Tuesday's Connections Abound

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The Lost and Found page is permanently located beneath this current post. Old Connections Abound can be accessed via the date or subject archives listed on the sidebar. Check the submissions page, FAQ, and ways to get involved for additional information. Email me at thetowncriers@gmail.com with any questions/concerns.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New

• The L & F has sort of grown and grown and grown, which is great (obviously) but in order to put it together in a reasonable amount of time, I have to forgo writing back an email when people send me info. Which makes me feel like a huge bitch. So, this is my very public apology for not sending back a thank you note and acknowledging when I get an email before putting in information.
• Lindsay at Looking for 2 Lines has started a new blog over at Wordpress. Some of the posts as password protected. Email her in order to get the password if you are a fellow blogger or long-time commenter. If you're a lurker, not every post is protected so you can start commenting and then get full access...just a hint...
  
• A request for info from Becoming a Different Person: "My husband and I are Catholic and struggling with what medical procedures are ok with the Catholic church, specifically regarding IUI's." If you have information or could point her in the right direction, contact KCMarie though her blog. She recently lost her sister (see Loss) and therefore may have tabled this thought for the time being.
  
• A request for info from Sticky Bean: "I'm looking to get in contact with anyone who has or has had had a uterine fibroid during their pregnancy and what the outcome was."
• This blogger would like to remain anonymous but is throwing this story out there under the chance that someone will step forward with information that will help. Since she is not blogging about it on her blog, I'm also going to add that if you wish to add a comment to this post and send her good thoughts, it would be appreciated. Her words: "My boys are fraternal twins conceived by IVF. It was a complicated pregnancy, and they were born at 36 weeks when Twin A (who they suspected was IUGR) ruptured his membranes. Twin A was absolutely fine, except a little slow on the feeding. Twin B likely had lost weight the last 10 days in utero. He was stable, but they were concerned about his skull/brain and after a few days transferred him to a Level III NICU for evaluation. His fontanelles (soft spots) are abnormally large. The front and back ones are actually joined to form one large soft spot, and the ones one either side are obvious also. His thyroid levels were checked several times and came back normal. The head ultrasound showed no hydrocephalus. The initial genetics consult suspected Craniosynostoses (premature fusion of the sutures), more specifically as a part of Pfeiffer syndrome. He has a similar mid-face to children with Pfeiffer syndrome (the eyes, nose, and ears), although over time the eyes have looked less like that. They told us he would need surgery, probably soon, and called in the pediatric neurosurgery team. The surgeons ordered a head CT, and what came back shocked everyone. He does not have Craniosynostoses (and therefore does not have Pfeiffer syndrome). His sutures are very widely split, and he has demineralization of the bones in his skull. They're currently unsure if there is cartilage in the gaps or not. (In other words, if all that is between his brain and our fingers is his skin.) All of his other bones are fine - normal length and appropriately mineralized. Endocrinology checked his mineral levels, various thyroid levels, and a few other hormone levels, and the initial tests all came back normal. Genetics has sent blood to do his karyotype and wants to run more tests (which we are holding off on until he's stronger). We were at one of the country's top NICUs, and none of the specialists there had ever seen a situation like this, nor could they find any similar cases in the literature. The split in the sutures is extreme, and thus far it appears to have happened in isolation of any other symptoms. We are following up with various specialists at various hospitals, and hoping to find someone, somewhere who has heard/seen of this and can tell us what to expect will happen."

Old

• You've probably noticed that the Creme de la Creme is up...Adding many more to it daily therefore, I set up a box in the top left corner and when I add things to the post, I change the time and date.
  
• Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean that shopping is over for the year. People still need gifts in life. Why not support your fellow stirrup queens and buy from Shop Mom or Pop? Shop thoughtfully this season and send on the link to anyone who wants to support the community by making their gift giving also make treatments or adoption possible.
• If you notice another loading slow down or receive error messages for Stirrup Queens or Lost and Found, please let me know. Now I'm nervous every time I add anything to the side bar!

NEW BLOGS (started in December 2007 or January 2008)

• A Long and Winding Road (in the beginning)
• My Quest to Have More Than Just Dog Children (IUI w/ injectibles)
• Our Family Beginnings (IVF)
  

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES: Celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me dates for January/February right now and I'll post them on the correct day.

• MLO's first blogoversary is today. She is also holding a contest from January 8th until February 8th. Go over and wish her congratulations.
  

LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Holly is experiencing her third pregnancy loss in 9 months. On a terrible crossing of events, yesterday was the due date for her first pregnancy. Today is her D & C. Please go over and give her support. She is also looking for information about unexplained RPL. Please reach out to her through her blog if you have information you can share.
• KCMarie's sister died last night unexpectedly. Please go over and give her support.
  

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS: Scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebrations!

• My Baby Quest is starting her first IVF cycle.
  

BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company.

• Luck Doesn't Happen Twice.
• Not According to Plan.
• I Think We Made a Nugget.
  

PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Baby Godot's betas are rising nicely. Go over and tell her congratulations.
• Two great betas for Julia at I Won't Fear Love. Go wish her congratulations.
• Scarred Bellybutton had a great scan. Go over and not only wish her congratulations but also help her out. She is looking to connect with others who are pg after IF.
• It's a boy for Katrina!
  

BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

• None Today.