1.30.2012

Triple Blessings

UNDER CONSTRUCTION.......PICTURES AND INFO ABOUT THE GIRLS IS SOON TO COME!  For now, here is our newspaper article in the Trib.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53384886-78/utah-2010-babies-births.html.csp?page=1

1.18.2012

Bed Rest: Day 19--Goin' Home (Written OnThe Day After)

Yesterday was an emotional roller coaster for me, and I contracted quite a bit because I was so upset!  HAHA! 

As you know, my High Risk Doc came in Monday night to chat with me about going home.  He said to go home and that he'd write the order.....and he NEVER did.  My nurse came in and told me I MAY not be going because he hadn't written ANYTHING...documented nothing about me going home.  And of course, he had the day off yesterday.  I immediately got really upset, blubbering all over myself and feeling so upset.  Dan was mad and wanted to get a hold of the High Risk Doc, he asked me his first name.  I don't know it, so maybe that was a good thing, because Dan was NOT happy.  My nurse came back in and told me the OB on yesterday, Dr. Wood, was looking for any documentation and trying to figure out what to do.  She finally went to Dr. Major, the OTHER High Risk Doc, and chatted with her about it.  They decided to write their own orders and send me home.  It was emotional 2 hours of me thinking I was NEVER going to get out of there.  Dr. Wood checked me one last time, and I hadn't dilated any more...still a 4.  She told me I was on STRICT bed rest at home and told me to keep taking the vitamins and medications they had given me in the hospital.  She also gave me Procardia, the medication that calms my contractions.  She did say, however, if I do have them, take 1 pill.  If they continue or get worse, I need to come back in. 

My first night home was great.  I had so much fun with Jaeli, even though she just sat next to me and cuddled, and Dan was AWESOME.  He cleaned some and helped me feel comfortable.  When we put Jaeli down for bed, she came back out about 6 different times....it had made her hyper to have me home.  Then she was worried I was going to leave again.  Dan finally rocked her to sleep and she slept through the night.  We had some unexpected dinners brought over....and some expected.  THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR YOUR LOVE, CONCERN and HELP. 

Being home is a little strange for me still.  I'll get used to it though, don't you worry.  It is a bit harder than being in the hospital, only because I DO want to be up cleaning or doing things with Jaeli.  I'm practicing SELF CONTROL!  I did sleep REALLY well last night though and am sooooo happy to be back!

I'll update you in the next couple days and especially if anything happens.  :)

1.16.2012

Bed Rest: Day 17 and 18: A Note Home?

Yesterday, Day 17, was Sunday.  It was a fairly quiet day.  My mom came up and spent the afternoon with me which was really fun.  We watched football and had lunch.....our sandwiches were HUGE!  HAHA!  It was hilarious.  Thanks mom for helping me so much.  In the evening, about 4:00, I started to hurt, really, really bad.  It felt like I needed to push again and I was so crampy and achy.  They put me on the monitor, but of course it didn't show me contracting.  They called Labor and Delivery over and they checked my cervix.  4  and 80% effaced.  Some change had occurred, but they kept me here.

Dr. Litster came by this morning and told me she had put the request in for me to go home anyway.  Now, I'm just waiting for Dr. Andrus (High Risk) to come over and talk about it with me. Ultimately, he makes the decision.  I don't know what I hope for.  I would love to be home, but at the same time it scares me to be away in case something happens.  I've been fine for quite a few days now, but knowing my luck, I'll get home and the first day I'll have issues.  I'll let you know and add more here after I talk with Andrus.  So, this is being added later, but Dr. Andrus came in about 5:30.  He said I could go home!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!  Soooo excited!  Basically he said that there hasn't been much change and at this point I could sit here another 4 weeks....and that would be the time I could be at home.  "Why not try it,Natalie", he said.  "If ANY little things happens you come back up and then just realize at that point you would be here until you deliver."  I trust his decision.  Even if I can be home for 2 days!  Soooo excited!  Dan is coming to get me in the morning and then I get to be home with my baby and him. 

MMFP

1.14.2012

Bed Rest: Day 16

Today is Saturday and it has been really calm.....contraction wise and such.  Before I talk about today, I'll tell you about my night.  I did not get to bed until like 3:00am because of something that happened just across the hall from me.  All of a sudden I heard screaming and somebody yelling for a nurse.  The yelling continued as a Code was called.  The hallway right outside my door was CRAZY!  I could hear everything and there were sooo many people.  My first thought was someone was in labor.  My second thought was someone had had their baby and something bad was happening to the baby.  After the commotion, the nurse came in to check on me.  She knew I'd be freaking out, and I WAS!  I had started to contract and such just from being scared.  She explained to me that the patient had JUST been admitted over here 20 minutes earlier for Toxemia...EXTREMELY high and dangerous blood pressure.  She had gone into the bathroom and seized.  When she fell seizing, she cut her face up pretty bad on the bathroom floor so there was blood everywhere.  It was her mom that was screaming so much.  They rushed the patient to the OR and C-sectioned her.  Later later the nurse told me the patient and baby were both fine.  It freaked me out soooo much that I just couldn't sleep.  Should have taken an Ambien.

So, I didn't sleep until 3:00 am and then my nurse woke me up at 7:00 am with a Labor and Delivery nurse to do my second FFN test.  That's NOT pleasant to wake up to something like that.  ANYHOW, the results were negative.  97-99% chance that I WILL NOT deliver in the next 2 weeks.  GREAT for the girls huh?!  Dr. Litster came by and discussed going home.  They are going to do another MFM appointment on Monday with me, and if they give the ok, I can go home for a while.  I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but I am really excited. 

Jaeli, Dan and my mom came to visit me today.  I love to see them.  Cuddling and hugging Jaeli makes my day.  She was all decked out in her Beauty and the Beast dress-up dress, because my mom had taken her to Beauty and the Beast in the Theatre earlier.  She had so much fun.  I can't express my thanks to ALL who are helping with my baby girl, Dan and ME! :)  I'll update you tomorrow.

Pictures:
My 'Belle' of the Ball and Me

Cute little thing.

1.13.2012

Bed Rest: Day 15

MMFP
 The good thing about today: I got to see some family and a good friend.  My MIL taught me how to tie fleece blankets and I started a new hat.  It was fun to chat with her, my nephew and my SIL, Becky.  Thanks guys for the visit.

My friend Lacey came up and chatted for a while.  It was fun to see her too.  She makes me laugh and relieves some of my stress at the same time.  Good for her!  HAHA!  I got a picture on my phone of some DARLING onesies she decorated.....they are all pink and one has A, one has B and the other C on it.  Then they have matching hair bows to go with them.  Soooo cute!  Thanks Lacey!

Dr. Deschamps came in an talked to me about doing another FFN test tomorrow.  If I have about a week of quiet days and then THAT test tomorrow is negative again, they MAY send me home.  We'll see how it goes.  I did have tons of irritability today and some good, strong contractions, so my nurse gave me some Procardia.  It stopped them again.  I asked Deschamps if I kept going like this, needing Procardia, and it holding me off, would they REALLY let me go all the way to 35 weeks?!  She said they would.  I can't wrap my mind around that right now.  It freaks me out.  They have told me, however, there will come that day that even the Procardia won't stop them, and that will be the day we C-section probably.  Guess that's all for tonight.  Here are some crafts I've been working on:
Tying my first fleece blanket.

The second hat done.

1.12.2012

Bed Rest: Day 14

25.6 weeks.......YEA for 26 weeks tomorrow!
 Dan came last evening and stayed over night with me.  I was happy, because then he was here for our MFM ultrasound.  They saw me today for the triplets first Bio-Physical Profile.  They check the babies tones, movement and watch for them to breathe on their own.  The babies are also given an Apgar Score while they are in there.  If they are 8-10, they feel it byes them another week, at least.  All three looked spectacular!  We saw them all breathe on their own, they were moving like crazy and their heartbeats were right where they should be.  We are so blessed to have 3 great looking girls.

Dr. Andrus, our High Risk Doc, chatted with us for a bit and mentioned he was surprised I was still pregnant. HAHA!  What was I supposed to think or say?  Kind a freaked me out.I'm trying to hold on until at least 28 weeks.

After the Profile and chatting with Andrus, our ultrasound technician...also a labor and delivery nurse, took us over to see the Resusitation room....where the babies go immediately after coming out.  They already have 3 beds ready to go in there for us.  It's crazy to think how many people know about our situation and how many things are already set up. 

Jae got to come visit today.  We went straight from MFM down to the cafeteria and met my mom, Jaeli and my brother Michael.  She was so sweet and cuddly today.  I held her on my lap in the wheelchair quite a bit.  By the end of our visit I hurt pretty bad, but it is subsiding.  It was worth seeing my little one and being able to snuggle a bit.

I just want to thank everyone that has come to visit.  Also, a special thanks to my family....my mom, brothers, SILS and the whole Zundel clan.  You guys have been so great to help and have been a wonderful support to us!  We love you all so much!
MMFP (Missing My Family Picture)  for Today

1.11.2012

Bed Rest: Day 13--End of My Rope

* Anyone have extra rope I can borrow?  I had a major meltdown this morning.  Dr. Major, from Perinatology, came to visit with me, and I was frustrated.  I am not sure if the nurses complained or what, but they've now decided they are not going to monitor me like they have been.  They usually don't monitor 25 weekers like they have been with me, so they have decided just to do heart tones on them and then do the Toco, contraction monitor, on me.

* My question now is, why not send me home then?  The main reason I thought we were here was for the close monitoring, etc.  Dr. Jiricko will be by soon, and I'm going to ask her what she thinks.  I understand things could happen quickly, but with that negative test stating we had 2-3 weeks BEFORE the babies would come, which is like 90 somethin' percent accurate, let's send me home.  I have had a TON of pressure and pain today.  I feel like it's for nothing, because nothing changes!  They gave me some Tylenol, but it usually doesn't do anything for me....we'll see. 

* A Social Worker came in today to talk with me.  We talked a bit about Jaeli and determined it was best for her to be able to come see me.  I'm hoping they keep okaying the wheelchair rides.  She was very nice and mentioned they'd even come play games with me or rent movies for me.

*The HIGHLIGHT of my Day*
* NICU phone call with Dr. Christensen: We have passed through the most troubling part...we're on the improvement slope with the girls.  They have a 90% survival rate now instead of just under 50%, and in just 2 weeks have gained 3/4 lb. each.  He also said I deserved a trophy for holding them in for 2 more weeks!  HAHA!  I really, really like him.

*Questions for Dr. Jiricko*
*Could I go home because we're not monitoring as much?: Monitoring won't really effect the outcome....willing to revisit if we have a few days of quiet and the NEXT Fetal Fiber Nectan Test is negative.
*Are wheelchair rides still ok?:  Definately!  As long as I'm not having any symptoms.
*Fetal Fiber Nectan Test?  When?:  Yes, probably THIS Friday with High Risk.
*High Risk appointments?: Tomorrow for the babies Bio-Physical Profile and weekly after that.
*IV Out?: As long as things are quiet...it's ok to not have it in.  If I start to have symptoms, I have to get another one because we never know what's happening and how fast things are going to go.  YEA for IV free right now! :)
My 'Missing My Family' Picture of the Day

1.10.2012

Bed Rest: Days 11 and 12

Well, yesterday was day 11.....and was VERY uneventful...WAHOO!  Perinatology came over and 'practiced' on me....and I don't care.  I LOVE seeing the girls.  They are so cute.  Everything looked really great.  They do contraction and baby monitoring 2 times a day and it all looked great too.  I really didn't have a ton of irritability yesterday either.  My mom's nurse friend told my mom, "Uh oh, the calm before the storm!"  AHHHH!  That freaked me out.  I worked on my second hat, and it's close to being done.  My only problem: I can't remember how my friend Carrie finished the first one.  HAHA!  I think I was still hazy when Carrie and Lindsey were here visiting.  I'd love to finish this one today and get started on the 3rd one. 

I miss them so much!
Today I have no plans.  They monitored me already today.  I had 1 contraction the whole 40 minutes they were monitoring me and Airalyn and Brecklin looked awesome.  Camli was RIGHT in my ribs and it was hard to pick her heartbeat up.  We could hear it, but it wasn't really registering on the monitor.  My nurse just counted the heart rate, and Camli seemed fine.  It freaked me out a little at first.  I am planning to have another quiet, relaxing day.  If anything else happens, I'll add more later.

1.09.2012

Bed Rest: Evening 9 and Day 10

Day 9 was great in one way....I got to see my Jaeli (previous post).  The evening...NOT so much.  I was chatting with my mom, brother and SIL when the pressure and pain started.  It was not pleasant to begin with, but of course got worse....and FAST!!!!  All of a sudden I wanted to push.  I felt Airalyn (head down, right up the middle) was coming.  It hurt so bad that I can't even explain the pain.  I called for a nurse and 20 min passed.  I called again and still nothing.  Finally my brother ran into the hall and said he thought we were having a baby.  Immediately, 6-8 people were in my room preparing me to be transferred to Labor and Delivery.  I was sobbing and don't remember a ton.

My mom's account says they ripped my bed from this room and ran me down the hall.  When I got to L & D they threw a catheder back in and started fluids in my IV immediately (I honestly can't remember if they started Mag again or not.)  They even shaved me for crying out loud....TMI I know.  The Anesthesia Doctor and a nurse were outside my door ready to rush me into the OR....the OR was ready and the NICU had been informed.

Dr. Deschamps arrived and checked my cervix....NOTHING HAD CHANGED....I WAS STILL A 4.   Why all the pain?  The pain continued, and I still felt I needed to push.  I was freaking out!  They started some anxiety and pain medication in my IV and tilted me WAYYYYY back to get the pressure off my cervix.  The medicine started to kick in and I eventually calmed down.  The pain and pressure were still there, but not like it had been.  SCARIEST thing since I've been here...........I was terrified.  I am sooooo relieved my mom, brother and SIL were here.  My mom called Dan, because he had JUST gotten home with Jaeli.  Michael and Megan met him in the parking lot and took Jaeli to their house to make a snowman so my mom could stay.  Dan's parents came and were there for support.  The rest of the evening was a fog...due to the great drugs I had coursing through my system.  I DO know that we had 3 great couples from our Ward come and visit, but I honestly don't remember much from our conversations.

That reminds me, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of those who have come up to visit and help.  Some of you have taught me things, some of you have brought things to lift my spirits, and some have just come to chat (LOVE CHATTING!)  We love you all. 

Yesterday, Day 10, I stayed in L & D until about 6:00 pm.  They did quite a bit of monitoring, contractions and babies (the babies are fabulous)  They made sure to tell the floor (Post or Anti-partum I guess it's called--where you go AFTER you've had your baby (ies)) that whenever I call, they need to be there.  Dan stayed most of the day, and my mom brought Jaeli up again.  She makes me smile so much.  Later, after I had been moved to PP, a L & D nurse, I hadn't met yet, came over and gave me a mani/pedi.  It was soooo relaxing and made me feel pretty because let's face it.....I'm anything BUT that these days.  Jaeli is even concerned I'm not wearing make-up.  HAH!

Here are some photos:
 You can't tell, but they're sparkly too! :)  Since I'm having all girls, pink/sparkly was the way to go!
 The first thing I'VE ever made that is crafty!  On to my second one! :)  Thanks Carrie.
 My snack drawer!  HAHA!  Thanks everyone! :)
 Beautiful flowers from my mom, Aunt Betty and Grandparents.
 
My diaper cake from Shaelyn and the cute Mia Maids in my Ward.  Thanks so much girls!
 Just wanted to say thanks for EVERYTHING!  To my Ward friends as well for the great Baby Shower you threw for me!  YEA! :)
 
The quote I TRIED to post the other day.  It's one of my favorites now. 

1.07.2012

Bed Rest : Day 8 and 9

Thursday night I hurt really bad.  Cramping, contractions and lots of pressure.  I tried to just sleep it off, because they don't have me monitored all the time over here.  Friday morning, Shae stopped by and I just didn't feel good.  I still really hurt and was relieved when my nurse told me MFM wanted to see me again that morning.  They monitored for quite a while....contractions and babies, and I continued to hurt.  Dr. Jiricko and my High Risk Doc, Andrus were both there.  They came to chat and Jiricko checked me.  I had dilated more...I am now a 3-4.  No wonder I had been hurting.  They discussed with us taking the babies if I got to a 5-6, because they're so teeny they don't need 10 to come out.  I was a mess.  I was admitted to Labor and Delivery again to slow the contractions, they were 3 min. apart.  They started an IV with fluid and more Mag and started Indocine for my uterus again.  I was VERY miserable for a while.  I was given Lortab last night as well for the pain.  I am so thankful for Dan's family watching Jaeli, my mom for letting her spend the night and Dan being here to spend the night at the Hospital.  It was a mess, so it was good to have support.

This morning, Saturday,  Dr. Deschamps asked us about another complication.....if one baby is in distress.  Do we let her pass and try to keep the other 2 in?  Or do we deliver them all?  Dan and I decided we wanted to deliver them all. Dr. Deschamps said it was a good decision.....since they are 25 weeks now.  I feel really good about that decision...that all my girls are going to be ok. My cathiter came out, they took me off Mag, disconnected my IV and moved me back to the Floor instead of Labor and Delivery. I am hoping for a quiet, relaxing day with NO MORE DILATION OR CONTRACTING! 

The best part of my day?!  Jaeli girl gets to come up and see me.  They have arranged for me to have a wheelchair ride our into the waiting area so I can be with her.  It's been 8 days now.  I miss my 'Pea' terribly.  Fast forwarding, here are some pics Jaeli took and then some others:

 HAHA, nice of Daddy and me....she wanted Daddy's gum in the pic...don't ask what I'm doing.
 Mmmm, I think this is 23 weeks huge.
 My 'Pea' and me.  I think the wheelchair scared her.
 Then she cuddled up to me. :)
 One from Jaeli.
She wanted one of the teeny baby diaper mom was holding.  Nice Nat, lookin' good. :)
OH!  I think we've finalized our baby names:
Airalin Natalie
Brecklin Barbara
Camli Karen
I've had to get past the fact, that A LOT of people aren't going to like them...I say to you, so sorry! :)  HAHA!

1.05.2012

Bed Rest: Day 7

Today has been very quiet.  Nothing significant or exciting, except my cheeseburger was REALLY good DELICIOUS!  HAHA!  I did have cramping through the night and into the early afternoon, but when they had me on the monitors, it looked fine.  The babies were monitored this morning and were all very active.  Baby B was the stinker today...we chased her FOREVER!  My mom is coming to see me in a bit and then Dan will come this evening for a while.  I'm happy today was uneventful.  Keep baking kiddos.....we're 1 more week into this!  WE CAN DO IT!