A small, tentative sigh of relief...

Today was the first time I didn't accompany Kris to our ultrasound because I was scheduled on a session. It was hard waiting here at work for the phone to ring with our latest exciting Thursday update, but I have to admit I didn't miss being in the darkened sonography room staring at that screen filled with fluid squiggles. Each ultrasound we've taken so far has produced a startling or concerning revelation; the mere sight of that black and white screen evokes a Pavlovian sense of panic in me.

But Kris just called to tell me that today's session has actually revealed our first bit of good news in many weeks. The mass in Mr A's chest is the same size as it was last week, while Mr. A himself has grown! If you remember, this stage of gestation is when the cursed CCAM tends to grow exponentially, plateauing (in general) around week 28. The doctors say that if the mass is the same size three weeks in a row, they consider it to have stabilized. We are at week 23!

This means that our baby's all important CVR (the ratio of the size of the mass to his cranium) is still below that risk threshold of 1.6, and dropping. There is still no sign of hydrops or heart failure, and if in fact the mass stays the same size, that risk will continue to decrease.

What this means is that if the mass is the same size next week, they will consider the mass to have stabilized and we can resume a normal course of monitoring for this pregnancy. No more weekly trips to CHOP, just normal visits to Kris' OB/GYN. We can most likely deliver at our hospital instead of CHOP. Mr. A will definitely require surgery to resect the lobe with the mass in it after he is born, but if this holds steady, they'll do it when he is about a month old and he'll only be in the hospital for about three days. Effing medicine!

We're not out of this yet, friends, but this day just got a whole lot sunnier for the Kennedys. I can say that I believe with all my heart that all your love, thoughts, prayers, vibes (whatever you want to call it) have played a major part in getting Mr. A, Kris and I through this. I want to hug all of you and buy you a tasty soda.