Aiden had a busy day.
He is now a whopping 1lb - 8oz. Back to his original birth weight. His infection seems to be gone so the doctors installed a percu-cath line. He also got some blood today.
Dr. Desai decided to remove the ventilator once again to see how Aiden would handle it. When it was removed, they installed the high flow cannula. Unfortunately, Aiden didn't do quite as well as last time. His heart rate and oxygen saturation dropped suddenly, and they had to immediately put him back on the ventilator. He did fine once back on the ventilator and his stats picked back up. I guess he's just not ready yet.
Aiden is really tugging at his eyelids trying to get them open. Maybe tomorrow he will get to see the world.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sat & Sun, June 28 & 29, 2008 - Our Little Kangaroo
Aiden is now two weeks old. He has been doing really well these past few days. Today, Lisa got to start Kangaroo Care. This is where the mother or father can hold the baby against their skin (like a kangaroo). This really helps the baby's neurological development and gives comfort to both the baby and the parents.
For the first time, Lisa held Aiden for about an hour. She never stopped smiling the whole time. Aiden did great. Thanks to Nurse Tracy who helped initiate this and made us feel comfortable the whole time. She's been amazing. Tracy said that it depends upon how Aiden is doing, but generally speaking Lisa or I could do Kangaroo Care every day.
Aiden has started gaining weight finally. He is nearly back up to his birth weight. The infection that has been plaguing him tested positive from the UAC line but negative from a peripheral blood draw. This is good since the UAC line has already been removed. So hopefully the infection will not show back up. Aiden now has an IV line in his head. If the infection stays negative, they can remove this IV line and install the percu-cath as a more permanent IV line.
It was great to see Lisa holding Aiden. Amazingly, he was relaxed the whole time. I'm sure he was glad to feel and hear his mother's heartbeat once again. He won't be quite as familiar with his Dad's heartbeat, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Today was great day! Thanks for all the support.
Keep praying for Aiden.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
For the first time, Lisa held Aiden for about an hour. She never stopped smiling the whole time. Aiden did great. Thanks to Nurse Tracy who helped initiate this and made us feel comfortable the whole time. She's been amazing. Tracy said that it depends upon how Aiden is doing, but generally speaking Lisa or I could do Kangaroo Care every day.
Aiden has started gaining weight finally. He is nearly back up to his birth weight. The infection that has been plaguing him tested positive from the UAC line but negative from a peripheral blood draw. This is good since the UAC line has already been removed. So hopefully the infection will not show back up. Aiden now has an IV line in his head. If the infection stays negative, they can remove this IV line and install the percu-cath as a more permanent IV line.
It was great to see Lisa holding Aiden. Amazingly, he was relaxed the whole time. I'm sure he was glad to feel and hear his mother's heartbeat once again. He won't be quite as familiar with his Dad's heartbeat, but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Today was great day! Thanks for all the support.
Keep praying for Aiden.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008 - A Quiet Day
Today was a pretty quiet day for Aiden. Not much has changed, and he is stable. His UAC line came out today on accident. The nurse seemed to think that it came out when he was squirming on his belly. It's not a bad thing because it would have had to come out soon anyways.
Aiden hasn't had any more problems with his heart rate, so the albuterol must be working. His oxygen has been under 30% most of the day. His blood gases have started to become consistently good. They had been taking blood gases every 2 hours, and now they have switched it to every 12 hours.
Lisa and I went out for a dinner and a movie with Shawn and Sarah. This is the first time we had gotten out to relax in a long time.
Have a good weekend!
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Aiden hasn't had any more problems with his heart rate, so the albuterol must be working. His oxygen has been under 30% most of the day. His blood gases have started to become consistently good. They had been taking blood gases every 2 hours, and now they have switched it to every 12 hours.
Lisa and I went out for a dinner and a movie with Shawn and Sarah. This is the first time we had gotten out to relax in a long time.
Have a good weekend!
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008 - A visit from Lexi
Justin, my brother, brought our dog Lexi today for a visit. It was the first time we've seen her in over a month. She's like a child to us, so it was nice to see her. Justin and Chara must be treating her well, though. She wanted to get back in the truck when it came time to leave.
Aiden had a rough day today. The infection seems to be staying strong. They have increased his antibiotics. Dr. Desai still doesn't seem too concerned about it. She calls it pesky and seems to think it is more of an annoyance than an issue. They installed an IV line in his arm in order to remove the UVC line which should help with the infection.
Aiden had a little trouble with irregularity in his heart beat a few times today. They have started him on albuterol to assist with his breathing which in turn will address the heart rate issue. So far so good. He looked stable tonight, and his stats were good.
On a positive note, his chest x-ray was good. We know it is a long road with lots of ups and downs, but Lisa and I only like to have positive steps forward and no steps back. I guess we just have to be patient and enjoy the fact that he is growing stronger every day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Aiden had a rough day today. The infection seems to be staying strong. They have increased his antibiotics. Dr. Desai still doesn't seem too concerned about it. She calls it pesky and seems to think it is more of an annoyance than an issue. They installed an IV line in his arm in order to remove the UVC line which should help with the infection.
Aiden had a little trouble with irregularity in his heart beat a few times today. They have started him on albuterol to assist with his breathing which in turn will address the heart rate issue. So far so good. He looked stable tonight, and his stats were good.
On a positive note, his chest x-ray was good. We know it is a long road with lots of ups and downs, but Lisa and I only like to have positive steps forward and no steps back. I guess we just have to be patient and enjoy the fact that he is growing stronger every day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - Back on a Ventilator
Aiden spent 30 hours without ventilation support. He did great yesterday, but today his breathing became a little labored. His oxygen level was also increased to 40% most of the day with a high of 50%. Dr. Desai didn't want to take a step back, but she thought it was the best thing for him. So this afternoon, Aiden was put on a normal ventilator (not the high frequency ventilator). After watching him today, Lisa thought this was a good decision. She thought Aiden seemed a little stressed and labored in his breathing compared to yesterday. He responded really well to the new ventilator. His stats immediately turned back to normal.
Aiden's umbilical vein catheter (uvc line) tested positive for infection again. He is still taking antibiotics to hopefully address this. If the infection continues, they will have to install a percutaneous catheter (percu-cath for short) sooner than what the Doctors were originally hoping in order to get rid of the infection.
Overall, Aiden is doing well still. The doctors and nurses are really pleased with his progress.
Congratulations to Andreas and Anja Steinberger for the birth of their baby boy Moritz yesterday (8lb-15oz). Mom and baby are doing fine.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Aiden's umbilical vein catheter (uvc line) tested positive for infection again. He is still taking antibiotics to hopefully address this. If the infection continues, they will have to install a percutaneous catheter (percu-cath for short) sooner than what the Doctors were originally hoping in order to get rid of the infection.
Overall, Aiden is doing well still. The doctors and nurses are really pleased with his progress.
Congratulations to Andreas and Anja Steinberger for the birth of their baby boy Moritz yesterday (8lb-15oz). Mom and baby are doing fine.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - A Breath of Fresh Air
To our surprise, Aiden was removed from the ventilator this morning at 10:00am. Dr. Desai felt comfortable with his stats and how Aiden has progressed these past few days. He is breathing on his own now. It is nice to see his chest cavity move with every breath. The high frequency ventilator that he was on was abnormal to watch because it just vibrated his body. Aiden is getting some oxygen assistance through a tube in his nostrils (high flow nasal cannula).
He is also laying on his stomach for the first time. This is to help support his chest in breathing and to prevent bed sores. Caffeine is also given to him to keep his body stimulated because often preemies will forget to breath. It's never too early to start him on Ale-8 in my opinion.
Lisa got to change Aiden's diaper for the first time. Just as she was putting on the clean diaper, Aiden pooped again. Boys will be boys.
Today was another good day. Thanks for all the support, comments, and prayers.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
He is also laying on his stomach for the first time. This is to help support his chest in breathing and to prevent bed sores. Caffeine is also given to him to keep his body stimulated because often preemies will forget to breath. It's never too early to start him on Ale-8 in my opinion.
Lisa got to change Aiden's diaper for the first time. Just as she was putting on the clean diaper, Aiden pooped again. Boys will be boys.
Today was another good day. Thanks for all the support, comments, and prayers.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Monday, June 23, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008 - Cautious Optimism
Aiden had a good day today. Dr. Desai met with Lisa for about 45 minutes to review Aiden's status. She is not worried about the infection. Aiden has responded well to the antibiotics, and his stats are looking good. She also said that Aiden's likelihood of survival is now about 90%. This is great news considering he only had a 50% chance of survival at birth.
Aiden does have a mild intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). This is not a "brain bleed". Aiden's case is classified as some blood rupture into the ventricles, but without enlargement. Dr. Desai said that it is nothing to be alarmed about as it's considered a mild case. They will continue do ultrasounds on a regular basis to monitor the bleeding.
I don't know if it is classified as a major milestone, but we will take it.... Aiden had his first bowel movement today!
Every day is a milestone for Aiden. Keep the prayers coming! Dr. Desai, Lisa, and I are cautiously optimistic.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Aiden does have a mild intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). This is not a "brain bleed". Aiden's case is classified as some blood rupture into the ventricles, but without enlargement. Dr. Desai said that it is nothing to be alarmed about as it's considered a mild case. They will continue do ultrasounds on a regular basis to monitor the bleeding.
I don't know if it is classified as a major milestone, but we will take it.... Aiden had his first bowel movement today!
Every day is a milestone for Aiden. Keep the prayers coming! Dr. Desai, Lisa, and I are cautiously optimistic.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sat & Sun, June 21 & 22, 2008 - 1st Week
The weekend has been rough on us. Lisa and I have tendencies to search for reasons why and how this could have happened. We were told all along that Caleb's chances for survival were slim and his chances for normalcy were even smaller. It just doesn't make it any easier. We became so attached to Caleb and Aiden in just a few days. It is hard to walk into the NICU and see only one bed present.
Saturday was a rough day for Aiden also. He was not doing well (maybe he was grieving the loss of his twin brother). Dr. Desai and Nurse Tracy worked with him all day long. His oxygen levels had to be adjusted up to 100%, and he had problems with his blood pressure and ventilator orientation. Aiden also tested positive for infection. In the late afternoon, they finally got him stable. Tracy was able to get his oxygen down to 30% and was able to get him comfortable. Throughout Saturday night and Sunday, Aiden has been doing really good. They will do some more testing for infections tonight. They have already switched his antibiotic medicine, and he seems to be doing well with it. Aiden is now 1 week old.
Lisa is doing as well as can be expected, given the situation. She is still sore, but becoming more and more mobile every day.
We have many more tough days ahead. Please pray for Aiden, Lisa, and I.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Saturday was a rough day for Aiden also. He was not doing well (maybe he was grieving the loss of his twin brother). Dr. Desai and Nurse Tracy worked with him all day long. His oxygen levels had to be adjusted up to 100%, and he had problems with his blood pressure and ventilator orientation. Aiden also tested positive for infection. In the late afternoon, they finally got him stable. Tracy was able to get his oxygen down to 30% and was able to get him comfortable. Throughout Saturday night and Sunday, Aiden has been doing really good. They will do some more testing for infections tonight. They have already switched his antibiotic medicine, and he seems to be doing well with it. Aiden is now 1 week old.
Lisa is doing as well as can be expected, given the situation. She is still sore, but becoming more and more mobile every day.
We have many more tough days ahead. Please pray for Aiden, Lisa, and I.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008 - Caleb Robert Murray
I can't even begin to describe today's events in words. We will miss our little 14 oz miracle boy. We love you Caleb Robert Murray!
"The distance between joy and sorrow can be measured by a heartbeat"
In Memory of Caleb....
"The distance between joy and sorrow can be measured by a heartbeat"
In Memory of Caleb....
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - Half the Murray family goes home
After spending 27 of the last 28 nights in the hospital, Lisa has finally got to go home. Obviously it's not under the circumstances that we were all hoping for, but it is good to have her out of the hospital. Lisa and I have access to the NICU 24 hours a day, except for 4 breaks and shift changes. We can also call the NICU for updates at any time.
Aiden and Caleb both did really well today. No significant changes. The nurses and doctors have all said that they have been surprisingly stable. They always follow up positive comments with warnings that it is very likely to change. Aiden's chest tube is still in place, but they did water seal it off this evening. So far so good. If there is no sign of leakage tomorrow, they will remove the chest tube.
Aiden may not like me telling this story on him, but it is pretty funny. Yesterday, he was getting a diaper rash so the nurses removed the diaper and left him exposed to the world. After a few hours, Aiden shot a stream of pee that hit the top of the incubator. To put this in perspective, that is about twice the height of Aiden. I'm sure he felt better after that.
Unfortunately the ultrasound results still aren't back. I'm not sure the doctors understand that I'm losing sleep over this. They keep telling me that they should be getting the results any time. This afternoon a technician was taking ultrasounds of both Caleb and Aiden's hearts and throat areas. They said this is just a routine check. Preemies are known to have a heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriousus (PDA). I'm not sure how long it will take to get these ultrasound results back.
Its good to be out of the hospital. Now if I could only figure out how to get Carol's wireless internet working, I will be all set.
By perseverance the snail reached the ark -- Charles H. Spurgeon
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Aiden and Caleb both did really well today. No significant changes. The nurses and doctors have all said that they have been surprisingly stable. They always follow up positive comments with warnings that it is very likely to change. Aiden's chest tube is still in place, but they did water seal it off this evening. So far so good. If there is no sign of leakage tomorrow, they will remove the chest tube.
Aiden may not like me telling this story on him, but it is pretty funny. Yesterday, he was getting a diaper rash so the nurses removed the diaper and left him exposed to the world. After a few hours, Aiden shot a stream of pee that hit the top of the incubator. To put this in perspective, that is about twice the height of Aiden. I'm sure he felt better after that.
Unfortunately the ultrasound results still aren't back. I'm not sure the doctors understand that I'm losing sleep over this. They keep telling me that they should be getting the results any time. This afternoon a technician was taking ultrasounds of both Caleb and Aiden's hearts and throat areas. They said this is just a routine check. Preemies are known to have a heart condition called Patent Ductus Arteriousus (PDA). I'm not sure how long it will take to get these ultrasound results back.
Its good to be out of the hospital. Now if I could only figure out how to get Carol's wireless internet working, I will be all set.
By perseverance the snail reached the ark -- Charles H. Spurgeon
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - Aiden and Caleb
Yes, we have finally named the boys.
Baby A => Aiden Charles Murray
Baby B => Caleb Robert Murray
Aiden and Caleb because we like the names. Charles and Robert because they are family names. The Doctors and Nurses seem to be happy that we have finally named the twins.
I had forgotten to mention that the twins are fraternal. They are not identical. Each baby had their own placenta and their own amniotic sac (dichorionic/diamniotic). This would have been nice to know before we got shipped up to Cincy for TTTS testing. TTTS can't really happen in fraternal twins because there are two separate placentas.
Last night at 1:00am they called to inform us that Aiden had too much air in his chest cavity. They recommended inserting a tube in his chest to remove the air. They showed us the x-rays this morning of the before and after pictures. The tube worked, and it has remained in all day. Aiden handled the procedure well and recovered nicely. Basically, I guess it is somewhat normal for this to occur since the lungs leak air at this stage. When we visited again late tonight, there was a sign of moisture in this tube. The nurse didn't think it was a big concern but informed the doctor about it. I guess we will find out more about this tomorrow.
Caleb has been doing really well today. They have been adjusting his sugar levels all day, but they were able to bring the incubator to room temperature and reduce his oxygen levels. Dr. Desai seemed pleased with his progress.
Both babies are now taking mother's milk. Aiden gets 1 mL every 4 hours and Caleb gets 0.5 mL every 4 hours. Lisa is producing a gallon of milk every hour. Well not quite, but she is doing really well.
The ultrasounds were taken for both babies, but unfortunately we don't have the results. We should find out tomorrow.
Lisa is feeling much better. She got a shower for the first time in 10 days. Tomorrow she will be released from the hospital. We are planning on moving in with Lisa's mom, Carol, for a while.
Aiden and Caleb have passed the first milestone of 72 hours. We are praying for clear ultrasound results tomorrow.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Baby A => Aiden Charles Murray
Baby B => Caleb Robert Murray
Aiden and Caleb because we like the names. Charles and Robert because they are family names. The Doctors and Nurses seem to be happy that we have finally named the twins.
I had forgotten to mention that the twins are fraternal. They are not identical. Each baby had their own placenta and their own amniotic sac (dichorionic/diamniotic). This would have been nice to know before we got shipped up to Cincy for TTTS testing. TTTS can't really happen in fraternal twins because there are two separate placentas.
Last night at 1:00am they called to inform us that Aiden had too much air in his chest cavity. They recommended inserting a tube in his chest to remove the air. They showed us the x-rays this morning of the before and after pictures. The tube worked, and it has remained in all day. Aiden handled the procedure well and recovered nicely. Basically, I guess it is somewhat normal for this to occur since the lungs leak air at this stage. When we visited again late tonight, there was a sign of moisture in this tube. The nurse didn't think it was a big concern but informed the doctor about it. I guess we will find out more about this tomorrow.
Caleb has been doing really well today. They have been adjusting his sugar levels all day, but they were able to bring the incubator to room temperature and reduce his oxygen levels. Dr. Desai seemed pleased with his progress.
Both babies are now taking mother's milk. Aiden gets 1 mL every 4 hours and Caleb gets 0.5 mL every 4 hours. Lisa is producing a gallon of milk every hour. Well not quite, but she is doing really well.
The ultrasounds were taken for both babies, but unfortunately we don't have the results. We should find out tomorrow.
Lisa is feeling much better. She got a shower for the first time in 10 days. Tomorrow she will be released from the hospital. We are planning on moving in with Lisa's mom, Carol, for a while.
Aiden and Caleb have passed the first milestone of 72 hours. We are praying for clear ultrasound results tomorrow.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - Postpartum Day 2
Last night I didn't get much sleep. Mostly due to finally updating this blog. Lisa has to work on extracting milk every 3 hours too. This is a little difficult considering the twins came so early. The mother's milk is considered liquid gold to the micro-preemies. The NICU staff told us that even a few drops can make a big difference. Knowing this, Lisa is determined to meet the needs of the babies. Lisa proudly delivered her first syringe of milk this morning.
Lisa is feeling much better now. Dr. Preston helped manage Lisa's pain medication on a schedule which really helped. Lisa is moving around a lot more, going to the restroom, and sitting up for hours now. This is something she hasn't done in 4 weeks.
Lisa and I visited the twins again this morning. When we arrived in the NICU, Dr. Desai and team were doing their rounds. Baby A was now on the high frequency ventilator. They wanted him on this special ventilator because his carbon-dioxide levels were high. Somehow this ventilator helps this issue. Other than that, Baby A was maintaining and slightly improving. Baby B is still less stable. He has started having problems with his blood sugar levels. Dr. Desai said that both of these issues are somewhat expected for these babies gestation.
Tomorrow another ultrasound is planned for the babies' brains. This is very important since the majority of brain bleeds (intraventricular hemorrhage, IVH) come within the first three days. There are several levels of severity of brain bleeds. We obviously are hoping and praying for no signs of bleeding.
Tomorrow will be a big day. I am glad to have Lisa up and moving around. She is in good spirits. We just want our boys to be healthy.
Sara, our Nurse from delivery, has visited us three times now. She has even gone up to the NICU to take pictures of the babies twice and has printed off pictures for us. She certainly has been a blessing these past four days.
Dr. Preston said that Lisa will most likely be dismissed from the hospital on Thursday.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa is feeling much better now. Dr. Preston helped manage Lisa's pain medication on a schedule which really helped. Lisa is moving around a lot more, going to the restroom, and sitting up for hours now. This is something she hasn't done in 4 weeks.
Lisa and I visited the twins again this morning. When we arrived in the NICU, Dr. Desai and team were doing their rounds. Baby A was now on the high frequency ventilator. They wanted him on this special ventilator because his carbon-dioxide levels were high. Somehow this ventilator helps this issue. Other than that, Baby A was maintaining and slightly improving. Baby B is still less stable. He has started having problems with his blood sugar levels. Dr. Desai said that both of these issues are somewhat expected for these babies gestation.
Tomorrow another ultrasound is planned for the babies' brains. This is very important since the majority of brain bleeds (intraventricular hemorrhage, IVH) come within the first three days. There are several levels of severity of brain bleeds. We obviously are hoping and praying for no signs of bleeding.
Tomorrow will be a big day. I am glad to have Lisa up and moving around. She is in good spirits. We just want our boys to be healthy.
Sara, our Nurse from delivery, has visited us three times now. She has even gone up to the NICU to take pictures of the babies twice and has printed off pictures for us. She certainly has been a blessing these past four days.
Dr. Preston said that Lisa will most likely be dismissed from the hospital on Thursday.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Monday, June 16, 2008 - Postpartum Day 1
With no sleep the past two days, Lisa and I both slept good through the night. Lisa was sore. She was on some pain medication, but it didn't seem to be working too well.
Dr. Desai visited us in the morning with a small crew from the NICU. She informed us that she would be the Attendee this month. Both babies were doing ok. Their conditions hadn't changed much. She informed us that she wanted to switch Baby B to a high frequency ventilator to ease the baby's breathing efforts. This is somewhat a change in direction. From my limited understanding it seems that the NICU team wanted to see if Baby B was going to be viable. Now that he has proven he can maintain ventilation on the typical ventilator, they are willing to switch him over to ease his breathing. Baby A seems to be doing well so far.
Lisa and I visited the babies mid-morning. Both babies were doing well - still tiny. The high frequency ventilator has seemed to help Baby B. He is no longer labored in his breathing. They had special lighting on the babies to help with jaundice. There were no planned procedures for the day. Maintaining their current situation was a big enough chore. We found out that the brain ultrasounds of both babies showed no signs of bleeding inside the brain. This is great news. According to Dr. Desai, it is still early to rely on this ultrasound. Most bleeding will take place after the first day and within the 3rd day. Some bleeding may take place even up to a week.
We worked on Baby names for a while. The nurses and the doctors seem to ask us every time about the baby names. They say it is important for the NICU staff and us to feel more of an attachment.
I got a chance to go home for the first time in a week to get fresh clothes, check the mail, and take a shower.
Dr. Hansen, Dr. Gianferrari, Dr. Poston, and Nurse Sara all came by to check on Lisa and I. They were very supportive. Dr. Preston is the resident now taking care of Lisa.
First day of postpartum has gone well.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Dr. Desai visited us in the morning with a small crew from the NICU. She informed us that she would be the Attendee this month. Both babies were doing ok. Their conditions hadn't changed much. She informed us that she wanted to switch Baby B to a high frequency ventilator to ease the baby's breathing efforts. This is somewhat a change in direction. From my limited understanding it seems that the NICU team wanted to see if Baby B was going to be viable. Now that he has proven he can maintain ventilation on the typical ventilator, they are willing to switch him over to ease his breathing. Baby A seems to be doing well so far.
Lisa and I visited the babies mid-morning. Both babies were doing well - still tiny. The high frequency ventilator has seemed to help Baby B. He is no longer labored in his breathing. They had special lighting on the babies to help with jaundice. There were no planned procedures for the day. Maintaining their current situation was a big enough chore. We found out that the brain ultrasounds of both babies showed no signs of bleeding inside the brain. This is great news. According to Dr. Desai, it is still early to rely on this ultrasound. Most bleeding will take place after the first day and within the 3rd day. Some bleeding may take place even up to a week.
We worked on Baby names for a while. The nurses and the doctors seem to ask us every time about the baby names. They say it is important for the NICU staff and us to feel more of an attachment.
I got a chance to go home for the first time in a week to get fresh clothes, check the mail, and take a shower.
Dr. Hansen, Dr. Gianferrari, Dr. Poston, and Nurse Sara all came by to check on Lisa and I. They were very supportive. Dr. Preston is the resident now taking care of Lisa.
First day of postpartum has gone well.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Sat & Sun, June 14 &15, 2008 - Fathers Day Comes Early
Saturday June 14:
Lisa and I both slept good through the night. Early in the morning a nurse and Dr came in to do an examination on Lisa's cervix. He said Lisa was dilated 2cm and Baby A's sac was hanging in the opening. This was not good news to hear after such a positive ultrasound yesterday.
Dr. Gianferrari came in to talk to us. She informed us that just because the membrane was bulging through the cervix, it did not necessarily mean that Lisa would be delivering the twins any time soon. She said there were several women within the hospital that had been sitting around for weeks at 2+cm dilated and bulging membranes.
Dr. Gianferrari and Lisa discussed utilizing a bed pan instead of getting up out of bed to use the toilet. Although awkward the first few times, Lisa got pretty good at it later.
About 2 hours later, another Dr. came in to perform an ultrasound. The cervix looked thin and dilated 1.9cm. There was no sign of Baby A's sac hanging through the cervix.
We had a lot of visitors in on Saturday. Lisa felt good and her contractions were slow during the day. Her contractions were even as low as 2 per hour.
11:30pm
As we were preparing for bed, Dr. Jackson and the nurse, Sara Fick, came in to check on us. Lisa told them everything was fine, but mentioned to Sara that she was feeling some moisture. Lisa told them that it was her inability to control her bladder. Dr. Jackson questioned this fluid leakage and decided to go ahead and test it for amniotic fluid. It tested positive. Although this is concerning, it isn't that big of an issue. It didn't really change anything regarding the treatment for Lisa. Women can carry babies for weeks with ruptured membranes (I read all about ruptured membranes back when we thought that was our case at St. Joes after the cerclage). As long as the membranes are not ruptured severely the baby can replenish amniotic fluid and in some cases the hole in the membrane can seal itself off.
Dr. Gianferrari, who was off work at this time, was called. She agreed that the treatment is the same.
About 5 minutes after Dr. Jackson left our room, Lisa abruptly leaned over, clinched the bed, and started crying. Her water broke! Half of the bed was soaked. Dr. Jackson came back in immediately to review the situation. She called Dr. Gianferrari again. Lisa's treatment didn't change except they decided to reinsert the catheter. As long as Lisa's vitals were ok, labour didn't start, babies vitals were ok, and no infection present, the babies could remain inside Lisa.
They moved us to the Taj Mahal of hospital rooms - #329.
Sunday June 15:
As we were getting settled into our new room, Dr. Jackson wanted to look at the cervix to see if anything had changed. She used a speculum and some cool space age looking helmet. Everything looked ok. Nothing had changed from the last ultrasound.
1:30am
Lisa started feeling contractions. These were bed shaking, body cringing contractions. I felt helpless. We weren't sure if the contractions she had been feeling all along were this same kind of pressure. Maybe without the amniotic fluid present, the pain is more severe. Her contractions had increased to every 7 minutes. Dr. Jackson and Sara discussed getting an epidural for Lisa. Lisa agreed. They monitored the babies' heart rates and everything was fine.
3:30am
Dr. Poston, Anesthesiologist, came in and performed the epidural with Sara. It was a lot more involved than what I had expected. Lisa felt better. She could still feel the contractions, but she wasn't in as much pain.
Dr. Gianferrari, who was still at home, had asked Sara to monitor the twins heart rates some more. Sara watched the heart rates and noticed that during the contractions, the babies heart rates were dropping from 150 to 100. After the contraction stopped, their heart rates would jump back up to 150. Dr. Jackson came in to review the situation......
I work in an environment where when a piece of manufacturing equipment goes down during post normal operating hours, it takes hours to get a hold of the appropriate people and tools to fix the issue. What unfolded next here at UK was absolutely remarkable.
Dr. Jackson (today was her last day, by the way) and staff worked calmly, quickly, and exact. She said the babies hearts are being affected by the contractions, and they must come out now. Within minutes there were teams of people in the halls and in motion. The NICU teams were present for the babies and so was the surgical staff for Lisa, led by Dr. Gianferrari who arrived within minutes. Calls were going over the loud speaker. People were walking briskly through the hall gathering their tools and confirming the order of direction. The team had morphed into a well oiled machine within minutes.
5:00am
They wheeled Lisa into the operating area, and I got sent to a quarantined room to get dressed for the surgery. I was scared to death. It was way too early for the twins to come out. They hadn't even reached the 24 week viability target. The twins were at 23 weeks and 5 days gestation. I made a phone call to Lisa's mom, and quickly sent out a text message.
When I entered the operating room, they were already cutting on Lisa for the c-section delivery. I was only allowed to stay behind a curtain next to Lisa's head and next to the Anesthesiologist, Dr. Poston. Lisa did great. She felt pressure at times but was not in pain. She was amazingly calm. I heard everything the Drs and staff were saying. Everyone was very professional. Baby A was removed first and handed over to the first NICU team. The staff said he was wiggling and made a little cry. Baby B came out just a few minutes later and was handed over to the second NICU team. The staff said he was wiggling also.
A few minutes passed and Dr. Gianferrari came over to talk to me. She said both babies were intubated. This is very important considering how small the babies are. She asked if I wanted to see Baby A. I got up and walked to the other side of the room where baby A was completely wrapped except for his head. He was so tiny. Baby B had already been transported upstairs to the NICU area. I had no idea what to expect of a micro-preemie. If Baby A was so tiny, I couldn't imagine seeing Baby B.
I walked back to my stool on the other side of the curtain. I saw Lisa cut open on the operating table, and the staff working on her. I didn't pass out, but I couldn't hold back the tears. Everything happened so fast. I was exhausted. It was way too early for those babies. Dr. Poston was there to console me, and I certainly needed it.
They continued to work on Lisa. I stayed there with her until they asked me to leave. The Drs said that the C-section went well.
What just happened? Less than 8 hours ago, everything seemed fine. Lisa and I had been discussing our 36 week gestation target. We didn't even make it to 24.
The next hours were filled with family support. Looking back, I think I was pretty numb to the whole event. For some reason, I was now relieved. Lisa was doing well in recovery with the help of pain medication.
I didn't get to go see the babies until around 2:00pm. Dr Q (my brother) went with me. I didn't get a good look at Baby A in the operating room because he was mainly wrapped up. In the NICU, the babies were not wrapped. They were in incubators and had tubes and wires all over them. They were so tiny. Baby A was born weighing 1 lb - 8 oz. Baby B was born weighing 14 oz. (Yes, Lisa and I still haven't named them yet). There was one NICU nurse dedicated for Baby A and another nurse for Baby B. They were very knowledgeable about all of the equipment and the status of the babies. They rattled off all kinds of information that just went in one ear and out the other, because I could not get over how small the babies were. I kept my composure for a little while until I reached into Baby A's incubator, and I touched his fingers. When he felt me touch him, his fingers reached out and partially wrapped around my finger. The tears came rolling. They were my boys. They were alive, moving, and breathing. They were my early Fathers Day present.
Dr. Shook, from the NICU, gave us a rundown on the grim statistics for survival and normalcy for both babies. She also began to prepare us for decisions in escalation of care that may have a chance to improve the condition and viability of the baby. It could also lead to prolonging the inevitable or lead to disabilities for the babies. These will be the tough decisions ahead of us.
So far Baby A seems to be doing pretty good. Baby B is also doing good considering his size, but he is definitely requiring a lot more attention from the NICU nurses. He was originally labored in his breathing and required a change in the orientation of the ventilator tube.
Lisa got to go see the Babies around 6:15pm today. She did really well and enjoyed seeing her little twin boys.
We got transferred to another room ~ #309.
We were very fortunate to be here at UK. The staff has been excellent. The boys are in good hands. As tough as this pregnancy has been, Lisa and I are in for tougher months ahead. Just like taking one day at a time while in the womb, we will focus on one day at a time in the NICU. If everything goes really well (which is unlikely), the boys would be in the NICU until September.
Baby A, 1 lb - 8 oz.
June 15, 2008 at 5:25am
Baby B, 14 oz.
June 15, 2008 at 5:27am
Pray for the Twins.
Pray for Lisa's recovery.
Lisa and I are looking forward to a long night's sleep.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008 - UK Day 2
Lisa's ultrasound was at 3:00 today. They spent a lot of time looking at the babies and taking measurements. Fluid levels looked good for both babies. Heart rates were good. Both babies are currently in breech position. Baby A is approximately 1 lb 9 oz. He is in the 62 percentile of size for his age. Baby B is approximately 15 oz. He is in the 23 percentile. This means Baby A is a little bigger than average for his age, and Baby B is a little smaller. Both babies are doing fine. Dr. Hansen did not seem concerned about Baby B's slower development.
Lisa's cervix has maintained if not slightly improved from the last ultrasound at St. Joes. A contraction did occur during the ultrasound, and Dr. Hansen saw the thinning of the cervix wall.
Dr. Hansen and Dr. Gianferrari met with us and reviewed yesterdays contractions. They also discussed the treatment options for the contractions. UK, like UC, prefers Procardia over Terb shots. They consider Terb shots as an "old" treatment method. So right now Lisa is on Procardia and Indomethacin (Indocin for short) to curb the contractions. They discussed putting her back on Magnesium, but they would have to take her off Procardia. Dr. Hansen said that Indocin is the most effective drug to stop the contractions, but it can't be taken for long periods of time.
Both Dr. Hansen and Dr. Gianferrari seem like really good doctors. I was impressed that they both met with us and reviewed Lisa's status and history together. After our experiences in Cincy, this direct face-to-face communication between doctors made Lisa and I feel much better.
They have removed the catheter and the IV bag. Lisa can once again get up to use the restroom. They will do a quick ultrasound every day to mainly monitor the cervix. They will do a more in-depth ultrasound once per week to measure the babies growth.
Today was a good day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Note: I had misspelled Indomethacin (Indocin) previously in this blog as Endomethacin (Endocin).
Lisa's cervix has maintained if not slightly improved from the last ultrasound at St. Joes. A contraction did occur during the ultrasound, and Dr. Hansen saw the thinning of the cervix wall.
Dr. Hansen and Dr. Gianferrari met with us and reviewed yesterdays contractions. They also discussed the treatment options for the contractions. UK, like UC, prefers Procardia over Terb shots. They consider Terb shots as an "old" treatment method. So right now Lisa is on Procardia and Indomethacin (Indocin for short) to curb the contractions. They discussed putting her back on Magnesium, but they would have to take her off Procardia. Dr. Hansen said that Indocin is the most effective drug to stop the contractions, but it can't be taken for long periods of time.
Both Dr. Hansen and Dr. Gianferrari seem like really good doctors. I was impressed that they both met with us and reviewed Lisa's status and history together. After our experiences in Cincy, this direct face-to-face communication between doctors made Lisa and I feel much better.
They have removed the catheter and the IV bag. Lisa can once again get up to use the restroom. They will do a quick ultrasound every day to mainly monitor the cervix. They will do a more in-depth ultrasound once per week to measure the babies growth.
Today was a good day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Note: I had misspelled Indomethacin (Indocin) previously in this blog as Endomethacin (Endocin).
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008 - Ambulance Ride to UK
Dr. Campbell came in early this morning. He recommended that we go ahead and transfer to UK because he thought it would be the best place for the babies if/when they come out early. Lisa and I agreed.
They didn't waste much time. Lisa took her 2nd ambulance ride within the past two weeks over to UK. Lisa went through her orientation and assessment in the Triage room where she spent her first six hours on an examination table. Dr. Gianferrari performed an ultrasound. Not much has changed with her cervix. She is still dilated, and there is not much cervix wall thickness. Another, more in-depth, ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow. Blood was drawn and cultures were taken.
Dr. Elisa Gianferrari and Dr. Wendy Hansen will be Lisa's doctors. Dr. Nirmala Desai will be the Neonatologist for the twins.
Lisa is now in room HA335. It is a nice room, but we have been spoiled by St. Joe's. There are some really nice rooms on the other side of the hall that we think we may get transferred to later. UK's labor and delivery hall is very busy. We have a small window in our room that I can peer out and see Commonwealth Stadium. If Lisa can hold out for full term, I could walk to 3 home football games from here. I could expose the twins to tailgating right out of the womb.
Lisa is in good spirits. She is much stronger than me.
Keep us in your prayers. All 100 doctors that we have seen these last 3 weeks have said that every day the babies can stay in there is very important. We must get to 24 weeks and preferably 28+ weeks.
In honor of being in UK's hospital, we have decided to name our boys... Rajon and Tayshaun :)
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
They didn't waste much time. Lisa took her 2nd ambulance ride within the past two weeks over to UK. Lisa went through her orientation and assessment in the Triage room where she spent her first six hours on an examination table. Dr. Gianferrari performed an ultrasound. Not much has changed with her cervix. She is still dilated, and there is not much cervix wall thickness. Another, more in-depth, ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow. Blood was drawn and cultures were taken.
Dr. Elisa Gianferrari and Dr. Wendy Hansen will be Lisa's doctors. Dr. Nirmala Desai will be the Neonatologist for the twins.
Lisa is now in room HA335. It is a nice room, but we have been spoiled by St. Joe's. There are some really nice rooms on the other side of the hall that we think we may get transferred to later. UK's labor and delivery hall is very busy. We have a small window in our room that I can peer out and see Commonwealth Stadium. If Lisa can hold out for full term, I could walk to 3 home football games from here. I could expose the twins to tailgating right out of the womb.
Lisa is in good spirits. She is much stronger than me.
Keep us in your prayers. All 100 doctors that we have seen these last 3 weeks have said that every day the babies can stay in there is very important. We must get to 24 weeks and preferably 28+ weeks.
In honor of being in UK's hospital, we have decided to name our boys... Rajon and Tayshaun :)
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Another step back
Dr. Campbell did another ultrasound this morning. Lisa's cervix is not holding its ground to the pressure of the twins. The cerclage is still in place, but it has shifted down in the soft tissue. Her cervix has also dilated to 1 cm. He consulted with some other Physicians and ruled out the possibility of trying a secondary cerclage.
Dr. Campbell had the nurses re-insert the catheter and added an IV for antibiotics. He also has her taking endomethacin again. Terb shots were frequent today and so were the contractions. Unfortunately, she is nearly back to her pre-cerclage status. She is not on magnesium yet.
Dr. Campbell told us that we should consider transferring to UK's hospital since they have a better NICU. He hasn't said that we have to go, but if Lisa starts going into labor at less than 28 weeks, he will transfer us to UK. We should find out more tomorrow on what his recommendations are.
A Doctor from St. Joseph's NICU came by to give Lisa a rundown on the babies chances at every week starting at week 23. This was not the most uplifting information. Lisa and I are still hoping and praying for 36+ weeks.
We have a very tough few days, weeks, and months ahead of us. Keep praying for Lisa and the twins.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Dr. Campbell had the nurses re-insert the catheter and added an IV for antibiotics. He also has her taking endomethacin again. Terb shots were frequent today and so were the contractions. Unfortunately, she is nearly back to her pre-cerclage status. She is not on magnesium yet.
Dr. Campbell told us that we should consider transferring to UK's hospital since they have a better NICU. He hasn't said that we have to go, but if Lisa starts going into labor at less than 28 weeks, he will transfer us to UK. We should find out more tomorrow on what his recommendations are.
A Doctor from St. Joseph's NICU came by to give Lisa a rundown on the babies chances at every week starting at week 23. This was not the most uplifting information. Lisa and I are still hoping and praying for 36+ weeks.
We have a very tough few days, weeks, and months ahead of us. Keep praying for Lisa and the twins.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - Week 23
Today is week 23 for the twins. (Note: Dr. Campbell is tracking Tuesdays as the week increase while Dr. James was tracking Mondays. I guess I will go with Tuesdays)
Lisa had a good day today. She remains at an incline at all times to keep the babies from pressing on her cervix. She sits up slightly to eat and is allowed to get up to use the bed-side potty.
Lisa got 5 Terb shots today.
Dr. Campbell came by just to check on Lisa. Another ultrasound is scheduled tomorrow.
The Dr.'s seem to want to get Lisa to 24 weeks as a first goal. I guess the babies have a fighting chance at 24 weeks. So, one week to go.
(Lisa and I are still shooting for 36+ weeks)
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa had a good day today. She remains at an incline at all times to keep the babies from pressing on her cervix. She sits up slightly to eat and is allowed to get up to use the bed-side potty.Lisa got 5 Terb shots today.
Dr. Campbell came by just to check on Lisa. Another ultrasound is scheduled tomorrow.
The Dr.'s seem to want to get Lisa to 24 weeks as a first goal. I guess the babies have a fighting chance at 24 weeks. So, one week to go.
(Lisa and I are still shooting for 36+ weeks)
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008 - Two steps forward one step back
So much for going home....
Dr. Campbell did an ultrasound this morning. The babies are fine and the fluid levels are ok. Her cervix was not ok. We don't know why, but her cervix was not as good as the pre-Cincy status. During the ultrasound Lisa had a contraction, and Dr. Campbell watched the affect of the contraction on the cervix. It was pretty neat but scary.
The bed-side potty is now back, and Lisa's bed is at a steep incline at all times. Dr. Campbell has directed the nurses to give Terb shots liberally (she's gotten 3 today so far).
I asked Dr. Campbell if amniocentesis was still a consideration to relieve pressure off of the cervix. He said that he wasn't even considering it at this time.
It is kind of strange how the focus seems to shift from one thing to the next. Maybe I just have a poor judgment of what the Dr is watching. It started with the cervix, then fluid levels, too much fluid in Baby A, Baby B's size, Twin to Twin Transfusion, umbilical cord location, and now back to the cervix. The Dr. doesn't seem to be concerned at all about the fluid levels or Baby B's size right now. In fairness, he has always been concerned about her cervix, and I guess now it has taken priority over all other potential issues.
It is pretty clear now that Lisa will not be going home until the babies come out.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Dr. Campbell did an ultrasound this morning. The babies are fine and the fluid levels are ok. Her cervix was not ok. We don't know why, but her cervix was not as good as the pre-Cincy status. During the ultrasound Lisa had a contraction, and Dr. Campbell watched the affect of the contraction on the cervix. It was pretty neat but scary.
The bed-side potty is now back, and Lisa's bed is at a steep incline at all times. Dr. Campbell has directed the nurses to give Terb shots liberally (she's gotten 3 today so far).
I asked Dr. Campbell if amniocentesis was still a consideration to relieve pressure off of the cervix. He said that he wasn't even considering it at this time.
It is kind of strange how the focus seems to shift from one thing to the next. Maybe I just have a poor judgment of what the Dr is watching. It started with the cervix, then fluid levels, too much fluid in Baby A, Baby B's size, Twin to Twin Transfusion, umbilical cord location, and now back to the cervix. The Dr. doesn't seem to be concerned at all about the fluid levels or Baby B's size right now. In fairness, he has always been concerned about her cervix, and I guess now it has taken priority over all other potential issues.
It is pretty clear now that Lisa will not be going home until the babies come out.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday & Sunday, June 7th & 8th, 2008 - Weekend
Saturday and Sunday have been good days for Lisa and the Twins. Her contractions are continuing, but they seem to be controllable. She got three Terb shots yesterday and two Terb shots today.
We got lots of visitors this weekend. We appreciate all the support.
Tomorrow is the ultrasound with Dr. Campbell. Lisa and I are looking forward to see what Dr. Campbell has to say about the babies' status. Sometimes I think he will just release her to bed rest at home, and sometimes I think he will just keep her here at the hospital until 28 weeks. Either way, I'm comfortable with his decision. Lisa would rather remain in the hospital. :)
Pray for good news tomorrow!
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
We got lots of visitors this weekend. We appreciate all the support.
Tomorrow is the ultrasound with Dr. Campbell. Lisa and I are looking forward to see what Dr. Campbell has to say about the babies' status. Sometimes I think he will just release her to bed rest at home, and sometimes I think he will just keep her here at the hospital until 28 weeks. Either way, I'm comfortable with his decision. Lisa would rather remain in the hospital. :)
Pray for good news tomorrow!
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Friday, June 6, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008 - A Good Boring Day
I am happy to report that today was a very good boring day.
Lisa slept really good last night. She had a few contractions but NO terb shots! Her ultrasound was good. Cervix is looking normal, and the babies are fine.
Next ultrasound is Monday morning. Although it might be detrimental to this blog's fan base, I certainly hope more boring days are ahead.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa slept really good last night. She had a few contractions but NO terb shots! Her ultrasound was good. Cervix is looking normal, and the babies are fine.
Next ultrasound is Monday morning. Although it might be detrimental to this blog's fan base, I certainly hope more boring days are ahead.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008 - Back to the Hospital
Well, it didn't last long.
Lisa and I spent the night at home. Lisa did fairly well through the night. She continued to have some contractions, pressure, and tightness, but overall everything was ok considering Lisa's nervousness. In the morning, Chara came to our house to stay with Lisa as I went back to work.
Dr. Q had recommended that we contact Dr. Campbell to ensure that he was aware of Lisa's status and to make sure he was comfortable with direction that was given by Dr. Polzin. Lisa called him. Dr. Campbell did not feel completely comfortable with Lisa being at home without further monitoring of her cervix and contractions for a few more days.
Back to St. Joe's Lisa goes. She is even back in her old room #210. Lisa is happy to be in her home away from home.
Lisa is doing fine. She got two more Terb shots today and is still taking Procardia. An ultrasound is planned for tomorrow and again on Monday. Believe it or not, Dr. Campbell is off until Monday.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa and I spent the night at home. Lisa did fairly well through the night. She continued to have some contractions, pressure, and tightness, but overall everything was ok considering Lisa's nervousness. In the morning, Chara came to our house to stay with Lisa as I went back to work.
Dr. Q had recommended that we contact Dr. Campbell to ensure that he was aware of Lisa's status and to make sure he was comfortable with direction that was given by Dr. Polzin. Lisa called him. Dr. Campbell did not feel completely comfortable with Lisa being at home without further monitoring of her cervix and contractions for a few more days.
Back to St. Joe's Lisa goes. She is even back in her old room #210. Lisa is happy to be in her home away from home.
Lisa is doing fine. She got two more Terb shots today and is still taking Procardia. An ultrasound is planned for tomorrow and again on Monday. Believe it or not, Dr. Campbell is off until Monday.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - Home at Last
Lisa was transferred to the Children's Hospital this morning at 8:15 for the echocardiograph. The Children's Hospital is also a huge complex. The facility is extremely nice with lots of young and old professionals walking around. I can't imagine the overhead costs. I wonder how many engineers are employed there for the facilities and equipment.
Lisa was met by a technician from the Fetal Care Center. She explained the purpose of the echocardiograph and what the doctors were looking for in studying the babies' hearts. To sum it up in one sentence: if there was a case of Twin to Twin Transfusion (TTTS), the echocardiograph would pick up abnormalities in the hearts. After about an hour of evaluations with ultrasound equipment focused on the hearts, the doctor explained that both babies' hearts were considered normal. Great News!
Lisa was then transferred back to the Good Samaritan Hospital for her scheduled fetal MRI. When it came time for the MRI, Dr. Pulzin cancelled it. He didn't see the need for the MRI because at this point in time there is no sign of TTTS. He explained that TTTS could present itself at a later date. In regards to Baby B's smaller status, he says that it is probably primarily due to the non-ideal umbilical cord location in the placenta. As I mentioned yesterday, there is no treatment for this.
The good news is there is no sign of TTTS and the babies hearts and doing good. The concern is still present of whether Baby B will grow fast enough to be viable when Baby A decides to come out. Dr. Pulzin says that Baby B is not too small right now and should not warrant great concern. He said it should be monitored within the next few weeks to see how both babies progress.
Since there is nothing the Doctors can do at this point, he discharged us from Good Samaritan Hospital and sent us home.... yes, home. No ambulance ride this time. Lisa got in the back seat of the Honda Civic, and we are now at our humble abode in Paris.
Lisa is nervous (rightfully so). She does not have any monitoring devices or team of nurses to control her contractions. She is stuck with me (yeah, I don't do so good with needles). Dr. Pulzin has her taking Procardia for her contractions. They have remained slow, but they probably will never stop. She is on strict bed rest - not necessarily by Dr. Pulzin's restrictions, but by Dr. Lisa Murray's own assessment. It is quite strange how different Good Samaritan treated Lisa's situation versus St. Joseph East.
We are scheduled to see Dr. Campbell on Monday. We will learn more about the next steps then.
I am really glad to have her home.
P.S. - I apologize for any medical terminology that I have used in the wrong context or misspelled. Dr. Q probably has sent this to all of his medical buddies for a good laugh.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa was met by a technician from the Fetal Care Center. She explained the purpose of the echocardiograph and what the doctors were looking for in studying the babies' hearts. To sum it up in one sentence: if there was a case of Twin to Twin Transfusion (TTTS), the echocardiograph would pick up abnormalities in the hearts. After about an hour of evaluations with ultrasound equipment focused on the hearts, the doctor explained that both babies' hearts were considered normal. Great News!
Lisa was then transferred back to the Good Samaritan Hospital for her scheduled fetal MRI. When it came time for the MRI, Dr. Pulzin cancelled it. He didn't see the need for the MRI because at this point in time there is no sign of TTTS. He explained that TTTS could present itself at a later date. In regards to Baby B's smaller status, he says that it is probably primarily due to the non-ideal umbilical cord location in the placenta. As I mentioned yesterday, there is no treatment for this.
The good news is there is no sign of TTTS and the babies hearts and doing good. The concern is still present of whether Baby B will grow fast enough to be viable when Baby A decides to come out. Dr. Pulzin says that Baby B is not too small right now and should not warrant great concern. He said it should be monitored within the next few weeks to see how both babies progress.
Since there is nothing the Doctors can do at this point, he discharged us from Good Samaritan Hospital and sent us home.... yes, home. No ambulance ride this time. Lisa got in the back seat of the Honda Civic, and we are now at our humble abode in Paris.
Lisa is nervous (rightfully so). She does not have any monitoring devices or team of nurses to control her contractions. She is stuck with me (yeah, I don't do so good with needles). Dr. Pulzin has her taking Procardia for her contractions. They have remained slow, but they probably will never stop. She is on strict bed rest - not necessarily by Dr. Pulzin's restrictions, but by Dr. Lisa Murray's own assessment. It is quite strange how different Good Samaritan treated Lisa's situation versus St. Joseph East.
We are scheduled to see Dr. Campbell on Monday. We will learn more about the next steps then.
I am really glad to have her home.
P.S. - I apologize for any medical terminology that I have used in the wrong context or misspelled. Dr. Q probably has sent this to all of his medical buddies for a good laugh.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - Arrival at Good Samaritan
This morning Dr. Campbell came in to do another ultrasound and prepare all the information of Lisa and twin's status for the folks in Cincy. We spent the morning cleaning out the room and preparing our transportation.
Lisa got to ride first class in an ambulance while Carol, Denzil, and I followed in separate vehicles. She did very well through this trip.
The Good Samaritan Hospital is a huge complex. Lisa is in room 986. She is in a room about 1/2 the size of the room at St. Joseph East, and it is a shared room. Currently she doesn't have another occupant in the room, but visitors are not allowed to stay in the room overnight.
The mentality of the staff at Good Samaritan is different - not necessarily bad. At St. Joe, the nurses kept Lisa in bed and on her head. Here they have her more active and are not monitoring her closely. I guess they feel her situation is stable.
We were met by a nurse from the Fetal Care Center (http://www.fetalcarecenter.org/). He told us all about the center and the upcoming days events. One thing is clear, this is the best place to get answers for the twins. This center is only 1 of 3 in the U.S. that performs these kinds of surgeries. The nurse handed me a 15 page dissertation on the diagnosis, treatments, and success rates for twin to twin transfusion (TTTS). I won't bore you with the details, but let's say it isn't pleasant reading material.
Dr. Pulzin performed an ultrasound this afternoon. They spent an hour taking measurements and analyzing the fetuses. He, like Dr. Campbell, was unsure that it was TTTS. Tomorrow morning they will perform an echocardiogram and in the afternoon a fetal MRI. These are only information seeking exams that will help them better understand the situation of the twins.
What we know is that Baby B is smaller than Baby A. We don't know why yet. The doctors are leaning towards TTTS or an unfortunately placed umbilical cord in the placenta. The treatments for TTTS are all formalized in the 15 page dissertation and the treatment for the latter issue is bed rest and prayer.
These informational seeking procedures will definitely empower us to make better decisions for the twins. The information could be bad and it could be good. We pray for good of course. I'm still not a doctor, but from what I have read, it doesn't seem like our situation could be a severe case of TTTS.
The echocardiogram will take place at the Children's Hospital as well as the laser procedure (if that is an option). We will definitely be in Cincy through Friday.
Tomorrow will be another interesting, nerve racking day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Lisa got to ride first class in an ambulance while Carol, Denzil, and I followed in separate vehicles. She did very well through this trip.
The Good Samaritan Hospital is a huge complex. Lisa is in room 986. She is in a room about 1/2 the size of the room at St. Joseph East, and it is a shared room. Currently she doesn't have another occupant in the room, but visitors are not allowed to stay in the room overnight.
The mentality of the staff at Good Samaritan is different - not necessarily bad. At St. Joe, the nurses kept Lisa in bed and on her head. Here they have her more active and are not monitoring her closely. I guess they feel her situation is stable.
We were met by a nurse from the Fetal Care Center (http://www.fetalcarecenter.org/). He told us all about the center and the upcoming days events. One thing is clear, this is the best place to get answers for the twins. This center is only 1 of 3 in the U.S. that performs these kinds of surgeries. The nurse handed me a 15 page dissertation on the diagnosis, treatments, and success rates for twin to twin transfusion (TTTS). I won't bore you with the details, but let's say it isn't pleasant reading material.
Dr. Pulzin performed an ultrasound this afternoon. They spent an hour taking measurements and analyzing the fetuses. He, like Dr. Campbell, was unsure that it was TTTS. Tomorrow morning they will perform an echocardiogram and in the afternoon a fetal MRI. These are only information seeking exams that will help them better understand the situation of the twins.
What we know is that Baby B is smaller than Baby A. We don't know why yet. The doctors are leaning towards TTTS or an unfortunately placed umbilical cord in the placenta. The treatments for TTTS are all formalized in the 15 page dissertation and the treatment for the latter issue is bed rest and prayer.
These informational seeking procedures will definitely empower us to make better decisions for the twins. The information could be bad and it could be good. We pray for good of course. I'm still not a doctor, but from what I have read, it doesn't seem like our situation could be a severe case of TTTS.
The echocardiogram will take place at the Children's Hospital as well as the laser procedure (if that is an option). We will definitely be in Cincy through Friday.
Tomorrow will be another interesting, nerve racking day.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Monday, June 2, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008 - Cincy Bound
I was totally expecting that the Dr would walk in today, do the ultrasound, and tell us that Lisa could go home. I guess that is why I'm an engineer and not a doctor.
Dr. Campbell and his nurse performed the ultrasound this morning at 8:30am. Babies were fine. Baby B is smaller than A, and Baby A has gained more fluid. Dr. Campbell recommended performing an amniocentesis on Baby A. This is the process of removing amniotic fluid from the membrane. The procedure was then scheduled for this afternoon.
Dr. Campbell feels that Baby A is stealing too much from Baby B. Baby A is growing faster than B and has more fluid. It doesn't seem like Lisa will be going home in the near future.
When it came time for the amniocentesis, Dr. Campbell said he had a change of heart and wanted to recommend another alternative. He discussed Lisa and the twins situation with some other doctors and recommended seeing a specialist in Cincinnati. This Dr. specializes in surgeries within the uterus where babies are present. The procedure involves taking a scope to find the interconnecting blood vessels and using a laser to coagulate the blood vessels to prevent Baby A from stealing from Baby B.
Dr. Campbell wasn't sure if Lisa was a good candidate for this procedure originally due to the cerclage and her contractions. Since Lisa is doing so well (good cervix and minimal contractions), he thinks Lisa is a potential candidate. Dr. Campbell said that this procedure would definitely be better for the babies than serial amniocentesis.
Dr. Campbell thinks our babies are identical and thus the resulting Twin to Twin Transfusion problem. He says it is really hard to tell and probably won't know for sure if they are identical until birth.
So tomorrow they will do another ultrasound and provide a report to the Dr. in Cincy. Lisa will then be transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincy via ambulance. They will then assess her situation and determine whether she is a good candidate for this procedure. If not, she will be sent back to St. Joseph East for the amniocentesis. If she is a viable candidate, the procedure would take place and she would probably remain in Cincy for several days. Dr. Campbell said that if everything went really well, they may send Lisa home rather than back to St. Joseph East.
Well..... Lisa and twins continue to be tested. She is in amazingly good spirits. We just pray for healthy babies. Keep us in your prayers.
The twins are 22 weeks today.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Dr. Campbell and his nurse performed the ultrasound this morning at 8:30am. Babies were fine. Baby B is smaller than A, and Baby A has gained more fluid. Dr. Campbell recommended performing an amniocentesis on Baby A. This is the process of removing amniotic fluid from the membrane. The procedure was then scheduled for this afternoon.
Dr. Campbell feels that Baby A is stealing too much from Baby B. Baby A is growing faster than B and has more fluid. It doesn't seem like Lisa will be going home in the near future.
When it came time for the amniocentesis, Dr. Campbell said he had a change of heart and wanted to recommend another alternative. He discussed Lisa and the twins situation with some other doctors and recommended seeing a specialist in Cincinnati. This Dr. specializes in surgeries within the uterus where babies are present. The procedure involves taking a scope to find the interconnecting blood vessels and using a laser to coagulate the blood vessels to prevent Baby A from stealing from Baby B.
Dr. Campbell wasn't sure if Lisa was a good candidate for this procedure originally due to the cerclage and her contractions. Since Lisa is doing so well (good cervix and minimal contractions), he thinks Lisa is a potential candidate. Dr. Campbell said that this procedure would definitely be better for the babies than serial amniocentesis.
Dr. Campbell thinks our babies are identical and thus the resulting Twin to Twin Transfusion problem. He says it is really hard to tell and probably won't know for sure if they are identical until birth.
So tomorrow they will do another ultrasound and provide a report to the Dr. in Cincy. Lisa will then be transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincy via ambulance. They will then assess her situation and determine whether she is a good candidate for this procedure. If not, she will be sent back to St. Joseph East for the amniocentesis. If she is a viable candidate, the procedure would take place and she would probably remain in Cincy for several days. Dr. Campbell said that if everything went really well, they may send Lisa home rather than back to St. Joseph East.
Well..... Lisa and twins continue to be tested. She is in amazingly good spirits. We just pray for healthy babies. Keep us in your prayers.
The twins are 22 weeks today.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Saturday, May 31 & Sunday June, 1, 2008 - Birthday Party in the Hospital
Bella gives Lisa a big Birthday Hug!Saturday was Lisa's birthday. She got a lot of visitors from friends and family this weekend. Our home away from home is now filled with balloons, cards, flowers, and lots of things I shouldn't be eating.
Lisa and the twins have remained off the tubes and have managed very well. Dr. Campbell has surprisingly been in both Saturday and Sunday. That man must never take a day off. He didn't do any examinations and just commented that everything is going really well. I'm not a doctor, but I would seem to agree.
Lisa ate some birthday cake, ice cream, and sushi (her request - no raw fish). She paid for it later that night with heartburn, stomach aches, and nauseousness. Her contractions have been minimal. Only a few terb shots on Saturday and NO terb shots on Sunday!
We are excited about the upcoming ultrasound tomorrow. We pray for further good news and hope the twin boys are doing fine.
http://lisaandtwins.blogspot.com
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