15w2d - Papaw

Today is 15w2d. I can't believe it!!! I go back to the doctor Wednesday. I am going home this weekend to see Mom and Nannie.

Papaw passed away peacefully Sunday morning about 9 am. Nannie, Mom, Aunt Ann, Uncle Olyn, Lori, Amy, and I were with him. We had visitation Monday night and the funeral Tuesday afternoon. It was a beautiful service and burial. We had a military graveside service.

Obituary
Funeral services for Talmadge Wesley “Dick” Clay, 83, of Enterprise were at 2 p.m. today at Enterprise Baptist Church. He died May 10, 2009, at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center, Meridian. Burial was in Enterprise Cemetery. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home, Meridian, had charge of arrangements.Mr. Clay was born July 31, 1925, in Noxapater to Hollie Talmadge and Abbie McBrayer Clay. He graduated from Noxapater High School in 1943. He married Virginia Murphy of Louisville on July 26, 1947, and they moved to Enterprise in 1952. He was a member of Enterprise Baptist Church and enjoyed more than anything fishing and playing with his great-grandchildren.Mr. Clay earned the rank of sergeant first class in the 186th Railroad Operating Battalion and served at the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. After being discharged from the Army, he worked for GM&O Railroad for a few years before going to work for Southern Natural Gas in 1949 where he worked until he retired in 1985.He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Helen Chambliss.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia; three children, Ann (Sonny) Turnage of Meridian, Olyn “Sonny” (Gaytha) Clay of Aberdeen and Susan Moore of Enterprise; brothers, Mantel (Betty) of Louisville and Charles (Patricia) of Georgetown, Texas; a sister, Sylvia (Carlos) Cordon of Franklin, N.C.; seven grandchildren, Trey (Sidnette) Turnage of Brandon, Lori (Kenny) McGowin of Enterprise, Rae (Scott) Taylor of Orlando, Fla., Brandi (Nicolas) Johansson of Sweden, Wes Clay of Aberdeen, Amy (Todd) Brand of Meridian and Beth (Burt) Flanagan of Greenville; and six great-grandchildren, Essi Morales Turnage, Anna Kate McGowin, Macy Taylor, Mya Johansson, and Eli and Noah Brand. Mr. Clay was anxiously awaiting the arrival of three more great-grandchildren.Pallbearers were Clint Lee, Kenneth Murray, Cecil Melton, Steve Helms, John McPhearson, Wayne Kidd, Randy Kidd, and James Robert Kamper. Honorary pallbearers were Butch Goodin, Noffett Boggan, Charles Helms, Jimmy Helms, Dan Kersh, Mark Kidd and the Eugene Walker Sunday School Class.Visitation was Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home, and one hour prior to service at the church.The Rev. Taylor Wallace, the Rev. Richard Cothern and the Rev. Arlis Nichols officiated.

14w2d

I'm ok. Things are good. The baby is fine.

My Papaw had a massive stroke last Friday night and is not doing well. He is paralyzed on his left side and his esophagus is completely closed. The doctors told us yesterday that he is slowly deteriorating and that what we have now is the best it will ever be. That it is only a matter of time until he passes. Nannie, Mom, Aunt Ann, and Uncle Olyn decided yesterday to slowly start withdrawing everything from him. We decided as he pulled tubes out we would leave them out. The doctors say that he is not in any pain but that if any starts they will keep him comfortable. He pulled out the feeding tube (which they were only using for meds) and the trumpet tube used to suction his chest yesterday. Today he has pulled out his IV. He has pneumonia now.

We have had a very special week with Papaw. We figure he will pass sometime over the weekend. I have been home since Sunday and don't want to leave but I guess if nothing has happened I will go home on Sunday. I had about 10 minutes alone with him yesterday and we talked and I was able to say good-bye. I had some things that I needed to say that I really didn't want the rest of the family to hear. I had a very special relationship with my Papaw. He helped raise me after my Dad left when I was a young girl. He was the only male role model I ever had - he was my Daddy. He even walked me down the aisle to my Mom when I got married.

Tuesday night it looked like it was the end. All of the family happened to be here and he asked for all of us. The ICU nurses have been WONDERFUL. They allow us to go in anytime we want as long as there is nothing going on back there and they let as many of us go in at a time as we want. So there were like 10 of us in there that night. He told us he wanted to pray so we did, then he wanted us to sing - so my sister and I sang to him, and then he wanted us to say the blessing so we did. He then told us he was ready to go home and see Jesus and to stand him up. we told him we were all standing and he could go on home.

Today he still recognizes all of us but it very weak and only stays awake about long enough to say "I Love You". He did tell us today not to cry. He was going to be fine.

I will try to keep you updated as things change. I just got my laptop here at the hospital.

Nannie and Mom, Aunt Ann, and Uncle Olyn sat down and planned his funeral earlier in the week before Nannie got too tired and weak. We are going to pick out the casket tomorrow. I wrote the obituary yesterday. We were worried if Nannie waited she would be too upset to remember what Papaw wanted.

I had another ultrasound yesterday. The hospital was gracious enough to do it for me giving the circumstances. We were hoping that we would find out what it was so we could tell Papaw but the tech couldn't tell - so I'm thinking a girl b/c we knew 2 of my nephews were boys this early. I could be wrong though - it could be a stinky 'ol boy!!!! Nannie is putting a picture of the great-grandchildren in his casket and she wanted an ultrasound picture to go in there too and that is what really prompted us to go get an updated ultrasound photo done.

11w3d

It's been a very busy past two weeks for us - sorry for such a long time between updates.

First, on April 6th our newest nephew, James Bradyn, was born. This is Burt's sister's 3rd child. They are all doing well and Bradyn looks just like his Dad!!!

Then I went home for Easter. Burt stayed here b/c he felt like he needed to be at the church and since as time gets closer for the baby to arrive he will have to take me everytime I want to go home since it is such as long drive that he needed to be at the church for Easter. That Friday night we all went and watch Eli play baseball. I can't believe it - I have NO pictures at all of the entire weekend. The next morning we went to Eli and Noah's Easter Egg Hunt at Bonita Lakes that was hosted by their church. They really went all out. We had an excellent time!!! Afterwards we flew kites at the lake for a while. Then Amy and Todd took the boys home to take a nap and Mom and I drove to Hattiesburg. There is a baby store there that I absolutely love. They sell a chair that I have alwaus wanted if I was ever able to conceive. I went with the intentions of pricing it and picking out fabric for it but I ended up buying it!!! I can't wait for it to come in - I will post pics then!!! It is khaki minky material!!! Then we met the fam for supper and then went to Wal-Mart to buy supplies for Eli's science project that was due the next week. The next day was Easter and we went to church and then all the fam was at Nannie and Papaw's house and we hid eggs over and over and over again for the kids and made Eli's science project - it was a replica of Apollo 13 which his teacher said was Fabulous and gave him 10 extra points b/c his had the most work put into it!!! Way to go E-Man!!! The weather was horrible that night - tornados everywhere - so I stayed with Mom one more night and drove back early the next morning.

I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday the 14th with Dr. Isaacs at 10w6d. He released me and told me everything looked GREAT!! Here are the pictures!!! The baby was moving around and cutting flips and waving at us!!

Then yesterday I had a little scare. I started spotting just a tiny little bit about 9 am. I called my OB and luckily they were in the office. I told the nurse that I had a yeast infection and I thought that was all it was but she told m to come right then to the doctor. I got there and had a very detailed ultrasound. We saw the placenta and my cervix and the baby's bladder - everything!!! My OB came in for the ultrasound and immediately said everything looked good - there was no free fluid in my uterus and if I am miscarrying that blood will fill my uterus or stomach before I start seeing it on the outside. He said it was probably caused by the yeast infection and all of the meds that I am taking. I am to take it easy all weekend and come back Tuesday for my regular OB appointment. The baby was 11w2d but measured 11w3d!!! Last night we started rearranging the furinture that I already have in the nursery and cleaning that room (it has mostly been used for storage) annd mvoing some furniture from other places in the house in there. My spare bedroom furniture matches what I am buying for the nursery and I didn't need all of that in the spare room so I swiped some of it last night.

9w3d

I went back to see Dr. Isaacs on Thursday. Everything looked great with the baby. He/she was dancing around and cutting flips and sucking his/her thumb. I will go back on April 14th when I go see Dr. Dyess too.

8w3d

I forgot to post about my fist appointment with my thyroid doctor - Dr. Dyess. I have had Hoshimoto's Thyroiditis since I was 16 (or at least that is when they found it). We kept it under control with medication for a while, but in 2004 it went completely nuts and nothing seemed to control it. My scans came back inconclusive for cancer and just the thought of having cancer scared me to death - so we removed my entire thyroid in July 2004. Luckily, it wasn't cancer. Except for a couple of flare ups here and there, Dr. Dyess has been able to keep my thyroid levels under control. He had always told me when I got pregnant that we would have to increase my dosage of hormones several times. The few pregnancies that I have made it to 6 weeks, I have gone to see him at that point and my levels have been fine. So I thought nothing of going to see him the same day as my 6 week ultrasound at Dr. Isaacs office. The nurse called and gave me my levels. Normal is .5-5 and mine was 18.86. This totally freaked me out. Dr. D increased my synthroid level from .100 mcg to .137 mcg (that is up 3 dosage levels). At that appointment I weighed 126. I go back April 14th for a recheck.

So far it appears that LM (Little Miracle) is doing just fine. I went to see Dr. Connell (my OB) yesterday and he said everything looked normal and GREAT. He said that he was going to try to treat me as normally as possible but that I would have to see Dr. Perry - the fetal/maternal specialist in Jackson several times and that I would have TONS of ultrasounds to check for fetal growth b/c of the heparin. Supposedly heparin babies are healthy but small - so looks like no 9 pound baby for me (SWEET! My husband is 6' 6" tall and weighs close to 300). I have Dr. C's cell phone number and he told me to call if I needed anything and that he has already told his family that if I call - everything else STOPS!!! I LOVE HIM!!! Yesterday I weighed 125 and my blood pressure was 100/64. The ultrasound technician couldn't come in for some reason yesterday so Dr. C rolled the portable machine into my exam room and did the us himself. He is NOT very good at that. We were able to see the baby and the hb and what is left of the yolk sac but we didn't get a good picture b/c he couldn't keep the wand still while he pressed the button. MEN - Go figure!! I will post the picture soon though - I haven't scanned it yet.

Future Appointments:
Dr. Isaacs - Thursday
Dr. Dyess - April 14th
Dr. Connell - April 20th

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!

I am still in awe at how much God has chosen to bless us!!

7w3d

WOW!!! I am in amazement at everything that has happened the last two weeks. I apologize for not updating but we have been super busy and I am so tired by the time I come home from work and I get queasy starting about 3:00 in the afternoon. I haven't been sick yet though!!! WOO-HOO!!!!

Our first ultrasound was at 6w1d on March 12th!! we saw and heard the heartbeat. Dr. I said everything looked completely normal!! I was so excited to hear that. I have NEVER been normal!!! Hearing the heartbeat was surreal!!!

I had another ultrasound this past Thursday on the 19th at 7w1d and the baby had grown and the sac had grown and we could discern the body of the baby. The heartbeat was stronger and the CRL was 9 which measured 6w6d. So everything once again looked exactly where it should. Dr. I said I was starting to look boring!!! Music to my ears!!

I will have my first OB appointment this Friday in Vicksburg and will get to have another ultrasound. I am loving getting weekly ultrasounds!!!

Here are the pictures that I have scanned in. I didn't get them all scanned in because Mom came to both of my ultrasounds and I let her take a picture home from each to show off and Burt has one from each week on his desk at work.

I can't believe that there is a little person inside of me with a heart that is beating away!!!

6w1d - March 12th

7w1d - March 19th

5 weeks 3 days

That's where I am today!! I got home from Lubbock about 11:30 Thursday night. I drove to Jackson yesterday to get my beta hcg checked. I have been a nervous wreck b/c they didn't call me so I paged the nurse on call today. Turns out they left me a message on my office phone yesterday - don't know what's up with that. Anyway at 5wk2d my beta hcg was 4692. That's a doubling time of 1.82 days!!! In January (the first, last, and only time in 5 other pregnancies that I have gotten good hcgs initially) at this same point my hcg was only 2163. So for today I feel good about this pregnancy. Did I actually type that out???? I have to call on Monday and schedule an appointment for an ultrasound for one day next week.