Wednesday, July 30th, we went to Abbott Northwest for a fetal MRI of baby B. After that, we were scheduled to meet with a doctor for a "transfer of care" appointment. This appointment was for me to meet the new doc that would be taking over my OB care until I deliver and for them to get to know us and our expectations/desires for the remaining pregnancy.
After being brought 3 different places, we finally arrived where we were suppose to be for the MRI. I have had MRI's before, so I kind of new what to expect. I was to lay very still in a small tube for about 30 minutes. This appointment was early in the morning, so I had no problems just laying there! I was told to hold my breath anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. This is where things got tricky. I'm overweight and 31 weeks pregnant, lying flat on my back. Breathing was already compromised, but then I was to hold my breath over and over again for them to get all the images they needed. It not only depended on me holding my breath, but also for baby B to cooperate and hold still. Needless to say, it took a lot longer than it was suppose to!
After the MRI, I was on my way to my doctor's appointment. I had to fill paperwork out that asked the same information I had already given to the social worker, genetic counselor, and nurse manager, all of whom were with the same office. The nurse came in to go over the paperwork with me, (all the same information was in their computer system) and to get my vitals and collect urine. In the middle of talking, their came a very annoying and loud buzz from the hallway. It was the fire alarm. Kenny, Natalie, and I were then ushered from the room and had to go down five flights of stairs and outside. When the fire department arrived, we were given the all clear to go back in. The appointment resumed and a nurse midwife came in to talk to us. Again, I was asked to go over my history and asked the same questions. Then we were told we would have to come back to meet with the doctor for the second part of the transfer of care. At this point, I was crabby. Not just annoyed crabby, but angry crabby. On Monday we have 8 hours of appointments we need to be there for and you want to fit one more redundant one in?! Why the heck can't we do it all at once? Or better yet, can't they just read the notes and only talk to us about things we haven't been over ten times before? This is a 45 minute drive one way, 3 hour appointment, and we have to pay almost 10 bucks in parking EVERY time we go.
 Now I am going to say that I am truly grateful that there are places like this out there, giving our baby every advantage he can get. I appreciate they are so thorough and take the time to get to know us and make sure nothing is being missed. I just wish they were a little more respectful of our time and how this diagnoses has completely turned our lives around. For those who have gone through something like this, I'm sure you can relate to what I'm about to say next: I want things to go back to normal. I crave normalcy. I know that I will have to get used to this new normal. But right now, I just want some sort of routine or some sort of resemblance of what my life was pre-sb diagnoses. Now, instead of fitting OB appointments in when I have off work, driving to my local OB's office that is in the same town I live in, and my doctor knowing me, my history, and all my preferences, I get to start over at a new clinic, with new doctors that don't know me and I will probably (God willing) never see after I deliver, taking full days off to go and see, and driving an hour and a half to go to. It's just been very overwhelming and has taken a toll on my mood.
After my appointment, I had to go into work. I was not in the best mood. Some days are okay, some days aren't. This was definitely not a good day for me. That all changed when I got a text from a friend who is expecting a boy that she has decided to place for adoption. She wanted to tell me that she has decided to give her baby to a couple that I introduced her to! I was, and am, ecstatic! This couple is made up of my best friend (and husband's cousin), and her awesome hubby. After trying fertility treatments for about two years, they decided to look into adoption. If you aren't familiar with adoption or know very much about it, I highly encourage you to look into it. It's an amazing thing that my family has been blessed by a few times. (Both sides of it- adopting a child and placing one for adoption.) This gives them a little under 2 months to get all their affairs in order. I will write more about this at a later time, as this entry is already fairly long. I am asking for your prayers for both the birth mom and the (hopefully soon-to-be) adoptive parents. I pray that the whole adoption process will go smooth, that God grant's the birth mother "His peace, which transcends all understanding" (Phil. 4:7) in her decision, and that, above all, His will in this child's life will be done. Thank you for your prayers and support!
Thursday, I was called with the MRI results. The good news is nothing has changed from the ultrasound. The spine splits where they thought it did, the chiari malformation is a level 2, which is what they were guessing, and NO signs of hydrocephalus, which is wonderful.