in and out and back in the hospital...TILL BABIES ARRIVE!!!!

The odds were there and sure enough, I have developed it.  What is preeclampsia?  I think WebMD can explain it better than I can, "preeclampsia is a condition that pregnant women develop. It is marked by high blood pressure and a high level of protein in the urine...If undiagnosed, preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, a serious condition that can put you and your baby at risk, and in rare cases, cause death. Women with preeclampsia who have seizures are considered to have eclampsia."  Nobody really knows the cause of it but with multiples, the odds are just increased and the only way to 'cure' it is to deliver the babies. 

So, back on October 16th, we were at our regular appointment and the nurse practitioner came in and said the protein in my urine had dramatically increased since last week and they wanted to admit me for testing.  While monitoring the preeclampsia, it was also discovered that my hematocrit (number of red blood cells) was only at 23%.  An average woman (let alone someone NOT prego with quads) should be in the 35-40% range!  So two units of blood later, the transfusion only took it to 24 1/2% when it should have brought it at least to 26 or 27.  Now the hemotologist got called in.  Lots of blood and lots of tests later, they ruled my iron was just so low it was preventing my body from making these red blood cells and that our babies were eating up everything I had!  The next day they gave me an iron infusion, which is simply an iv bag full of karo-syrup like liquid pumped right into my veins.  This was hopefully going to get my body going so I could start making my own again.

By now we were at Friday I was officially diagnosed with mild-preeclampsia.  Dr. Silver felt as long as I took my blood pressure a few times a day and again stayed off my feet, I could go home.

That next Tuesday morning I was scheduled for another iron infusion and check up and both went great.  My hematocrit was at 27% so we were headed in the right direction.  Friday's appointment came along and decided to shake things up on us.  First we went in and got measurements for the babies (see 'babies are growing' entry!) then went to clinic.  Dr. Silver walked in and said that mild-preeclampsia wasn't behaving very mildly.  Protein levels are up, blood pressure is up and the fact we are now at 29 weeks, babies could come any day.  Charlie and I look at eachother...BREATH, HE'S NOT SAYING THEY'RE COMING RIGHT NOW (but if they did, it really would be okay.  We've passed some major developmental milestones plus I forgot to mention I gotten the steroid shots that stimulate lung and brain development during our last visit).  He asked how I felt about being admitted until the babies do arrive and honestly I didn't feel too horrible about it.  I feel fine but I've never done this before.  What if babies decided to come while Charlie is at work and my sister is at the store?  Better safe than sorry!  So, we committed to being admitted. 

Charlie really has been a champ!  I definitely have my on and off days and I know it's not easy for him to be cooped up here but to say the least, I have been humbled and reminded reminded of the reasons I married this man!

Plus he keeps me entertained playing with hospital equipment

 


AND he brings me flowers




 

Looks like the beginning of the end (which is really the TRUE BEGINNING) is fast approaching!!!

babies are growing...that means I am too!

As the weeks have flown by, babies have been growing like crazy!  October 2nd we took measurements and our baby boys were 1 lb 14 and 13 oz and our girls were 1 lb 11oz which is right where they should be for as far along as I was (25 1/2 weeks).  October 26th has been our latest growth scan and boy have they grown!  Boys at 2 pounds 11 and 13 ounces and girls both at 2 pounds 6 ounces...yes!!!!  At this rate we'll be at 3 pounds in no time!


Every week we go in, pictures are getting harder and harder to take but here are some of our favorites!

HOW CUTE IS THIS ONE!  IT LOOKS LIKE HE IS SALUTING!!!! ("He better not be with his left hand!" says Charlie)

She loves her hands by her head!

Attempt at one of those 3d pics. She has her dad's nose for sure!!!!

I think her eyes are open!!





















At the very beginning of my pregnancy, my mom told me about how she loved gaining weight while she was pregnant because when else in life can you eat what you want (to a point of course!) and gain weight and get away with it!  As uncomfortable as I was with the idea, it grew on me...LITERALLY...and she's right, I stopped caring and it got kinda fun!  

 August

 

September

October 1

AND...GET READY FOR IT...

 OCTOBER 26TH...29 WEEKS!!!!

we're back in Utah!

Here we go!  For the past two years, Charlie and I have been living in San Diego as he's been a Drill Instructor for the Marine Corps.  After we found out about the TEAM, we started flirting with the idea of trying to get his orders sent back to Salt Lake where both of our families live.  Charlie started asking around and found out it was a definite possibility!  Next my older sister and brother-in-law GRACIOUSLY offered for us to live with them, so the quest to move home began.  It took LOTS AND LOTS of papers, interviews and strings being pulled, by Charlie and lots and lots of late night basement construction for my brother-in-law, but August 27th the movers arrived and by the 29th my mom and I were driving home.  It took a few weeks for Charlie to wrap things up but by the end of September he was home and we were settled.

Before leaving San Diego, it was important to us to have our doctors lined up and we wanted to be treated at the University of Utah.  It was right next to Primary Children's, and growing up in Salt Lake, I knew it was the best hospital around (not to mention the personal experience my family had there not too long ago with my sister!).  When I shared the moving news with Dr. Cousins, his response without hesitation was, "well I'm not sure where in Utah you'll be, but if you can get to the University of Utah, Dr. Robert Silver is one of the only other doctors I'd trust seeing you."  As with everything else so far in this pregnancy, it was meant to be.  Dr. Silver was within our insurance network and was accepting new patients.  I had an appointment set up with him before we even left town.

September 11th arrived and we went in to meet our new doctor.  The appointment went great!  He had looked at my ultrasounds and records ahead of time and was very optimistic.  He feels like we'll be able to take Team Sandness to 32-34 weeks.  That's exciting!  We hadn't discussed delivery with Dr. Cousins yet!  I like that h is philosophy was to let things happen and not fix it if it's not broken.  So far I haven't had any problems or symptoms of an upcoming problem, so we agreed that I would come in weekly and as long as babies kept growing and I kept off my feet, we could stay out of the hospital.  YES!!!