After having 2 picture perfect pregnancies and 2 beautiful baby boys, I had 3 miscarriages.  The second miscarriage required a D&C.  We were devastated but at the same time counting our blessings for the two babies we already had.   After the miscarriages we went to a fertility doctor to determine if a cause could be found.  I was diagnosed with Thrombophilia (clotting of the blood) and they didn’t know how I already had two healthy boys.  They thought the blood was clotting in the placenta early on which was causing the miscarriages between 6 and 7 weeks.

Once I was pregnant again (this time with Colton), I immediately started on Lovenox injections.  I had to give them to myself in the stomach each day.   At the beginning of the pregnancy I was told I would miscarry because there was what looked like a blood clot in the uterus along with the pregnancy.  They were going to monitor the clot to see if it grew or was reabsorbed.  Fortunately as time went on, it was reabsorbed.  Things were beginning to look up.  Then during the next ultrasound they discovered that the baby was growing but the sac was not.  Again I was told I might miscarry if the sac did not catch up with the growth of the baby.  The next two weeks were agonizing.   So many tears in fear of losing yet another baby.  The next ultrasound showed the sac had completely caught up with the growth of the baby and things looked great.  After checking my progesterone levels, the doctors discovered they were dangerously low.  I started daily Progesterone injections in my hip to boost the levels.  (Thank you Mom for injecting me every day for 9 weeks)

Things were great until 28 weeks.   Due to the medications I was taking during the pregnancy, my regular OB suggested I see a high risk OB for a level 2 ultrasound to monitor the growth of the baby.  On my first visit with him the tech found I had velamentous cord insertion and vasa previa.   She had the doctor confirm the diagnosis and it was then that everything changed for me.  He told me I would have a C-section (my first) with this baby at 35 to 36 weeks and that I should go to the hospital to have my steroid injections for lung development.

I had my next appointment with my regular OB the following week.   She was aware of the diagnosis so she decided to do weekly non-stress tests.  When she hooked me up to the monitors that day I was having contractions.  This was nothing new to me.  I had contractions with all my pregnancies.  I could feel the contractions even before you could tell I was pregnant.   Knowing the risks to me and the baby, she immediately admitted me to the hospital.  I just thought they would check me out and send me home but after about 5 days and bags of magnesium sulfate later, I was told I was there for the long haul.  I was really scared.  On one hand I was so thankful they found this problem before anything terrible happened and on the other hand I was so depressed I had to be stuck there on bed rest away from my family and my two young sons when I felt absolutely fine.  But I knew it was for the best.

After 6 long weeks in the hospital, my C-section was performed 4 weeks early on June 18^th, 2004.   Colton Ryan was born at 1:16 p.m. (CST) weighing in at a healthy 6 lbs. 14 oz.    This child was so wanted but with all the excitement of our pregnancy history, he will be the baby of the family.

Thank you to Dr. Joi Findley-Smith and Dr. Thomas Rowe and staff for being excellent doctors and allowing me to hold in my arms, everyday, the miracle I held inside me.   My heart goes out to each and every one of you with a vasa previa angel.