23 weeks

Happy celebration Wednesday.

After receiving an email from a friend (thank you so much McCall and Claire), I spoke with my primary OB yesterday about a mag treatment that has been tried with some success in Pheonix by a Dr. Elliot - he is the head of maternal fetal medicine there. I also researched magnesium sulfate and don't know that it will really help my current situation. It is used in treatment of preeclampsia, but to control blood pressure (which mine is quite well controlled currently), treat seizures associated with the disease (I have not had any - and don't show any signs of having them as of yet) and also to treat preterm labor. Although we have contacted this doctor's office twice, we have yet to hear back from them. I would like to see his protocol - even if it isn't warranted in my present situation. I do however, plan to discuss this further tomorrow with the perinatologist here.

I also asked if temporary dialysis would be an option should I go into acute renal failure. ( I know they do it post delivery but wondered about now). I am still making plenty of urine and until that stops, I wouldn't be a candidate for dialysis - if my kidney's aren't functioning very well, I wouldn't be a candidate for magnesium sulfate as if is filtered there and is very hard on the kidneys.

Those are the medical questions I've gotten so far. Oh there was one more: my protein this week was almost 1700 and my uric acid was 7.2. In comparison, normal for pregnancy is 300, and 4 or less. Once my protein reaches 5000, people start to get antsy to deliver, however if there is no liver or platelet involvement, they will let the protein go much farther - up to even 30 grams at times. This of course would mean a high likelyhood of renal damage later. Unfortunately, my liver and platelet function started to fluctuate again last week. We'll see this week. It is all extremely unpredictable.

My regular OB was a bit more upbeat yesterday - I think he somehow goes through just as many emotions about my pregnancy as I do. He sort of surprised me when he said he was wondering how I'd even made it this far because when he admitted me he thought I would have to be delivered that week and would just loose all of the babies. He said continue praying. HA - I feel like I should have a window installed here so they can only look at me through it rather than bring negativity or skepticism into my space. It does me a diservice to be visited by nay-sayers.

My nurse today has talked about wheeling me outside for a bit of fresh air - my first in 3 weeks. We'll see though - after lunch.