Baby Girl Update

I know lots of people are wanting an update on baby girl. I'll try to write this out as eloquently as possible, but words aren't really my thing at the moment... This morning we woke up and headed to the Dr's office. The ultrasound tech laid me down on the bed and started doing her thing. 10 minutes into the ultrasound I started getting lightheaded and we had to stop. I seriously almost passed out and it took me a solid 10 minutes to get back to the point where I didn't think I was going to die anymore... so that was exciting to say the least. I'm a fainter during pregnancy though, thank goodness Derek is just used to it by now. 

The ultrasound tech continued the ultrasound and started measuring the ventricles! We're still at 13mm, and the head shape and size are all still normal. This is all GREAT! That means that as of right now the ventriculomegaly is not currently progressing into hydrocephalus, and that is exactly what we've been praying for. 

However, the Dr came in to go over the ultrasound with Derek and I and he said that part of the frontal lobe of the brain is now dilated as well. He said that he wasn't too concerned with this because a lot of times when one part of the brain is bigger, it causes other parts to be effected, but once the fluid is drained from the ventricles at birth, this could cause everything to go where it should. Also, once again, head shape and size are all still normal, which is indicative that nothing super crazy is happening. Although let's be honest, this whole thing is just crazy.

Another blow to our happy dance was when the Dr started talking about the mid-line in the brain. Everyone's brain is divided in two halves. These halves start at the very back of the brain and run all the way to the front. The Dr isn't completely sure, but he thinks that the front little bit of our baby's brain might not be completely divided. Depending on the ultrasound picture at the time, sometimes he can see a division, and sometimes he cannot. 

If the brain is not completely divided at the very front lobe, than basically what that means for our baby  isn't very good. So what it means for us right now is that we have to wait another three weeks to get another ultrasound so that  they can try to see if there is that full division of the two halves in the frontal lobe. After my next appointment, I'll finally get to schedule my appointments with the Duke pediatric neurosurgeons and neurologist. They will most likely do a fetal MRI to be able to get the best imaging possible of the brain and then we should hopefully have more answers. 

This has just been a crazy ride. We're living our lives in increments of three week waiting games. That's still the hardest part. Each time we go to the Dr we hope that things will be more concrete and definitive, and yet it seems like each time we leave, we have more questions and more outcomes to worry for. 

The greatest moment today though was when we were able to get a 3D image of our baby during the ultrasound. She was sound asleep and just snoozing with her little hand on her face. When I saw the picture I just instantly knew that this little girl was ours, and I just loved her so much, instantly. I just can't wait to see her in real life!