Miracles Can Happen: December 2010

21 December 2010

Together with our family, we decided to do NICU care packages. I wanted to do this last year, but with Bryce just coming home a couple of months before Christmas we didn't have the time. I am proud to say that Sunday we made 54 individual baskets filled with tons of goodies!

I hope to bring a smile to the faces of those families in the NICU and to let them know that prayers are being sent up for them. We know just how difficult that experience can be. Even though we did spend 5 months in the NICU - I still couldn't imagine how it would feel to be there through Christmas.

I wanted to thank our family- each and every one of you - that bought things and helped us put together such neat, special packages. You guys have always been the very best. Thank you!!

From the beginning...

On January 5, 2009 we found out we were having twins!!! We were so excited and never dreamed that we would have any problems getting them here. All we could think about was how special it would be to bring two little ones into this world at one time.

It was a few weeks later that we found out there were issues with the pregnancy. It appeared that the twins had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), but after several tests it was found that there was a growth discordance in the twins. Baby A (Cohen) had more placental share that Baby B (Bryce). After finding this out I was put on full bed rest at home. We had ultrasounds every other week to check the babies growth. It was a constant worry whether the babies would make it.

At 20 weeks I would be admitted into Good Sam Hospital with pre-term labor complications. Those complications would turn into cervical length problems and from there a one night stay turned into 54 days of trying not to go absolutely insane. Each week we would have a new scare. I became very ill with blood poisoning and there was a fear that the infection got to the babies, luckily it did not. I also had daily contractions, some days more than others and began dialating. I developed gestational diabetes, only after passing the glucose test a week before.

At 28 weeks (and one day) real labor set in and I gave birth to two very small but very beautiful boys - Cohen Matthew and Bryce Anthony. This is their story...