Monday, November 26, 2007 - 35 weeks, 2 days

The ultrasound showed that almost all the fluid was gone around Noah. That is a sign that the placenta is not functioning correctly since there wasn't a leak anywhere. Noah hadn't really grown in the week since the last ultrasound either. As soon as Darren arrived at the hospital from work, they started discussing delivery options with us. It was clear that Noah was coming very soon and that it would be better for him to be out instead of in. The doctors presented pros and cons of trying labor and of a C-section with the low placenta and past bleeding, but said that they could have things all set to dive into an emergency section if we wanted to try labor.





Darren and I asked for a few minutes to ask the Lord about our decision and we were surprised when all the medical personnell respectfully left the room and told us to take all the time that we needed. We both felt that both Noah and I would be in too much danger if we tried labor and within just a few minutes, I was walking into the surgery area...it was the first time I had walked out of the hospital room in a week. As the surgery proceeded, Darren and I could feel an intensity and focus from the doctors and nurses as Noah just wasn't coming out. Several people were pushing on my ribs and the doctor tried the extractor and ultimately foreceps to deliver him through the incision. As it turns out, the placenta was very low (2cm from the cervix) and had to be cut through for the surgery and the cord was coming out from the edge of the placenta rather than the center, right between his head and the cervix. The doctor said over and over, "This surgery was such a good decision" as she went on to explain that the cord would have just ruptured if we had tried labor. We were amazed and thankful that we were being watched over once again.





After a slight delay, Noah started cryng and pinked right up. We both felt a huge relief and we know that all our prayers are heard. Thank you for yours....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH!!!!!
Noah Dean Gremmert
11-26-07 @ 5:48 pm
6lbs 4 ounces - 35 weeks gestation

Monday, November 26, 2007 - 35 weeks, 2 days

On Sunday, we had gotten the word that Rosie might be able to go home today using two oral meds to control contractions, but a little bleeding Sunday afternoon may have foiled our plans. We are waiting for an ultrasound today to see if the cause of the bleeds can be determined, and then we will know more.

Noah still looks great and his heartrate has perfect responses to movement and contractions. We are very thankful for that.

11-23-07 - 34 weeks 6 days

Rosie is all the way off the magnesium sulfate and taking a different oral medication along with terb as needed to keep contractions down to less than 6 per hour. It takes a couple days for the "mag" to get all the way out of someone's system, so she is still recovering from that and at the hospital for monitoring and observation. We made it through the transition without any more bleeding, so that is great. Noah is still really active and has the nurses chasing him all around with the monitor to try and keep his heartrate on the strips. His responses to the contractions and his movements are healthy and normal. The day that they can come home seems to always be "maybe in about 48 hours"; so really... we don't know. There is talk about Saturday... but time will tell. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers!

November 21, 2007 - 34 weeks 4 days

Monday 11/19

Darren and I headed off to the ultrasound and we got to see great pictures of Noah and how well he has been growing. It is so amazing! We could even see the hair on his head and the little curls at the back. He has been growing great and weighs about 6.5 lbs. The placenta was still pretty low so the doctor wanted to do an internal ultrasound to get accurate measurements. I went to empty my bladdar first, and we were all shocked that when I stood to use the restroom I was bleeding pretty heavy. Luckily, We were just in another part of the hospital, so they whisked me to labor and delivery. It was frightening, but since we had just been seeing Noah jump around on the screen, we felt pretty lucky that we knew that he was doing well.

I was quickly prepped for possible emergency section and pumped full of meds that hurried Noah's lung development, slowed the contractions and eventually stopped the bleeding. Now we have been waiting the 48 hours that the lung development shots need to be the most effective and the will try tomorrow (THANKSGIVING!) to taper me onto a medication to slow contractions that I can take at home. Darren says that I just didn't want to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year! :) If that transition doesn't work, I will stay on the magnesium sulfate (yuck is putting it very mildly) in the hospital until his lungs are mature enough. His lung development willl be determined by amnio, if we need to go that route.

The bleeding was probably caused by my placenta seperating from the uterine wall so I will be on strict bedrest until delivery and the placenta will probably not tolerate labor. We are looking at a C-section almost no matter what. The great news is that Noah is showing absolutely no signs of stress. They have us hooked up to all kinds of machines and he is doing great. Your prayers must be working!

Thanks to everyone who has been helping transport our kids and for your calls and prayers. Although I normally would like visitors, it will have to wait until I can get off this magnesium. I have a whole new level of respect for people who have dealt with long term illnesses and strong chemicals to combat them since it has taken me basically all afternoon just to do this post. Please understand if I am not up to a visit or talking on the phone. I do appreciate your concern and don't worry, my kids really will call if they need any help! Our phone bills attest that they know how to use phones :)

Overall, we feel very optimistic that things will turn out great, we just don'tknow exactly when that will be :) Please continue to keep us in your prayers and thanks again for everyone's love and support.

November 16, 2007 - 34 weeks

Everytime that we reach another weekend and another week has gone by I am amazed! Since the last post we have had a couple more runs to the hospital but all is well. If he is like his brothers, he will stay in there for a couple more weeks after they let me stop taking the medication at 36 weeks though! Noah is growing well and is very active. The boys have a good time feeling him kick and punch them and we have gotten the tiny clothes and blankets all washed and ready.

A final ultrasound is scheduled for Monday so we can check where the placenta has ended up. If it is still too close to the cervix, we will schedule a c-section at the next doctor's appointment. With Thanksgiving in there, I don't see her again until the week after the ultrasound on Tuesday 11-27 so we will all have to wait a while to hear her decision. We should get a little bit of an idea how big he is from the ultrasound too.

I am sick of "taking it easy" and wish I could do everything again. My days are spent counting and timing contractions, drinking water and modifying my activity. I am already so sick of contractions that labor sounds untolerable. Many days, I have to "let go" of everything that I thought I was going to do or pick just one thing for the day. Everything aches...it doesn't matter if I am sitting, standing or laying down. I wake up about every hour through the night either from contractions or to use the bathroom. (poor Darren too!) It may actually be a relief to wake every 2-3 hours with a baby....Please bear with me if I am grumpy or tired....Maybe I should just hibernate until Noah shows up!

November 1, 2007 - 31 weeks, 5 days

After having to leave work early twice last week and barely making it through 1st period on Monday without too many contractions (even with the terb), the doctor has put me on modified bedrest. So, Monday was my last day teaching. The nice thing about being off my feet more is that I don't have to take so much medication to keep the contractions down to less than 6 per hour.

Noah is still comfortable laying sideways which makes it so there is nothing putting pressure on my cervix and causing lots of dialation. Unless the placenta moves drastically in the next 4 weeks, it won't matter how he is positioned and right now, it is helping keep him in there! We have another ultrasound 11/19 to check to see if the placenta has moved. If not, we will be scheduling a C-section.

Thanks to everyone who was able to come to our shower or sent gifts. It felt a little odd to even have one for a 5th baby, but friends kept assuring me that after a 14 year gap that everyone knew that we were starting over! The gifts are wonderful and since my chances to go shopping will be slim, it really helps! Of course, I can visit Target.com from my laptop, much to Darren's dissapointment! :o) I just wish I could have visited with everyone more. Many of you have followed this roller-coaster pregnancy closely and I know that you are just as excited to see him get here as we are. I want you all to know that your support and prayers have made all these months of complications easier. These last few weeks will drag for me, but we are almost there!