Possible Match

This is a screen shot of the email I got yesterday. It made my heart sink.

In 2005 my mom decided her New Years resolution was going to be to sign up to be a bone marrow donor. My mom, dad, sister and I all went to an event and got registered.  

Not thinking much of if until recently - I knew I was in the registry but I also knew the chances of me ever being a match were a lot smaller than not being a match. They said that other ethnicities were in need of people to build up their candidate pool and that they already had a lot of Caucasians of European decent.

Well that brings us up to yesterday.  After I read the email I called my mom to share the news that I was a possible match - for a 5 year old little girl. I didn't know how being pregnant would effect this all so I pulled up the website to try to find some answers before making the call to "be the match".  That's when I came across another idea...

Cord blood. 

Chris and I had discussed this before and didn't really have an interest to save Bennett's cord blood - but now - thinking of it as a life saving option I thought it may be worth looking into. More on that to come. 

So this afternoon I called about my possible match status. The woman who was helping me was very informative. I ended up getting all my informtion updated (since I registered in 2005 they still had me as a Wheeland with a Tucson address).  Then before wasting too much of her time I brought up the fact that I am currently pregnant, and asked how long the process takes and if I could be considered a match for this little girl in a few months. Basically because of the procedure and what you have to do to prep for it, you can't be pregnant or breast feeding so she put my status on hold for matches until next year.

That's when I mentioned Katie - my identical twin with the exact DNA as me who was not currently pregnant. I asked Katie last night to see if she got the same email about being a match and she didn't.  

So I had the woman helping me look up to see if Katie was a match too and may have not been notified yet. Nope. Which is weird since she said most of the time when one twin is a match they both are.

Anyways - back to cord blood.  I looked this information up and you are able to donate your baby's cord blood to help others. Then - as I was talking this all out with my mom - I started thinking maybe this would be a good idea. Maybe we could be a resource as being one of the youngest of the cousins to have babies. 

Maybe this could have been something we could have helped Keith with in his treatment. I guess it just started the idea in my head that no one plans on getting sick. But if we saved the cord blood, mabe it could help one of my parents, Chris's parents, our siblings, siblings kids, other family members, (still needing to look into if non blood related family members can benefit from this)... 

The financial commitment is a lot...

As much as $2000 for the first year and averaging $150 for each year after.

But can you put a price on your health?  I need to do some more research but either way - it will be going to good use by donation or blood bank.

My heart has been heavy thinking about all if this. I pray the little girl that I was a possible match for finds her needed marrow. I only hope that if we were ever in that situation that a stranger would come to our rescue and endure the pain of the retrieval to save a life.

Saying extra prayers tonight.

35 weeks 5 days

I am feeling really big. Full on waddling. Having Braxton hicks contractions and Bennett is very low. Went for my doctors appointment today and the midwife ordered a growth scan cause she was having a hard time determining his size. Apparently he is measuring small (although she didn't tell me how big he is measuring).  I go for that scan tomorrow so I will update after that.

Georgia and Virginia having been following me around a lot lately (more so than normal) so I snapped a picture I them both during my weekly picture. 

Love my baby girls!

How can you not love this little face?!

Here is another background so you can see how big or round I really am getting!

Bennett's nursery!

Still needs some finishing touches but for the most part it is done and ready for our little man's arrival!

Our newest addition is the glider/recliner that Grandma Chris and Grandpa Dale got us! So comfy and many hours will be spent rocking and sleeping in it!

My Grandpa Clyde made this airplane. I am thrilled to have it hanging in my little boy's room! Wish Grandpa was here to meet him.

Thank you Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John for the amazing crib! 

Notice the elephant backpack hanging on the closet door - love it! Thanks Cody for making sure Bennett will be prepared to carry his own stuff! :)

Bennett Keith Rafacz, the shower invite for the shower my mom and sister threw for me in Tucson, and a little bit of Arizona (three javelinas book)

Chalkboard art and books for our future reading nook. The little horse finger puppet is from Kim and Sierra from when we found out we were pregnant the first time.

Couldn't get a good picture of the banner  but you can see the snow on the ground outside!

Stocked closet!

Thanks to everyone who helped contribute towards preparing us for our baby!  All the gifts, hand me downs, art projects...they have all really made his nursery go from a room with some baby stuff in it - to Bennett's room!

34 weeks and 5 days

Getting there!

When I go into work in te morning it seems like everyone is always telling me how different my belly is shaped!  It seems like he is sittin lower in my belly.

Everything seems to be doing well with us! Only have gained 19 pounds as of today.  My belly is going through phases of getting really hard (but doesn't hurt) which apparently could be Braxton hicks.

Chris helped me take this other photo :) him being creative taking the photo into the mirror too. Muliple views!

Can't wait to meet baby Bennett in a few weeks! I wonder if he will have hair - if so what color. If his eyes will stay blue. Who he will take after. 

I'm so excited to hold him in my arms and to know this whole journey was worth the pain and heartache. I know God has a plan for my life and I need to keep that in mind more often.

33 weeks and 5 days

Baby Bennett is moving so much! I can't believe how crazy it feels sometimes!

I can tell he is growing bigger cause my stomach is starting to itch - which means I am slathering in the cocoa butter to try to prevent stretch marks!

32 weeks and 5 days

Only 7 weeks and a few days til Bennett's due date and we have gotten busy with getting his nursery together.  My mom and sister are in town (came to virginia for our cousin Maddie's bridal shower which I will blog about soon) and decided to stay a few days with us to help me "nest."

Here are some updates of the belly as well as Bennett's room so far! More pictures to come.

I asked Katie to make us something that looked like chalkboard art for Bennett.

B is for Bennett!

My work decided to have my baby shower while my mom and Katie were in town and we were able to use a lot of the decorations from the shower in the nursery, which is amazing!  We are going to hang the model airplane that my grandpa Clyde made in the corner near the "clouds" in the corner.  Also notice the toy box has chevrons and elephants on it! So perfect!!!

The bed isn't made in this picture but my friends Vickie and Amanda made this banner.  I love how it adds so much color to his room

In front of the changing table with baby girl Virginia - crazy eyes!

All my hand me down shoes! 

Bennett (and myself) is one lucky baby!!!

Katie also made these elephant silhouettes to hang (which we haven't hung yet). Love love!

31 weeks and 6 days

I haven't been feeling well so I almost didn't get it of bed to take my weekly photo. 

Morning sickness has struck again 3rd trimester and it hasn't been kind to me.

In other news, we had a tummy check appointment today and Baby Bennett is right on track. He finally is head down (which is way more uncomfortable than I thought it would be) and he loves kicking.