Now, like I said before....I had a feeling something wasn't right. Let me explain that a little more in depth.
When my first born joined this world he was a whopping 9lbs 13oz and cracked my pelvic bone in half when he came out! Yes, it hurt. It was horrible. I was 18 years old. I had no idea what to expect, I was horrified to become a mom anyway and I left the hospital barely able to walk or get in and out of a car.
So, although it was 11 years later, I remembered everything and I was ready. I considered having a C-section, I went in for closer monitoring of growth and went to an OB-GYN before my due date for an ultra sound specifically to see how big they thought this baby would be. I mean, seriously, they tell you that your babies are typically around the same size. And I wasn't going to be too careful this time around. I got all the good advice from the professionals. I should have an epidural so I'm more relaxed and I should really pay attention to what my body is telling me. Yeah, OK. Easy to say to someone who ISN'T in labor, but whatever.
I guess I'm trying to paint a little picture of how scared I was to deliver another baby. In my mind, I was going to deliver a baby that was most likely the size of a 6 month old and I wouldn't be able to move for a few weeks after delivery. I knew I hadn't gotten too big with this pregnancy, but in reality I never got that big with my 10 pounder either. So, I was a bit caught off guard when my Keean was born. When he came out, they did the typical stuff. I got to hold him for a little bit before they took him to do all his vitals, weight, height and head measurements and so on. So, when they put him on the scale and announced......6lbs 12oz I can honestly say my stomach turned a little. Now for most people this would be a nice size baby. I understand that completely. One of my best friends delivered 5 months before and her baby was 6lbs 14oz and was completely healthy. But, I think my mommy instinct kicked in when they told me that weight. Something was up, I just didn't know what. I didn't know at that time if I was being stupid. If I was being over cautious, paranoid, nervous, over exaggerating? Who knows. But I guess in the end I know I had that feeling for a reason.
Like I said before the first full day was fabulous. We had all sorts of company, our kids were all up in the hospital with us meeting their new brother, our family, our friends, etc. We were exhausted, but so very happy.
The second day was perfect too! It wasn't until about 9pm when Keean had projectile vomit all over one of my friends that made me question if something was going on.
Of course I told the nurse about it and they blamed it on all sorts of things. It's "normal" for babies to puke after birth. I agreed. Yes, it is normal for them to spit up, but not necessarily projectile vomit. I don't recall anyone telling me this was "normal", but I let it go. I didn't bring it up at the hospital again, but it was always on my mind.
The next day we were discharged to home. I was so excited to have our family together. Things went fairly well with him, but he slept a lot and didn't like to eat much. I remember wondering if something was wrong with his hearing or something. I didn't remember my first born sleeping so much, but it had been 11 years. What did I know?
We took Keean in for his check up 2 days after being discharged. He was 6lbs 12oz at birth, 6lbs 10 oz at discharge and at his 2 day check up was 6lbs 8oz. No one seemed worried. They sent us home and told us to come back in a few days just to check his weight. So, that's what we did.
6lbs. 8oz again 2 days later. He hadn't lost any more, but he hadn't gained either. Keean still wasnt' eating well. He was starting to cry when he stooled and was puking a lot more when he ate. We spent the next 3 weeks going in for weight checks. All of which practically NOTHING happened. I had people who had babies after me that were thriving and getting chunky pretty fast. This made me worry. Why is he puking? Why does he scream when he goes to the bathroom and why won't he gain weight? We were up continuously. Making sure he ate enough, making sure after he ate we didn't lay him flat. We had to hold him just right so he didn't throw up everything we had just gotten down him.
I was done with our family practice doctor. Not because I didn't love her, because we did. BUT because we needed to figure out what was going on with our baby. He was starting to look malnourished and no one in our house was getting any sleep at all.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Let's start from the very beginning.....
So here it goes. Forgive me if my memory is clouded. It has been 2 years since our journey began. I have mentioned a blog numerous times to friends I have met throughout Keean's life, but have no idea how to even start a blog....let alone his story.
It is not that I think we have had it worse than others, in fact I know this is far from the truth! The people I have met along our journey have taught me just that. We are lucky. We are blessed.
I guess I'll start at the very beginning. Probably because I have heard before...."it's a very good place to start."
I met my husband in 2004 at a New Years Eve party. We talked all evening, but that was as far as it went. I knew his family, was really good friends with his cousin, but that was about it. He had moved to another town, started a business and a life of his own. I was 23 years old, a single mom of a 5 year old and going to college. He was 8 years older than me, just going through a divorce, had 3 young children going back and fourth from him and his ex wife and running a business so really, neither of us were ready to be in any kind of serious relationship anyway.
Fast forward to 2009. I had thought about him randomly, but never anything more than a thought here and there. It was February, and I had joined the facebook world a few months prior to when I got a friend request from him. Well, the rest is history. We were engaged 5 months later with a wedding date planned for August 7, 2010.
So, we moved in together. Me, my fiancé, and our blended family of 4 children. At the time they were 11, 11, 13 and 15. We were busy, but we had the discussion many times that once we were married we would have more children.
We were married a VERY hot day in August and by the end of September we found out we were pregnant. (or I was, but like to include him in on it....it was a team thing). We were due in June and couldn't be more excited. We made our appointment to confirm the pregnancy and bought my husbands daughter a shirt that read, "I'm going to be a big sister....FINALLY". We told our older kids by giving my step daughter her new shirt and they were all extremely pumped (besides my 11 year old son who hates surprises....he quickly warmed up to the idea but wasn't too sure about it at first).
We started doing regular Dr. visits and decided this time we wanted to find out what we were having. At our 20 week ultra sound appointment, we found out it was a boy. The doctor soon called us back to tell us she wanted to see us. She wanted us to go in for a level 2 ultra sound out of town because his head was measuring "oblong" but not to be worried. Of course I was horrified not knowing what that even meant, but we waited and went in for that ultra sound. My feelings of panic were quickly resolved when they told me everything looked good and he was just moving too much the past ultra sound to get an accurate measurement. I, then was able to breathe and enjoy the 3D pictures we got of our little peanut. I couldn't wait to meet him.
I celebrated my last day of work before maternity leave on June 1 and that night I went into labor. It couldn't have been more perfect. June 2, 2011 at 4:47am Keean Russell was born and our world completely changed! I was, like most mothers, in love with him the minute they handed him to me. I studied everything about him. Everything was perfect. It wasn't until the 2nd day in the hospital. I had a feeling. A feeling something wasn't right. I have learned to tell all my mom friends NEVER to ignore that feeling. To go with it. It's usually right. And I was right. Now, don't panic. It isn't something horrible. This story doesn't have a bad ending at all! But this kid has taken us on quite the ride. A ride I will continue sharing .......next time!
It is not that I think we have had it worse than others, in fact I know this is far from the truth! The people I have met along our journey have taught me just that. We are lucky. We are blessed.
I guess I'll start at the very beginning. Probably because I have heard before...."it's a very good place to start."
I met my husband in 2004 at a New Years Eve party. We talked all evening, but that was as far as it went. I knew his family, was really good friends with his cousin, but that was about it. He had moved to another town, started a business and a life of his own. I was 23 years old, a single mom of a 5 year old and going to college. He was 8 years older than me, just going through a divorce, had 3 young children going back and fourth from him and his ex wife and running a business so really, neither of us were ready to be in any kind of serious relationship anyway.
Fast forward to 2009. I had thought about him randomly, but never anything more than a thought here and there. It was February, and I had joined the facebook world a few months prior to when I got a friend request from him. Well, the rest is history. We were engaged 5 months later with a wedding date planned for August 7, 2010.
So, we moved in together. Me, my fiancé, and our blended family of 4 children. At the time they were 11, 11, 13 and 15. We were busy, but we had the discussion many times that once we were married we would have more children.
We were married a VERY hot day in August and by the end of September we found out we were pregnant. (or I was, but like to include him in on it....it was a team thing). We were due in June and couldn't be more excited. We made our appointment to confirm the pregnancy and bought my husbands daughter a shirt that read, "I'm going to be a big sister....FINALLY". We told our older kids by giving my step daughter her new shirt and they were all extremely pumped (besides my 11 year old son who hates surprises....he quickly warmed up to the idea but wasn't too sure about it at first).
We started doing regular Dr. visits and decided this time we wanted to find out what we were having. At our 20 week ultra sound appointment, we found out it was a boy. The doctor soon called us back to tell us she wanted to see us. She wanted us to go in for a level 2 ultra sound out of town because his head was measuring "oblong" but not to be worried. Of course I was horrified not knowing what that even meant, but we waited and went in for that ultra sound. My feelings of panic were quickly resolved when they told me everything looked good and he was just moving too much the past ultra sound to get an accurate measurement. I, then was able to breathe and enjoy the 3D pictures we got of our little peanut. I couldn't wait to meet him.
I celebrated my last day of work before maternity leave on June 1 and that night I went into labor. It couldn't have been more perfect. June 2, 2011 at 4:47am Keean Russell was born and our world completely changed! I was, like most mothers, in love with him the minute they handed him to me. I studied everything about him. Everything was perfect. It wasn't until the 2nd day in the hospital. I had a feeling. A feeling something wasn't right. I have learned to tell all my mom friends NEVER to ignore that feeling. To go with it. It's usually right. And I was right. Now, don't panic. It isn't something horrible. This story doesn't have a bad ending at all! But this kid has taken us on quite the ride. A ride I will continue sharing .......next time!
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