Thank You

Thank you for following our family blog for updates on Weston and how things are going. I will more than likely start posting on this blog once we get home and start to get things settled, until then please view our family blog for all the updates!!

Thank you for the love, support and prayers!!

All our love,

The Remkes Family

Chris, Holly, Weston & the 4-legged kids!!

Weston

As everyone knows, our little man Weston made it to the world on Halloween morning, bright and early. Since then, your love, support and prayers have meant the world to us!! Without having this in our lives, we wouldn't have made it this far. This post will be long. We know everyone wants updates, so here we go. I will try to update every day or every other day with how things are going. So warm up your bum cheeks and have a few tissues handy, here we go!!

Saturday night at 9pm my water broke; we just barely walked out of a movie when it happened and I wasn't sure if it was my water or I peed a little bit (that has been known to happen). I told Chris and by the time we made it home I was pretty sure it was my water. We packed up and headed to the hospital. We arrived at Ogden Regional about 10:30 and got checked in. At first, we had a little trouble get everything set up, but we got into a room and we were ready to go. I was no hero and had an epidural around 2:00am. The anesthesiologist made my pain go from a huge 10 to a negative 5! What an amazing drug!! LOVE IT!!! I got checked right after and was dilated to a 5; 30 minutes later I was dilated to an 8!! Oh boy!! I started pushing and 45 minutes at 4:46 am on Halloween morning, weighing 7lbs 5 oz, 19 1/2 inches long (so much for small like they thought) little Weston made it here!! He looked great and screamed loud.

Chris went over and helped get Weston cleaned up and put his first diaper on and brought him to me. That is when the nurse noticed Weston was pale in color. They took Weston back and called the NICU for the respiratory therapist to come up. She came and took his oxygen levels and they were in the 70's, not good. They took him down to the NICU, Chris went with them to find out what was going on. They hooked Weston up and started running tests. Chris came back to the room to get some sleep, but that didn't happen, we were wide awake freaking out!! About an hour later our pediatrician showed up to let us know what was going on. Weston's lungs were strong and healthy, but he had a heart defect. We were both stunned. We had so many ultrasound done with the specialist why didn't they see it? The pediatrician let us know that Weston would be headed down to Primary Children's that morning. After running a few more tests they allowed us to go and see him. My emotions were high and I couldn't quit crying and Chris was trying to figure out what was going on. After seeing me so upset, Chris asked if I could hold Weston and Thank goodness, they let me. I got to hold him for 15 minutes before they loaded him up in his transport to go to Primary's.

The 3 of us before they loaded Weston up - did I mention he looks just like Chris??

Weston loaded up in his transport. It was so cute and sad! After they loaded him up, the crew brought him in to say Goodbye.

I hated that Weston and Chris were headed to Primary's and I had to stay at Ogden Regional. My doctor was amazing though. He said if they were to operate that night he would discharge me so I could go. Dr. Merrill is amazing.

Chris headed down to Primary's to find out what was going on. Once they got to Primary Children's and go settled in, they ran a couple more tests and confirmed what the doctors said at Ogden Regional. Weston has a heard defect called "Transposition of the Great Arteries" sounds technical, but it is exactly what it is called. His two main arteries, the Pulmonary and Aorta grew in the each others places; now they need to be switched to the right place. We have been told if we had to choose a heart defect, this is the one to have.

The last few days have been up and down. They have waited to perform surgery until this Friday. They want his little body to adjust to being in the world and not the womb. They also needed to get his oxygen levels at a good level for surgery. They have also put a balloon into one of the holes in his heart to help his blue blood and red blood go to the correct places so he has the right amount of oxygen throughout his body, brain and blood. As of today, Friday is the day for surgery. They will open his breast bone and put the arteries in the correct place. Once the surgery is complete, his little heart will swell. They will have to keep his breast bone open for a couple of days so it can heal. They will then close the breast bone and recovery will begin. Recovery could take a couple of days to weeks. It all depends on how his little body handles the surgery and eating.

Chris & I cannot express how much it means to us that everyone has been there for us. The prayers, comments and so forth have been amazing. Chris & I are a mixed faith and Weston has the opportunity to have God in his life in so many ways. We have had Catholic prayers and blessing, LDS prayers and blessing and nondenominational prayers and blessing. Please continue to help us by praying that he will be healthy!! We Thank You for everything and we know there is no way to repay you. We will pay it forward by helping in the future and supporting where we need to. Thank you!!!

Weston's current home and bed. If you look close, you will see a picture of his 4-legged siblings. His teddy bear has a heart beat to comfort him.

Our little Weston!! Isn't he cute?!?!?! We love him a ton and we are so Thankful for the miracle we were given. We know that God is on or side and is going to help.

Thank you for all the love and support once again!! Much love to everyone!!
Chris, Holly & Weston Remkes

PS: If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments and we will do our best to answer in the next post.

Another - Just Saying!

I think my cervix is on overtime. It hurts and the lighting pulse sensation is SO enjoyable (do you sense the sarcasm?) Hence why I am awake and posting this at 1am!!

This I did not expect. Why can't dilation and labor happen like I thought it would? I figured I would be all cuddled up in bed, my water would break, I would change my clothes, head to the hospital the kid would be here in a couple of hours already potty trained and ready to accomplish the world. What?!?!? One can dream, don't pop my bubble, the air is already leaking slowly with each pulse that is going through my vagina. Yes! I said it, vagina! Just sayin!

You all know me, why sugar coat it when it is funner to just come right out and say it! No worries, I won't put details with the labor and delivery. I wanted to complain about the pain and Chris is asleep, so I chose you!!

Love you all!!! Once again, you have all been a great support systems in so many different ways!! Thanks again to a great friend that I talked to today and calmed all my fears!!

Last Appointments!

We have reached our last appointments!! Yesterday we met with the specialist and the baby is still growing and doing well. There is a great amount of fluid, but the placenta is starting to look pretty bad. This is one of the first signs that the baby isn't getting what he needs. But other than that, he is still a short round little guy!!

Today we had our appointment with my OB and it went great. He said that we have progressed enough to opt for the self induction. After talking about it and going over what the specialist said, we decided to go ahead with the induction. This coming Monday November 1st is the day. We have our appointment set up and we are ready. It doesn't feel real yet, but I am sure as time goes on, it will.

I know that we have made a decision that some people may not agree with, so I want to explain why we made the decision we did. Invitro babies rarely, very rarely make it full term (40 weeks), we have gotten lucky throughout the whole pregnancy. In fact, the babies are usually taken about 5 weeks early because they are not receiving the proper nutrition from the placenta. As the placenta starts to calcify (which is completely normal) it will progress quickly, resulting in taking the calories before the baby can get any. That process has started for us. It is very minor, but it is happening. Chris & I discussed all the options and asked about problems with the baby and the delivery. We believe that it is time to have the little man here. In a week, the placenta could be worse and the baby could be in danger. We don't want that to happen. We feel confident with our decision. Yesterday we were able to see the lungs working on the ultra sound. I hope that everyone will understand why we are bringing him into the world a few days before our due date and if you have any questions, please ask.

We are so excited to have our healthy short baby boy here and can't wait to share him with everyone!! Thank you for all the support over the last year! It has been amazing and we couldn't have made it without our wonderful family & friends!!

One week and counting!!!

Here we go! The last week!! If the little man isn't here by next Monday, he will be here hopefully Monday!! It has been adventure that we will never forget! From the meds to morning sickness to just being done! We have held on tight and enjoyed it and even hated it! We are ready for the next adventure of having our little man here!! Wish us luck!!

This pics was taken the day we had everything harvested! It seems like February was so LONG ago! And it was really only 40 weeks ago!! This was the "technical" day that we were considered knocked up, February 11th!

Progress!!

38 weeks and we have made progress!! Chris said my face was priceless when the doctor said I was dilated to a 2 and 80% thinned!!!! I didn't need to see my face, I could feel the smile!! Yippee!! So excited!! Things are going great! Weston is right around 7 lbs and moving great and the fluid is still going strong!! Per the "Bishops Scale" we are at a 7. When you reach an 8, Ogden Regional will allow us to do a elective induction. After talking to the doctor, the three of us have decided that if we haven't had Weston by November 1st, he will induce us! That is only 3 days before our due date. (I am hoping he comes on his own before.) We would love to have what we are calling a "Boo Baby", in other words, a Halloween baby!

Other than that, things are going great. I get no sleep, the heartburn is getting worse and I have had crazy spurts of energy. The weather has been great, so Gunner and I get out and walk once a day, not very far, but enough to move again! It's been great. Gunner has become my sidekick, always with me. I can't tell if he knows something is up or if he is protecting Weston already.

Gunner on my lap, right next to the baby. I have no lap left!

Here we go, well on our way!! I hope our next post is about Labor & Delivery!!

Have No Fear......

Stretch Mark Man is Here!!

He finally made it! In week 37 with 3 weeks to go, the stretch marks made their place on me. What can I say? Stretch marks and pregnancy just go together. Plus, I need the new beauty marks! You can never have enough!!