Sunday, August 13, 2006

Girl Scout or Chicken Little?

Our big Ultrasound (High resolution, Level II, whatever you want to call it. Not the pretty 3D kind from the doctor's office, the kind we go to the hospital to get for really really detailed measurements. Just in case.) is Wednesday.

I am saying for the record that I do not want to find out the baby's sex.

Paul, surprisingly, really really does.

He gave me a "joking" ultimatum: Do you want #3 someday? OK, then we're finding out.

Um, OK. He doesn't really mean the ultimatum (I don't think!) but he does mean that he's really serious about wanting to know. We've "compromised." We won't seek out the genetic results from the CVS. But if we see the proper angles during the ultrasound . . . well, then we'll know. So. Wednesday!

Anyway, I was talking to my mom a couple of weeks ago about plans for the birth and whatnot.

"I plan to donate New Baby's cord blood to the bank," I told my mother, "unless we can determine that it's a perfect match for Ellie. In that case, we'll pay exorbitant sums to have it stored."

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, for the leukemia, of course."

I'm more like my mother than I think I am. I do plan for the worst. Just in case.

7 comments:

themikestand said...

I wonder what the chances of the "perfect match" are, when the sibling isn't a twin. Seems like it might be low. Marrow is a terribly complicated thing.

Still, I'm very excited for you and Paul and Ellie about the upcoming baby. Yay!

Sarahlynn said...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/12/981207074442.htm

"Children needing bone marrow transplants may find their best chance in umbilical cord blood from a sibling, even if the transplant is only partially matched to the recipient's blood type, according to Duke researchers."

ccw said...

I understand your reasoning for want to save the cord blood for Ellie. I really don't see that as being doomsday like, but I also think it terms of the worst.

If your baby is anything like Nonami you won't get a choice. He was waving his penis around and touching it making it near impossible to miss.

Sarahlynn said...

PPB, I am very good at Doubt - it's sort of my specialty - so I imagine we'll be picking out two names regardless!

CCW, that's hilarious about Nonami! I love it!

SeasonalKat, I went to Barnes last time, and am seeing the same doctor but out at MoBap this time (since it's closer). I am impressed with the healthcare I've gotten from the Wash U team.

Unknown said...

Here's to little one showing it all......

and about the cord blood, there is a good article by Dr. Sears https://www.askdrsears.com/html/1/t012700.asp

and I don't know if you ever knew this, but the Sear's seventh child has T21!!!

themikestand said...

Thanks for the link, sarahlynn. It's really the "even if the transplant is only partially matched to the recipient's blood type," part that has me guessing.

But hey, I'm an economist; far from a doctor.

My father never got to the bone marrow recipient stage before "the leukemia" got him. Or, rather, the treatment.

Sarahlynn said...

Tara, thanks for the article!

SeasonalKat, I'm glad to hear about your MoBap experience! (I mean, I'm sorry you experienced it, but glad it turned out OK. And I hope to deliver there myself this time, so . . .)

I went to Siteman for my level 2 last time, too, but this time I saw the same staff out at MoBap. Very handy! Big chains aren't all bad. :)

Mike, I'm sorry to hear about your dad.