the Gyn Oncologist. Anyhoo, the OB/Gyn said that she and the oncologist looked over the MRI together and saw that the fistula only goes from my cervix to the vagina, similar to my regular cervical opening. Since it doesn't affect my bladder (or any of its requisite parts) or my colon, they decided not to even touch it. Doing surgery to "fix" the tunnel would probably do more harm than good in my case. The oncologist even said EXACTLY what I said to the OB--that it should make getting pregnant easier now that I have TWO ways to get to the uterus! Heh I'm awesome and holey. :-) Get it...holey? Anyone who knows what book that comes from gets a bonus point. Now we'll see if this theory holds true... Two holes are better than one, right?

She's Gone...

Shifra left early this afternoon. And I wanted to respond to something that was left in my comments. I did love having Shifra with our family, and I was very hurt when she decided to leave. Sure, she got on my nerves, but so would anyone living in the same house together. My hubby gets on my nerves and I get on his...when I was living with my best friend we definitely got on each other's nerves, so getting on someone's nerves really doesn't mean much. I tried to welcome her into my home in the best way I knew how. I gave her gifts on Chanukkah (and I didn't even get Shmuel anything...) I tried to cheer her up when I knew she was down, I got her foods she wanted to eat, I did anything she asked of me. And I really thought we had a connection, but when she told our childcare coordinator (in front of me) that she felt no connection to my family and wanted to leave as soon as possible, I was devastated. I couldn't imagine what I had done to deserve that. I had no idea what else I could have done to make her feel at home. And here she was practically running out of my house as if I had the plague. She didn't even bother to say goodbye to the twins...and she might not have said goodbye to me if she hadn't needed to give me a note and the cell phone she borrowed from us. I'm still shocked, and it may take me some time to get over that hurt.

In other news, Chana pulled herself up to a stand by herself for the first time yesterday! Yaaaaay! And I'm going to have my MRI on Sunday...whoop de do. :-P I asked the office if they'd be able to do my surgery before Jan 1st, but they said that would be impossible. Greeeeeat, now I'm going to need to pay for part of the surgery (that would've been covered in full had it been done in 2009). Although the nurse in the office said they might not have to do surgery, I'm not particularly hopeful for that outcome. That would just make things too easy, and almost nothing is ever easy for me. :-)

What Next?

I'm not even going to mention what went down this morning...let's just say it was more of the same. Shifra is leaving tomorrow evening.

As for me, my OB/Gyn called yesterday to tell me that my test results were normal, but she wanted to see me today in her office. Why on earth would she want to see me if my tests were normal? Well, I'll tell you. The tissue they found wasn't cancer, thank G-d, but it was endocervical tissue. That means tissue that is found on the INSIDE of the cervix...and this stuff was found on my vagina. Her theory was that there's a fistula (meaning a tunnel) going from my vagina to my cervix (and who knows where else), and she needed to test that theory AND send me for an MRI. Greeeeeat. How was she going to test this? With infant formula... Yes, she squirted formula into my you know wheres to see if there's a tunnel. If there was a tunnel, it would go in the hole and out my cervix (and vice versa). And what do you know, she was right. Whoooops. She thinks that this was a result of my horrific C-Section, and she needs me to have the MRI to see where this fistula is going and how bad it is. Then she needs to have it fixed...that means surgery. ICKAROONIES!!! I was like "can I do it with a spinal, I'd rather not have general again." Hey, if it's going to suck I'd rather have it suck for a 1/2 hour than for several days, you know? So that's what it is...and now I need to find child care BADLY because I obviously won't be able to take care of them when I have surgery. Geez, why does everything bad have to happen at once? But you know, I would take this a hundred times over what she could have said (you know, the "c" word...) So seriously, I am grateful as all hell that this is all it is.