Welcome to the World, Baby Henry!

There are a many things that were different about this pregnancy than my first one, and the labor and delivery experience was definitely one of them. Here is the story of how Henry Joseph Sanchez entered the world:

My due date was July 31. However it was decided by my doctors that it would be best for me to deliver in San Francisco where my cardiologist is. Because I live about 45 min to and hour from SF, this would only work if I was scheduled to be induced. So, my doctors decided I would be induced on July 17, at 38 weeks (if I went into labor on my own I was to just go to our nearest hospital). But of course, this was a plan and I should have known it was not going to work out this way.
 

On Monday July 8 I got a phone call from my OB's office saying I needed to come in right away for a non-stress test and blood work. I was feeling fine and wasn't sure what this was all about but I re-arranged my day and went anyway. The NST went great, baby was doing just fine. I got my blood work and went home to go about my day. That evening I got another call from the OB's office, this time it was one of the high risk pregnancy doctors I had been seeing. She let me know that my blood work came back and it was showing signs of preeclampsia and I should go to San Francisco as soon as possible so they could induce me. Now, I was 36 weeks and 5 days along so I knew very well I could go into labor at any time. But still, to suddenly be told I needed to be induced, I still felt a sense of shock and I'm pretty sure I was in denial the whole way to SF - half of me was sure there was some sort if mistake and we would be sent back home that night. But of course once we got to the hospital and to L&D I was admitted to a room right away and things got underway. 

We got to the hospital at about 8pm, and I was induced at around 10. In addition to the usual monitors for the baby, I was also hooked up to an EKG and heart monitor, as well as a pulse ox monitor and oxygen. The contractions started pretty much right away and we were excited to meet our new little boy. Then came another ripple in our plan (not even ripple, more like tsunami) - Because of the preeclampsia my blood platelets had gotten very low and were still dropping, which meant it was not safe to get and epidural. That's right, the most important part of my birth plan and the thing that has been emphasized the most was now not even a possibility. At this point my emotions went from nervous excitement to just plain scared. And even though I could no longer get an epidural, a vaginal birth was still safer than a C-section, especially with my platelets being so low. I was given narcotic pain meds, which were supposed to relieve most of the pain. However, these did not seem to do a damn thing.

After being in labor for about 10 hours I suddenly felt the need to push. Actually, it felt like the baby was pushing himself out, and he was coming whether I liked it or not! The doctors and nurses were a little caught off guard and did the whole "No, don't push yet!" thing. Of course it wasn't up to me at that point, Henry had decided he was ready and that was that. I ended up only pushing for about 10 minutes, and out he came at 8:09am on Tuesday July 9. Even though he was just shy of 37 weeks along, he was a healthy 6lbs 7oz, and 18 1/2 inches long (just about the same size as my first son, who was born at 36 1/2 weeks).

Once the baby was born, everything else that day is a bit of a blur. I was put on Magnesium because of the preeclampsia, causing me to be even more out of it. By the next day I was off the Mag and feeling much better. We stayed in the hospital until Thursday night of that week, and since then both Henry and myself have been doing great. I am still on blood thinners and a beta blocker to prevent any post-partum heart issues, and will be for another month or so. I will go back to see my cardiologist in a few weeks for the usual echo/EKG/check up, and of course I am going through all the normal post-partum stuff as well. I feel good, and like I am slowly getting back to my normal, pre-pregnancy self.

Looking back on this whole experience, I'm still not 100% sure it really happened - I had never imagined that I would give birth sans epidural, and I still can't believe I actually did it. While I would personally advise anyone who can get an epidural to go for it, I have to say there is a huge part of me that is proud of myself for powering through it and do what I needed to do for the sake of my health, and for my baby. This pregnancy and childbirth was much harder than my first, but I got through it and am happy to be on the other side. Plus, I have the best little reward I could ever ask for! And now, I am officially done having children. I feel like if I REALLY wanted I could have more, but I have two healthy, beautiful boys and I am more than happy about that. I don't want to push my luck, or put myself or my family through the stress of another pregnancy/birth. Many CHD patients are told they can't have children. Many are told they may be able to, but choose not to because of all the risks. I am a very lucky lady, and I count my blessings every day in the form of two little men who call me mommy. <3

In the hospital waiting to be induced - I had no idea what I was in for!

Fresh from the oven!

 

Ready to head home

Love. Love. Love.

 

PS. I did not do this alone. Through not just the birth, but my entire pregnancy, my husband was with me every step of the way and I could not have done this without him. He supported me, held my hand, stayed strong when I couldn't, breathed with me and encouraged me. I love you Jose. <3

School Days

My experience with school was very average/normal. I went to public schools and for the most part didn't need or get any special treatment. The one time my parents really said "No" to a major school activity was the 5-day camping trip that everyone went on when I was in fifth grade. I guess my mom felt like I was too young to be gone so long. At the time I was pretty bummed, but looking back I completely understand and if I were in her shoes I probably wouldn't want me to go either! 

One class that did always pose an issue was Physical Education (P.E.). My mom always sent me out with a note on the first day of school every year, that I was to give to my P.E. teacher, stating that I have a heart condition and am to go at my own pace and should be exempt from any running or cardio activities. Most of the time I would make sure the teacher followed these instructions. However I will admit that sometimes it was easier to just go with the flow and the rest of the class, and just do the running anyways (even though I would no doubt walk most of the way and be the last one to finish). For the most part, I was always able to participate in whatever sport we were doing for the day, just as long as I took things at my own pace and made sure to take breaks when needed. 

When it came to actual sports, I have never been very "sporty". I was always active and played with my brothers and neighborhood kids, but never got into playing competitively. One time in high school I did talk with my doctor about joining the soccer team, but was advised against it due to the fact that the entire game is be very cardio-heavy. 

I did participate quite a few other extra-curricular activities. All through middle school and high school I was in choir. I never missed a performance or concert, and even had a couple of solos over the years! In my high school the Concert Choir goes on tour every year - My junior year we went to Atlanta, Georgia (I live in the SF Bay Area, CA), and my senior year we went to So Cal/Disneyland on a "mini tour" and then traveled to the British Isles (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England) for our official tour! This was a 16 day trip that would be with about 50 other students, our choir director and some parent chaperones. When my mom heard about this trip she simply said "You're going". This would be the longest I would be away from my parents, and the farthest I had traveled thus far. I knew she was scared for me to be so far away, but I was 18 at that point, had been doing well, and it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. My choir director was advised of my condition and given all the necessary info. The trip was amazing. The one issue I encountered was on the bus driving through mountains in Ireland. I became light-headed and had to put my head down and feet up for a while (because of the high altitude). Other than that, I was golden. I would return to Europe about a year and a half later to spend a semester abroad in London - but that is just too long/good of a story not to get it's own post! ;)

As far as the other kids go, my CHD was never an issue. I didn't really advertise it, but my close friends always knew all about my heart condition. I never tried to hide my scar, and if someone asked me about it, I would simply tell them "I had heart surgery when I was younger" and answer any questions they had about it. It's not that I felt like I had something to hide or didn't want to talk about it, more that it just wasn't a huge deal. When I look back on my school career I think about all the fun times I had, all the activities I got to participate in, the lifelong friends I made and the normalcy of it all.
  

                     Class of 2001

Pregnancy Update - 21 Weeks

Well the past couple of months have been a blur, to say the least... I have so many topics I want to get to and blog about, but first things first - An update on this little thing called pregnancy. :)

As previously posted, I am indeed pregnant with my second child. I will be 21 weeks tomorrow, officially past the "half way" mark, and I'm happy to say I finally seem to have hit my second trimester stride. The first trimester brought nausea, food aversions, mirgraines, exhaustion, etc. Throw in the holidays, lots of traveling, a bad cold and chasing around a two year old and you've got some less than amazing few months. But now the only thing that really seems to effect me is being tired and worn out (which I here is par for the course, esp with the second pregnancy).

I have had many, many doctor appointments with many more to come. So far, everything is looking pretty darn good. I have been on Lovenox for about two months now and it's going OK. The shots aren't too bad, I've gotten pretty used to the twice a day injections... The part that really stinks is what comes next - Lots of bruising and soreness all over my belly and in the past week or so I've had a lot of itching at the injection sites :( But, my heart is good, everything is going well and I basically feel like a "normal" pregnant lady. As for the baby, everything is developing nicely, so far there are no signs of defects or abnormalities and he is measuring nice and big. Yes, I said "he" - We are having another BOY! <3

Not the best pic, but here I am at about 20 weeks

 

*** If anyone has a topic they would like me to post about, or a question for me, please feel free to leave a comment or email me at theopenheartblog@gmail.com***

Oops I Did It Again!

I am so pleased to announce that I am pregnant with baby number 2! Baby is due July 31^st, I am currently 12 weeks along and so far things are moving along pretty smoothly. I have definitely been sicker than with the last pregnancy, but still not nearly as bad as I know some people experience. The only real complaints I have so far is fatigue (SO incredibly tired ALL the time!), and headaches. As you know I suffer from migraines, and they seem to just love the hormones. I’m praying that they’ll ease up with ending of my first trimester.

I have already had a slew of doctor appointments, with many more to come. I had a checkup with my cardiologist last week, and while everything seems A-OK so far, she has recommended I start Lovenox, which is a blood thinner that is used to treat blood clots. Apparently Fontan patients are always at a higher risk of getting blood clots, and with pregnancy the risk goes up a little more. I will start this medication tomorrow, and I must admit I’m a little nervous about it. I will have to give myself a shot twice a day, and just the thought of sticking myself with a needle makes me cringe! I’m not scared of needles at all, but I certainly don’t love them! Lucky for me my husband is a paramedic, and I have already let him know that he may very well have to help me out, at least at first.

Yesterday was my first appointment (of this pregnancy) with the perinatalogist, which is an OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies. The plan for delivery is pretty much the same as the last time, and right now I am still working, taking care of my son, and living life as usual.

Oh yes – And the baby is doing great! Growing so fast, and although we haven’t had a fetal ultrasound yet, the heartbeat is strong. J I am so excited, and I’m happy to be able to share this journey with all of you!

 Hello, Baby! 10 week ultrasound pic <3

Troubleshooting

Along with my congenital heart defect, I have also been oh so fortunate to have several other health issues. I have always thought they were not at all related to my heart, however now that I have been able to connect with other CHD people and their families, I am realizing that there may be a connection to it all. I have two brothers, both heart healthy, and neither of them have any of these issues, which makes me think even more that it all goes back to my heart. Or maybe I’m just some sort of magnet for illness/chronic issues. Either way, here is my wonderful list of ailments:

-          Migraine Headaches. I have been getting migraines for as long as I can remember. The first one I remember getting was when I was in Kindergarten. Now, for those of you who have been lucky enough to avoid these bastards, let me explain what I experience: First, extreme blurriness in one or both of my eyes. This lasts about 30 minutes, and sometimes is worse than the actual headache.  It is also the beginning of the nausea. Next, the pain starts. Sometimes the headache is worse than others, but for the most part it feels like I’m being stabbed in the forehead. Once the headache is underway, I have no choice but to sleep it off, only getting out of bed to vomit (sorry, but it’s true. Happens pretty much every time). There are medications out there for migraines, but because I have a heart condition, it was never ideal for me to take them. I probably couldn’t keep them down anyways. My dad gets bad migraines, too, so I always figured I got them from him. Maybe I did, but I have heard of others with CHD recently who get them as well. 

-          Altitude Sickness. This has actually gotten a lot better as I’ve gotten older. The first time I went skiing with my family I was in 6^th grade. As we waited in the ski rental line at Bear Valley I began to feel light headed and weak. Not knowing what was happening, I didn’t think much of it until I was suddenly on the ground, with my mom, brother and bunch of other people scrambling to get some help. Everything turned out OK, I was told that I just need to rest and allow my body to adjust to the altitude, and it was important that I make sure to keep food in my stomach. Since then I’ve been OK in the altitude, but I never did become a super active ski or snowboard enthusiast. I have been to Tahoe and Reno in recent years (even while pregnant), and all has been great. J  

-          General Fainting Spells. I have also had a couple of incidents where I either did faint, or came very close to it. It would happen when I was sick, or if I hadn’t eaten much that day, and it was ultimately determined that the blood pressure medicine I had been on was actually making my blood pressure suddenly drop and I would pass out. My doctor took my off of heart medications when I was in high school, and I haven’t been on any since. And no more fainting spells!  

-          Pericarditis. This is an inflammation of the lining of the heart. I’ve gotten this three times in my life, when I was 18, 19 and 21. This starts off as a dull pain in my chest, but then starts hurting more and more. It feels like my whole chest, neck and back are very tight, and the pain is worse when I lay down or inhale. The first two times this happened I went the ER, where of course they did every test in the book. In the end I was given pain medication and anti-inflammatory meds, and all was cleared up by the next day. The third time, because I knew exactly what was happening, I took some ibuprofen right away and it worked like a charm.

-     Anxiety. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I've had anxiety all my life, but I didn't figure it out/get diagnosed until I was 24. I now take Zoloft everyday, and have Ativan for those times I need extra help, and the medication has made a world of difference. This is another thing that seems to run in my family, although i suppose it could be argued that it is related to my CHD as well (being in and out of the hospital so young and all that).

I guess that's not too much, especially compared to some people who I know have far more to deal with, and on a daily basis. I'm not really sure if this post is actually going to help anyone, or if I just wanted an excuse to complain about my issues. Either way, I'm glad to share. :)

Baby Talk

Since my son just turned two years old, I thought this would be an appropriate post. Below is another entry I wrote for the MLH website, but thought I would share it here as well...

I have always known that I would someday, somehow, become a mother. However it wasn’t until I was truly ready that I really thought about my situation (CHD – Tricuspid Atresia), and how it may present some challenges along the way. Being a survivor of CHD, as well as post-Fontan, there are naturally some extra precautions and worries when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth.

When my husband and I decided to start a family, the first order of business was to speak with my cardiologist and get his thoughts. He assured me that all of my EKGs and Echo’s had been normal (or rather, normal for me), and that as far as being pregnant goes, I was in the best shape I could be. He did say that it would be very hard to tell exactly what was going to happen. Maybe I would need to be on bed rest, I may need a c-section, may need to go on extra medication, etc. But he was confident that with the proper care and follow up, we would be able to face any challenges as they come. With that, my husband and I were given the “go ahead” to board the baby train.

About a year later I was pregnant. During pregnancy, I had regular checkups with my cardiologist, as well as a perinatologist, which is an OBGYN that specializes in “high risk” cases. I will say right now, I was extremely fortunate to have about as normal of a pregnancy as any other woman out there. I was never on bed rest, I did prenatal yoga, commuted to San Francisco (I live about an hour out of the city) for work, never had any swelling, and very little “morning” sickness. I had many more ultrasounds than the average person, which I loved because it meant seeing my baby, and the results were always good. Since I have a CHD, the risk that my baby would have one is slightly higher (I believe the doctor estimated about a 5% chance). We wanted to be prepared for anything that may go wrong, so we did all of the genetic testing, minus an amnio, and during our ultrasounds my doctor was able to zoom in on the baby’s heart. We were relieved to see that the baby had all parts, where they should be and functioning properly. All and all, mommy and baby had a wonderful, healthy pregnancy.

 

As for childbirth, the main thing the doctors were concerned about was the pain and I was told I must get an epidural. This honestly was not a problem for me, as I planned on getting that bad boy anyway! A few weeks before my due date, my doctor put an order in to the anesthesiologist in the L&D department of the hospital, so they would be aware of my situation and the fact that pain management would need to be a top priority for me.  A c-section was something they would do if necessary, but it was a measure that myself and the doctor wanted to avoid. C-section is a surgery, and with any surgery there is a much greater risk of infection, and it is hard for your body to recover.  When it came time to deliver there were some bumps in the road, things that didn’t happen exactly as planned (not CHD related), but I was able to deliver naturally, and on 12/1/2010 at 6:36pm I held my beautiful healthy baby boy in my arms.

 

Now that my son is almost two years old, baby fever has struck again and my husband and I have been talking about baby no. 2. I recently started seeing a new cardiologist, an Adult Congenital Heart doctor, who is a bit more precautious in terms of what she thinks I can handle. She has had me do some tests to see where I’m at, and make sure my body can handle another pregnancy. After a 24 hour heart monitor, MRI and exercise test, she has given me a “thumbs up”. She did, however, let me know that after the next baby I should probably not have any more. With each pregnancy, there is that much more stress on the body, and more possibilities of complications. There is a small part of me that is nervous to get pregnant again, especially since we were so unbelievably lucky the first time. However, I trust my doctors, I feel great, and I have faith that we will be able to overcome anything that may be thrown our way. I feel so blessed to have one healthy child, and am hopeful for one more. 

Introducing...

I have decided to start this blog as a way to share my story, as well as provide hope/inspiration for anyone whose life has been effected by a congenital heart defect. Below is my story in a nutshell (also posted in the Mended Little Hearts National blog). Enjoy! :)

My name is Nicole Sanchez  and I was born on January 4^th, 1983 with tricuspid atresia. With TA also comes normally related great arteries with a small ventricular septal defect and rudimentary right ventricle. Basically this means that I was born without a tricuspid valve, and because the valve did not form, neither did my right ventrical. I had two closed-heart surgeries as a baby including a BT shunt placement. In November of 1988, I had open-heart surgery, a Fontan procedure.

 

Since my Fontan, I have been fortunate enough to not need any more surgeries. I do see a cardiologist every year for an EKG and Echo, and there’s the occasional heart monitor or stress test, but so far, so good…Not to say there haven’t been a couple of tiny bumps in the road, but at the end of the day I have led a relatively normal life. I grew up with two brothers (one older, one younger- both heart healthy), went to public school, had a job since I was 14, traveled with friends and studied abroad during college, and have even walked in a half marathon through the streets of San Francisco.  My mother once told me that when I was a baby in the hospital, she would tell me “one day we will be dancing at your wedding”; In August of 2008 her promise was fulfilled as I married my husband Jose. Having children was always a question mark, but in December of 2010 I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby boy (and hope to have at least one more!).

Mended Little Hearts came into my life this past March when I received an email from Andrea Himmelberger telling me a group was starting up in the Bay Area. I have always wanted to give back to the CHD community, to give hope to parents of children going through the same things I have. I am so grateful to MLH for giving me this opportunity. Although I am just 29, I feel like my CHD journey has already come full circle. I’ve survived, I’ve thrived, and now I am ready to share my experiences with all of you.  I have already met so many wonderful people, and am so excited for what the future holds for me, the Silicon Valley group, and for Mended Little Hearts everywhere.