It's an interesting thing to look back at Facebook to what you post in the past. This is a trail of our pregnancy with the twins and after in the NICU. I could have sworn I wrote more but I think I was just too stressed to write updates some days. I also found that some of my days were off after all of that. This is one path I hope no one else has to follow again.
Their Overall Stats:
- 23 weeks, 4 days - We found out Addison may not make it due to absent diastolic cord flow
- 31 weeks, 2 days - We found Addison stopped growing two weeks prior and her cord was starting to flow backward (a very scary thing)
- 32 weeks, 1 day - We intervened to save Addison and the babies were born
- Jacob was 3lb 14oz; Addison was
2lb 5.7oz.
- 3 Days old - Jacob's lung collapsed after 2 days of being touch and go
- 7 Days old - Jacob got his chest tube out - I finally got to hold him for a minute
- 12 Days old - They were both well enough to move to the well side of the NICU
- 15 Days old - I got to hold the two of them at the same time
- 24 Days old - Jacob came home on oxygen and a pulse ox machine
- 29 Days old - Addison came home at around 3.8 lbs and we struggled to keep her weight up
Our Journey
Feb 19th
2011 (10 weeks 4 days)
Madalyn announced that we were having
twins! Due date should have been Sept 12th
April 19th (19 weeks 1 day)
(notes from appt) -
Baby A is 11oz measuring 19 w 6 days
Baby B is 10 oz measuring 18 w 6 days
April 22nd (19 weeks 4 days)
We got to see two cute little babies today!
May 20th (23 weeks 4 days)
Well we had a sono today the little boy is doing well - the little girl could
use some prayers that in 2 weeks the blood flow from her placenta gets better
(Notes from appt) -
Baby a boy is measuring 23 w 6 days 1pd 6 oz
Baby b girl is measuring 22 w 1 day 1 pd 2 oz
Found out about absent flow in her cord
June 1st (25 weeks 2 days)
Thanks for all your thoughts! our little
boy is still growing right on track. Little girl still has the cord issue but
SHE'S GROWING so we are hanging in there as long as possible!! Keep those
prayers coming we are 25 weeks and want to get to at least 32!!
(Notes from appt)
Boy is measuring 25 w 6 days and 1 lb 12 oz
Girl is measuring 24 w 2 days and 1 lb 8 oz
June 12th (26 weeks 6 days)
2 cribs, 2 dressers – getting very close to being ready!
June 15th
(27 weeks 2 days)
Jonathan called baby boy a 'hog' today because he's taking up all the room in
the tummy but he is doing well and growing on track. little girl is balled up
in my ribs still growing, still small, still cord issues. the doc said we're
hoping for at least 32 weeks - back in another 2 weeks.
(Notes from appt) -
June 15 at 27 weeks 2 days
Boy is 2 pd 6 oz measuring 27 4 days
Girl is 1 pd 13 oz measuring 26 weeks
June 29th (29 weeks 2 days)
(notes from an appt)
Male breach right 3 lb 3oz
Female fundal trans 2lb 7oz
she had 1 week different for bones & head is few days different
bones are normal range
Blood flow good
Comment on girl breathing and moving well
July 4th
(30 weeks)
I reached 30 weeks!!!! Wooo hooo!!!
July 13th (31 weeks 2 days)
Bad news today
Her cord
flow is starting to go backward,
She didn't
grow in two weeks
So today I
head to the hospital and get non stress tests and a steroid shots
So if the
test is ok at hospital I have 3 appts next week
If tests bad
the babies will be here in 48 hours
If she is
still not growing well see them Monday or so
(Notes from appt)
31 weeks 2 days July 13
A measuring 31 weeks 5 days
3 lbs 11
B measuring 28 weeks 3 days
2 lb 9 oz
July 14th
(31 weeks 3 days)
Ok so it all sunk in late last night! The twins will be so tiny only 2.8 and
3.11. Sigh..
July 18th(32 weeks 1 day)
Babies Today!
Twins born
at 5:40pm and 5:41pm both crying!
July 19th (1 day old)
Long day so
far – Jacob is now on more oxygen and had to have steroids and a billi blanket.
Addison is under billi light and had to have sodium. Hopefully this turns back
around in another day. Poor Jacob looks miserable.
July 20 (2 days old)
Jonathan got to see Jacob wire free - he
looks just like his daddy! He's still fighting and Addison is just feisty!
Heading down there soon
Ok last
update of the night: Addison is off of all air and only has billi issues - she
is getting a little milk. Jacob is having all kinds of issues from breathing to
infection now. Any stimuli is causing his o2 to drop so it's been a hard day
for him. Hopefully the antibiotics kick in and he feels better tomorrow. Gnight
July 21st (3 days old)
Chest tube for Jacob - part of his lung is
collapsed
July 22nd
(4 days old)
Twin update: Addison off all air, her jaundice is holding steady. She's
starting to eat a little more too and I get to hold her every day.
Jacob is
holding steady and as long as we don't disrupt him much his o2 doesn't drop
much. Since he has days of drugs yet they are putting in a more central iv line
he is also now in a corvette isolate
July 23rd(5 days old)
JACOB IS ON ROOM AIR!!! (a really good thing!!)
July 24th
(6 days old)
It was a good day! The twins did very well and Addison got to hang with both
me and Jonathan! She even tried breast feeding! Jacob may finally get to come
out and play on Tuesday! Hopefully things keep going well so he can!
July 25th
(7 days old)
Addison is getting her iv out today! Her feedings are high enough. Jacob gets
his chest tube out today! Addison will be down to I thin 1 wire! Jacob is
slowly getting there
I HELD
JACOB!!!!! For a min but it was a great minute!
July 26th
(8 days old)
Good day today Jacob got his other big tube out do I could hold him today!
What did he do - pooped all over me! Well I guess it was my fault cuz I put the
diaper on too loose. Then addison peed all over her bed when I went to change
her! I'll get the mom of the year award in no time!
July 27th
(9 days old)
ok update time - Jake first -. Jacob is now 4lb! he's pretty wireless now(ha
like a laptop!) and we are working on trying to breastfeed him but every time
he tries he gets milk in his mouth and forgets to breathe - pretty scary but
it's typical in preemies so we'll keep at it, as frightened as he makes his
mommy. i've gotten to hold him two days now.
Addison is
doing great as per usual, she's eating like a champ and gets crabby at times so
mommy has to hang with her - every time i walk away she cries, lol - maddie
does the same thing lately ha ha. She hasn't gained much in two days so she is
still only 2.6lbs. They both have lower blood sugars today so they are checking
it again.
July 29th
(11 days old)
Did a little too much today and man do I hurt! Babies doing well! Addie's
sugar keeps going low but she finally gained a little today! Jake is still
trying bfing and took a bit of a bottle tonight! He lost a little today but not
to worry he'll fain it back I'm sure!
Ok I know
everyone wants an update lol - Addison is doing great her sugar is staying up
and she's a champ at breastfeeding! Jacob is also doing great a little sleep
apnea(no idea the spelling) and he's not got the hang of breastfeeding!
July 30th
(12 days old)
They are on the well side of the nicu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
one last
update for the night - Addison finally had a good gain - she is now 2lbs 8.5oz!
yea yea i know she's still tiny! Jacob only gained 10 grams tonight and is 4lb
1.8oz. what a great day!
August 1 (14 days old)
Happy
2 week birthday Addie and Jake! They are slowly getting there
August 2nd
(15 days old)
alright I know I haven't updated much lately, so here are the updates:
Jacob is
doing better with the bottle than breastfeeding but he'll get there - and hey
whatever works at the moment! He is now 4lb 3.6oz - he decided to take after
his sister and not gain too much
I got to hold
the twins together today
August 4th
(17 days old)
Addie is dong well and gaining well and she can eat as much as she wants now
- it'll still be a bit till she is up to where she can hold her body heat. Jake
is doing ok, his O2 drops when he's eating so they put him on oxygen while he eats.
after his bath yesterday I got him out to feed him and everything dropped (O2,
heart rate) it was pretty scary. the nurse thinks he overexerted himself crying
during the bath.
August 7th
(20 days old)
The twins are 35 weeks (gestational) today! This means they can now come home
whenever they are ready! And they are talking about jakes car seat check!
Addison hit
3lbs!!!! WOO HOO
Gram Becker got
to hold Addison.
August 8th
(21 days old)
Jacob is in and open crib.
Bad news -
another few days past wed before jacob comes home (the doc wants to try him
without oxygen during feedings for a few days firs)
August 9th
(22 days old)
Jacob comes home Thursday
August 10th
(23 days old)
Jacob doing his car seat test at the hospital and then off to the guest room
to spend the night with mommy and daddy
August 11th
(24 days old)
Jacob is in the car on his way home!!!!
Addison is
1523 grams - around 175 to go before she can be home bound. That is 3lb 5oz
currently
August 12th
(25 days old)
Twin update - Addison is 1571 grams! Or 3 lb 7 oz! Hopefully she'll keep
going at this pace! Jacob is doing well at home! Both had an eye appt today in
Altoona and their eyes are great!
August 14th
(26 days old)
Addison gained 51 grams! She's 1651 - getting closer to 1700!!
August 15th
(27 days old)
Addison was 5 grams short of getting in the crib - but she may be home by the
end of the week, fingers crossed
Addison is
starting to get some chubby cheeks
August 16th (28 days old)
Guess who might be home tomorrow - she has to be 1750 grams and she is 1733 now
- come on addison you can do it!!!
August 17th
(29 days old)
Addison is home!
What a ride - We spent many days after both were home fighting to keep Addison's weight up, Jacob was on oxygen for a few months after and a constant pulse ox machine.
If you've read this far - let me just say - thank you checking out their journey, we are really blessed in the end...so many things could have gone wrong.
We march for Babies every year, so your posts can be much lighter, more excited, and much less dramatic than our twins start. March with us or help out a cause whose goal is to help keep babies inside if they can and help research and medicines and much more in hopes that others won't go through such heartache at such happy times
http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t2109210