Saturday, February 11, 2012

They are Here!

Most of you know that I had my twins, but for those of you who do not know..... they have come, and boy have they come! It has been quite the adventure this past week and half. Here is the story (don't worry there is nothing gross and in too many details).
I should probably start by saying that I have been having contractions for the past month and I think that I had lost sensation in my belly and I really could not longer tell how strong the contractions were. I know that sounds weird, but I was having them so often that I was just used to them and it became normal to have strong contractions. On February 1st I was having contractions, like usual, but I decided to start timing them. They were pretty consistent at about 5 minutes apart, so Ryan decided we should go the hospital just to make sure I wasn't dilating (I was only at a 1 previous to this and hadn't changed in a couple weeks). We got to the hospital at about 5ish. Luckily my doctor was there delivering another baby, so he came and checked me. I was at a 2 and totally thinned out. They hooked me up the monitors and I was having contractions about 3 minutes apart and according to the monitor they were strong contractions (although I felt fine, just uncomfortable). They monitored me for about an hour and then my doctor came in and said he thought I should get my c section that night. I should add that I had never had a c section before, but the twins were both breach and they can't rotate twins externally because it is dangerous to the babies. They wheeled me into the operating room at about 6:30pm. It was a very strange thing. I mush prefer having babies the old fashioned way. Amelia was pulled out first at 6:52pm and then Henry at 6:58pm. It all happened so fast. They both weighted 5lbs 10oz. Amelia was 19"long and Henry was 18.5" long. It's kind of weird that they were pretty much identical in weight and length.
Initially Amelia was having a hard time breathing so they were focused on her, but she was quickly fine. They then focused on Henry who was having a hard time breathing. He was all over the place and after a couple of hours of monitoring him they decided to have him go to the NICU over night to be monitored better. Amelia came to my room and we planned on Henry coming the next day. Our pediatrician, Jason (who is also a relative), decided to order an echo cardiogram due to a loud murmur in Henry's heart for the next day. The next day I went to the NICU and held Henry for the first time. He was perfect and looked so good. At noon he got the echo cardiogram. Jason came to give me the result a little after that. It came back that something was wrong with his heart and they were taking him to Primary Children's Hospital in 1 hour. I should also add that Ryan had left the hospital a little bit before all this to take one of his CPA tests. I quickly called Ryan and told him to come back to the hospital and that something was wrong with Henry. I then went to the NICU to hold Henry until the Life Flight people got there. Jason called my brother Sam who works across the street from the hospital to come help him with a blessing for Henry. Jason and Sam gave Henry a blessing and then gave me one. It was very emotional, but also very calm at the same time. Ryan showed up about 10 minutes before they took Henry. It was so hard to watch my little baby being wheeled away. Ryan then went with Henry to Primary's. A few hours we got his diagnosis. He has a condition called Double Inlet Left Ventricle. If you want to know more about that you can look it up. On February 7th (so he was 6 days old) Henry had open heart surgery. He is doing so good. He will need at least 2 more heart surgeries over the next few years. He is currently still at the hospital, but should be coming home in a couple of days. I am a little nervous about him coming home but also really excited to have him with all of us. I hate that he is down there alone. We go down everyday, but it is just not the same.
So, there you go. There is the story. It has been a very stressful week and half. I know it is going to be utter chaos around our house for the next few years, but I don't even care. At least Henry is alive and he will be fine. It might sound crazy, but I feel like we were meant to have this trial and we will be better and stronger because of it.
Baby Amelia
Baby Henry
Us with our cute babies!