24 Weeks

24 and a half weeks as of today! Another milestone as 24 weeks supposedly marks "viability" though there are several 22 and 23 weekers that have survived as well. I believe the survival rates for 24 weekers are around 50-60%, though the majority will go on to have some disability. I certainly saw enough 24 weekers during L's NICU stay that sadly never made it home. Still, this week has made me think of my friends who are parents to 24 week micropreemies. The one who was tube fed his first 9 months after major bowel surgery, who now stands heads and shoulders above his classmates and reading at a 2nd grade level...in pre-K. The other one, whom the doctors said would be a "vegetable" and suffers both hearing and vision loss, but is sharp as a nail, and reading the fine print off the back of DVDs...at 4. I certainly don't want to go down the micropreemie road, but was just thinking this week about these exceptional kids and their parents. I do wish 28 weeks, and then 32 weeks were here already!

We're doing fine. Things are as good as I could hope right now, and am thankful for every day of baking. Just got back from a prenatal massage, its relaxation benefits clearly demonstrated in my blood pressure reading a few minutes ago of 95/60! I've a varicose vein from my last pregnancy that is bothersome, and a few spider veins starting to form in the same area, plus the usual pregnancy woes of heartburn, but all in all, normal.

I bought this running shirt a month ago, but shouldve gotten in back in the 1st trimester when I was still doing a reasonable amount of running! Still at it with my 2-3 miles of walking a day though, interspersed with the exercise bike, and elliptical machines. Basically I don't aim to work up much of a sweat, but just do whatever feels right to hit 45 mins of exercise 7 days a week.

We have another important ultrasound on Monday to look at growth and again blood flow to the placenta. Fingers crossed for my boy to keep baking.