Myra LeBlanc - Kade

My name is Myra. Luckily, my younger sister is a registered nurse working in labor and delivery in Woman's Hospital. She was dating a perinatologist at the time which was the greatest gift. This was my second pregnancy, my older daughter

was 15 1/2 years old at the time. This was my husband's first child. Everything was proceeding along fine, I had a history of high blood pressure and was 32 years old at the time, I was considered a high risk pregnancy just for those 2 factors. Still now problems until about 20 week when my sister's boyfriend, the perinatologist offered to do another ultrasound to have as a keepsake. Great. He noticed lots of amniotic fluid and cautioned me about gestational diabetes and prepared a report for my regular OB/GYN and come back in 2 weeks to check in with him. I realize that not everyone get this special treatment, but I complied completely ignorant of the events to follow later.

About seven to eight weeks , at 28 weeks is when it got bad. Even being watched closely, I did not see it coming. Late one night, or early one morning, I kept getting up to use the restroom every few seconds it seemed. Finally I turned on the lights and there was blood everywhere. I paged my sister ,who paged her boyfriend, and rushed to the hospital. On the way I noticed the contractions. It was way too early I knew that. I arrived and another trip to ultrasound confirmed vasa previa. I have processed medical claims for 16 years and had never heard of it. Was is it I asked? Not good, I was told. My son, Kade, still had a heartbeat, wasn't distressed and weighed about 2.8 lbs at this time. Neonatologist were called in and told me premature babies his size could be managed but nothing was guaranteed. It all depended on the maturity of his lungs. I was blown away. What next, three days in labor & delivery, celestone injections to promote lung development in the baby, magnesium sulfate to stop the contractions. Stopping labor was mandatory. The doctors finally explained vasa previa to me and showed me the color doppler ultrasound with this huge blood vessal the size of my pinky lying across the top of Kade's head covering my cervix. Then I understood the seriousness of the situation. If the vessal bursts Kade bleeds to death in seconds! I was horrified. What Do I do now. To shorten the story, 42 days in labor & delivery, near the Operating room, bed rest and restroom priviledges only, No leaving the room except to be wheeled down the hall for more ultrasounds once a week. During this time the were two more crisises of intense medications and not even restroom visits lasting 3 days each. I was admitted Oct 3 1998, my due date was Christmas Eve 98, The doctors goal was to hold off delivery as long as possible, cesarian section was the only way a safe delivery was possible. After the 3rd scare, we scheduled the c-section for Nov 10,1998, Kade would be 34 weeks at that time, lungs, eyes, etc ok. But,early Nov 9, he wouldn't wait any longer. He was delivered by c-section at 1:58pm. He was 33 weeks and 6 days, a full 6 weeks early. He weighed in at 5lbs 2 3/4 oz and was 18 inches long. He was but on a ventilator and stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for 6 days,November 9-thru November 15 and released to come home.

I realize I was so lucky and blessed to have my sister there and I know I received special treatment. After it was all said and done, the perinatologist told me that vasa previa is usually not detected until it was too late and there was very high fetal mortality rates. He also said there was no plan of treatment and basically I was a great test case. Finally a sucessful one. They did not want to tell me how grave the situation was so I didn't give up on the baby. I didn't. Today Kade is in the terrible twos and into everything. He is so special and I never forget I close I came to losing him. In March 2000,I decided I was too scared to conceive and try another pregnancy and had a tubal ligation. I am 34 now , a 17 year old and a 22 month old is quite enough . My doctors feel that this may never have happened to me again, or it may, no guarantees. I feel I pushed the limits and I would not be greedy to push my luck. I have a beautiful healthy son, thats good enough for me.