After the amnio reduction, what possibly could be the stupidest thing we could do? Why go search the basement of the U of U for their cafeteria to grab a bite of horrible food, that's what. I think we walked a mile, it took *F*O*R*E*V*E*R* to find it. It was practically empty, the food, well my 10 year old can make better food. I was exhausted, crabby (sorry Kent!) crampy, really crampy. I had no business walking that much. I was suppose to be taking it easy!
We never went back to their cafeteria but we did learn that Children's Primary in Salt Lake has an excellent cafeteria. So just a note, there's a bridge in the basement of the U of U that connects to the top floor of Primary Children's. If you're ever stuck at the U of U, that's where you want to eat! I'm serious!! lol
This was a crazy time. Not just for us, my whole family was going through different crisis's. Right before I was diagnosed my uncle was in a life altering accident. He suffered a brain injury, had to have part of his brain removed and will never be the same. He's a lot like a child. He spent six months in the hospital, actually spent some time at the U of U, so I saw him while going for one of my check-ups.
My husband's grandmother was dying and she actually died before the babies were born, I didn't/couldn't go to her funeral.
And all I could do was watch it all. I felt like I was at a play. It wasn't my life, I was just the viewer. I saw my kids grow up and accomplish, I didn't know how much they could grow in 3 short months. I saw family born and family die. I saw some really bad cable shows because I was bored out of my mind! I saw my house get messier and dirtier then it had ever been before. There was a spot where the dog layed, right next to the wall. It was disgusting. I had to get up one day and clean it, I couldn't stand it!
Our Ward, our church family saved our lives. They freely watched our children while going to Salt Lake. One day my house was stormed by a dozen church ladies that whipped my house into shape. It was humbling. I was on the couch, watching, talking, and feeling overwhelmed that they cared so much. One older woman spent a month taking our laundry for us. She mended holey bath towels, told me my husband had to many shirts and cleaned his closet *snort*. She was incredible. They all were incredible.
My cousin also helped a lot, she freely watched my children every chance she had. I was so touched because at one point she would have helped me so I could see how good she was. She had matured and grown because I knew (and I start to tear up whenever I think of her) I knew she was helping simply because she loved us.
There was also the woman on an Internet playgroup that mailed us a case of boost protein shakes, and there was Ron. Ron was a man from an ebay board. He paypaled us gas money, several times. So many people reached out and touched our lives.
We've had a few chances to give back. When Ron got sick during the babies first year, I mailed him a quilt. Another family in town was diagnosed with ttts right after our boys were born. We gave them gas money anonymously, encouraged them to talk to the experts. This dear family had their babies three months premature, one baby died right before birth. This strong little baby stayed alive long enough to give her sister a chance to live. She's thriving now. I haven't ever actually met them, I didn't want it to hurt for her to see my two twins when she'd lost one.
Losing babies is a very real part of twin to twin. It's brutal, it's heartless, it's often a silent killer, taking babies before the parents have a chance to know what's wrong.
Which brings me back to my boys.
We set up a schedule with the Peri on call. Every three weeks we'd do a growth scan. Twice a week we'd do a quick fluid check (ever feel like a car?), check Gregs heart, make sure it wasn't enlarged or have water around it (a sign of heart failure). We'd then check Dave's bladder. Not having enough blood and nutrients donors have been known to have under developed bladders and kidneys. Seeing a bladder was a wonderful sight on that boy.
I had two more reductions, one at 21 1/2 weeks where they removed 1900 cc's of amniotic fluid and another at 23 weeks where they removed 1200 cc's of fluid. I should note that after the first draw, the Peri eagerly sent in the fluid to have it checked. *shaking head* He figured since there was so much, why not? The good news, it all came back normal. All the worries I had, the results of an amniocentesis wasn't one of them.
We quickly started scheduling our own appointments "Yes we're coming back Friday and need a weight scan scheduled". The receptionists loved us, as we ordered our own tests, lol!
This is where my local OB shined. Bless his humble heart, he tracked my pregnancy but he recognized that he was clueless about ttts. He asked us questions, the U of U was fantastic on sending him information but sometimes it was a few days behind so I had to update the latest fluid levels and info. I shudder to think what could have happened if I'd had an egocentric OB that tried to fight what the Peri's in the Salt Lake were doing.
My husband gave me blessings every few days. I gained strength, I felt spiritually renewed. I spent a good six weeks not knowing if my boys would make it but as time passed I felt my soul accepting the path the Lord had chosen for our family, even if I didn't know what that path was. I saw blessings from my pregnancy. It was a stressful but wonderful time for my husband and I. Twice a week we spent five plus hours in the car. We visited, talked, connected like we hadn't done in years. We held hands while driving. We worried, prayed, laughed, cried (well, I cried). As rough as it was, I know Kent holds those drives as dearly in his heart as I do.
I don't know when I first suspected the twins would make it. I never dared vocalize it, I knew it wasn't my will, but his. But gradually this feeling of peace crept over me. This feeling my boys would make it.
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