Andrea's Story... Part 1

Because it is dwarfism awareness month I thought I would join the group with Andrea's story.

When I was pregnant with Andrea I had high blood pressure. So they put me on a medicine called Labatol. At about 19 weeks they noticed that the baby wasn't growing and her heart rate would dip under the line. So I was put on bed rest.With ultrasounds and stress tests 2 times a week.

At about 25 weeks they noticed that Andrea had quit growing and that her placenta was not functioning for her.At this time they thought that she could survive in utero for possibly another 2 weeks.At this time I was given the 2 steroid shots to help Andrea's lungs mature faster.

At 26 weeks I went in for the regular (well regular to me) stress test and ultra sounds and they discovered Andrea's amniotic fluid was low and it was time to take her.Well because I had eaten that morning I had to wait all day in the surgery prep area for my C-section. So at 4:44 pm on January 26th Andrea was delivered. Weighing in at 1 pound 10 ounces and 13 inches long.







Andrea had sever lung issues. On February 7th we got the dreaded phone call that no parent wants to get.Andrea was suffering and no treatment was working. There was only 1 more thing that they could try and that was steroids. They called to ask permissoin to give it to her. If we don't give them to her then she would die, if we do give it to her there is all the side effects that could possibly occur. Blindness, cerebral palsy,and possibly death. I was like, "Just give her the meds!" I don't care if she has these things just give her the medicine.It took many weeks but she made a great turn around.

I finally got to hold my baby for the first time, 5 weeks and 5 days, after she was born.I was so happy and proud of her. She had gone through so much in her short tiny life. I was so thankful that she was a fighter.



Andrea would then have to stay in the hospital until April to gain weight,regulate her body temperature, and learn how to suck from a nipple.




One week before I was to bring home my baby daughter, my mom passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm.She was 42 years old.She was so excited that I was having a baby and that it was going to be a girl.So I left Andrea in the hospital to come home and help arrange things for my mom.It was such a tragic time for me.


To be continued....... Tune in to find out when and how we knew Andrea was a LP

New Hair Cut and Jordache pants

I was going to upload a video of Andrea from dance class but You Tube is under going maintenance. So maybe tomorrow I will get a chance to post it. So in the mean time here are a few pictures of me and my new haircut and Andrea and her Jordache pants that I posted about awhile back.

Our New dancer

Andrea started tap and ballet class on Monday. I think we have a ballerina on out hands. She did really well in the tap class also. She is growing up so fast. Right now I am just trying to treasure these moments with her. She loves school. She even wants to go on the weekends. Waking bright and early to get ready. Therefore, waking mommy up. Oh man I just want to sleep in on those days. Hopefully she will realize soon that there is no school on those days. On Friday we will be starting Girl Scouts. Andrea will be a Daisy this year. She is soooo looking forward to Girl Scouts because Mike goes to Boy Scouts all of the time. I know she has been feeling left out. Andrea has turned into such a girly girl. It is so funny. She even sat for an hour to let me curl her hair piece by piece without complaining. I have always wanted a girly girl and God gave me exactly what I asked for!

O.k. I am still trying to figure out Windows Live Wire. I am trying to get it to automatically post from there to here. So I published there and cut and pasted it here. Here are some pictures that I wanted to post from when Mike's Dad surprised him at Camp. Hope that all of you enjoy!! :)