Baby B has been progressing wonderfully. We had a growth ultrasound today and he is measuring over all in the 36th percentile for size. The best news is there is still NO sign of hydrocephalus. He is still breech which doesn't change a thing since we already scheduled a C-section. He also has been a little stinker at our weekly appointments. Although he still scores 10/10, he needs a lot of encouragement to move around and accelerate his heart rate. Today, I was told I have the beginning of preeclampsia. My blood pressure, which is normally 100/60, was 138/64 today with protein present in my urine. My feet have also swelled up and I have been exhausted. I was told to take the day off, stay off my feet, and I have to go back in Friday to be rechecked. If my bp is at 140 or higher, there is still protein in my urine, and any labs come back abnormal, my C-section will be moved up to the coming week.

Last Thursday, my sister (who has a seizure disorder) started having seizures around 6 a.m. We are unsure of how many she had throughout the day. Around 5 p.m., she was brought to the ER by her step-daughter, Megan. Kenny and I met them there and counted at least 6 seizures in about 3 1/2 hours. She stayed in the postictal stage, never fully coming out of the seizures. She was admitted to the local hospital's ICU on a Dilantin drip to try and stop the seizures. Around 6 Friday morning, she was sedated and intubated and the decision to transfer her to Abbott Northwest's Neuro ICU was made. She continued to seize even after being put on a propofol drip. Around 10 or 11 that morning, they were finally able to stop all seizure activity. She would stay intubated, sedated, and restrained until Saturday. They had also placed an NG tube to give medications orally that could not be given through her PICC line and would be utilized for nutrition if needed. She was in the Neuro ICU until Sunday, when she was transferred to the epilepsy floor at ANW. She was discharged to home on Tuesday and has been slowly recovering since. 

I cannot even begin to express my deep sense of fear, loss, and uncertainty seeing my baby sister like that. I am very close to her and our relationship has always been on the top of my priority list. To say I lost it would be an understatement. I had no idea what was happening to her. What was causing these? Would she come out okay? Would she come out at all? I "prayed without ceasing" for 5 days. Seriously God?! You haven't given me enough to deal with that you thought you would just add this? What greater good can come of this? What is this suppose to teach us? I highly doubt I will ever get those answers during this lifetime. Funny thing was, I kept talking to her. About everything. Everything that was going regarding her, her kids, life, the weather. I didn't stop talking to her. And, guess what? She answered me. Not out loud. Her lips didn't move. But I could hear her replies. Most of them were on the smart ass side, which is totally normal for her. :) But I felt confident and at peace with every decision I made for her or on her behalf because I knew it was what she wanted. Even if I wasn't so sure. Now, I'm not saying she was coming to me from the other side. I'm saying that we have the type of relationship and know each other so well, that we can anticipate how the other would respond. I am so incredibly grateful to have that type of connection with someone in this life and then call that person my sister.  All I can say about this experience is to make sure your loved ones know what you want in any circumstance, no matter how unlikely you think it may be. Don't just make sure they know what you want, have it documented. No one wants to be put in the position to make decisions for you about your life. You can make it a little easier on them by making your wants and needs known.

So my past week would explain why I am beginning to develop preeclampsia! It has been immensely stressful. But again, I have to give thanks for my amazing husband, family, and friends who really rallied around me and Jeni. Your thoughts, prayers, and gestures kept us going. I really have to brag up my husband here... He's such a great person and I'm humbled by his love. I can only hope that I can be deserving of that love and reciprocate it back to him. I wasn't even off the phone with Megan when she was bringing Jeni to the ER, when Kenny started turning everything off and getting his shoes on. There was no need to ask him to come with or explain at that moment all that was happening. He was already on board to go and sit for who knows how long until we had answers. The next morning, he was arranging everything so we could be at ANW with her. Even though he worked all weekend, he came straight there after work and even offered to stay the night with her. He has been there every darn step of the way without so much as being asked or prompted to. God broke the mold when He made Kenny.