Update: Ultrasound

This is an e-mail I sent to quickly update my co-workers, so if I mention school a lot, that is why. I have tried to take out the parts only relevant to school, but I just wanted to get this out there so that everyone can have the same update:

First of all thank you so very much for what you have done for me this past week. Your love, support, and prayers have been amazing, and not one second went by when I wasn't appreciating everything that you all have been doing for us.

We DID have our ultrasound today, and the fluid level was at a 6.4. The fluke low fluid level is called Oligohydramnios (if you wanted to look it up, but I wouldn't b/c it's pretty depressing). While the doctor was hesitant to be super happy about this level, I am being cautiously happy. We got some preliminary results from the Amnio, it is called a FISH test, and it only tests for a few things. Since there was blood in the fluid, it was not easy, but after running at twice, they have 2 results, she is def a girl with normal girl chromosomes, and she does not have the fatal Trisomy 18. We are waiting on Trisomy 13 and 21 (Down's), and then the full results of everything will not be ready until 2-3, maybe 4 weeks.

On Monday, the fluid level was a 3, Tuesday was a 4.5, and today was 6.4. Sounds good, right? Well, the doctor said that fluid levels are quite subjective and that they fluctuate, and that if you catch it right after the baby urinates then the level would be higher. Even so, 2 cm higher in 2 days is a miracle to me. A level above 10 is normal, 6-10 means maybe mom was sick, dehydrated, etc, and under 5 is Oligohydramnios.  I am looking at it as a higher number, not in the 'Below 5cm' range, AND as a steady increase. Praise the Lord!! 

I don't know what the future holds, but it could be very sad. Speaking with the doctors, they like you to know every possibility, and the low fluid is very, very bad. That water does so much more than I ever thought. Helping develop lungs, bones, muscle, everything. Very low fluid could mean a whole range of things to the 'fixable' hip deformity or club feet, to facial deformity, cord compression, blindness, deafness, Spina Bifida, etc. One of the etc's being death. It is very scary, but knowing that my classroom is taken care of is helping me focus on the baby.

Again, my family and I appreciate every single one of your thoughts and prayers even more than you can imagine. We am so, so lucky to have a team like you surrounding us! Charlotte is a very loved little girl!!