Update!!!

Hello Family & Friends!!

I know it has been a long time since I have wrote on here. It has been very busy in our household. Let me start off with Easter.
Easter= was great. We had a great time on Saturday with my parents, brother and sister. We enjoyed the day up here at our house. It was georgous. After a dinner of prime rib, we headed outside to hunt those easter eggs. Their baskets were over flowing. After that we played two games of croquet. It was a blast. On Sunday we headed for Pompeys Pillar to have lunch with Beau's family. The girls played with all of their cousins and we got to see family members that we haven't seen a while. Beau's aunt and family made the girls (actually each kid)these wonderful easter baskets. They hunted so many eggs. We still have a ton of candy sitting here on my desk. Later on that day Beau took the kids out and they flew kites. It was fun to watch them figure out how it worked.

Next item= My doctor's appointment. I went in for my April appointment on the 15th. I had to take the glucose test. Where you fast for 3 hours then take a glucose drink a hour before your appointment. Then they check your blood to see if it has to much sugar init or if it falls within the range. I totally blew the test. The max range is 140 and I was 173. So I was instructed to take the 3 hour test. I went the next Monday (Beau has Monday's off)and headed for the lab. I had to fast from 10:00 p.m. the night before. As soon as I got there they took a fasting blood. Then I had to drink a very strong glucose drink and have blood drawn every hour after that. It was no fun. I learned that I don't recover well from that sort of test. Afterwards I met up with Beau and the girls (who by the way was out shopping) and we ate. I din't get any food until 11:30 by the time we were done shopping. I was miserable. The next day I recieved my results and failed 2 of the 4categories and barely passed the other 2. They labled me as being have gestational diabetes. I had to meet with a lady in the diabetic center. She went over all the foods I can eat and how much of each one. I have to test my blood using this cute little monitor she gave me 4 times a day. My fingers are sore. Once before I eat anything in the morning and each time two hours after each meal. It is hard learning how much you can have of something. Hopefully the diet will take care of the problem. If it doesn't then the next step is to have insulin. Gestational diabetes affects the baby in two ways. For most women with gestational diabetes, the main worry is that too much glucose will end up in the baby's blood. When that happens, your baby's pancreas needs to produce more insulin to process the extra glucose. All this excess blood sugar and insulin can cause your baby to make more fat and put on extra weight, particularly in the upper body. This can lead to what's called macrosomia. A macrosomic baby may be too large to enter the birth canal. Although the baby may weigh more than normal, its organs develope at regular growth. I may have an 11 pound baby but it may be premature. Shortly after delivery, my baby may also have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) because his body will still be producing extra insulin in response to receiving extra glucose from me. Your delivery team will test his blood sugar at birth by taking a drop of blood from his heel. If it's low, you'll want to feed him as soon as possible, either by breastfeeding or giving him some formula or sugar water. (In severe cases of hypoglycemia, he might be given an IV glucose solution.) We hope that none of this happens and I am very carefully about following dr's orders.

Third item= Gracie had her VCUG test on the 28th. That is where they checked to see if any of the urine was refluxing back into the kidneys. We checked in at 7:00 in the morning at Surgery Plus. From there we headed back up to pediatrics so she could see the dr. He checked her over and order the sedation. We had our own nurse named Wendy who stayed with Gracie the whole time. The sedation drug was given oral and as the dr said was like a very good drunk so when she came out of it she wouldn't remember anything. Maybe bits and pieces. Once the drug took hold we headed off to Radiology. Beau went in with Gracie and Paige and I headed for breakfast. The nurse inseted a catheter and they filled the bladder with solution and watched on xrays as the solution refluxed back into her kidneys. After the procedure was done everyone headed back up to Pediatrics where we waited for the drug to wear off. We got the results that afternoon and learned that she had a grade 3 on her left. Grade III Vesicoureteral Reflux:urine refluxes all the way up the ureter with dilatation of the ureter and calyces (part of the kidney where urine collects) and a grade 1 on her right. Grade I Vesicoureteral Reflux: urine (shown in blue) refluxes part-way up the ureter. Her pediatrician notified the specialist and now we are waiting to hear from him. Usually there is 2 ways of taking care of the problem, either with surgery (where they would put in a stint) or with long term antibotics. I will keep you posted on how everything turns out.

I hope this letter finds everyone in better shape than us. LOL. Beau told me that it is a good thing that I don't work and can stay home and manage everything. Until next time.

Love and Care
Kuntz's

Good Evening Family and Friends!!!
Here are some more pictures of the family (Beau and the Girls).

Gracie's appointment went great. She has an appointment to have the test VCUG done in late April. They will perform the test there at St. V's in Surgery Plus. She will be under. Thank God. I don't know if I get to go with in with her or Beau since I am pregnant.

Paige is still entertaining everyone in the house and even the neighbors.

The baby is moving around and becoming more active. Still no girls name yet. Beau won't decide on one. We have a boy's name.

Catchya all later. Have to run.
Kuntz's

Ultrasound!!!!!

Good Morning Family and Friends!! How is the weather treaten everyone? COLD COLD COLD, thank god that the warm weather is on the way.

Yesterday we had our ultrasound with the Dr. The heart showed the 4 chambers pumping away. Beau is just amazed that a person can see the heart so clearly. Even though he has seen it twice before with the girls. The heart beat was 142. There was only one heart beat so if you were waiting to hear about twins or anytning like that sorry to tell ya Beau and I make them one at a time. The kidneys, liver, diaphram, stomach, and mouth looked great. No abnormalities. We had them look closely at the kidneys due to Gracie. Dianne showed us the three vessel cord. Paige also had a three vessel cord and Gracie only had a two vessel cord. It was tied into a knot and was extra long. The due date is still at the end of July. No changes there. The ultrasounds pictures are not as clear as I would like them to be in order to post. But he/she was giving us the piece sign. During the whole ultasound he/she has its hands up by its face so we couldn't get a really good picture of it. The hands were so cute though. Beau and I got a chuckle out of which family he/she is throwing back to. Our time in the Dr. office was short and sweet. Just Beau and I were in there. Well plus Dianne and Dr. Molloy. It was very peaceful and relaxing. Dr. asked me if I had felt the baby move. I told him yep and so has Beau. I was laying on the floor and could feel him/her. I showed him where to feel and soon his hands were bouncing. He was smiling from ear to ear. You have to plan it just right in order to feel the little one wiggle. He/she is getting into the sleep wake pattern.

Update on the status of Gracie. She has her recheck on Friday to make sure that the infection is gone in order to schedule the reflex test. Here is some information on reflux. Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is the abnormal flow of urine from the bladder back into the ureters. VUR is most commonly diagnosed in infancy and childhood after the patient has a urinary tract infection (UTI). About one-third of children with a UTI are found to have VUR. VUR can lead to infection because urine that remains in the child’s urinary tract provides a place for bacteria to grow. But sometimes the infection itself is the cause of VUR. This will be the test performed on Gracie. Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG): A test that examines the urethra and bladder while the bladder fills and empties. A liquid that can be seen on x rays is placed in the bladder through a catheter. Pictures are taken when the bladder is filled and when the child urinates. This test can reveal abnormalities of the inside of the urethra and bladder. The test can also determine whether the flow of urine is normal when the bladder empties. She has already had the ultrasound on the kidney and bladder. When we meet with the specialitst I will let everyone know more information.

Paige is a character. Just the other day she put her kitty (that is actully Gracie's from her Aunt Mindy during her stay in the hospital) in the cupboard and shut the door. It was the cupboard that houses my kitchen towels and dishclothes. I opened the door wanting a towel and pulled out this white and black stripped thing. It scared me and I dropped it. After seeing it I laughed and laughed. Paige came around the corner and said ta da. I laughed even harder. So now the kitty visits the cupboard.

The sex of the baby will be .................................... shared on the delivery date. Beau won't let us find out. He is hoping for the boy. But will be very happy for a girl. Any baby that is healthy is what he tells me.

Thanks for reading. Talk to ya soon!!!
Kuntz's

P.S. I will see if the ultrasound pictures look good on the computer. If not I am sorry.

Pictures

Hello Family and Friends!!
Hope this finds you in great spirits and not being blown away by the wind!
I have added some pictures to the blog as a treat and next week I will be adding information about our ultrasound. Enjoy

February Dr. Appointment

Good Morning to All!!
Yesterday I had a Dr. appointment. My family came to town and my father watched the girls while I went. Mom was at work in the hospital. Dad told me that I better hurry because he doesn't do diapers and Paige was asleep when I left. The appointment was great. The heartbeat was at 142 and I measured where I was suppose to for 16 weeks along. Dr. asked me if everything was going good and I told him yes that my morning sickness had stopped (except for a couple of times lately) and that the head aches also slowed down to maybe one or two a week. My energy level has definately returned and I can now go outside and play with the girls instead of just watching them. It was a very short sweet appointment. Next week is the one that will take the longest........the ultrasound. I still haven't convinced Beau that we need to find out. He is being stubborn. Other than that everything is going great here in Lockwood.
P.S. The Dr. said soon that I will be able to feel the baby which is always exciting even when you have had children before.

FAMILY & FRIENDS

Hello Family and Friends!!
Since we don't get to see some of you very often I have decided to post a blog. That way eveyone can keep up to date on what is going on with our children, the pregnancy, and our lives. Plus it gives me something to do.
Baby Kuntz is due the 22nd of July. Beau doesn't want to find out what the baby is gong to be but his sister in law (Mindy) and myself keep working on him. Hopefully it will be a boy. He needs some help in this house. Totally out numbered. So far all of the Dr. appointment have been great. But I did have morning sickness (actually it was in the evening) with this pregnancy and headaches. I never had any with either of the girls. So maybe it is a boy or a very mischievous girl.

Gracie and Paige are growing like weeds. They are tired of being couped up in the house during the cold winter days and are ready for summer. So am I. Paige's vocabulary is growing and she is quite the character. Gracie is working on her ABC's and numbers. I can't believe that she is already 3. WOW how time flies. They spend alot of time with their gramma and papa in Hardin. Which is nice it gives me a break.

As most of you know Gracie spent a week in the hospital at St. V's. She now has a clean bill of health and is running around trying to keep up with everyone. Hopefully we will not be visiting that section of the hospital again. Thank you family and friends who stopped by and seen Gracie and kept me sane.
Well that is it for now. Gotta Go!!
Kuntz Family