Update on Baby Joel: Week 30

About Joel

• He's still stable! Praise the Lord. Prayers are being heard and answered.
• His heartbeat was 148.
• His dopplers are all completely normal.
• The fluid around his heart, lungs, scalp, abdomen, and lower extremities has not worsened.

Once again, Dr. Tupelo announced, "I can't believe you're 30 weeks pregnant and still here. His Hydrops is still very severe, but this is surprisingly encouraging."

This time, we wanted to laugh and say, "Duh, Dr. T! We've been trying to tell you all along that we, along with so many others, have been praying God would sustain this little boy—and he has."

On the way home, I told Nathan, "Think about this. All along, all these doctors have done is take pictures and talk. There haven't been any surgeries or medicines or procedures performed on Joel. It has literally been the hand of the Lord that has sustained him. It's incredible. It's just what he wants."

About Mama

There are some new developments with me. 

Over the past week, I've noticed my blood pressure going up and up and up very fast. We've documented one reading every day and it's definitely either at the threshold of too high or just over—something the docs asked me to watch for.

Also, on Friday, I was diagnosed with Polyhydramnios (fancy word for excess fluid in the womb). I look and feel much bigger than I'm supposed to be at this point (measuring at 34 weeks), but this isn't atypical for moms carrying Hydrops babies.

Right now, docs are monitoring me for preeclampsia and Mirror Syndrome. I've had some contractions and severe headaches and blurred vision—all sporadic, but all things that point toward these conditions.

Keep praying! We're believing.