No news...

In our new "lives" no news is really good news...as one of Maggie's doctors said "she's uneventful"...as ridiculous as that may sound we'll take it and run with it. Maggie and Wyatt are stable and we're continually thankful for everyone's prayers and support!

By our count we are at the 26 week mark and that's a milestone - this day to day thing sure makes it easy to lose track of what day it actually is! Our next big marker is at 28 weeks and hopefully we'll have new stats to update this week after a new ultrasound.

It was a tough day today and we said goodbye to our puppy Angus and sent him to a new family who is adopting him. I was able to bring him to the hospital to say bye to Maggie yesterday and it was pretty emotional. In the long run this will be better for him and hopefully he brings as much joy to his new family as he did to ours. The lyric from the fray holds true "some times the hardest thing and the right thing are the same".

Here is one news item of note: Maggie's mom and dad decorated her room for Christmas today so she's quite the talk of the high-risk pregnancy floor...check out the picture!



Gotta wrap this up and get ready for game time - Sure am thankful for the "Dad Cave" here at the hospital! Go Colts!

Chris

Thankful for so much...

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, reflecting, and praying lately. I’m not sure whether it’s been a more of a habit because of where we are in life, the holiday season, or just the need for faith to take deeper roots in my soul. Whatever the cause it’s spurred this blog post…

Three years ago today I was in a fairly new relationship with a girl I’d wanted to date for some time – I’m now fortunate enough to call her my wife. I was working for the Colts, traveling with the team doing radio coverage, and we were selected to play the Thanksgiving Day game in Atlanta against the Falcons. We won the game pretty convincingly which made for a nice return, but the Wednesday night and Thursday morning in our Atlanta hotel is part of what has led me here three years later.

I’m convinced it was that trip and missing the time with my family, friends, and Maggie that was part of what convinced me to leave the team to pursue a family of my own and another career. I distinctly remember going to the sports bar in the hotel and having veggies and hummus for lunch since they were short staffed thanks to the holiday. I remember receiving text pictures of turkeys and dinners where I wanted to be so badly but couldn’t be based on my responsibilities.

Fast-forward three years and here we are in the hospital giving thanks for every day we are here and every day Wyatt grows a little more and gets ready to enter this world. It’s not sad because of hope. Sure, we wish things we different, but they aren’t and this is now our world to embrace.

The road since leaving the Colts has been bumpy at best and recently took a hard left turn in learning that my current company can’t afford to keep a full-time marketing executive into 2010. I’m not writing that for pity, sympathy, or anything other than the need to get it off my chest and hopefully move forward with great enthusiasm and energy toward whatever God has next for me in my professional life. I’d be lying if I were to say this hasn’t been of great concern, but it has taken a back seat to the needs of Maggie and Wyatt.

A person I’m very fond of said in a time of great sadness (and I’m paraphrasing) “we are using this as an opportunity to show our faith – to show the people who watch us just who the God we serve really is”. I’m not going to the ‘holier than thou’ card here…I’m saying today that I know God will use our circumstances to support and help others and will deliver us from this time of trials and frustrations…His plan is so much greater than anything I can imagine.

Suffice it to say, I’m very thankful for too many things to list here, but the most important of those are my God, my family, and my friends…and this first one on that list will take care of everything else.

Many people have asked how to help – my answer generally is to pray and/or visit or email Maggie. I’d like to add to that list and just ask people to do something to lift up someone close to them who may be struggling. It doesn’t have to be anything huge – in fact maybe it’s just a text message but think how much happier and hope-filled you could make someone’s Thanksgiving this year.

Maggie's Week One Recap

We are one week done!! Everyone here has told me that I need to make small goals for myself instead of looking 16 weeks down the line, and here we are... one week done! When I got here one week ago, I had no idea what the future was going to be for us (and still really don't) but at least we are getting a little closer to having an idea. A lot of things have happened in the past week and I know that when this is all said and done, one week will seem like nothing :) So here is the run-down from the week:

Came on Monday afternoon and got started on a drug called Magnesium Sulfate to stop/slow down contractions. That worked relatively well to slow down the contractions, but never stop them although made me COMPLETELY loopy and out of it for a few days and feel really crummy. While I was still having contractions on Tuesday, they used the Magnesium Sulfate and another drug and kept the contractions to about 4-5 per hour. They thought that was good. On Wednesday, they thought that I was under control enough to put me on a pump style drug in my leg similar to an insulin pump. That drug didn't have too many bad side effects, mostly just raised mine (and Wyatt's) heart rate, but I was detached from the beloved IV pole. This seemed to work for a while and I was much more myself on that particular drug. Thursday night was our rather eventful night this week. Somehow, Wyatt was getting himself stuck on the umbilical cord and his heart rate was dropping for periods of time throughout the night. They kept coming in several times through the night and moving me in strange positions, put me back on IV fluids, put me on oxygen, etc in order to get that under control and finally they did at about 6 am. Sadly neither Chris nor myself got much sleep due to the beeping, buzzing, loud flurry of activity that night. I feel bad for Chris because he had to go to work the next day and I just had to sit in a bed and sleep as I felt like it. Friday was pretty uneventful. Saturday my contractions picked up again in the afternoon to every 2 minutes, and after trying one more oral drug, it was determined that the pump was just not going to cut it any more and they would need to get out the "big guns" again in order to hopefully slow them back down. So back onto the Magnesium Sulfate I go. I was dreading this since I had every side effect known to man the first go round, but I knew that I had to do what
was best in order to keep Wyatt in where he belongs for as long as possible.

And here we are back to Monday again! As my friend Lindsay described it, Magnesium Sulfate is "liquid death", and that is sort of what it feels like. It feels like your veins are on fire as it goes in, it makes you nauseous, blurred vision, unsteady on your feet, say silly things, lose muscle control, dries out your mouth and chest, causes headaches and of course vomiting, but it is worth it. They tell me that as I am on it longer, my body will get more used to it and the side effects will decrease. So far, I agree. This second time around, I have only had a slight bit of nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision, but I still feel like myself. I can play on the iPad, look at magazines from time to time, and watch TV. I am not sure my reading comprehension is what it should be, but it will get there over time, I am sure :)

I am getting a lot of questions about how long I will reside at Community Hospital. I do not have a definite answer on that since Wyatt seems to have a stubborn streak (obviously, he gets that from his father) and lacks some patience (I blame Chris for that), or maybe he is just overly excited to make some friends and be social (something I will take full responsibility for). But what I do know is that I am here for this week. And my incredible doctor mentioned in passing that we might discuss the options for going home around the 32 week mark depending on various conditions (that puts me at Mid-January by the way...)but she said that she has seen it all too often where a person is sent home and comes right back because bed rest is much harder to do at home than in a hospital-- I am sure, at home there are dishes, trash, cleaning, laundry, mail, etc that could be distracting while in the hospital, all I have to do is lay here and get up to use the restroom... So in a nutshell, I am going to be here awhile, but I am in the best place I can be for my own health as well as Wyatt's.

I thought I would share with you "positives" of being on bed rest at Community:
1. I can watch as many Lifetime Movies as I feel like it.
2. My body is adjusting to being woken up every 4 hours-- will come in handy when the baby gets here.
3. I have friends that do not work that can come see me more than I see them while not on bed rest.
4. We put fewer miles on our car and of course spend less on gas since only one person can drive.
5. I am getting really good at playing games on my iPad and am open to suggestions of new things to download.
6. I get to hear my babies heartbeat several times a day and listen to him get the hiccups and kick the nurses back when they start poking at him.
7. I can be extremely lazy all day long and have people do things for me like throw my trash away-- although, it is getting quite old.
8. I know that I am keeping Wyatt safe and sound as long as he will be there.

There are many more to come, but I thought I would share my thoughts from the first week! Hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Maggie

Weekend Update with Kevin Nealon

That headline would probably be funnier if Kevin Nealon actually read it aloud when you clicked on the link... which bring me to my next point "Germans love David Hasselhoff" - and now the two people who got that joke are laughing and everyone else is looking to move ahead and read about Maggie and Wyatt!

Maggie's had a pretty good couple of days being off the Magnesium. Although still experiencing some contractions they are being managed by meds through a pump - much like my insulin pump and she has taken to calling us "twins". Right, just like that stupid movie with the Governor of California and the guy from Throw Mama From the Train (yes, I know it's Danny Devito - but I felt the need to throw out some random information). I digress.

She has a monitor attached for an hour every four hours or so that measure Wyatt's heartbeat and man is he ever an active little guy! The doctors seem encouraged by the ultrasounds and we just continue to play the waiting game.

As I woke up early for band rehearsal for church I found myself driving up 37 to go home and feed our dogs. The recurring thought to me was that we made it another day! Another 24 hours! And, the longer we keep this up the better off he is!

An unfortunate side effect of all of this has raised concern in our minds of being responsible pet owners and through much deliberation we've decided to adopt out our miniature dachshund, Angus. He's a wonderful dog, but we know he deserves more than life in a crate 18 to 20 hours a day. We have a family in mind and will be contacting them early this coming week. Trust me, it breaks our hearts and it's not something we want to do, but rather something we need to do in the best interest of Maggie and Wyatt for when they do come home. Riley, our beagle will be staying with us - she's just a docile, low maintenance cuddler that will be good for Maggie once she's home.

As I write this the contractions have picked up a little and we're awaiting a visit from the doctor. Appropriately enough "Tombstone" is on TV this afternoon - and we're just hanging out.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers, support, and visits to see us. Thank you in advance for your continued support.

Chris (Maggie and Wyatt)

Maggie's Version of "the story"...

Thought people might like my version for the blog....

Ok, so since I am bored, I thought I would send my version of everything that has been happening.

Sunday night, I looked at Chris and explained that I just didn't think that everything was quite right. I felt a lot of pressure, but not pain and was just a little uncomfortable. As Chris will tell you, I often said things like this, so it probably didn't have a lot of weight :). Monday came and again I was a bit uncomfortable most of the mooring but had decided what I was feeling were the famous Braxton hicks contractions I had heard and read about. I read they could happen this early but didn't think that frequently. When lunchtime came, I called my mom to see what her Braxton hicks felt like, since she had three children. After she explained them, mine didn't feel like that but just attributed that to everyone being different. She though I might want to call the doctor. Not wanting to be the annoying first time mom that called about every pain, I didn't call at lunch. I had an appointment Tuesday afternoon and thought I would just bring it up at that time. Instead I went on with my normal routine of paperwork and copying. Throughout the afternoon session of kindergarten I started feeling quite a bit of pain and knew this wasn't right. So at about 3:40 I called her office. She called back saying to report to the labor and delivery triage at community north. Not being far enough along for the hospital tour, I had NO IDEA where that was. So I called Chris and told him that is where I was going (having not even told him I was in pain all day) and also called my mom.

So I left and drove, freaking out, but trying not to. I told Chris not to leave work since it probably was nothing since I was so early, and would call when I knew something. I thought she might just tell me to drink more water and send me home. Unfortunately, that was not what was found. When the nurse hooked up the contraction machine, I was contracting every 1.5-3 minutes and was 1cm dilated! What a surprise that was to hear that I was in full-fledged preterm labor. By the time I called Chris to come, He was already pulling in...Apparently, he didn't think it was nothing! I was then moved to the high-risk area and admitted indefinitely to be monitored, observed and hopefully stop contractions.

After lots of medication, careful looking and amazing care, the contractions have slowed down quite a bit. I have stopped any dilation and am able to relax comfortably in my hospital bed. They do not know how long I will be her, but we have heard a definite through Thanksgiving and some talk about until Christmas. At this point, I do not care how long I am here as long as Wyatt is safe and sound getting the best care that he can. I am lucky to have a lot of incredible doctors watching out for me and doing everything in their power to keep our little guy in where he belongs.

Thank you to all of the friends and family that have come by sent things, written nice words. They are all really appreciated and cannot thank you all enough. Chris and I are blessed with a very strong network of people and we love you all!

Maggie

First Family Blog Post

Well, we've finally jumped on board the family-blog train and we'll be using the technology at our disposal to update everyone (who cares to be updated that is) as we greatly anticipate the newest member of our family, Wyatt Charles.

This hasn't been an easy pregnancy for Maggie - noting that as I male I have nothing to compare it to and I'm sure every pregnancy is challenging. Late in the afternoon on Monday Maggie emailed and said that she was having some pain. Within 5 minutes of that email my cell phone was ringing and she was on her way to the Labor and Delivery room. What?? We're still three and a half months away from needing to go there right?? Wrong.

Long story made short, Maggie was in pre-term labor and having contractions. Fortunately thanks to some medicine Wyatt hasn't graced us with his presence. Yet.

After a nerve-racking 3 or 4 hours I left my wife and unborn son to got home and "sleep"...right. (Note the intentional sarcasm there)

Three days into this experience and so far we know that she's on bed-rest indefinitely, the next 2 weeks are crucial, and we're gonna be spending a lot of time in this maternity suite.

We are blessed with a wonderful and supportive family and group of friends who have stepped up in so many ways. Even in the midst of this challenge we know that all is in God's hands and we'll walk with Him day by day through this.

To my unborn son this is your first to do list:
1. Stay where you are.
2. Know how much you are loved.
3. Refer to #1 for the next 3 months if you have any questions.

I'm hoping Maggie and I will take turns posting updates. Thank you for your prayers.

Chris