The experience

Hi All! Sorry for a delayed post but we haven't been able to take ourselves away. We just can't stop staring at him.

Jack Dylan Wojcik-Siedlecki was born on July 29th at 12:17pm.

Let's take a step back though. As we told you before, the Cervadil didn't help much to jumpstart the labor. The Docs decided to try something different to help soften the cervix just enough to start the labor process. Mar started to have more contractions but Jack was not responding well to these contractions. Every time she contracted, Jack's heart rate would drop. The Docs and nurses quickly removed the medication and flushed her to rid her body of the medication. All was going well for about the next 30 minutes until...

A group of Doctors and nurses quickly entered the room with great concern. We were told that an emergency C-Section was needed to get Jack out. Jack was not responding well to labor. They quickly got Mar ready for the Operating Room and before we knew or could comprehend what was going on, we were all in the OR and Jack was coming! Within 4 minutes of the first incision, Jack was here. They quickly grabbed him and rushed him to the next room to check all of his vital signs. Jack was given a breathing tube at this point to help him.

Mar and I were taken back to our room where we were greeted by Mom-Mom, Nana, GP, Aunt Michele and Uncle Robert. Jack was taken to the Cath lab where they inserted a balloon to keep the whole in his heart open to assist the mixing of blood. This helps Jack get oxygenated blood to his body. It's a temporary precaution until surgery.

...So where are we now... Jack and Mom are great! Mar has a bit of soreness from the incision but is up and about and moving a lot - mostly back and forth to see Jack. Jack is excellent too. His oxygen levels dipped a little last night but are back to a good level now.

Before we were admitted, we were told that we would not be able to hold Jack between birth and surgery and that he would not be able to eat. Well... Jack is doing so great that they are letting Mar breast feed him and I was able to give him a bottle this morning. This entire experience has been so extremely surreal. I need to pinch myself a few times a day to realize that this is real.

For now, I will leave you with a few photos and a huge THANK YOU for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Jack Dylan has arrived!

6 lbs 12oz. Mom and baby are great. More info to follow...

Plan B

Our first night at CHOP was a bit uneventful. Around 7pm, Mar was administered Cervadil which is used to soften the lining of the cervix. Throughout the night, she experienced a little bit of cramping. We were both awake most of the night listening to Jack's heartbeat on the monitor and trying to get comfortable. So...onto plan b - we will be trying a different drug that will be administered every 4 hours until the cervix lining thins enough to start the induction.

...Stay tuned.

Sooner than we thought...

Our visit with the OB group today was just like any other...ultrasound to measure fetal markers, check the heartbeat, ensure there was plenty of fluid surrounding Jack and the Placenta was still doing its job. All looks good and Jack is doing GREAT!

...But what about Mom? Mar's blood pressure is still higher than it should be. However, all of the other factors (protein in the urine, blood work results, etc.) checked out fine. The attending resident (Dr. Nahla) sat with us and discussed the situation. Mar does not have pre-eclampsia, but rather falls under the category of 'gestational high blood pressure'. Dr Nahla was great to talk to and showed true excitement for us. Dr Nahla's resolution for Mar's high blood pressure is to move up the due date.

Jack's new 'official' due date is July 29th. This means that if Mar does not go into labor on her own, she will be induced next Thursday. We have 2 more appointments prior to then. We are planning to bring a bag to all remaining appointments - just in case. But on the other hand, it would be great if Jack could wait till July 30th so that he has the same birthday as his guardian angel - JeanMarie:)

To think that we will be Mom's next week blows our minds. Wow has the time flown by.

More to come...

22 more days

Another eventful day at CHOP... After a late night at the Jack Johnson concert, we caught the 6:30am train back to University City for a full day of appointments. First was the Eco. Everything checked out. A few things to watch out for... the aortic arch (to ensure it is big enough and if not it may need to be patched during surgery)... the thickness of the pulmonary artery (it is looking thicker than usual and it may need to be shaved during surgery)... and of course, the corenary arteries (which can never be predicted as they are so small).

After the Eco, we met with the OB group. Here's where our day got a little scary. As soon as they saw Mar, they suspected something was not right. Upon taking her blood pressure, we found it was a bit high, her swelling was getting worse and her skin seemed to be pitting (a term I just learned:)). They informed us that it could be pre-eclampsia and if so, she would need to be admitted. Before they could say for certain, they took a series of blood for testing.

So many thoughts ran through our heads as we walked to our next appointment - we didn't have our bag packed for the hospital... Mar didn't get to enjoy any time off... Amy wasn't finished putting the nursery together.

Our next appointment was with the surgeon (Dr Spray). Dr Spray went over the surgical procedure and the risks and odds. I have to admit, I was a bit in awe meeting the man that will hold our son's heart in his hands.

Before finding out if Mar would be admitted, we had one last stop - an MRI. The MRI is to check Jack's brain activity and ensure he will be really smart:) The results... He is a smart guy!

Now back to the OB group for our final appointment. The results were in. Everything looks good. The protein in the urine was slightly elevated but all other findings were normal. Just to be safe, we will need to visit CHOP 2x per week until delivery.

Stay tuned as we will try to post as much as possible moving forward. Thank you all so very much for your love and support.