Because of my status as a high-risk pregnancy my prenatal care has recently been transferred from the Naval Hospital which is right next door to our housing area to Madigan Hospital, which is about a 45 minute drive away. Madigan has some of the best OB specialist in the area and a facility to handle anything type of labor and delivery.
Now, besides the fact that I have Sickle Cell Anemia, the doctors at Madigan have recently discovered a new factor that makes me high-risk.
First, let me give you some background information. Now as everyone knows and baby survives in the womb through the umbilical cord. A normal umbilical cord consist of three blood vessels: one large vein that carries oxygen-rich blood and two small arteries, which transport waste products and oxygen-depleted blood from the fetus back to the mother for recharging.
However, all ultrasounds have shown that I am minus one of these arteries. Sometime during the early stages of my pregnancy one of the arteries appears to have developed a blood clot and died. This is not uncommon, but it has left the one artery struggling to do the work of two.
Our doctor has informed us that as a result of this missing artery there is a good chance that our baby will be born a little on the small side. This in itself is really not a problem. But since having Sickle Cell Anemia increases my chances of a premature baby, the possibility of having a premature low-weight baby is not a good thing.
So from this point on I am to be seen by the OB specialists at Madigan every two weeks. By 34 weeks I may be asked to check in with the doctors twice a week depending on how things are going.
There is really no way to prevent our girl from being born small, so we are concentrating on preventing a premature birth. With the double amounts of doctor visits we hope to catch anything odd that would be a sign of a pending premature birth and be able to correct it early. This may mean possible bed rest near the end of my pregnancy. Of couse for me, not working and laying in bed all day watching Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings is a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
To date, Elektra is doing fine. I am 23 weeks now and she is weighing in at 1 pound 4 ounces. A very normal size for her age. She is kicking and moving around like crazy. The ultrasounds have shown she has a nice healthy belly and she has no problem drinking away at her amnio fluid. My own belly is slowly getting bigger, making room for this little girl who has just discovered she can use her hands to rub the inside of my belly.
Since the start of my pregnancy I've gained 3 pounds and 7 ounces at the time of this blog. Ray says that maybe my body has been using a lot of my pre-pregnancy fat to help grow the baby, (which would explain why I lost so much weight in the first trimester). Hey, I'm more then happy to share my fat with our little girl. Lord knows I've got too much of it stored in my butt anyway.
So, I'm not too sad over the fact that I won't be pushing out a 9 pound kid. I really didn't want to give birth to a bowling ball anyway. I know that in the end Elektra will come out healthy and beautiful.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
I See You!
This and the other pictures that follow are the most recent pictures of our little girl.Elektra is looking up at the camera. Her face is right in the center of the photo. She is laying on her side. her forhead is on the left and her chin is to the right. She has her hand over her mouth sucking her thumb.
Sitting Pretty
Here you can see Elektra sitting pretty. She has her butt to the camera. You can see her butt on the right side of the picture with her legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles like a good little girl. She is practicing how to sit for when she starts wearing all those cute little dresses that Mama Linda is secretly buying for her.
Our Girl in Action
Here is Elektra drinking some liquid. Obviously she really liked all those peppermint chocolates I was eating earilier in the waiting room.
What's In a Name
So, as many of you may know, Ray and I have picked out a name for our lovely daughter. Her name will be: Elektra Cali Mattingly
Okay, yes this name is different. And I expected a few questions about the name. But Neither Ray nor I expected the uproar and rude remarks that would come at us regarding our daughter's name.
Recently Ray and I attended one of those time-share seminars. (We only went to get the free gas card at the end of the presentation.) One of the sales people asked the usual questions- 'When are you due? Do you know what you are having?' And then she asked if we had a name picked out.
And Ray proceeded to tell her, "Yes, its going to be Elektra".
"Oh! Well...um...that's a...um interesting name. It's...um...different."
The look Ray gave her was enough to kill.
When Ray was at work one of the guys there asked him what we are naming our daughter.
"Her name is Elektra."
This guy broke out in pure laughter.
"No, really man, what's her name."
"I just told you. It's Elektra."
"Oh, you're serious. Wow. Okay."
Upon hearing the name people have asked why we are naming our child after a movie or why we are naming her after Carmen Electra. Neither of these crossed our mind when we chose our daughter's name.
Then there are the really rude responses:
"Elektra! Well, you must not be expecting much from her, since you're giving her a stripper's name."
"Wow, so I guess you don't mind your daughter dancing around a pole when she grows up."
"Well, that's not exactly a name you give a child if you want them to be a lawyer or doctor when they grow up. You're never going to hear, 'Dr. Elektra please come to the ER'."
"Why would you name your daughter that? That's the kind of name porn stars have."
"Was that really your first choice for a name or did your husband make you choose that one."
Of course, leave it to my husband to come up with a great comeback to these remarks.
"No, our daughter will not be a stripper. She will be Playboy Bunny. She will become Bunny of the Year and will live inside the Playboy mansion where she will get her old dad access to all the cool parties."
We picked the name because it sounds beautiful and it feels right. We hope our daughter will be very proud of her name. It is unique, which is why we love it.
FYI- The meaning behind, Elektra (also spelled, Electra):
Origin- Greek
Meaning- bright, the shining one, amber
1. Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Her story is dramatized by the three great tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
2. Electra is one of the brightest stars in the Pleiades star cluster, more commonly known as the Seven Sisters of Pleiades. The most visible stars in this group are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology: Asterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygete, Celaeno and Alcyone. Electra is the third brightest of the stars in the group. She is approximately 400 light years from the sun.
Okay, yes this name is different. And I expected a few questions about the name. But Neither Ray nor I expected the uproar and rude remarks that would come at us regarding our daughter's name.
Recently Ray and I attended one of those time-share seminars. (We only went to get the free gas card at the end of the presentation.) One of the sales people asked the usual questions- 'When are you due? Do you know what you are having?' And then she asked if we had a name picked out.
And Ray proceeded to tell her, "Yes, its going to be Elektra".
"Oh! Well...um...that's a...um interesting name. It's...um...different."
The look Ray gave her was enough to kill.
When Ray was at work one of the guys there asked him what we are naming our daughter.
"Her name is Elektra."
This guy broke out in pure laughter.
"No, really man, what's her name."
"I just told you. It's Elektra."
"Oh, you're serious. Wow. Okay."
Upon hearing the name people have asked why we are naming our child after a movie or why we are naming her after Carmen Electra. Neither of these crossed our mind when we chose our daughter's name.
Then there are the really rude responses:
"Elektra! Well, you must not be expecting much from her, since you're giving her a stripper's name."
"Wow, so I guess you don't mind your daughter dancing around a pole when she grows up."
"Well, that's not exactly a name you give a child if you want them to be a lawyer or doctor when they grow up. You're never going to hear, 'Dr. Elektra please come to the ER'."
"Why would you name your daughter that? That's the kind of name porn stars have."
"Was that really your first choice for a name or did your husband make you choose that one."
Of course, leave it to my husband to come up with a great comeback to these remarks.
"No, our daughter will not be a stripper. She will be Playboy Bunny. She will become Bunny of the Year and will live inside the Playboy mansion where she will get her old dad access to all the cool parties."
We picked the name because it sounds beautiful and it feels right. We hope our daughter will be very proud of her name. It is unique, which is why we love it.
FYI- The meaning behind, Elektra (also spelled, Electra):
Origin- Greek
Meaning- bright, the shining one, amber
1. Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Her story is dramatized by the three great tragedians Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
2. Electra is one of the brightest stars in the Pleiades star cluster, more commonly known as the Seven Sisters of Pleiades. The most visible stars in this group are named for the Seven Sisters of Greek mythology: Asterope, Merope, Electra, Maia, Taygete, Celaeno and Alcyone. Electra is the third brightest of the stars in the group. She is approximately 400 light years from the sun.
The Results
Scene 1
Setting: Fall, 2006. Late morning. A small well lighted kitchen in the military housing of Jackson Park. Spread out across the kitchen table are various scrapbooking papers and supplies. There is also a stack of baby and parenting magazines piled on the left side of the table.
As lights come up we see seated at one end of the table is a young black woman cutting pictures from torn out magazine articles. Laying on the table to her right is a modern cell phone.
(Sound of cell phone ringing)
The young girl puts down her work and picks up the cell phone. She looks curiously at the number before deciding to open the phone and answer the call.
Michelle: Hello?
Dr. Gotkins: Yes, hello. May I speak to Michelle Mattingly, please?
Michelle: This is she.
Dr. Gotkins: Hello, Michelle. This is Dr. Gotkins from Madigan Hospital. How are you?
Michelle: I'm doing good doctor. How are you.
Dr. Gotkins: I'm doing fine, thank you. I wanted to let you know that I just got the results back from your amnio. And... everything looks normal. The baby is fine.
Michelle: Oh, thank God. Yeah!
Dr. Gotkins: Yes, very good news! I know you're glad to hear it. Sorry it took so long for the results to come back. So, did you know or want to know what you are having?
Michelle: The ultrasound said we are having a girl.
Dr. Gotkins: Okay, good. I didn't want to say anything. I didn't know if you wanted to find out or if you wanted it to be a surprise. And yes, it is a girl. The test came back with confirmed results its a girl.
Michelle: Cool.
Dr. Gotkins: So, do you have any questions for me? Any concerns?
Michelle: No. None that I can thing of at the moment.
Dr. Gotkins: Okay. Well, congratulations on a healthy baby. And I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon. Have a good day, Michelle.
Michelle: You too. Bye.
Dr. Gotkins: Bye.
Michelle closes the phone. Then reopens it. She scrolls through the menu on the phone until she finds what she is looking for. She presses another button on the phone and then puts the phone back up to her ear.
Ray: Hello. You've reached the USS Columbus. YN2 Mattingly speaking. This is an unsecure line. How can I help you mame or sir?
Michelle: Hi Honey.
Ray: Hey, what's up?
Michelle: I just got off the phone with Dr. Gotkins.
Ray: Okay. And....?
Michelle: And she said everything came back normal. And we are definitely having a girl.
Ray: Cool, cool. Did she say anything else?
Michelle: Well, she just apologized for the results getting back so late. That's all. So, yeah, our girl is healthy.
Ray: I knew she would be.
Michelle: Well, I guess we can spread the word now.
Ray: Yeah, I'll call mom later. She can spread the word for us.
Michelle: Cool beans.
Ray: Well, let me let you go honey. I've got to get back to work.
Michelle: Okay.
Ray: Love you. Bye.
Michelle: Love you too. Bye.
Michelle closes the phone and lays it back down on the kitchen table. She picks up her scissors and paper and resumes cutting. The audience can see a bright smile spreading across her face as she continues to cut.
(Lights fade out)
End of Scene 1
Setting: Fall, 2006. Late morning. A small well lighted kitchen in the military housing of Jackson Park. Spread out across the kitchen table are various scrapbooking papers and supplies. There is also a stack of baby and parenting magazines piled on the left side of the table.
As lights come up we see seated at one end of the table is a young black woman cutting pictures from torn out magazine articles. Laying on the table to her right is a modern cell phone.
(Sound of cell phone ringing)
The young girl puts down her work and picks up the cell phone. She looks curiously at the number before deciding to open the phone and answer the call.
Michelle: Hello?
Dr. Gotkins: Yes, hello. May I speak to Michelle Mattingly, please?
Michelle: This is she.
Dr. Gotkins: Hello, Michelle. This is Dr. Gotkins from Madigan Hospital. How are you?
Michelle: I'm doing good doctor. How are you.
Dr. Gotkins: I'm doing fine, thank you. I wanted to let you know that I just got the results back from your amnio. And... everything looks normal. The baby is fine.
Michelle: Oh, thank God. Yeah!
Dr. Gotkins: Yes, very good news! I know you're glad to hear it. Sorry it took so long for the results to come back. So, did you know or want to know what you are having?
Michelle: The ultrasound said we are having a girl.
Dr. Gotkins: Okay, good. I didn't want to say anything. I didn't know if you wanted to find out or if you wanted it to be a surprise. And yes, it is a girl. The test came back with confirmed results its a girl.
Michelle: Cool.
Dr. Gotkins: So, do you have any questions for me? Any concerns?
Michelle: No. None that I can thing of at the moment.
Dr. Gotkins: Okay. Well, congratulations on a healthy baby. And I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon. Have a good day, Michelle.
Michelle: You too. Bye.
Dr. Gotkins: Bye.
Michelle closes the phone. Then reopens it. She scrolls through the menu on the phone until she finds what she is looking for. She presses another button on the phone and then puts the phone back up to her ear.
Ray: Hello. You've reached the USS Columbus. YN2 Mattingly speaking. This is an unsecure line. How can I help you mame or sir?
Michelle: Hi Honey.
Ray: Hey, what's up?
Michelle: I just got off the phone with Dr. Gotkins.
Ray: Okay. And....?
Michelle: And she said everything came back normal. And we are definitely having a girl.
Ray: Cool, cool. Did she say anything else?
Michelle: Well, she just apologized for the results getting back so late. That's all. So, yeah, our girl is healthy.
Ray: I knew she would be.
Michelle: Well, I guess we can spread the word now.
Ray: Yeah, I'll call mom later. She can spread the word for us.
Michelle: Cool beans.
Ray: Well, let me let you go honey. I've got to get back to work.
Michelle: Okay.
Ray: Love you. Bye.
Michelle: Love you too. Bye.
Michelle closes the phone and lays it back down on the kitchen table. She picks up her scissors and paper and resumes cutting. The audience can see a bright smile spreading across her face as she continues to cut.
(Lights fade out)
End of Scene 1
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