One Step at a Time

It's hard to believe that another year has come and we are gearing up for our annual March for Babies walk. It will be our third year participating and while we know things are a little tight for everyone, we hope you will be moved to sponsor us and help in any way you can.

Most of you know our story, but there are also those that do not if you have "joined us recently." I have yet to transfer a lot of the content from the old website, so I'll catch you up here.

When we found out we were pregnant in March of 2006, we were completely overjoyed, but also worried that this pregnancy wouldn't last, like so many others. I was already spotting, which is what prompted the home pregnancy tests in the first place. You see, those things scare the **** out me. I figured it was over, the FET didn't work and AF was on her way (I know I just threw a lot of infertility lingo/abbreviations at you, but it's how my people "talk"). My blood test wasn't until the 20th--this would just "let me down easy" (as if hearing for the 40th time the cycle was a bust would ever be easy).

So here I am, with a positive HPT and then sure enough on the 20th, my bloodtest came back sky high. Now for those of you who know about beta hCG numbers, you know that a high number does not automatically mean twins or more...but, it certainly makes you start thinking. Two weeks later (I was still spotting mind you) our suspicions would be confirmed when the ultrasound showed two beautiful little sacs and fetal poles...twins indeed! I was in good health, but apparently pregnancy was just not gong to be easy...nothing around here ever is.

In the first trimester alone I would have two major bleeds from two separate SCHs (subchorionic hematomas...I'll give you that one). The second would have me sent to the hospital in an ambulance, from work no less, as I practically bled out in the school office staff bathroom and on the stretcher. I can't tell you what a horrific scene it was. Blood was literally pouring out of me...clots the size of golf balls. After spending the next 3 hours at the hospital waiting for an ultrasound, waiting to see if I was still pregnant, we would discover that miraculously, the babies were just perfect. Praise God. During that very same ultrasound, my terribly shortened and dilating cervix would be discovered...however not by the on-call OB at the hospital, but by my RE the next day as he looked over the ultrasound images sent to him via DVD. So by accident, mere chance, we discovered that I had an incompetent cervix. I am certain that God had his hand in those SCHs, for without them, my girls would most likely not be here today. Three days after this massive bleed, I would have an emergency cerclage (a stitch sewn around and through my cervix to hold it closed) and subsequently spend the next 12 weeks on strict bedrest at home.

Surprisingly, things were rather uneventful until I hit 24 weeks. Of course there were a few bumps here and there and I worried every minute of every day, but ultimately, we were okay and we were close to viability. Any type of sitting, standing, walking, would cause a perpetual contraction...rock hard uterus...and it simply wouldn't release or let go until I laid down on my left side...hence, why I remained in that position for the better part of those 12 weeks.

To our dismay, the threat of my incompetent cervix quickly shifted to preterm labor as I began to have regular contractions and an odd discharge (which I would later learn was most likely my mucous plug...ewww). At 24 weeks, 3 days, I was hospitalized and received steroid shots to help the babies' lungs mature should they need to be delivered in the next few weeks. I also was given various medications to stop the contractions, however with each week, the meds would wear out and a new med would be added or take it's place. At 27 weeks I was maxed out on magnesium sulfate with terbutaline booster shots as needed to keep my otherwise irritable uterus, calm. Ha.

On August 27, 2006, 27 weeks, 2 days, the two medications that were keeping my contractions at bay, simply stopped working. I had received two terb booster shots dangerously close to one another and still, they did nothing. Despite every effort made by the hospital staff, we would meet our precious babies later that Sunday night. Of course, as luck would have it, my OB who had been with me since the age of 16, was on vacation for the first time in his career...200 miles away and not returning calls. Hhhhm, can I say, panic much? His newly acquired partner, would make the call to deliver our babies despite my pleading to give them just a little more time. But that was just it...we didn't have any more time. I was dilated to 2cm with the cerclage in and risked complete rupture of my uterus and cervix if we didn't deliver soon. Once the hospital had called in and assembled all necessary personnel (remember, this is Sunday night when things are supposed to be quiet), we headed to the OR.

As they prepped me for an emergency c-section, we prayed over and over that we would hear our little babies' cries, though we were told not to expect to hear anything at all. At 11:17pm, Juliana Faith entered the world CRYING at 2 lbs., 2 oz. and one minute later, Mia Therese made her entrance, CRYING as well, at 2 lbs., 1 oz.

Juliana was intubated and on a ventilator for 4 days; Mia was also intubated and on a ventilator, but for only 36 hours. The girls would stay in the NICU for 84 and 83 days...days which were filled with fear, hope, anxiety, happiness, frustration, and many tears. Both girls endured apnea of prematurity, multiple infections, slow weight gain, sepsis, NEC, ROP, close to 10 blood transfusions, countless IV lines, and feeding difficulties. Still, they would come home the week before their due date. To our amazement, they did not need any medications or apnea monitors...a truly miraculous feat for 27 weekers.

Today, Juliana and Mia are happy, thriving 2 1/2 year olds, with few lasting effects of their early birth. Juliana has some sensory issues (doesn't like certain textures on hands/feet and certain noises still startle her, sending her into complete hysterics) and Mia has low muscle tone (weak and lacks endurance) which is why physical therapy is so important for her.

But that is it...thank God.

The money we raise for the March of Dimes will go towards finding the reasons WHY a perfectly healthy woman, receiving outstanding prenatal care, has numerous complications and HOW to address them so that every baby is given the 9 months inside the womb that he or she so desperately needs. The money also funds research that develops advancement in treatments that can be offered to preemies...that may very well save their lives.

I can go on and on why this organization is so incredible and why donating to its cause is so very important. But this is something that touched me personally, while pregnant trying desperately to keep my babies from being born too soon, and after my girls were born, struggling to survive during their 3 month NICU stay.

I can only hope that our story, like that of so many others', touches you and moves you as well.

Please, help us save babies...

...walk with us,

...donate with us,

...help us get there,

...one step at a time.

**When viewing the montage, scroll down to the bottom of my blog to mute the blog music first so you can hear the montage music.