Sooo Clooose!

Man i haven't updated in forever. I told myself i wasn't gonna slack and already here i go :)
A lot has happened since my last post at 31 weeks!

First, we saw Dr. Berry, our peri, at 33 weeks. It was a nightmare. Without really knowing it he has kind of become the one person who's opinion really mattered. I felt like he understood us and he was always so funny and informative and really put as at ease during every appointment - until this one. Our son's ventricle's measured at 23mm! 23!! It took a lot to not start balling on the spot. I was banking all my hopes on his ventricles not getting above 20 (our peri said this size is usually when a shunt is required). They weren't just at 20, they were 23! He didn't say A WORD. Now if you have heard from me at all, you know how paranoid i have become of doctors - especially when they stop talking. I was so used to him going, "this is normal, this is what's happening, this is what could happen" - now nothing! He didn't offer any reassurance or tell me what the increase would mean for Chance. He measured Chance's sac, it was still at 3cm. It literally has stayed the same size the entire time (THANK GOD). Anyways, Dr. Berry just kind of mentioned he had to go get the pics saved on a thumb drive for our Neuro appointment and left the room. I couldn't even look at Brent without knowing i was going to break down. By this time the tears were running down my face and Dr. Berry came in, gave me the thumb drive and just kind of left. I spent the whole night at home, laying in bed in the dark, crying my eyes out. I am such a hormonal prego.

Anywho. After this fiasco i just figured Dr. Berry was having a bad day and we were going to talk to the Neuro the next week and everything would be fine. Brent and I and our moms waited for a couple hours in the Neuro's waiting room the next week. We talked to him for about an hour. Guess what? He told us we are able to deliver at St. Davids main in Austin where he has rights to perform surgery on Chance. This means Chance doesn't have to be transported away from me to a different hospital! BEST. NEWS. EVER.
Of course i had an appointment with my OB the next day and had to tell him the news. He acted very flustered and said he didn't know if he had rights to deliver at that hospital and i might need a different OB. He would have the nurse check into it. What do you know? They called a few days later with a new delivery plan: Same OB :) Different hospital where Chance and I can recover together :) Same day of delivery :) Earlier time, now 8:30 instead of 12:30 :) Hooray! I'm not used to things working out but i'm so glad they did.

Back to Dr. Berry for my 35 week appointment. I am still amazed at the complete 180 he did between appointments. I expected the worst, and got the best from him. While we waited FOREVER in the ultrasound room, Chance's ventricles were still pretty much the same, 24mm. Whatever - the neuro told me measurements don't mean anything. They will still check him to see if he needs a shunt, even at 24mm he may not, so i feel a little better about the ventricles now. Dr. Berry came in and was CRAZY, SUPER NICE. It was awesome. It was like the Dr. Berry i met the first day who gave me so much hope :) He said everything was measuring perfectly for 35 weeks. My little boy weight 5 pounds 6 ounces.

Dr. Berry informed us that he has gotten 3 or 4 more mother's referred to him just that week who's babies were diagnosed with Spina Bifida. It's crazy, must be something in the water around here. I know it's mean that it makes me feel better, but it does, knowing there are other moms out there who will understand what we have gone through. Little Chance will have some friends at his clinics who understand him, and that makes me happy :) I hope Dr. Berry gave them the sense of hope he gave me when i first found out.

We toured the hospital yesterday. Got to see the NICU, meet the neonatologist and see Labor/Delivery and the postpartum rooms. Everyone was super nice. My 15 year old sister was informed she would not be allowed in the NICU so that was very disappointing for all of us. But we saw where Chance will be moved to. Brent gets to go with him right away and i get to visit him as soon as i'm physically capable. The NICU is open 24 hours a day and we can visit him whenever we want for however long we want. I hope the nurses don't mind seeing our faces every minute of the day. Visitors are allowed 2 at a time with him. We can hold him once the surgery has healed a little, after a couple days. He gets to wear clothes we bring him after a few days! I can't wait to see my little man all dressed up cute. There was a bunch of other stuff but i can't remember. All in all it was mostly good news and we are so excited the day is almost here.

Anyways, i'm actually writing this with 10 days left on the Calendar until D-Day. I can't wait to post pics of the little guy.