The twinkies were discharged from the hospital this afternoon. Their temperatures were normal and their other symptoms had disappeared. The doctor sent them home a day early because they were doing so well that he didn't want them to pick up a nosocomial infection.
I noticed in Sarah's post earlier that she didn't include the good news from the visit to the doctor yesterday. Emma weighed 6 lb 8 oz and Joseph weighed 6 lb 11 oz. That's up essentially a pound each from 8 days earlier at their last appointment, or twice the expected rate for children on breastmilk rather than formula. This was also why the doctor wasn't too worried about them when he admitted them, even though, by law, he had to admit them because of their age and their symptoms.
We're very excited to have them back. Although everyone got a good night's sleep, it would have been a lot cheaper and a lot less stressful to hire someone to take care of them if we needed it that badly. So thanks to everyone for their prayers. Our kids have benefited from them for many months now, and we are very grateful.
P.S. "Nosocomial" has long been one of my favorite words and I was excited to be able to use it in a sentence. Yes, I'm weird, but you knew that, didn't you?
Pregnancy Ticker
Saturday, December 29, 2007
At the hospital
Little Joseph and Emma were admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon. We went to see the pediatrician in the morning because the babies were crying inconsolably and had intestinal distress. When we got to the doctor Joseph had a temp of 100.6 and Emma had a temp of 100.8. Since they are preemies and under one month old, they had to be admitted immediately. Full term babies receive antibodies from the mother at 37 weeks gestation. Since the kids made an early appearance (36 weeks), they are more susceptible to germs and bacteria.
Outside of having very concerned parents, the kids are doing great. Their fevers are down, their appetites are good. The nurses are fantastic and very nice, no matter how often I've called to check in on the kids throughout the night. Both babies have IVs in their hands (seeing a 6 lb baby with an IV is a very sad site), had to be catheterized for urine samples and are getting a very large panel of blood work and poop analysis done. If all the results come back normally (it takes 2 days to get results), we should be able to bring the kids home on Sunday. Fortunately, their fevers were low enough that the doctor did not order a spinal or drip antibiotics. They are also testing to see if the kids are lactose intolerant. I hope that's not the case since I've been pumping for them since the beginning, and have finally hit the point of feeding them almost exclusively breast milk.
Big Joseph has a saying he heard from one of his doctors...life stinks when you're sick and little. So please keep the little ones in your prayers. We miss having them at home, and we look forward to bringing them back as soon as possible.
Outside of having very concerned parents, the kids are doing great. Their fevers are down, their appetites are good. The nurses are fantastic and very nice, no matter how often I've called to check in on the kids throughout the night. Both babies have IVs in their hands (seeing a 6 lb baby with an IV is a very sad site), had to be catheterized for urine samples and are getting a very large panel of blood work and poop analysis done. If all the results come back normally (it takes 2 days to get results), we should be able to bring the kids home on Sunday. Fortunately, their fevers were low enough that the doctor did not order a spinal or drip antibiotics. They are also testing to see if the kids are lactose intolerant. I hope that's not the case since I've been pumping for them since the beginning, and have finally hit the point of feeding them almost exclusively breast milk.
Big Joseph has a saying he heard from one of his doctors...life stinks when you're sick and little. So please keep the little ones in your prayers. We miss having them at home, and we look forward to bringing them back as soon as possible.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Second Doctor Visit
Today was the second visit to the pediatrician for the kids. We had to wait a little longer in the lobby this time, but our doc is great, so it was ok.
Joseph has gained weight, and is now up to 5 lbs 11 oz, 3 oz over his birth weight. Emma is now up to 5 lbs 9.8 oz, up from 4 lbs 14 oz a week ago. She's now 7.4 oz above her birth weight and has almost caught up to her brother. We're very pleased that they've gained their weight back, especially since they've been fed mostly breast milk (formula-fed babies gain weight more quickly).
The doc still doesn't recommend many public outings, as the twins' immune systems aren't too great yet (but they are better protected since they're on breast milk). So it's unlikely they'll make their appearance at church for a couple more weeks. We'll go to our family holiday outings, of course, but those conditions are much easier to control.
So they go back to the doc in two weeks. We'll let you know what there is to know when there is something to know.
Joseph has gained weight, and is now up to 5 lbs 11 oz, 3 oz over his birth weight. Emma is now up to 5 lbs 9.8 oz, up from 4 lbs 14 oz a week ago. She's now 7.4 oz above her birth weight and has almost caught up to her brother. We're very pleased that they've gained their weight back, especially since they've been fed mostly breast milk (formula-fed babies gain weight more quickly).
The doc still doesn't recommend many public outings, as the twins' immune systems aren't too great yet (but they are better protected since they're on breast milk). So it's unlikely they'll make their appearance at church for a couple more weeks. We'll go to our family holiday outings, of course, but those conditions are much easier to control.
So they go back to the doc in two weeks. We'll let you know what there is to know when there is something to know.
Sir Thanksalot
I just wanted to take this time to acknowledge the kind and wonderful people who have been helping us through this time of excitement and exhaustion. First of all, Sarah's mom is here, pulling more than her share of the load taking care of the kiddies. I'd say I don't know what we'd do without her, but I do know. The first two days they were home is how it would be, and that was insane. In addition, people have prepared us some delicious meals, as we have very little time, even with three of us, to put together any food. When we get a break, sleep almost always wins over food, and when food does win, it has to be convenient, as we won't take the time to prepare it. Thanks also to the many who bought us preemie clothes (we go through several outfits a day, sadly) as all the newborn clothes are still too big. Many of you have also called to see how we were doing, and we appreciate your concern and welcome your prayers for the very best for Emma and Joseph. I mentioned her before, but we really appreciate Aunt Jessica for going the extra mile and getting the birth announcements done in record time, at personal cost to her sleep. Thanks also to the family and friends who have responded to our requests for help so that one of us (Sarah has priority, as she has to make milk and take care of babies and get healed up from surgery) can get some sleep every now and again. I've definitely benefited from this and am very thankful. A great deal of thanks to my coworkers who donated me their personal annual leave so that I might stay home and help care for the babies and my wife. I was facing leave without pay, otherwise, and I don't know how to thank you, except to tell you that you've really been a lifesaver. May God richly bless you for your generosity.
I Less-Than-Three Walgreens
Our birth announcements were printed at a photo lab, and were 4"x6". Why the smaller size, 9 square inches smaller than the standard 5"x7"? Well 4"x6" prints from Target cost $0.20 each, as opposed to $1.59 each for 5"x7" prints. As you can see, this is a significant difference, especially when ordering more than 100.
So I was very proud of myself, having saved somewhere in the area of $200. This story, however, is not quite over. It seems that obtaining 4"x6" envelopes is not as simple as one might have thought it would be. It stands to reason, right? People get photos developed as 4"x6" or 5"x7" all the time, so of course there are envelopes in that size.
Except there aren't. Not easily accessible, anyway. I searched all through Wal-Mart, finding holiday envelopes, but alas, in the same dimensions as every other office envelope, meaning exactly wrong. So I went to Walgreens, you one-stop-holiday-shop-stop. Second verse, same as the first. No dice on the 4"x6" envelopes.
I was back in my truck about to head home, head hung low from my failure to hunt down my elusive game, when I decided to give it one more shot. I walked straight to the one-hour photo lab and asked the tech if they had such envelopes. The first thing he did was head over to office supplies, which I had done previously. My hopes fell. I told him that I had looked before, but that I thought the photo section might have them, since they print 4"x6" photos, after all. Then, the magic words, "Hold on for a minute," after which he entered a combination of numbers into a locked door, and disappeared into the most secret parts of Walgreens. He came out and asked, "How many did you say you wanted?" "A lot," I replied. "What's a lot?" "How about 150?" His eyes widened, but he went back into the secret chamber. He came out with a box, filled with the forbidden and rare envelopes, made especially for 4"x6" photos. He counted out the appropriate number of lots and handed them to me. As I reached for my wallet he said, "Merry Christmas! Have a good one."
A Christmas miracle.
So now, I do <3 Walgreens. Especially the very nice people in the photo lab. They made my holiday this year. Well, as far as the whole commercial side of the holiday goes, anyway.
So I was very proud of myself, having saved somewhere in the area of $200. This story, however, is not quite over. It seems that obtaining 4"x6" envelopes is not as simple as one might have thought it would be. It stands to reason, right? People get photos developed as 4"x6" or 5"x7" all the time, so of course there are envelopes in that size.
Except there aren't. Not easily accessible, anyway. I searched all through Wal-Mart, finding holiday envelopes, but alas, in the same dimensions as every other office envelope, meaning exactly wrong. So I went to Walgreens, you one-stop-holiday-shop-stop. Second verse, same as the first. No dice on the 4"x6" envelopes.
I was back in my truck about to head home, head hung low from my failure to hunt down my elusive game, when I decided to give it one more shot. I walked straight to the one-hour photo lab and asked the tech if they had such envelopes. The first thing he did was head over to office supplies, which I had done previously. My hopes fell. I told him that I had looked before, but that I thought the photo section might have them, since they print 4"x6" photos, after all. Then, the magic words, "Hold on for a minute," after which he entered a combination of numbers into a locked door, and disappeared into the most secret parts of Walgreens. He came out and asked, "How many did you say you wanted?" "A lot," I replied. "What's a lot?" "How about 150?" His eyes widened, but he went back into the secret chamber. He came out with a box, filled with the forbidden and rare envelopes, made especially for 4"x6" photos. He counted out the appropriate number of lots and handed them to me. As I reached for my wallet he said, "Merry Christmas! Have a good one."
A Christmas miracle.
So now, I do <3 Walgreens. Especially the very nice people in the photo lab. They made my holiday this year. Well, as far as the whole commercial side of the holiday goes, anyway.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Photo Shoot
The babies had a big day on Sunday. It was time for their first official photo shoot, courtesy of their Aunt Jessica. It was quite a production. First, we had to heat the room where the photos were going to be shot, since we didn't want cold, unhappy babies. We also got them all dolled up in their little Christmas outfits, since these photos were for our birth announcements/Christmas cards.
Little Joe's outfit made him look a bit like a Christmas convict (because he stole your heart... ha... ha ha...). His stripes matched quite well with the hat of the Classic Christmas Pooh we had to pose them with.
Emma's was a bit less distracting and was all red (girl, don't you know red makes your hips look big?!). We had to find a bow for her to top the outfit off (and to make sure everyone knew she was a girl). We'll get you some of those photos in a later post.
As it turns out, most of the best photos really weren't with their outfits on at all, but were the au natural photos. This one of Emma features her crooked little smile, which is difficult to get on film, but Jess caught it.
We took ones in their outfits first, so they were wore slap out (I love colloquialisms, don't you?) by the time the nekkid pictures were shot. They were tired babies. I wish I could tell you how they slept that night, or anything useful at all, but I have no clue. The days and nights have all run together. If it weren't for the faithful entries in the feeding/changing log I'd have no idea who ate what, how much, and when, much less who peed or pooped a lot. Fussy nights rarely get a mention, as we're too tired to think to record them.
Little Joe's outfit made him look a bit like a Christmas convict (because he stole your heart... ha... ha ha...). His stripes matched quite well with the hat of the Classic Christmas Pooh we had to pose them with.
Emma's was a bit less distracting and was all red (girl, don't you know red makes your hips look big?!). We had to find a bow for her to top the outfit off (and to make sure everyone knew she was a girl). We'll get you some of those photos in a later post.
As it turns out, most of the best photos really weren't with their outfits on at all, but were the au natural photos. This one of Emma features her crooked little smile, which is difficult to get on film, but Jess caught it.
We took ones in their outfits first, so they were wore slap out (I love colloquialisms, don't you?) by the time the nekkid pictures were shot. They were tired babies. I wish I could tell you how they slept that night, or anything useful at all, but I have no clue. The days and nights have all run together. If it weren't for the faithful entries in the feeding/changing log I'd have no idea who ate what, how much, and when, much less who peed or pooped a lot. Fussy nights rarely get a mention, as we're too tired to think to record them.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Doctor Appointment and Poopsplosions
Friday (12/14) was a big day for everyone. The kids had their first visit with a pediatrician, which meant our first excursion out since they've been home. The appointment was ~40 minutes away. We started getting ready 2.5 hours ahead of time. And we still barely made it. Sarah's mom was flying into town at the exact time of the appointment. Luckily, my dad was away for work all week had just flown in an hour before, so he picked her up for us. Chaotic enough, yet?
Little Joe had quite a time. First, they stripped him down to get a weight. Easy enough, but he was unhappy. Then, they took his temp, rectally, of course. He quieted up for a second, which we found curious. Then they pulled out the thermometer (you can see where this is going, right?). So that was our first poopsplosion. While we tried to get him into a new diaper, he started peeing, and lemmie tell ya, the kid's got a good stream. So there went that diaper. We started putting another one on him and, guess what, more poop. Unbelievable. He was already into his remaining outfit and we hadn't even seen the doctor yet. Emma was much more cooperative. We did have to change a diaper, but without the dramatics.
So the babies were still below their birth weight, but the doc wasn't worried. They were eating regularly and doing their business, and they have 2 weeks to get back to their birth weights before anyone will be concerned. They were also a tad bit jaundiced, but the doc said that as long as they continue to eat as much as they do it will get cleared out of their system, and that the levels weren't high enough to warrant any special attention.
While she was examining the babies, Joe Joe decided it was time for more theatrics. This time, he started peeing, on the doctor, on the wall, everywhere. We stopped it as best we could and took him over to the sink to clean up, where he promptly started pooping. We finally got him cleaned up and back to the doc, and he started peeing again. It really was like being in a Jerry Lewis movie (or a Ben Stiller movie, for the younger generation out there).
Once it was all over, they slept like, well, babies, the whole drive home.
They have another appointment on Thursday, so hopefully we'll see some gains in weight. The definitely are eating more, although they still won't nurse. This is ok, because Sarah is able to pump enough breast milk so that we rarely need formula anymore (which is good, because they don't like formula nearly as well).
Little Joe had quite a time. First, they stripped him down to get a weight. Easy enough, but he was unhappy. Then, they took his temp, rectally, of course. He quieted up for a second, which we found curious. Then they pulled out the thermometer (you can see where this is going, right?). So that was our first poopsplosion. While we tried to get him into a new diaper, he started peeing, and lemmie tell ya, the kid's got a good stream. So there went that diaper. We started putting another one on him and, guess what, more poop. Unbelievable. He was already into his remaining outfit and we hadn't even seen the doctor yet. Emma was much more cooperative. We did have to change a diaper, but without the dramatics.
So the babies were still below their birth weight, but the doc wasn't worried. They were eating regularly and doing their business, and they have 2 weeks to get back to their birth weights before anyone will be concerned. They were also a tad bit jaundiced, but the doc said that as long as they continue to eat as much as they do it will get cleared out of their system, and that the levels weren't high enough to warrant any special attention.
While she was examining the babies, Joe Joe decided it was time for more theatrics. This time, he started peeing, on the doctor, on the wall, everywhere. We stopped it as best we could and took him over to the sink to clean up, where he promptly started pooping. We finally got him cleaned up and back to the doc, and he started peeing again. It really was like being in a Jerry Lewis movie (or a Ben Stiller movie, for the younger generation out there).
Once it was all over, they slept like, well, babies, the whole drive home.
They have another appointment on Thursday, so hopefully we'll see some gains in weight. The definitely are eating more, although they still won't nurse. This is ok, because Sarah is able to pump enough breast milk so that we rarely need formula anymore (which is good, because they don't like formula nearly as well).
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Stay Tuned
We haven't forgotten about the blog. Unfortunately, when one considers Maslow's Heirachy of Needs, blogging is higher up the pyramid than food and sleep. We'll catch up soon...
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Shift Work
Since I was up until 6 with the babies, Sarah let me sleep in during the morning. A friend came over for a couple of hours to help her out with diapers and feeding. I got up and hit the ground running, as Sarah was fried by then. We got the kids to sleep and she got to take a shower. Who has time for showers, anymore?
Anyway, we also started feeding the babies breastmilk (or when it's not available, formula) by bottle with those new-fangled orthodontic nipples. We'd really like to get them nursing primarily with bottled breastmilk filling in the gaps. Hopefully it will get easier as Sarah is able to produce more milk.
Anyway, I wanted to post this shot of the kids.
I had just fed, changed, and washed them, and got them all swaddled up for a nap. They do well right next to each other, and slept for most of three hours. Sarah also slept during this time, since she's dealing with sleep deprivation, recovering from a c-section, epidural, and spinal block, as well as producing milk. I didn't wake her for an hour and a half past when she told me to get her up, because I knew she needed the rest. I was able to feed/change/clean up/put down the kids so she could have another few hours without needing to worry about the babies. They're all asleep in our room now, as I was able to get the kids to sleep in the bassinet, something they resisted yesterday. So hopefully tonight will be easier. We pick up Sarah's mom tomorrow and head straight to the pediatrician for their post-discharge check-up, and of course we'll let you know how they're doing. As for me, I'm going to eat some dinner. Honey Bunches of Oats sounds good...
Anyway, we also started feeding the babies breastmilk (or when it's not available, formula) by bottle with those new-fangled orthodontic nipples. We'd really like to get them nursing primarily with bottled breastmilk filling in the gaps. Hopefully it will get easier as Sarah is able to produce more milk.
Anyway, I wanted to post this shot of the kids.
I had just fed, changed, and washed them, and got them all swaddled up for a nap. They do well right next to each other, and slept for most of three hours. Sarah also slept during this time, since she's dealing with sleep deprivation, recovering from a c-section, epidural, and spinal block, as well as producing milk. I didn't wake her for an hour and a half past when she told me to get her up, because I knew she needed the rest. I was able to feed/change/clean up/put down the kids so she could have another few hours without needing to worry about the babies. They're all asleep in our room now, as I was able to get the kids to sleep in the bassinet, something they resisted yesterday. So hopefully tonight will be easier. We pick up Sarah's mom tomorrow and head straight to the pediatrician for their post-discharge check-up, and of course we'll let you know how they're doing. As for me, I'm going to eat some dinner. Honey Bunches of Oats sounds good...
Homies and Shorties
So we came home from the hospital Wednesday afternoon. I picked up Sarah and the kids just before the next feeding was scheduled, but that takes an hour, so we just loaded up and headed home. It turns out we had to make a few stops, so they didn't get their food until almost 2 hours later. They didn't seem to mind, though, as it appears that riding in the car makes them sleepy. They hardly made a peep the whole drive home.
As you can tell by the timestamp, sleep won't be happening much for me tonight. For much of the night, Emma has been inconsolable. we've changed her diaper 3 times since 11 PM and have fed her, burped her, etc. Little Joe was doing pretty well, but he wouldn't lay down without fussing either. So I took the little man away and let Sarah work with Emma. After about an hour, he was consistently out (as long as he was held), so I swapped with her. Currently Emma is laying across my lap, completely sweet and asleep. And now Lil Joe is crying for Sarah. It just isn't right. Maybe he's hungry...
[Twenty minutes later]
It turns out that he, indeed, was hungry. So, I put Emma in her car seat, in which she is sleeping fantastically (owing, partly, to just having been fed by Sarah). I told Sarah to get some sleep, and brought the little man into the office with me and Emma and fed him some formula. We would like to feed them breast milk exclusively, but when they were in the hospital we couldn't wait for Sarah's milk to come in to feed them, as we needed to stop their weight loss. Now, unfortunately, rather than nurse, they like to take the easy way out and get syringe fed. Tonight we were able to feed them some pumped milk by syringe feeding, so we're trying to get them hooked on the taste of breast milk so that formula will be a last resort. It's a bit tougher with preemies, as nursing isn't quite as instinctive for them as it is for full-term babies.
Now everyone is sleeping away, Joseph comfortably on my lap, Emma in her carseat, and Sarah in our bed. At least until the next alarm goes off at 4:15 and Emma has to be fed...
As you can tell by the timestamp, sleep won't be happening much for me tonight. For much of the night, Emma has been inconsolable. we've changed her diaper 3 times since 11 PM and have fed her, burped her, etc. Little Joe was doing pretty well, but he wouldn't lay down without fussing either. So I took the little man away and let Sarah work with Emma. After about an hour, he was consistently out (as long as he was held), so I swapped with her. Currently Emma is laying across my lap, completely sweet and asleep. And now Lil Joe is crying for Sarah. It just isn't right. Maybe he's hungry...
[Twenty minutes later]
It turns out that he, indeed, was hungry. So, I put Emma in her car seat, in which she is sleeping fantastically (owing, partly, to just having been fed by Sarah). I told Sarah to get some sleep, and brought the little man into the office with me and Emma and fed him some formula. We would like to feed them breast milk exclusively, but when they were in the hospital we couldn't wait for Sarah's milk to come in to feed them, as we needed to stop their weight loss. Now, unfortunately, rather than nurse, they like to take the easy way out and get syringe fed. Tonight we were able to feed them some pumped milk by syringe feeding, so we're trying to get them hooked on the taste of breast milk so that formula will be a last resort. It's a bit tougher with preemies, as nursing isn't quite as instinctive for them as it is for full-term babies.
Now everyone is sleeping away, Joseph comfortably on my lap, Emma in her carseat, and Sarah in our bed. At least until the next alarm goes off at 4:15 and Emma has to be fed...
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
A Short Report
After losing a bit of weight since they've been born (which is completely normal, as many of you know), the twins have started to gain it back again. They're a little jaundiced right now, probably because they're not nursing as efficiently as they will shortly. We've been supplementing with formula, which we've always expected to have to do for the first little bit until Sarah can keep up. Already Little Joe has had to switch to a soy based formula as the cow's milk-based one curdles in his poor little tummy.
I got some good pictures since the blog post yesterday. There are many more in the Sweet Babies James set on flickr site, but some of these are too good to pass up for the blog.
This is a good one of Sarah and Emma. Their similarities are even more apparent in person, but this gives you a pretty good idea.
Here are our two little angels, all swaddled up and sleepy. Precious, no?
Finally, the best shot I've gotten so far. Such sweet babies!
Thanks again to everyone who has emailed and commented. We love you all and appreciate your interest in our little world. We should be coming home soon, but I'm not sure when we'll really be ready for visitors yet. We'll be learning how to juggle everything without the hospital staff around to help us out, so give us a little bit to get settled. It is our intention to keep the blog going so everyone can stay up to date.
But right now, this tired daddy is going to sleep.
I got some good pictures since the blog post yesterday. There are many more in the Sweet Babies James set on flickr site, but some of these are too good to pass up for the blog.
This is a good one of Sarah and Emma. Their similarities are even more apparent in person, but this gives you a pretty good idea.
Here are our two little angels, all swaddled up and sleepy. Precious, no?
Finally, the best shot I've gotten so far. Such sweet babies!
Thanks again to everyone who has emailed and commented. We love you all and appreciate your interest in our little world. We should be coming home soon, but I'm not sure when we'll really be ready for visitors yet. We'll be learning how to juggle everything without the hospital staff around to help us out, so give us a little bit to get settled. It is our intention to keep the blog going so everyone can stay up to date.
But right now, this tired daddy is going to sleep.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Announcing: Emma Christina and Joseph Bedford
After 36 weeks and 2 days, Sarah's water broke around 2 AM, and in we went.
Our OB was the doc on call, and Emma and Joseph were born on December 9, 2007, at 5:04 and 5:05 AM respectively. At birth she weighed 5 lb, 2.4 oz, was 18.5" long, her head was 11.5" around, and her chest was 11" around. He weighed, 5 lb, 7 oz, was 18" long, his head was 13.25" around, and his chest was 11.25" around.
Emma's head is a little cone-shaped right now, a result of her long term engagement. She has Sarah's dimples and cheeks and definitely looks a lot like her mom.
As my family said when they saw him, Little Joe looks like I did when I was born, except he's not ugly. Seriously. I have quite the reputation for looking like a little old man as a newborn. The nurses in the delivery room said he looked like a miniature 9-year old.
They've already been visited by grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, great aunts, and a few friends. And the only people I called after they were born were my parents and my pastor at church, figuring both were excellent methods of spreading the news, absent an Internet connection at the hospital.
Since they're technically premature, they don't quite have nursing down just yet. They're making progress, though, and we're working with the lactation specialist for some hints and tips. Thankfully, they won't require time in the NICU, although they will need more care once they get home than other newborns, due to being early.
While this has all been very exciting, it's really exhausting. I hear the knowing chuckles of all you parents out there, but feeding two newborns every 2 hours is a lot more hectic than feeding 1. Especially since my preemies aren't good at it yet. Sarah and I are both whipped out. I'm writing this post enjoying my first meal of the day, and I've been up for a long time. We are definitely taking advantage of the nursery staff being there so we can catch a little shut-eye every now and again.
If all goes according to plan, we should be able to go home Wednesday afternoon. Sarah's mom is coming in on Friday through the holidays, and we'll appreciate the extra help around the house. She also has been doing her OB rotation in nursing school, so we'll have an expert around (all you moms out there, that's half a joke, because most of you have become "experts" by now).
I've only included a few pictures in this post, but there are may more on my flickr site for you to look over. New photos will also be added to this set in the future. Thanks to all of you for your prayers. Our babies truly are miracles. Please forgive me if I can't return your call or email immediately, but know that we are appreciative and are blessed to count you all as friends.
Stay tuned!
Our OB was the doc on call, and Emma and Joseph were born on December 9, 2007, at 5:04 and 5:05 AM respectively. At birth she weighed 5 lb, 2.4 oz, was 18.5" long, her head was 11.5" around, and her chest was 11" around. He weighed, 5 lb, 7 oz, was 18" long, his head was 13.25" around, and his chest was 11.25" around.
Emma's head is a little cone-shaped right now, a result of her long term engagement. She has Sarah's dimples and cheeks and definitely looks a lot like her mom.
As my family said when they saw him, Little Joe looks like I did when I was born, except he's not ugly. Seriously. I have quite the reputation for looking like a little old man as a newborn. The nurses in the delivery room said he looked like a miniature 9-year old.
They've already been visited by grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, great aunts, and a few friends. And the only people I called after they were born were my parents and my pastor at church, figuring both were excellent methods of spreading the news, absent an Internet connection at the hospital.
Since they're technically premature, they don't quite have nursing down just yet. They're making progress, though, and we're working with the lactation specialist for some hints and tips. Thankfully, they won't require time in the NICU, although they will need more care once they get home than other newborns, due to being early.
While this has all been very exciting, it's really exhausting. I hear the knowing chuckles of all you parents out there, but feeding two newborns every 2 hours is a lot more hectic than feeding 1. Especially since my preemies aren't good at it yet. Sarah and I are both whipped out. I'm writing this post enjoying my first meal of the day, and I've been up for a long time. We are definitely taking advantage of the nursery staff being there so we can catch a little shut-eye every now and again.
If all goes according to plan, we should be able to go home Wednesday afternoon. Sarah's mom is coming in on Friday through the holidays, and we'll appreciate the extra help around the house. She also has been doing her OB rotation in nursing school, so we'll have an expert around (all you moms out there, that's half a joke, because most of you have become "experts" by now).
I've only included a few pictures in this post, but there are may more on my flickr site for you to look over. New photos will also be added to this set in the future. Thanks to all of you for your prayers. Our babies truly are miracles. Please forgive me if I can't return your call or email immediately, but know that we are appreciative and are blessed to count you all as friends.
Stay tuned!
Friday, December 7, 2007
36 weeks
Since over 50% of twins are born before 36 weeks of gestation, Joseph and Emma have really beat the odds. That's pretty amazing considering what we've been through so far. I was hoping to pop out a few babies that first night after the doctor's appointment that allowed me to stop taking the anti-contraction meds. Unfortunately, I only got 4-5 hours of consistent contractions that were about 7-8 min apart. Then, they went to about 10 minutes apart. After about 12 hours they returned to their normal 2-3 an hour. Maybe they'll come back today...Fridays are good days to have babies, right??? :)
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Doctor's Appointment
We just got back from another doctor's appointment. Everything looked great, as always, and the doc gave me the okay to stop taking my anti-contraction meds...starting tomorrow. He said he's heading to Mobile this afternoon, but is on call tomorrow night. So to increase the chances of him doing the c-section, I'll be drugged until tomorrow.
We couldn't get pictures from the ultrasounds today because both babies were uncooperative and choose not to look in the correct direction. Also, my belly, which is over 4 feet in circumference, now measures the size of a 45 week singleton pregnancy. Ugh!
We couldn't get pictures from the ultrasounds today because both babies were uncooperative and choose not to look in the correct direction. Also, my belly, which is over 4 feet in circumference, now measures the size of a 45 week singleton pregnancy. Ugh!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
OMG 35 Weeks
We hit 35 weeks today. This is the date I was giving people way back when, back before the complications. If you'd have told me 6 weeks ago we'd get to 35 I'd have appreciated your optimism.
So after the doctor's appt. on Tuesday, Sarah and I went on a "holiday date" to Red Lobster. Big time, right? It's right across the street from the hospital, and since we were out anyway, I thought it would be nice since she's been cooped up in a hospital room or the house most of the last 2.5 months. We enjoyed our shrimp scampi (although my brother's is far superior) and she had an IBC straight for the bottle. Now that's living the high life.
Anyway, our hostess, when she sat us, asked Sarah if she was having a boy. Sarah replied (as she frequently does) "One of each." Our hostess asked when they were due, and we said that 40 weeks was Jan. 4, but we wouldn't make it that long, "of course." Well, it turns out that she had twins (a boy and a girl) and they told her the same thing. She went to 40 weeks. So someone out there makes it that long with twins. God bless 'em...
Sarah mentioned in her last post that she measures 43 weeks pregnant, if she were carrying a singleton. You know that you look more pregnant than usual when people in the maternity ward openly stare and ask how far along you are, and how many you're having. We are both amazed at her belly as the babies cause it to morph into different shapes. We can see how Emma is positioned from the outside now. Pretty crazy, and pretty cool.
So after the doctor's appt. on Tuesday, Sarah and I went on a "holiday date" to Red Lobster. Big time, right? It's right across the street from the hospital, and since we were out anyway, I thought it would be nice since she's been cooped up in a hospital room or the house most of the last 2.5 months. We enjoyed our shrimp scampi (although my brother's is far superior) and she had an IBC straight for the bottle. Now that's living the high life.
Anyway, our hostess, when she sat us, asked Sarah if she was having a boy. Sarah replied (as she frequently does) "One of each." Our hostess asked when they were due, and we said that 40 weeks was Jan. 4, but we wouldn't make it that long, "of course." Well, it turns out that she had twins (a boy and a girl) and they told her the same thing. She went to 40 weeks. So someone out there makes it that long with twins. God bless 'em...
Sarah mentioned in her last post that she measures 43 weeks pregnant, if she were carrying a singleton. You know that you look more pregnant than usual when people in the maternity ward openly stare and ask how far along you are, and how many you're having. We are both amazed at her belly as the babies cause it to morph into different shapes. We can see how Emma is positioned from the outside now. Pretty crazy, and pretty cool.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Doctor's Update
We went to see our primary OB today and got a bit of news. He said the babies could show up any day now, but we should try to delay it for another week or two. My belly measures 43 weeks pregnant, which I'm thrilled about. That means if we have more kids, I'll probably never be this big again.
Joseph and Emma had their ultrasound and BPPs. The babies passed their biophysical profiles (BPPs) with 8 out of 8 and both look great. The non-stress test (NST) also looked good. I'm still having contractions and I'm still on medicine. I only dilated 2 cm, but the doctor indicated that the dilation could change very quickly due to other factors that have become apparent over the past few weeks. He also said if I come in due to contractions, they will more than likely let me deliver. So I will hold off as many contractions as possible with deep breathing and pharmaceuticals!
Joseph and Emma had their ultrasound and BPPs. The babies passed their biophysical profiles (BPPs) with 8 out of 8 and both look great. The non-stress test (NST) also looked good. I'm still having contractions and I'm still on medicine. I only dilated 2 cm, but the doctor indicated that the dilation could change very quickly due to other factors that have become apparent over the past few weeks. He also said if I come in due to contractions, they will more than likely let me deliver. So I will hold off as many contractions as possible with deep breathing and pharmaceuticals!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Yes, I'm STILL pregnant...
...and I really know it is a good thing. The babies get much bigger every day, and I'm now hoping they'll be at least 5lbs each when they come. Having said that, I'm tired of having contractions (working on 4 weeks of going into and stopping labor), I'm tired of being on bedrest (going on 2.5 months now), and I'm tired of being amazed at how big my belly can really get!
My mom was here for the weekend to visit, so I had a nice change of pace. I also went to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, even though I was supposed to be in bed. I stayed in a recliner most of the time, but it was nice to see everyone. I was so thankful that I was not in the hospital for the weekend. Three weeks of being poked and prodded, and staring at the same pink walls was not my idea of a good time. I got to leave my room once a week for an ultrasound, and that's it.
Within a few hours of being admitted to the hospital, they put me on the magnesium sulfate and couldn't get my contractions down. Magnesium sulfate is considered the drug of last resort to stop contractions. I had about 8 contractions an hour on the magnesium sulfate. The nurses mentioned that it would be very unlikely for me to continue the pregnancy after they pulled me off the magnesium sulfate. The first hour off of the drug I had 6 contractions and only 3 in the second hour. I was thrilled and thankful to have some divine intervention.
Some drugs from the doctor ease your discomfort, then there's magnesium sulfate. I noticed they hooked about 5 bags to my IV stand and the nurse got one of the little bins for me to get sick in. I got an idea that this might not be the most pleasant experience of my life. The nurse then explained to me the first 30 minutes would be the worst because they needed to get a certain amount into my system very quickly. I would have very bad flu-like symptoms, but they would only keep me on it until the steroid shots could take effect for the babies. So about an hour later, my body felt as if it was bruised everywhere, I was amazingly dizzy, and fairly groggy. I think my nasuea was better than most situations, because I didn't get sick, I just couldn't eat for the two days I was on the magnesium. I also hadn't eaten the entire day before, which may have helped. The things the nurse didn't mentions is the extreme anxiety being on the magnesium can cause, and the hallucinations. Not too pleasant at all.
Contractions have continued the entire time since then, some fairly severe. Sometimes they are organized and consistent and sometimes they are random. Random contractions are better, because they generally indicate false labor, not the real thing. Every time a I had a new nurse helping me, she would get concerned with the contractions, but here I am, three weeks later, still pregnant. No one expected that...not even our doctors.
Well, that's a little info from my perspective. I'm supposed to be in bed (cheating again), but I wanted to share some of the craziness I've been through. I'm so thankful that we've had the Lord intervene on our behalf so many times now. I'm looking forward to seeing my babies and being able to walk across the house without having a contraction!!
My mom was here for the weekend to visit, so I had a nice change of pace. I also went to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, even though I was supposed to be in bed. I stayed in a recliner most of the time, but it was nice to see everyone. I was so thankful that I was not in the hospital for the weekend. Three weeks of being poked and prodded, and staring at the same pink walls was not my idea of a good time. I got to leave my room once a week for an ultrasound, and that's it.
Within a few hours of being admitted to the hospital, they put me on the magnesium sulfate and couldn't get my contractions down. Magnesium sulfate is considered the drug of last resort to stop contractions. I had about 8 contractions an hour on the magnesium sulfate. The nurses mentioned that it would be very unlikely for me to continue the pregnancy after they pulled me off the magnesium sulfate. The first hour off of the drug I had 6 contractions and only 3 in the second hour. I was thrilled and thankful to have some divine intervention.
Some drugs from the doctor ease your discomfort, then there's magnesium sulfate. I noticed they hooked about 5 bags to my IV stand and the nurse got one of the little bins for me to get sick in. I got an idea that this might not be the most pleasant experience of my life. The nurse then explained to me the first 30 minutes would be the worst because they needed to get a certain amount into my system very quickly. I would have very bad flu-like symptoms, but they would only keep me on it until the steroid shots could take effect for the babies. So about an hour later, my body felt as if it was bruised everywhere, I was amazingly dizzy, and fairly groggy. I think my nasuea was better than most situations, because I didn't get sick, I just couldn't eat for the two days I was on the magnesium. I also hadn't eaten the entire day before, which may have helped. The things the nurse didn't mentions is the extreme anxiety being on the magnesium can cause, and the hallucinations. Not too pleasant at all.
Contractions have continued the entire time since then, some fairly severe. Sometimes they are organized and consistent and sometimes they are random. Random contractions are better, because they generally indicate false labor, not the real thing. Every time a I had a new nurse helping me, she would get concerned with the contractions, but here I am, three weeks later, still pregnant. No one expected that...not even our doctors.
Well, that's a little info from my perspective. I'm supposed to be in bed (cheating again), but I wanted to share some of the craziness I've been through. I'm so thankful that we've had the Lord intervene on our behalf so many times now. I'm looking forward to seeing my babies and being able to walk across the house without having a contraction!!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Belly Shots
Here are some recent belly shots. The first is from Sunday night, when we really thought the babies might be on their way. The second is from Thanksgiving day. What's funny is how shocked Sarah is when she sees them.
33.5 Weeks
34 Weeks
33.5 Weeks
34 Weeks
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
November Surprise
The high risk doc came by this morning (having reviewed the ultrasounds from yesterday), and decided that the babies looked so good that Sarah could go home, as long as she stuck to strict bedrest. So this morning she came home. It's her first day outside in 3 weeks, so she is elated to be home. The doc joked that they were sending her home so she could go into labor and come right back. Hopefully that won't be the case for a little bit. We have the meds to fight the contractions off if they reach a certain level, and lots of instructions. So things are looking very good. The votes for after Thanksgiving are looking better and better.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Hang In There, Baby
As is his custom,the OB came by the room this morning around 6:30 to see how everything was going. Sarah asked him, since we're almost at 34 weeks, how long did she have to hang in there. He replied that the good news was that she'd be there over Thanksgiving and that they'd love her to get to 38 weeks.
As soon as he walked out, Sarah promptly cried.
She'll have been admitted 3 weeks tomorrow. To get to 38 weeks would be another 4+ weeks. Not fun. But, we know that every day she's in decreases the chances the babies will have to stay in the NICU, so it's a trade-off. As the nurses said the other day, they've never seen a pregnant woman in Sarah's condition that wasn't ready to cease being pregnant.
Ultrasounds were done today to track the growth of the babies. Got a couple of pictures worth sharing.
Here is Joseph blowing bubbles in profile.
This is a cute one of Emma flexing her bicep. Her humerus is horizontal on the bottom, elbow to the left, hand up and right from the elbow.
Both babies were practicing their breathing throughout the ultrasound. They were also fidgeting around quite a bit, Joseph more than Emma, since he has more room. We also got approximate weights. The calculation for Joseph's weight was 4 lbs 8 oz. Emma is a little bit tougher to measure, because her head is so low. She measured out at 4 lbs. 2 oz. The tech told us that it is likely that they are really closer in size, and that Emma's measurements are less precise, because of her position in the uterus.
So we'll spend Thanksgiving in the hospital, one way or another. Sarah's mom will be flying down to visit for the holiday, so that will be nice. She also appreciates phone calls, as it's pretty boring in the hospital. If she's not feeling well, she'll try to let you know if she's not up to talking. We appreciate all the prayers and well wishes. It won't be too long now.
As soon as he walked out, Sarah promptly cried.
She'll have been admitted 3 weeks tomorrow. To get to 38 weeks would be another 4+ weeks. Not fun. But, we know that every day she's in decreases the chances the babies will have to stay in the NICU, so it's a trade-off. As the nurses said the other day, they've never seen a pregnant woman in Sarah's condition that wasn't ready to cease being pregnant.
Ultrasounds were done today to track the growth of the babies. Got a couple of pictures worth sharing.
Here is Joseph blowing bubbles in profile.
This is a cute one of Emma flexing her bicep. Her humerus is horizontal on the bottom, elbow to the left, hand up and right from the elbow.
Both babies were practicing their breathing throughout the ultrasound. They were also fidgeting around quite a bit, Joseph more than Emma, since he has more room. We also got approximate weights. The calculation for Joseph's weight was 4 lbs 8 oz. Emma is a little bit tougher to measure, because her head is so low. She measured out at 4 lbs. 2 oz. The tech told us that it is likely that they are really closer in size, and that Emma's measurements are less precise, because of her position in the uterus.
So we'll spend Thanksgiving in the hospital, one way or another. Sarah's mom will be flying down to visit for the holiday, so that will be nice. She also appreciates phone calls, as it's pretty boring in the hospital. If she's not feeling well, she'll try to let you know if she's not up to talking. We appreciate all the prayers and well wishes. It won't be too long now.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Howard Deaning for Visits
So here's a new map of US visitors to our blog since July 11, 2007. As you can see, I've gone with states rather than cities this time.
So we're gonna go to Iowa! And Mississippi!! And West Virginia!!! And Louisiana!!! And Deleware!!!! And BLAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!
Why those states? Well, because I'm a little OCD, so I want contiguous states from the Pacific, across the South, up the Mississippi, and up the Eastern Seaboard. It doesn't have to go past New York, I just want the gaps filled. And I don't think I know anyone in New England or the Northern Plains anyway. Of course, I haven't known quite a few visitors, so maybe I should reach out to them. Ummm... Go Patriots? The Red Sawx are wicked awesome?
EDIT:
I don't want to leave out our readers abroad, so here's a map of our visits worldwide. We've got quite a following in London... ;-)
So we're gonna go to Iowa! And Mississippi!! And West Virginia!!! And Louisiana!!! And Deleware!!!! And BLAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!
Why those states? Well, because I'm a little OCD, so I want contiguous states from the Pacific, across the South, up the Mississippi, and up the Eastern Seaboard. It doesn't have to go past New York, I just want the gaps filled. And I don't think I know anyone in New England or the Northern Plains anyway. Of course, I haven't known quite a few visitors, so maybe I should reach out to them. Ummm... Go Patriots? The Red Sawx are wicked awesome?
EDIT:
I don't want to leave out our readers abroad, so here's a map of our visits worldwide. We've got quite a following in London... ;-)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Darn Florida Elections
The votes are in, and I am very happy to report that at least 50% of you have no chance of winning the baby pool, since the date you voted for has already past. Of course, I'm sure this is one election you don't mind losing.
Sarah had lots of contractions last night. They gave her terbutaline to help, which it did, but it didn't eliminate them. Add to this that she has felt "wrong" for the past couple of days, and she reckons that babytime will be sooner than later.
Sarah had lots of contractions last night. They gave her terbutaline to help, which it did, but it didn't eliminate them. Add to this that she has felt "wrong" for the past couple of days, and she reckons that babytime will be sooner than later.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
So It Goes
I'm not sure if I mentioned it before on here, but the plan is for Sarah to have a cesarean once she's 4 cm dilated. The biggest reason for the cesarean is so that she doesn't deliver both ways, as sometimes with twins the first is delivered without incident but there is something amiss for the second so they have to do the c-section.
So she asked the docs today when they were going to check her dilation again. The answer? They're not. They fear that the process of checking will be detrimental to the condition of the cervix, and they don't want to cause premature labor. So, essentially, they'll do the c-section if (a)contractions become steadier and stronger, (b)the babies are distressed, (c)the water breaks for one of the babies, or (d)Sarah is in a dangerous condition.
Tomorrow is 33 weeks, which made our high-risk doc very happy. Full term for twins is generally 36 weeks, so we really only have 3 weeks to go at the outside. The twins have been growing more quickly than singletons for their gestational age, but this is the time period where they start slowing down, because they're almost out of room. This is OK, because they're essentially as long as they're going to be, they're just putting on fat (0.23-.46 kg/week)* and learning how to breathe.
*If you're not sure how kg and lb relate, there are a little more than 2 kg/lb. Also, any time you need a quick conversion, you can use the Google toolbar as a calculator. For example, if you enter "0.23kg in lb", the next page will give you the results of your calculation.
So she asked the docs today when they were going to check her dilation again. The answer? They're not. They fear that the process of checking will be detrimental to the condition of the cervix, and they don't want to cause premature labor. So, essentially, they'll do the c-section if (a)contractions become steadier and stronger, (b)the babies are distressed, (c)the water breaks for one of the babies, or (d)Sarah is in a dangerous condition.
Tomorrow is 33 weeks, which made our high-risk doc very happy. Full term for twins is generally 36 weeks, so we really only have 3 weeks to go at the outside. The twins have been growing more quickly than singletons for their gestational age, but this is the time period where they start slowing down, because they're almost out of room. This is OK, because they're essentially as long as they're going to be, they're just putting on fat (0.23-.46 kg/week)* and learning how to breathe.
*If you're not sure how kg and lb relate, there are a little more than 2 kg/lb. Also, any time you need a quick conversion, you can use the Google toolbar as a calculator. For example, if you enter "0.23kg in lb", the next page will give you the results of your calculation.
2K
Sometime early today we will have had our 2000th visit since we started counting, and over 1000 of those have been in the last month. I guess it's true what they say, if you want more traffic on your blog, you have to write more.
Things are still going well on the baby front. An ultrasound was done on Monday but we haven't heard any results. In our situation, no news is good news. We don't have any pictures this week, and probably won't from here on out. They're just too big to get many shots of anything recognizable any more.
In other news, Sarah's belly, has shifted lower than it was as recently as a couple of days ago. She isn't having more contractions, and the shift is not unexpected for how far along she is, but I was impressed with how noticeable it was. It seems Lil' Joe has lots of room in there right now because they have to keep moving the heart monitors to find him. Emma, on the other hand, is pretty much locked in place and can't move around so much.
Sarah's feeling is that if we make it to 33 weeks (Thursday), then she's going to be in the hospital over Thanksgiving. She is feeling ambivalent about this, because she's so tired of being in the hospital (we're over 2 weeks now) but she wants to be able to come home with the babies with as little time in the NICU as possible. Hopefully we'll only have one baby the next time around, and she won't have to go through all this again.
Things are still going well on the baby front. An ultrasound was done on Monday but we haven't heard any results. In our situation, no news is good news. We don't have any pictures this week, and probably won't from here on out. They're just too big to get many shots of anything recognizable any more.
In other news, Sarah's belly, has shifted lower than it was as recently as a couple of days ago. She isn't having more contractions, and the shift is not unexpected for how far along she is, but I was impressed with how noticeable it was. It seems Lil' Joe has lots of room in there right now because they have to keep moving the heart monitors to find him. Emma, on the other hand, is pretty much locked in place and can't move around so much.
Sarah's feeling is that if we make it to 33 weeks (Thursday), then she's going to be in the hospital over Thanksgiving. She is feeling ambivalent about this, because she's so tired of being in the hospital (we're over 2 weeks now) but she wants to be able to come home with the babies with as little time in the NICU as possible. Hopefully we'll only have one baby the next time around, and she won't have to go through all this again.
Monday, November 12, 2007
A Backlog of News
As you no doubt have guessed, there have been things worth reporting on the blog. However, since I opened voting through Saturday, it wasn't fair to give information after some had voted and before others had. Now that the voting has closed, on with the news.
The nurses informed us of the results of the ultrasound the other day. The babies scored an 8 out of 8 on their biophysical profiles, which, obviously, is great.
As of Friday morning, Sarah was taken off the rolls as a high-risk antepartum patient and is now just another antepartum patient. This, of course, is excellent news. Sarah asked one of the nurses why, since she's doing so well, won't our OB just let her go home. It turns out that he would, but our high-risk OB won't sign off on it. So, she can't go home, but she's in pretty good shape. My long-declared goal of 33 weeks (under a week away) looks better and better.
The nurses informed us of the results of the ultrasound the other day. The babies scored an 8 out of 8 on their biophysical profiles, which, obviously, is great.
As of Friday morning, Sarah was taken off the rolls as a high-risk antepartum patient and is now just another antepartum patient. This, of course, is excellent news. Sarah asked one of the nurses why, since she's doing so well, won't our OB just let her go home. It turns out that he would, but our high-risk OB won't sign off on it. So, she can't go home, but she's in pretty good shape. My long-declared goal of 33 weeks (under a week away) looks better and better.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Be a Merican, Vote!
I've added a poll to the front page of the blog. From now until 2AM 11/11/07 you can guess when the twins will be born. As with all games, there is an assumption of fair play, so please only vote once, if you can help it. You can also comment on this post to record your vote for posterity. The winner may receive a fabulous prize!* There is only a short time to vote (this week), so hop to it!
*The prize, if there be any prize, is not fabulous.
*The prize, if there be any prize, is not fabulous.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
You've Got the Cutest Little Baby Face
Sarah had another good day today, perhaps the best in a while. The procardia seems to be doing its job quite well, as Sarah's contractions are neither nearly as frequent nor as strong as they were.
The high risk doc has some ultrasounds run to check in on the little ones. Everything seems to be fine and they are quite active. We also got a couple of interesting shots.
Here's a good one of one of Emma's feet.
This one captures a bit of her face. You can make out an eye, the bones of the nose, and a bit of a chin.
So it's not as good as those 3D ultrasounds. But, hey, we're going to see her in the flesh soon enough, so we don't really need those. Thursday makes 32 weeks, so we just keep getting closer and closer to our goal. Of course, every time we meet a goal we set a new one, but that's OK, too.
The high risk doc has some ultrasounds run to check in on the little ones. Everything seems to be fine and they are quite active. We also got a couple of interesting shots.
Here's a good one of one of Emma's feet.
This one captures a bit of her face. You can make out an eye, the bones of the nose, and a bit of a chin.
So it's not as good as those 3D ultrasounds. But, hey, we're going to see her in the flesh soon enough, so we don't really need those. Thursday makes 32 weeks, so we just keep getting closer and closer to our goal. Of course, every time we meet a goal we set a new one, but that's OK, too.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Oh What A Night
Sarah had the best night she's had in weeks. They put her on procardia and she was able to sleep for several hours without interruption. The OB doc came by this morning and was very pleased with the results. She still won't be able to go home before the babies are born, but with her contractions down to a minimum our next goal of 32 weeks isn't so inconceivable as before. Oh, and my mattress topper worked great. I got a good long sleep last night and feel much better than I have for days.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
The Dark Night
Sarah seems to be able to get some sleep during the day, but the nights are pretty rough right now. They've had to give her something for the pain AND for contractions the last two nights. They've already prescribed something for the contractions tonight, it just hasn't gotten to the room yet. For Sarah it can't come soon enough.
Last night was the first I stayed overnight that wasn't in the Labor and Delivery section, but in the antepartum room. The so-called cot they have in there is probably worse than what they're allowed to use at Gitmo. Still, due to my exhaustion, I slept for several hours. Today I swung by Target and got a memory foam topper for the mattress, and it's SO much better. Once I shake this migraine I should get a decent night's sleep.
In medical news, Sarah is still only 1-2 cm dilated, which is excellent because it hasn't progressed. Also, the babies' responses to everything has been phenomenal. They haven't responded negatively to any of the treatments. They also have been responding to the contractions just like they should, with their heart rates increasing during the contractions(if the heart rates stayed the same or decreased they would indicate fetal distress). So everything looks excellent with them.
We're going to do our best to keep Sarah pregnant as long as possible to minimize the babies' stay in the NICU. Unfortunately for Sarah, what this means is that she starts getting the pain that would be expected for someone about to deliver. But then they administer the treatments to stop it, which means she gets to start all over again next time. It really isn't fair, but she'll keep doing as long as she can.
Last night was the first I stayed overnight that wasn't in the Labor and Delivery section, but in the antepartum room. The so-called cot they have in there is probably worse than what they're allowed to use at Gitmo. Still, due to my exhaustion, I slept for several hours. Today I swung by Target and got a memory foam topper for the mattress, and it's SO much better. Once I shake this migraine I should get a decent night's sleep.
In medical news, Sarah is still only 1-2 cm dilated, which is excellent because it hasn't progressed. Also, the babies' responses to everything has been phenomenal. They haven't responded negatively to any of the treatments. They also have been responding to the contractions just like they should, with their heart rates increasing during the contractions(if the heart rates stayed the same or decreased they would indicate fetal distress). So everything looks excellent with them.
We're going to do our best to keep Sarah pregnant as long as possible to minimize the babies' stay in the NICU. Unfortunately for Sarah, what this means is that she starts getting the pain that would be expected for someone about to deliver. But then they administer the treatments to stop it, which means she gets to start all over again next time. It really isn't fair, but she'll keep doing as long as she can.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Any Day Now
It seems that an hour after I left last night (while I was blogging, most likely) that Sarah's contractions got worse. She is being monitored constantly now. As she said this morning, being on bedrest in the hospital is where she wants to be, whereas before she would rather have gone home.
She is now 2 cm dilated and has essentially no cervical length. Our OB gives us 50/50 odds for making it through the weekend before the babies are born. His plan of action is to suppress contractions if possible, but sometimes the babies are ready to be born early for other reasons, such as the start of infection or some other reason, so they won't take especially heroic measures to stop the contractions. Given that Sarah has no cervical length, they plan to preform a cesarean section once she is dilated 4 cm. She has gone from 1 cm on Tuesday to 2 cm this morning, so 4 cm is likely sooner than later.
We'll take what we can get at this point, as our high risk guy said that every day she stays pregnant is 2 days out of the NICU. He also said that there is very little chance of any problems at this point, just that they'll have to stay in the hospital for a while.
Today I'm tidying things up around the house to minimize the chaos. I'll be collecting all the dishes from those who have cooked us meals so we can get them back , as well as clear some space in my fridge so we'll have room to store breastmilk when the time comes. I'll also pack a bigger bag in case I need so spend the night at the hospital a night or two.
Finally, it's probably best to minimize visitors at this point, as any extra stress, even "good" stress, can contribute to contractions. I'll be heading out later today, since Sarah is feeling pretty good this morning and doesn't need my moral support. Thanks for all your support during this exciting time. The train has almost reached the station, so hold on.
She is now 2 cm dilated and has essentially no cervical length. Our OB gives us 50/50 odds for making it through the weekend before the babies are born. His plan of action is to suppress contractions if possible, but sometimes the babies are ready to be born early for other reasons, such as the start of infection or some other reason, so they won't take especially heroic measures to stop the contractions. Given that Sarah has no cervical length, they plan to preform a cesarean section once she is dilated 4 cm. She has gone from 1 cm on Tuesday to 2 cm this morning, so 4 cm is likely sooner than later.
We'll take what we can get at this point, as our high risk guy said that every day she stays pregnant is 2 days out of the NICU. He also said that there is very little chance of any problems at this point, just that they'll have to stay in the hospital for a while.
Today I'm tidying things up around the house to minimize the chaos. I'll be collecting all the dishes from those who have cooked us meals so we can get them back , as well as clear some space in my fridge so we'll have room to store breastmilk when the time comes. I'll also pack a bigger bag in case I need so spend the night at the hospital a night or two.
Finally, it's probably best to minimize visitors at this point, as any extra stress, even "good" stress, can contribute to contractions. I'll be heading out later today, since Sarah is feeling pretty good this morning and doesn't need my moral support. Thanks for all your support during this exciting time. The train has almost reached the station, so hold on.
Yes, The Timestamp is Correct. Yes, I'm Exhausted.
I just got home from the hospital. There isn't much new to report. Sarah started having steady contractions around 9 PM. They monitored her and the babies for a while. Subsequently, they gave her something to relax and another shot of terbutaline to calm down the contractions, as well as putting her back on a hydrating IV. She had been sleeping pretty well for ~2 hours when I left a little after 2 AM and the contractions were definitely slowed and made less severe. Hopefully she'll have a nice long night of sleeping. My "night" of sleeping threatens to extend into the afternoon if I don't get to bed soon, so I'm outta here. More as it develops...
Friday, November 2, 2007
You Can't Go Home Again
Sarah called this morning. The doctor had been by to check her out, and she asked when he thought she might be able to go home. He just smiled and told her, "after you have the babies." So, however long it takes, Sarah will be residing at the hospital for a while. I'm gathering together some books and movies to keep her entertained, as it could be weeks before she can leave.
They've got her back on the terbutaline to curb the contractions (she had a couple good ones this morning), but not on the magnesium sulfate, thankfully. She welcomes visitors at this time. Just be sure to call ahead. Her room is near a window so she gets halfway decent cell reception, but she can give you the direct number to the room when you call.
Just don't call about anything stressful or upsetting. We're doing everything possible to minimize contractions, and stress can contribute to the number and severity of contractions. Everyone think happy thoughts!
They've got her back on the terbutaline to curb the contractions (she had a couple good ones this morning), but not on the magnesium sulfate, thankfully. She welcomes visitors at this time. Just be sure to call ahead. Her room is near a window so she gets halfway decent cell reception, but she can give you the direct number to the room when you call.
Just don't call about anything stressful or upsetting. We're doing everything possible to minimize contractions, and stress can contribute to the number and severity of contractions. Everyone think happy thoughts!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Whew! Things Look Better!
I stayed at the hospital last night, and neither Sarah nor I got a lot of sleep. As the day went on today, however, things got better and better. Here's a summary of what's gone on the past couple of days.
Tuesday - Doctors' appointments (with a heaping of stress), followed by a admission to the hospital and a steroid shot for the babies lungs.
Tuesday Night - Move from Labor and Delivery bed to an antepartum bed. I go home.
Tuesday/Wednesday overnight - An increase in contractions, a side effect of the steroid. The contraction inhibitor isn't doing enough to slow them down. Sarah is moved back to Labor and Delivery and put on magnesium sulfate to curb the contractions.
Wednesday - Anxiety and steroid shot still contributing to contractions. Terbutaline is discontinued, magnesium sulfate is maintained. The nurse's description on the side effects of magnesium sulfate ("like a bad case of the flu") turn out to be correct. After going into work for a bit to get some things in order, I headed back to the hospital, where I stayed overnight. In the early evening Sarah received the second steroid shot.
Thursday - Magnesium sulfate is discontinued at Noon. Sarah is able to eat lunch at 2 PM (albeit very little). The contractions slow to the point that they cease the continuous monitoring of the fetal heartbeats and uterine contractions. Symptoms continue to ease to the point that Sarah is moved back to an antepartum room, where monitoring will be performed on an "as needed" basis. Sarah will sleep the sleep of the medicated and I will sleep in my own bed, rather then on the bench in the L&D room like I did last night.
Best Case Scenario - Contractions are minimal and infrequent, no side effects of medications persist, and Sarah is allowed to go home Friday evening. A slightly more realistic but still optimistic scenario has this playing out on Saturday morning instead.
So, we will wait, and hope, and pray for the best. We'd really like to get to at least 32 weeks and would feel better about 34, as the time in the NICU decreases with every hour preterm labor is delayed. The docs will aggressively suppress labor until 34 weeks, at which point they will try to delay it, but will take measures that are less heroic than those taken at an earlier point in the pregnancy. Our nurse from the last couple of days is off tomorrow, so she told us she didn't want to see us again for a few weeks, but when we do come in, to makes sure we find her. We will do our best.
Oh! I almost forgot. Sarah is feeling much better, and would welcome phone calls and perhaps even a visit. Just be sure to call ahead to see if she's up to it. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate it.
Tuesday - Doctors' appointments (with a heaping of stress), followed by a admission to the hospital and a steroid shot for the babies lungs.
Tuesday Night - Move from Labor and Delivery bed to an antepartum bed. I go home.
Tuesday/Wednesday overnight - An increase in contractions, a side effect of the steroid. The contraction inhibitor isn't doing enough to slow them down. Sarah is moved back to Labor and Delivery and put on magnesium sulfate to curb the contractions.
Wednesday - Anxiety and steroid shot still contributing to contractions. Terbutaline is discontinued, magnesium sulfate is maintained. The nurse's description on the side effects of magnesium sulfate ("like a bad case of the flu") turn out to be correct. After going into work for a bit to get some things in order, I headed back to the hospital, where I stayed overnight. In the early evening Sarah received the second steroid shot.
Thursday - Magnesium sulfate is discontinued at Noon. Sarah is able to eat lunch at 2 PM (albeit very little). The contractions slow to the point that they cease the continuous monitoring of the fetal heartbeats and uterine contractions. Symptoms continue to ease to the point that Sarah is moved back to an antepartum room, where monitoring will be performed on an "as needed" basis. Sarah will sleep the sleep of the medicated and I will sleep in my own bed, rather then on the bench in the L&D room like I did last night.
Best Case Scenario - Contractions are minimal and infrequent, no side effects of medications persist, and Sarah is allowed to go home Friday evening. A slightly more realistic but still optimistic scenario has this playing out on Saturday morning instead.
So, we will wait, and hope, and pray for the best. We'd really like to get to at least 32 weeks and would feel better about 34, as the time in the NICU decreases with every hour preterm labor is delayed. The docs will aggressively suppress labor until 34 weeks, at which point they will try to delay it, but will take measures that are less heroic than those taken at an earlier point in the pregnancy. Our nurse from the last couple of days is off tomorrow, so she told us she didn't want to see us again for a few weeks, but when we do come in, to makes sure we find her. We will do our best.
Oh! I almost forgot. Sarah is feeling much better, and would welcome phone calls and perhaps even a visit. Just be sure to call ahead to see if she's up to it. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate it.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
No Visitors for Now
I went by the hospital for a couple of hours mid-day today to check up on Sarah. She is really starting to feel the effects of the magnesium sulfate and would prefer not to have visitors for the time being, as she is very uncomfortable and not as clear-headed as she'd like. They're taking good care of her and keeping an eye on everything, so I'll have more to report when I get home tonight after going to the hospital after work.
The Home Stretch?
Whilst I was asleep last night more exciting stuff happened. Sarah was continuing to experience contractions, among other symptoms, and they moved her back to labor and delivery and put her on magnesium sulfate to inhibit the contractions. This drug is more effective than the other, but it has many unpleasant side effects. Sarah will be confined to the bed until at least tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 1) morning, and might not leave it until the babies are born. The chances of Sarah coming home before the babies are born really aren't that good anymore, unless there is a significant change, which is unlikely. The doc came by and said his goal is to delay delivery until 32 weeks, and he is optimistic that we can make it that far, with treatment.
While I will be able to take off work for a month (thanks to leave donated to me by generous coworkers), the doc said to expect the babies to be in the NICU until they reach 36 weeks in gestational age, which is 5 weeks from tomorrow. This will make things a little tight, but I may have received some donations that I don't yet know about, so there may be more.
So here we go. Hopefully we can meet or beat the doctor's goal of 32 weeks, but if we don't we know the babies are in good hands. Please continue to remember us in your prayers during this exciting but stressful time.
While I will be able to take off work for a month (thanks to leave donated to me by generous coworkers), the doc said to expect the babies to be in the NICU until they reach 36 weeks in gestational age, which is 5 weeks from tomorrow. This will make things a little tight, but I may have received some donations that I don't yet know about, so there may be more.
So here we go. Hopefully we can meet or beat the doctor's goal of 32 weeks, but if we don't we know the babies are in good hands. Please continue to remember us in your prayers during this exciting but stressful time.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
OK, I Admit It
So today was eventful, to say the least. We had an appointment at 2:30 with our high risk doc, complete with a consult with a geneticist. After that, we were to go to our regular OB fresh from our results with the high risk guys. Here's what really happened.
We get to the high risk doc at 2, 30 minutes early. At around 2:45 they tell us that the docs have had an emergency and were delayed. They also told us that there were two people ahead of us, at 30 minutes each. We were a bit worried, because our regular OB appt was at 3:45, and they go home at 4. So, after talking to both offices, we went to our regular OB first, at 3:10, having been told we had 30 minutes. We rushed over, and they rushed us in, no waiting. ---{we interrupt this compelling narrative to bring you these pertinent medical findings...SARAH's gestational diabetes test was negative, and her belly is similar to that of someone 38 weeks pregnant with a singleton...we now return you to the stirring play-by-play}--- While Sarah was finishing up and making our next appointment with our regular OB, I headed straight back to the high risk OBs, which are literally down the hall, to let them know we were done. This is were it gets fun. The girl at the desk tells us that they called our name, and we weren't there, so we would have to reschedule. Yes, this is the same girl who told us we had 30 minutes, something she denied ever saying. So I'm mad. I'm so mad that I walk out of the office, down the hall, count to 30, and go back in to reschedule. Shortly thereafter, Sarah catches up and is told we have to reschedule. She gets as mad as I was, but she has more hormones running through her than I do. Suffice it to say that voices were raised, denials were made, and tears were shed. Not the sad kind, the angry kind. Eventually, word comes in from much higher up than the front desk girl, and they work us in. ---{more medical information...the babies are roughly 3.5 lbs each and are still similar in size...EMMA's head pushes both on SARAH's bladder and cervix, explaining a lot of phenomena SARAH has experienced...SARAH's cervical length is roughly 0.4 cm, and a week ago she was 1.5 cm dilated...and don't tell me you don't do the metric system; the measurements are no more arbitrary than imperial measurements...if it helps, there are ~2.5 cm per inch and a quart and a liter are roughly the same size...we now join your story in progress}--- Our doc, who is very nice and helpful, is not comforted that Sarah has not yet had a steroid shot, in light of the medical findings. ---{blah blah blah medical blah blah blah...severely premature infants may have underdeveloped lungs, because they are not yet producing their own surfactant...this can lead directly to Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also called hyaline membrane disease, in the neonate...to try to reduce the risk of this outcome, pregnant mothers with threatened premature delivery prior to 34 weeks are often administered at least one course of glucocorticoids, a steroid that crosses the placental barrier and stimulates growth in the lungs of the fetus}--- So, it turns out that, rather than being turned away for another appointment, Sarah was admitted to the hospital overnight for administration of steroid shots, one tonight and one 24 hours later. They will monitor her tonight, as steroids can sometimes cause labor ---{hey! medical stuff is my job!}--- although the doc doesn't expect that to happen. He was encouraged that our fetal fibronectin test last week came up negative, and expects Sarah to be released tomorrow evening. Since we finish up 31 weeks tomorrow, my goal of 33 weeks looks better and better. We are much more at ease now that the steroids are being administered so we can get the babies out of the NICU as soon as possible after they're born. Just to be safe, though, tomorrow I'm bringing her seasons 2 and 3 of Veronica Mars and a portable DVD player, in case she has to stay an extra day.
---{LATE BREAKING NEWS!...SARAH just called from the hospital...they moved her to an antepartum room...the nurse told her that around the time her anti-contraction medicine was wearing off she was experiencing 8 contractions an hour...SARAH felt she was having 2 per hour during this time...our girl has a high "contraction" threshold}---
So, we're in the home stretch. It appears that 2 weeks is on the outside of what we have to go, but we'll take everything we can get. The babies start putting on that cute baby fat that keeps them warm from here on out, and that's very important. Every day we can delay their delivery will help, so please continue to keep us in your prayers.
We get to the high risk doc at 2, 30 minutes early. At around 2:45 they tell us that the docs have had an emergency and were delayed. They also told us that there were two people ahead of us, at 30 minutes each. We were a bit worried, because our regular OB appt was at 3:45, and they go home at 4. So, after talking to both offices, we went to our regular OB first, at 3:10, having been told we had 30 minutes. We rushed over, and they rushed us in, no waiting. ---{we interrupt this compelling narrative to bring you these pertinent medical findings...SARAH's gestational diabetes test was negative, and her belly is similar to that of someone 38 weeks pregnant with a singleton...we now return you to the stirring play-by-play}--- While Sarah was finishing up and making our next appointment with our regular OB, I headed straight back to the high risk OBs, which are literally down the hall, to let them know we were done. This is were it gets fun. The girl at the desk tells us that they called our name, and we weren't there, so we would have to reschedule. Yes, this is the same girl who told us we had 30 minutes, something she denied ever saying. So I'm mad. I'm so mad that I walk out of the office, down the hall, count to 30, and go back in to reschedule. Shortly thereafter, Sarah catches up and is told we have to reschedule. She gets as mad as I was, but she has more hormones running through her than I do. Suffice it to say that voices were raised, denials were made, and tears were shed. Not the sad kind, the angry kind. Eventually, word comes in from much higher up than the front desk girl, and they work us in. ---{more medical information...the babies are roughly 3.5 lbs each and are still similar in size...EMMA's head pushes both on SARAH's bladder and cervix, explaining a lot of phenomena SARAH has experienced...SARAH's cervical length is roughly 0.4 cm, and a week ago she was 1.5 cm dilated...and don't tell me you don't do the metric system; the measurements are no more arbitrary than imperial measurements...if it helps, there are ~2.5 cm per inch and a quart and a liter are roughly the same size...we now join your story in progress}--- Our doc, who is very nice and helpful, is not comforted that Sarah has not yet had a steroid shot, in light of the medical findings. ---{blah blah blah medical blah blah blah...severely premature infants may have underdeveloped lungs, because they are not yet producing their own surfactant...this can lead directly to Respiratory Distress Syndrome, also called hyaline membrane disease, in the neonate...to try to reduce the risk of this outcome, pregnant mothers with threatened premature delivery prior to 34 weeks are often administered at least one course of glucocorticoids, a steroid that crosses the placental barrier and stimulates growth in the lungs of the fetus}--- So, it turns out that, rather than being turned away for another appointment, Sarah was admitted to the hospital overnight for administration of steroid shots, one tonight and one 24 hours later. They will monitor her tonight, as steroids can sometimes cause labor ---{hey! medical stuff is my job!}--- although the doc doesn't expect that to happen. He was encouraged that our fetal fibronectin test last week came up negative, and expects Sarah to be released tomorrow evening. Since we finish up 31 weeks tomorrow, my goal of 33 weeks looks better and better. We are much more at ease now that the steroids are being administered so we can get the babies out of the NICU as soon as possible after they're born. Just to be safe, though, tomorrow I'm bringing her seasons 2 and 3 of Veronica Mars and a portable DVD player, in case she has to stay an extra day.
---{LATE BREAKING NEWS!...SARAH just called from the hospital...they moved her to an antepartum room...the nurse told her that around the time her anti-contraction medicine was wearing off she was experiencing 8 contractions an hour...SARAH felt she was having 2 per hour during this time...our girl has a high "contraction" threshold}---
So, we're in the home stretch. It appears that 2 weeks is on the outside of what we have to go, but we'll take everything we can get. The babies start putting on that cute baby fat that keeps them warm from here on out, and that's very important. Every day we can delay their delivery will help, so please continue to keep us in your prayers.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Homestarloween Costumes
We have 3(!) appointments with doctors tomorrow, so we should have lots to post tomorrow night.
In the meantime, most of you know that I am a huge Homestar Runner fan. Every year the cartoon features a Halloween toon, in which all the characters are in costume. Even funnier, however, are the instances in which Strong Bad (the antagonist and "criminal element" of the toons) makes fun of real people who dress up as Homestar Runner characters for All Hallows Eve. Pure comic gold. I can't wait to see this year's installment.
In the meantime, most of you know that I am a huge Homestar Runner fan. Every year the cartoon features a Halloween toon, in which all the characters are in costume. Even funnier, however, are the instances in which Strong Bad (the antagonist and "criminal element" of the toons) makes fun of real people who dress up as Homestar Runner characters for All Hallows Eve. Pure comic gold. I can't wait to see this year's installment.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
29.5 Week Belly Shot
Before our late run to Labor and Delivery Triage on Monday night, we made sure to take a belly shot, just in case. Here you have it, 29.5 weeks pregnant with twins. I think she carries if off very well. The lack of focus is my fault. I have a new camera and I haven't quite gotten the focus down just yet.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Once More, With Feeling
Monday night we made our third trip thus far to Labor and Delivery Triage (but only our first in 3 weeks!). Sarah wasn't having more contractions than usual, but they were more painful. She hasn't been sleeping well, thanks to all this, which compounded the issue. So, we went in and they monitored the babies' heartbeats. They also tested for fetal fibronectin and checked for dilation. The fetal fibronectin test was negative, which was encouraging, because 97% of the time that means there will be no delivery for the next 7-10 days. Obviously this isn't infallible, but it is encouraging. We're at 1.5 cm dilated, which is more than we'd like, but isn't catastrophic by any means.
They prescribed terbutaline to reduce the amount of contractions, since it worked so well in triage. It has to be taken every 4-6 hours, but should allow Sarah to achieve more restful sleep and relaxation, which are also very good. So it looks pretty solid that we'll make 30 weeks, if not 31. I'm still shooting for 33, but we'll take our victories as they come. Please continue to remember us in your prayers, we really appreciate them.
One other good thing came out of the trip last night. We have made great headway on packing our "gotta go" bags. Sarah worked up a list, and I had started getting things together the past few days, but last night we scrambled around for 30 minutes getting some essentials together in preparation for delivery, just in case last night was the night. Now we're going to keep those bags pretty much as they are and maybe add a few things to them.
Lastly, a special thanks to the friends and family who have cooked us meals and helped around the house. Since Sarah is at fairly complete bedrest, these kindnesses have been greatly appreciated.
They prescribed terbutaline to reduce the amount of contractions, since it worked so well in triage. It has to be taken every 4-6 hours, but should allow Sarah to achieve more restful sleep and relaxation, which are also very good. So it looks pretty solid that we'll make 30 weeks, if not 31. I'm still shooting for 33, but we'll take our victories as they come. Please continue to remember us in your prayers, we really appreciate them.
One other good thing came out of the trip last night. We have made great headway on packing our "gotta go" bags. Sarah worked up a list, and I had started getting things together the past few days, but last night we scrambled around for 30 minutes getting some essentials together in preparation for delivery, just in case last night was the night. Now we're going to keep those bags pretty much as they are and maybe add a few things to them.
Lastly, a special thanks to the friends and family who have cooked us meals and helped around the house. Since Sarah is at fairly complete bedrest, these kindnesses have been greatly appreciated.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Tornado Scare
Last Thursday Sarah had to take the 3-hour glucose challenge test for gestational diabetes. This entails a 10 hour fast, followed by a nasty orange beverage and a blood draw every hour. I was waiting for her last blood draw when I couldn't help but overhear some conversations about a tornado in downtown Pensacola. I got up and went to the window facing South. I saw a very black cloud, but didn't see a tornado. Seconds later, nurses and staff came out of everywhere, ordering everyone away from the windows and into the hallway, because a tornado was coming. After waiting around for about 20 minutes, we decided to leave and go home. The weather was awful, but we experienced no tornadoes.
Once again, we believe the hand of God was protecting us and our babies. I've included the track of the tornado, as provided by the National Weather Service. With a black rectangle, I've noted on the map the location of the Sacred Heart Hospital Airport Medical Park, our location during the tornado. The tornado was on a direct path to our location but stopped a half a mile short. Whew!
I've included a photo of the tornado, also from the NWS. It is an amazing thing to see for someone who hasn't been around tornadoes very often (except in the middle of hurricanes, of course). Pretty wild.
The National Weather Service has more about the tornado here
Once again, we believe the hand of God was protecting us and our babies. I've included the track of the tornado, as provided by the National Weather Service. With a black rectangle, I've noted on the map the location of the Sacred Heart Hospital Airport Medical Park, our location during the tornado. The tornado was on a direct path to our location but stopped a half a mile short. Whew!
I've included a photo of the tornado, also from the NWS. It is an amazing thing to see for someone who hasn't been around tornadoes very often (except in the middle of hurricanes, of course). Pretty wild.
The National Weather Service has more about the tornado here
Monday, October 15, 2007
Behold: The Nursery
After several weekends, we've finally got the nursery into shape. Obviously, we're going with a Winnie the Pooh theme. Classic Pooh? Traditional Pooh? Baby Pooh? How about, all of the above. We've even got an "Ice Cream Tigger. We'll run around the room, panorama style.
I also took some close-up shots around the nursery.
So at least the room is ready. We've got a lot of work to do with some of the other things, but we're getting there.
I also took some close-up shots around the nursery.
So at least the room is ready. We've got a lot of work to do with some of the other things, but we're getting there.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Babies Shower
A baby shower was thrown for us at our church this past weekend. Everything was very lovely and we got so many nice things. We both went so Sarah could follow doctors' orders by staying in the recliner the whole time, without the strain of having to lift and open the gifts.
We only had a short time to attend, so we showed up 30 minutes late so everyone could get their food and get settled. Once we got there we got right down to business.
We received many very important items from our registry, from a breast pump to bedding to a mattress to diapers to a Florida Gators hat and socks.
We also got many very nice outfits and toys for the twins.
Additionally, we were given several homemade quilts and blankets. We know these items took a lot of time and effort and we are very grateful.
I wanted to wait to post until I got the nursery together and could show everything off in its proper environment. However, after working all weekend, it's still not ready, so that will come later. In the meantime, thanks again to everyone who came to the shower, and especially to those who threw the shower. We are so grateful for your hard work and for all the time you spent.
We also were brought a home-cooked meal today, which was fantastic. We've been living off of a lot of eggs, pizza, and cereal. While we like having those things for dinner, it was a very welcome change to have something different. These kind souls also helped out with some cleaning, and provided some company for Sarah, which is always welcomed (it gets pretty old sitting around the house all day). Thanks so much.
We only had a short time to attend, so we showed up 30 minutes late so everyone could get their food and get settled. Once we got there we got right down to business.
We received many very important items from our registry, from a breast pump to bedding to a mattress to diapers to a Florida Gators hat and socks.
We also got many very nice outfits and toys for the twins.
Additionally, we were given several homemade quilts and blankets. We know these items took a lot of time and effort and we are very grateful.
I wanted to wait to post until I got the nursery together and could show everything off in its proper environment. However, after working all weekend, it's still not ready, so that will come later. In the meantime, thanks again to everyone who came to the shower, and especially to those who threw the shower. We are so grateful for your hard work and for all the time you spent.
We also were brought a home-cooked meal today, which was fantastic. We've been living off of a lot of eggs, pizza, and cereal. While we like having those things for dinner, it was a very welcome change to have something different. These kind souls also helped out with some cleaning, and provided some company for Sarah, which is always welcomed (it gets pretty old sitting around the house all day). Thanks so much.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Most Exciting Pregnancy EVER
We had to go into the labor and delivery triage tonight. As we know, since we have twins, everything happens sooner. The doctor was reassuring tonight, and said the best thing to do was nothing, as in, nothing but bedrest.
We have been planning for the babies to be early, just not this early. That is not to say that they're coming soon, but it'll probably be before Thanksgiving, which was our target. That said, the doctor was very reassuring about their prognosis from here on out. We've gotten past the really scary stage and things get better every day from here on in.
So basically, all the stuff I've been planning to do this month in the nursery and elsewhere now have to be done now. Welcome to the busy.
We have been planning for the babies to be early, just not this early. That is not to say that they're coming soon, but it'll probably be before Thanksgiving, which was our target. That said, the doctor was very reassuring about their prognosis from here on out. We've gotten past the really scary stage and things get better every day from here on in.
So basically, all the stuff I've been planning to do this month in the nursery and elsewhere now have to be done now. Welcome to the busy.
Vitals
I forgot to update the babies' statistics in the last post. Both kids are right where they should be in terms of size and organ development. They are both a little over 2 lbs, and they are no longer big headed, big bellied, and short legged; everything seems to have evened out.
Also, Emma is no longer breach and has flipped upside down from a month ago. She's now head-down, while Joseph has switched sides as well. His head is now to Sarah's left, and he is transverse above Emma. Last month, both their heads were meeting to Sarah's right; now their feet are there. They are still quite active, but they'll be running out of room for too much squirming before long.
Also, Emma is no longer breach and has flipped upside down from a month ago. She's now head-down, while Joseph has switched sides as well. His head is now to Sarah's left, and he is transverse above Emma. Last month, both their heads were meeting to Sarah's right; now their feet are there. They are still quite active, but they'll be running out of room for too much squirming before long.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Enter: The Ban-Hammer
We had our latest high risk appointment today. After 2 weeks of modified bedrest we got the order today to go on complete bedrest. While disappointing, this news really wasn't unexpected, and we understand the importance of avoiding preterm labor as long as possible. For example, the chance of survival of an infant born at 28 weeks is twice that of one born at 24 weeks. We're at 27 weeks on Thursday, and tests indicate that we shouldn't have to worry about the babies being born in the next two weeks. Our next goal is 30 weeks (Oct. 25), and if we reach that, we'll set a new goal.
One thing that is complicated by this is Sarah's baby shower on Oct. 6. The doc gave us the go-ahead for an hour or so if we can get a hold of a wheelchair. It'll be the most efficient baby shower ever! Sarah is really looking forward to being able to leave the house (and not for a doctor's appointment), even if it's for a short time.
But, hey, chin up, we've got some pictures for everyone. First off, we finally get a decent profile of Joseph.
We've also got a pretty cute one of Emma sucking on her hand.
One thing that is complicated by this is Sarah's baby shower on Oct. 6. The doc gave us the go-ahead for an hour or so if we can get a hold of a wheelchair. It'll be the most efficient baby shower ever! Sarah is really looking forward to being able to leave the house (and not for a doctor's appointment), even if it's for a short time.
But, hey, chin up, we've got some pictures for everyone. First off, we finally get a decent profile of Joseph.
We've also got a pretty cute one of Emma sucking on her hand.
Monday, October 1, 2007
WOW
We just had our 1000th visitor since we've been keeping track in early July. I can't award a fabulous prize to the visitor that pushed us over this milestone, because the visit was from Missouri, New York, Florida, or D.C. Of course, we really hit 1000 a while ago, since we missed 2 months of tracking, but it's still cool, nonetheless.
For those of you tired of all my meta posts, we'll have new stuff tomorrow, and hopefully more ultrasound pictures. Stay tuned...
For those of you tired of all my meta posts, we'll have new stuff tomorrow, and hopefully more ultrasound pictures. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sweet Mappy James
This is a map of all visitors to our blog from the US from July 11 through September 24. It's pretty cool to see from where and how frequently everyone checks in on us. And if this isn't your thing, it's not Sarah's fault; I'm the map geek.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Doctor Appointment
Everything went well at our appointment yesterday. We really liked the new doc and were thrilled to hear his office has experience delivering multiples. They've recently delivered a set of quads and a set of quints. It makes having twins seem like nothing!
I was glad to hear everything is going as expected and that I measure a good size for twins. I did ask him why I would be so uncomfortable when others seem to have painless pregnancies until the last month or so. He said that because the babies are transverse it puts a lot of pressure on my body where I wouldn't normally be dealing with it. He also mentioned that my body isn't necessarily aware I'm carrying twins. It just thinks my uterus is big enough to think about labor, so it's releasing hormones that make me uncomfortable.
They didn't do an ultrasound since I had the complications over the weekend. They felt it best not to aggravate anything. So, unfortunately, we have no new pictures to post. I'll have my gestational diabetes test in a month. The doc prepped us in case we get a bad result. It's likely with twins for a woman to have gestational diabetes since something, something, something is produced by the placenta and I have two big placentas. Obviously, I didn't catch it all...
I was glad to hear everything is going as expected and that I measure a good size for twins. I did ask him why I would be so uncomfortable when others seem to have painless pregnancies until the last month or so. He said that because the babies are transverse it puts a lot of pressure on my body where I wouldn't normally be dealing with it. He also mentioned that my body isn't necessarily aware I'm carrying twins. It just thinks my uterus is big enough to think about labor, so it's releasing hormones that make me uncomfortable.
They didn't do an ultrasound since I had the complications over the weekend. They felt it best not to aggravate anything. So, unfortunately, we have no new pictures to post. I'll have my gestational diabetes test in a month. The doc prepped us in case we get a bad result. It's likely with twins for a woman to have gestational diabetes since something, something, something is produced by the placenta and I have two big placentas. Obviously, I didn't catch it all...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Unexpected Trip to the Hospital
My first day of bed rest was a little more eventful than what I expected. Joseph and I ended up at the hospital yesterday evening for a few hours. I had some yuk problems that warranted a trip to the hospital. They hooked me up to a bunch of monitors and checked a few things to make sure the babies weren't under stress and I wasn't having contractions. The doctor will check me again and take some measurements on Tuesday and make sure everything still looks okay. Until then, I will be a lady of leisure (with a couple hours of work tomorrow morning). Please keep us in your prayers. As you can imagine, we'd love to finish this pregnancy without any more problems.
On a happier note, some friends threw me a mini-baby shower this past week. It was a fantastic surprise. They were so creative with everything they did. Below is a picture of the little decorations they had at the shower. Everyone pitched in money to get us a gift card so we can put it toward some of the larger items on our registry. Thanks, everyone!!
On a happier note, some friends threw me a mini-baby shower this past week. It was a fantastic surprise. They were so creative with everything they did. Below is a picture of the little decorations they had at the shower. Everyone pitched in money to get us a gift card so we can put it toward some of the larger items on our registry. Thanks, everyone!!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Changes...
Life is about to change for us. I begin modified bed rest this Saturday. I have to honestly say I'm looking forward to a midday nap, but I'm sure I'll be going crazy after a week is up! I'll still get to go to work for a few hours 2-3 days a week. It will be helpful to the wallet get a few extra work hours in my schedule. :) Modified bed rest means I have to lay down for 2 hours every morning, 2 hours mid-day, and 2 hours every afternoon. The docs have said 4 hours away from the house is my limit!
Also, we're are changing our primary OB this week. We've been with Dr. Hennessey since the fertility doctor, but we are changing to Dr. Lile in Pensacola. He works closely with our high risk doctors and delivers at Sacred Heart in Pensacola. We're happy to be able to deliver these babies where they have a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Hopefully, this is an unnecessary precaution, but it gives me a peace of mind.
That's all for now, but we have another appointment on Tuesday, Sept. 18th and we'll update you then!
**Edit from Joe**
Until our next appt, here's a 24th week belly shot for everyone to see just how much bigger one gets with twins. It's important to note that Sarah is right at her pre-pregnancy weight (she lost a lot due to morning sickness), so this is almost all baby related.
Also, we're are changing our primary OB this week. We've been with Dr. Hennessey since the fertility doctor, but we are changing to Dr. Lile in Pensacola. He works closely with our high risk doctors and delivers at Sacred Heart in Pensacola. We're happy to be able to deliver these babies where they have a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Hopefully, this is an unnecessary precaution, but it gives me a peace of mind.
That's all for now, but we have another appointment on Tuesday, Sept. 18th and we'll update you then!
**Edit from Joe**
Until our next appt, here's a 24th week belly shot for everyone to see just how much bigger one gets with twins. It's important to note that Sarah is right at her pre-pregnancy weight (she lost a lot due to morning sickness), so this is almost all baby related.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
22 Weeks Update
We had our first ultrasounds in a month, once again at the high risk doc. Everything still looks great. The babies are both 1 lb 2 oz. They take tons of shots of the babies' organs to make sure everything meets the benchmarks, which it does.
We got some fun photos this time around. Not too many, but we got a great one of Emma, that looks a bit like the cover of The Bends by Radiohead.
See what I mean?
We also have another shot of the eye sockets, also from Emma, who is still the photogenic baby.
It turns out that Emma is bent almost in half most of the time. She is sitting up, with her feet almost up by her head. She's usually in the same place, so it's easier to take photos of her. Her head and Joseph's head are almost touching most of the time, and they are constantly squirming and kicking. We also got (for the third time) photos that confirm that, yes, Emma is a girl and Joseph is a boy. We'll keep those photos to ourselves.
Lastly, a parting shot of Emma, sucking her thumb or biting her fingernails.
Our next visit with the high risk guys is in 4 weeks, but there will be a regular OB visit in between now and then.
We got some fun photos this time around. Not too many, but we got a great one of Emma, that looks a bit like the cover of The Bends by Radiohead.
See what I mean?
We also have another shot of the eye sockets, also from Emma, who is still the photogenic baby.
It turns out that Emma is bent almost in half most of the time. She is sitting up, with her feet almost up by her head. She's usually in the same place, so it's easier to take photos of her. Her head and Joseph's head are almost touching most of the time, and they are constantly squirming and kicking. We also got (for the third time) photos that confirm that, yes, Emma is a girl and Joseph is a boy. We'll keep those photos to ourselves.
Lastly, a parting shot of Emma, sucking her thumb or biting her fingernails.
Our next visit with the high risk guys is in 4 weeks, but there will be a regular OB visit in between now and then.
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