| Later updates | Aaron update 127 |
| Subject: Aaron update 127 Date: Friday, September 26, 2003 12:30 PM From: Kevin Quick To: Aaron Update List Well, we were all set to say that Aaron still hadn’t gained any weight in six weeks, but when we weighed him yesterday, he weighed 11.5 pounds, so it looks as though he may have gained 1/4 pound, at least for now. Not quite the 2 pounds per month that the doctors would like to see, but it’s something, anyway. He’s still only eating an average of 15 oz. of formula per day, rather than the 27 oz. that the doctors had prescribed. If we coax him into eating any more than this, he throws it up. Our local pediatrician is working on lining up an appointment for us with a GI (gastrointestinal) specialist, who may help in identifying any problems that Aaron might be having with his digestive system. Not comparing Aaron with any other “normal”-sized babies, he seems to be doing just fine to us. As usual, he’s been very alert, energetic and happy. Baby #2 seems to be doing well so far, too. Kathleen had her 20-week ultrasound test last week, and her 21-week prenatal check-up yesterday. All looks perfect, although Kathleen did have a contraction during her ultrasound test last week, which took 45 minutes to “resolve itself.” Kathleen couldn’t feel it, but it was visible on the ultrasound monitor. The ultrasound technician said that we should be “moderately concerned” about this, given our history. So, we’re moderately concerned. Kathleen has been feeling better; she seems to have acquired at least a little bit of second-trimester energy, and she hasn’t been too nauseous lately. She’s “showing” pretty well now; almost as much as she was when we had Aaron. Speaking of whom... After Kathleen’s check-up yesterday, we stopped by the birthing center to see whether Suzin McGuire might be there. She wasn’t there, however, we did chat for awhile with one of the other nurses who were with us during our “week 23” last year. She clued us in on something that answered a question that had been rolling around in my mind for awhile, and which kind of staggered us again... On Sunday, November 17, 2002, when we first went to the birthing center at Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Kathleen was given Turbutalene and Nifedipene in first and second attempts to get her pre-term labor under control. After the nurses and Dr. Nancy Reynolds explained to us that if the baby were to be born now (at the beginning of the 23rd week) there would be no chance for viability, Dr. Reynolds brought out the “big guns,” the magnesium sulfate, which made Kathleen very sick, but succeeded in halting the contractions. During this procedure, I remember Dr. Reynolds commenting on how she and the nurses had discussed among themselves how evident Kathleen’s and my love were for each other, how much we wanted this baby, and how we had such good, close friends from church supporting us that day. It had seemed just a little odd to me that Dr. Reynolds would mention these things to us, seemingly in conjunction with her making the decision to use the magnesium sulfate. What difference did all these other things make? Wasn’t using the “mag” standard procedure at this juncture? What we learned yesterday is that the answer to that question is “no.” At our local hospital, it is NOT standard procedure to use the “mag” in the 23rd week. Standard procedure would have been to allow the birthing process to continue, until the baby is born. We would have then had to say our “goodbyes” to Aaron, as we held him while he expired. It turns out that after discussion with the nurses, Dr. Reynolds made the decision to go beyond standard procedure, and use the “mag.” This unquestionably saved Aaron’s life, and allowed him to mature a little bit more, until he was born the following week (his 24th week). Whew. Just writing that brings me right back there. Thank you again, Lord, and all of you wonderful people who were instrumental in saving our little boy’s life. OK. Now for something a little more mundane. After our hospital visit, we stopped by our insurance agent’s office, and spent a couple of hours discussing financial things. Aaron’s special medical insurance (Medi-Cal for pregnant women), which saved us last year from a lifetime of bankruptcy and poverty, will be expiring on his birthday, November 27. And, as I had expected, no private insurance company will insure him for the next year or two, given his history. Our best bet (or, rather our only choice), then, seems to be a MRMIP policy, which has a rather high cost, high deductible, and a rather low out-of-pocket maximum payout (1/10 of what Aaron cost last year). We’re considering going with this; we’re not aware of any alternatives. (If anyone does know of any alternatives, or has any suggestions along these lines, please let us know; no, at this time, we do not qualify for either Medi-Cal or Healthy Families.) At any rate, as our insurance agent said yesterday, we’re going to be “insurance poor” (poor, because we’re spending all of our money on insurance) for awhile. We were blessed in a MAJOR way by the Medi-Cal program last year. We can only trust that the Lord will continue to provide the programs and/or income that we need to pay our medical bills over the next couple of years. (Aaron’s Synergist shots alone, for example, which help keep him from catching cold and flu bugs that would send him back to the hospital, cost $1,500.00 monthly. A hospital stay would cost many thousands of dollars per day. Thanks again, everyone, for being patient with us as we continue to keep as far away from the cold and flu germs as we can, especially through this coming winter.) God has brought us this far; we’ll trust that He’ll continue to help us make the proper decisions, and that he’ll keep us afloat financially through the next year or two of this adventure. Thank you again, all, for your continued support and prayers. Have a great weekend. Love, Kevin, Kathleen, Aaron, & Baby #2 |
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