Follow-up appointment; Baby Girl remains strong
Today my Mom and I went to our first follow-up appointment since the procedure. We were thrilled to receive another good report. Baby Girl’s lungs are continuing to grow steadily which means the balloon is in place and doing its job. The data point the doctors have been tracking measures the ratio of the lung size to the head size. The first time they measured, about a month ago, the data point was 24.7 percent. Today it was 55 percent. Dr. Ahmet Baschat, Director for Center for Fetal Therapy, was also very happy to have a visual of both lungs in the ultrasound image. At previous appointments, we’ve only ever seen one lung because the second was deflated and covered by the other intestines.
He also stressed how important it is for me to hydrate and limit my walking during these next six weeks. He said, “After the balloon is out, then you can climb Mt. Baltimore if you want!” But until then, I should take it easy. Lots of activity could put me at risk for preterm labor. We want Baby Girl to get as big and strong as she can before we officially meet her. Dr. Baschat said if every follow-up appointment remains this steady, he would like to keep the balloon in until I’m close to 35 weeks (late-September).
After the appointment, we were thrilled to have lunch with Asley Troyer and her adorable son, Ayden. Ashley also underwent the FETO procedure for her son who was diagnosed with severe CDH. We connected on Facebook a while back. It was enlightening to learn about her journey and what we can potentially expect in our future. Although it has not been an easy road, she told us that she truly believes the FETO procedure is the reason her son is alive today. She and Baby Ayden are so strong. We left the visit feeling very inspired.
As the week comes to a close, I continue to be so grateful to my Mom. She has not let me lift a finger. She makes sure I’m eating healthy and drinking lots of water. There is something to be said about having your mother nearby, especially in difficult times like this. I will always look back at this week with joy in my heart. She swaps with my brother, Vincent, on Sunday. I am excited to have him by my side for the next couple weeks. Word on the street is that he can whip up some mean fajitas.
