Baby Spence Update

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you all sooo much for all your prayers and support! We are now 18 weeks! WAHOO!! We went to Texas Children's today for the fetal echocardiogram. This is where they do an echo on the baby's heart.

The baby was flipping all over and not very cooperative, as usual (the doctor even commented on how active the baby was haa!). It was sooo exciting beacuse they used a 2-D ultrasound. We got to see the feet, face, the baby sucking his/her thumb, and even the ribs. It was SUPER cute!! :)

After about 2 hours of trying to look at the heart from different angles, the doctor told us that the 4 chambers are well developed and look good. The arches look normal, and the heartbeat is good. However, there appears to be a drop between the lower 2 chambers, which means there is a hole. The baby is still really young, and it was hard for her to get good pictures due to the chin resting on the chest of the baby and all the flipping. But, she did say she looked from several different angles. The hole could close up before the baby is born or even after.

We will go back at 26 weeks to have another echo to try to take a better look at the baby's heart. We know from past echos with Stephen's heart that sometimes what the screen shows isn't always there. And, we all know God is miraculous!! However, we need all the prayers we can get for the baby's heart! Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers!! It is all in His hands. We promise to keep you updated as soon as we know more information.

Oh, and...the baby appears to be a "GIRL"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The doctor also checked this from several different angles, and there was nothing there. :) We all know "it" could be hiding...but no sign of "it" anywhere... ;)

We will have an ultrasound for structural defects (from the diabetes) on March 10. Please pray that this goes well.

We miss all of you, and are grateful for all of your support!

in Him,

Laurie and Stephen...and Itty Bitty

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Stephen and Laurie's Health Update

To our Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. We really appreacite it!!

I realize that I have not sent out an update on Stephen in a while, but at his appointments in June and November there was no echo. He has lost 43 lbs. now!!!! We are sooo proud of him. His blood pressure was down 138/62. The doctor was very pleased with his progress and ability to maintain the weight loss. When we went in December, Stephen had an echo done and a stress test. The stress test was done to measure his oxygen intake. The last stress test he had done was in 2001. In December, he had improved more than 50%!!!! Isn't that AMAZING!!!??? His echo showed no sign of the left ventricle going into failure (previously, it was only pumping 35% which is borderline heart failure). None of this would have been possible without our faith and your prayers!! Prayer is a MOST powerful thing!! We are so grateful for all of your prayers!! Please continue to pray for his progress and his heart. His next appointment will be in May/June. I will keep you updated.

Update on me: I'm PREGNANT!!! :0-

We are sooo excited about this little one (or itty bitty as munchkin calls it)!!! Due to all the medications that Stephen has taken his whole life, we were not even sure we would even be able to have our own children. So, the prenancy is a miracle in itself! We are sooo blessed!! We were going to the ob every 2 weeks, and now, we go every 3 weeks. We have already had 3 ultrasounds. The latest was a few weeks ago. The baby was doing flips (literally) and wiggling all over the places. It was out of control...and sooo exciting!!! :) I also see the endocronologist every 3 weeks. With the exhaustion of the 1st trimester, doctor's appointments, and all the medications, if I am not trying to make it through a long day at school, then I am home sleeping!

However, due to my diabetes and Stephen's Congenital Heart Disease, this pregnancy is very high risk. Miscarriage, stillborn, and birth defects are a huge risk. I am on insulin before every meal and a different insulin at bedtime. I am also on blood thinners because of the blood clots I had back in 2004. So, I think I inject myself about 6 times a day. :( It has been an adjustment, and at times, it seems almost too overwhelming! However, Stephen has been WONDERFUL! He cooks and cleans. :0- With the insulin, everything has to be cooked and measured...and at times, just thinking about it is overwhelming.

We are due July 30!!! Again, due to the diabetes, we probably will not carry full term. We go back to the doctor Feb. 6. I will keep you updated.

I know many of you have called and written. Hopefully, this will explain why I have been MIA for the last 3 1/2 months. We miss all of you and think of you often. With the 2nd trimester starting, I hope my energy finds me again so that I can catch up with some of you. Please forgive me for not being in touch.

We need your prayers!!! Please pray for my stregnth and health. The anxiety of the huge risks are overwhelming and hard to dismiss. Please pray for the health of our baby. We have decided not to do any diagnostic testing. We have prayed and prayed about it, and we are going to leave our faith in the Lord and His plan for us. Please pray for our continued faith and patience. Please feel free to forward this email to any email addresses that we may have forgotten. Thank you so much for your support and prayers!

We miss all of you!

God Bless,
Stephen and Laurie

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:13