Noah's Team

This morning Kyle and I finally met with the multidisciplinary team of doctors that will be at Noah's birth. We found out some good things and some not so good things. I'm realizing that a lot of my entries go on and on about medical stuff, and I'm sure for some of you that gets exhaustive! I guess I don't know how to summarize everything that's going on without passing on everything the docs are telling me. Sorry!

One of the biggest things I've realized is that the doctors can just prepare for the worst, and for the most part there are just so many unknowns until he's born. To sum it up:

The good stuff:
Noah isn't breech anymore! The doctors were really excited about this news, because from a technical standpoint it makes it much easier on the OBs. Last week I was told that they were going to have to make a vertical cut all the way up my belly if he was breech. Now that he's upside down like he's supposed to be, it's still going to be a huge cut that goes from hip to hip on me, but they anticipate this to be a much easier recovery for me. Of course I don't care about the cosmetic scar, as much as I was dying to get back in to a bikini (lol!), but the docs told me that depending on how Noah's doing at birth, he could be immediately taken to Children's and I would not be able to see him for 2-3 days because I would be recovering from such a traumatic surgery. Please pray that Noah stays upside down!!!

Noah already has hair on his head! We could totally see it on the ultrasound, it was so cute! Also, the ENT docs spent a lot of time looking at his trachea and his larnyx, and they could see his voice box vibrating as he was trying to talk!

The tougher stuff:
Although Noah's tumor didn't grow in a month, in the past two weeks it seems to have grown a centimeter in each direction. It also looks as though there is a new (although very small) cystic pocket that has developed on his upper chest. It looks like some of the fluid from his neck mass just snuck down there. Not a big deal, but I admit I was pretty sad to see this growth after we've had a month of what seemed like nothing was happening with the cyst.

We also found out that if the cyst is not compromising airways or eatingways, they may not remove the cyst for up to a year after he's born. It can still go away completely on its own, too, without surgery. Like I said, and the doctors made very clear, there is still so much that is unknown until he's born. Plus, they have no idea how long his stay at Children's will be. Could be a few days, could be months. Oh! I almost forgot! The scheduled day for his delivery is January 6th. Still has to be confirmed with the rest of the team's schedules but it sounds like that will be the date.

Hope that brings everybody up to speed! The one thing I will ask all my friends & family is that you will PLEASE not stop praying, I know it seems like we've gotten over some major hurdles through prayer already, but I just want to encourage everyone (and myself) that we MUST continue to focus on the Lord, and know that He is in control of this entire situation. I know personally in the past few weeks I have been distracting myself with work, Ella, etc. But I know that I have to continue to be in constant prayer and thankfulness to the LORD over these next 6 weeks (and beyond!). This growth can still shrink, can still stop growing, can still leave room for an airway for Noah breathe.

Oh, and I didn't cry at today's appointment, cool! Emotionally I'm doing surprisingly well, considering everything... Kyle might answer differently hahaha! I feel anxious at times, and the only thing that has seemed to calm me down is sleep, prayer, and reading God's word. Took this off Beckie's blog today: (so appropriate)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6