Saturday, March 30, 2013

36 Weeks-Say what?! We made it?!


It’s hard to believe but we’ve made it to 36 weeks!!!  My doctors were all smiles this week and each appointment felt like a celebration for the most part (minus of course the horrible discomfort of long ultrasounds on my back and monitors awkwardly attached to my huge overinflated belly-still hate that word but I do like it better than tummy).  One of the nurses even made us non-alcoholic mixed drinks to celebrate during monitoring!

Each day for the past two weeks I have woken up feeling like I am living an out of body dream with the realization that I am still pregnant (too bad I can’t actually be out of my body for a little while though)!  With each day of growing aches, pains, trouble breathing and even heart racing, I don’t forget for a minute just how much of a miracle this really is!  Don’t forget the surgeon/doctors who performed the life saving Twin to Twin Transfusion laser ablation surgery at 19 weeks set a goal of me reaching 30-32 weeks!!!  At that point survival of our boys was the only goal and anything beyond that was said to be hopeful thinking.  Now we are just days away from a full-term twin pregnancy with boys who are measuring at weights rivaling “normal” healthy twins!  On average twin moms deliver around 35 weeks-which we officially passed today-seriously-that’s crazy in all the right ways!  

So at this point contractions are no longer a big fear inducing concern! If I went into labor from this point on they would not intervene, our babies are safe.  Of course the closer they get to 37 weeks the healthier they will be.  So the plan is that if I do not go into labor naturally I will be induced on Monday, April 8!! We have an official end date-an official birth date! Crazy! I have now been on bedrest for 18 + weeks –that’s right 4 months of putting all thought and effort toward keeping our miracle babies IN.  Now it’s time for them to come out??  That’s a difficult thing to wrap my brain around.  Doctors have said I can stop taking one of my daily medications (prescribed to prevent contractions) as of today. Unfortunately it’s not the medication with the crazy side effects-Procardia-that one I have to stay on until birth because it has proven to be effective in helping babies to heal post TTTS surgery.  I have also been told I can slowly begin resuming activity…which is good because in order to be ready to be a mom of two I need to regain energy, stamina, etc. lost during bedrest. The only problem with that is that this is the point when most women pregnant with twins STOP normal activity (even without doctor mandated bedrest) because of how difficult it becomes. 

A week ago I spent several hours late into the night at the hospital because of just how miserable my body had become!  After a whole day of heart palpations and shortness of breath I called my OB office and they instructed me to go to the hospital.  I was tested for everything under the sun-even flu, which I had no symptoms of. Results came back showing-NOTHING! Basically the only thing they could say was that my body is just overtaxed from having twins-yikes! So needless to say I’ve had other days like this since-miserable!  The worst part of the hospital visit was that I was pricked multiple times and a bloody mess because the nurse could not get my IV in.  This as well as drawing blood is a common problem with me because my veins are so small and often “blow” when they attempt to tap into them (lovely I know-thanks Dad-that’s who we think I inherited the problem from).  So the plan is that the next time I go to the hospital we will immediately request that someone from Anesthesia be called to place the IV.  This is something I wouldn’t mind prayers for!  I really don’t want to have to deal with this in the midst of labor.  Please pray it goes smoothly.

They kept me that night until almost 2am because the boys, mainly Connor showed erratic heart rates.  It all worked out fine though and seemed to be a fluke.  With each and every monitoring we do (now twice a week) the boys look great!!  Both are head down giving me the chance to attempt a “normal” vaginal delivery-again a miracle if you ask me!  We are prepared though that an emergency C-section is always a possibility. Just the chance to try is something I really didn’t think would happen and am SO happy about. 

This week we’ll be back at the Perinatal center for scanning and monitoring on Monday & Thursday, as well as at my OB office on Wednesday- our bags stay packed in the car.  Our last appointments!  So, THANK YOU for your prayers, meals, encouraging cards, care packages, and kind words that have sustained us through this difficult pregnancy!!!  Your prayers can now shift to a healthy delivery.  Wow-can’t believe I just typed that-life is good!  

Happy Easter! Have a joyous Resurrection Sunday-my favorite day of the year!  

Blessings & Love,
Katrina

Ps. If you want to throw in some prayers for my exhausted and miserable body and attempt to resume some activity that would be ok too.  

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