Post by momofrussell on Mar 20, 2005 10:21:55 GMT -5
;D ;D ;D ;D
RUSSELL ELIAS BIEVENUE IS!!!
I know lots of us found out after the birth of our child that they had DS. For me I knew before. I had Regan prior to my marriage to Kevin so my pregnancy with Russell was the first pregnancy after marraige. I have wonderful inlaws who could ONLY have one child (my husband) for medical reasons so having children is something very precious to all of us.
I had a wondeful midwife all through my pregnancy. She called me one day to say that my AFP came back positive for DS. I said I didn't have an AFP.. she said I did. I said I didn't SIGN for an AFP... she said NO? NO... But for some reason, the nice phlebotomists took out more blood then needed and did an AFP test on someone who never signed for it LOL... In my world, it's called devine intervention
My midwife was on the phone with me for over 30 minutes reassuring me that AFP's are SO grossly inaccurate, it's probably due to maybe my LMP was wrong or something. While sitting there with my calendar (yes, I still do my cycle on a calendar) I kept telling her my LMP was correct. She said go enjoy the free Level II US and don't worry about it.
The Perinatalogist new right away with the US that Russell probably had DS. He asked if we wanted the amnio to know for sure. I cried a bit and took a walk with Kevin and we decided to have the amnio. I was more worried about being off of work for a few days then the risks LOL. I actually called my work to ask if it was ok that I have the amnio LMAO!
While waiting for the results we took a train ride for the day with Regan and I read and read and read books I got from the library on DS. I would read and tell Kevin things and realized at the end of the weekend... we could do this. The docs discussed our options as they legally are bound to do, never pushed one way or another, and we knew after discussing everything and options, that having our son was the only option.
We found out two weeks later that Russell did indeed have DS. I actually was ok with it. I ended up comforting my family and friends for some reason. They took it harder then I did. I am an emotional person by nature but a realist... so I got great solitude comforting others. We had wonderful, supportive family and friends so that helped. No one questioned our thoughts and decisions which was great. I went on enjoying the pregnancy (I love being pregnant!) and the extra ultrasounds LOL!
I did feel a bit inadequet for the first few days of finding out, with Kevin and my inlaws because I had already HAD a child and the first child I "gave" all of them had DS. But I came to realize through their support and love that a child IS a child and they really didn't care WHO that child was... just that they had a child and grandchild to love on!
My midwife and I bonded SOOO much throughout the pregnancy she asked if she could schedule me of an induction JUST so she could deliver Russell. She REALLY wanted to make sure she was the one. ;D And I do NOT like inductions and am not for them for "scheduling" reasons but I agreed because I really wanted my midwife to be there! Well, she stripped my membranes on a Wed afternoon (my induction was for that Friday March 20th) and on Thursday night after Regan went to the neighbors to stay the night so we could head to the hospital in the AM... I went into labor!!! (thank goodness! LMAO) It was a good thing for two reasons, they were BOOKED on the board and my planned induction wouldn't have happened, I would have gotten bumped off the board... and I didn't WANT that pitosin (sp?) prior to going into labor. So.... on Friday AM , March 20th... I headed to the hospital in labor, ready to have my son!!!!
For some reason this time with the epidural it lowered my BP (didn't with regan) ALOT so they had to pull back on the meds while getting me back on track. Russell's heart rate would dip but not much... then while my midwife had me on my back to put in the internal fetal monitor on Russell's head, I said I "felt faint" and woke up to my midwife ON TOP OF ME and massaging my chest and yelling at me...and my husband and friend, Suzzie to the left of me in tears.. and the whole floor of docs and a crash cart next to me... OOPS! I guess i flatlined for a few minutes.. seconds... don't know really... but I came to with my midwife on top of me in my face at that point. They pulled back my meds and said I had to make a good turn around SOON or I had to have a C section. I told her she'd have to put me under TOTALLY and she said she wouldn't if we went that route... we argued about this LMAO... and FINALLY I fought hard enough and felt GREAT again and HAD MY SON!!!!!!
Russell Elias Bievenue was born in the late afternoon, just a while after 5pm on Friday, March 20th, the First Day of Spring!!!! He was 6lbs, 3 oz and about 18-19 inches long. ;D ;D ;D
My midwife did get to deliever Russell. Almost didn't but she came in while I started to push (after JUST delivering another baby) pushed the doc out of the way and did the delievery! When Russell came out she could NOT get over how perfect he was. No heart probs no nothing... she wouldn't stop holding him and loving on him either LOL... It was a great day!!!!!
They did have to transfer him the next day to a bigger hospital with a better neonatal unit because his platelets were VERY low though. So Russell went to another hospital and I came home.
He was in for about 2 weeks and then came home. He had a couple platelet transfusions from the hospital but it didn't help his platelets so his mommy had to give him hers THAT did the trick!!! We also found out he was born with bilateral cataracts that were removed shortly after birth.. but other then that he really didn't have any major health probs.
I did cry more after he was born then the initial news back when I was pregnant. It was expected and I just let it out and moved on. I can't wonder my life without my silly little guy. I do struggle with the other diagnosises he does have... his visually impairments (more then just the cataracts) and Russell having Autism. I do struggle from time to time around his bday because he is more delayed then most kids his age w/DS... and even kids w/DS HALF his age... but I don't know what I'd do if it WAS any other way... if that makes sense. I do want to hear his voice say MAMA someday... but for now, I realize how FAR he has come now that we have wonderful people teaching him, and just who my son is to us...
I really can't believe he is 7 today. He is not my baby.. he is a little boy... ALL BOY!!! LMAO... and MY boy!!! He giggles constantly and is SO happy and just so giggly that we just love to watch him. He has two sisters that adore him and parents and family that just can't believe how far he has come...... FINALLY!
Happy Birthday my precious boy....I love you!
A. (aka..Russell's mommy)
RUSSELL ELIAS BIEVENUE IS!!!
I know lots of us found out after the birth of our child that they had DS. For me I knew before. I had Regan prior to my marriage to Kevin so my pregnancy with Russell was the first pregnancy after marraige. I have wonderful inlaws who could ONLY have one child (my husband) for medical reasons so having children is something very precious to all of us.
I had a wondeful midwife all through my pregnancy. She called me one day to say that my AFP came back positive for DS. I said I didn't have an AFP.. she said I did. I said I didn't SIGN for an AFP... she said NO? NO... But for some reason, the nice phlebotomists took out more blood then needed and did an AFP test on someone who never signed for it LOL... In my world, it's called devine intervention
My midwife was on the phone with me for over 30 minutes reassuring me that AFP's are SO grossly inaccurate, it's probably due to maybe my LMP was wrong or something. While sitting there with my calendar (yes, I still do my cycle on a calendar) I kept telling her my LMP was correct. She said go enjoy the free Level II US and don't worry about it.The Perinatalogist new right away with the US that Russell probably had DS. He asked if we wanted the amnio to know for sure. I cried a bit and took a walk with Kevin and we decided to have the amnio. I was more worried about being off of work for a few days then the risks LOL. I actually called my work to ask if it was ok that I have the amnio LMAO!
While waiting for the results we took a train ride for the day with Regan and I read and read and read books I got from the library on DS. I would read and tell Kevin things and realized at the end of the weekend... we could do this. The docs discussed our options as they legally are bound to do, never pushed one way or another, and we knew after discussing everything and options, that having our son was the only option.
We found out two weeks later that Russell did indeed have DS. I actually was ok with it. I ended up comforting my family and friends for some reason. They took it harder then I did. I am an emotional person by nature but a realist... so I got great solitude comforting others. We had wonderful, supportive family and friends so that helped. No one questioned our thoughts and decisions which was great. I went on enjoying the pregnancy (I love being pregnant!) and the extra ultrasounds LOL!
I did feel a bit inadequet for the first few days of finding out, with Kevin and my inlaws because I had already HAD a child and the first child I "gave" all of them had DS. But I came to realize through their support and love that a child IS a child and they really didn't care WHO that child was... just that they had a child and grandchild to love on!
My midwife and I bonded SOOO much throughout the pregnancy she asked if she could schedule me of an induction JUST so she could deliver Russell. She REALLY wanted to make sure she was the one. ;D And I do NOT like inductions and am not for them for "scheduling" reasons but I agreed because I really wanted my midwife to be there! Well, she stripped my membranes on a Wed afternoon (my induction was for that Friday March 20th) and on Thursday night after Regan went to the neighbors to stay the night so we could head to the hospital in the AM... I went into labor!!! (thank goodness! LMAO) It was a good thing for two reasons, they were BOOKED on the board and my planned induction wouldn't have happened, I would have gotten bumped off the board... and I didn't WANT that pitosin (sp?) prior to going into labor. So.... on Friday AM , March 20th... I headed to the hospital in labor, ready to have my son!!!!
For some reason this time with the epidural it lowered my BP (didn't with regan) ALOT so they had to pull back on the meds while getting me back on track. Russell's heart rate would dip but not much... then while my midwife had me on my back to put in the internal fetal monitor on Russell's head, I said I "felt faint" and woke up to my midwife ON TOP OF ME and massaging my chest and yelling at me...and my husband and friend, Suzzie to the left of me in tears.. and the whole floor of docs and a crash cart next to me... OOPS! I guess i flatlined for a few minutes.. seconds... don't know really... but I came to with my midwife on top of me in my face at that point. They pulled back my meds and said I had to make a good turn around SOON or I had to have a C section. I told her she'd have to put me under TOTALLY and she said she wouldn't if we went that route... we argued about this LMAO... and FINALLY I fought hard enough and felt GREAT again and HAD MY SON!!!!!!
Russell Elias Bievenue was born in the late afternoon, just a while after 5pm on Friday, March 20th, the First Day of Spring!!!! He was 6lbs, 3 oz and about 18-19 inches long. ;D ;D ;D
My midwife did get to deliever Russell. Almost didn't but she came in while I started to push (after JUST delivering another baby) pushed the doc out of the way and did the delievery! When Russell came out she could NOT get over how perfect he was. No heart probs no nothing... she wouldn't stop holding him and loving on him either LOL... It was a great day!!!!!
They did have to transfer him the next day to a bigger hospital with a better neonatal unit because his platelets were VERY low though. So Russell went to another hospital and I came home.
He was in for about 2 weeks and then came home. He had a couple platelet transfusions from the hospital but it didn't help his platelets so his mommy had to give him hers THAT did the trick!!! We also found out he was born with bilateral cataracts that were removed shortly after birth.. but other then that he really didn't have any major health probs.I did cry more after he was born then the initial news back when I was pregnant. It was expected and I just let it out and moved on. I can't wonder my life without my silly little guy. I do struggle with the other diagnosises he does have... his visually impairments (more then just the cataracts) and Russell having Autism. I do struggle from time to time around his bday because he is more delayed then most kids his age w/DS... and even kids w/DS HALF his age... but I don't know what I'd do if it WAS any other way... if that makes sense. I do want to hear his voice say MAMA someday... but for now, I realize how FAR he has come now that we have wonderful people teaching him, and just who my son is to us...
I really can't believe he is 7 today. He is not my baby.. he is a little boy... ALL BOY!!! LMAO... and MY boy!!! He giggles constantly and is SO happy and just so giggly that we just love to watch him. He has two sisters that adore him and parents and family that just can't believe how far he has come...... FINALLY!
Happy Birthday my precious boy....I love you!
A. (aka..Russell's mommy)
A BIG 7, HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY, AND ENJOY THAT BIRTHDAY CAKE. WE CELEBRATED A BIRTHDAY AT OUR HOUSE TODAY TO JORDAN'S PAW PAW'S
&
Susan, Proud mom of Michael (32), Justin (25) Emily (22ds), and Jordan (20).
