The Garzas

Allergies

2013-01-24T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well... it seems that on top of dealing with everything Spina Bifida... we also have to deal with egg allergies. Unfortunately, we have not been to see an allergist yet. So in the meantime, we have given up eggs altogether as a family.

Our little one has already broken out in hives while eating eggs. So far, he has not had a severe reaction to eating eggs baked into products or through my breast milk. But we don't want to take that chance. After all, he didn't react to eating eggs right away. It took months of eating eggs before he ever broke out in hives.

So for now, we are on the hunt for egg-free recipes for our favorite foods like pancakes, cakes and bread. I've found that searching for vegan recipes are a good place to start. Who knows? Maybe this will help me in my quest to lose all this extra baby-weight... maybe not. But it is a nice thought.

Staying at home

2012-12-02T15:54:00.002-06:00

Well, I haven't posted in awhile. I've been too caught up in appointments and follow ups and all of Augusten's wonderful progress! That being said... the last few months have been a nightmare!

In October, Augusten had a hernia repair surgery. But he also had C. Diff... a highly contagious infection in the colon. Because of this, he was not cleared to return to daycare for TWO weeks! So... I stayed at home with him. I then of course took several half days to continue taking him to his many appointments.

Then in November, Augusten got sick again! It started with a UTI. The antibiotic to treat it led to C. Diff and then he also caught norovirus.... projectile vomiting, non stop diarrhea and a high fever all sent us straight to the emergency department at McLane's Childrens Hospital. Again, I was out for two weeks with him. After spending Thanksgiving in the hospital, I decided that it was time for me to Augusten and his health all the attention he deserves. I decided to be a stay at home mom.

I have already put my two weeks notice in and am anxiously awaiting the day I get to stay home with him full time. I am excited for this opportunity but I am also very nervous. How will we pay our bills? How will I be sure to have a life? While although I know that we can pay all of our bills on one income, it is still a scary thought. I have looked into countless ways to earn money while being a stay at home mom. Hopefully, some of them will work for me. Until then, I will relish the time I have at home with my sweet baby boy.

Tears of joy

2012-04-10T12:49:00.000-05:00

Augusten is almost 4 months old and he is beating the odds! He can now roll from tummy to back and back to tummy. He scoots himself around and can sometimes get his legs underneath him at an attempt to crawl.

These milestones are exciting for any family with any child, but we never expected that Augusten would be able to do as much as he has. Many children with Spina Bifida are not able to move or feel their feet and legs. We are so SO excited that he has beaten the odds and does have feeling and control over his legs.

We feel truly blessed that Augusten is in our lives and is doing so well.

Did you know????

2012-03-30T11:29:00.000-05:00

Did you know....

The average total lifetime cost to society for infants born with Spina Bifida may well exceed $1,000,000.

One MILLION dollars! That's a LOT of money. It is so important to educate people about Spina Bifida and all the ways to help. Donations to the Spina Bifida Association can absolutely help lower these costs to individuals and families with Spina Bifida.

4B4the4th

2012-03-21T17:19:00.000-05:00

I just signed up as a team captain for 4b4the4th to raise money for those affected with Spina Bifida. My goal is to raise $4000 and I would love your support!

Spina Bifida is very near and dear to my heart. My youngest was diagnosed with SB during my pregnancy. It was a very scary time. I really didn't know much about SB and everything I heard was AWFUL!

Raising awareness about Spina Bifida and helping families that have it is a wonderful cause. Please click the link below and donate to show your support.

Thank you.

http://www.4b4the4th.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1017489&supId=354936326

2 Months!

2012-02-22T16:53:00.000-06:00

Wow! Two months have already gone by! Time sure does fly when you're having fun! lol. Augusten's 2 month check went well. He's 12lbs 10.5oz and 22in long. What a chunk!

His pediatrician said that everything looks good. However, his hearing is a bit off, but he's having that re-evaluated at his 6month check. He still doesn't have an anal wink, but we won't know if that will cause him problems until later. And he still has that newborn cross-eyed thing going on. If that doesn't resolve in the next couple weeks then he'll have a vision screening.

But he's growing and developing well and hitting all of his milestones so far. He is such a blessing.

UPDATE

2012-02-01T19:39:00.000-06:00

Okay... I've REALLY been slacking on updating eveyone. Having a newborn is much more exhausting than I remembered!

Quick Timeline:

Dec 19- Augusten was born weighing 8lbs 1oz and 19in long. He also had a head full of hair. He was born with Spina Bifida (in the lumbar/ sacral area), Arnold Chiari Malformation type II, hydrocephalus and neurogenic bladder.

Dec 20- Back closure surgery. Everything with the surgery went well. He can even move his legs, feet and toes!

Dec 31- VP Shunt placement surgery. His surgery went well.

Jan 6- We got bring him home! Doctors orders... cath him once a day until his follow up with the urologist.

Dec 19-Jan 6- The stay at the NICU was overwhelming to say the least. The nurses and doctors that took care of Augusten, however, were amazing. We saw a neonatologist, neurosurgeon (and staff), urologist (and staff), nephrologist, pediatrician, occupational therapist and a social worker. Our little guy had to have X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and various lab tests that were done every day. He also had a catheter in the first couple weeks. He finally had the catheter removed a few days before discharge and we moved to in and out cathing... MUCH better!

Jan 16-20- Back at the hospital with diarrhea, uti and viral meningitis. Ugh! Holding my little one while they did a spinal tap was NOT fun!

Jan 20- follow up with the urologist went well. No more cathing! YAY!!!!

Jan 26- follow up with neurosurgeon. Back and shunt look great.

Feb 1- back at the doctor's office with a bacterial eye infection. We've been pretty diligent about not taking him out or having any visitors but it looks like we're REALLY going to have to buckle down.

Overall, Augusten is doing well and is hitting all of his developmental milestones so far. We are so excited to have him home!

Almost there!

2011-12-17T00:04:00.000-06:00

I'm scheduled to be induced on Monday, December 19 at 5am! That means that I will probably have to wake up at 3am to make sure I have time to eat and feed the dogs before I leave for the hospital. It takes an hour to get there from my house so I'll have to leave between 3:45am-4am. Ugh! Such an early day for such an exhausting day!

The bright side is that at the end of the day, my little Augusten will be born. What a blessing! My doctors are hopeful that everything will go smoothly for me because my body has already started a lot of the prep work.

Augusten is also doing a great job of helping. He's head down, and has been for awhile, and he's already starting to move further and further down.

I'll be sure to keep everyone posted once he's born and we have an official diagnosis. I'm hoping that he only needs back closure surgery and does not need a shunt. But only time will tell.

Mock Rabbit show

2011-12-10T16:39:00.000-06:00

My oldest son is in the 4-H and had his first mock rabbit show. He was so cute and adorable up there trying to handle his rabbit and work on his showmanship! :-D And I have to say... he did really well!

His rabbit "won" grand reserve champion in her age class! Granted, this show was for practice and was meant so that the children could learn what to improve on, but still! I am one proud momma!

His rabbit had great form (nice round rump), good meat and good fur. We just need to work on her temperment a bit, but overall, she did well.

Now we just need to see how the real show goes next month. I hope it goes just as well.

And the date is SET!

2011-12-02T14:47:00.000-06:00

I had my OB appointment yesterday and they finally gave me an induction date. I will be induced on December 19. I am so excited to meet my little baby boy. And even more excited that the pediatric neurosurgeon and the NICU team will be there to take care of all Augusten's needs!

They did an ultrasound and an NST and everything looks great! Augusten weighs approximately 6.5lbs and is continuing to grow as he should. He's very active and has an excellent heart rate. All GOOD news!

So now, I just have to make sure I have everything ready for labor adn delivery. And have everything together for his homecoming.

Dryer balls!

2011-11-21T18:24:00.000-06:00

Nesting has finally set in! I've been making no-cost dryer balls out of latex-free socks today. And I did this because I was bound and determined to ALL of Augusten's laundry today, including all of the cloth diapers I've gotten for him. Since you can't use fabric softener or dryer sheets on infant clothing... I knew that I needed an alternative.

I searched the internet for different types of dryer balls... wool, rubber (a definite no-go), and plastic. But then I discoverd instructions from a fellow blogger. =D Here's the link to the blog with the instructions on how to make your own no-cost dryer balls: http://abacktobasicslifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/03/no-cost-dryer-balls.html

I have to say, I was hesitant at first... but they worked out REALLY well! I love them and am definitely going to be making more. This will not only be a better alternatative for Augusten, but great for the whole family!

I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!

Met with the neurosurgeon today...

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

So I went in for my regularly scheduled OB appointment today and my doctors wanted to know if I'd met with neurosurgery yet. I told them I hadn't and that I wasn't even scheduled to go in until December 7. They agreed that Decemeber was too long to wait so they arranged for me to meet the neurosurgeon today. Yay!

The consult went well. He answered all of our questions and let us know that there are somethings we won't know until the baby is born (we already knew that). However, he will be on vacation around the time of my due date, of course! So now we are looking at possibly scheduling an induction or transferring me to another hospital whenever I go into labor. Now we wait.

Hopefully, I'll hear something before my appointment next week. I just hate the waiting game! But at least I know that my baby is doing well and he'll be here soon.

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T08:50:00.000-06:00

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served, are serving and to their friends and family. Many soldiers have given their lives, their time, and sacrificed precious time with their own loved ones so we could ALL enjoy our freedom.

Today is a special day to remember our soldiers, their sacrifices and the sacrifices made by their families. God bless our troops and their loved ones.

Cardiology Visit

2011-11-09T18:36:00.001-06:00

At my last OB appointment, I mentioned that I had been feeling short of breath and that sometimes, my heart races. Ordinarily, this probably wouldn't be a big deal and would just be chalked up to be "normal" pregnancy symptoms, but I have a history of tachycardia (irregular fast heart rate).

They immediately gave me a referral to cardiology and I was seen within a couple days. I have since had an EKG and now I am wearing an event monitor (heart monitor that records "episodes" when I push a button) for two weeks.

It's only been two days and the itching from the electrodes is almost unbearable. I have a feeling this is going to be a LONG two weeks! Now, I've worn an event monitor before and handled it just fine, but I think pregnancy is just making my skin a bit more sensitive than usual.

Hopefully, everything will be okay and the shortness of breath I'm feeling is due to pregnancy and not my heart. If it is my heart, I'll have to be put back on medication to control my symptoms. I'd really like to avoid that.

Thoughts and prayers please!

Amazing Shunt Progress!

2011-10-27T16:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this article today, and I HAD to share it! Doctors are doing amazing things with the progress of shunts. Very cool.

Shunt Progress

Physical Therapy

2011-10-27T15:36:00.000-05:00

So I had my physical therapy appointment today. It went fairly well. They worked with me on how to properly use my cane and gave me exercises I could do at home to help relieve some pain and help keep it from getting too much worse. Wow. PT was painful! But helpful. Unfortunately, there isn't much they can do for me right now because I am pregnant and in my third trimester. So now, we just wait and see. After my little Augusten is born, I'll be able to do more to relieve this awful hip pain.

They said I need a cane...

2011-10-20T18:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I had my OB appointment today and it went fairly well. Not only is Augusten growing as he should, but I am measuring correctly as well. They also gave me a referral for a physical therapist (for myself) and a referral to a cardiologist (also for myself).

Apparently, I have SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction). My hips, groin, lower back and legs are giving me trouble. I am in constant pain. The more I sit, stand, walk or all of the above, the more it hurts and becomes unbearable. Sometimes, my legs completely give out on me. Because of this, my doctor told me to get a cane and he set up an appointment for me to see a physical therapist next. *fingers crossed*

Sometimes, I feel like I'm experiencing this pain and the need for a cane and PT so I'll be more prepared to raise a child with SB. I know that this isn't the case. I know that God doesn't punish people like that and I know that it's not my fault, but sometimes... I feel like I am being punished and that I need to "work through" the pain and not complain about it, because my little one will have a lot more to deal with.

Anyways.... I also have to meet with the cardiologist because I have tachycardia (irregular and fast heart rate) and my symptoms have been coming back. And it's ESPECIALLY important for pregnant women to monitor their heart rates for baby's health.

Even though, I don't like having these issues, I REALLY like the fact that my team of doctors are working so hard to make sure I'm okay. :)

Ultrasound today

2011-10-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I just had my fourth ultrasound today and it went alright.....

The good news: Augusten is measuring right on track with size and weight. Still no clubbed feet and VERY active! lol. The tech and my MFM had trouble seeing what they wanted to see when they wanted to see it. Yay Augusten! I really hope he's able to keep just as active after he's born and has back closure surgery.

The bad news: Augusten's head is still measuring small due to the Chiari Malformation. His cerebellum is still pretty hard to see/ measure because it's pulled down further than normal due to the SB. Also, he has more fluid in his ventricles (hydrocephalus) than he did a few weeks ago. We always knew that he would need a shunt at somepoint after delivery, but it may need to happen right away now instead of waiting until he's older. We'll just have to see how things go.

As for me, my amniotic fluid levels are good, the placenta is measuring correctly.... I'm still the correct size for being 30 weeks. So OVERALL, the US went well. I just didn't like hearing what I knew I would eventually hear anyways.

Oh well. Such is life.

Ultrasound tomorrow

2011-10-16T22:39:00.000-05:00

So, I'm going to my ump-teenth ultrasound tomorrow.... I am both nervous and excited. I LOVE that I get to see my little Augusten so much, but I always worry that they're going to give me more bad news.

The plus side, is that my MFM (maternal and fetal medicine doc) is the one who does my ultrasounds. The very first one was done in radiology by their techs and they had NO tact! My MFM and his team definitely have waaaaaay more tact and always ease me into whatever news they have to share.

The last US showed that Augusten was the right size and weight, no clubbed feet (yet), lesion and L4-ish and that his head was measuring a bit small (due to chiari malformation). We'll see what they tell me tomorrow.... Wish me luck!

30 Weeks... only 10 to go!

2011-10-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

Soooo.... I'm 30 weeks along today! I'm very excited! Even though I can't go anywhere or do anything... I am still in the home stretch. :)

The past few days, my hips have REALLY been bothering me. It's not too much of a surprise because my left hip slipped out of socket when I was pregnant with my son Logan. But that didn't happen until the last few weeks of my pregnancy. But I'll see what my doctors say when I go in this coming week.... ultrasound on Monday and OB appointment with the "specialists" on Thursday.

On the bright side, we chose a name for our little jelly bean: Augusten Luis. I can't wait to meet little Augusten! Meeting him will make all the worry and hardships so worth it.

29 Weeks Today!

2011-10-08T10:03:00.001-05:00

My hips have started to bother me (mainly my left hip). When I was pregnant with my son, my hip continually popped in and out of socket, which eventually led to me being placed on bed rest... hopefully, that won't happen this time around. There's still so much to do!

On the bright side, my little Jelly Bean is as active as ever! Let's pray that he keeps it up after birth (and surgery)!

28 week OB visit

2011-10-07T21:47:00.000-05:00

Soooo.... I just had my 28 week OB visit yesterday and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Jelly Bean is measuring correctly... Yay! I also got my flu shot and my lab work done. I should see those results in 2 weeks :) But I'm no longer allowed to drive!!! Apparently, I'm too high risk because I'm no longer taking anti-seizure medications and with pregnancy hormones, I'm at risk of having a seizure behind the wheel. They were letting it slide before, but now I'm starting to get REALLY dizzy and am having MASSIVE migraines.... all of which can trigger a seizure :/ So for now, I'm confined to my house unless I can catch a ride with someone. Thank goodness my 8 year old (Logan) can ride the bus to and from school! Now my big dilemma is going to be figuring out how to entertain myself all day long WITHOUT worrying about my little Jelly Bean's Spina Bifida the whole time.... wish me luck!

The beginning-ish

2011-10-07T20:09:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late in starting this blog, but I'm here! :) During our 17 week ultrasound, my husband and I found out that our little "Jelly Bean" had two abnormalities (they couldn't see his cerebellum and they saw an odd spot on his lower spine). We saw the specialist (maternal and fetal medicine doctor) a few days later. He informed us that our Jelly Bean had Spina Bifida and that his cerebellum was banna shaped and sitting a little lower than usual.

After that initial visit, my emotions were in a whirlwind and I quickly began calling people and gathering resources via telephone and internet. After the initial shock wore off, I began planning for my Jelly Bean's arrival and networking with other families.

I am now 28 weeks and 6 days along and am handling everything a bit better now.