Wednesday, December 05, 2007

My Favorite Day (Date)

Here's a recycled post for Sunday Scribblings:

Michelle over at Scribbit is hosting a December Write-away contest and I decided to write-along.



I have a lot of favorite days but one that clearly stands out in my mind is the day that my whole family was reunited after months of separation. Friends, family and old blogging friends will know exactly what I'm talking about, and I apologize up front because sometimes I feel like I'm playing the same old tune, but I think one has to experience what I went through to appreciate that 2 years later, the memories are still fresh, sometimes raw even in my mind.



One of the worst days of my life led to one of the best days of my life, and for that dichotomy, that stark discovery from dark and light, I'm thankful. That bleak day began with excited plans for a full anatomy scan of the baby I was carrying with a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist. I had nagging feelings that something wasn't right, but I was optimistic just the same that we'd find out the sex of the baby and feel confident in our decision to move to a new state THAT WEEK with a slight lapse in medical insurance coverage. Our life was packed, a house purchased, and we were ready to go. And then the appointment happened. The Ultra sound technician put the conducting gel on my stomach, added the wand, and viola! I saw a dismembered baby. To my horror it dawned on me that my baby had a stomach that was not attached to it's head. The technician was very surprised and kept looking at my notes. Nowhere on my referral file did it mention TWINS. Not the kind that are dismembered (it was two heads I saw, not a free floating stomach and head), but the kind that are so rare most people have never heard of them. So rare and high risk that they were only given a 50% chance of survival, and a whole treatment plan had to be set up including a prolonged hospitalization for the 3 of us.

Within weeks I was in the hospital. The babies heartrates were continuously monitored to make sure that if there was cord compression they could be taken, and the burden of carrying on with life without a wife and mother fell to my husband and family. I spent 10 weeks in the hospital, doing everything I could to bring home two babies if we were lucky. Babies that we knew would certainly be premature and have a rough start in life. Our family life together was the price we gratefully paid, but it wasn't easy.

When the babies were born on their scheduled date at 33 weeks gestation we were elated. When we found out that their cords were entertwined with 8 knots we were humbled. When we saw that they had signs of late onset of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome there was no doubt that a miracle had happened in our lives.

The time they spent in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) was relatively short and blessedly uneventful, but it was a taxing time. Trying to heal from the C-Section, nurture the children that I hadn't lived with for 10 weeks, get back into a routine at home and go back and forth from the NICU was trying. The kids wanted to see the babies they had sacrificed for, and more than anything, we wanted the ordeal to be over and our family to be together.

My favorite day was when that happened. We bundled up our 2 little almost 5 lb. monoamniotic babies, said farewell to life in the hospital, brought them home, loved them up, and haven't looked back.

28 comments:

Laurie said...

What an amazing story! It totally made me cry! You have a darling family!

Crazymamaof6 said...

wow! that is something to be thankful for. my sister in law had twin to twin transfusion . but not any of what you had to go through! scary! glad everything turned out ok! thanks for sharing. extra exciting since it was new to me.

AutoSysGene said...

Wow, quite odds defying little troopers you have there. And the sacrifice your family made during the time you were in the hospital, amazing.
Two true miracles...

Scribbit said...

So many miracles! What a terrific ay for your family!

Cecily R said...

Oh I'm all goose bumpy now! I know the story, but I just love the way you've written it this time.

This line:

...and for that dichotomy, that stark discovery from dark and light, I'm thankful.

is really beautiful.

Stephanie said...

From one MoMo mom to another, BEAUTIFUL. I'm approaching one year since my diagnosis and hospitalization - very emotional. I love your writing.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

When I was pregnant with my twins, I met a lady who was having mono-mono twins. She stayed in the Ronald McDonald House with me {I didn't trust the drs in my small town to deliver the twins}. Her family had to come visit on the weekends from another state. They too had 3 young children {and her twins red heads too.. wonder how many other things you two have in common?}. She too was a member of the Church {we went to church together}. These stories are always amazing to me. Glad that it all turned out well for you and that we get to read about their antics! :)

Kristin said...

Very touching story. Thanks for sharing.

I am Arizona; a person, not a place. said...

It was tough to read this since I'm coming up on the one year anniversary of my inpatient stay with my Momo's. Its so true that the feelings are still so raw even after so much time has passed and everything turned out ok.

Brooke said...

So glad I got to be a part of that time. I loved those twinnies up too. They are still so coot, coot, coot...

Heather said...

Totally brilliant!

Are You Serious! said...

I had never heard your story either and it is very touching. What an imotional time for you and your family.

Anonymous said...

That reunion would stand out in my mind too. Thank you for sharing a wonderful story.

Shannon said...

What can I say? It is a truly beautiful story and so touching. Even though I know that story, it makes me cry everytime I hear it. Life itself is such a miracle and those boys are evidence of that. I think it is so amazing how when so much is taken away we learn to be truly grateful.

Casey's trio said...

Angie,

I still can't imagine how difficult it was for you to be in the hospital with 3 young kids and a husband at home. I know that you had 2 of the best reasons and motivators growing inside of you, but the heartache and worry you must have gone through must have been debilitating at times. So I want to hear more of the story..it's like a good book! What happened with the move, the house the lapse in medical coverage (gasp!)? I know it all worked out, but was your family in Oregon for awhile without you and did you come home from the hospital to a new house?
BTW, the story is always amazing to hear even if you've told parts of it before. Those miracle boys are such a blessing as is your whole brood!

Claremont First Ward said...

A few little details. Jeff's job was held for him here in Oregon, and everyone remained in CA. Our stuff went back in storage and our house here remained empty for almost a year. When the twins were 4 months old and RSV season was over we moved up here.

Claremont First Ward said...

Oh, we stayed in CA because we knew we couldn't afford even a short lapse in insurance coverage, and in CA we wouldn't have to worry about that.

My name is Tammie said...

Wow. Those twinnies are amazing little boys arent they. I love that it all worked out beautifully in the end. Look at those two!

latree said...

I can't imagine how hard it was for you, and it makes me so thankful that I brought my twins to the world so easily.
It's a miracle how they grow fine and healthy, it's a bless having them.
You were so strong...

Anonymous said...

That's an amazing story. You know even when our kids are horrible, spreading pooh around 4 rooms of the house while doing the whole potty traning thing, and you think you could just throttle them and loose your mind, you wouldn't give them up for the world. They're the most precious things in the world and I'll clean up a million messes to have them in my life.

Jessica Morris said...

How beautiful!!
I really enjoyed reading your favorite day :)

Your blog is so nicely done!! I love the header!

Robin said...

What an incredible story. A very very special day indeed.

Shari said...

8 Knots - Wow. Now, that's a miracle. Thank you for sharing your story. I love reading about miracle babies. I've known some, too.

Tumblewords: said...

A miracle for sure! What a story - I'm glad you resposted...

Liza on Maui said...

Yep, that's a special date to remember :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Angie,
You're invited to join Blogaholics Anonymous - details are on my blog!

GreenishLady said...

That's a wonderful story. They all look so adorable. Thank you for introducing your family, and especially your special twins! I totally understand that some things we need to repeat, go over, revisit, many times. That's one thing blogs are for!

little wing writer said...

thank you for sharing your date...life is so very humbling and only when we're on the precipice do we truly undersand the gift...your children are so very beautiful...