Updates on Ethan and baby!

We'll start with the baby and my appointment today. All looks good again, and he was happy to see my belly growth. I asked him a lot of questions about some things I had been feeling lately and he said that it is ok as long as nothing is long-lasting. I am going to be checked for a UTI to make sure I don't get a bladder infection that could put me into labor. The urine test came out ok at the office, but he said that some of my symptoms would be better to have tested than to let them go. I'll have to go back tomorrow to do that, since I did not have the right paperwork and the lab was closing. Hopefully, it will all be good and still be negative.

I will probably get the steroid shots in the 27th week as a precaution in case I go into labor early. He'll do it earlier if symptoms call for it to be earlier. He also said that I should come in at any point if I am feeling like something isn't right or even just call to make sure things are ok. That made me feel good to hear, sometimes I feel like I would be a bother, but it is good to know he wants me to if necessary. He also told me that a cerclage patient just went into labor at 37 weeks!! I was so happy to hear that, it makes me feel good to know that I have a chance to go that long.

He said that based on all I said I'm doing, that I am doing things right. He said it is common sense and that is what I'm using!! So, I felt pretty good about the appointment.

As for Ethan, he had an eye exam today. He has not been able to fully pass the exam, so we had one again today to see how he has done in the past few months. Matt took him and we did not get any final answers. He seems to be using both eyes well, although it looks like he may be favoring one over the other. So, we go back in 6 months and if it still comes out the same or worse we may have to do some eye patching to help correct his eyes. Not a terrible prognosis, we were just hoping that maybe it would be a clearer answer this time. They did say it is hard with preemies because they need a lot longer to mature, so that made it a little easier to know that it is ok not to have a clear prognosis right now. Of course it doesn't help that lazy eyes are in my family and that a lot of family members between Matt and I need glasses. So, it would not be shocking if he would have eye issues. Like I said, we could have had worse news and we didn't. It just shows what a true miracle he really is and that we can deal with these little things that come our way, because we know it could have been worse.

So, we had some overall good news today! We look forward to more good news in the weeks to come, even though I am going to be a nervous wreck. At this point, I am so happy for every day that I get in and then every week I get. It all means so much to the health of this baby and to my own mind. I get excited by every day I make it through and every Tuesday when I start my new week I get really, really excited! Next week is a good week for viability. I really want to make it into the 24th week and obviously beyond.

We'll keep you updated.