Comments on: I should have paid more attention in school. http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/ Chronicling my life and positively loving it, one day at a time Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:23:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Claire http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Claire Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:18:08 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-97 Hi MoDLin - She ended up having the CVS and that's how we found out that baby is fine, and that it's a girl. :) Her hormone levels were off, like you said. We're hoping all will go smoothly from here on out. Thank you so much for your info and commenting. It is sincerely appreciated. Hi MoDLin – She ended up having the CVS and that’s how we found out that baby is fine, and that it’s a girl. :) Her hormone levels were off, like you said. We’re hoping all will go smoothly from here on out. Thank you so much for your info and commenting. It is sincerely appreciated.

]]> By: MoDLin http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-96 MoDLin Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:48:20 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-96 Hi Claire - The blood work can spook a lot of people because hormone levels can be "off" for a number of reasons. The only way to tell for sure if there is DS is through amnio (or through CVS, another procedure). I'm glad to hear that the ultrasound went well and all looks good. Hope all goes smoothly. Feel free to send us questions in the future if you have them: AskUs@marchofdimes.com. Hi Claire – The blood work can spook a lot of people because hormone levels can be “off” for a number of reasons. The only way to tell for sure if there is DS is through amnio (or through CVS, another procedure). I’m glad to hear that the ultrasound went well and all looks good. Hope all goes smoothly. Feel free to send us questions in the future if you have them: AskUs@marchofdimes.com.

]]> By: Claire http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Claire Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:23:48 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-66 Jean Marie - welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere and thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I mean that sincerely. I did a lot of research and one thing we asked the genetics counselor was about the incidence of false positives - we were finding a lot of reports of that on the web. The good news was that the ultrasound measurements showed the baby to be fine - it was the hormorne readings - particularly the elevated HCG that caused her risk to be higher. However, like your * good * doctors did, she presented it from a different perspective - that my grandchild has a 75% chance of being perfectly normal, and 25% of having Downs. I think - if I listen to my gut - that the readings are askew because of her placenta issues, which could be causing the elevated HCG. Either way, today is the day and we will know for sure. I'll post an update as soon as I hear. I'm so happy that both your babies were born healthy. I have always had super easy pregancies myself, as did my oldest daughter, and easy pregnancies run in our family - never any complications - so this came as a huge surprise to us. :) Again, however it turns out, I will have a new grandbaby, and that's always exciting. Jean Marie – welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere and thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I mean that sincerely. I did a lot of research and one thing we asked the genetics counselor was about the incidence of false positives – we were finding a lot of reports of that on the web. The good news was that the ultrasound measurements showed the baby to be fine – it was the hormorne readings – particularly the elevated HCG that caused her risk to be higher. However, like your * good * doctors did, she presented it from a different perspective – that my grandchild has a 75% chance of being perfectly normal, and 25% of having Downs. I think – if I listen to my gut – that the readings are askew because of her placenta issues, which could be causing the elevated HCG.

Either way, today is the day and we will know for sure. I’ll post an update as soon as I hear.

I’m so happy that both your babies were born healthy. I have always had super easy pregancies myself, as did my oldest daughter, and easy pregnancies run in our family – never any complications – so this came as a huge surprise to us. :)

Again, however it turns out, I will have a new grandbaby, and that’s always exciting.

]]> By: Claire http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-65 Claire Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:18:23 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-65 Joanne, hello! Thank you for commenting and I hope you keep coming back. We will get the test results today (Friday) and know for sure. We know that even if the baby has Down syndrome, he or she will be a delight for us as your son is for you. There is no doubt. I bet even 2 days in the NICU for your son was hard for you, yes? Glad it was only 2 days. Thank you for your wishes. Joanne, hello! Thank you for commenting and I hope you keep coming back. We will get the test results today (Friday) and know for sure. We know that even if the baby has Down syndrome, he or she will be a delight for us as your son is for you. There is no doubt. I bet even 2 days in the NICU for your son was hard for you, yes? Glad it was only 2 days. Thank you for your wishes.

]]> By: Jean Marie http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Jean Marie Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:55:37 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-63 For both my pregnancies, I tested high for AFP (Alpha Feotal Protein), at ages 29 and 39, respectively; a high reading can indicate birth defects. Older Son was born a few days after his due date, perfectly healthy. Because I was 10 years older for the second (and unexpected) pregnancy, the doctor (essentially) panicked, called me to tell me the reading was "too high" and basically told me I would be having a child with Down's or other birth defects, and he was sending me to see a specialist 45 minutes away for amnio, here's the appointment, bye (he didn't continue as my doctor!). The specialist's office was very patient and good about explaining that even with my age and the high number on the test result, I still had a better than *98% * chance for a healthy baby (doesn't look as bad when the numbers are looked at from a different perspective!). A higher level ultrasound didn't indicate any problems (the doctor looked for specific physical markers), and so I chose to forego additional testing. Younger Son was born almost a week past his due date, healthy and normal. I'm wishing you both - three! - the best of luck over the coming months - peace and blessings and joy as you travel on this journey! {{{hugs}}} For both my pregnancies, I tested high for AFP (Alpha Feotal Protein), at ages 29 and 39, respectively; a high reading can indicate birth defects.

Older Son was born a few days after his due date, perfectly healthy.

Because I was 10 years older for the second (and unexpected) pregnancy, the doctor (essentially) panicked, called me to tell me the reading was “too high” and basically told me I would be having a child with Down’s or other birth defects, and he was sending me to see a specialist 45 minutes away for amnio, here’s the appointment, bye (he didn’t continue as my doctor!).

The specialist’s office was very patient and good about explaining that even with my age and the high number on the test result, I still had a better than *98% * chance for a healthy baby (doesn’t look as bad when the numbers are looked at from a different perspective!). A higher level ultrasound didn’t indicate any problems (the doctor looked for specific physical markers), and so I chose to forego additional testing.

Younger Son was born almost a week past his due date, healthy and normal.

I’m wishing you both – three! – the best of luck over the coming months – peace and blessings and joy as you travel on this journey!

{{{hugs}}}

]]> By: Joanne http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Joanne Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:59:44 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-62 That would be SON not SIN...oops That would be SON not SIN…oops

]]> By: Joanne http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Joanne Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:59:26 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-61 Hi! I have a sin 19 months old with Down syndrome. He was in the NICU for only 2 days. He is doing wonderfully and is the light of our lives. I found Downsyn.com to be absolutely wonderful, they have a forum of parents that are AMAZING! Good luck to you and your daughter. Hi! I have a sin 19 months old with Down syndrome. He was in the NICU for only 2 days. He is doing wonderfully and is the light of our lives. I found Downsyn.com to be absolutely wonderful, they have a forum of parents that are AMAZING! Good luck to you and your daughter.

]]> By: Claire http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Claire Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:52:27 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-60 Thank you, Mary. We'll take all the prayers we can get. Thank you, Mary. We’ll take all the prayers we can get.

]]> By: Mary http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Mary Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:45:41 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-59 Dear Claire, Praying for you and your girls for a good outcome... Dear Claire,
Praying for you and your girls for a good outcome…

]]> By: Claire http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Claire Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:52:21 +0000 http://www.cadenceoflife.com/2009/09/i-should-have-paid-more-attention-in-school/#comment-58 Thanks, Teri. Much needed and much appreciated. Thanks, Teri. Much needed and much appreciated.

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