Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails...
and TOADS!!!
We have reached that time of year in TX when little boys need baths at least daily :-)
We have reached that time of year in TX when little boys need baths at least daily :-)
CAP pictures
Pardon the quality. These pictures were taken with a camera phone.
A few different photos from CAP events.
Jack promoting to Senior Airman. Lt. M. is pinning on his new insignia. Lt. M is a senior member but also a pilot stationed at Randolph AFB hence the flight suit. Jack has qualified for promotion to Staff Sergeant and that promotion is a BIG deal. It is the first milestone in the cadet program. He'll receive an award, certificate and his new insignia and become part of the cadet squadron staff.
Second are the O-flight pictures. Self explanatory. Cool CAP plane though, eh? Most people don't realize that the Civil Air Patrol has their own planes.
Third is reporting/signing in for ALS (Airman Leadership School-the first step in leadership schools)
A few different photos from CAP events.
Jack promoting to Senior Airman. Lt. M. is pinning on his new insignia. Lt. M is a senior member but also a pilot stationed at Randolph AFB hence the flight suit. Jack has qualified for promotion to Staff Sergeant and that promotion is a BIG deal. It is the first milestone in the cadet program. He'll receive an award, certificate and his new insignia and become part of the cadet squadron staff.
Second are the O-flight pictures. Self explanatory. Cool CAP plane though, eh? Most people don't realize that the Civil Air Patrol has their own planes.
Third is reporting/signing in for ALS (Airman Leadership School-the first step in leadership schools)
Monday, February 18, 2008
VBAC success prediction
Vaginal birth after C-sec predicts future success
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A woman who has had one successful vaginal birth after cesarean delivery is even more likely to succeed during subsequent trials of vaginal birth, new research suggests.
Dr. Brian M. Mercer, of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and colleagues studied the impact of prior vaginal birth after cesarean on outcomes of attempted vaginal births in subsequent pregnancies in 13,532 women.
For 9012 women (67 percent), this was their first vaginal birth after cesarean -- what doctors call "VBAC." Twenty-nine hundred women (21 percent) had a history of one prior VBAC, 1058 (7.8 percent) had a history of two, 371 (2.7 percent) had a history of three, and 191 (1.4 percent) had a history of four or more VBACs.
Results showed that the frequency of VBAC success rose with increasing number of prior VBACs, from 63 percent with no prior VBACs to 88 percent for women with one and 91 percent for those with two or more prior VBACs.
The corresponding incidence of uterine rupture, a serious complication of labor, declined from 0.87 percent to 0.45 percent and 0.43 percent. The rates of other complications followed similar patterns with increasing number of prior VBACs.
In contrast, the investigators note, repeated cesarean deliveries are associated with higher risks of complications like placenta accreta (when the placenta implants too far into the uterus) and trauma to internal organs in the mother, as well as more frequent hysterectomies and blood transfusions.
"Women planning large families ... should be reassured by the increasing success rates and decreasing risks associated with VBAC attempts in successive pregnancies," Mercer and his associates conclude.
SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 2008.
Confirms my 'barely a VBAC' status one of my midwives bestowed upon and wins a certain CT obstetrician a big fat razzzzzberry for suggesting I schedule an ERCS (elective repeat C-section) because 'every time I had a baby my scar got weaker'. Can't wait to chat with my current (and cool) OB about this newest study!!
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A woman who has had one successful vaginal birth after cesarean delivery is even more likely to succeed during subsequent trials of vaginal birth, new research suggests.
Dr. Brian M. Mercer, of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and colleagues studied the impact of prior vaginal birth after cesarean on outcomes of attempted vaginal births in subsequent pregnancies in 13,532 women.
For 9012 women (67 percent), this was their first vaginal birth after cesarean -- what doctors call "VBAC." Twenty-nine hundred women (21 percent) had a history of one prior VBAC, 1058 (7.8 percent) had a history of two, 371 (2.7 percent) had a history of three, and 191 (1.4 percent) had a history of four or more VBACs.
Results showed that the frequency of VBAC success rose with increasing number of prior VBACs, from 63 percent with no prior VBACs to 88 percent for women with one and 91 percent for those with two or more prior VBACs.
The corresponding incidence of uterine rupture, a serious complication of labor, declined from 0.87 percent to 0.45 percent and 0.43 percent. The rates of other complications followed similar patterns with increasing number of prior VBACs.
In contrast, the investigators note, repeated cesarean deliveries are associated with higher risks of complications like placenta accreta (when the placenta implants too far into the uterus) and trauma to internal organs in the mother, as well as more frequent hysterectomies and blood transfusions.
"Women planning large families ... should be reassured by the increasing success rates and decreasing risks associated with VBAC attempts in successive pregnancies," Mercer and his associates conclude.
SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 2008.
Confirms my 'barely a VBAC' status one of my midwives bestowed upon and wins a certain CT obstetrician a big fat razzzzzberry for suggesting I schedule an ERCS (elective repeat C-section) because 'every time I had a baby my scar got weaker'. Can't wait to chat with my current (and cool) OB about this newest study!!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Ash Wednesday
"Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return." -Traditional Ash Wednesday admonition
May you have a blessed and fruitful Lent.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
THEY WON!!
Well, it WAS the greatest weekend Jack ever had.
His O-flight went well, he piloted the plane for the entire flight including taxiing except for take-off and landing. The only disappointment was that he wasn't allowed to pull negative G's because the senior member riding along had eaten a taco before the flight :-)
Then the Giants played in and won one of the best Superbowl games EVER. We were all on the edge of our seats until the very end and when it was all said and done you should have heard the screaming and yelling and high-fiving. Poor Lucy got scared and started to cry.
Here's a picture of Mini-Me (aka Lucy). Her language aquisition is taking off and she talks...a lot AND is understandable. She even has a few two-three word phrases, which for my children at this age is pretty good. 'Look at me!' and 'Ian-stop it!' are just too cute in her little piping voice.
His O-flight went well, he piloted the plane for the entire flight including taxiing except for take-off and landing. The only disappointment was that he wasn't allowed to pull negative G's because the senior member riding along had eaten a taco before the flight :-)
Then the Giants played in and won one of the best Superbowl games EVER. We were all on the edge of our seats until the very end and when it was all said and done you should have heard the screaming and yelling and high-fiving. Poor Lucy got scared and started to cry.
Here's a picture of Mini-Me (aka Lucy). Her language aquisition is taking off and she talks...a lot AND is understandable. She even has a few two-three word phrases, which for my children at this age is pretty good. 'Look at me!' and 'Ian-stop it!' are just too cute in her little piping voice.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
O-flight and other news
I really need to try and update this blog more regularly. I know, I know, I need more pictures too. Working on it.
This morning Jack is on his first O-flight (Orientation Flight). 5 cadets from Jack's squadron get to go flying today at a local airport in CAP aircraft. 2 cadets, 1 pilot per plane. Happily, Jack is paired with his buddy, Stefan. They go up twice each taking a turn in the co-pilot's seat. Today Jack gets to fly, tomorrow the Giants play in the Superbowl. It's the best weekend of his life!!! :-)
It's OotM season again. I will be spending 1 weekend a month for the next three months doing OM stuff, all overnights. Next weekend is Judge's Training up around Waco (every team has to provide a judge and volunteer for competitions, I am the judge for an SA-Hero middle school team, we are carpooling so I don't have to drive. In March we have regionals, which Katie will compete at and I will judge and then in April is state which Katie will compete and if the team I am 'judge for' makes it to state, I will also be judging. Worlds are the last weekend in May. I will have a 1-3 week old baby, neither Chris or I will be going to Worlds should Katie's team make it. This Spring is shaping up to be super busy, the time should fly between now and the baby coming.
On the baby front, baby looks good. Fetal echo yesterday showed a normal heart and a baby on target for size for his/her gestational age (1 lb 13 oz) No, we STILL don't know the gender although baby was spread-eagle yesterday and I could have found out in a millisecond had I asked. Baby is crazy active and made Alan (the sonographer) earn his pennies :D
The HEG is fading. I have to be careful what I eat, I still occasionally get sick, still take meds every now and then but really I'm pretty much back to normal.
Unfortunately, my BP is heading up. I'm pre-hypertensive with a very short jump to hypertensive. My OB and I have decided, for now, watchful waiting is appropriate. No tests (24 hr urine, PIH labs etc...), no meds but I will see him every week from now until the birth, I went downhill very quickly with Lucy, he wants to keep an eye on me. I don't mind, it is reassuring to hear the baby, I like him and I enjoy visiting with his staff. If the timing is right I can also have lunch with Chris as his office is around the corner from the hospital. I popped over and visited yesterday and FINALLY, got to meet his boss after 2 years of working there.
I will take my BP (Chris bought me a really good home monitor) 2-3 times a day and keep a record so Dr. M can see how my BP's are in real life, not just sitting in his office. If I end up with PIH in the next 8 weeks or so we'll start me on Aldomet or some other BP lowering med. I'm not on bedrest or anything drastic but am not doing any heavy labor (like I have built up the stamina for that yet). We are hopeful that'll I'll hang out in the pre-hypertensive range until the end but are prepared if I don't.
HG'rs are more likely to get PIH/preeclampsia so this isn't exactly a shock.
This morning Jack is on his first O-flight (Orientation Flight). 5 cadets from Jack's squadron get to go flying today at a local airport in CAP aircraft. 2 cadets, 1 pilot per plane. Happily, Jack is paired with his buddy, Stefan. They go up twice each taking a turn in the co-pilot's seat. Today Jack gets to fly, tomorrow the Giants play in the Superbowl. It's the best weekend of his life!!! :-)
It's OotM season again. I will be spending 1 weekend a month for the next three months doing OM stuff, all overnights. Next weekend is Judge's Training up around Waco (every team has to provide a judge and volunteer for competitions, I am the judge for an SA-Hero middle school team, we are carpooling so I don't have to drive. In March we have regionals, which Katie will compete at and I will judge and then in April is state which Katie will compete and if the team I am 'judge for' makes it to state, I will also be judging. Worlds are the last weekend in May. I will have a 1-3 week old baby, neither Chris or I will be going to Worlds should Katie's team make it. This Spring is shaping up to be super busy, the time should fly between now and the baby coming.
On the baby front, baby looks good. Fetal echo yesterday showed a normal heart and a baby on target for size for his/her gestational age (1 lb 13 oz) No, we STILL don't know the gender although baby was spread-eagle yesterday and I could have found out in a millisecond had I asked. Baby is crazy active and made Alan (the sonographer) earn his pennies :D
The HEG is fading. I have to be careful what I eat, I still occasionally get sick, still take meds every now and then but really I'm pretty much back to normal.
Unfortunately, my BP is heading up. I'm pre-hypertensive with a very short jump to hypertensive. My OB and I have decided, for now, watchful waiting is appropriate. No tests (24 hr urine, PIH labs etc...), no meds but I will see him every week from now until the birth, I went downhill very quickly with Lucy, he wants to keep an eye on me. I don't mind, it is reassuring to hear the baby, I like him and I enjoy visiting with his staff. If the timing is right I can also have lunch with Chris as his office is around the corner from the hospital. I popped over and visited yesterday and FINALLY, got to meet his boss after 2 years of working there.
I will take my BP (Chris bought me a really good home monitor) 2-3 times a day and keep a record so Dr. M can see how my BP's are in real life, not just sitting in his office. If I end up with PIH in the next 8 weeks or so we'll start me on Aldomet or some other BP lowering med. I'm not on bedrest or anything drastic but am not doing any heavy labor (like I have built up the stamina for that yet). We are hopeful that'll I'll hang out in the pre-hypertensive range until the end but are prepared if I don't.
HG'rs are more likely to get PIH/preeclampsia so this isn't exactly a shock.
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