A Not Entirely Unexpected Complication

Today we went in for a fetal echocardiogram to check out Jellybean's heart.  Turns out it was a good thing we did.  Looks like he (it's a boy!) has some issues, including a VSD.  What the doc saw could be any number of things, so we don't have an official diagnosis.  Instead, I have to go to Detroit for more tests sometime in the next few weeks.  They will get more and better pictures (not sure how), and come up with an official diagnosis.  The doc today did say that she thinks Jellybean will need surgery shortly after birth--not with hours, but within the first week.  Because of that, she thought it might be better for me to birth at the Detroit hospital.  Obviously, we have lots more testing and follow-up before we reach this point, but this adds way more degrees of difficulty to the delivery.  On the plus side, she didn't think it was anything that would require early delivery or a C-section.  That is, she thinks Jellybean can tolerate labor and delivery.  So, that's good news.

The doc today is contacting Lil' Bit's pediatric cardiologist, in part because that's who Jellybean will see after birth, but also because Dr. S is affiliated with Detroit.  The doc today is affiliated with UofM, but we are more comfortable dealing with Detroit since we already know the folks there.  Dr. S is going to work on the fetal referral process to get me on the schedule for the additional testing.  As we go along, I will likely have OB visits with my regular OB, my high-risk OB, and a new OB in Detroit so I will be familiar with them before delivery.

All of this news is frightening, frustrating, and overwhelming.  However, I have some small semblance of calm in that I know how some of this works because of Lil Bit's surgery.  This time, we know the surgeons, we know the hospital, we know the area, etc.  We also have the benefit of knowing early, rather than finding out 6 months in, so we can prepare (Read--plan!!!  Always look on the brightside, right?)  Still, I had been hoping and praying the Jellybean would be "normal."  Instead, it looks like he is already trying to outdo his sister.  This sibling rivalry thing sure starts early!

So, to sum up:  We know there's something wrong, but we're not sure what.  We should find out soon, but we don't know when.  There will be lots of planning required, but nothing I can do yet.  And I'm not supposed to stress.  Yeah.  Good luck with that.