Still Delayed

I swear I am gunna lose my temper. I mean if patience is a virtue... I am not at all virtuous today let me tell you! We went BACK to MSH today only to have another NST and then get the call that there are no beds at sick kids.

I get it that he is safe and happy in the womb and they would chose him to be in the womb over in an incubator, but really? two days? I mean we could have sat at home waiting for a phone call to let us know a bed was or is coming available... Yes a 2 hour drive in inconvenient, but spending money we don't have to waste to do nothing in Toronto is more of one!

Tomorrow at least I can call before I waste my time going in. Let me tell you if there is no bed I will definitely lose it...
I mean the excuse I go today was... "people come from all over to get care at sick kids we can't predict when beds will be available" Well yes you can...instead of having MSH say when I should be induced, how about let Sick Kids make that call! I know for a fact that Sick Kids is much more efficient at EVERYTHING than MSH is.... Granted some babies are sick after birth, but what percentage come everyday.

*sigh* the good thing though is we got to go shopping and we bought a travel system. So it distracted me and calmed me down a bit. I mean he does have to come out at somepoint, but why schedule an induction that isn't going to happen?

SHeesh

In the mean time, keep the channel here! There will be some news eventually.... I HOPE!

Delayed :(

Well all the nerves and excitment for nothing :( We've been put off on having a baby :(

LOL...

Actually we arrived at Mount Sinai at 11:30 am. At this point they said they were waiting for the go ahead to begin the induction from Sick Kids. The nurses at sick kids were doing rounds and then they would call as there were two of us waiting for beds from them. Well while they waited I had a none stress test done... apparently the was no stress...LOL

So we just had to sit and wait to hear from them. Eventually around 2 we heard that there were no beds... So they were going to just give me a bed in the hospital for the night.. After staring at the walls for a few hours i was NOT looking forward to staying in a hospital for no reason at all... So I said i would rather go to a hotel.

This was a good idea because they were having lots of regular admissions at MS and didn't want to take a bed that they could use. But they needed to get the doctors okay to discharge me.... I had my blood pressure taken.... it was high... so they then wanted to draw blood to run labs to make sure I was okay and baby wasn't in any harm. Well that meant we couldn't be discharged until after the labs came back...

The labs came back after about 2 hours. Finally we were discharged and told to come back at 9am.

So here we are...tired and bored and wishing I was at the hospital...but alas we are at the hotel :(
Oh well... heres to another night filled with anticipation and few ZZZZzzzs

I'll be sure to get SOMEONE to post an update when something substantial starts to happen!
PLEASE STAY TUNED!

What are you doing for New Years?

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I haven't really written all that much lately. Not too much has been happening. We have some news though and a bit of information.
Tyler and I went to Toronto on Friday. (Dec 7th) We got a lot accomplished thats for sure.... with going back and forth between the two hospitals. We started first thing in the morning meeting with the paediatrician Dr Jeffreys. She told us a little bit more about what was going to be happening during the actual delivery. Most HLHS babies are born relatively healthy and they are planning on me having a vaginal delivery. They think that during the labor I can have visitors, but during the actual delivery it is one person. Once the baby is born, we get a very quick cuddle then he will be taken to the next room to get his IVs started. They start him on prostaglandin which will keep the ductus arteriosus open. After he is stable we will be able to bring visitors in and we can all meet him and take pictures...all the normal baby things. After this he will be taken through the tunnel over to the cardiac critical care unit at Sick Kids. Tyler at this point can chose to go with the baby or stay with me. Its up to him and he'll decide when the time comes. I'm sure I'll be fine with my mom and sister there to support me. Once he is at Sick Kids, he'll have another echo where they will look at his heart to get a full understanding of his defect and if there are any more complications or maybe even any less. (wishful thinking)

After meeting with the paed, we went over to Sick Kids for me to have another fetal echo. (they look at the baby's heart) There are no changes in his defect from when it was first diagnosed. Dr Jeaggi met with us and I got to ask a lot more questions I had about the Hybrid procedure. I swear they were coming left and right, but I think I really got all my questions answered. Dr Jeaggi also explained the differences between two HLHS patients of his that were born in Sept. He mentioned that one went hybrid and the other went norwood. Both are doing well, but he seems to think that the hybrid baby is dealing with less feeding issues right now. Now he is clear to mention that all babies are different, and who knows what will happen in the future with both babies. He made it clear he didn't want to sway our decision, but I secretly think he was glad to hear that i was really considering the hybrid now. In fact, after what we learned that day and Tyler and I being able to have an actual discussion about how we would like things to go, we have made the decision to go the hybrid route. It isn't written in stone, but I think we are pretty firm on it. I've added a link to a page that explains the Hybrid procedure if you are curious.
After having the echo we went back over to Mount Sinai where we were getting the basics of delivery taken care of so that everyone will be co-ordinated when the day comes. We had a quick scan of the baby. He is doing great and came in at weighting approx. 6lbs 12oz. Thats a good size for his gestation. Then Dr Ryan my OB at Mnt Sinai came in to finalize my care with Dr Kirby here in London. And they scheduled me for an induction on NEW YEARS DAY! Yup! Ty and I are to arrive in T.O. to begin induction at 12 noon on New Years Day. With the hopes he will be born sometime early the next morning. Can you believe it? I guess there will be no major celebrations for Tyler on new years eve, but I think he is just as excited as I am to get to celebrate just a few days later with welcoming our son into the world!

To finish off the day in Toronto Tyler and I went back over to Sick Kids to meet with Winny a social worker. She took us for a tour for where we will be. We got to see 4d the step down unit first. this is where the babies come when they are getting more stable and are almost on their way home. Winny explained that all times one parent can stay with the child 24/7. If you are lucky to get a private room there is a sleeper and they often bring in a cot so that both parents can stay.

We then went to the cardiac critical care unit where we will be before surgery and following before we are sent to 4d. We didn't get to go in as there was an advisory on the door, but we were shown similar machines that the baby will be hooked up to. Seriously, those machines would put microsoft to shame.

we got to see the clinic where would be coming for follow-up care and the echo lab where the baby will get his echos done to make sure his heart is functioning well as he grows. Its all really quite a well run system. They sure do know what they are doing around there!

So this will probably be the last real visit until its baby delivering time! I hope you are all as excited as we are. Next time we leave a major post, we'll be announcing his birth and finally revealing to those that don't know.. what his beautiful name will be!

Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Tanna, Tyler and BBSeaton!

A Christmas Poem

This is a Poem written by Stephanie Husted a mother of an HLHS child.

Twas the night that you joined us...all eyes were on earth.
Awaiting with joy for a most special birth.
The angel's stood ready...for each need and care,
But all of them knew... that the Lord would be there,
And I labored on... and daddy was scared,
We waited...and wondered... and hoped we'd prepared.
We knew you were special...but so very sick,
Yet hope had grown in me... with every kick.
And soon it was time...into this world you came,
I heard a soft cry... then I called out your name....
And God held your hands...while the angels stood by,
Since I could not hold you...they hushed your soft cries.
One small angel looked to the father and smiled,
"Can you truly teach hope... through such a small child"?
"An infant so helpless...a baby so new...
"Oh please tell me Lord...is this what you will do"?
God looked from the angel...to the baby's sweet face,
"Through him my young charge... they will learn about grace".
"I penned this child's journey...quite a long time ago,
"And through his great courage...such true love will grow".
"Every hair on his head has been numbered you see.."
"It's my hope that through him... they will learn to see me.
"Oh my little one with a special heart..."
"Great love will see you through.."
"See look that is your family.."
"They've been waiting for you.."
"I send you to their waiting arms...for a time we'll be apart.."
"But I'll always be with you...for I live within your heart.
And so we held you in our arms... And thanked our Lord above..
In you...we see the miracle, of His undying love.
So when it's Christmas morning,
And I watch my children play,
I'll need no great reminders,
For I see my gifts each day.

If you want to help

Well I kind of feel odd posting this but a few friends from work and the online world have asked how they can help. I really don't know right now what is going to be our biggest issue, I think basically we'll mostly be under a financial strain. We will have a lot of assistance, but if you want to help you can send us money through Paypal. I have an account set up that is directly linked to my bank account. All you have to do is go there and go to the tab "send funds". All you need to do is fill out the email address of who you want to send the money to and then the amount and where you want to take the money from (you need a paypal account to do this, but it is exceptionally easy to set up!) The email address you would send the money to is hartzke@hotmail.com There is a link in the Great websites section on the right to take you to paypal.

Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers (and keep them coming!) I am overwhelmed by the concern and care we have been receiving. We are very lucky to have you all, and I feel so blessed! I can't wait for BBseaton to meet you all!

Glucose Tolerance

Boooo... Just had an OB appointment today and I now have to go for the two hour glucose test as my last one was on the high side.... Thank GOD we have a laptop as that waiting room is sooo boring! You'd think they's shell out for a t.v. or something.

We have a DATE!

So as some of you may know, we had a follow-up appointment at Sick Kids for a fetal echo as well as an appointment at Mount Sinai Hospital with the special pregnancy clinic.
The day started off a little rocky as I wasn't told WHO or WHERE I was supposed to go once I got to Mount Sinai. All I was told was driving directions and to go to the 3rd floor of the Power Generator Building... Well little did I know that I was going to be SNAPPED at because I didn't know where I was supposed to go.. YOU'D think so. Well no...so I had to guess... and i guessed wrong! These were the directions I was given. "go to the left all the way to the end then go right." Okay... So I go and we end up in a bunch of offices...so I kinda look confused and this man asks "Can I help you? you look lost." I say "I am lost" and I swear that was all I said. and He goes...just go this way Liz is waiting for you. And I think...who the hell is Liz? but I go and as we go Tyler points out that the hallway is getting progressively smaller and smaller. So at this point I'm starting to get upset and i can tell i'm about to cry. So I meet up with another man who again asks me if he can help me. So i tell him i have an appointment, but nobody told me where to go. but that my baby has HLHS. He points me down the hallway and says go to the second corridor on the right and you'll come in the backway to where you are supposed to be. So I go...and I'm like.. which corridor...but he;s gone...and i am full blown crying now and just so frustrated that nobody will take the time to just walk me to where I am going. I just sit down in a chair trying to calm down and Ty wants me to stop crying... (if anyone knows me thats much easier said than done. I can work myself into a frenzy) So a ladie comes out of her little office booth and Tyler explains to her whats going on and she just takes me to where i am supposed to go. "Special Pregnancy Clinic" Hello if anyone would have thought to tell me that I could have avoided the whole stress.

ANYHOO... so I have my appointment where they basically take my background and then do a scan of the baby. The Tech was so good she pointed out everything to us. (Tyler cannot figure anything out) and apparently he has a rather large head. LOL and he weighs approx 3 lbs 7oz.
Everything else with him is normal and he is considered healthy, other than his heart defect.

So I get the same old questions about having an amniocentesis. (NO THANKS) and questions about why we want to choose surgery over transplant... and if we've been told all the options. (obviously this Dr. doesn't know how honest and up front Sick Kids is with parents)

Anyhoo.... He has set a "temporary induction date" for Jan 3rd 2008. WOOHOO!!! i still have to go back to meet with the antenatal team and doctor that will be delivering. An appointment has yet to be set up for that. But unless something unforseen happens...Thats the date!

As for my time at Sick Kids...We had another echo and there was no change in diagnosis. We got to ask a few questions. but basically things are still just a waiting game.

We got to meet with a socialworker who basically just told us about a few places to stay (apparently it'll take some time to get into the Ronald McDonald House) and we put off having a tour until our next visit. Then we met with Jennifer one of the Single Ventricle Nurses. She explained a lot of what her job is and what will be happening once BBSeaton is out of critical care. She explained about the milestones that we'll have to reach before he can come home. and how we'll be set up with a pediatrician here in London. We're hoping also that he will be able to have after care at the Childrens Hospital here in London with Dr. Pepalassis. If he has care here in London that will make us elegible for a reimbursment program where we can get most of the money back we spent while in hospital. There will also be a home nurse that will come for weekly visits to check all of the baby's vitals and make sure he's gaining weight and generally healthy.

As you can see, we are in for the ride of our lives. I have no doubt that I am carrying one of the strongest little boys right now. I was talkin to Tyler about how it'll be nice once this is all over to have the baby fall and scrape his knee be the biggest thing we have to worry about. It'll be kind of ironic to console him for such an insignificant thing considering everything he's going to have to go through.

I am so lucky to have him in my life!