Birth Story (the abridged version)

This is the story of how the twins were born, in a bulleted list.

- Twin A's (baby girl) water broke at about 7 pm on Jan. 6th.  It was after hours and I wasn't really sure that was what had happened so I decided I would call the doctor first thing the next morning.  (I think I need to mention that I had an appt. on Wednesday where I was feeling contractions and not quite right.  Everything looked okay and I was told to call if I had more pain on Thursday, which I had already decided to take off.  I also had another FFN test to see if I might be delivering in the next two weeks.  The test was negative and I figured I was home free.  I guess I'm part of the 10% that gets a false negative.  I was also expecting to get the steroid shot, but since the test was negative there was no need.)

- Jan. 7th: After arriving at work and feeling better than I had in weeks I call the doctor and they tell me to come in at 9:30.  So I scramble to find someone to cover my class, just for the morning (because you know I won't be having my babies at 32 and a half weeks).  Luckily my wonderful principal is game for teaching math.  So I head to the doctor.

-9:30: Doctor takes one look and says, "You've definitely have ruptured membranes."  They do a lung maturity test and a Strep B(?) test and then I am wheeled across the street to the hospital where I am admitted to Labor and Delivery.  Once there I frantically call Paul and my parents who were in town to help me get the house ready for my baby shower that was supposed to be held on Sunday.

- Shortly after I get my first steroid shot to help mature the babies' lungs and I am hooked up to an antibiotic IV to stop infection and I am put on a schedule to take procardia (which I've been taking when I feel contractions but is actually some kind of heart medication) to stop any contractions.  It becomes clear that the goal is to stay pregnant at least for the next 48 hours for the steroids to work and then see how long I can keep them baking after that.

-Jan. 8th: Moved to Women's Care to live until the babies are ready to be born.

-Jan. 9th: Have my baby shower at the hospital.  My out of bed time is limited to 30 minutes and I get to be hooked up to my IV antibiotics.  Not really how I pictured it.

- Jan. 11th:  Moved back to Labor & Delivery because of changes.  I won't go into detail on that one.  I have an ultrasound to check on the babies, they do a lung maturity test and I'm hooked back up to around the clock baby monitors.  I'm allowed to eat liquids only while we wait to see if today will be their birthday.  It is not..

- Jan. 13th:  I get the all clear and I am again moved back to Women's Care.  Later that night (5 pm) I get pain that I guess is bra strap pain?  A slight pain in my shoulder that radiates up my neck.  I recline my bed and try to relax and hope it goes away.  A friend comes by and she helps to distract me from the pain that has moved across the top of my stomach.  At 6 my nurse comes in and I tell her about my pain.  And Paul shows up, my friend leaves.  My blood pressure is taken, it is high, along with my temperature.  I also take my meds which includes my procardia.  She, the nurse, brings in the monitors and she attempts to find both babies while I attempt not to cry from the pain that has now been joined by cramping.  I also decide that if this is anything like labor pains that I will be asking for an epidural.  The lab is called up to take more blood for tests.  The nurse thinks it might be gas pain (I never believed that) so I think I was given something for that.  I'm also given a catheter to test my urine for 12 hours to make sure it isn't preeclampsia.  The catheter causes my bladder to cramp which causes even MORE pain.  It takes way too long (at least 2 hours) and some tears on my part but the doctor finally gives an order for something for the pain and the cramping my bladder.  We wait to hear if we will have the babies today...at 11 pm we find that no, today is not the day. 

- Jan. 14th:  I wake up with a headache that I have pretty much all day.  Other than that the pain from the night before is gone, and my catheter is removed.  I have another ultrasound to have a biophysical profile done.  They get an A, which is a good thing.  At about 5 pm I start feeling like I did the night before.  I thought it related to my procardia wearing off since it was at the same time as the night before.  For some reason it again takes forever to get anything for the pain.  The doctor is called again and it is all a little fuzzy.  (Amanda did they do any tests this night?  I can't remember.)  I think that they waited until the next morning to do more bloodwork.  I sent everyone home and went to sleep.

- Jan. 15th:  After more bloodwork the doctor comes in around 8 am and tells me that today is the day.  I had a low platelet count and I can't remember what other results from the bloodwork.  I had preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome so the babies had to be delivered.  So I frantically called Paul to tell him to get to the hospital and asked if I could please take a shower before surgery.  The rest is a hurry up and wait situation.  I finally walked into the operating room full of about 14 people at about noon.  Emily was born at 12:35 and Sam at 12:36.  Both arrived with cries, which made me cry. 

Well I guess that wasn't so abridged but it include the important information.