If I owe you
a call
an email
a note
a thank you
a swift kick in the behind
or money
please forgive me.
It has been a very rough couple of weeks.
While the babies continue to do well and grow, grow, grow, momma has had a very hard time of it. I have grown enormous (sidenote: eventually I will have access to all the belly pictures and be able to post my progress); it's hard to walk, sit, or lie down. Despite the sleeping aid I take nightly, I often only sleep a few hours a night, and not even continuously. I pee constantly. I'm currently down to 45 minutes between pee times, literally, day and night. I have had an increase in contractions (since I'm now 32 weeks and my body thinks I'm about 44 weeks) and often have to get a shot of Terbutaline which is a fun little medicine that makes your heart race and your body shake and generally want to pull your hair out. We have had a couple of "scares" with the babies that, thank God, turned out to be nothing (heartrates going wonky and that sort of thing).
Finances have been a concern since the beginning, and while we have gotten some much needed, much appreciated, much unexpected help, we've dealt with a few setbacks that make the months ahead not look promising. The stress of that has been the proverbial straw -that- broke -the -camel's -back in terms of my mental state. But we [try our best to] continue to have faith that God will provide, though WE can't currently see the way.
Scott has been the most amazing husband and father during this time. I am so thankful to have him to go through this with. But I can tell that he is at his wit's end. He often laments that this "single parent" thing downright sucks. As his partner and their mother, it upsets me to no end to not be there taking care of my husband and children. I have to be continually reminded that it is I alone who can take care of these three future-children at this time.
So, that's why I haven't had it in me to post, call, or email anyone lately.
But, hey, what you really want to know is about these babies, right? So here goes:
Feb 14th measurements: 3-5, 3-7, 3-9; so roughly 3 1/2 lbs each.
Yesterday (Feb 28th): 4 lbs, 4.5 lbs, 5 lbs. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy cow, that's a lot of baby! And just to clarify, Baby A is not small; A and B are "right on track", C is just pretty darn huge.
We have a delivery date: unless they decide they can't wait (or my bladder or uterus give out, lol), I will have a c-section on March 12th. That is my mom's birthday, and I understand quite a few other great people I know have birthdays or anniversaries on that day as well, so I'm pretty optimistic :)
And speaking of giving out, we were pretty well convinced that I was going to have these babies yesterday. When I went in for the ultrasound (mind you, they wake me up early, early - ok, 7:30, lol) I was feeling very crampy and blah and having contractions. After we were all done, my perinatalogist called down to the nurse's station and told them to get me on the monitor (usually this kind of thing is left to the nurse's, mine, or my OB's discretion) and said that it just might be time. Everything was ok with just a few contractions but then I fell asleep and slept all morning. About that time, my OB's partner came in just in time to watch me make faces and have cramps and contractions throughout her short visit.. They monitored me again, but she said she fully expected to be back later in the day to deliver me; I later found out she had called my OB and had her on standby as well. But after most of the day of feeling really cruddy and having bad cramps and painful contractions, they gave me a shot of Terb and got it all slowed down to acceptable levels again. Just when I thought I was going to get my body back....
Showing posts with label triplets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triplets. Show all posts
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, December 31, 2007
Stable and Growing
I had an earrrrrrrrrrrrly a.m. sonogram this morning. Apparently they usually do them at 7:30 am, but since I arrived during a holiday weekend, the schedule got all screwed up and every scan I've gotten has been "Oops, we forgot her" so they run back over here for me. I was not supposed to be scanned today, but when the doctor and nurse were asked who WAS scheduled, they still didn't know where to put me so in I went. Apparently all of this will be straightened out after the holidays are over, and I will have regular dates and times for my sonograms.
Today, the doctor was in a better mood, lol, so he was his usual informative self as he was looking around. He measured each of the babies (we do this every 2-3 weeks) and they are estimated at 1 lb 8 oz, 1 lb 9 oz, and 1 lb 10 oz. He said their heartbeats all look good, fluid levels all good etc. Babies A and B are still next to each other, at the bottom, head down; Baby C is still floating around on top (sideways), like a little princess, on top of the world (that's how I picture her :) ).
Speaking of their size though, I STILL have not gained weight! I'm only 3 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight, and I've been there for 4-5 weeks now. Since I lost about 15 early on with nausea, etc, that puts me at about 18 lbs gain (funny thing is, about 4 lbs of that was the fluid they put back in after a particularly bad few days put me in the ER with dehydration early on). None of the doctors seem concerned. They say as long as the babies are growing, all is well. I guess these little boogers are just sucking up everything I eat.
He did measure my cervix as well, and we held steady at 1.7 cm, same as last Friday, so that's good. As long as we aren't shortening, they're fine with it.
So, it's nice to have some good news, eh?
Thanks everyone for your continued prayers and good thoughts. I truly believe it is, and will continue to make a difference.
Today, the doctor was in a better mood, lol, so he was his usual informative self as he was looking around. He measured each of the babies (we do this every 2-3 weeks) and they are estimated at 1 lb 8 oz, 1 lb 9 oz, and 1 lb 10 oz. He said their heartbeats all look good, fluid levels all good etc. Babies A and B are still next to each other, at the bottom, head down; Baby C is still floating around on top (sideways), like a little princess, on top of the world (that's how I picture her :) ).
Speaking of their size though, I STILL have not gained weight! I'm only 3 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight, and I've been there for 4-5 weeks now. Since I lost about 15 early on with nausea, etc, that puts me at about 18 lbs gain (funny thing is, about 4 lbs of that was the fluid they put back in after a particularly bad few days put me in the ER with dehydration early on). None of the doctors seem concerned. They say as long as the babies are growing, all is well. I guess these little boogers are just sucking up everything I eat.
He did measure my cervix as well, and we held steady at 1.7 cm, same as last Friday, so that's good. As long as we aren't shortening, they're fine with it.
So, it's nice to have some good news, eh?
Thanks everyone for your continued prayers and good thoughts. I truly believe it is, and will continue to make a difference.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I had another appt with the perinatalogist today as a follow up after the cerclage last week. Thankfully the babies look fine. They are each a little over 1 lb. now
My cervix is not fine. It has started shortening again despite the cerclage. He wants me in the hospital. I was a little, ok a lot, taken aback. I thought this was our cure that was going to keep these babies in for another dozen weeks. I have to go back on Friday and if it is shortened at all, over to the hospital I go......probably for the duration.
Has anyone else noted that this will be 4 days BEFORE Christmas?? I am devastated. Not so much at the idea of the hospital, but that we are having this much problem before these babies are viable, and that I could miss Christmas with my kiddos. I'm just so heartbroken.
There are just so many things running through my head right now; I can barely think straight.
Please, Please, Please keep praying for us!
My cervix is not fine. It has started shortening again despite the cerclage. He wants me in the hospital. I was a little, ok a lot, taken aback. I thought this was our cure that was going to keep these babies in for another dozen weeks. I have to go back on Friday and if it is shortened at all, over to the hospital I go......probably for the duration.
Has anyone else noted that this will be 4 days BEFORE Christmas?? I am devastated. Not so much at the idea of the hospital, but that we are having this much problem before these babies are viable, and that I could miss Christmas with my kiddos. I'm just so heartbroken.
There are just so many things running through my head right now; I can barely think straight.
Please, Please, Please keep praying for us!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
First trip to the hospital
Yep, I just spent 3 days and 2 nights in the hospital. Not. fun.
On Tuesday, I had a regular appt with the perinatalogist. Dh took the afternoon off to go with me (he hasn't been to an appt since the very first) so we scheduled a tour of the NICU the same day. We did that, met the neonatalogist and other staff members, got an idea of what to expect, etc. When we were speaking with them, we were very positive opposite their "you WILL deliver early and the babies WILL be in the NICU for a while" etc.
After that we headed over to the perinatalogist. He did a quick ultrasound (it's usually 20-30 minutes long) and said I had "funnelling" of my cervix; basically, the top part of my cervix had started to open. He told us to go to the hospital, to labor and delivery, where they would monitor me to see if I was contracting and contact my OB about doing a cerclage (at stitch in my cervix to hold it closed). He was so calm and nonchalant about it, that I wasn't sure if he was saying that we MIGHT have to do that, so I finally said, "what....now?!?" So much for the uneventful pregnancy we were hoping for.
We headed over there where they put me on a hugely uncomfortable stretcher and cinched the monitor so tight around my middle that I was sure it would cut me in two. One thing I know about my own body is that I usually contract when I am very tired, or uncomfortable. So, though I had not contracted at all for the first 2 hours I was there, I told them I could feel a few in the last half hour because of my discomfort and they decided to keep me overnight "just to be safe". Bleh. A partner of my OB finally came in and talked to us for a while, but they still had not scheduled a time for the cerclage, so the thought was that I would go home after 24 hr observation then come back for a scheduled procedure. (While we were in the observation area, the nurse from the NICU stopped by and said we were supposed to go home and stay for a couple of months, not decide to hang around, LOL)
I wasn't too worried about one night in the hospital. As soon as they put me in a regular bed and adjusted the monitor, I was fine, and never contracted again. Figures. The next morning, I hadn't heard anything about the cerclage until the anesthesiologist showed up to introduce himself and said it was scheduled for that afternoon. At this point, I still have not seen my own doctor. Noone seemed to really know what to expect after the procdedure (i.e. how it would feel, etc) so I wasn 't too worried about it. I was going to have spinal anesthesia, which I'd had with my twins' c-sec, so I knew what to expect from that (so I thought).
The procedure time kept getting pushed back which just made me more nervous as the minutes passed. I finally went into to the OR. The spinal hurts like a bitch! I swear he must have stuck me 8 times and it hurt! Once I was finally lying down, he asked if I wanted something to help me relax. Uh, YEAH! LOL The procedure was fine; I think I dozed off a few times and it didn't last but maybe half an hour or so. I went into the recovery room where dh was able to join me. All was well; we were even talking, laughing and joking with the nurses. My OB came in and talked with us for awhile. She said I shouldn't have any pain afterwards, maybe some discomfort. Dh asked his usual 100 questions since he hadn't been able to talk with her since my first visit.
Once I got back to the room, things started going down hill. I had a catheter which was clamped in the this strange way and was taped to my leg so I could move my legs without it pulling and hurting, and I couldn't put a pillow between my legs, which is the only way I can get comfortable. My back was KILLING ME where the spinal had been. I could not get comfortable. You know what they offered me for the pain? Tylenol. Gee, thanks. I was supposed to get the catheter out as soon as I was able to stand, but the nurses decided I should keep it overnight so I wouldn't have to get up to go to the bathroom (which turned out to be ok, since I'd had about 8 bags of fluid in 24 hours and they could barely keep the catheter bag emptied I was going so much- sheesh). I finally took a sleeping pill at midnight (I had had one the night before, but it only lasted a couple of hours) and thankfully I slept about 6 hours then dozed after that.
She finally took the catheter out and I went to the bathroom without any problems, but by then, I was so uncomfortable in my nether regions (ha ha) that I felt like I was being turned inside out. Plus, my back still hurts so bad that I can barely get up or move in the bed. They checked me and I had a little fluid so they started doing swabs to test for an amniotic fluid leak. Everything was negative. They scheduled another ultrasound with the perinatalogist before I could go home. That turned out fine, though he said it was too early to tell if there was a slow leak.
Anyway, despite my misery, I finally got released. I am glad to be home, in my own bed, but it is still hard to get around. I am on pretty strict bedrest until next week when I have follow up appts. After that, if all is well, I may be able to be on just moderate bedrest, which would be nice.
Last night, I was very tearful. I just didn't think I could go through all of that pain and discomfort again, and knowing I will have to when it's time to deliver. I told dh I want a general anesthesia with my c-sec; that spinal was for the birds! It was different when it had been 6 years and I didn't remember all of that; this time, it will only have been a couple of months, and I WILL remember, so I will be that much more anxious and nervous.
I was so determined to have an uneventful, fairly easy (as easy as it can be with triplets!) pregnancy. Now I'm scared because you never know when something can happen, or even start to go very wrong without knowing that it is happening.
Keep praying for us
On Tuesday, I had a regular appt with the perinatalogist. Dh took the afternoon off to go with me (he hasn't been to an appt since the very first) so we scheduled a tour of the NICU the same day. We did that, met the neonatalogist and other staff members, got an idea of what to expect, etc. When we were speaking with them, we were very positive opposite their "you WILL deliver early and the babies WILL be in the NICU for a while" etc.
After that we headed over to the perinatalogist. He did a quick ultrasound (it's usually 20-30 minutes long) and said I had "funnelling" of my cervix; basically, the top part of my cervix had started to open. He told us to go to the hospital, to labor and delivery, where they would monitor me to see if I was contracting and contact my OB about doing a cerclage (at stitch in my cervix to hold it closed). He was so calm and nonchalant about it, that I wasn't sure if he was saying that we MIGHT have to do that, so I finally said, "what....now?!?" So much for the uneventful pregnancy we were hoping for.
We headed over there where they put me on a hugely uncomfortable stretcher and cinched the monitor so tight around my middle that I was sure it would cut me in two. One thing I know about my own body is that I usually contract when I am very tired, or uncomfortable. So, though I had not contracted at all for the first 2 hours I was there, I told them I could feel a few in the last half hour because of my discomfort and they decided to keep me overnight "just to be safe". Bleh. A partner of my OB finally came in and talked to us for a while, but they still had not scheduled a time for the cerclage, so the thought was that I would go home after 24 hr observation then come back for a scheduled procedure. (While we were in the observation area, the nurse from the NICU stopped by and said we were supposed to go home and stay for a couple of months, not decide to hang around, LOL)
I wasn't too worried about one night in the hospital. As soon as they put me in a regular bed and adjusted the monitor, I was fine, and never contracted again. Figures. The next morning, I hadn't heard anything about the cerclage until the anesthesiologist showed up to introduce himself and said it was scheduled for that afternoon. At this point, I still have not seen my own doctor. Noone seemed to really know what to expect after the procdedure (i.e. how it would feel, etc) so I wasn 't too worried about it. I was going to have spinal anesthesia, which I'd had with my twins' c-sec, so I knew what to expect from that (so I thought).
The procedure time kept getting pushed back which just made me more nervous as the minutes passed. I finally went into to the OR. The spinal hurts like a bitch! I swear he must have stuck me 8 times and it hurt! Once I was finally lying down, he asked if I wanted something to help me relax. Uh, YEAH! LOL The procedure was fine; I think I dozed off a few times and it didn't last but maybe half an hour or so. I went into the recovery room where dh was able to join me. All was well; we were even talking, laughing and joking with the nurses. My OB came in and talked with us for awhile. She said I shouldn't have any pain afterwards, maybe some discomfort. Dh asked his usual 100 questions since he hadn't been able to talk with her since my first visit.
Once I got back to the room, things started going down hill. I had a catheter which was clamped in the this strange way and was taped to my leg so I could move my legs without it pulling and hurting, and I couldn't put a pillow between my legs, which is the only way I can get comfortable. My back was KILLING ME where the spinal had been. I could not get comfortable. You know what they offered me for the pain? Tylenol. Gee, thanks. I was supposed to get the catheter out as soon as I was able to stand, but the nurses decided I should keep it overnight so I wouldn't have to get up to go to the bathroom (which turned out to be ok, since I'd had about 8 bags of fluid in 24 hours and they could barely keep the catheter bag emptied I was going so much- sheesh). I finally took a sleeping pill at midnight (I had had one the night before, but it only lasted a couple of hours) and thankfully I slept about 6 hours then dozed after that.
She finally took the catheter out and I went to the bathroom without any problems, but by then, I was so uncomfortable in my nether regions (ha ha) that I felt like I was being turned inside out. Plus, my back still hurts so bad that I can barely get up or move in the bed. They checked me and I had a little fluid so they started doing swabs to test for an amniotic fluid leak. Everything was negative. They scheduled another ultrasound with the perinatalogist before I could go home. That turned out fine, though he said it was too early to tell if there was a slow leak.
Anyway, despite my misery, I finally got released. I am glad to be home, in my own bed, but it is still hard to get around. I am on pretty strict bedrest until next week when I have follow up appts. After that, if all is well, I may be able to be on just moderate bedrest, which would be nice.
Last night, I was very tearful. I just didn't think I could go through all of that pain and discomfort again, and knowing I will have to when it's time to deliver. I told dh I want a general anesthesia with my c-sec; that spinal was for the birds! It was different when it had been 6 years and I didn't remember all of that; this time, it will only have been a couple of months, and I WILL remember, so I will be that much more anxious and nervous.
I was so determined to have an uneventful, fairly easy (as easy as it can be with triplets!) pregnancy. Now I'm scared because you never know when something can happen, or even start to go very wrong without knowing that it is happening.
Keep praying for us
Friday, November 30, 2007
LMAO! I freaked him out
I have been making phone calls all day trying to get some things settled now that I am officially out of work (yea! yesterday was my last day).
Today I called one place and got the requisite Indian man. He asked the reason for my particular request and I told him I was pregnant with triplets and on bedrest.
He said, "Wh-wh-what?!?! I'm sorry, what did you say??"
It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. After I repeated and he confirmed what I'd said, it took him at least half a minute to get out a coherent sentence.
Something tells me THAT wasn't in his script!!
Today I called one place and got the requisite Indian man. He asked the reason for my particular request and I told him I was pregnant with triplets and on bedrest.
He said, "Wh-wh-what?!?! I'm sorry, what did you say??"
It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. After I repeated and he confirmed what I'd said, it took him at least half a minute to get out a coherent sentence.
Something tells me THAT wasn't in his script!!
Friday, September 14, 2007
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