Clara Marie - 24 week update and prayer requests

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to post a Clara update for all those praying for our little girl. Our 24 week ultrasound did not go so well - they found out that things are more complicated than we first thought. I’ll just write a list:

-Left Kidney – This is the one with the obstructive ureterocele that they found at the 20 week ultrasound. Dr. Fuller (our maternal-fetal medicine doc) said it was "stable" as of the 24 week ultrasound (which is awesome). He still thinks it is completely obstructed and that it looks like the ureter is winding and twisting because it’s so enlarged. But, we are so thankful that it is “stable” right now.

-Right Kidney - He thought this looked completely normal at 20 weeks, but now he sees several cysts at the top. He called it a multicystic appendage. Thankfully, the majority of the right kidney, the part that is intact and working, is working well. He also saw a 2nd ureterocele, which he thinks may be coming from a 2nd ureter on the right kidney, to the section that has multiple cysts. But, he did also say it’s possible the 2nd ureterocele is a bulge from the first one. As of the 24 week ultrasound, he's not sure. 

-Bladder - the bladder is draining. :) Hooray!! This is thanks to the part of the right kidney that's working correctly. But, he said the bladder is cone shaped, like it didn't detach from the belly button area (where it started growing). I can’t remember if he said it could lead to a hernia, or there is a hernia. But, at least it’s "working". This will also have to be surgically corrected. But, we are so thankful that there is enough amniotic fluid – which means even though there are problems, the right kidney and bladder are working well enough to supply enough fluid.

Another possible complication is that Dr. Fuller said baby Clara is measuring pretty big (I mean, we have big babies anyway) but he also said I had too much amniotic fluid – both of which are possible signs of gestational diabetes. I was tested last week and, unfortunately, failed my glucose challenge test. I am currently taking my blood sugar levels for a week (or two if needed) to see if I do have it. So far, my numbers have been really good (in the normal range). So, please pray I do not have this. But, if I don’t, I still have too much amniotic fluid, so we are praying that that resolves, which is possible.

I was also diagnosed as being anemic. This is pretty common in pregnancy….but, it’s just another thing added to the list. It should improve quickly with iron supplementation, thankfully.

The bottom line is that we don’t know exactly what we are dealing with yet, with Clara. She is still growing and it will be closer to 32 weeks gestation when we get a better picture of how things developed. We are so thankful to have a great medical team caring for us!!

Please specifically pray for:

•  Clara’s kidneys (she needs at least one); 
• Clara’s Bladder – to continue working despite the ureterocele bubbles and the possible hernia;
• That Clara is not feeling pain;
• Clara’s overall health – please pray that her issues are limited to what we currently see;
• Please also pray that I remain healthy and that I do not have gestational diabetes or any other complications; 
• And, wisdom for the doctors and specialists who will be caring for her medical issues.

We know God has a plan for this little girl and we are so excited to welcome her to our family! We just pray for peace of heart and mind in order to deal with the issues.

Thanks you all so much for continuing to pray – it means the world! Clara will be so touched someday when we tell her how many people were praying for her even before we knew her!

Love always, Mark, Katherine, Caleb, and Clara

Baby Clara at 24 weeks. :)