Apologies

[LewisM]

Guys and gals, I apologise if I have ignored you of late. Things have become rather hectic.

Wife is in hospital now - 4th time this pregnancy of threatened premature labour. She only has a week to go till caesarian, so it's not as critical, but there is still that 4% chance of lung difficulty. My wife's blood pressure hangs precariously low continually (70/48 or there abouts), and the baby is giving her a VERY VERY rough time - even the OBGYN was overwhelmed by the activity of the baby, with feet poking out prominently continually. And the baby is fully engaged!!! Strange.

Anyway, apologies all round if I have ignored you, not updated ads, not paid for something or what have you. Family first, work second, rest last.

I have not ha sleep in 2 days. Don't come near me, I'll be grumpy!

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Hope everything works out well, Lewis

[RB (Andrew)]

Lewis I pray all goes well and both bubs and your wife are well.
My wife and I have eight and we know how things can be.
Get some rest and wish her our best.

RB.

[Kunama]

Hey Lewis,
All the best, hope everything goes smoothly.
Give our love to Alesia, (if she could handle living in Siberia she will be fine).
How is little Katyusha going? Looking forward to being a big sister?

Keep us posted,

Matt & Jen

[Shark Bait (Stu)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

She only has a week to go till caesarian, so it's not as critical, but there is still that 4% chance of lung difficulty.

I am guessing your baby will be about 8 weeks premmie if the lungs are not quite there yet. Obviously the specialists are watching them both very closely. There is every chance that it will work out fine for Mum and Bub.

A positive story from personal experience:

My wife had problems with her two pregnancies and our second was two months premmie. The specialists managed to keep things tracking until our girl had good lung development and then they got her out. My wife's situation improved very quickly after the C-section. As for medical interventions, our girl was on oxygen for a day and that was it besides a feeding tube. She spent one month in the premmie ward until she had put on enough weight to be released. We took her home at just under 2kg. She was too small for the car seat / baby capsule.

Three years later and besides being physically small, all is well. We will always be grateful for the tireless effort that the staff in neo-natal put into caring for these little ones.

[DJT (David)]

Hope it all goes well for you both, Lewis.

Best of wishes

[MortonH]

Best of luck, Lewis.

[LewisM]

Thanks all. She's home now, but the surgeon/OBGYN has given her the "call" that if she decides tomorrow to come straight in and they will do the c-sect.

Stu, Bub is due 26th. Wife is C-sect, so the regular OBGYN said 20th delivery date. Seems she may not make it that far. Wife is a LOT better now, and is up and doing the Christmas Tree now with her Mum and our first daughter. I can't sleep - pushed on through to the point of over-exhaustion and just can't unwind, even after a few Crownies.

Anyway, for tonight things may be OK. I have asked wife without pushing to maybe consider early to help HERSELF as well, as the chances of lung issues is now down to a 4% chance - most surfactant etc is there, it's mainly fat building now.

Anyway, here she is a week ago. 52kg frame with a beach-ball bump. THis photo shoot lasted 15 minutes - all she could tolerate.I took them as rapidly as I could.

I have decided to nick-name bub "Xenomorph" for obvious reasons - the midwife even said "You have an alien in there!"

[Steffen]

Lewis, all the best for you wife, baby and of course you. Times like these are the most nail-biting in our life. Just trust that it'll be fine.

Cheers
Steffen.

[ourkind (Carlos)]

All the best Lewis my thoughts are with you and your beautiful family.

[dutch2 (Ingrid)]

Best wishes.
Hope everything goes well.

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi Lewis,
I can understand what you are feeling. I went through it nearly 30 years ago. Andrew was born 7 and a half weeks premature. For the next 2 months I visited my son in hospital every day. He was on oxygen and a special crib.

Once he was allowed to come home I was very concerned about him being disadvantaged somehow. For 5 or 6 years I looked for signs. When his first report card came from school, my fears were for nothing. He blitzed them. Andrew had a report that was near perfect.

In the coming years he was second to the school dux. He achieved his black belt in taekwondo at age 14. Awarded cadet of the year in air cadets in his first year. Never before achieved by a first year cadet.

Later, Hons Psych, and moved to USA, marrying his internet sweetheart from California. Joined the US army and was awarded Honour Graduate on his pilot course. He now flies Blackhawk helicopters. 46 million dollar toy.

So Lewis, it is not all doom and gloom. I think you may find with time that things will work out well. It is hard to go through what you are experiencing now and I do relate to that. A nurse told me of a similar story that made me feel a little better and that is why I told you mine. Time and nature will heal. You will see.

Cheers

[CJ (Chris)]

Best wishes. Being a parent is an emotional rollercoaster indeed.