Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Latest Ultrasound News


Daniel and I want to thank you all for all your prayers and support over the past few weeks. We have really appreciated it.

Our latest ultrasound was this past Friday. The doctor that performed our ultrasound this time was extremely helpful, answering as many of our questions as possible during the visit. Jackson definitely has a bilateral cleft lip. The doctor switched over to 3D for part of it, and it was much more visible to Daniel and I than it was to us in 2D. She looked for awhile at his face and mouth, and told us that she was not certain as to whether or not Jackson has a cleft palate as well. She said from what she could tell either he only has the cleft lip, or if he does have a cleft palate, it is minimal, as it was not noticeable by ultrasound. That was good news, as the cleft palate poses many more problems for the child, including hearing, speech, and teeth problems. The doctor said we most likely will not know much more than that prior to his birth.

We will have another ultrasound November 12th, what they call a "fetal echo". They want to take a better look at Jackson's heart to make sure everything looks normal and healthy. I guess it's normal practice to have a fetal echo whenever abnormalities occur, as they could be linked to heart problems. Following that ultrasound, we will schedule a consultation with the surgical team from either LA Children's Hospital or Stanford. We'll be able to meet with the surgeons who will be performing Jackson's surgery and ask any questions we have at that time. With the cleft lip, most surgeries take place when the baby is at least around 3 months old and weigh at least 12-14 lbs.

Our due date got moved up from February 17th to February 9th, as Jackson was measuring further along. Jackson is now weighing about 1 pound 3 ounces. We got the cutest picture of him while he was hiding his mouth with his hand. I'll see if we can scan it and pass it on. (I personally think he looks like Daniel.) The doctor also mentioned that I have a bit of excess amniotic fluid, most likely because it is a bit harder for Jackson to swallow with his cleft. Please continue to keep Jackson (and us) in your prayers. We will keep you updated as we learn more.