29 weeks roller coaster ride

Two more weeks pregnant, two weeks closer to healthy babies!

Momma, Jonathan and Jacob at 29 weeks

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Saturday was a great day because Mom, Dad, Megan and Fred were all able to travel and come down and see us at the hospital. Everyone arrived a bit after 10 am and Megan and Fred gave me a bag of bed rest goodies to keep me occupied and we all visited for a bit. They left for awhile to grab a quick lunch and then go back to Elliot and I’s house. 

While the men watched football, Megan and Mom spent the afternoon sorting thru the various bags of baby items I had bought or been given. They took tags off, washed what items they could and sorted thru and organized the various baby items. All that was in the nursery was the furniture, no clothes, decorations, diapers, anything.  I was planning on sorting thru and putting away the baby items the weekend I hospitalized. I was really looking forward to setting up the nursery for the boys, but I know and appreciate their hard work to get it started. At least when the boys come home they will have some clean clothes and crib sheets and the other baby items have been sorted.  I will just have to decorate and finish getting it just right once they are here. AHHHH!

When my family returned later that early evening, they came bearing gifts that I would have received at my baby shower.  Elliot and I enjoyed getting some wonderful clothes, toys and bedding for the boys. We also enjoyed and polished off the fruit basket from Friday.

I included this picture because I thought the wrapping paper was cute and boyish.

Fill the pelican's mouth and rinse off the baby at bathtime!

Mom, Amy and Megan

Onesies and bath towels for Jacob and Jonathan.Notice the "manly" polka dots on the clothes and towels. It is hard to find polka dots, my favorite, that are not girly.

My parents also bought a couple outfits when the boys are older!

Another outfit for when the twins are older; this one has Snoopy, my Dad's favorite!

Megan and me!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Sunday the family stopped by for a quick visit before they headed home. I appreciated Megan and Fred visiting with less than a month to go before their wedding. DC to Asheville is not a quick trip and I know they must have had a lot of wedding details to wrap up this close to the wedding. It was also nice to see Mom and Dad again and have the whole family (plus Fred who will soon be officially family) all together during this difficult time.

Because Monday was Veteran’s Day, Elliot had the day off from school. It was nice that he was able to spend the night again with me. It’s not nice that I have to sleep on a hospital bed and him on the fold out couch a couple feet away, but at least I know he is there and I can see him.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Probably the best part of today was I got my IV out. I have had 5 IVs since being here; meaning most are lasting only 3 days instead of the normal 4-5 which means they have to keep finding stubborn veins in my dehydrated arms and hands. Not comfortable! The medical staff keeps telling me it’s good to have one inserted in case they need to administer some fluids or medicines quickly in an emergency situation.  I keep thinking you guys have emergency situations all the time and have to insert IVs quickly so that’s not a real reason. I asked the Dr. about having a few days break from an IV. She was hesitant, but took a look at my current IV and muttered something about the IV being too small and they would have to do a bigger one for a C-section, so she sighed and said ok. If she had said no, I was at the point of saying, “get the IV out or I will get it out!” I and my body have been cooperating for the most part, so I need a break. Also, it’s my body and I have a say in what is put in it and done to it.

Today during the fetal monitoring, the nurse noted that Jacob had started accelerating his heart when moving around, something that is not usually seen until the baby is older! Jonathan has not started doing this, but if one boy is, probably the other is not far behind! Grow babies grow!

Elliot brought me some pizza and breadsticks for dinner. While chowing down, Suzie, from school, and her husband visited with Elliot and me. Suzie has been great about visiting me or sending me a message to let me know I have not been forgotten. I hope I can one day repay the favor.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

I had a new nurse today and she was getting acquainted with me and my prognosis. She asked the doctor how much longer I would be here and when I would possibly be going home. The doctor replied that I was not going home until delivery and “it is a miracle that she is still pregnant!” and they had expected me to go into labor the weekend I was admitted to the hospital. They do not know why I am still pregnant because physically my body is saying “let’s go”.  I was stunned to hear that; I didn’t think I was that bad.  At this point, I think God/prayers are the only thing holding in my babies. I continue to be thankful and amazed.

Being on bed rest also means I spend a lot of time watching TV. There have been some Thanksgiving commercials, but Christmas commercials have started popping up too on TV.  It makes me depressed thinking of what I am missing out on during this time of the year. I’ve missed Halloween and am getting ready to probably miss Thanksgiving, will I miss Christmas too? Logically, I know this will not be the end of the world, but when all you see on TV is happy, joyful people, it’s hard not to be jealous.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

 I was granted a visit to the NICU today. It’s a big deal because I have not been allowed to leave the room in a wheelchair or any other way either because it might put too much pressure on my cervix. GRRR! Not long after Elliot arrived they put me in a wheelchair and gave us directions to the NICU upstairs. It was a little shocking to finally be out of my “bubble” or room after so long. I’ve asked Elliot to describe the hallways and exits to me, but he gets frustrated when I don’t understand what exactly he is describing. I tried to absorb as much as I could of my “outside” world. Don’t know what I’ll do or feel when I actually see and be in the true outside world again.

Anyway, we received a guided tour of the NICU by a wonderful nurse who answered all our questions. She asked a couple who had their baby out of the incubator and were holding her if we could see her. The nurse explained I was on bed rest and would possibly be having babies in the NICU and they agreed to let us look. She was a tiny, beautiful thing with black curly hair. She was born at 27 weeks, but was 29 weeks when we saw her. It was wonderful to know that there are resources to help such tiny babies, but I had to fight tears when I saw just how little she was and that I could have 2 babies that were that size or smaller. Our boys will have to be in their own incubators to make sure they have proper monitoring, but in time there is the possibility that they can be together in the same one. Also, depending on many factors, at first we may be only able to gently touch them and later when they are more stable, hold them. I know it’s in their best interest and to protect their fragile bodies, but I cannot fathom going thru months of pregnancy, weeks of bed rest and not be able to hold Jacob or Jonathan once they are here. It seems too cruel. We had previously visited the NICU as part of our Marvelous Multiples pregnancy class, but I never envisioned that we might have to use it one day. But I guess no parent ever does.

We spent about 30 minutes on the tour and Elliot asked me if I wanted to take a longer route back to the room. I said no, the tour mentally and physically exhausted me. Once back near the maternal fetal medicine unit, he stopped in front of a huge window with a lovely view of the mountains. He asked if I wanted to just watch for awhile. I physically could not because my bottom had turned numb from sitting so long. It was my first real sign of my muscles atrophying. I just wanted to go back to the room, lie down and cry that I am losing so much muscle mass. I am scared I will not be able to properly care for Jonathan and Jacob because I am so weak.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Today I had several interesting visitors. First, was Jan’s brother Larry, who stopped in since he had an appointment at the VA. We do not know each other very well and he is quite a bit older than even Jan, but I appreciate his kindness in stopping to see me. We visited for about 30 minutes before they brought in my lunch at 11:30.

Later in the afternoon, a nurse introduced me to a woman named Ciji who spent over two months over this summer in the same room I am in. She also had a similar situation as me with an incompetent cervix and made to stay until delivery. With her visiting were her girl twins! They were just beautiful. We chatted for a bit about bed rest and being in the hospital for a long time and she was really encouraging to me. It was great to see physical proof that one day my bed rest will be completed and I will hold my beautiful twins.

Also that afternoon, Mrs. Miller, my school’s PTO president stopped in to check in on me and brought some small gifts. Mrs. Miller is an RN in another department at the hospital. I was so touched that she bothered to visit me. She is a shining example of why our PTO is so awesome and good to the teachers at my school.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Today was exciting because I got have another growth ultrasound of the boys. Since being hospitalized, I’ve been nervous that the ultrasound would show something wrong or not very good with the boys, mainly because that’s where my thoughts tend to go nowadays. Hoping there would be good news and good growth, but nervous they would find something that would make today D Day (delivery day). Blessedly, it was wonderful news.

Baby A, Jacob, is measuring in at 32 weeks, 4.4 pounds and is in the 90^th percentile! I about fell off the table when the tech told me those numbers. I could not believe he weighs that much, let alone was measuring 2 weeks ahead. I watched as she did some of the body measurements and already knew he was measuring ahead, but not that much.

Baby B, Jonathan, is measuring at 31 weeks, 3.12 pounds and is in the 70^th percentile. Still awesome statistics for a tomorrow-will –be-30-weeks baby.  Although the boys are now measuring differently, that’s ok because they are two separate people, each growing at their own rate. It would be concerning if one baby was in the 90^th percentile and the other in the 30^th because that would mean one baby was growing better and getting more nutrients than the other. It would also be concerning if the boys were in the 20^th percentile or less because they would be on the smaller side. Elliot and I have some big’uns!

My cervix has also changed a bit. The funneling opening at the top has changed from a wide U shape to a narrower V shape. This means that a cord or foot could still slip into the opening, but it is a smaller opening, which is great. Unfortunately, my cervix has dilated a bit more from one fingertip when I was first hospitalized to two finger widths. Definitely, not ideal, but my cervix dilating was inevitable at this stage. It will not close at this point, but the doctors were glad that the funnel opening is technically smaller now. If they are happy, so am I!

So overall, it was wonderful news that the ultrasound showed the boys are growing big and healthy. The doctors were also amazed that they are growing so well. I hope and pray this trend continues. Perhaps if I deliver early, at least they will have more body fat and be a bit healthier. I asked the doctor if their good growth was related to the steroid shots I had when I was first admitted. The doctor stated that the steroid shot was to kick start their lung development into high gear, but their good growth is all from baking longer.

I also enjoyed my brief wheelchair ride to the ultrasound room. I can count on one hand how many times I have left my hospital room since being assigned this room on October 28^th. Heck its only 3 fingers!

I had a couple of visitors today. Bryon and Angel, the church's new preacher and his wife, stopped by to see me.  I enjoy their visit as they are fun, sincere and easy to talk to about various subjects. Sandi G., another church friend, stopped by for a quick visit and to bring beautiful gifts. Sandi and her mother in law, Grace, have a side business making Christmas stockings in a wide variety of patterns. I had asked Sandi if I could see her sample book and have some made for the boys since they may be here before Christmas and I wanted to be ready. As you can see, they turned out beautifully! I will have to hang them up in the room if I am still here after Thanksgiving.

These are big stockings that stretch and you can get a lot in!

Up close to show the detail. I asked Sandi to use alternate red and green colors on the bear's clothing so the stockings would be a little different.

Elliot brought some yummy Mexican for dinner and we relaxed by watching a little TV before bed. I enjoy having a variety of food since most hospital food is bland, bland, bland.