Cole's 1st pediatrician appointment!

Today, Cole had his first pediatrician appointment. He weighed in at 5 lbs 10 oz and was 18 1/8 inches long. The appointment went very well. Both babies will have weight checks this Friday and then see the pediatrician as well.

We wanted to wish each and every one of you a joyous New Year!!

Finally a complete family!!!

In about two hours, our family will finally be COMPLETE!!! Cole will be discharged at 3:30 p.m. today and the best part.....he's been on room air since yesterday afternoon and is doing GREAT, thus no oxygen is needed at home!!! We are very excited to have our boy home with us!!! He passed his hearing and car seat tests with flying colors and is coming home on the same formula combination as Olivia, though we will start exclusive breastfeeding this evening, with the help of our post partum doula, Joyel. Cole will be seeing the pediatrician on Wednesday morning for his first newborn appointment. Both Olivia and Cole will be going back to the pediatrician for a weight check on Friday afternoon!

Olivia's first pediatrician appointment went GREAT this morning! She has managed to gain 3 oz in 3 days!!! She now weighs 4 lbs 12 oz! Dr. Antone said that is the same/more than full-term babies gain in 3 days. He was very pleased! He also shared his discussion with Dr. Desai, the Neonatalogist at St. Joe's. Most importantly, because Olivia and Cole are at such a high risk for RSV due to being born prematurely with heart and lung problems, family history of asthma, being multiples, and having an older sibling who attends school; he is going to try to see that they get the Synagis shots. YAY!!!!

We asked Dr. Antone about visitors as we are very anxious to introduce Olivia and Cole to all of you. We have been urged to limit visitors as much as possible and to not allow children, other than Luukas and my nephew J.J. who is visiting from NYC this week, to visit with Olivia and Cole just yet since it is the middle of cold, flu, and RSV season. Please understand that we truly want you all to share in this exciting time with us. At the same time, we must protect Olivia and Cole from getting sick.
PLEASE READ THE POST What is RSV and what does it mean to YOU?! FOR MORE INFORMATION.



Olivia's first pediatrician appointment! She weighed in at 4 lbs 12 oz.


Daddy and Olivia wait patiently for Dr. Antone!


Olivia cracks a smile for us!


Luukas sings Olivia a lullaby!


Luukas holding Olivia for the first time!


Cole's homecoming!!!


The TWINS!!!!

Week of 12/22 to 12/27/08

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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Christmas Day 2008

Thanks to Auntie Shawn who made this wonderful video!

Our prayers have been answered!!

On Friday afternoon, George and I received the best news that any parent could ask for. Both Olivia and Cole's PDA's have closed, according to Friday's echo cardiogram results. Cole still has a PFO, but it is not a concern now that the PDA has closed. PDA's can spontaneously reopen thus I will be asking that one more echo cardiogram be performed on Cole before he comes home. Both babies will be seeing the Director of Cardiology at Children's Hospital (Dr. Humes) for a follow-up appointment at the end of January. Dr. Humes was Luukas' cardiologist when he had his PDA ligated in 2004 and he has been following Olivia and Cole since they were diagnosed with the PDA's. Both babies will also follow-up with the St. Joe's Audiology Clinic at one years old.

On an even happier note, Olivia was discharged on Friday night!! She passed her hearing and car seat tests with flying colors on Thursday night/Friday morning and came home around 10 p.m. Friday night after getting her Hepatitis B vaccine and Newborn Screen Test done. She is doing really well at home, other than showing signs of Reflux, and is currently on Enfamil Lacto Free formula with Thick-It. She gets Fer-In-Sol iron drops daily. Her weight at discharge was 4 lbs 9 oz and height was 18.7 inches!!! Olivia's first pediatrician appointment is Monday at 9 a.m.

Cole is slated to come home on Monday afternoon. He is still struggling with immature lungs, thus he will most likely be coming home on oxygen. He was circumsized on Saturday evening, received his Newborn Screen Test on Friday, and should be having his car seat and hearing test done on Sunday. As of Friday night, he weighed 5 lbs 8.9 oz. Yesterday afternoon, he was switched from breast milk to the same formula combination as Olivia. It appears that both babies may have Reflux, just like Luukas did. If Cole comes home on Monday as planned, he will see the pediatrician on Wednesday morning.

As for Luukas, George and I, we are adjusting to having Olivia home. We'll be glad when Cole comes home, as it will make our family complete and stop the logistical nightmare of trying to visit him while caring for Olivia too! Luukas is doing as well as can be expected with Olivia being home. He is very good to her!

As always, thanks for all of your support! We are excited for the twins to meet all of you. We ask that you please be understanding in when/how soon that will occur as we were instructed to limit visitors at first due to the babies prematurity. Please read the post What is RSV and what does it mean to YOU?! for more information.

What is RSV and what does it mean to YOU?!

If you are not aware of RSV, you are among the majority. Although nearly every child by the age of 2 has been infected with RSV, most have not heard of it. For full-term babies, RSV is typically not any worse than a common cold. For preemies, it is much different. It is a serious virus that is very easily contracted, and for those born earlier than 36 weeks, it poses major risks (pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and other more serious complications, some fatal).

The following are factors which place Olivia and Cole at risk for getting RSV:

* Premature birth. In infants born prematurely (ie, more than 4 weeks early), RSV can become a serious respiratory tract infection that requires hospitalization, especially early in life. Olivia and Cole were born 6 weeks early.
* Being born with lung disease. Babies younger than 2 years old born with chronic lung disease who have needed medical care for it within 6 months before RSV season are at high risk.
* Being born with heart disease. Babies younger than 2 years old born with serious heart disease may be at high risk.
* Low birth weight. Low birth weight (less than 5½ pounds) greatly increases the risk of death from RSV.
* Older brothers and sisters. Babies in contact with school-aged siblings can get RSV, particularly during the cold and flu season.
* Family history of asthma. There is a higher risk for severe RSV in children with a family history of asthma.
* Tobacco smoke and other air pollutants. You should never allow anyone to smoke around your baby. Tobacco smoke and other air pollutants can irritate your baby’s lungs and make it harder to fight RSV.
* Multiple births. Multiple births (for example, twins) increase the risk for RSV because of low birth weight and an increased number of young siblings in the household.

Stopping the spread of RSV is very difficult. Thus, we must be vigilant about keeping our children safe during RSV season (October through April). It is spread through physical contact, through the air via a cough or sneeze, or picked up via touching an infected object. Since it can live as long as 6 hours on your hands and up to 12 hours on objects, you can see how difficult it is to prevent exposure. It is very easily spread, especially from child to child, and studies have shown that other infants pose an even higher risk at spreading RSV from one infant to another. Some people have asked, “Can’t they just fight it off and it will build up their immune system? Kids need to get sick, right?”. The simple answer is no. Since our babies were born 6 weeks pre-term, they did not acquire the necessary immunities to fight off infection. If they acquire RSV, they could likely be hospitalized and develop other serious complications. The saying, "there is no cure for the common cold" is true for RSV. It’s up to the baby’s very weak immune system to fight off the infection, which is why many times it leads to more complications. Here is a great visual comparison of a preemies lungs compared to a full-term baby:




According to an online RSV tracking page, there are cases of RSV in Michigan. Thus, we’ll be asking our visitors to follow a few guidelines in hopes of preventing Olivia and Cole from contracting RSV or any other illness.

We ask that all visitors do the following:

- When you arrive, please wash your hands AND use hand-sanitizer as needed before touching the kids
- Please refrain from coming over if you are currently sick, if you live with someone who is currently sick, have been in contact with someone who is sick, and/or if you have not been symptom-free for at least 7 days.
- If you smoke, we ask that you refrain from smoking just prior to visiting, as their lungs are very sensitive. Most RSV sites recommend against passive smoke exposure. Although it’s not second hand smoke, it does linger and we’d prefer to be safe rather than add another risk factor. We will also be asking smokers to change into a clean shirt from our home when you arrive.
- If you are parents to a baby or toddler, please refrain from bringing them to the house during RSV season. If you have to bring over your child, please speak with us about it in advance.

There is a shot to prevent RSV. Unfortunately, Olivia and Cole do not currently meet the guidelines for getting the shot (Synagis), thus they are at even more risk for getting RSV. Because of this, we will not be attending events during RSV season, which unfortunately coincides with numerous gatherings. It is our goal to make it through this RSV season without Olivia and Cole contracting RSV or any other serious illness. Their lungs are still developing and are very fragile, at least until they are 2. Then we can all breathe a little easier. We hope you understand and we appreciate your support as always!

Echo cardiogram results...

Today, Cole had his follow-up echo and Olivia had her first echo. Cole's PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosis) has went from large to mild/moderate...a sign that the Indomethacin is working some. He is going to stay on the medicine for a few more days (1 dose every 12 hours) and then have a follow-up echo sometime later this week or next week depending on his symptoms. He will definitely have one before coming home. When I called tonight to check on the babies, I was told that our baby boy has graduated to a crib!!! YAY Cole! Graduating to a crib means that babies are able to maintain their own body temps. Unfortunately though, Cole and Olivia were separated. They are no longer next to each other as they are now on different sides of the room.

Olivia was diagnosed with a small PDA today. She is starting her first round of Indomethacin (also 1 dose every 12 hours) to close it. She had to have her IV restarted since the Indomethacin is given through the IV. She will have a follow-up echo prior to coming home to see if it has closed. The neonatalogists stated that they don't usually give the Indomethacin to babies with small PDA's as the small PDA usually closes on its own and is not usually a problem to the baby (i.e. baby is able to breathe while eating bottles). They are giving it to Olivia to ease our minds with hopes of it closing faster.

For information on PDA's, go to:


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001560.htm

Both babies have also been diagnosed with Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO). The doctor's stated that this is a normal hole in the heart that is there while babies grow in the womb. For more information go to:


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001113.htm


We are handling things as best as possible....George better than I. As of right now, we have not been told when to expect the babies home. Olivia continues to progress well on room air and in her big girl bed, while Cole is growing and eating, receiving some IV fluids, and oxygen via the nasal cannula.

Thanks for thinking of us doing this time!

Happy Holidays!! Love, The Anders

Since I won't be getting around to Xmas cards this year, we put together another slideshow of pictures for all of you! We hope you have a safe, joyous and restful Holiday season!!! Best wishes for 2009!

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A quick update...

Today our baby girl moved from the isolate to her big girl crib!!! You can imagine the looks on our faces when we saw that! She's also IV free! She's still having bouts of fast breathing and was diagnosed with a murmur yesterday (Saturday). She will be having an echo cardiogram on Monday. The neonatalogist is assuming the murmur is either a PDA or an ASD, both of which Luukas had as a preemie. Yesterday was a very hard day for me as hearing the news that all 3 of my children have (or had) heart defects was devastating to me. I'm very hopeful though and know that things will be OK. I just really don't want to watch either of the babies go through surgery. Luukas' scenario was traumatic enough.

On another note, Olivia is being given ONLY Soy Formula to see if that helps with the spit-up's. She is taking some of her feeds in bottles and others via tube. She had one bout of projectile vomiting this morning and many spit-up's prompting the move to the Soy Formula. So far so good! Boy, am I glad the NICU is gonna have her all figured out before she comes home!!! It took us two months after Luukas came home to figure out which treatment was best for his Reflux.

As for Cole....he's still on the nasal cannula (lowest setting). He is having less bouts of fast breathing, which is a good sign that hopefully the meds are working to close his PDA! Also, they increased his feedings today and he's tolerating it well. His feedings are a mixture of formula and breast milk. He receives approximately 2-3 feeds per day in the bottle and the rest via tube.

Cole had a really good day, as did Olivia!!! George, Luukas and I spent about an hour with them this afternoon. It was a great visit as we each (George and I) got to hold both babies!! Luukas wanted to feed them and had a hard time understanding that it wasn't quite time yet. He was very gentle with his brother and sister and very well-mannered in the NICU. On the way out, he told George "Daddy, I can't wait til Olivia and Cole come home!!" Hmmmmm...I wonder if he'll be saying that when they really do make their homecoming!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US as tomorrow Cole is having his follow-up echo cardiogram for his large PDA. He has been on Indomethacin since Thursday for it. If you'd like more information about PDA's.....please go to:


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001560.htm

Also, Olivia will be having her echo cardiogram as well tomorrow to diagnose her heart murmur (assumed to be a PDA or an ASD). For information regarding ASD's, please go to:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000157.htm

Both echo's will be Live Reads with the pediatric cardiology group at Children's Hospital. George and I will be spending a few hours at the hospital consulting with the neonatalogists and taking a mandatory CPR/Safety class for NICU parents.

We hope you all have a great week!!!

Please say a prayer...

Hi....The last few days have been pretty eventful for our family. On Tuesday morning, Cole decided to pull out his ventilator and was moved to the CPAP. His sister followed later that day. By Wednesday morning, both babies were on the nasal canulas and wouldn't you know it....today (Thursday) they are both on ROOM AIR (Cole still has the nasal canula in his nose, but is breathing almost all room air). Cole spent one day under the "tanning beds" as he was a little jaundice. Both babies are also receiving 1-2 feeds per day via bottles!!! YAY!!!! They are very persistent and easily stimulated. They get agitated easily and according to the nurses, do not like it when the nurses spend more time with one of them than the other. We have not been able to hold either baby since last Friday, but should be able to tomorrow or Saturday. Also, tomorrow I'll be able to assist with their baths!!

Sooooo....here is where we need the prayers....

Both babies are breathing fast. Cole more than Olivia. Cole has also had a murmur for the last few days. Today, he was diagnosed with a Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA - open heart valve that closes at birth for most kids). You may remember this term, as it is the valve that Luukas had to have surgically closed at one month old at Children's Hospital. Cole's PDA is considered LARGE, while Luukas' was considered moderate/medium. The neonatalogists here work with the pediatric cardiologists at Children's and Cole's echocardiogram took place today as a live read with Children's Hospital. He will be given Indocin (the same medicine I was on to stop pre-term labor) tonight and tomorrow in an attempt to close the valve. His follow-up echocardiogram will be Monday, another live read with Children's cardiologist. If it remains open, a second course of Indocin will be considered and a consult will be ordered with the cardiologist at Children's. Dr. Holtrop, one of the neonatalogist working with the twins, is very hopeful that the PDA will close with the medication. He stated he has seen this occur with more mature/older babies who are having no other heart problems. Let's hope he's right!!!!

On another note, I was readmitted to the hospital last night due to severe anemia. I was having lightheadedness, chills, was extremely worn down, chest pains wrapping around my back and shortness of breath. I was in the ER for 6 hours while they ruled out blood clots in the lungs. My blood pressure and pulse rates were VERY HIGH when we got here and I now have a heart murmur from the anemia, which will hopefully correct itself. When I left the hospital after my c-section, my hemocrit was 7.4 and the doctor's increased my iron tablets to twice per day. Last night, it was 7.9. My body did not rebound as well as my doctor's had hoped, as I apparently lost a lot of blood during my surgery, and I am now very symptomatic. Thus, I was admitted and received two bags of blood today. I'm feeling a little better and have a little more energy tonight. The best news....my hemocrit is back up to 10.4!! YAY!!! I will be taking iron tablets three times a day now and will probably go home tomorrow night.

As I said....this week, especially today, has been full of ups and downs. I'm very sad for Cole and what he has to go through (it definitely is hard to not feel like we've been dealt the same card twice)...but I know he will be fine and home before we know it. I'm trying to stay positive!! It's very hard to not transfer our traumatic experience with Luukas onto Cole and the doctor's are constantly reminding me that each baby is different. We can only hope that the meds will close Cole's PDA and thus, I will have a more positive vision about PDA's.

PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR COLE!!! HE NEEDS THEM!!!! PRAY THAT THE MEDS CORRECT HIS PDA AND NO FURTHER TREATMENT IS NEEDED!!!!

Love to all!
-Rebecca

P.S. - Once I get home, I will upload more pictures!!!!

The last couple of days...

The last couple of days have been up and down for Cole and Olivia as the struggles of immature lungs usually peaks on Day 2-3 and stays that way for a day or so. As of 4:30 this morning, they have been able to be weaned off the ventilators some. We are hoping to see more of this over the next few days!! They may start feedings today (through a tube) and as soon as they're off the ventilators, things will move quickly to the point where George and I will be able to bottle feed them. George and I have to constantly remind ourselves that sometimes it's two steps back before a step forward. The good news is that there doesn't seem to be any other preemie related complications. That is a HUGE blessing!!! Last night, George and I visited Cole and Olivia together (and just us) for the first time since their birth on Friday. Cole (who has my feet and looks like Luukas) opened his eyes while we talked to him. He totally knew his mommy and daddy were there!! It was VERY precious. Olivia (she has George's feet and the nurses say she looks like George, though he thinks she looks like me) was sleeping away, but knew we were there. She looked so comfy in her isolette. Both babies are very easily stimulated so we have to be very quiet when we visit them, as they get agitated very quickly causing their respirations to drop. The doctor said this is largely in part due to their healthy size and gestation and that they just don't like the ventilator and tubes.

I'll try to get some more pics today....and definitely once they are off the ventilators!! Thanks, in advance, for the prayers!!!

Olivia and Cole's Birth Day!

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The TWINS have arrived!!!

As many of you know....Olivia Christine and Cole Justice arrived via c-section yesterday (12-12-08) at 33 weeks and 6 days gestation. The surgery went well and we were able to hold both babies just after their birth!! Luukas was able to meet his brother and sister within a few hours of them being born.

Olivia (bottom picture)- was born at 9:25 a.m. and weighed in at 4 lbs 8 1/2 oz. She is 17 inches long. Today she weighs 4 lbs 9 oz.

Cole (top picture) - was born at 9:26 a.m and weighed in at 5 lbs 6 oz. He is 17 1/2 inches long. Today he weighs 5 lbs 8 oz!!!

Both babies entered the world crying and screaming which were sweet sounds to hear. They are spending a few weeks in the NICU while they work on maturing their lungs. At birth, Cole was started on a nasal canela, while Oliva was starting on a CPAP. Both babies required intubation at about 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. Being ventilated allows the NICU doctor's to give the babies Servanta (surfactent) which will help their lungs to fully mature. Also, Cole's calcium levels were low, so he is being given meds for that.

While both Olivia and Cole are doing OK, please say a prayer for them, as they are not out of the woods yet.

Love,
Rebecca, George and Luukas

We have a date on Friday morning....

TO MEET OUR BABIES!!!!!! Unless, of course, they decide to come sooner. YEP, you heard it right. My c-section has been scheduled for Friday morning!!! We are SUPER excited to meet Cole and Olivia and to give Luukas not one, but two siblings!!! AND even more excited that on Friday, I'll be one day short of 34 weeks! What a miracle!!

So to back track a little....On Sunday morning (4 a.m.), George brought me to St. Joe's bc I was having signs of labor. When we got here, the resident said I was 3-4 cm dilated. They checked me 3 more times and each time I was 4 cm. After that I didn't make any change, so I was admitted to the antenatal unit. Yesterday morning, Dr. Kazzi and Dr. Fabian (my favorite resident) stopped by. Dr. Kazzi said he is VERY happy with how far I have come and that since I will be 34 weeks on Saturday, he is more than comfortable with delivering the twins on Friday. He stopped the blood thinners (which means I have to walk the halls 3 times a day so I don't get a clot) and had the neonatalogist (Dr. Desai) come see me. Dr. Desai stopped by a few hours later and introduced himself. He told me all about the NICU, risk factors for preemies, etc. He was very nice and genuine and said there will be 4 NICU staff in the operating room on Friday. He said if the twins don't have any complications, they could be home within a week or two!!!

I'm having an ultrasound in a little while to look at weights and biophysical profile. The babies have been moving around and doing great on the monitors!! We are soooo thankful for that! I'll update in a little bit!

Love,
Rebecca

UPDATE 12/9/08 - Well, my ultrasound was postponed for a day, but I got to see my babies today for one last time before their birth on Friday. Both babies passed their Biophysical profile ultrasounds with FLYING COLORS!!!! Olivia weighed in a 4lbs 2 oz and Cole weighed in at 4lbs 14 oz. They expect him to be over 5 lbs by Friday!!! It's VERY VERY hard to believe that I have over 9lbs of baby inside of me, especially considering the fact that Luukas weighed 4lbs 12oz at birth. SOOOOO, we are more excited than ever about Friday!!! Dr. Kazzi and 3 residents will be performing my c-section. NOW, let's just hope these contractions stop and I make it to Friday (or at least to Thursday since Dr. Kazzi won't be here tomorrow).

Still playing the waiting game at 33 weeks!!!!

Let me just start by saying WHOEVER THOUGHT I'D GET TO 33 WEEKS!!!! I'm totally stoked to have passed 32 weeks and 4 days, which is when Luukas was born. Sooooo, here goes it.....my 33 week pic for you all to see!

Who wants bedrest anyways??

Apparentally Jena does!! She's in a debate with me and wrote a column about it in today's Tidewater News (Franklin, VA).

http://www.tidewaternews.com/news/2008/dec/04/trading-places/

32 weeks and 5 days!!!

Today I am 32 weeks and 5 days pregnant with TWINS. Luukas was born at 32 weeks and 4 days, so you can imagine the relief and pride I feel for having gotten this far.

We just got home from our NST and ultrasound appt. The twins look great. Fluid levels, heartrates, and movements are great. Both babies are practiciing breathing too. Dr. Fabian (Dr. Kazzi's resident) checked me and I'm still 90% effaced, though I am now 2-3 cm dilated. So, we're making progress but it is VERY slow which is great for the babies sake! As for me, it's getting harder and harder to walk around, sleep, shower, and just plain 'ol get comfortable. I'm definitely walking SLOW these days and waddling BIG TIME!!! I can hardly even fit into George's shirts and I can barely zip his coat over my big belly. LOL! I'm sooooooo ecstatic to have gotten this far though!! Each day is one less day the babies will be in the NICU and who knows, maybe I'll make it so far that they'll come straight home with us from the hospital. That would be WONDERFUL!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying this cold weather!!

-Rebecca

WE MADE IT TO 32 WEEKS!!!

Just wanted to take a moment to thank all of our family, friends, doctor's and nurses.... It's a miracle....WE MADE IT TO 32 WEEKS!!! This is another crucial milestone for the twins development. We're just playing the waiting game now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We wanted to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Dr. Kazzi discharged me from the hospital today since we are now playing the waiting game. I'm happy to be spending Thanksgiving at home with George and Luukas, even though George caught a cold or something and is super sick. I'm trying to stay away so that I don't get it!

I'll be seeing Dr. Kazzi twice a week from now until delivery for monitoring and ultrasounds. I'm still on strict bedrest and I'm continuing the Terb pills and the Progesterone shots until 34-35 weeks, at which time I'll stop them. According to Dr. Kazzi's exam today, I am still 90% effaced and 2 cm dilated. Delivery could be tonight or weeks from now, who knows! We are all elated and shocked that I have gotten as far as I have. The nurse's and Dr. Kazzi are really proud that I've been sticking to their treatment like clockwork. I'll admit...it's been very TOUGH, especially this last hospital stay, but knowing how well the twins are doing makes it all worth it!

I'm 31 weeks and 4 days today. I delivered Luukas at 32 weeks and 4 days. Hmmm.....wonder what will happen in the next week!! Dr. Kazzi's hoping I hold off for a week or two as the NICU at St. Joe's is extremely busy with 3 sets of twins being delivered over the past weekend. Wouldn't it be something if I held off til 35 weeks and George and I were able to bring the twins home with us?!!! I'm not even sure we'd know what to do with two babies at home so soon after delivery!

As you all probably guessed....George, Luukas and I have TONS to be THANKFUL for this Thanksgiving! First of all.....the fact that the worst of my pregnancy seems to be over with and now it's going really well and seems to be going better with each additional week. Second...we are so thankful for all of our family and friends who have been there for us day in and day out since the beginning. Last but not least, we are thankful for each other. Bedrest and almost 7 weeks of hospitalization has been very trying, but we are surviving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

31 weeks and kicking!!

31 weeks - WE MADE IT!!! Not much longer now. Dr. Kazzi is cracking up bc all I do during the day is predict how far I'll make it. He says I'm going past 32 weeks and he's sending me home Dec. 1st. YEAH RIGHT?! The nurse's are in on it too. They all (Dr. Kazzi, the residents and my nurse's) stood outside my room today debating about which date I'll deliver and who will be here. LOL!! We all kinda expect delivery to occur this week. Thanksgiving babies (and even babies born on my dad's birthday) wouldn't be too bad, especially since Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!! I'm now 90% effaced and still 2 cm dilated according to Dr. Kazzi's measurements. I have one more Indocin pill to take at 4 a.m. on Saturday. This will end my days on Indocin...which I'm glad about bc it really makes me feel awful. I've still been having some contractions on it. We'll see how many I get on the Terb pills. I've felt really run down the last 3 days....wonder what that means. I wish there was a magical predictor of when I would deliver. Laying here and not knowing is literally killing me. Guess that's my type A characteristics butting in. OK....now I'm rambling. I have an ultrasound on Monday....they will look at fluid levels, weights, and biophysical profile on the twins. I'll keep you all posted.

UPDATE - 11/24/08

I had an ultrasound this morning:

Baby A (Olivia) - weighs 3 lbs 3 oz, fluid level of 28, and HR 164 bpm.

Baby B (Cole) - weighs 3 lbs 11 oz, fluid level of 40, and HR 151 bpm.

I am 90% effaced and dilated to 3 cm now. My cervical length is 0.8 cm. Not much left. I predict the twins will be here by Thanksgiving!

30 weeks and hospitalized for remainder of the pregnancy

After having a rough night Friday night and feeling crampy all day on Saturday, George brought me to Labor and Delivery on Saturday night. I was convinced things were fine and I was just coming for monitoring. Instead, when I got here I found out that I was contracting every 4-5 minutes, dilated to 3 cm with 70% effaced and minus 2 station, and I was given another Fetal Fibroctin Test which had positive results meaning delivery is near. Realizing that I wasn't going to finish out the pregnancy at home was tough. I was prepped for a c-section immediately. An ultrasound was done and thankfully Baby A's fluid levels incrased again, so Dr. Kazzi started a 6th round of Indocin and also continued me on the Terb pills. Today, I had another U/S which showed that both babies weigh over 3 lbs now. I will have a more thorough ultrasound tomorrow. Baby Aspirin was stopped immediately and the fact that these babies will probably be here within the next 2 weeks is becoming more real. The contractions slowed with the Indocin and I will be moved tomorrow back to the antenatal floor, as I've been in Labor and Delivery since arriving yesterday. Thankfully, the babies are doing great!! I'll update tomorrow after my U/S.

-Rebecca

UPDATE 11/17/08 -

So, I had my ultrasound today. The babies are doing great. Baby A is just under 3 lbs and Baby B is 3 lbs 8 oz. Their fluid levels were both 33 which is GREAT news. Dr. Kazzi checked me and I am 80% effaced and 2 cm dilated by his measurements. I will be staying in the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy. The resident doesn't expect me to make it past 32 weeks. I was moved to a new room today (back on the antenatal unit). I'm close to the elevator in case they have to rush me back to L&D. We'll keep you posted!!

Sign the petition!

Home again!

Hi all,

Just wanted to send a quick update. I was discharged this afternoon and I'm laying comfortably in my own bed as I write this. I am still on Terbutiline tablets 4x/day. My doctor stopped Indocin yesterday after my ultrasound due to the fact that Baby A's fluid level decreased some more. The babies are doing great....they passed their ultrasound with flying colors and while Baby A's fluid level is decreased, it is still considered normal low. I go back Tuesday for monitoring and another ultrasound. Dr. Kazzi will check weights, fluid levels, cervix, and fetal growth and development. At this point, the Terbutiline and weekly Progesterone shots will be my only treatments to prevent pre-term labor for the remainder of the pregnancy. Dr. Kazzi is trying his hardest to get me to 37 weeks, but his resident and I have a plan.....35 weeks (mid-December) is considered full-term for twins so at that point, if I haven't delivered, she'll do an amnio and if the babies are fully developed, a c-section will follow. I will be having a c-section either way due to Baby B being transverse breach. Right now, my goal is to get to 32 weeks and then to 34. I remember being afraid that I wouldn't even get to 28 weeks and we are almost 2 weeks past that point already!! YIPPEE!!

Just a funny story to share....Dr. Kazzi told me today that all of my nurse's, the Residents and he had a bet going on about when I would return to the antepartum unit. They all LOST!!! They couldn't bl I made it a week without even calling. Apparentally, they've been talking about me all week bc they didn't even write my name on the nurse's board....they just wrote "GUESS WHO?" I couldn't bl it!!

Love to all!!

-Rebecca

Almost made it a week....

at home. I had a great week....wasn't nervous, only a few contractions, I didn't call my doctor one time, I stayed in bed and enjoyed being with George and Luukas, and the nursery was completed thanks to Mom and Noelle! I must also say thanks to Shawn and Aunt Meg for their hours of work in the nursery too over the last 2 months. Also, thanks Toni and Mom for cleaning the house this past week!!

So today, I woke up with contractions. They didn't go away so George brought me back to L&D at St. Joe's. Thankfully, my cervix hasn't changed much. I'm still 70% effaced and 1 cm dilated. Also, I PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS another Fetal Fibroctin Test which means the babies have a 95% chance of not coming before 31 1/2 weeks. I'll be 29 1/2 weeks tomorrow. I started a 5th round of Indocin today and I'm also still taking the Terb pills. Dr. Kazzi will be doing an ultrasound tomorrow. If things look good and the contractions have stopped or slowed down a lot, he said I should be home by Wednesday.

It was much harder to leave home today since I got to spend a week with George and Luukas and get "reconnected." I'm hopeful things will continue to go well and that I'll be back home and in my bed on Wednesday!!

Love to all!

Home At Last!!!

Home at last!! I was discharged at 3 p.m. today and was home and in my own bed by 3:30 p.m. Boy, does it feel good to be home!! I teared up when I saw the leaves changing colors outside and even falling off the trees and I cried even more when we drove up to our house. George and his mom made sure I got home safe. Luukas was sooooo excited when his Nana picked him up at school today bc he knew that meant I would be here when he got home. He ran into the house and gave me a HUGE hug and kiss!!! It was priceless!! As for the house...it's still standing and pretty well for 2 bachelor's who've been living here the last 5 weeks!! Yes, there were toys everywhere and baby stuff galore that needs to be organized, Luukas' room is a pigsty from toys and my room looked like I haven't lived here in years. Oh well! The important thing is our family survived the last 5 weeks (with lots of support from all of you)! Soooo, I'm home for now, on stict bedrest (with bathroom privilages and an occasional opportunity to sit at the table) until 32 weeks. I'll be seeing the doctor weekly (on Tuesdays) for non-stress tests (NST's) and having ultrasounds every other Tuesday. Once I get a little further along, I'll be having NST's twice a week. For now, I'm taking Terbutiline tablets 4 times a day and praying and hoping to make it to 32 and even 34 weeks!!! Thanks again for your prayers and support!!

Just a little fun....

Another day...in the hospital.

Well, I was hoping to go home today to be with my boys, but they had to increase my Terbutiline pills on Sunday. Soooooo, maybe tomorrow I'll be at home. In the meantime, I'll be eating free food, have a great movable bed to hang out in, and take more wheelchair rides today!!!!

We MADE IT TO 28 weeks!!!

I made it to 28 weeks on Friday!!! This coming Monday will mark 5 weeks since I was admitted to the hospital. Yesterday, I had a fetal fibroctin test with negative results, ultrasounds, and a digital (manual) exam. Baby A (girl) is 2 lbs 3 1/2 oz and Baby B (boy) is 2 lbs 11 oz. I am 70% effaced and a fingertip dilated with some funneling. Baby A's fluid is borderline decreased. The good news is the new medicine they are giving me to stop contractions (Terbutiline pills) seems to be working, though they may have to increase it as I am having a few contractions here and there. I'm also having chest pains and they are watching that side effect. I've already had 4 rounds of Indocin (with the most recent being last Monday) to stop contractions which can further decrease fluid levels so they wanted to try something else. I can take Terbutiline until 34 weeks and I can get Progesterone shots until 35 weeks. Here's the best news....my doctor is letting me get out of bed and walk around my room this weekend and also sit in a chair, both things I haven't been able to do in almost 5 weeks. If there are no changes on Monday, then he is going to let me go home and finish bedrest there!! Yippee!!! I can't wait to be with Luukas and George again!! I've been on Heparin shots 2x a day since being in the hospital and if I go home, I'm going to ask to continue them bc I've had less spotting since the shots started. Not sure if it's a coincidence or what. Thanks for your prayers!!! They are working!!!

Go AWAY contractions!!!

PLEASE PLEASE leave me alone contractions - I am so sick of you!!

After having a GREAT weekend, I had to start a 4th round of meds (Indocin) tonight to stop contractions. I was having a lot of pressure too, but the meds seemed to help alleviate some of that. Since my fluid levels were OK last Wednesday, the docs weren't concerned about starting the meds.

The GOOD NEWS is now I'm almost guaranteed to get to 28 weeks which is only 4 days away!!! I'm looking forward to that!

Here's to a good rest of the week!

WOOHOOO!!! 27 weeks today!!

WOOHOO!!! We made it another week!!! I always love Fridays bc they remind me of how far we have come!! 1 more week until we reach our next milestone!! I hope this week flies by!!!

26.5 week Ultrasound...

This past Sunday night, I was given a 3rd round of meds (Indocin) to stop contractions. The contractions were painful and frequent, but the meds seemed to have done the job for the most part. I'm still contracting, but not nearly as frequent. Today was my 26.5 week ultrasound. Things seem to be status quo. Baby A's fluid level was 25 (normal low range) and Baby B's was 42 (normal high range). Baby A's fluid did not change since Sunday night (I have to have ultrasounds prior to being given the Indocin bc it can decrease fluid levels) so that was good news. Both babies are doing well and my cervix (other than shortening 3 mm) hasn't changed at all since last week. THUS, if things remain the same for the next 10 days, my doctor will check me on Halloween and possibly send me home, pending the results of a Fetal Fibroctin test. If the test is negative then there is a 95% chance that I won't deliver within 2 weeks of the test being completed. I have mixed feelings about going home. I, of course, want to be with George and Luukas, but there is a sense of security that you get out of being here at the hospital too. So, we'll see what happens!! It will just be GREAT to get to that 28 week mark!! I can't wait!!

NAMES....

So we haven't decided 100% on names yet, but I thought I'd share the latest...

COLE (need a middle name - please help by taking our poll!)

and

OLIVIA CHRISTINE

LIFE IN THE HOSPITAL!

So everyone always wants to know - "How's life in the hospital?"

Well here goes it! As of right now, I still have bathroom privilages which means I can ONLY get up to use the restroom (which is next to my bed) and to shower EVERY OTHER day. SO sorry for the stinkiness if you visit on an off day! LOL! I have to lay flat on my left side the rest of the day, except I can sit up to eat. I can eat whatever I want whenever I want. The hospital food is OK, but "outside food" is always appreciated every few days too. The nurses are awesome. They make "midnight snack runs" and make the very best milkshakes for us mama's to be too! They can teach us how to knit, they sit and talk with me throughout the day (I'm a talker...did you know that?! LOL!), and they are very on top of things.

I get monitored 3x a day for fetal heart tones and contractions and more if I feel crampy. Other than that, Dr. Kazzi usually stops by once a day and the resident (mostly Dr. Fabian) stops by every morning between 6-7 a.m. The machine they use to measure heart tones and contractions is linked to the TV screens in Labor and Delivery and almost every day one of my nurses' gets called bc I'm setting off the alarms upstairs!! That's bc our baby boy doesn't stay still!! I've only had a roommate for 1 of the 3 weeks since I've been here so that is nice too!

Both babies are movers and shakers! They are now laying in a T-position with Baby A (girl) being straight up and down the center of my belly and Baby B (boy) going across (horizontally) the top of my belly. My lil girl likes to kick her brother a lot and headbutt me. I'll let you imagine what that feels like!! LOL!

Other than that, when I don't have visitors, I spend pretty much the rest of my day doing useless things. Oh WAIT...I am cooking babies so that's useful!! I've been watching tv shows that I would never normally watch....CashCab, Who's Wedding Is It Anyways, Suze Orman (George is hoping I learn a thing or two from her!) and Jerry Springer, and all of the court shows. I'm still trying to figure out why my husband likes to watch them so much, especially Divorce Court! LOL! Speaking of the beloved hubby, bc of him, my time here has gone by a lot faster thanks to the Laptop he bought me for my birthday! It has been a lifesaver! I'm on it all of the time!!!! I should be doing something useful on it like taking Social Work continuing ed courses since my license is up in April, but I haven't gotten that motivated yet!! Instead I've been blogging and buying baby stuff (shhh.....don't tell George!).

OK...I'm babbling and wasting all of your time reading this. LOL! I just wanted to say thanks for all of the phone calls, emails, text messages, and visits! They are much appreciated and make the time go by EVEN faster!!! It's hard to believe that this Tuesday marks 3 weeks since I was admitted to the hospital.

Love to all!

-Rebecca

A TIMELINE...

We wanted to share a quick timeline of Rebecca's pregnancy!

April 18th - IVF cycle started
May 1st - Egg retrieval
May 6th - Embryo transfer (transferred 2 embryo's)
May 15th - Positive pregnancy bloodtest at IVF Michigan!!!
June 9th - 1st U/S at IVF Michigan - It's TWINS!!!!
August 5th - After Luukas begged the ultrasound tech for 10 minutes....we found out we are having a GIRL (Baby A) and a BOY (Baby B)!
August 11th - 19th - Bedrest
August 30th - September 3rd - Hospitalized due to gastro problems and what was later diagnosed as a blood clotting disorder. PERMANENT BEDREST begins.
September 2nd - George and my 8th wedding anniversary - I spent it in the hospital having a colonoscopy. YUCK!
September 3rd - Discharged and sent home on strict bedrest.
September 30th - Hospitalized following an U/S appt due to contractions, shortened cervix, spotting and discrepency in size and fluid levels between Baby A (less) and Baby B (more). Given 1st round of meds (Indocin) to stop contractions.
October 9th - My 32nd birthday - spent it in the hospital. Many friends and family members made it totally bearable though!! Thanks to all for the birthday wishes!!
October 11th - Started 2nd round of meds (Indocin) for contractions.
October 19th - Started 3rd round of meds (Indocin) for contractions.
October 27th - Started 4th round of meds (Indocin) for contractions.
October 29th - Started Terbutiline pills every 6 hours for contractions.
October 31st - 28 WEEKS!! Ultrasound, exam, and Fetal Fibroctin test.


I'll keep updating this regularly! I'm having weekly ultrasounds at this point. My last one on 10/15 showed that Baby A's fluid level came up which was great news. The twins are still about 5 oz apart in size so they are considered discordant twins. Other than that....I have funneling and I'm starting to soften. Hopefully we can make it a few more weeks. Our next goal is 28 weeks and Dr. Kazzi is pretty confident I'm going to make it there just fine!!!

WELCOME!

Welcome to our blog!! We are happily expecting boy/girl twins this Fall/Winter and we wanted to create a way to update you all regularly!! We can't wait for our lil' one's to be a part of all of your lives!! We are so lucky to have such great family and friends!!