22 Weeks - CAOS

I have now reached 22 weeks.  As I mentioned in my last post, things just keep going from bad to worse.  We had an ultrasound and consultation with the specialist last Tuesday.  He said that the baby is suffering due to CAOS (Chronic Abruption Oligohydramnios Sequence), which is highly uncommon and either results in a very premature baby or fetal death.  He said he sees this in maybe two to three patients a year.  I wish I understood more about CAOS, but basically it is characterized by large bleeding episodes, where baby appears to be fine and grow normally until suddenly amniotic fluid begins to decrease rapidly without any evidence of ruptured membranes.  At 15 weeks, the baby and fluid levels were totally fine after my huge bleed (SubChorionic Hemhorrage) at 13 weeks.  The specialist seemed very optimistic and said that unless CAOS happens, baby would be alright.  Sure enough, five weeks later, CAOS happened.  Baby isn't getting the nutrients and oxygen she needs from my placenta.  She is way behind on the growth charts.  She is in "brain sparing" mode right now, sending all that she has to her most vital organs (the brain, heart, and adrenals).  In an effort to help baby survive for a few more weeks till she can be delivered, the doctor prescribed oxygen and hydrotherapy.  So, now I am hooked up to oxygen 24/7, and I use my neighbor's pool to do hydrotherapy for 15 minutes twice a day.   We go back in on Wednesday to see how she is doing.  The doctor's goal is to get me to 24 weeks and then from there, who knows...maybe we could possibly make it to 28 weeks....which would be a miracle.  Even if we did make it to 24 weeks, Lucia is so small, not even a pound yet, that the outcome would not be good.  I am praying that she can hang on till she gets bigger and has a good chance of leading a good life, or that Heavenly Father can take her back home. I think she is such a fighter...the fact that she has hung on this long... she just might surprise us all :)  Right now, we are doing what we can to give her a chance, and leaving the rest in the Lord's hands. 

..."let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."  - D&C 123:17