Several weeks ago, I started itching like crazy, especially on the bottoms of my feet. When I mentioned this to my midwife and told her it was keeping me up at night, she said she wanted to test me for Cholestasis of Pregnancy. It is a liver condition that can develop due to the increase in hormones of pregnancy. It didn't sound that bad when she explained it, until I asked her if the baby was at risk. She then told me that she didn't want to freak me out, but she knew I would be able to find it on Google, so she wanted to be honest with me. Cholestasis has been known to cause fetal death, or still born babies, especially in the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy - WHOA - not what I was expecting to hear just because my skin was itching.
That day they ran blood work, and told me that it would take a week and they would let me know. The nurse called me the next week and told me that my numbers were in the normal range but that they wanted me to come in and test again. So I did, and this time, they decided to go ahead and start me on the medication they would use if I were to test positive. This would be a good indicator for them if I responded well to the medicine.
I started it the next day and within 48 hours, my itching was about 90% better! That was a huge relief for me, that itching was really making me feel crazy, my skin constantly felt like it was on fire! Again, the test results came back in the normal range, but I continued on the medication.
When I saw my midwife again this week, she asked how the medicines were working and told me she was going to talk to a specialist to see what they said. The problem is that until you test positive for Cholestasis, or until the doctors can positively say that you have it, insurance companies will not pay for early induction, and hospitals will not allow it either. {And early induction is very important if Cholestasis exists because of the risk of losing the baby} But Heather, my midwife, said she was pretty sure that is what I have.
That night, I cried myself to sleep, while my sweet husband just held me and told me it was all going to be okay. I was so worried about our baby, and didn't want to have to carry full term, for fear of losing our lil pumpkin! We prayed a lot that God would continue to protect and grow our baby!
Yesterday afternoon, Heather called and said that the specialist had told her that because my symptoms had been so severe and the medicine had helped so significantly, they are going to say that I for sure have Cholestasis. I will start getting weekly sonograms with the specialsit, to check to fluids around the baby and to monitor the growth, and at 37 weeks they will induce. She told me she didn't want this to panic me, and with a HUGE sigh of relief, I told her this was really great news!
I love how the Lord uses all circumstances in our lives to teach us, grow us, mold us, and ultimately draw us nearer to Himself. This has been a really great sanctification process for me, as it has stripped me even more from my own self. When I first heard of the possibility of having to induce early, I really had a hard time letting go of 'my' plans {which seemed good to me - that was the way God had intended it afterall} and really see that this child is His and He has given doctors the wisdom and knowledge to help protect our baby. At this point I have been able to fully let go of my plans and am so grateful that lil pumpkin will be watched and will be here before we know it! In the end, it is not going to matter that I had interventions, and didn't carry this baby full term, because this is God's plan and His plans are always far greater than our own.
I know this is only the first of a lifetime of lessons as we become parents and daily learn that this child is not our own, only on loan to us from our Father. I cannot imagine the many great ways the Lord will use parenting to show us more about His love for us, and to teach us that we must FULLY TRUST HIM with everything!
And here is another sneak peek into the nursery....We are hard at work getting the final details in place now that we know we have about a month left!
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