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Monday, March 31, 2008

Today is the big day...the triplets birthday!

Yep, the journey is coming to an end. Here I sit, waiting to leave for the hospital. I have been emotional wreck all morning long, having cried several times. There are so many thoughts going through my head. I am nervous, scared of the hospital. I am nervous about the babies being ok. I am scared about the c-section but most of all, I am anxious to see my babies. I can't believe that we are only hours away from meeting them.

We have so many family & friends that have supported us through all this. Thank you so much for all your thoughts & prayers. We could not have made it this far without them.

The next time I post, it will be to announce the birth of our babies. WOW!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Our last weekend as a couple w/o kids!

I don't know that it has really set in but this is our last weekend as husband & wife. Next weekend, we will be husband & wife w/ THREE babies! It is amazing that 34 weeks has gone by. I remember having to go on bedrest in December & thinking that the day would never come when we would meet our trio & now, in about 48 hours, we will be seeing our 2 daughters & our son.

Since this is our last weekend, we are trying to get a few things taken care of & have also taken some fun pictures of me. On Monday, my dad told me that I was exactly like my mother was when she was pregnant. He said, from the back, you could not tell but then she would turn around & BAM! There was this belly sticking out & everyone was shocked. So, if you can believe this, I don't look pregnant from the back. Yes, you read right...and to prove it, I had my mom take a picture b/c like you, I did not believe it.


Also, when they were doing the NST's & I had to lay on my back, it was amazing to see just how much my belly was leaning towards the left which is where our big baby is. I had my mom take a picture of me last night from my feet and I was AMAZED at just how much my belly leaned towards the left. HOLY SHMOLY!


Besides getting some last minute photos, we are working on getting our bedroom back to normal. What is normal? Normal is not in bedrest mode w/ the mini frig & microwave in here. Unfortunately, our bedroom isn't going back to normal, normal. We have a crib, & a changing station cart in here so it will be a while before we have a normal bedroom again. It is ok though. We are looking forward to this part.

No more NST's, no more laying in bed, no more having people do things for me because I can't walk around, no more, no more, no more! It has been quite the adventure these last 34 weeks. I can't believe that it is almost over. On Monday evening I am going to meet for the 1st time, my 3 children. 3 children...at one time. I am going to see what has been growing inside me for the past 34 weeks & who they look like. Then, I am going to be responsible for these little ones for the rest of my life. Ahhhh...motherhood is going to be another exciting adventure!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Our LAST perinatologist appt!

Ah, my last prenatal appoint was today & what a friggin' relief! No more anxiety about going to see my peri! The first thing she said to me was "I am beginning to wonder what is wrong w/ you." Of course I was thinking WHAT???? So I asked her why & she said it was b/c things are going so smoothly & I am still baking babies w/ no issues. Hehe...I LOVE PROVING PEOPLE WRONG! I told her at our 1st appt when I was exactly 14 weeks along that we would make it the 34 weeks AND we are!

So, on to the fun stuff...boy, was it ever hard for her to keep the babies separated. She said that they are all very smooshed in there. NO DUH! I'm not surprised one bit. The kids were measured & their weights are...

Sofi ~ 3lb 12oz, an EIGHT OUNCE GAIN from last week! Can I get an AMEN JESUS??!! The prayers worked!!!!!
Ian ~ 3lb 13oz, a 3 oz gain...not to bad.
Gabi ~ 4lb 10oz, our chunky monkey gained 6 oz.

Of course, the peri doesn't like that the other 2 are still below 4 lbs but hey...what else can they do? She asked me if I am eating b/c I didn't gain any weight & I told her the truth...not really. I'm lucky to get 1 full meal a day. I just don't have room. She seemed content w/ their growth & is hoping that they will gain a couple more ounces by Monday. I do have to go to my NST tomorrow evening but hey, whatever...I get to be at home until Monday! WOOT, WOOT!

So, the plan is to go in at about noon on Monday so they can put the IV in me to keep me hydrated since I will not be able to eat after 8am or drink after 10am. I will also get glucose to keep my sugars leveled. Then at about 6pm, we are off to the OR to have babies.

I can't believe the journey is almost over. I keep thinking these are the last days that I will be feeling my babies move inside me. On Monday I can no longer protect them from the world. WOW...I'm about to be a mommy!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Response to comments :)

Kel ~ Thank you so much for your honest perspective of the c-section. You have given me a bit of peace about it. I feel a bit better now going in to the situation. You are right, I never thought about being so concentrated on the babies that I would not be focused on what they were doing to me. WHEW!

Clarissa ~ Yes, you may absolutely add my blog link!

Crystal ~ HOLY SHMOLY! I will definitely contact you through myspace to get your mother's number. That is amazing that she was able to help you deliver your 3 babies!

Jen ~ Yet another perspective that I had not thought of...the adrenaline rush! This is why I told Todd to go ahead & go to work on Monday for 1/2 a day...to leave me to be anxious by myself, LMAO!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

2 NSTs down, 2 to go!

We are officially in our 33rd week of pregnancy! I'm actually going to make it to 34 weeks before this trio is born which is better than the average 32/33 weeks! I think I have been in a bit of shock these past few days about it all. The closer we get to the big day, the more surreal it becomes.

Let's talk medical first...we went for an NST (non-stress test) on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, it was at L&D which of course raised my anxiety level b/c the last time I was in one of their rooms, I was throwing up. There are so many fetal heart monitors & then the TOCO which measures contractions. Wires were everywhere as you can see below.


No, it is not comfortable at all. I actually HATE having NSTs done. When I was in the hospital for the illness, they did an NST every 8 hours. Yes, this meant waking me up in the middle of the night. Thankfully, the NST went well. The babies showed the nurse exactly what she needed to see which is their baseline heart rate & also some accelerations. What they are looking for are decelerations especially if it becomes a pattern or if the heart rate drops very low. Thankfully we had none. Once again, we are proving Dr. Adam wrong!

We also went yesterday for another NST but this time it was at the testing center which is much better in my opinion than having to go to L&D. The kids behaved themselves this time b/c I was monitored on my back rather than on my side. I asked if the contraction monitoring could be done after as I tend to have more contractions on my back than on my side. I don't think it is accurate when they monitor while I'm on my back. Thankfully the nurse agreed & allowed the children to be monitored 1st then the contractions. She said our babies looked "beautiful, absolutely beautiful". Needless to say, I was very happy to hear that. Then while looking for contractions, I only had 1 so I was allowed to go home. Thank God!

Now, getting back to the final countdown...we are less than a week away. I'm not sure how I feel...I know I am excited, anxious, scared, nervous, scared...did I mention scared? I think all new moms to be can vouch for that emotion...scared. What the hell am I going to do w/ 3 kids????? I mean, seriously, I'm freaking out! Don't get me wrong, I do want them & I'm dying to meet them it is just, well...scary. I'm going to be responsible for 3 precious babies sent to me by God. I have to make sure I teach them the difference between right & wrong, give them good character, dress & feed them, provide a good education, etc. Yeah...that's me...a triplet mom to be!

Then there is the whole c-section situation. I'm not terrified about it but I am concerned about healing, walking & being able to care for 3 babies after I get home. I've had some surgery done before but none quite this invasive. I am freaking about a bit about being alert as they cut in to me. I don't know how to explain it. I'm not having anxiety about the whole thing or maybe I am. Either way, I just want to get it done! I want it to be over & I want to meet our trio.

So, other than normal mommy fears, I think we are as prepared as we can be for now. HA! If anyone has any suggestions, PLEASE leave a comment for me. We appreciate all the love & support we have been receiving. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Peri appt today & Sofia isn't growing...

And you are wondering what the title means, right? Well, let me explain by telling you about the visit first. My BP is still holding nicely. No protein in the urine again which is fantastic. My cervix is holding. I'm basically doing fine. The babies are all ok too. There is only a small problem & her name is Sofia. She doesn't seem to be growing in utero. Let me give you all the weights first...

Sofi ~ 3lb 4oz, no change from 10 days ago.
Gabi ~ 4lb 4oz, PORKER!!!!! She gained a whole pound!
Ian ~ 3lb 10oz, up 5oz from 10 days ago.

So, what does all this mean? It is not uncommon in a multiple pregnancy for 1 of the babies to be bigger than the other so long as the difference isn't more than about 10%. Well, that has happened w/ Gabi being a whole pound bigger. This is also referred to as intrauterine growth retardation meaning that the baby is no longer growing at an acceptable rate inside. Are we worried, not really. Again, this is something that is not uncommon at all in our situation.

What does this mean for Sofi though? It means that I will be going every 2 days to the hospital to get an NST or a Non Stress Test. Basically they will put the contraction monitor & a heart rate belt on me to see how Sofi is handling contractions. If her heart decelerates, then the situation becomes one of immediate action...get her out, which of course means the other 2 will be coming out along w/ her. We are going to go in every 2 days for this NST.

Now we lay in waiting...haha...I have been laying in waiting for 14 weeks. Who am I kidding? It is up to our darling Sofi when they come out. There is a chance that they will be here before the 31st. I know if they come, they will still be fine.

Say a little prayer for Sofi. She has been our cork since the beginning keeping them all in there. We are proud of her for doing so well for so long. Now, it is in her hands...completely.

Monday, March 17, 2008

WOOT!!!! We made it to 32 weeks!

Yes sir! We have hit the 32 week mark. This is the goal I set at the very beginning of our journey. I can't believe that I have already reached it! Now, we are counting down the last 13 days until our trio's b-day.

I wanted to share a little about how I am doing physically. I know most people are thinking that I am really huge & uncomfortable but the truth of the matter is that I am not all that big nor am I at all uncomfortable. I read so many other triplet mommies' blogs about their experiences in the last weeks of pregnancy & "hitting the wall" where all they wanted was the babies out of them. I thought for sure when I was around 28 weeks that I would also experience this b/c I started getting tired & found that I could not eat as much but that passed. Then I got sick w/ that stomach virus & I thought for sure that the misery would soon set in. Well, here I am...32 weeks along...and I am not at all miserable. On the contrary, I am pretty happy w/ how I am feeling.

I know, what about being in bed all the time? I totally think it is the frame of mind you are in & whether you have other children to take care of. Since the strict bedrest began at 18 1/2 weeks, I have not let my attitude be anything but positive about the situation. I have taken up digital scrapbooking & making siggies for my friends. I have a wonderful online community at Just Mommies & Triplet Connection that also keep me busy. The computer has become my closest friend & alli during these past 13 1/2 weeks.

Do I get crampy or sore? The first week, yes I did. After I got my Snoogle body pillow, I was able to find a way to stay comfy on my left side which is the only side I lay on during the day. I know that it is the best side to be on for circulation so it what I do day in & day out. I also do no recline what so ever. From my neck down, my body is flat on the bed. This is the best way to keep pressure off of my cervix. I even eat this way. My back doesn't hurt at all. I've only had a day or 2 that it has hurt but went away quickly.

Am I swollen? Surprisingly...no! My rings still fit if you can believe that. My friend came over the other day & was shocked that I was still wearing my wedding & engagement ring. My ankles still look normal as do my toes. I do swell at night while sleeping but that goes away in the morning once I wake up. I don't know why it happens at night, I am laying flat all day long!

Can I still eat? Not much now days so when I do eat, I try to eat something that is high in calories & fat. I don't eat much at all. A day's worth of food is the following...

*Breakfast ~ 9-10am ~ 1/2 a bowl of frosted mini wheats (very high in iron)
*Snacks ~ 8am, 4pm ~ 2 protein shakes, piece of candy here & there
*Lunch ~ 2pm ~ Grab bag size of doritos or a piece of bread w/ cheese or ramen noodle soup
*Dinner ~ What ever I am craving such as chicken strips, 1 piece of pizza, or french fries...not all of them together, only 1 of them.

I am still drinking about a gallon & 1/2 per day of water. I also drink the protein shakes which is made w/ a protein powder & milk. Every once in a while I will drink Sprite or a rootbeer.

I do however have other normal pregnancy woes such as the wonderful hemriods & the emotional moments. I still have food cravings & aversions. I have gotten the nesting bug but can't do much about it although I was able to help sort through baby clothes & put them in bins yesterday. I do have acid reflux which requires a prescription of Pepcid.

Other than that, I keep counting my lucky stars b/c this ride could have been much bumpier. I am blessed to have the smooth ride that I am having. I think I freaked out about the hospital experience & realized just how well I am doing at home. I don't even mind the terbutaline pump. At first it was a nuisance but I have gotten use to the booger. If this is what keeps me at home in my own bed, then so be it.

Is there anything I miss about a "regular" pregnancy? Yes...I miss the interaction w/ strangers at the store. I miss getting up & dressing in cute maternity clothes. I miss shopping for baby items or just roaming Target for hours on end. I miss driving and going for a walk around the neighborhood. Most of all, I missed out on being able to help w/ the nursery which if you know me, you know it kills me that I couldn't be up there painting, etc. It's ok...I don't have much longer & then I will be able to enjoy the little things in life again.

Until our time is up, I will continue to be positive & strong. I look forward to every morning I wake up & know that we are 1 day closer to meeting our trio.

Again, thank you all for your support! It means the world to Todd & I that we have such wonderful family & friends praying for us & coming over to help out. We love you all!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Today is my birthday!


I can't believe that I am 33 yrs old today! WOW! 3 babies for my 33rd b-day. How ironic is that? Seriously, I'm having 3 babies when I am 33 in the 3rd month of the year on the 31st of the month. Hmmmmm...not only that, Todd was born at 3:33am in the morning. Can you say...PREMONITION????

So, what does a gal on bed rest do for her b-day. It all starts w/ a not so great night of sleep but then that is normal now days. Then my wonderful hubby went to buy me Chick-fil-A for breakfast...YUMMY! Now, he is taking a little nap, he needs it. I am going to have a few people stopping by throughout the day. No big party, no going out on the town this year...just a semi-quiet day at home. I told everyone we could celebrate AFTER the babies are born. I want a margarita!!!!

So far, this week has been very uneventful. The terbutaline pump that goes in to my leg provides a continuous dose of the med rather than me having to take it orally. It is also more effective & I actually end up w/ much less of a dose than before. The med is to keep the uterus from contracting or rather, it keeps it relaxed. It is working great! I have yet to report a contraction through my home monitoring which I do twice a day for an hour each time. I think we aren't going to have any issues w/ reaching our birth date of the 31st. My body just freaked out last week when it got sick otherwise I don't think I would have had to deal w/ the preterm labor which ended up being very mild anyway.

So, there are 15 days left until we get to see these beautiful babies that are growing inside me. I can't wait. The days go by slowly but at the same time, I can't believe that I have already been home a week since the hospital incident. Time is a funny creature. You want to think it is going slowly but then it is gone before you know it.

Hey...someone sent us 2 cases of Pampers Swaddlers...don't know who so if it was you...please let me know! We really appreciate it. Any diapers are welcomed. I am hesitant to buy a whole lot of preemie diapers until we see the weight of the babies when they are born but we can always use newborn & size 1 Swaddlers if you want to send some our way.

Thank you again for all your love, prayers, & support! We can't believe the generosity we have received which reminds me...I need to thank Waltrip High School where my father works for throwing a "Grandfather Shower". We are astonished at how much we received. THANK YOU WALTRIP!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Back home & a birth date has been set :)

Wow...it feels so good to be back home! Somehow I lucked out & was able to come back on Saturday since I did not have a vomitting session that morning. Honestly, I truly believe that I got a virus either from the peri visit the previous Monday or from a visitor to the house. From now on, people are going to have to wash their hands like 3 times before they can come in my room, lol!

Today we are 31 weeks & went to the peri for a followup visit. My cervix lengthened back out a bit so I am no longer 100% effaced. WOOT, WOOT! She said the cervix was holding strong. The babies are doing well, having grown some since last Monday. Their stats are...

Sofi ~ 3lb 3oz, still our little one but holding down the fort.
Gabi ~ 3lb 5oz, our big one this time.
Ian ~ 3lb 4oz, he shared!

I wanted to jump up & down I was so excited! Before leaving today, I was terrified I would be going back to the hospital. The idea of being there for 3 weeks filled me w/ great anxiety! I just can't imagine but then, this last experience wasn't necessarily a pleasant one being as sick as I was. I just want to be able to stay in the comforts of my home & have my hubby sleep next to me every night. To know that I was coming back home today was music to my ears.

The details, my BP was 120/64, NO PROTEIN in my urine (change from the past 3 visits where there WAS protein present), & my weight went down 3lbs. Surprise, surprise! That is what happens when you vomit nonstop for 3 days! My attitude is 100% better than it was only a few short hours ago. I'm praising GOD as we speak for showing us once again He is by our side! AMEN!

Just as we were going to leave, I asked if we were scheduling the c-section the next visit & she said, "No, let's schedule it now." HUH?? WHAT?? NOW?? I asked her if there was any way possible we could have them on March 31st b/c 1) I didn't want to have triplets on April Fool's Day, and 2) it is my mom's b-day. Mine is the 15th, only 4 days away & I thought it would be really neat to give my mom something back. I am in shock that it is actually happening in 3 weeks!

Oh, this is very random but I have to say that my FIL, Bill, is coming over w/ his KILLER red sauce & meatballs. YUMMY!!! They think I am going to eat pasta w/ it but I have a feeling I'll be eating very little pasta & a whole lot of meatballs.

Well, I think I have covered everything for now. Thank you all for the prayers!

Friday, March 7, 2008

Our trip to L&D...babies are still in utero...

Well, let me just say how tough the past 3 days have been. It all started on Wednesday morning w/ uncontrolled vomiting. Dr. Adam wanted us to go to L&D immediately. I noticed I was having quite a few contractions on the way. It was amazing how fast they got us in a room. Good thing there is something called preregistering & having a dr that is on top of things.

I was vomitting non stop for a few hrs. I can't say how long b/c I honestly don't remember. The days are running together. I was also contracting every 2-5 minutes so they gave me 3 shots of brethine (turbutaline). That DID NOT help the puking at all! Apparently an elevated heart rate can compound the nausea. They gave me zofran via IV but that didn't help so they moved on up to phenergan. That seemed to nip the problem in the butt. They also went ahead & gave the me steriod injections for the babies' lungs. I got one at 11:30am & 11:30pm. Everything settled down & I decided it was nap time. This was well in to the afternoon hrs. I did eat a salad for dinner. That wasn't my 1st choice but it was better than nothing since I hadn't eaten since the previous day. Finally, they gave me some sleepy stuff, ambien, I think. I was out.

Well, just when I thought things were better, the next morning about 5:30am, the nausea/vomiting came back to haunt me. This time they skipped the zofran immediately & stearted w/ phenergan. This time it didn't work so they pulled out the reglan via IV. Almost immediatetly I felt better. I thought I was good to go home that evening but then Dr. Adam gave me an internal exam...I am 100% effaced meaning that I don't have any cervix left. I am also a fingertip dialated. BLAH! So I got to stay another night & a goood thing I did. I did get to eat twice though. The food here isn't bad at all & it is room service style so they don't just bring it to me, I can order what ever I want off of the menu.

So today has by far been the worst of the 3. Oh, BTW, they haven't been able to figure out why I am puking. I think it is a virus. I've been running a low grade fever since Wednesday that has come & gone but always seems to be around when I am puking my guts out. Back to today being the worst day...my God! I had no idea it could get that bad! This time, nothing they used before was working so they pulled out eh really big guns, decadron (a mild steriod). It took a good hour but it finally kicked in. By this point, I was drifting in & out of consciousness. My dad had come at about 8am b/c I callled him crying. Todd was stuck at work putting out fires. His parents showed up 1/2 way through the worst of the episode. I felt so bad that they were all there, helpless b/c they couldn't do anything to relief my angst. My MIL was so sweet & brought me a guardian angel figurine that is now in my room on a shelf. I have yet to eat today. I'm on a cleer liquid diet which is FINE BY ME b/c the thought of another round of nausea is too much to even phathom at this point.

The head of the neonatal dept came down to see me today & discussed all the complications that we can run in to w/ preemies. Of course, having had all this time to read up, I was able to identify w/ much of what she was telling me. I think she may have been a little impressed & asked if this was my 1st rodeo. I told her it was but that 12 weeks of bed rest gives you plenty of time to read. Basically, it comes down to this...we need to get to 31 weeks. Of course, the longer the better but apparently starting somewhere in the 31st week, the placenta starts allowing antibodies to pass to the babies to help fight infection. This is, of course, the ideal situation. They need to get these infection fighting elements in order to be better prepared to meet the outside world. So, the count is on...officially on TUESDAY, no longer Monday, I will be 31 weeks.

Dr. Adam will be popping in this evening & so long as I don't have another puke session or another wonderful surprise pop up, I should be going home on the turb pump tomorrow. WOOT! I don't think I could be any happier that getting to go home! I miss my hubby, my bed, & my kitties. Thank you al for your thoughts & prayers. PLEASE keep them coming! We need to make it another few days at the very least!

Monday, March 3, 2008

WOOT! 30 weeks & a great peri appt!

Oh man! I am on CLOUD 9! First, we have made it to 30 weeks, incredibly enough. Then, our prayers were answered & the babies have grown & are doing well! I can't get over all the excitement today!

So, let me explain the appt today for you all. We got there & of course I get weighed. I am always worrying that I will gain too much but thanks to the vomiting & not being able to eat much, I only gained 2 1/2 lbs. That was a relief! I'm officially up to 50lbs total. I am fairly happy w/ that b/c I know I won't gain too much more before this trio is born. While she was weighing me, I asked about the protein levels. She said only trace amounts were showing. WOOT! No change from the last 2 visits. Can it get any better? YEP! It was then time to take the BP...I was a bit worried b/c unlike last time, I was sitting up the whole time while we waited & even sat up on the car ride to the peri's office. Well, well, well...to our surprise, it was only 130/70. I'm still holding strong.

We end up having to wait a bit more before going in to the ultrasound room. We finally get in there & the peri comes in. She asks me if I have any complaints & I proudly tell her no. Then I put my hand up to my mouth in a secretive motion & tell her that the only thing is that my reflux is pretty bad. She said, "Well, if that is your only complaint, I'll take it. That isn't a true complaint!" Hehe...I told her from the beginning I wasn't a complainer. I plan on proving it to her. I'm just not much on complaining or sympathy actually. Anyway, she prescribed me something to help w/ the reflux b/c right now, I am eating Tums like they are candy!

From that point, it was belly time! The cervix is still holding beautifully. Everything looks good w/ the babies. Their stats are...

Sofi ~ 2lb 13oz, up 13oz from last visit 10 days ago
Gabi ~ 2lb 14oz, up 10oz
Ian ~ 3lb 1oz, up 10oz

Their weights just proved to us that the last time, they were off. We were right! She said to expect their growth to slow down considerably since they are running out of room. I can understand that b/c they really are running out of room. I'm hoping they all get in the 3 1/2 to 4lb range. That would be fantastic! Honestly, I think Ian won't have a problem getting there. The girls, they will be the smaller ones. We'll see once they come out.

Speaking of coming out...I asked her if we were going to have babies this month & she said YES! WOOT! She said something about right around Easter so I'm thinking we will have them on the 31st if I haven't had them before then. Oddly enough, that is my mom's b-day. You have to understand something, I was born on the 15th so I was a gift to my mommy. Now, I am going to get a gift for my b-day, my 3 precious children AND be able to experience the joy my mom experienced when she had me. I think it is funny how this whole thing is coming full circle. Also, it would be Easter weekend. Could this be a sign from God? I think so!

To everyone reading this, thank you so much for taking the time to do so. It means the world to me that there are so many that care about us. God bless & keep the prayers coming!