A quick post to let everyone know that the babies have arrived and mommy, daddy and babies are all well and they are beautiful little blessings. I would like to give mommy and daddy the honor of introducing their new additions when they are able to post so please keep checking back. They appreciate all of the well wishes and prayers.
Posted by Auntie Karen
P.S. Internet at the hospital is still unavailable.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Not So Perfect Timing
Well, no TV for Kim yesterday and today the hospital internet is giving her trouble. Not so perfect timing on the eve of the babies arrival. For those of you that have emailed her since about noon today she wanted me to let you know she has not been able to access the internet.
On to the important matter of the little ones making their appearance tomorrow...mommy is good and so anxious about meeting them. Daddy is staying at the hospital tonight. They figure they can keep each other company since sleep will probably escape all of us.
As soon as we are able we will post details of the big day but that depends largely on the technical issues being resolved at the hospital. Cross your fingers it's taken care of early in the day.
As always, please continue prayers for both mommy and babies (and of course daddy too!). We are all so excited to share this miracle with them.
Posted by Karen (Kim's sister)
On to the important matter of the little ones making their appearance tomorrow...mommy is good and so anxious about meeting them. Daddy is staying at the hospital tonight. They figure they can keep each other company since sleep will probably escape all of us.
As soon as we are able we will post details of the big day but that depends largely on the technical issues being resolved at the hospital. Cross your fingers it's taken care of early in the day.
As always, please continue prayers for both mommy and babies (and of course daddy too!). We are all so excited to share this miracle with them.
Posted by Karen (Kim's sister)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Ways to Torture a Hospital Patient
OK, so you are in a hospital. You are at the mercy of anyone who comes to visit you, or the nursing staff. It is close to impossible just to get out of bed because you are carrying a large watermelon - no something bigger....TWO watermelons - in front of you. The food is less than stellar, but you try to deal with it anyway.
What are some of the ways that you could be tortured while sitting around all day seemingly doing nothing but "relaxing"???? Let me give you a few ideas:
First and foremost, the cable/television/free movie service throughout the hospital (or at least the floor you are on) could go out. What that means is that you have no noise to drown out the floor cleaning, crying newborns (yes, soon enough they will be ours, but right now, they are not), etc. No mindless form of entertainment. The nurse offered to get me a book....very nice, but a book? Are you kidding? All I can think about is c-sections and tiny babies, etc. I can't even think of focusing on a book right now. That's why the TV (especially trash TV like on E!) is so wonderful as it is completely distracting without requiring me to do anything.
OK, so you get it...no TV is bad. Really bad. And I'm sure that the other "guests" (AKA patients) are feeling the same way.
Another way to torture a patient is to consistently come after her with needles. There is always a needle in the nurse's hand. After a while, you stop wanting to be nice and just say "Hey, don't you want to come in and chat? And leave your sharp objects behind?" They are also kind enough to warn me way in advance when I'll have an even better needle incident coming - like a new IV line. Ironic that I'm on the 3rd line, but still haven't needed an IV. They use it at first for blood work and then set up the line, just in case. It has to be redone every three days and today is the day. Hopefully it will be the one they will use during the c-section, so it means one less needle on Thursday morning.
The third and final example I can give for torturing a patient is to keep telling her to get some rest and then come in and wake her up to check her vitals, use the gel goo to get the heart rates of the babies and give her more meds or shots. Oh, and then there are the other medical visitors.....the neonatologist, lactation consultant, case worker, doctor on call, quality control personnel (that was a new one). Don't get me wrong. I've actually learned quite a bit from most of these visits, but they can arrive at anytime and without warning. It sort of hinders getting any rest because then I get into the conversation or come up with questions to ask. By the time they leave, I'm thinking about the next two to six weeks of our lives. They check vitals throughout the night - meaning midnight, 4am, etc. And those are not too invasive, so you can sort of stay in the sleep-zone, but when they check the heart beats of the babies, it requires that I really wake up. And it IS very important that they do this, but it's just funny because they keep telling me that I should really rest more. Go figure.
So, in case you didn't get it from one of the items above, our TVs are not working. I'm crossing my fingers that it gets resolved quickly, but I know that it was out at 5am, so it's not looking good. Please keep me in your prayers today as I struggle to keep entertained.... :) The babies are helping me out with that as they have really been active, so I can just sit and watch my belly jump around.
I have already been to see the doctor this morning and they did what I think was the FINAL ultrasound. Babies all looked good, so he didn't have me get hooked up for the "non-stress" test. He pointed out that I AM going to have contractions and that the babies are coming in two days, so as long as they looked good on the ultrasound and that the nurses are able to find their heart beats throughout the day, we are in good shape. THAT was the best news I had heard all day.
Not sure that I will have anything else to post today. If not, we'll check in again tomorrow. In the meantime we have LESS THAN 48 HOURS UNTIL WE ARE PARENTS!!!!! Crazy!!!!!
What are some of the ways that you could be tortured while sitting around all day seemingly doing nothing but "relaxing"???? Let me give you a few ideas:
First and foremost, the cable/television/free movie service throughout the hospital (or at least the floor you are on) could go out. What that means is that you have no noise to drown out the floor cleaning, crying newborns (yes, soon enough they will be ours, but right now, they are not), etc. No mindless form of entertainment. The nurse offered to get me a book....very nice, but a book? Are you kidding? All I can think about is c-sections and tiny babies, etc. I can't even think of focusing on a book right now. That's why the TV (especially trash TV like on E!) is so wonderful as it is completely distracting without requiring me to do anything.
OK, so you get it...no TV is bad. Really bad. And I'm sure that the other "guests" (AKA patients) are feeling the same way.
Another way to torture a patient is to consistently come after her with needles. There is always a needle in the nurse's hand. After a while, you stop wanting to be nice and just say "Hey, don't you want to come in and chat? And leave your sharp objects behind?" They are also kind enough to warn me way in advance when I'll have an even better needle incident coming - like a new IV line. Ironic that I'm on the 3rd line, but still haven't needed an IV. They use it at first for blood work and then set up the line, just in case. It has to be redone every three days and today is the day. Hopefully it will be the one they will use during the c-section, so it means one less needle on Thursday morning.
The third and final example I can give for torturing a patient is to keep telling her to get some rest and then come in and wake her up to check her vitals, use the gel goo to get the heart rates of the babies and give her more meds or shots. Oh, and then there are the other medical visitors.....the neonatologist, lactation consultant, case worker, doctor on call, quality control personnel (that was a new one). Don't get me wrong. I've actually learned quite a bit from most of these visits, but they can arrive at anytime and without warning. It sort of hinders getting any rest because then I get into the conversation or come up with questions to ask. By the time they leave, I'm thinking about the next two to six weeks of our lives. They check vitals throughout the night - meaning midnight, 4am, etc. And those are not too invasive, so you can sort of stay in the sleep-zone, but when they check the heart beats of the babies, it requires that I really wake up. And it IS very important that they do this, but it's just funny because they keep telling me that I should really rest more. Go figure.
So, in case you didn't get it from one of the items above, our TVs are not working. I'm crossing my fingers that it gets resolved quickly, but I know that it was out at 5am, so it's not looking good. Please keep me in your prayers today as I struggle to keep entertained.... :) The babies are helping me out with that as they have really been active, so I can just sit and watch my belly jump around.
I have already been to see the doctor this morning and they did what I think was the FINAL ultrasound. Babies all looked good, so he didn't have me get hooked up for the "non-stress" test. He pointed out that I AM going to have contractions and that the babies are coming in two days, so as long as they looked good on the ultrasound and that the nurses are able to find their heart beats throughout the day, we are in good shape. THAT was the best news I had heard all day.
Not sure that I will have anything else to post today. If not, we'll check in again tomorrow. In the meantime we have LESS THAN 48 HOURS UNTIL WE ARE PARENTS!!!!! Crazy!!!!!
Monday, January 28, 2008
T-minus three....two....one.......
The countdown continues and there is nothing new to "report". We are still on for Thursday at 9am and I'm still pregnant with three squirmy, seemingly 9lb (each) babies. OK, I know that they are probably going to weigh a little under 4 lbs a piece, but at this point, it feels like there are three PEOPLE, not babies in there.
Everytime the nurses try to get heart beats, etc, I think the babies sense that it's their chance to "perform" and they do. For some reason, I was under the impression that the little critters would be less active at this point because of the space issue, etc, but that is definitely not the case. They are really all over the place. I think that Baby C did a complete flip about 30 minutes ago. It will be interesting to see them on the ultrasound tomorrow to see where they are and which direction they are headed.
As I said, there's nothing new to report. We are just eagerly anticipating their arrival and counting down the hours. I'm asking lots of weird questions of the nurses and doctors as I'm suddenly in need of info about the c-section, NICU possibilities, etc. We've been so lucky to get really wonderful nurses on 3-East. They really have been nice to us and been understanding that we are full of questions.
We'll check back in sometime tomorrow.
Everytime the nurses try to get heart beats, etc, I think the babies sense that it's their chance to "perform" and they do. For some reason, I was under the impression that the little critters would be less active at this point because of the space issue, etc, but that is definitely not the case. They are really all over the place. I think that Baby C did a complete flip about 30 minutes ago. It will be interesting to see them on the ultrasound tomorrow to see where they are and which direction they are headed.
As I said, there's nothing new to report. We are just eagerly anticipating their arrival and counting down the hours. I'm asking lots of weird questions of the nurses and doctors as I'm suddenly in need of info about the c-section, NICU possibilities, etc. We've been so lucky to get really wonderful nurses on 3-East. They really have been nice to us and been understanding that we are full of questions.
We'll check back in sometime tomorrow.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunny Sunday - Last Belly Pic at 33wks 3 days
Well, it's turned out to be a very sunny Sunday, although still chilly. Troy spoke with the nurse and I'm now allowed one wheelchair ride "outside" each day just to get a little break. We "strolled" around the outside of the hospital just enjoying the sunshine and checked out the gift shop, magazines, ice cream and candy. It was really nice to just have a little sunshine after days of being cooped up inside. I have some friends who were in the hospital on bedrest while pregnant with their triplets for weeks, so we are very thankful that this is such a short time, but have to admit that it was much nicer to be outside than in.
We went ahead and took what we assume will be the final belly shot today (33w3d). We still hope to get a couple of other pics done before they arrive, but I'm running on very little sleep and unwilling to have pictures on the blog to prove it. :)
No big news to report today. They sent me over for a "non-stress test". Funny thing about that name. I think it's very stressful as this is when they hook up monitors for each baby and one for my contractions in order to be sure that they are not having trouble during the contractions. Problem is that I'm stuck in one position for quite a while and hoping that all three stay still enough to be monitored.....but that never happens. At least two of them were wiggling everywhere today and I was afraid I was going to end up there for 6 hours. The good news....they are doing just fine. And it didn't end up taking 6 hours.
That's all for today. We'll let you know what's going on once we meet with the doctors tomorrow, etc. One more day down....just three full days left and then it's BIRTHDAY TIME!!!!!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Tough Day at the Hospital
I ended up in triage to monitor the babies as I was having quite a few contractions on Friday afternoon. Because there was a slight dip in Baby B's heart rate during the contractions, they decided to keep me hooked up to the fetal monitors overnight in Labor & Delivery.
Let me explain that once we got here Wed night, I was quite ready to just deliver the babies. Once we met with the dr on Friday AM (and after a better night of rest Thur night), I felt good about his decision to hold off until Thursday. I was getting a little more settled into my room on 3rd floor east and had been able to develop a good relationship with those that worked in that particular area. When it came up that we would have to stay overnight in a different room AND hooked up to monitors, I got upset. I just didn't want anymore changes and just wanted to be as comfortable as possible. There is simply no getting comfortable when you have 4 monitors (one for each baby and one to watch for contractions) strapped to your already VERY large belly. Add to that the need to get up for restroom trips every hour or so - which now require help in order to "unplug" you from the machines and then to find the babies all over again when you get back to bed - and you have Kim sort of losing her cool.
I didn't get any sleep last night and ended up staying quiet today - avoiding calls and visitors until I get a little more sleep. We had a WONDERFUL nurse this morning in the other room who was very helpful, kind and understanding. And we were thrilled when our dr showed up and agreed that we could go back to my original room. It was such a relief to get back here and get a shower and get settled back in with the nurses and staff that we have come to know in just a short period of time.
So, for today, I'm asking that you continue to keep us in your prayers - that the babies will continue to hold their own and not show any signs of distress, that I can get some rest and relief, and that Troy is able to also get some rest as he's been busy keeping up with my requests from home, doing laundry and cleaning up at home and working.
We are so thankful for the calls and emails and will continue to keep you posted. If you are reading this post and haven't heard that the babies are supposed to be delivered on Thur, 1/31, please check out our prior post from yesterday to "catch up".
Let me explain that once we got here Wed night, I was quite ready to just deliver the babies. Once we met with the dr on Friday AM (and after a better night of rest Thur night), I felt good about his decision to hold off until Thursday. I was getting a little more settled into my room on 3rd floor east and had been able to develop a good relationship with those that worked in that particular area. When it came up that we would have to stay overnight in a different room AND hooked up to monitors, I got upset. I just didn't want anymore changes and just wanted to be as comfortable as possible. There is simply no getting comfortable when you have 4 monitors (one for each baby and one to watch for contractions) strapped to your already VERY large belly. Add to that the need to get up for restroom trips every hour or so - which now require help in order to "unplug" you from the machines and then to find the babies all over again when you get back to bed - and you have Kim sort of losing her cool.
I didn't get any sleep last night and ended up staying quiet today - avoiding calls and visitors until I get a little more sleep. We had a WONDERFUL nurse this morning in the other room who was very helpful, kind and understanding. And we were thrilled when our dr showed up and agreed that we could go back to my original room. It was such a relief to get back here and get a shower and get settled back in with the nurses and staff that we have come to know in just a short period of time.
So, for today, I'm asking that you continue to keep us in your prayers - that the babies will continue to hold their own and not show any signs of distress, that I can get some rest and relief, and that Troy is able to also get some rest as he's been busy keeping up with my requests from home, doing laundry and cleaning up at home and working.
We are so thankful for the calls and emails and will continue to keep you posted. If you are reading this post and haven't heard that the babies are supposed to be delivered on Thur, 1/31, please check out our prior post from yesterday to "catch up".
Friday, January 25, 2008
We have a potential birthdate!!!!
Well, it looks like the plan is to deliver next Thurs, Jan 31st (c-section scheduled for 9am), assuming that nothing comes up in between now and then. The babies looked pretty good again today, although the doppler (cord flow) looked a little off for our Baby C again. I will stay in the hospital for the duration so that they can keep a close watch over the babies and be able to deliver quickly should any other complications arise.
Email and the internet are my "friends" right now, so please feel free to email whenever. I enjoy the communication. Also, you are welcome to call/come by (for the locals, that is). I'm at UT in room 311. The main phone # here is (865) 305-9000 and then you would ask for room 311. I've told Troy that I have way more contact with people being stuck in bed at the hospital than I was at home, but it's still a little weird to be away from home for so long. I miss the puppies already.
I'm going to try to keep up with the blog pretty regularly as we will meet with the doctors each day. And I'm going to make sure that Troy and Aunt Karen know how to update here as well in case I'm not up to it and we have big news.
In the meantime, please keep praying that things continue to go smoothly and that the babies can put on a little more weight, get better lung development, and just generally be a little more ready for the big world by next Thursday. Our dr doesn't plan to go past that date since he feels they are not gaining weight as quickly as he would like, so we should definitely meet them in SIX DAYS OR LESS!!! We are hoping that this extra week might get them closer to (or at) 4lbs each and hopefully avoid any respiratory issues as well.
I guess I should also mention now (for those of you who might not have heard) that they will, obviously, be in the NICU at first. One of the neonatologists (baby specialists, we'll say)came by yesterday to explain what we could expect of 33-34 weekers. The hospital will tell us to expect them to be here until their original due date (March 13th), which would be 6wks. He said that we could realistically expect them to be here for about 4-6wks. That can certainly change and we could luck out with very healthy babies who feed and grow quickly and can come home much sooner.
I would like to explain that since they will be in the NICU, there is no viewing window in a nursery and there are no visitors allowed to see the babies (beyond us and the grandparents). I know that some people might want to stop in to get a glimpse and thought I'd should warn you now so that you are not disappointed. It's a hospital policy that is meant to protect the babies from any illnesses until their little immune systems are built up, so we hope you understand. You are, of course, welcome to stop in to see us, but I know that isn't as much fun. :)
Thanks again for all of your kinds words, support, prayers, calls, etc. It really is such an exciting (albeit scary)time. We are just so excited about seeing what they look like, holding their tiny hands and snuggling up to them! Neither one of us can wait to meet them. We were just saying that we are sort of thankful that it isn't a "normal" singleton pregnancy where we would have to wait another 6 wks to meet them. I think I'd come out of my skin! Thanks again. And we'll be back on here soon!
Email and the internet are my "friends" right now, so please feel free to email whenever. I enjoy the communication. Also, you are welcome to call/come by (for the locals, that is). I'm at UT in room 311. The main phone # here is (865) 305-9000 and then you would ask for room 311. I've told Troy that I have way more contact with people being stuck in bed at the hospital than I was at home, but it's still a little weird to be away from home for so long. I miss the puppies already.
I'm going to try to keep up with the blog pretty regularly as we will meet with the doctors each day. And I'm going to make sure that Troy and Aunt Karen know how to update here as well in case I'm not up to it and we have big news.
In the meantime, please keep praying that things continue to go smoothly and that the babies can put on a little more weight, get better lung development, and just generally be a little more ready for the big world by next Thursday. Our dr doesn't plan to go past that date since he feels they are not gaining weight as quickly as he would like, so we should definitely meet them in SIX DAYS OR LESS!!! We are hoping that this extra week might get them closer to (or at) 4lbs each and hopefully avoid any respiratory issues as well.
I guess I should also mention now (for those of you who might not have heard) that they will, obviously, be in the NICU at first. One of the neonatologists (baby specialists, we'll say)came by yesterday to explain what we could expect of 33-34 weekers. The hospital will tell us to expect them to be here until their original due date (March 13th), which would be 6wks. He said that we could realistically expect them to be here for about 4-6wks. That can certainly change and we could luck out with very healthy babies who feed and grow quickly and can come home much sooner.
I would like to explain that since they will be in the NICU, there is no viewing window in a nursery and there are no visitors allowed to see the babies (beyond us and the grandparents). I know that some people might want to stop in to get a glimpse and thought I'd should warn you now so that you are not disappointed. It's a hospital policy that is meant to protect the babies from any illnesses until their little immune systems are built up, so we hope you understand. You are, of course, welcome to stop in to see us, but I know that isn't as much fun. :)
Thanks again for all of your kinds words, support, prayers, calls, etc. It really is such an exciting (albeit scary)time. We are just so excited about seeing what they look like, holding their tiny hands and snuggling up to them! Neither one of us can wait to meet them. We were just saying that we are sort of thankful that it isn't a "normal" singleton pregnancy where we would have to wait another 6 wks to meet them. I think I'd come out of my skin! Thanks again. And we'll be back on here soon!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
33 weeks and we are hanging out at UT Hospital
Well, we've officially hit 33 wks today, but ended up at the hospital last night. I won't go into details, but we had a scare with some bleeding. They admitted me in order to administer the steroid shots (one last night and one tonight - so obviously I'll be here until tomorrow, at least). The shots will help the babies lungs develop, so this is a really important step.
We saw the dr today and they did fetal monitoring and ultrasounds. Everything looks just fine, so there is no official plan yet. They will continue to monitor things, give me another shot tonight and rerun the ultrasounds and monitoring tomorrow. Both doctors would really like to see me make it to 34 wks (next Thurs). I'm not sure if it will mean staying in the hospital until delivery, or if I might be going home tomorrow. I'll just have to post another update tomorrow once we have more information.
We're pretty excited, nervous, but ready to meet our little ones, so we're sort of hoping they think it is safe enough to deliver the babies sooner rather than later. We'll see.
We saw the dr today and they did fetal monitoring and ultrasounds. Everything looks just fine, so there is no official plan yet. They will continue to monitor things, give me another shot tonight and rerun the ultrasounds and monitoring tomorrow. Both doctors would really like to see me make it to 34 wks (next Thurs). I'm not sure if it will mean staying in the hospital until delivery, or if I might be going home tomorrow. I'll just have to post another update tomorrow once we have more information.
We're pretty excited, nervous, but ready to meet our little ones, so we're sort of hoping they think it is safe enough to deliver the babies sooner rather than later. We'll see.
Monday, January 21, 2008
32 weeks and 4 days....nothing yet
Well, there really isn't much to report. In fact, it is sort of more confusing than it was before. The good news is that the babies all looked good - cord flow good for all of them, practicing breathing, etc. The "bad" news is that their growth estimates did not really show much improvement (since the last estimates two weeks ago). That's sort of confusing since it's just an estimate based on measurements they take of their head, stomach, leg and arm bone. It could be that the estimates last time were off, or this time they might be off. The doctor feels that they are usually pretty accurate when they are this small, but admits that it could mean a discrepancy (on all THREE????).
I had gained weight this week and my blood pressure was up somewhat (compared to my "normal" super-low blood pressure), so they ran some blood work. Apparently there was nothing to indicate that pre-eclampsia is a problem at this point, so that is a relief. My platelets were low, however. They will check again Thursday, as this would impact the surgery. If they get much lower, they will have to do something to fix that before they can do the c-section.
Aside from that, the dr is not able to give us anything specific in terms of when we deliver, although he seemed to think that it will probably be next week. For now, we will just have to wait and see what they tell us on Thursday and go from there.
In case you didn't see the prior post and you are interested in helping out once the babies arrive, please check it out. We are so thankful to those of you who have already responded.
We'll be back here Thursday (if not sooner) to let you know what's going on. Please pray that the babies are really growing in there, despite what the growth estimates might say. We're hoping for at least 4 lbs each!
I had gained weight this week and my blood pressure was up somewhat (compared to my "normal" super-low blood pressure), so they ran some blood work. Apparently there was nothing to indicate that pre-eclampsia is a problem at this point, so that is a relief. My platelets were low, however. They will check again Thursday, as this would impact the surgery. If they get much lower, they will have to do something to fix that before they can do the c-section.
Aside from that, the dr is not able to give us anything specific in terms of when we deliver, although he seemed to think that it will probably be next week. For now, we will just have to wait and see what they tell us on Thursday and go from there.
In case you didn't see the prior post and you are interested in helping out once the babies arrive, please check it out. We are so thankful to those of you who have already responded.
We'll be back here Thursday (if not sooner) to let you know what's going on. Please pray that the babies are really growing in there, despite what the growth estimates might say. We're hoping for at least 4 lbs each!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Looking for VOLUNTEERS.......
Well, I've decided to take the advice of other multiples mommies, books, forums,etc and start asking for and arranging help. Actually, my good friend, Chanda, is going to handle the "arranging" of help, but I'm going to go ahead and put the "plea" out there now.
We have had so many people generously offer to help us with food, errands, baby "maintenance", etc, but after all of this time, it's hard to remember who was able to do what. I'd like to ask anyone who is willing to help out once the babies arrive to contact Chanda at chandapressley@charter.net. If you are not able to email her, please just give me a call at 865-257-2227 and I can put you in touch with her. It will certainly take some effort to "schedule" help and keep up with it (the part that Chanda as kindly offered to take care of in the beginning). Basically, if you would please email her and give your contact information, what you are willing to do and if there are certain days of the week that work better with your schedule (or a time that you are not available). Obviously, until they arrive, we don't really know exactly what/when we will need anything, but we decided that it would be best to just start making a list and go from there.
This is a difficult situation for Troy and I as neither of us really wants to ask people to step in, but we know that it will allow for a much better experience for us and our new little ones if we can allow people to help out. We have been overwhelmed by the kindness, enthusiasm, generosity and support of so many people. It's difficult to express how thankful we are and how much we truly appreciate everything. This journey into parenthood would have been somewhat nerve-wracking for any new parents, but with three arriving all at once....it's just terrifying at times. And then we think about how we are blessed in triplicate and get excited about triple the hugs, triple the cuddles, triple the little milestones and we know that this is how things were meant to be for us. We prayed to become parents and God definitely answered.....times three. And He continues to bless us with wonderful friends and family who have been so kind and thoughtful.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
We have had so many people generously offer to help us with food, errands, baby "maintenance", etc, but after all of this time, it's hard to remember who was able to do what. I'd like to ask anyone who is willing to help out once the babies arrive to contact Chanda at chandapressley@charter.net. If you are not able to email her, please just give me a call at 865-257-2227 and I can put you in touch with her. It will certainly take some effort to "schedule" help and keep up with it (the part that Chanda as kindly offered to take care of in the beginning). Basically, if you would please email her and give your contact information, what you are willing to do and if there are certain days of the week that work better with your schedule (or a time that you are not available). Obviously, until they arrive, we don't really know exactly what/when we will need anything, but we decided that it would be best to just start making a list and go from there.
This is a difficult situation for Troy and I as neither of us really wants to ask people to step in, but we know that it will allow for a much better experience for us and our new little ones if we can allow people to help out. We have been overwhelmed by the kindness, enthusiasm, generosity and support of so many people. It's difficult to express how thankful we are and how much we truly appreciate everything. This journey into parenthood would have been somewhat nerve-wracking for any new parents, but with three arriving all at once....it's just terrifying at times. And then we think about how we are blessed in triplicate and get excited about triple the hugs, triple the cuddles, triple the little milestones and we know that this is how things were meant to be for us. We prayed to become parents and God definitely answered.....times three. And He continues to bless us with wonderful friends and family who have been so kind and thoughtful.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
BIG milestone Week #32!!!!
We've finally hit week #32! This is another BIG milestone for us. And we had our dr appt today and there was still no indication that they are ready to make their appearance. Baby C looked good and the cord flow had improved just a little, so that was a relief.
When we spoke with one doctor, he mentioned admitting me on Tues, Jan 29th for the steroid shot (to help their lungs mature quicker) and then schedule delivery for Thur, Jan 31st. He wanted to run that by the other dr, so there is nothing definite. We actually met with the other dr also and he wants to wait and see how things go next week, but he wouldn't let me go past 36 wks - IS HE KIDDING?!?!?!!? We will return to the office on Monday and they will do the growth scan/estimates on all three babies to be sure that they are still growing well. Then we will go back again either Thur or Fri and go from there.
Honestly, as Troy said, it's nice to see a light at the end of the tunnel and sort of have a more definitive goal, but we've been trying for 34 weeks all along. I just have to find a way to get comfortable and get more sleep for the next two weeks and I'll be fine. In the meantime, we just wait to see if they (the babies)decide that they have another agenda.
I'm still busy eating the bowl of 7-minute frosting. It really is fantastic. Since I only gained a pound this week, I have to try harder to get more calories and to try to make them count nutritionally, so I probably need to cut back on the donuts, icing, etc.
We are pretty excited about the possibility of being 14 days away from meeting our babies! I just can't even imagine what it is going to be like, but I'm sure it will be amazing.
I have finally managed to get an updated belly picture today (in honor of week #32). Just for "fun", I thought I'd also share my belly picture from 7/31/07 (just after my reunion and I would have been about 8 wks or so). Holy cow (no pun intended) - what a difference!!!!!
Please keep praying that the babies will continue to grow big and strong and to give the doctors the right information to know when "it's time". Thanks again for your continued prayers and support.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Attention 7-minute frosting - have I told you lately that I love you?
My father-in-law surprised me this afternoon with a bowl of 7-minute frosting. I haven't been able to eat it because of the gestational diabetes, but since it has not been a problem, I'm eating it. OK, I got 3 spoonfuls, but that was heaven! I'm anxiously waiting for an hour or two to pass so that I can have another few spoonfuls. I don't know what it is about that frosting that makes me weak in the knees, but oh it is GOOD! Especially since it has been a VERY long time since I've had it.
Beyond the frosting, I enjoyed lunch with my friend, Michelle (who delivered) and I'm just sitting around keeping track of contractions. They seem to be a little more frequent, but still not too many in any one hour. Tomorrow is another big day at the doctor's office, so we will see how things are going and hopefully there aren't too many changes.
Guess I'll sign off and wait it out until the next "dose" of 7 minute frosting.
Beyond the frosting, I enjoyed lunch with my friend, Michelle (who delivered) and I'm just sitting around keeping track of contractions. They seem to be a little more frequent, but still not too many in any one hour. Tomorrow is another big day at the doctor's office, so we will see how things are going and hopefully there aren't too many changes.
Guess I'll sign off and wait it out until the next "dose" of 7 minute frosting.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Brrrrrrrr..and an adjustment to the "ticker"
First of all, for those of you who really know this pregnancy, I have made an adjustment to our "ticker" (the pea pod countdown at the top of the blog). Our official due date is 3/13/08 and the "weekly mark" is really Thursday, not Tuesday. That may not sound like much to most of you, but to me, I just lost two whole days!!!!! Really, it's fine, but we don't quite understand why the due date is what it is (since we had an IUI, the timeline is a little clearer than most), but this is what the doctors have been referring to all along - we've just ignored it. I thought it would be best to conform to their way of thinking and adjust the blog accordingly. So, we are just a couple of days away from the 32 wk mark which is our current goal....and the next dr appt.
Secondly, our heat quit working yesterday - or maybe Saturday. For those of you who have been pregnant, you might understand that I could care less about the heat and am relieved to not have to fight with it (I've been cracking windows open in the bedroom for weeks). But it is true that 50 degrees in the house is a little extreme and Troy is certainly not too happy. Fortunately, we are expecting to hear from the heating and air people today (sort of a former client, MK Mechanical). We are hoping it is something VERY minor as now is not really the best time to have a big repair expense. As I said, I could take it or leave it, but I think Troy isn't thrilled about sleeping in a sweater. :)
Aside from that, things are still moving along. I'm avoiding labor, contractions, etc, although there are definitely more contractions. Troy has been busy trying to finish up last minute things with the nursery and other preparations for the babies. We have the cribs in their "places" and have put the bedding on each one and worked to get the other things more organized. There is still more to do, but they could come home tomorrow and we would be able to accommodate them - good thing, huh?
I've had moments of panic about the logistics of managing three babies at once. How will we ever do it???? But then I think of those tiny fingers and toes and the smell of little babies (when they do NOT have a dirty diaper that is) and I just can't wait. I can't wait to see their faces and watch their expressions and hold them close....and I know Troy is just as excited. He feels like I've been "hogging" them all this time and he's ready for his turn. It's funny because the babies seem to respond to his voice when he talks to them in my belly. Sometimes it is just a little kick or bump and other times we get lots of movement, so that is really sweet.
Well, I just thought I'd post a little update as I noticed that there were blog hits and I felt that I was disappointing everyone by not saying hello.
Keep up the prayers and we're still going to aim for 32 wks and then 34 wks.
Secondly, our heat quit working yesterday - or maybe Saturday. For those of you who have been pregnant, you might understand that I could care less about the heat and am relieved to not have to fight with it (I've been cracking windows open in the bedroom for weeks). But it is true that 50 degrees in the house is a little extreme and Troy is certainly not too happy. Fortunately, we are expecting to hear from the heating and air people today (sort of a former client, MK Mechanical). We are hoping it is something VERY minor as now is not really the best time to have a big repair expense. As I said, I could take it or leave it, but I think Troy isn't thrilled about sleeping in a sweater. :)
Aside from that, things are still moving along. I'm avoiding labor, contractions, etc, although there are definitely more contractions. Troy has been busy trying to finish up last minute things with the nursery and other preparations for the babies. We have the cribs in their "places" and have put the bedding on each one and worked to get the other things more organized. There is still more to do, but they could come home tomorrow and we would be able to accommodate them - good thing, huh?
I've had moments of panic about the logistics of managing three babies at once. How will we ever do it???? But then I think of those tiny fingers and toes and the smell of little babies (when they do NOT have a dirty diaper that is) and I just can't wait. I can't wait to see their faces and watch their expressions and hold them close....and I know Troy is just as excited. He feels like I've been "hogging" them all this time and he's ready for his turn. It's funny because the babies seem to respond to his voice when he talks to them in my belly. Sometimes it is just a little kick or bump and other times we get lots of movement, so that is really sweet.
Well, I just thought I'd post a little update as I noticed that there were blog hits and I felt that I was disappointing everyone by not saying hello.
Keep up the prayers and we're still going to aim for 32 wks and then 34 wks.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Wk #31 Update
We've made it to week #31 and had our appt today. After our little trip to the hospital Sunday night/Monday morning, we had a few concerns, so we were a little anxious. All of the babies had strong heartbeats and looked good, although we do have a problem with Baby C (our boy).
Each week during the ultrasound, they check the heartbeats, watch for some movement and also check the blood flow in the umbilical cord. Today, there was an issue with the blood flow to Baby C. She checked the blood flow in his head and then went to "plug in the numbers" and see what's what. We waited and started to get pretty nervous because it took so long. When the dr came in, we were somewhat relieved to see him, but also more worried because it was him.
Long story short, things are OK, but the placenta for Baby C is beginning to run out of steam. The dr explained that this often happens in singleton pregnancies around wk#38 or when the pregnancy goes beyond the due date. Baby C was in the 56% last week of growth, etc, and that's compared to singleton pregnancies. If they were to compare him to other triplet pregnancies, he would look even better. For now, we just hang on a little while longer. He also told us how important it is for me to just get to 32 wks as the risk for some sort of brain hemorrhage is reduced to almost zero.
So, for now, we just wait and I sit still and keep these babies inside for at least one more week. We feel much better about the situation with Baby C after spending time discussing the situation with the doctor. And we would still really appreciate all of the prayers that we can get for things to hang on another week and also that the placenta continue to work enough to allow Baby C to get the nutrition he needs. Things are a little scary, but we feel very confident in the advice of the doctors and know that they will let us know if it is more serious.
Thanks again for checking on us and we'll continue to keep updating here as things develop.
Each week during the ultrasound, they check the heartbeats, watch for some movement and also check the blood flow in the umbilical cord. Today, there was an issue with the blood flow to Baby C. She checked the blood flow in his head and then went to "plug in the numbers" and see what's what. We waited and started to get pretty nervous because it took so long. When the dr came in, we were somewhat relieved to see him, but also more worried because it was him.
Long story short, things are OK, but the placenta for Baby C is beginning to run out of steam. The dr explained that this often happens in singleton pregnancies around wk#38 or when the pregnancy goes beyond the due date. Baby C was in the 56% last week of growth, etc, and that's compared to singleton pregnancies. If they were to compare him to other triplet pregnancies, he would look even better. For now, we just hang on a little while longer. He also told us how important it is for me to just get to 32 wks as the risk for some sort of brain hemorrhage is reduced to almost zero.
So, for now, we just wait and I sit still and keep these babies inside for at least one more week. We feel much better about the situation with Baby C after spending time discussing the situation with the doctor. And we would still really appreciate all of the prayers that we can get for things to hang on another week and also that the placenta continue to work enough to allow Baby C to get the nutrition he needs. Things are a little scary, but we feel very confident in the advice of the doctors and know that they will let us know if it is more serious.
Thanks again for checking on us and we'll continue to keep updating here as things develop.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Spending time at Univ of TN Hospital
Well, we made our first trip to the hospital early this morning (3am). I had a problem Friday with my stomach (throwing up) and my glucose # going way too low. We spent some time trying to get it back to normal, but still my numbers were a little off all weekend. Last night/early this morning, I was unable to get to sleep and felt my heart racing again (and a need to throw up). I checked my blood sugar and it was not TOO low, but a little off, so I tried snacks. When I continued to check it, it kept falling rather than rising, and then I was sick again. After trying again to get the number up and then getting sick AGAIN, I told Troy that I couldn't take anymore food or drinks to get the number up and I was having contractions. We headed to the hospital (they call it "triage", but that sounds really dramatic to me).
They had a little trouble getting all three heartbeats on monitors, but eventually got it straightened out. The babies were definitely not happy about the throwing up and were active, and they were even less pleased with the squishing around as the dr/nurse tried to find the heartbeats. The monitors almost got knocked off with all of the kicking and moving around.
In the end, things are OK. I was dehydrated, so they gave me IV fluids and meds for nausea. My glucose number was improving and we were able to leave around 6:30am. We told the nurses that we would see them in a few weeks and headed home.
It was really no big deal, but then again, the contractions are always an issue and we have to do everything to keep me from going into pre-term labor. Needless to say, I'll probably be staying in for a while (I've been out occasionally for lunch or an errand just for a change of scenery). Right now, it's important that I stay stress-free and keep trying to eat good food and watch my glucose #s and avoid anything that could cause contractions (like dehydration from being sick). It gets a little scary anytime there is any little thing that is out of the ordinary as we really HAVE to give them a few more weeks for their lungs to develop, etc before they arrive. Not trying to be a drama queen, but thought we'd share the latest. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue the quest to get to (at least) 34 wks! We are trying really hard to do everything to ensure that they arrive healthy and happy and spend very little time in the hospital.
They had a little trouble getting all three heartbeats on monitors, but eventually got it straightened out. The babies were definitely not happy about the throwing up and were active, and they were even less pleased with the squishing around as the dr/nurse tried to find the heartbeats. The monitors almost got knocked off with all of the kicking and moving around.
In the end, things are OK. I was dehydrated, so they gave me IV fluids and meds for nausea. My glucose number was improving and we were able to leave around 6:30am. We told the nurses that we would see them in a few weeks and headed home.
It was really no big deal, but then again, the contractions are always an issue and we have to do everything to keep me from going into pre-term labor. Needless to say, I'll probably be staying in for a while (I've been out occasionally for lunch or an errand just for a change of scenery). Right now, it's important that I stay stress-free and keep trying to eat good food and watch my glucose #s and avoid anything that could cause contractions (like dehydration from being sick). It gets a little scary anytime there is any little thing that is out of the ordinary as we really HAVE to give them a few more weeks for their lungs to develop, etc before they arrive. Not trying to be a drama queen, but thought we'd share the latest. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue the quest to get to (at least) 34 wks! We are trying really hard to do everything to ensure that they arrive healthy and happy and spend very little time in the hospital.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Wk #30 and more than 10 pounds of babies!!!
Week #30...wow. I don't know that either of us expected to get this far. Our dr's appt went smoothly today and we already know that the fetal fibronectin test came back in our favor (meaning that there is no indication that I will go into pre-term labor in the next two weeks). Of course, my concern now is.."will they EVER come out?!?!"
The BIG news (no pun intended) is their growth estimate information. The ultrasound tech measures the head, an arm bone and a leg bone and then plugs all of that into the computer to get an estimate of the weight of each baby. Today (drum roll please), they are estimated at:
Baby A (our little one who is squished): 3lbs 4oz
Baby B (our chunky monkey): 3lbs 10oz
Baby C (our big boy): 3lbs 8oz
GRAND TOTAL: approx 10lbs 6oz!!!!! PLUS placentas, fluid, etc.
Needless to say, I think we know why I feel like doo-doo these days and why eating food, breathing and moving all seem to be so challenging. The babies are definitely taking up more space and growing well.
They were also INCREDIBLY active throughout the entire appt. She had a difficult time getting the measurements as they just would not sit still. It was hard to keep an eye on the ultrasound screen because it was almost as entertaining to watch my tummy moving and bulging. We aren't sure how much longer they will be able to be this active considering they are getting so big and surely they will run out of room to move around.
I was able to get a prescription for heartburn and have been told that I can try Benedryl in an effort to get a little more sleep at night (though I think that the trips to the restroom will continue to make that difficult). We are still working to get a grip on my glucose levels and the amount of insulin to use when eating higher carb things (like 2 Dunkin Donuts - ooohhhh were they GOOOOOOD!!!!!).
My other sister, Sandi, is in town for a few days and Mom took us to Red Lobster for lunch yesterday. I managed to eat everything on my plate and decided that the babies really do like shrimp scampi (and it is low in carbs, but high in calories). Troy and I had a very early lunch at the Olive Garden after our appt this morning and I was thrilled to get to eat breadsticks. So, I am able to get larger meals down at times, although it usually causes me to skip meals later because I stay "full" for the next 8 hours!
Babies wanted me to give a shout out to everyone as they are jumping around as I try to finish this up. Thanks for checking on us again and for your prayers and support. We are really so amazed to be at this point - just a few weeks away from meeting our little miracles. Very cool!
The BIG news (no pun intended) is their growth estimate information. The ultrasound tech measures the head, an arm bone and a leg bone and then plugs all of that into the computer to get an estimate of the weight of each baby. Today (drum roll please), they are estimated at:
Baby A (our little one who is squished): 3lbs 4oz
Baby B (our chunky monkey): 3lbs 10oz
Baby C (our big boy): 3lbs 8oz
GRAND TOTAL: approx 10lbs 6oz!!!!! PLUS placentas, fluid, etc.
Needless to say, I think we know why I feel like doo-doo these days and why eating food, breathing and moving all seem to be so challenging. The babies are definitely taking up more space and growing well.
They were also INCREDIBLY active throughout the entire appt. She had a difficult time getting the measurements as they just would not sit still. It was hard to keep an eye on the ultrasound screen because it was almost as entertaining to watch my tummy moving and bulging. We aren't sure how much longer they will be able to be this active considering they are getting so big and surely they will run out of room to move around.
I was able to get a prescription for heartburn and have been told that I can try Benedryl in an effort to get a little more sleep at night (though I think that the trips to the restroom will continue to make that difficult). We are still working to get a grip on my glucose levels and the amount of insulin to use when eating higher carb things (like 2 Dunkin Donuts - ooohhhh were they GOOOOOOD!!!!!).
My other sister, Sandi, is in town for a few days and Mom took us to Red Lobster for lunch yesterday. I managed to eat everything on my plate and decided that the babies really do like shrimp scampi (and it is low in carbs, but high in calories). Troy and I had a very early lunch at the Olive Garden after our appt this morning and I was thrilled to get to eat breadsticks. So, I am able to get larger meals down at times, although it usually causes me to skip meals later because I stay "full" for the next 8 hours!
Babies wanted me to give a shout out to everyone as they are jumping around as I try to finish this up. Thanks for checking on us again and for your prayers and support. We are really so amazed to be at this point - just a few weeks away from meeting our little miracles. Very cool!
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