Part 2

So in April 2002, Kyle had to go Ohio for an all star football game, I got clearance to go with him. I was only 21 weeks. At this time my belly was so big I was already wearing a belly belt for back support. I noticed in the airport as we were walking, I was having tightening sensations, figured I just had to go potty. They continued that whole trip, on the way home, we had very bad turbulence with a horrible storm and the plane dropped from the sky a few thousand feet. The inside of the cabin dipped and everything, I was hysterical. I cried the rest of the way home, and just wanted off that plane. I spotted that next day, Monday , my ultrasound was scheduled for that Wednesday, So I called and they didn't seem worried, my US was cancelled due to a "tech emergency". So they moved it to the following Monday. I slightly spotted again on Wednesday, saw my Dr on Friday and was put on bed rest for the weekend. Monday at my ultrasound, I found out I was having two little girls, and they were almost certain they were identical. ( I was shocked, I thought I would have fraternal) That next day, Tuesday, I started having more tightening. Saw my Dr and I was monitored, she said I was having slight contractions but they weren’t consistent, they were called Braxton Hicks. So I continued to have them that night and next morning so I called the Dr and she wanted me to go to the hospital for observation. This was now Wednesday, May 1st. I was monitored, then admitted. I was put on Magnesium 4 mg/h, and my contractions were under control and stopped by the next day. I was off mag. That night, they took out my IV, my arm started to get red and hot, and swollen. I told them and they didn’t seem to care. A few hours after that I started getting a fever. And my back started hurting and I was really uncomfortable. So they gave me Tylenol. They said it was because the labor bed was uncomfortable. Well the next morning I had a fever of 102.4 and was having contractions every couple minutes, each1 min long. And I was starting to dilate. I was then transferred up to a high risk hospital 45 miles away. They thought I had an infection in one of the bags of waters. So I was going to get an Amniocentesis done on each sac as soon as I got there. I arrived and the Amniocentesis were performed, I was told if there was an infection then I would deliver in 12 hours, If not we would see how long my body could stay pregnant. That was the longest two hours ever! The neonatologist came in to talk to us and told us what the chances of 22 week infants surviving were, and what would happen if they did survive. And we need to make a decision on what to do. I prayed I didn’t have to make that decision. The results came back, negative. My girls were infection free! I was then back on Magnesium and Indocine. Contractions under control .I was given antibiotics to stop the infection in my body that threw me into labor. (I think to this day it was the IV site) my test never came back saying what I had…odd. I then stayed in the hospital for the next 3 ½ weeks. Complete bed rest, no getting up, except to go potty and shower, which I only showered three times I think, and the potty chair became my friend. I was on magnesium all but three days. And those three days I was on Indocine. My mag levels were set really high, until the end I was usually at a 2mg/h. Even at my highest levels, I did really well ,they couldn’t believe I was so mobile and coherent with that much in my system and no reflexes. I just sat in bed and prayed everyday that my girls stayed in. To clarify some dates, the Dr had changed my due date to Aug 28 instead of the orginal Sept 3rd, a week later. So that made me 23 weeks instead of 22 when I went into labor. I tried to argue it, because I knew when I got pregnant, they didn’t listen. I then got my steroid shots at 24 weeks(23weeks), cause I was told they didn’t have enough proof that they made a difference in the outcome of the baby if I got them at 23 weeks so they wanted to wait till it would , meaning 24 weeks.. And I would get another set at 28 weeks if I made it. They don’t believe in multiple steroids. Well I was 23 weeks when I got the shots. So they didn’t make a difference. I should have gotten another round at 24-25 weeks, to be safe. But the Dr was pretty sure that the dates were right. I was trusting. I should have demanded another steroid shot. I was dilated to 2-3cm and Ashlyn’s water bag was bulging every other day. During my 26th week, (actual 25th) I started to feel different, felt like something was going on. Ashlyn didn’t seem right to me, she was moving a lot more then usual(she was pretty calm normally). Well four days later, Sunday May 26th, at 10 am my Dr checked me and I was at 4 cm, he said if I got any further this was the end. I was praying it wasn’t. I started having more contractions and my nurse kept moving up the mag, I told her it wasn’t working anymore. It wasn’t, my body got to use to it, I was building up a tolerance, that’s why higher mg didn’t make much of a difference the last week or so. I told her to call my Dr back, it was 1 pm. He already went home, it was his anniversary. So she called him and he came back in. He check me and I was at 6 cm , he said it was time, so they did a quick ultrasound to see where they were…Haley was up high and breech and Ashlyn, who was always head down, and if that was the case he was going to have me deliver vaginally, and then just pull Haley out by her feet. I did not want that to happen so I was worried, well, my baby girl Ashlyn had gone breech for me, So I got my C section. I was very happy. I guess she had her bottom in the opening, kind of like a plug. She didn’t want to come falling out. At 2:43pm Ashlyn Grace was born weighing 1 lb 14 oz and was 12 ¾ long and at 2:44pm Haley Elizabeth (later to be changed to Haley Ashlyn) was born weighing 1lb 13.8 oz and was 13 ¼ long. They were in fact identical little girls. They were both rushed to the NICU. Both put on ventilators and both doing well. Apgar scores of 8 and 8 for Haley and 6 and 7 for Ashlyn. I got to go see them after recovery, they were so little but so cute, I fell in love instantly. They looked so alike, so adorable.