Medical Update

One of the first milestones we had to pass was our follow-up visit with Dr. Teng. We could not wait to see her, because at this appointment we would get the results of the many tests they ran on me and Sofia, as well as get our many questions answered.  We have found that many of our friends and family are curious about the medical side of what happened, but are sometimes afraid to ask. Hopefully the information provided here answers some questions, and puts some mamas/future mamas at ease. For me, while getting answers does not bring my precious baby back, it does bring me some comfort. The more I understand about the science and medical side, the more I can come to terms with what occurred.

Blood Tests

All blood tests came back normal. Sofia was perfectly healthy, and so was I. There was no sign of bacteria, virus, or infection present in either of us. 

Chromosome Test

Sofia's chromosome results came back with no signs of chromosomal abnormalities. This is quite a relief, as it confirms that this accident was not genetic, and therefore is very unlikely to happen again.

Placenta Culture

This test showed that the placenta was completely healthy. It was properly formed with no sign of infection.

Umbilical Cord Results

As predicted by our doctor on the day of our delivery, this is where we got our answers. The analysis came back confirming a severe left twist in the umbilical cord. This twist prevented the necessary nutrients from passing through. While this was obvious to the naked eye at delivery, we are grateful to have it confirmed by medical analysis. 

Questions About Twisted Cords

Getting answers somehow led to more questions.  Here is what we learned...

Umbilical cords are difficult to see in ultrasounds. We had a 4D ultrasound less than two weeks before we lost Sofia, and the technician did not see any issues with the umbilical cord. Even if there had been signs to lead us to look more closely at the umbilical cord, it is highly unlikely that anything would have been detected. Sofia's cord was twisted the tightest right at her belly. A normal ultrasound machine would not be able to help with detecting this twist.

No one seems to know why some cords twist more than others. Some cords hardly twist at all, and others can be quite curly, doctors cannot explain why.  Our doctor believes that the cord formed this way, while other doctors believe that her movement caused the severe twist. The only thing all doctors agree upon here, is that there is not enough research on umbilical cord accidents.  For being the lifeline to the mother, it seems totally crazy that there isn't more research on them.

Looking Ahead

As much as we hate the word, the best way to describe this accident is to call it a "fluke." We don't know what caused the umbilical cord to twist this way, but it did. While there is nothing we can do differently to prevent this from happening again, our doctor seems to think that another occurrence is highly unlikely, and she has a plan to keep our minds at ease during future pregnancies.   

When we are pregnant again, we will begin to see a specialist around 20 weeks. The specialist will use Doppler technology to measure the amount of fluid passing through the cord. Our doctor will also see us more often, and perform more ultrasounds for peace of mind. We are so grateful for this, but our doctor was very honest, stating that all of these extras are "for peace of mind."  She made it very clear that if something is detected, there is no guarantee of a different outcome. If something is detected, it is possible that I will be hospitalized. Even so, there is no guarantee to a different outcome. 

Still, we are hopeful. We are hopeful that this cord issue truly was a "fluke". While the thought of being pregnant again scares me to death, there is nothing I want more.  As for trying again... we must wait until my body gets through a couple normal cycles. So for now, we pray for patience and we trust that we will find ourselves pregnant again when our hearts and my body are ready.

Medical Bills

Bills, bills, and more bills! As one can imagine, all of these extra tests mean a whole bunch of extra bills.  We had no idea how many tests were needed, and that each test gets sent to a different specialist, meaning a different bill. There is nothing like sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by bills, on hold with insurance, then different labs, then back on the phone with insurance again, all while having no baby to hold at the end of the day. These bills were like salt in the wound.

Luckily, my sister, Cami set up a GoFundMe account back in December. When she first started the fund we felt uncomfortable about it. Now, as we pay off these bills with no baby to snuggle at home, we are very grateful. We have been humbled by the outpouring of generosity from family, friends, and even strangers. The fund should cover almost half of our medical expenses from conception to cremation. Each dollar helps us feel more financially able to pay off these bills and more prepared to cover the bills for our next pregnancy (which will be filled with extra precautionary procedures = greater expenses). We are so grateful for the help of our network of amazing people. There are no words to express our gratitude.

"The death of a child is the single most traumatic event in medicine. To lose a child is to lose a piece of yourself."  

-Dr. Burton Grebin