So, fast forward a year and here we are! The boys are 13 months old and we are all still alive! It's a miracle.
Their first year went by so fast. I had 4 months of maternity leave and took every bit of it. The first week and a half that both babies were home, the four of us (me, Hubs, Calvin & Hobbes) spent together, getting to know one another. Once Hubs went back to work my mother, who should be the first jewish saint, came to my house every day to help me out. I have no idea what I would have done without her.
I had some complications from the birth (10 weeks of severe bleeding) and ended up having a D&C, even though they really never found a reason why I bled so much. It really sucked because I couldn't enjoy the boys like I wanted to because I felt so disgusting.
I went back to work three days a week at the end of April 2007. My mom watches the boys when I am at work, again -- she's awesome!
They have had minor ailments here and there over the last year. Hobbes had an umbilical hernia which corrected itself, he wore a helmet for a month last spring to correct a head and neck weakness and he's had a double ear infection -- but was a total trooper! Calvin had croup, which warranted a trip to the emergency room and a chest x-ray. Otherwise the boys are doing really well!
They've had so many firsts: crawling, standing, eating solid food, haircuts. It's just amazing.
Okay, so now that I've got you caught up with me and my boys I am hoping to use this space to write about the fun (and insanity) that is life with twins.
A quick aside -- Last night I was watching Jon & Kate.... on TLC and it made me feel better -- I could have had 8 kids at once -- and worse in that they are so much more organized and they have 6 more kids than I do!
Someday I will have my act together...I think!
February 15, 2008
February 9, 2008
There is too much...let me some up!
Okay, enough storytelling, this is getting boring. Here's a brief adaptation of the pregnancy and birth of my two adorable boys.
6/8/06 - 5 weeks pregnant -- bleeding, clotting, cramping. It was not fun and I was sure I was miscarrying. In fact, the RE's office (Reproductive Endocrinologist) thought the same and told me to put my feet up, call if the bleeding got worse and to come for a blood test the next morning.
6/9/06 - blood test came back with numbers doubled -- I will still pregnant and very relieved
6/13/06 - 1st ultrasound at 5 weeks 5 days -- two sacs but too early to see heartbeats
11/15/06 - 27 weeks, 6 days -- Had too many contractions in a one hour time slot and visited L&D (Labor & Delivery) for monitoring. Given lots of water and sent home.
11/17/06 - 28 weeks, 1 day -- Contractions woke me up in the middle of the night so we made our 2nd visit to L&D. Given two shots of Terbutaline and fluid. Sent home with oral Terb which I would use throughout the rest of my pregnancy to control contractions.
12/20/06 - 32 weeks, 6 days -- lost my mucous plug - ICK!!!
12/21/06 - 33 weeks -- went to OB's office and was sent to L&D. Positive FBN (fetal fibronectin test - which can predict pre-term labor), shortened cervix, 70% effaced and contractions, but no dilation.
12/21/06 - 12/23/06 -- spent on bedrest in the hospital and given steroids to speed up lung development in the boys, just in case...
12/23/06 - 33 weeks, 3 days -- sent home on strict bedrest
Here's a little side story: the in-laws came up to spend Christmas with us. I spent the better half of my time laying like a beached whale on a 1970's orange, tweed recliner in the living room like I was on display. It rocked!
12/28/06 - 34 weeks -- stood up to go to the bathroom in the morning and my water broke
Birth of Calvin & Hobbes
6/8/06 - 5 weeks pregnant -- bleeding, clotting, cramping. It was not fun and I was sure I was miscarrying. In fact, the RE's office (Reproductive Endocrinologist) thought the same and told me to put my feet up, call if the bleeding got worse and to come for a blood test the next morning.
6/9/06 - blood test came back with numbers doubled -- I will still pregnant and very relieved
6/13/06 - 1st ultrasound at 5 weeks 5 days -- two sacs but too early to see heartbeats
6/20/06 - 2nd ultrasound at 6 weeks 5 days -- two sacs and two heartbeats
July to mid-November 2006- from 7 weeks to almost 28 weeks I had a great, uneventful pregnancy. You know, I had the laundry list of ailments: exhaustion, carpel tunnel, heartburn, bleeding gums, sore joints, did I mention exhaustion? But nothing I could really complain about. I didn't even have any real morning sickness. I started to cut down my work hours and work from home at this point. I had a 90 minute commute each way and it was brutal!11/15/06 - 27 weeks, 6 days -- Had too many contractions in a one hour time slot and visited L&D (Labor & Delivery) for monitoring. Given lots of water and sent home.
11/17/06 - 28 weeks, 1 day -- Contractions woke me up in the middle of the night so we made our 2nd visit to L&D. Given two shots of Terbutaline and fluid. Sent home with oral Terb which I would use throughout the rest of my pregnancy to control contractions.
12/20/06 - 32 weeks, 6 days -- lost my mucous plug - ICK!!!
12/21/06 - 33 weeks -- went to OB's office and was sent to L&D. Positive FBN (fetal fibronectin test - which can predict pre-term labor), shortened cervix, 70% effaced and contractions, but no dilation.
12/21/06 - 12/23/06 -- spent on bedrest in the hospital and given steroids to speed up lung development in the boys, just in case...
12/23/06 - 33 weeks, 3 days -- sent home on strict bedrest
Here's a little side story: the in-laws came up to spend Christmas with us. I spent the better half of my time laying like a beached whale on a 1970's orange, tweed recliner in the living room like I was on display. It rocked!
12/28/06 - 34 weeks -- stood up to go to the bathroom in the morning and my water broke
Birth of Calvin & Hobbes
- 8:00AM -- Go to local hospital where it is confirmed that my water had broken. Saw my OB (who happened to be at the hospital that morning) who gave me the news that I was to be sent via ambulance to hospital with Level 3 NICU -- which I was prepared for if I went into labor before 36 weeks.
- 10:30AM -- Arrive at big city hospital where I waited for my c-section (also not a suprise since Hobbes was frank breech and Calvin was transverse)
- 10:30AM - 3:30PM -- Wait, wait and wait some more. Parents arrive and keep us company while I proceed to eat my own head because I am so hungry - no breakfast, no lunch, no snack, nothin'!
- 3:30PM -- Walk myself into the OR
- 3:45PM - 4:15PM -- Get spinal, go numb, commence barfing
- 4:16PM -- Hobbes is born, continue barfing
- 4:17PM -- Calvin is born, more barfing
- 4:30ishPM -- Saw both boys before they were taken to the NICU, got one family photo in the OR and then barfed a little more for good measure
- 5:00ishPM -- Brought up to my room. Barfing ceased.
Hobbes was 4 pounds, 3 ounces and Calvin was 4 pounds, 9 ounces. They were in great shape for being 6 weeks early and really good size. Calvin was on an oxygen hood for the 1st 12 hours only and Hobbes never needed oxygen. I didn't get to see the boys until the next morning, but my mom took photos when Hubs brought her up to the NICU for a visit. Thank goodness for digital cameras!
I spent 4 1/2 days in the hospital recovering (um, why didn't someone tell me about the bleeding, clotting and constipation from the drugs? Oh, I know, cuz it's disgusting!) and visited the boys as often as I could. Spent new years eve sleeping in a hospital bed with Hubs close by.
After I was released I went back every day to see the boys until they came home. They both spent less than 2 weeks in the NICU before they were home with us.
It may not have been the way I had imagined it, but I brought home two healthy babies and that was all I ever really wanted. Now the hard part began!
February 5, 2008
Positive!
I went to the fertility clinic that Monday morning to get my blood drawn for a pregnancy test. I had no hopes for this and it made me laugh a little. They took my blood, said they would call me in the afternoon and sent me on my way. I drove to work and barely thought about it.
I told some of my good friends at my job, many of whom had been through all of this fertility stuff before, about the weekend and the drama and the blood test. Then I went about my business.
A little after noon my phone rang. It was them and it was positive. Huh? I made them say it again. It was positive, although the HCG level was a little on the low side (I believe they look for at least 50 at 2 weeks post IUI and mine was a little over 40). They told me to come back in a few days to repeat and scheduled an appointment for an ultrasound right around 6 weeks.
I hung up the phone. My mouth was agape. I was stunned. I had conviced myself that it hadn't worked this time and I would be going through yet one more IUI before we moved onto IVF -- which I was sure I would have to do.
I called my husband at work and my mom at home and rushed downstairs to tell my close friends who had been on this journey with me and knew more about my uterus and follicles than anyone should know ever! Seriously, they could practically draw you a picture of my lady parts!
I was in a fog for days. My second blood test came back and my numbers had gone up. I was pregnant!
I told some of my good friends at my job, many of whom had been through all of this fertility stuff before, about the weekend and the drama and the blood test. Then I went about my business.
A little after noon my phone rang. It was them and it was positive. Huh? I made them say it again. It was positive, although the HCG level was a little on the low side (I believe they look for at least 50 at 2 weeks post IUI and mine was a little over 40). They told me to come back in a few days to repeat and scheduled an appointment for an ultrasound right around 6 weeks.
I hung up the phone. My mouth was agape. I was stunned. I had conviced myself that it hadn't worked this time and I would be going through yet one more IUI before we moved onto IVF -- which I was sure I would have to do.
I called my husband at work and my mom at home and rushed downstairs to tell my close friends who had been on this journey with me and knew more about my uterus and follicles than anyone should know ever! Seriously, they could practically draw you a picture of my lady parts!
I was in a fog for days. My second blood test came back and my numbers had gone up. I was pregnant!
January 28, 2008
Follistim - Round 2
We had done a 2nd round of IUI using Follistim in May of 2006 and I was waiting to see if I would get my period or get to go for a blood test for the very first time. It was a Friday and we had plans to get together with "the gang**."
**The Gang, at the time, consisted of my two best friends since the 6th grade (KT & MD), their husbands (M & G) - one of whom we'd known since the 8th grade, and Baby M - belonging to KT & M. These are people that I can't live without. There are now 4 more kids added to the mix.
During the day I started to spot. I was hoping beyond hope that it was implantation bleeding -- since the medical advice on the web said that it could be. We got to MD & G's house and on one of my trips to the bathroom I discovered I was bleeding -- like the beginning of a period. I was devastated. I pulled myself together and went back to my friends, where I mentioned to the girls that it had not worked, yet again. They were the best! In their silent way (without alerting the menfolk) they let me know it would be okay and this would happen for me. Like I said, I can't live without these people.
On the way home in the car I cried. I cried in bed that night. In the morning when I woke up I cried some more and then I called the fertility clinic. They told me to go ahead and start up my injections the following night (Sunday) but to take a pregnancy test in the morning -- just to be sure. I said I would and cried some more.
I called my mom later that day. Sunday morning we were supposed to attend the wedding of the daughter of my parent's best friends. Aside from my parent's friends and their children we didn't really know anyone else there. I knew I was not up for this event. I called my mom, in tears, and told her I just couldn't muster the energy to attend and be nice and friendly and outgoing to people that I didn't know. I just couldn't. She said she understood and would send my apologies.
This was the first time in this 18 month process that I had really just lost it. I had started to feel hopeless. I knew in the scheme of things, 18 months is nothing. But all of the stress, disappointment and fear finally crept in and I had it.
Sunday morning arrived. I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. While in mid-stream (I know...too much info) I remembered about the pregnancy test. I clenched, patted and waddled over to our linen closet to get the one test I had left. I peed on the stick and walked away.
I'm pretty sure I left it for more than two minutes. It's not like I wanted to rush back to the bad news that I already knew was facing me. When I finally remembered to go back to the bathroom I picked up the test and saw two extremely faint lines. I mean, these things were so barely there that I thought I had actually started to lose my mind and I was imagining that they were there. I grabbed Hubs and asked him to look. After careful consideration and about 30 minutes of staring at something that had piss all over it, we came to the conclusion that we both saw something. Natural sunlight, fluorescent light -- it was there, sort of.
I called the fertility clinic and told them about our science experiment. They said to hold off on the injections and to come in for a blood test the next morning. If it was negative I could just start my shots the next night.
You'd think I would have been excited and jumping all around. Nope. Didn't believe it was true. Couldn't be. I had started bleeding yesterday -- although that had sort of gone away by that point. I checked on-line about false positives all day long and found that they were very rare. Still...I did not believe.
**The Gang, at the time, consisted of my two best friends since the 6th grade (KT & MD), their husbands (M & G) - one of whom we'd known since the 8th grade, and Baby M - belonging to KT & M. These are people that I can't live without. There are now 4 more kids added to the mix.
During the day I started to spot. I was hoping beyond hope that it was implantation bleeding -- since the medical advice on the web said that it could be. We got to MD & G's house and on one of my trips to the bathroom I discovered I was bleeding -- like the beginning of a period. I was devastated. I pulled myself together and went back to my friends, where I mentioned to the girls that it had not worked, yet again. They were the best! In their silent way (without alerting the menfolk) they let me know it would be okay and this would happen for me. Like I said, I can't live without these people.
On the way home in the car I cried. I cried in bed that night. In the morning when I woke up I cried some more and then I called the fertility clinic. They told me to go ahead and start up my injections the following night (Sunday) but to take a pregnancy test in the morning -- just to be sure. I said I would and cried some more.
I called my mom later that day. Sunday morning we were supposed to attend the wedding of the daughter of my parent's best friends. Aside from my parent's friends and their children we didn't really know anyone else there. I knew I was not up for this event. I called my mom, in tears, and told her I just couldn't muster the energy to attend and be nice and friendly and outgoing to people that I didn't know. I just couldn't. She said she understood and would send my apologies.
This was the first time in this 18 month process that I had really just lost it. I had started to feel hopeless. I knew in the scheme of things, 18 months is nothing. But all of the stress, disappointment and fear finally crept in and I had it.
Sunday morning arrived. I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. While in mid-stream (I know...too much info) I remembered about the pregnancy test. I clenched, patted and waddled over to our linen closet to get the one test I had left. I peed on the stick and walked away.
I'm pretty sure I left it for more than two minutes. It's not like I wanted to rush back to the bad news that I already knew was facing me. When I finally remembered to go back to the bathroom I picked up the test and saw two extremely faint lines. I mean, these things were so barely there that I thought I had actually started to lose my mind and I was imagining that they were there. I grabbed Hubs and asked him to look. After careful consideration and about 30 minutes of staring at something that had piss all over it, we came to the conclusion that we both saw something. Natural sunlight, fluorescent light -- it was there, sort of.
I called the fertility clinic and told them about our science experiment. They said to hold off on the injections and to come in for a blood test the next morning. If it was negative I could just start my shots the next night.
You'd think I would have been excited and jumping all around. Nope. Didn't believe it was true. Couldn't be. I had started bleeding yesterday -- although that had sort of gone away by that point. I checked on-line about false positives all day long and found that they were very rare. Still...I did not believe.
January 27, 2008
Making babies?
I knew I always wanted to be a mom. And not only that, but I knew that I wanted to experience pregnancy and childbirth. It was a part of me and I knew that early on.
So, after getting married and buying a house my hubby and I decided to was time to give it a go. I came off the pill and started taking my temperature and counting the days of my cycle. Several months went by and nothing had happened. I wasn't too discouraged as I knew it could take people up to a year to get pregnant.
Then my periods got farther and farther apart. Then they stopped. I figured it was normal to miss a period once in a while so I waited. Three months in a row and I decided to call my OB/GYN. She didn't seem too concerned but ordered a few tests to see what the story was.
We found out...nothing. She couldn't give me a reason for why my periods stopped, but we all knew that if I wasn't having a period then I wasn't ovulating and it's pretty hard to get knocked up when you're not ovulating. Next stop -- fertility clinic.
Provera to get a period. Clomid to stimulate ovulation. Cancelled cycle and a diagnosis -- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. After researching on the web (which is where we should all get our medical information), I realized that I had so many of the symptoms of PCOS. I also realized that Clomid does not always work, there is a higher miscarriage rate, etc.
I tried to take Metformin (for insulin resistance) and Clomid together but that was a disaster. The Metformin made me so sick and I almost had an amazingly embarrassing gastro-intestinal "episode" at a very good friend's wedding. Off the Metformin, but continue with Clomid and IUI.
4 Clomid cycles and 3 IUIs later, I was still not pregnant. Then came Follistim -- shots. One round with an IUI produced nothing. But round two...
So, after getting married and buying a house my hubby and I decided to was time to give it a go. I came off the pill and started taking my temperature and counting the days of my cycle. Several months went by and nothing had happened. I wasn't too discouraged as I knew it could take people up to a year to get pregnant.
Then my periods got farther and farther apart. Then they stopped. I figured it was normal to miss a period once in a while so I waited. Three months in a row and I decided to call my OB/GYN. She didn't seem too concerned but ordered a few tests to see what the story was.
We found out...nothing. She couldn't give me a reason for why my periods stopped, but we all knew that if I wasn't having a period then I wasn't ovulating and it's pretty hard to get knocked up when you're not ovulating. Next stop -- fertility clinic.
Provera to get a period. Clomid to stimulate ovulation. Cancelled cycle and a diagnosis -- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. After researching on the web (which is where we should all get our medical information), I realized that I had so many of the symptoms of PCOS. I also realized that Clomid does not always work, there is a higher miscarriage rate, etc.
I tried to take Metformin (for insulin resistance) and Clomid together but that was a disaster. The Metformin made me so sick and I almost had an amazingly embarrassing gastro-intestinal "episode" at a very good friend's wedding. Off the Metformin, but continue with Clomid and IUI.
4 Clomid cycles and 3 IUIs later, I was still not pregnant. Then came Follistim -- shots. One round with an IUI produced nothing. But round two...
January 26, 2008
Me and Hubs
We met in my sophomore year of college. I went to an all women's school down the street from his school which was filled with mostly men and some "very handsome" women. He knew we would be together. I needed some convincing.
We dated all through college and at graduation-time I knew a proposal was coming. I...well..freaked out. I broke up with him for fear that I was somehow missing out on the dating scene and I had limited myself with only dating him. We were apart for 6 months when I realized that no man would ever be as wonderful to me as he had been and I was an ass for dumping him so abruptly.
I put my tail between my legs and called him. Of course I called him at a time when I knew he wouldn't be at home and I would have to leave a message because I was a wuss! I lucked out. He called back and four years later we got married.
He's a good guy. He has his moments, but I'm pretty lucky.
We dated all through college and at graduation-time I knew a proposal was coming. I...well..freaked out. I broke up with him for fear that I was somehow missing out on the dating scene and I had limited myself with only dating him. We were apart for 6 months when I realized that no man would ever be as wonderful to me as he had been and I was an ass for dumping him so abruptly.
I put my tail between my legs and called him. Of course I called him at a time when I knew he wouldn't be at home and I would have to leave a message because I was a wuss! I lucked out. He called back and four years later we got married.
He's a good guy. He has his moments, but I'm pretty lucky.
January 25, 2008
#1
I've started a blog before but deleted it after a couple of posts. I'm not sure what made me want to start one again, but here goes.
I am planing to use this blog to write about my "new life". A little over a year ago I became a mom to twin boys and my life was changed forever. Not to say that I won't bring up my crazy family or my job from time to time -- but the focus will be on life as a mom. At least, that's the plan.
I feel like I need to write a few posts to give some background on me and the events that brought me to this new title. I hope to get this accomplished in between my job and separating the boys when they begin the Greco-Roman wrestling in our living room (which is our new thing du jour that we do around here).
I'm not sure that anyone will even read this. If so, I hope they enjoy. If not, that's okay. I will simply enjoy the experience of writing and have an outlet for the many thoughts that are roaming around in my head.
I am planing to use this blog to write about my "new life". A little over a year ago I became a mom to twin boys and my life was changed forever. Not to say that I won't bring up my crazy family or my job from time to time -- but the focus will be on life as a mom. At least, that's the plan.
I feel like I need to write a few posts to give some background on me and the events that brought me to this new title. I hope to get this accomplished in between my job and separating the boys when they begin the Greco-Roman wrestling in our living room (which is our new thing du jour that we do around here).
I'm not sure that anyone will even read this. If so, I hope they enjoy. If not, that's okay. I will simply enjoy the experience of writing and have an outlet for the many thoughts that are roaming around in my head.
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