Lola Starr
05-22-2006, 03:57 AM
I wrote this quite some time ago for my blog:
__________________________________________________ _______________
"Wow! Are you ready for two babies?"
That's what my OB said at my 9 week ultrasound. I cried.
Most people would be excited about finding out this early in their pregnancy that they were expecting twins. I was scared. We had lost our precious daughter the year before & this was our 2nd attempt to have a baby. Kiara Isabelle was born at just 21 weeks gestation in January 2003.. She was born much too early to try to save her life. We found out then that I had an incompetent cervix & future pregnancies would mean a cerclage & careful monitoring. I remember exactly what I was thinking at that moment I found out it was twins. If my body couldn't handle the weight of one little baby, how on Earth was I going to carry TWO?
Before I tell you how I did it, I must confess that I had a dream I was having twins. Yes, at 5 weeks in to my pregnancy I had a dream I was having two little babies & that morning I woke up & told Marv. He laughed at me & said, "Meagan, twins don't run in our families. We aren't going to have them." haha! I would soon learn that identical twins aren't hereditary.
Anyways, so this pregnancy turned out to be anything but easy. In fact, to this day I claim that carrying my girls to a healthy delivery is my greatest accomplishment. Of course, if it weren't for the support of Marv we would have never made it.
So, I went in at 13 weeks to have a preventative cerclage. For those of you who care, a cerclage is when they stitch your cervix together keeping it closed. The surgery has risks involved, but the advantages heavily outweigh the disadvantages in my opinion. I continued working, but I took it easy. I was being very cautious with this pregnancy, to say the very least. I think we only made 5 or 12 extra trips to L&D the entire pregnancy due to my extreme paranoia. Not too bad!
Then my world stopped after the results of my 18 week ultrasound. My cerclage was coming undone & my cervix was already starting to open at the weight of the babies. We also found out that our two bundles of joy were little girls. I didn't doubt that for one second! However, my mind was in a frenzy as I relived the devestation of my previous loss. I was ordered home to bed for 2 weeks & then we'd check again. How quickly I went from enjoying the outside world to staring at the TV & internet all day long. Little did I know this was just the beginning.
The next check revealed the condition to be worse & I was sent to the hospital for monitoring. This is when our hero, Dr. Khoury, entered our lives. He is the head of perinatology at Fairfax Hospital. He saved my pregnancy. He gave me a new cerclage, which is much riskier when done later in a pregnancy. I now had two new stitches & a bedrest sentence that wasn't ending. But this was much better than the alternative plan. Hospital stay until delivery was my next option. Hospital food sucks!
So I went home & started my long journey of cooking my babies. I was allowed up to go to the bathroom & that's about it. Marvin left my lunch at the bedside table daily & quickly took over all the shopping, cooking & cleaning. This was on top of working two jobs. What a man! I didn't even get up to eat. I would just turn to my side & eat laying down. The supply of Tums in my house was endless. I started in the back of my mind preparing for babies, but it wasn't until I hit 28 weeks that I actually start buying anything. Going to my doctor's appointments became the highlight of my week. That's the only time I got out of bed! I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's & Valentine's in my bed that year, but I will tell you this. I'd give anything for a couple days in bed now!
Fast forward to around 30 weeks. My blood pressure started creeping on the upward path. Now, not only was I in bed for my incompetent cervix, but now I was developing pre-eclampsia. I was still determined to hold them in for a few more weeks. However shortly after I got very sick.
We went to the hospital on the Sunday after my baby shower & my blood pressure was really high & it was causing me headaches, dizziness & blurred vision. I was there until delivery. It was the final countdown. I was still determined to hold them in for a few more weeks.
Well that didn't happen. I wound up so sick on Tuesday that they decided to take the babies. Marv was at work & I called him to tell him to make that 45 minute drive to the hospital as we were about to be parents. He arrived in plenty of time. They were waiting for an OR opening. I wanted a vaginal delivery, but due to the severity of my pre-eclampsia time was of the essence & a c-section was necessary.
I was really nervous when they wheeled me in to triage to prep me for my c-section. I remember I was sweating like I had just run a 10K marathon! Everyone kept trying to put my mind at ease, but in my heart I knew a 32 week delivery wasn't ideal. I was fortunate to receive two rounds of steriods for lung development, though.
Baby A was born at 9:42pm & came out at 3lbs 14oz & 17 inches. One minute later Baby B came out at 3lbs 7oz & 16 1/2 inches. They were both screaming & breathing on their own! This was a wonderful sign. They were whisked off to the NICU with Marv while I got stitched up. Dr. Tran was the doctor on call that evening from my OB practice & she was also the one who delivered Kiara. She told me how much it meant to her to be there for the delivery of the twins. Dr. Tran is such a compassionate & wonderful doctor.
Two days after they were born we finally settled on names for these two. Alexandra Raquel was named by her Daddy & I named Anneliese Jiselle. Alexandra (Baby A) sailed through her stay in the NICU & came home 18 days later at a whopping 4lbs 5oz. Little Miss Anneliese had a few setbacks, however, nothing major. We are extremely grateful. She joined us home after 29 days in the NICU & came home at 5lbs even.
Now by looking at these girls you would never guess they were 3lbs preemies at one time. They are like their parents, they love to eat.
Raising twins is an experience like no other. It is wonderful to get twice the hugs & kisses, but you also get twice the dirty diapers. We are so fortunate to have them & continue to be thankful each day.
http://myspace-693.vo.llnwd.net/00257/39/62/257112693_l.jpg
Alexandra Raquel - Baby A
http://myspace-353.vo.llnwd.net/00257/35/33/257113353_l.jpg
Anneliese Jiselle - Baby B
__________________________________________________ _______________
"Wow! Are you ready for two babies?"
That's what my OB said at my 9 week ultrasound. I cried.
Most people would be excited about finding out this early in their pregnancy that they were expecting twins. I was scared. We had lost our precious daughter the year before & this was our 2nd attempt to have a baby. Kiara Isabelle was born at just 21 weeks gestation in January 2003.. She was born much too early to try to save her life. We found out then that I had an incompetent cervix & future pregnancies would mean a cerclage & careful monitoring. I remember exactly what I was thinking at that moment I found out it was twins. If my body couldn't handle the weight of one little baby, how on Earth was I going to carry TWO?
Before I tell you how I did it, I must confess that I had a dream I was having twins. Yes, at 5 weeks in to my pregnancy I had a dream I was having two little babies & that morning I woke up & told Marv. He laughed at me & said, "Meagan, twins don't run in our families. We aren't going to have them." haha! I would soon learn that identical twins aren't hereditary.
Anyways, so this pregnancy turned out to be anything but easy. In fact, to this day I claim that carrying my girls to a healthy delivery is my greatest accomplishment. Of course, if it weren't for the support of Marv we would have never made it.
So, I went in at 13 weeks to have a preventative cerclage. For those of you who care, a cerclage is when they stitch your cervix together keeping it closed. The surgery has risks involved, but the advantages heavily outweigh the disadvantages in my opinion. I continued working, but I took it easy. I was being very cautious with this pregnancy, to say the very least. I think we only made 5 or 12 extra trips to L&D the entire pregnancy due to my extreme paranoia. Not too bad!
Then my world stopped after the results of my 18 week ultrasound. My cerclage was coming undone & my cervix was already starting to open at the weight of the babies. We also found out that our two bundles of joy were little girls. I didn't doubt that for one second! However, my mind was in a frenzy as I relived the devestation of my previous loss. I was ordered home to bed for 2 weeks & then we'd check again. How quickly I went from enjoying the outside world to staring at the TV & internet all day long. Little did I know this was just the beginning.
The next check revealed the condition to be worse & I was sent to the hospital for monitoring. This is when our hero, Dr. Khoury, entered our lives. He is the head of perinatology at Fairfax Hospital. He saved my pregnancy. He gave me a new cerclage, which is much riskier when done later in a pregnancy. I now had two new stitches & a bedrest sentence that wasn't ending. But this was much better than the alternative plan. Hospital stay until delivery was my next option. Hospital food sucks!
So I went home & started my long journey of cooking my babies. I was allowed up to go to the bathroom & that's about it. Marvin left my lunch at the bedside table daily & quickly took over all the shopping, cooking & cleaning. This was on top of working two jobs. What a man! I didn't even get up to eat. I would just turn to my side & eat laying down. The supply of Tums in my house was endless. I started in the back of my mind preparing for babies, but it wasn't until I hit 28 weeks that I actually start buying anything. Going to my doctor's appointments became the highlight of my week. That's the only time I got out of bed! I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's & Valentine's in my bed that year, but I will tell you this. I'd give anything for a couple days in bed now!
Fast forward to around 30 weeks. My blood pressure started creeping on the upward path. Now, not only was I in bed for my incompetent cervix, but now I was developing pre-eclampsia. I was still determined to hold them in for a few more weeks. However shortly after I got very sick.
We went to the hospital on the Sunday after my baby shower & my blood pressure was really high & it was causing me headaches, dizziness & blurred vision. I was there until delivery. It was the final countdown. I was still determined to hold them in for a few more weeks.
Well that didn't happen. I wound up so sick on Tuesday that they decided to take the babies. Marv was at work & I called him to tell him to make that 45 minute drive to the hospital as we were about to be parents. He arrived in plenty of time. They were waiting for an OR opening. I wanted a vaginal delivery, but due to the severity of my pre-eclampsia time was of the essence & a c-section was necessary.
I was really nervous when they wheeled me in to triage to prep me for my c-section. I remember I was sweating like I had just run a 10K marathon! Everyone kept trying to put my mind at ease, but in my heart I knew a 32 week delivery wasn't ideal. I was fortunate to receive two rounds of steriods for lung development, though.
Baby A was born at 9:42pm & came out at 3lbs 14oz & 17 inches. One minute later Baby B came out at 3lbs 7oz & 16 1/2 inches. They were both screaming & breathing on their own! This was a wonderful sign. They were whisked off to the NICU with Marv while I got stitched up. Dr. Tran was the doctor on call that evening from my OB practice & she was also the one who delivered Kiara. She told me how much it meant to her to be there for the delivery of the twins. Dr. Tran is such a compassionate & wonderful doctor.
Two days after they were born we finally settled on names for these two. Alexandra Raquel was named by her Daddy & I named Anneliese Jiselle. Alexandra (Baby A) sailed through her stay in the NICU & came home 18 days later at a whopping 4lbs 5oz. Little Miss Anneliese had a few setbacks, however, nothing major. We are extremely grateful. She joined us home after 29 days in the NICU & came home at 5lbs even.
Now by looking at these girls you would never guess they were 3lbs preemies at one time. They are like their parents, they love to eat.
Raising twins is an experience like no other. It is wonderful to get twice the hugs & kisses, but you also get twice the dirty diapers. We are so fortunate to have them & continue to be thankful each day.
http://myspace-693.vo.llnwd.net/00257/39/62/257112693_l.jpg
Alexandra Raquel - Baby A
http://myspace-353.vo.llnwd.net/00257/35/33/257113353_l.jpg
Anneliese Jiselle - Baby B