Baby Jake Update #1- 23 weeks
by Erin Castellano on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 3:41pm
So as most of you know, we are prego with baby #2. At my 20 week ultrasound, the radiologist found what looked to be a "mass on the tailbone." After coming home to research "mass on tailbone", I found the word Sacrococcygeal Teratoma (SCT). Trying not to think too much into it, I waited until our following ultrasound with another OBGYN/Radioligist in San Bernardino. Once he looked at the ultrasound he conducted, he also said the same words I had found online, Sacrococcygeal Teratoma. He said he thought thats what this was and was looking for a second opinion with Loma Linda. I truely thought the worst. Our doctor didnt seem to know much about them and I just felt that this was the worst thing that could happen. After talking with several people though facebook and support groups, I have read about so many successful stories and am feeling very optimistic.
Loma Linda- I am now a high risk pregnancy and all of my medical care has been transfered to Loma Linda. We had our first appt at Loma Linda on 2/3. This is what was said.
The baby...is a BOY. (Which is ironic because SCTs are mostly seen in girls. We would have sworn it was a girl. lol). His name is Jakob Anderson Castellano. Baby Jake has a Sacrococcygeal Teratoma, tumor, on this tailbone. It is internal and external and very large, which makes it more complex and difficult to remove. The tumor comes off his tailbone, externally, and internally it goes up to the thoracic portion of the spine and wraps around the right kidney. The good news, if good news can come out of this, is that the tumor is mainly cystic. This is good news because it does not have a lot of veins. A vascular tumor, with a lot of veins, makes the baby's heart work harder to pump blood through the tumor, possibly making the baby become anemic and go into heart failure. So, baby Jake's heart is hopefully not working overtime to have to push blood through his whole body and the tumor. It is also promising because the tumor is not getting a lot of blood, there is a chance it may not grow much more. Also, good news. So, from here, the doctors will keep an eye on the fluid levels around Jake to ensure he is getting what he needs.
Plan- I will be monitored every two weeks up until 28 weeks, then it will be weekly. Our doctors hope is that I can carry up to 36 weeks and they will do a c-section (which puts his delivery at the beginning of May). If Jake shows any signs of distress, they will c-section right away. I just need to carry as long as possible. In two weeks we head back to Loma Linda for another Ultrasound, consultation with the NICU Surgeon and meeting with the NICU doctors and staff that will be caring for Jake after he is born.
Jake will have major surgery after he is born to remove the tumor. (Not looking forward to that). But the hope is once its gone, it doesn't return. These tumors are usually benign.
Loma Linda staff was wonderful. These are rare cases and I feel as if they were very interested and willing to give us everything we needed. Its a learning process for them also.
Thanks for everyones support. I will continue to update as we know things. This seems like the best way to keep our close family and friends up to date. Pray for Baby Jake.
Loma Linda- I am now a high risk pregnancy and all of my medical care has been transfered to Loma Linda. We had our first appt at Loma Linda on 2/3. This is what was said.
The baby...is a BOY. (Which is ironic because SCTs are mostly seen in girls. We would have sworn it was a girl. lol). His name is Jakob Anderson Castellano. Baby Jake has a Sacrococcygeal Teratoma, tumor, on this tailbone. It is internal and external and very large, which makes it more complex and difficult to remove. The tumor comes off his tailbone, externally, and internally it goes up to the thoracic portion of the spine and wraps around the right kidney. The good news, if good news can come out of this, is that the tumor is mainly cystic. This is good news because it does not have a lot of veins. A vascular tumor, with a lot of veins, makes the baby's heart work harder to pump blood through the tumor, possibly making the baby become anemic and go into heart failure. So, baby Jake's heart is hopefully not working overtime to have to push blood through his whole body and the tumor. It is also promising because the tumor is not getting a lot of blood, there is a chance it may not grow much more. Also, good news. So, from here, the doctors will keep an eye on the fluid levels around Jake to ensure he is getting what he needs.
Plan- I will be monitored every two weeks up until 28 weeks, then it will be weekly. Our doctors hope is that I can carry up to 36 weeks and they will do a c-section (which puts his delivery at the beginning of May). If Jake shows any signs of distress, they will c-section right away. I just need to carry as long as possible. In two weeks we head back to Loma Linda for another Ultrasound, consultation with the NICU Surgeon and meeting with the NICU doctors and staff that will be caring for Jake after he is born.
Jake will have major surgery after he is born to remove the tumor. (Not looking forward to that). But the hope is once its gone, it doesn't return. These tumors are usually benign.
Loma Linda staff was wonderful. These are rare cases and I feel as if they were very interested and willing to give us everything we needed. Its a learning process for them also.
Thanks for everyones support. I will continue to update as we know things. This seems like the best way to keep our close family and friends up to date. Pray for Baby Jake.
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