Post by didmyheartgood on May 15, 2004 12:21:57 GMT -5
The day my twins were born seems almost surreal. It took me close to 4 years to be able to tell anyone about that day without tears.
I was placed on total bedrest at 14 weeks. My pregnancy was very complicated and premature labor started every time I sat up. So, I spent 6 months laying in bed and taking an array of medications to keep the labor at bay.
On 11-18-99, my husband had come at home at lunch to check on me and make me my 1/2 sandwich, I was used to eating.(gestational diabetes)He had only been back to work for 15 minutes when I had to go to the bathroom so bad, I thought I would pop. Choosing to get up over wetting the bed, I made it to the bathroom, only to have my water break. I was at 34 weeks and had been dialated to 6 for the past 3 months.
I called my husband at work, took a shower, and tried to make myself look halfway presentable. We went to the hospital and Cade was born naturally 45 minutes later. It was so easy to have him. I remember the nurses commenting on how "big eyed" he was. He refused to close his eyes, I guess he was afraid he would miss something. LOL. He weighed in at 5lbs even.
Then the Dr, said my second baby had a prolasped cord. He said "put her out" and that is the last thing I remember. I woke up to a room filled with my family and everyone was crying. Noone would say anything, just that everything would be OK. I was terrified that my second baby had died. I also discovered I had had a emergency C-section for the second delivery.
My husband came in and everyone quickly left the room. He told me that they "thought" Brace had DS.( our hospital was not equipped to do the genetic testing) I demanded to see him, as I told my husband I could tell if he had DS or not. Brace was critical and was in the process of being airlifted to Arkansas Children's Hospital.I forced myself to get up against Dr's orders and made my way to the nursery. Among the tubes, wires and ventilator, there was my 4lbs 12oz baby boy. I looked at his little face and I knew the testing was a waste of time. He had DS. Brace also had duodenial atresia that needed immediate surgery, hypothyroidism and one side of his head was totally compressed.(they said this was from being a twin) I asked them to please take Cade(first twin) with them, so I would have both babies in the same hospital. Being 6 weeks premature allowed them to do this, even though Cade showed no signs of having any type of difficulties.
Once the boys were on their way to Little Rock, I tried everything to get out of the hospital. My Dr refused to discharge me based on the "double whammy" birth I had just been through. All my fears, anger and pure exhaustion came to the surface. My OB/GYN took the brunt of it too. I cried, yelled, and pleaded. I knew that Brace would undergo surgery once in Little Rock and I had to be there regardless of Dr's orders. I told him how I was afraid Brace wouldn't make it and I wouldn't get a chance to see him again. My Dr and I have a long history together and he is a wonderful man. He told me"eat some toast, pee, and then you can go". I was on my way to Little Rock 30 minutes behind my boys.
Once at Children's, the story really begins. We lived there for the next 4 months. Brace had the atresia repair surgery, but did not recover well. They discharged Cade after 3 days, so I ended up with 2 babies in 2 different towns anyway. My husband and I took turns going back and forth between the 2. Brace's lungs were underdeveloped from the prematurity and was just unable to come off the ventilator. He had also dropped his weight to under 4 lbs. Then, the worse case sceneiro happened for us. Brace contracted RSV while in the NICU recovering from surgery. They didn't think he could fight it off, as he was just too weak. Brace having DS really took a backseat in the face of losing him all together. It was "touch and go" for several days. Brace brought me to my knees right in the middle of the NICU. I begged, pleaded and bargained with God to spare my child regardless of the challenges we would face in his lifetime.
Eventually, Brace started gaining weight. He was tube fed, as he was unable to nurse. His lungs began to heal and it looked like we were on the road to recovery. He did not have a heart defect, only a slight murmur. This eventually corrected itsself. He slowly weaned himself off of the ventilator and got to where I could hold him for long periods of time. I bathed that baby in my tears.
I will never forget the day Brace came home. I was already home with Cade. My husband came walking in with this carrier that was filled with the roundest, most beautiful pink baby boy I had ever seen. He kicked, gurgled, rarely cried and even nursed. (with a little help from an OT) Both of my boys were home and healthy. I then realized, that Brace was blonde headed with blue eyes. Cade was dark headed with dark eyes..... yes, they are my twins.. ;D
I was placed on total bedrest at 14 weeks. My pregnancy was very complicated and premature labor started every time I sat up. So, I spent 6 months laying in bed and taking an array of medications to keep the labor at bay.
On 11-18-99, my husband had come at home at lunch to check on me and make me my 1/2 sandwich, I was used to eating.(gestational diabetes)He had only been back to work for 15 minutes when I had to go to the bathroom so bad, I thought I would pop. Choosing to get up over wetting the bed, I made it to the bathroom, only to have my water break. I was at 34 weeks and had been dialated to 6 for the past 3 months.
I called my husband at work, took a shower, and tried to make myself look halfway presentable. We went to the hospital and Cade was born naturally 45 minutes later. It was so easy to have him. I remember the nurses commenting on how "big eyed" he was. He refused to close his eyes, I guess he was afraid he would miss something. LOL. He weighed in at 5lbs even.
Then the Dr, said my second baby had a prolasped cord. He said "put her out" and that is the last thing I remember. I woke up to a room filled with my family and everyone was crying. Noone would say anything, just that everything would be OK. I was terrified that my second baby had died. I also discovered I had had a emergency C-section for the second delivery.
My husband came in and everyone quickly left the room. He told me that they "thought" Brace had DS.( our hospital was not equipped to do the genetic testing) I demanded to see him, as I told my husband I could tell if he had DS or not. Brace was critical and was in the process of being airlifted to Arkansas Children's Hospital.I forced myself to get up against Dr's orders and made my way to the nursery. Among the tubes, wires and ventilator, there was my 4lbs 12oz baby boy. I looked at his little face and I knew the testing was a waste of time. He had DS. Brace also had duodenial atresia that needed immediate surgery, hypothyroidism and one side of his head was totally compressed.(they said this was from being a twin) I asked them to please take Cade(first twin) with them, so I would have both babies in the same hospital. Being 6 weeks premature allowed them to do this, even though Cade showed no signs of having any type of difficulties.
Once the boys were on their way to Little Rock, I tried everything to get out of the hospital. My Dr refused to discharge me based on the "double whammy" birth I had just been through. All my fears, anger and pure exhaustion came to the surface. My OB/GYN took the brunt of it too. I cried, yelled, and pleaded. I knew that Brace would undergo surgery once in Little Rock and I had to be there regardless of Dr's orders. I told him how I was afraid Brace wouldn't make it and I wouldn't get a chance to see him again. My Dr and I have a long history together and he is a wonderful man. He told me"eat some toast, pee, and then you can go". I was on my way to Little Rock 30 minutes behind my boys.
Once at Children's, the story really begins. We lived there for the next 4 months. Brace had the atresia repair surgery, but did not recover well. They discharged Cade after 3 days, so I ended up with 2 babies in 2 different towns anyway. My husband and I took turns going back and forth between the 2. Brace's lungs were underdeveloped from the prematurity and was just unable to come off the ventilator. He had also dropped his weight to under 4 lbs. Then, the worse case sceneiro happened for us. Brace contracted RSV while in the NICU recovering from surgery. They didn't think he could fight it off, as he was just too weak. Brace having DS really took a backseat in the face of losing him all together. It was "touch and go" for several days. Brace brought me to my knees right in the middle of the NICU. I begged, pleaded and bargained with God to spare my child regardless of the challenges we would face in his lifetime.
Eventually, Brace started gaining weight. He was tube fed, as he was unable to nurse. His lungs began to heal and it looked like we were on the road to recovery. He did not have a heart defect, only a slight murmur. This eventually corrected itsself. He slowly weaned himself off of the ventilator and got to where I could hold him for long periods of time. I bathed that baby in my tears.
I will never forget the day Brace came home. I was already home with Cade. My husband came walking in with this carrier that was filled with the roundest, most beautiful pink baby boy I had ever seen. He kicked, gurgled, rarely cried and even nursed. (with a little help from an OT) Both of my boys were home and healthy. I then realized, that Brace was blonde headed with blue eyes. Cade was dark headed with dark eyes..... yes, they are my twins.. ;D