Funkhouser Update: Week 18

I have gotten multiple complaints that I don't share enough about what's going on with Funkhouser or that I don't seem to be very excited about our impending arrival. I think anyone who has had a subsequent pregnancy can relate-it's just very different. Don't get me wrong, it is still awesome, but I am relatively obsessed with Norah and I am already feeling some anxiety about all the time that I am not going to get to spend with her (and talking about her) once Funkhouser gets here. Plus, I am just now getting over feeling like crap every single minute of every single day. Don't worry, I am sure in due time I will be just as obsessed with Funkhouser as I am with Norah.

Here's the Cliff Notes version of what's going on (just for you, Sarah Ellen):

1. Funkhouser's heart looks great so far, and

2. Funkhouser is definitely a girl

With Norah, pregnancy was very normal and run of the mill until 33 weeks when the sh*t hit the fan. This time it has been anything but normal. I am with a high risk medical practice, so I have two OB's, an OB specialist at Stanford, a Cardiologist, a Rheumatologist, and a Dermatologist, all who know exactly what's going on. It's very comforting, but also makes for a lot of doctor's visits. On the weeks I don't have ultrasounds there are regular appointments, consultations, or visits to the lab for blood work.

At 16 weeks I started having fetal echo cardiograms and will have one every two weeks for the next 14 weeks or so, and then every week as the Cardiologist sees fit. It is basically just a detailed ultrasound that lasts about an hour. It's pretty intense and makes me think that science is the coolest thing ever. They are looking for two things, 1) the formation of the heart (chambers, vessels, valves, etc.), and 2) the electrical current that the heart creates. The way they do the latter is to see how the blood flows not only in the heart itself, but in the brain (if there is a problem with impulse there can be too much or too little blood in the brain). On the echo, the blood shows up as either red or blue so it's definitely a multi-colored experience. They take very precise measurements of the heart and the bones tend to cast weird shadows, so with the exception of the skull, the bones show up as being very bright white. You can very clearly see her spine, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Basically, Funkhouser looks like a teradactyl. A cute one, but a teradactyl nonetheless.

I had my second echo today and not only does the anatomy of the heart look great, but the electrical impulse appears to be perfect. The Cardiologist likes me and my inappropriate dinosaur jokes, so at both echos she took a peek and confirmed Funkhouser's lady parts. Our actual anatomy ultrasound (where you are supposed to find out the gender) is next week, so we'll see how good she really is.

The echos are done at the heart center at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (ie, Stanford). Which means the waiting room is not full of pregnant ladies, but rather sick kids. Sometimes really sick kids. I feel so helpless sitting there-I want to take them to Disneyland and buy their parents unlimited cocktails. It's a hearty dose of perspective and makes me so grateful for the two (yikes, did I just say two??) healthy kids that I have.

Parenthood, even under the best of circumstances, isn't always easy, but I will "TELL ME A STORY 'BOUT NEMO AND DIVER' 900,000 times a day. And I will do it with a great big smile on my face.