So I asked the nurse what my glucose test result was, and she said that I got an 8.3. The limit after one hour of drinking is 7.8. So I just barely failed. I spoke with Dr. deVrijer about it today and she said that she herself got a 9.6 and a 9.3 with two of her children after the one hour test. Then she did the two hour test and they came back well below where they needed to be. Basically, I drank this orange pop stuff that was full of sugar I'm sure. The nurse took my blood exactly one hour after drinking and sent the blood away. For the two hour test, they give me a 3 day high carb diet before the glucose test day. At 6:30am they'll take my blood. I'll drink the drink and they'll take my blood at 7:30 and again at 8:30. If I fail that, then I will have to see how my sugars do with diet and if I can't keep them down with diet, then they provide insulin for me.
People ask me why? There is NO rhyme or reason! I can happen with one pregnancy and not the other. It is something that pregnancy brings about and happens in about 3-10% of pregnancies. It goes away right away when you deliver. The only thing is that it can create large babies, which in my case I wouldn't complain. I will see where I'm at and then speak with the doctors to rationalize what we're dealing with!
Not worried about it right now!
Linds
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
27 week photos!
27 weeks today!
I'm so happy to have made it this far!!
Craig playing with his new toy.
What a handy little thing!
Some recent photos
Here are some photos taken when I have been home.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
26 weeks, 3 days
Just before I head to Stratford to see Nana and then back to St. Joe's
Sunday, February 22, 2009
26 weeks, 3 days
Just before I head to Stratford to see Nana and then back to St. Joe's
February 13, 2009 at 4 am.
25 weeks 1 day
Today is the day we went to Toronto for the Fetal Echo at Sick Children's Hospital.
25 weeks 1 day
Today is the day we went to Toronto for the Fetal Echo at Sick Children's Hospital.
February 9, 2009
24 weeks, 4 days
This is the morning of the day I was admitted to the hospital.
Look at how cute my puppies are!
27 weeks!!
It's amazing how time is flying by in here. A certain short friend of mine was anxiously waiting for me to put a new post on here, and I realized it was Wednesday night last night already and I had only previously posted on Monday.
Today has been quite the hectic morning around here. I asked my doctor yesterday about having my cervix checked. I just didn’t feel right yesterday, and I wanted to make sure my cervix was still intact. The resident said they wont likely check it again, but my doctor ordered a test for me today. I also asked if they were planning on a growth scan sometime soon. I realize that it has only been about 2.5 weeks since my last scan, and Dr. Richardson spent a long time justifying to me why they do it every three weeks. I wanted to know where they are at! Dr. deVrijer said that we will do another one today, not for where they are in relation to every other baby in the world, but because they’re mono-mono twins, look for where they are in relation to each other. Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome is highly unlikely but there is still a chance of it being a possibility.
So I was called down at 8am and I don’t think I got back upstairs until nearly 10am. Cindy, the tech, did the growth scan and then a transvaginal ultrasound. When we were done I was sitting in the wheelchair to go back upstairs, like I’ve always done. Cindy comes back out and says, actually we need to put you on a stretcher. I knew it wasn’t good when I asked her in the u/s room if my cervix is still funneling, and she said “I’ll have to have the doctor talk to you about that.” Then the stretcher confirmed it! Something was not good!
When I got back to the room, the nurse told me that Cindy had called up and said that I had no measurable cervix. So she was just covering herself telling me this so I didn’t go for a walk around the floor before the doctor had a chance to talk to me. Now, this doesn't mean that I'm in labour at the moment. The biggest risk is that my water will break. Again, this doesn't mean that I'm having the babies right away. There are women on the floor that have gone for weeks with a ruptured membrane and dilated a couple of centimetres. Just depends on how my body reacts to it all. Stay tuned for updates on that!
Dr. deVrijer came in with the resident to chat about this morning. Baby A is 2lbs 3oz or 1001 g and Baby B is 2lbs 11oz or 1225 g. They are approximately 18% apart in the difference of their weight, so they’re still within the 20% that they would like to see. Any greater difference then they may begin to suspect Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. The doctor is not overly concerned about my cervix, just that they wont check it again. My water hasn’t broken yet, so that’s good news. They are going to give me a steroid shot to help with fetal lung development. It’s a common thing they do when you’re at risk for preterm labour. The steroid shot has no effect on me or on the babies other than it kick starts their lung development. The only thing it might do is affect their growth, but the positives far outweigh the risks. Lungs are the biggest area of concern with preemie babies.
A few more ounces to go before I get to my goal of 3lbs before they're born. Obviously the bigger the better, but I'd like them to be at least 3lbs.
Love,
Lindsay
Today has been quite the hectic morning around here. I asked my doctor yesterday about having my cervix checked. I just didn’t feel right yesterday, and I wanted to make sure my cervix was still intact. The resident said they wont likely check it again, but my doctor ordered a test for me today. I also asked if they were planning on a growth scan sometime soon. I realize that it has only been about 2.5 weeks since my last scan, and Dr. Richardson spent a long time justifying to me why they do it every three weeks. I wanted to know where they are at! Dr. deVrijer said that we will do another one today, not for where they are in relation to every other baby in the world, but because they’re mono-mono twins, look for where they are in relation to each other. Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome is highly unlikely but there is still a chance of it being a possibility.
So I was called down at 8am and I don’t think I got back upstairs until nearly 10am. Cindy, the tech, did the growth scan and then a transvaginal ultrasound. When we were done I was sitting in the wheelchair to go back upstairs, like I’ve always done. Cindy comes back out and says, actually we need to put you on a stretcher. I knew it wasn’t good when I asked her in the u/s room if my cervix is still funneling, and she said “I’ll have to have the doctor talk to you about that.” Then the stretcher confirmed it! Something was not good!
When I got back to the room, the nurse told me that Cindy had called up and said that I had no measurable cervix. So she was just covering herself telling me this so I didn’t go for a walk around the floor before the doctor had a chance to talk to me. Now, this doesn't mean that I'm in labour at the moment. The biggest risk is that my water will break. Again, this doesn't mean that I'm having the babies right away. There are women on the floor that have gone for weeks with a ruptured membrane and dilated a couple of centimetres. Just depends on how my body reacts to it all. Stay tuned for updates on that!
Dr. deVrijer came in with the resident to chat about this morning. Baby A is 2lbs 3oz or 1001 g and Baby B is 2lbs 11oz or 1225 g. They are approximately 18% apart in the difference of their weight, so they’re still within the 20% that they would like to see. Any greater difference then they may begin to suspect Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. The doctor is not overly concerned about my cervix, just that they wont check it again. My water hasn’t broken yet, so that’s good news. They are going to give me a steroid shot to help with fetal lung development. It’s a common thing they do when you’re at risk for preterm labour. The steroid shot has no effect on me or on the babies other than it kick starts their lung development. The only thing it might do is affect their growth, but the positives far outweigh the risks. Lungs are the biggest area of concern with preemie babies.
A few more ounces to go before I get to my goal of 3lbs before they're born. Obviously the bigger the better, but I'd like them to be at least 3lbs.
Love,
Lindsay
Monday, February 23, 2009
My weekend home!
What a wonderful weekend and a wonderful husband I have. Didn't start off so great though...wouldn't it be the one day that I want out of there, I'm last on the list to ultrasound! I didn't get in until almost 11:30. Normally I'm in and out by 8 or 8:30am. It was a girl new to me and we think saw 'twins' and decided to put me last in case it took longer! But you'd think that a nurse would say that I had an LOA for the weekend and to get me down earlier. But again, it was nurses that I didn't know and I don't think they realized the sense of urgency!
Anywho, we finally got out of here. The dogs were in the car waiting for me out front! They could see me walking up and Darcy was so excited, she was pawing at the door. What a great feeling to have the dogs all over me because they had missed me so much. I missed them too! We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home. Craig needed to pick up stuff for dinner. And said only that he was cooking so much food that we should invite Mom and Dad down. I was really glad we did because I felt so bad that she couldn't make it down this week because Nana came home from Stratford and then had to go back. I know she appreciated it, and so did we. He ended up making ribs, they were so delicious! It's amazing how great food tastes when you're used to hospital food!
We got up on Sunday and Dad made breakfast burritos. They were yummy. The weather wasn't the greatest, but I really wanted to get to Stratford to see Nana. I know she was stressed that she wasn't going to see me before I headed off to Toronto. It was such a relief to see that she was ok and doing well. I can't wait for her to be home and better! After Stratford, we met up with Dustin and Christy at Dairy Queen. It was the best blizzard I have ever had.
Craig dropped me off at the hospital at 4 after all that. It was such a quick weekend, but it was ok to come back knowing that everything was ok back home.
I know people want pictures, and once I get Craig to upload them from the camera, I will post some on here. It's amazing how much I've grown. I walked past the mirror at home and couldn't believe my own eyes!!!
Love you all,
Linds
Anywho, we finally got out of here. The dogs were in the car waiting for me out front! They could see me walking up and Darcy was so excited, she was pawing at the door. What a great feeling to have the dogs all over me because they had missed me so much. I missed them too! We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home. Craig needed to pick up stuff for dinner. And said only that he was cooking so much food that we should invite Mom and Dad down. I was really glad we did because I felt so bad that she couldn't make it down this week because Nana came home from Stratford and then had to go back. I know she appreciated it, and so did we. He ended up making ribs, they were so delicious! It's amazing how great food tastes when you're used to hospital food!
We got up on Sunday and Dad made breakfast burritos. They were yummy. The weather wasn't the greatest, but I really wanted to get to Stratford to see Nana. I know she was stressed that she wasn't going to see me before I headed off to Toronto. It was such a relief to see that she was ok and doing well. I can't wait for her to be home and better! After Stratford, we met up with Dustin and Christy at Dairy Queen. It was the best blizzard I have ever had.
Craig dropped me off at the hospital at 4 after all that. It was such a quick weekend, but it was ok to come back knowing that everything was ok back home.
I know people want pictures, and once I get Craig to upload them from the camera, I will post some on here. It's amazing how much I've grown. I walked past the mirror at home and couldn't believe my own eyes!!!
Love you all,
Linds
Friday, February 20, 2009
This weekend
Just so everyone knows, Craig is picking me up Saturday after my BPP and I'm going home for the night. I'll return sometime Sunday after lunch. I'm so excited to be going home to my puppies and to spend the day and night at home with Craig. I miss everyone so much and I can't wait to have a relaxing night at home.
Sorry if that throws a wrench into everyone's plans to visit. I would love the company during the week :D
Love you all,
Linds
Sorry if that throws a wrench into everyone's plans to visit. I would love the company during the week :D
Love you all,
Linds
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Update
I apologize for not posting any new comments this week, things have been crazy emotionally around here. I think because there's nothing major going on that we haven't had the need to really get on here and post. The girls have been really active, they're waking me up every morning around 6:30 or 7:00 am. It cracks me up because they keep moving around and the techs have such a hard time figuring out which is which. They usually have to call someone in to double check because they don't want to label the wrong one. One is always hiding and they can never get a good image of the hearts. They usually have a downtime during the day, but then at night when I'm relaxing at night they're kicking up a storm. You can literally look at my stomach and see them bugging the other!
My old roommate is doing really well. Right now, her son is just gaining weight before he goes home. We're all really happy for her and her family. She brought her youngest three children to come meet me. It was so sweet.
They have started listening to the heartbeats at bedside to see if they can get a consistent strip of their heartbeats. So far so good.
Thanks all,
Lindsay
My old roommate is doing really well. Right now, her son is just gaining weight before he goes home. We're all really happy for her and her family. She brought her youngest three children to come meet me. It was so sweet.
They have started listening to the heartbeats at bedside to see if they can get a consistent strip of their heartbeats. So far so good.
Thanks all,
Lindsay
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New Location
My roommate gave birth last night at 7:43 pm. She had a boy and was 3lb 10oz. She says he is breathing on his own, but with a CPAP (something like a mask that forces air in case he forgets to breathe). Everything else looks healthy she said. We're so happy for her. She's recovering well also, a little sore from the c-section, but that's expected.
So that being said, I've moved over to the window spot in my ghetto room! I also got an electric bed. So I'm in 659B now. Still no phone hooked up. But if you call my cell (same phone number that you use to call my home) then I can call you back as long as it is local. I can make local calls from my room phone, I just can't receive yet. I will likely set it up when I go to Toronto in a couple of weeks!
Ultrasounds were good today!
Lindsay
So that being said, I've moved over to the window spot in my ghetto room! I also got an electric bed. So I'm in 659B now. Still no phone hooked up. But if you call my cell (same phone number that you use to call my home) then I can call you back as long as it is local. I can make local calls from my room phone, I just can't receive yet. I will likely set it up when I go to Toronto in a couple of weeks!
Ultrasounds were good today!
Lindsay
Monday, February 16, 2009
Family Day
Today was a pretty uneventful day. I told Craig to stay home for the better part of the day to have Family Day with the dogs. I think they really appreciated it. Craig said that they did NOT want him to leave, that's for sure! So he didn't make it in until 4:30. Some excitement around here starting at about 7pm. My roommate made it back to the room at about 5 and at 7 she started having more and more contractions and started to be 2 minutes apart. They called her husband on his cell. He got here at 7:50 and she had the baby at 7:43 via c-section. Things were happening so quickly when Craig and I were in the room. I felt so bad for her, and wish there was something I could do. It's strange how close you get to someone you spend 24 hours with when you have something in common. They had a baby boy, her husband said he hadn't had a chance to see the baby yet and he wasn't even in NICU yet. She was 29 weeks on Saturday. I pray the best for them and their new addition to their large family!
-Linds
Oh yeah, u/s went great this morning. The tech, Sue, said she had a dream about me last night and that when I delivered the babies they were boys. So she had a quick check to make sure they were still girls, and yep, still girls! Baby B wasn't making breathing motions at first, but she was after some time. They both scored perfect again. She also checked velocity flow through the umbilical cords. It's a good indication if there's any kind of cord compression. They were normal also!
-Linds
Oh yeah, u/s went great this morning. The tech, Sue, said she had a dream about me last night and that when I delivered the babies they were boys. So she had a quick check to make sure they were still girls, and yep, still girls! Baby B wasn't making breathing motions at first, but she was after some time. They both scored perfect again. She also checked velocity flow through the umbilical cords. It's a good indication if there's any kind of cord compression. They were normal also!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Ultrasound
With all the ultrasounds I have had, I have gotten quite close with a couple of the technicians. One in particular is Sue. She was the tech that discovered the heart problem in the first place. I saw her yesterday and she was very apologetic about how things went down that Friday, January 30th. She was concerned that she stressed me out with all the commotion and having her call Dr. deVrijer in several times. I told her not to worry about it because at the time we were concerned with admitting me on the Monday and it was not in the forefront of our mind.
As I was waiting for the porter to take me back upstairs, she popped her head out and said that either today or Monday when she was doing my u/s she would turn on the 3D ultrasound to get some cool pictures. She said they're at the right size and there's still lots of fluid. I mentioned this to Craig and he tried his darnedest to get here in time for the ultrasound. Turns out he was here 5 minutes before they called me down, perfect! Sue did what she needed to do. They both got 8/8 again...they're superstars! She kept chuckling because at one point one had her arm reached over and appeared to be scratching the back of the other. It was too cute. I had had a rough morning, and it was exactly what I needed to see.
Here are the pictures... It was often difficult to see their faces as there were body parts everywhere. It was the coolest thing! I will try my best to describe what you see. You will have to study the images from there. Good luck :)
As I was waiting for the porter to take me back upstairs, she popped her head out and said that either today or Monday when she was doing my u/s she would turn on the 3D ultrasound to get some cool pictures. She said they're at the right size and there's still lots of fluid. I mentioned this to Craig and he tried his darnedest to get here in time for the ultrasound. Turns out he was here 5 minutes before they called me down, perfect! Sue did what she needed to do. They both got 8/8 again...they're superstars! She kept chuckling because at one point one had her arm reached over and appeared to be scratching the back of the other. It was too cute. I had had a rough morning, and it was exactly what I needed to see.
Here are the pictures... It was often difficult to see their faces as there were body parts everywhere. It was the coolest thing! I will try my best to describe what you see. You will have to study the images from there. Good luck :)
Side profile of Baby B. You can see this is the right side of her head and you can see her ear.
Head on shot of Baby B again. She has always been so shy, so true to her, you can see her left arm over the tip of her nose covering her mouth. What's cool about this picture is that the foot you see underneath the left arm is Baby A's foot.
Baby A. Beautiful shot of her shoulder and her right arm tucked nicely under her chin.
Baby A again. This one is a bit hard to see, but on the screen she kept putting her hand up to her face. You can see her eyes and nose here and the bones of her hands infront of her mouth.
Baby A. You can see her cute little puffy nose.
Baby A smiling :)
Thank you all for looking and expressing how much you love the blog. We think it's great. We love reading all of your comments.
Love,
Lindsay and Craig
Doug comes home for the weekend
Craig's dad, Doug, came up from Florida for the weekend to spend time with Craig and myself. It surely wasn't expected but was greatly appreciated! I loved spending time with him, he has a way of lightening the mood. He spent all day with us Saturday and Sunday and I know it meant a lot to Craig, it's the most he's eaten all week :) It's hard to go through what we're going through when one of your parents is a long ways away and it was good to have his support this weekend. We wish Rose could have been here also, but we understand that logistically, that just wouldn't have worked.
We just dropped Doug off at the Ramada as he flies home tomorrow. One of the last thing he said to me was, "guess the next time we see you, it will be in Toronto." I never thought anything of it, but as we were driving, Craig says how strange it will be when that IS the case.
It was a wonderful weekend for visitors. The weekend just FLEW by and I loved having the company. I can never say it enough, but I really appreciate people dropping by for even a quick visit. You're all in my thoughts!
Love you all! Thanks Doug for a great weekend!
Linds
We just dropped Doug off at the Ramada as he flies home tomorrow. One of the last thing he said to me was, "guess the next time we see you, it will be in Toronto." I never thought anything of it, but as we were driving, Craig says how strange it will be when that IS the case.
It was a wonderful weekend for visitors. The weekend just FLEW by and I loved having the company. I can never say it enough, but I really appreciate people dropping by for even a quick visit. You're all in my thoughts!
Love you all! Thanks Doug for a great weekend!
Linds
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Retraction of the Retraction
Just a quick note...
I didn't "mistakenly" put down 57 instead of 47. :)
-Craig
I didn't "mistakenly" put down 57 instead of 47. :)
-Craig
Fridays' appointments in Toronto
Well Friday was a good, but very long day for all of us. I forget how exhasuting it must be to be sitting around while I'm being tested, but Craig and mom did a great job of being patient and upbeat!
First was my fetal Echo at Sick Kids. First of all, Sick Kids is a beautiful hospital, not intimidating at all. You could see children (and even adults...i.e. us) coming and being amazed at the vastness of the front lobby. It was so open and inviting. There was a fellow (aka the dufus) who was gaining more experience with the ultrasound technology. I normally don't have a problem with this, except he was very irritating. He was doing Twin A and didn't move the transducer around a lot so it was hurting me because it was in the same position. He couldn't get the aorta arch, so the tech took over...found it and moved on to twin B. Was glad that he did because the bed was so uncomfortable and my back was absolutely killing me! He got all that he needed, but the dufus was making comments about the baby and the problems with the heart, and speculating at what they would have to do to repair. I heard words like "challenging", "discrepancies", and saw him shake his head, etc. I finally had enough and looked at him and said "I'm sorry, but I have done enough research to know exactly what you are talking about so I would appreciate talking to Dr. Jaeggi about it all first. Thanks" He said, ok and then left after a couple of minutes. I asked the tech if that was too rude of me, and he chuckled and said no, that he shouldn't have been doing that.
Dr. Jaeggi said that the complication with the heart is repairable. The aorta isn't as small as Dr. Rosenberg first stated and that he can just put a balloon in it to make it bigger. They need to be a minimum of 28 weeks in order for there to be a good outcome. He says to us, please keep those babies in as long as possible, thanks. He said they do 700 heart surgeries a year at Sick Kids and has seen this about 7 or 8 times a year. So the silver lining is, they haven't said "oh, we haven't seen this before!"
After lunch we went over to Mount Sinai to speak with one of the high risks obstetricians about the fact that I'm carrying mono mono twins. There was a huge ultrasound conference Thursday, Friday and Saturday so there was only one on-call doctor and he was in Labour & Delivery and couldn't get way to speak with us. So they called over a fellow (Dr. Julia Robertson) to do an ultrasound on me for their own pictures and get some information from me. The ultrasound was cool because mom and Craig could be there the whole time. They had a tv where it showed everything she was doing. The most wild thing for me was when I could see one of the babies kicking on the monitor and feel it at the same time. It really hit home and really clued in that I have two babies growing inside me. Seeing them move around as much as they were reconfirmed the fact that I know everything is going to work out ok. Whatever the outcome, both babies will be loved and cherished with as much as Craig and I can give.
Dr. Jaeggi wants me to deliver at Mount Sinai, so they'll likely transfer me to there between 27 and 28 weeks, which is in 2-3 weeks. For about 20 minutes, I thought I was staying there and mom and Craig were coming home without me. The nurse misread my chart and started getting a bed ready for me. I'm glad I didn't stay since I'm getting the care that I want here, in London. When I go to Toronto, I will be more mentally prepared at that point!
Craig says I ramble, but the way I see it, then you all know what I'm thinking!
Love you all,
Linds
First was my fetal Echo at Sick Kids. First of all, Sick Kids is a beautiful hospital, not intimidating at all. You could see children (and even adults...i.e. us) coming and being amazed at the vastness of the front lobby. It was so open and inviting. There was a fellow (aka the dufus) who was gaining more experience with the ultrasound technology. I normally don't have a problem with this, except he was very irritating. He was doing Twin A and didn't move the transducer around a lot so it was hurting me because it was in the same position. He couldn't get the aorta arch, so the tech took over...found it and moved on to twin B. Was glad that he did because the bed was so uncomfortable and my back was absolutely killing me! He got all that he needed, but the dufus was making comments about the baby and the problems with the heart, and speculating at what they would have to do to repair. I heard words like "challenging", "discrepancies", and saw him shake his head, etc. I finally had enough and looked at him and said "I'm sorry, but I have done enough research to know exactly what you are talking about so I would appreciate talking to Dr. Jaeggi about it all first. Thanks" He said, ok and then left after a couple of minutes. I asked the tech if that was too rude of me, and he chuckled and said no, that he shouldn't have been doing that.
Dr. Jaeggi said that the complication with the heart is repairable. The aorta isn't as small as Dr. Rosenberg first stated and that he can just put a balloon in it to make it bigger. They need to be a minimum of 28 weeks in order for there to be a good outcome. He says to us, please keep those babies in as long as possible, thanks. He said they do 700 heart surgeries a year at Sick Kids and has seen this about 7 or 8 times a year. So the silver lining is, they haven't said "oh, we haven't seen this before!"
After lunch we went over to Mount Sinai to speak with one of the high risks obstetricians about the fact that I'm carrying mono mono twins. There was a huge ultrasound conference Thursday, Friday and Saturday so there was only one on-call doctor and he was in Labour & Delivery and couldn't get way to speak with us. So they called over a fellow (Dr. Julia Robertson) to do an ultrasound on me for their own pictures and get some information from me. The ultrasound was cool because mom and Craig could be there the whole time. They had a tv where it showed everything she was doing. The most wild thing for me was when I could see one of the babies kicking on the monitor and feel it at the same time. It really hit home and really clued in that I have two babies growing inside me. Seeing them move around as much as they were reconfirmed the fact that I know everything is going to work out ok. Whatever the outcome, both babies will be loved and cherished with as much as Craig and I can give.
Dr. Jaeggi wants me to deliver at Mount Sinai, so they'll likely transfer me to there between 27 and 28 weeks, which is in 2-3 weeks. For about 20 minutes, I thought I was staying there and mom and Craig were coming home without me. The nurse misread my chart and started getting a bed ready for me. I'm glad I didn't stay since I'm getting the care that I want here, in London. When I go to Toronto, I will be more mentally prepared at that point!
Craig says I ramble, but the way I see it, then you all know what I'm thinking!
Love you all,
Linds
Retraction
Some things I need to correct on here...
1. Craig mistakenly put 57 as his Mother-in-laws age when she had her birthday on Tuesday. I will say for the record, she turned 47, not 57. Though if it was 57, she would look mighty good for her age! Must be all that face stuff! :)
2. I saw paperwork yesterday that stated my estimated due date is May 30th, which means me saying I was 25 weeks on Thursday was also inaccurate. It means that today, Saturday, I am 25 weeks!!! Yay! So on Thursday, I was 24 weeks, 5 days. Sorry for the confusion
3. Dr. Yaeggi, is actually Dr. Jaeggi, but pronounced the first way. Nice man, does NOT like to be tape recorded!!! He had a real issue with that! haha
Thanks, I will put the results from yesterday up quite soon.
Linds
1. Craig mistakenly put 57 as his Mother-in-laws age when she had her birthday on Tuesday. I will say for the record, she turned 47, not 57. Though if it was 57, she would look mighty good for her age! Must be all that face stuff! :)
2. I saw paperwork yesterday that stated my estimated due date is May 30th, which means me saying I was 25 weeks on Thursday was also inaccurate. It means that today, Saturday, I am 25 weeks!!! Yay! So on Thursday, I was 24 weeks, 5 days. Sorry for the confusion
3. Dr. Yaeggi, is actually Dr. Jaeggi, but pronounced the first way. Nice man, does NOT like to be tape recorded!!! He had a real issue with that! haha
Thanks, I will put the results from yesterday up quite soon.
Linds
Thursday, February 12, 2009
No clots!
No clot in my leg, which is wonderful news! Not sure what the deal was, but my leg is good! What a strange ultrasound that was!
T-minus 30 minutes before Craig picks me up and I get to see my puppies!!!
-Linds
T-minus 30 minutes before Craig picks me up and I get to see my puppies!!!
-Linds
25 weeks!!!
We're so glad I'm as far along as I am. It's strange to think like that, but we're thankful that they are the size they are.
Had my biophysical u/s this morning. Both were 8/8 (see previous post if you have no idea what I'm talking about) so that's always excellent news! It was a quickie u/s so they must have done everything they needed to. The girls have switched positions. Yesterday, and every day up until then, Baby A has always been head down and B was laying beside her. Today they have done a switcheroo and are laying more on their side. You can really see a difference in my belly that they have changed positions.
I was having a pain in my left leg this morning and told the resident about it. She ordered a doppler to check the blood flow. I just got back from that and am waiting to hear the results. I don't think it's a clot since I have no pain in my calf. Blood clots are a concern with pregnant women, especially women who are on bed rest.
Tomorrow we are going to Sick Kids and Mount Sinai to meet with some doctors up there. Appointments start at 8am so it will be an early morning. We thought about getting a hotel room, but we have the dogs to worry about and I would really love to sleep at home in my own bed! It will be a nice night away! Mom is coming with us for an extra set of ears since it's information overload!
Will let you know when I find out about my leg,
God bless,
Linds
Had my biophysical u/s this morning. Both were 8/8 (see previous post if you have no idea what I'm talking about) so that's always excellent news! It was a quickie u/s so they must have done everything they needed to. The girls have switched positions. Yesterday, and every day up until then, Baby A has always been head down and B was laying beside her. Today they have done a switcheroo and are laying more on their side. You can really see a difference in my belly that they have changed positions.
I was having a pain in my left leg this morning and told the resident about it. She ordered a doppler to check the blood flow. I just got back from that and am waiting to hear the results. I don't think it's a clot since I have no pain in my calf. Blood clots are a concern with pregnant women, especially women who are on bed rest.
Tomorrow we are going to Sick Kids and Mount Sinai to meet with some doctors up there. Appointments start at 8am so it will be an early morning. We thought about getting a hotel room, but we have the dogs to worry about and I would really love to sleep at home in my own bed! It will be a nice night away! Mom is coming with us for an extra set of ears since it's information overload!
Will let you know when I find out about my leg,
God bless,
Linds
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Biophysical Ultrasounds
Craig did a beautiful job of explaining what's going on with the babies heart. He's an amazing husband, isn't he?
I would like to add about the ultrasound from this morning. I know the perfect score for a baby who has a normal well-being is 8/8. You'll hear lots about this, so I thought I would let you know what this really means. There are 4 things they're looking for and the score is either 0 or 2. Either they do it or they don't. There's no in between.
Criteria for biophysical profile:
1) Fetal breathing movments - 1 or more episodes of movement in 30 seconds
2) Gross body movements - 2 or more discrete body/ limb movements within 30 min
3) Fetal tone - 1 or more episodes of active extension with return to flexion of fetal limb(s) or trunk (opening and closing of hand considered normal tone)
4) Fluid - 1 or more pockets of fluid measuring >2 cm in vertical axis (it's hard because they're mono mono twins that they share the same amniotic sac so they're testing two different spots to make sure they have enough fluid)
Today I am 24 weeks 6 days and the babies are measuring Baby A 25 Wks 1 day (1 lb 10 oz) and Baby B 25 wks 3 days (1 lb 13 oz). So that's super!!! I'm quite excited with that. This morning, they got a 6/8 because they couldn't see breathing motions, but as I've told everyone, a baby before 28 or 29 weeks does not HAVE to make those movements and it's even a surprise when they get an 8/8, which is what they've had the past two days.
There has been some questions about posting on here. I went into the settings for the blog and it I checked a box that will allow anyone to comment now. All you have to do now is type your comment, and in the drop down box choose Name/URL and then enter your name click on Continue. This will work perfectly. Sorry for the earlier confusion!!!
Love you all,
Linds
I would like to add about the ultrasound from this morning. I know the perfect score for a baby who has a normal well-being is 8/8. You'll hear lots about this, so I thought I would let you know what this really means. There are 4 things they're looking for and the score is either 0 or 2. Either they do it or they don't. There's no in between.
Criteria for biophysical profile:
1) Fetal breathing movments - 1 or more episodes of movement in 30 seconds
2) Gross body movements - 2 or more discrete body/ limb movements within 30 min
3) Fetal tone - 1 or more episodes of active extension with return to flexion of fetal limb(s) or trunk (opening and closing of hand considered normal tone)
4) Fluid - 1 or more pockets of fluid measuring >2 cm in vertical axis (it's hard because they're mono mono twins that they share the same amniotic sac so they're testing two different spots to make sure they have enough fluid)
Today I am 24 weeks 6 days and the babies are measuring Baby A 25 Wks 1 day (1 lb 10 oz) and Baby B 25 wks 3 days (1 lb 13 oz). So that's super!!! I'm quite excited with that. This morning, they got a 6/8 because they couldn't see breathing motions, but as I've told everyone, a baby before 28 or 29 weeks does not HAVE to make those movements and it's even a surprise when they get an 8/8, which is what they've had the past two days.
There has been some questions about posting on here. I went into the settings for the blog and it I checked a box that will allow anyone to comment now. All you have to do now is type your comment, and in the drop down box choose Name/URL and then enter your name click on Continue. This will work perfectly. Sorry for the earlier confusion!!!
Love you all,
Linds
Results From the Fetal Echo Test
Sheila picked Lindsay up from Club Med yesterday afternoon and they went out for lunch. It was Sheila's 57th birthday. Happy birthday Sheila! From there, they headed off to the Children's Hospital, where Lindsay had her Fetal Echo Test on the babies' hearts. The doctor met with them afterwards, and what he had to say was not exactly what we were hoping for!
Basically, Twin A is fine, however Twin B has a heart issue. Once the twins are born, Twin B will require heart surgery within the first 2 to 3 days. I have attached 2 pictures above to help make sense of things. The first picture is a normal heart, and the second is what the heart of Twin B looks like (Thanks Dale for finding these pictures online!)
Normal Heart
If you paid attention in Grade 10 Science, you will know that blood flows into the heart from the artery in the bottom left hand corner (I don't really know if that's an artery - I didn't pay attention in Grade 10 Science...), and flows into the Right Ventricle. It then flows up through the Aorta, hangs a right at the intersection, and goes out to the lungs. It then comes back in from the 2 thingies on the right, goes into the Left Ventricle, up through the Pulmonary Artery and back out into the body.
Problem Heart
Two things you will notice with the problem heart, which is what Twin B's looks like...you will see that there is a gap between the Left and Right Ventricles, and the Pulmonary Artery and the Aorta are not crossed. When the twins are born, the doctor at Children's Hospital explained that a 'routine' surgery would be performed in which the gap between the Ventricles would be closed, and the Aorta and Pulmonary Artery would be placed in the correct spot. He gave an 85 to 90% success rate.
On top of all this, at present time, the diameter of Twin B's Aorta is too small to do its job properly. The doctor told us that there is still (hopefully) lots of time left for the baby to grow inside the womb, so it is still very possible that the Aorta will reach the required size by the time the baby is born. Should this not happen, however, the baby will be required to undergo a set of 3 surgeries by the time it is 3 years old.
We were also told that this surgery will not be performed unless the baby is born over 30 weeks. So, at this point, we are all praying that BOTH twins can remain inside Lindsay until that time without becoming distressed!
The surgery will be performed at Mount Sinai in Toronto. The doctors prefer that Lindsay deliver the babies in Toronto instead of London so that they can get right to the surgery. Should she deliver in London, Twin B will be shipped off to Toronto for the surgery. We are heading to Toronto either tomorrow or Friday to meet with Dr. Yaeggi, who is a pediatric cardologist and also the Maternal Fetal Medicine Team.
We'll keep you all posted!
-Craig
Monday, February 9, 2009
From a room with a view...
Well all settled in, thanks so much to Craig for spending his day with me, it meant a lot to me. I have the bestest husband ever! Things are going pretty good so far here. Had my first ultrasound today and everything looked good. Dr. deVrijer and Dr. Gratton came by today to check up on me. And what seemed like 6 interns...that was a little strange :)
It's bloody hot in here, even my roomie says so. We've had the window open all day and still no relief. Must have something to do with the hormones running through our bodies, no other explanation. I have lots of movies, tv series, books, crafty stuff, scrapbooking magazines and other stuff to keep me company. Here's hoping I go through all of them while I'm here for the long haul!
My roomate, Helen, is very normal and very nice! Always a fear in a place like this, you never know who you're going to get! Most pregnant women are here this round because of ruptured membranes.
Thanks for the well-wishes. Will keep you all updated!
-Lindsay
It's bloody hot in here, even my roomie says so. We've had the window open all day and still no relief. Must have something to do with the hormones running through our bodies, no other explanation. I have lots of movies, tv series, books, crafty stuff, scrapbooking magazines and other stuff to keep me company. Here's hoping I go through all of them while I'm here for the long haul!
My roomate, Helen, is very normal and very nice! Always a fear in a place like this, you never know who you're going to get! Most pregnant women are here this round because of ruptured membranes.
Thanks for the well-wishes. Will keep you all updated!
-Lindsay
Hospital Information
Lindsay is finally settled in her room at St. Joe's. She's in a semi-private room...I was talking to the nurse about visiting hours, and in the section where Lindsay is staying, they don't care when people come to visit (get that, Sheila....THEY DON'T CARE!! :) )...so whenever you are able to pop in, feel free to do so! There are 2 fridges for the patients here to use, so should anyone wish to bring Lindsay a little something-something, she has a place to store it...there's a freezer too!
Lindsay is in room #B3, 659A. Her phone number is 519-646-6000, ext#63527. The phone is not working just yet, but we're working on that! You can also email Lindsay if you don't already have her email address (novab@hotmail.com), and that address can also be used to get in touch with her on MSN. She's even got a webcam set up here for those of you out of town! :)
If you go into the building off Grosvernor St (a big set of revolving doors), and walk straight ahead...you'll come to a set of 3 elevators. Take one to the 3rd floor (remember, on the way out, you're going back to level '0'). When you get to the 3rd floor, you'll have a choice between going left & right. Hang a right. Go down to the end of the hall, you'll see a nurses' station. Ignore them, and hang a left. Go down that hall and take your first left. Follow that around until you come to Lindsay's room (659A on the left hand side).
Thanks all!
-Craig
Lindsay is in room #B3, 659A. Her phone number is 519-646-6000, ext#63527. The phone is not working just yet, but we're working on that! You can also email Lindsay if you don't already have her email address (novab@hotmail.com), and that address can also be used to get in touch with her on MSN. She's even got a webcam set up here for those of you out of town! :)
If you go into the building off Grosvernor St (a big set of revolving doors), and walk straight ahead...you'll come to a set of 3 elevators. Take one to the 3rd floor (remember, on the way out, you're going back to level '0'). When you get to the 3rd floor, you'll have a choice between going left & right. Hang a right. Go down to the end of the hall, you'll see a nurses' station. Ignore them, and hang a left. Go down that hall and take your first left. Follow that around until you come to Lindsay's room (659A on the left hand side).
Thanks all!
-Craig
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Last day...
Well today is my last day of freedom before Club Med tomorrow! Craig is taking me in at 10am and I have very mixed feelings about it all. On one hand, I'm really glad to be in the care of the staff but on the other hand, I'm worried that if they see something off they'll pull them too early. One thing's for sure, I'm going to miss life in Lucan and it's strange to think that the next time I'm back here, I'll have delivered the girls. Hopefully I have a nice roomie and I make some new friends. Off to finish packing.
-Lindsay
-Lindsay
Friday, February 6, 2009
24 Weeks, 1 Day
Had the bioscan ultrasound this morning at 11. This is a scan that checks how things are generally with the girls. They check how the fluids move through the umbilical cord and through the placenta. Then we waited for what seemed like forever to see the doctor. Overall it was a very good appointment with the doctor. We had made the decision last night that I need to go into the hospital at 24 weeks for sheer peace of mind and to be monitored daily. I know it's not perfect monitoring, but it's better than once a week. This way, they will be able to do a bioscan every day to see how things are with the girls. If they see something they don't like they can assess the situation again in a couple of hours. For me, making the decision to wait until 27 weeks before being admitted is just something I would never be able to live with. This way, I know I've done everything I can and have to put my faith in God and pray that He keeps them safe! I know nothing will be wrong with them, but we need to be prepared for the 'what ifs'.
The tests are by no means perfect, the doctor was quite clear. The non-stress test (NST) is not an effective test until 28 weeks because any baby does not HAVE to show all signs of normal activity (i.e. consistent heart rate, breathing motions, kicking, etc) until about 28 weeks. In fact, 6 out of 10 babies do not show these signs. However, if they see something, they can readdress how things are in a few hours. So until the babies are big enough for the NST I will have ultrasounds every day. The doctor was very understanding of my emotional state and I believe she took that into consideration when she agreed to admitting me. We also spoke with the 'baby doctor' and he informed us of the risks associated with a 24-26 weeker. We know the risks and we know the consequences of maybe pulling them before they're really ready. However, I (and I'm sure Craig does too) that these little girls are growing inside of me for a reason and I have to trust that everything will be ok. I know they will be loved more than anything.
On to other stuff. Today, I am 24 weeks 1 day. One baby is measuring 24 weeks 4 days and the other is 25 weeks 3 days. So the doctor is quite happy with where they are, since they are in fact ahead of schedule and that they're roughly the same size.
Tuesday, mom is coming down to pick me up (I will have a temp leave from the hospital) to go to the Children's Hospital to have a closer look at one of their hearts. The doctor isn't sure exactly what the deal is, but that something is up with one heart. Could be that they were moving too much when they tried to take pics, or that the aorta and vena cava are not the size they should be at. Will keep everyone posted as to what that means when I find out on Tuesday.
Thank you to everyone for taking an interest in this blog and for your thoughts!
-Lindsay
The tests are by no means perfect, the doctor was quite clear. The non-stress test (NST) is not an effective test until 28 weeks because any baby does not HAVE to show all signs of normal activity (i.e. consistent heart rate, breathing motions, kicking, etc) until about 28 weeks. In fact, 6 out of 10 babies do not show these signs. However, if they see something, they can readdress how things are in a few hours. So until the babies are big enough for the NST I will have ultrasounds every day. The doctor was very understanding of my emotional state and I believe she took that into consideration when she agreed to admitting me. We also spoke with the 'baby doctor' and he informed us of the risks associated with a 24-26 weeker. We know the risks and we know the consequences of maybe pulling them before they're really ready. However, I (and I'm sure Craig does too) that these little girls are growing inside of me for a reason and I have to trust that everything will be ok. I know they will be loved more than anything.
On to other stuff. Today, I am 24 weeks 1 day. One baby is measuring 24 weeks 4 days and the other is 25 weeks 3 days. So the doctor is quite happy with where they are, since they are in fact ahead of schedule and that they're roughly the same size.
Tuesday, mom is coming down to pick me up (I will have a temp leave from the hospital) to go to the Children's Hospital to have a closer look at one of their hearts. The doctor isn't sure exactly what the deal is, but that something is up with one heart. Could be that they were moving too much when they tried to take pics, or that the aorta and vena cava are not the size they should be at. Will keep everyone posted as to what that means when I find out on Tuesday.
Thank you to everyone for taking an interest in this blog and for your thoughts!
-Lindsay
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
First day...
Yesterday was my first day on bed rest. Not because of the twins (well not entirely) but because the dr. measured my fundal height (height of my uterus) and saw that I was 37 cm (which is essentially full-term, or close to, for a singleton. They then checked my cervix (sorry if that grosses people out, it's dinner-time talk around here!) because a) I've never had a kid before and b) I've never had twins before so they want to know how it will handle the pressure. It was a good thickness, and then funnelled with a braxton hicks contraction (which occur throughout all pregnancies). Of all things, we did not want to go into labour because of this. I pray I keep these babies in me as long as I can!
My brother came down on his snowmobile yesterday to hang out with me for a couple of hours. It was a wonderful thing for him to do and I apologized for not being more entertaining. But he made me lunch, which I truly appreciated, and we played MarioKart and cards while I was laying on the couch.
Monday was an emotionally hard day for me! As I started to tell the kids that Monday was my last day, I started trembling and couldn't do it. My principal had perfect timing and walked in. I asked her to tell them as I sat at the front of room with tears. She said everything I needed to say, it was a true blessing that she could do that for me! I told the kids it was bittersweet, and I think they understand! They made me a huge card where everyone signed it and they gave me a wonderful goodbye. I will truly miss them and my prayers are with each one of them.
I think because I wasn't teaching yesterday and laying around, I could REALLY feel them moving. At one point, Adam looked over and said, uh, Linds your belly just moved! :) They have become quite active.
So for now, Riley, Darcy and daytime television is my life!
-Lindsay
My brother came down on his snowmobile yesterday to hang out with me for a couple of hours. It was a wonderful thing for him to do and I apologized for not being more entertaining. But he made me lunch, which I truly appreciated, and we played MarioKart and cards while I was laying on the couch.
Monday was an emotionally hard day for me! As I started to tell the kids that Monday was my last day, I started trembling and couldn't do it. My principal had perfect timing and walked in. I asked her to tell them as I sat at the front of room with tears. She said everything I needed to say, it was a true blessing that she could do that for me! I told the kids it was bittersweet, and I think they understand! They made me a huge card where everyone signed it and they gave me a wonderful goodbye. I will truly miss them and my prayers are with each one of them.
I think because I wasn't teaching yesterday and laying around, I could REALLY feel them moving. At one point, Adam looked over and said, uh, Linds your belly just moved! :) They have become quite active.
So for now, Riley, Darcy and daytime television is my life!
-Lindsay
THEY'RE GIRLS!!!
We are extremely excited that we have going to be having two baby girls. We can't wait until two little pink and purple dressed blessings are roaming around the house chasing after Darcy (Riley will just be laying in the floor and will move to a couch if he's bothered). Poor Craig and Riley will be the only men of the house...I think we'll need another shower built!
A Brief Explanation
Just what are "monoamniotic twins"?
There are two types of twins in general, fraternal (which are considered genetic in that they run on the mothers side) and identical (which are spontaneous). Identical twins share 100% of their genes and occurs approximately 1 in every 250 pregnancies. Monoamniotic twins are always identical...here's why:
When the egg splits, one of the first things to form is the yolk sac. No one is really sure why, but the important question is whether there are two yolk sacs or just one. If the egg splits after the placenta has formed, then the two babies will share a placenta and and chorion (somewhere between 8-12 days after conception). This is what we mean when we say Monoamniotic Monochorionic (or MoMo twins).
This means that both babies share the same living space. They don't just share their house, they share a bedroom, bathroom, and playroom. While it is still possible even for a singleton to become tangled in his or her own cord, monoamniotic twins have to worry about becoming tangled in their sibling's cord, too. Cord entanglement is the number one risk in this type of pregnancy.
One other thing with monoamniotic twins is that I will be delivering via c-section, prematurely. The idea is to balance the outside risks (prematurity) vs. the inside risks (cord compression). MoMo twins are very rare. Occurring in only 1 percent of all twin pregnancies and are always the same gender.
We are very blessed to have the love and support from our family and friends. We appreciate the prayers and everyone who has listened to our worries and concerns and the time you have given us. If you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to email or call me (as Craig said, I am on bed rest...not because of the monoamniotic twins, but because my body is essentially 'full-term' for one baby and we need to do everything we can to keep me from going into pre-term labour).
Here is a diagram of what the two babies look like:
Here are the twins on the day of discover, December 29th, 2008 at 18 weeks 4 days:
-Lindsay
There are two types of twins in general, fraternal (which are considered genetic in that they run on the mothers side) and identical (which are spontaneous). Identical twins share 100% of their genes and occurs approximately 1 in every 250 pregnancies. Monoamniotic twins are always identical...here's why:
When the egg splits, one of the first things to form is the yolk sac. No one is really sure why, but the important question is whether there are two yolk sacs or just one. If the egg splits after the placenta has formed, then the two babies will share a placenta and and chorion (somewhere between 8-12 days after conception). This is what we mean when we say Monoamniotic Monochorionic (or MoMo twins).
This means that both babies share the same living space. They don't just share their house, they share a bedroom, bathroom, and playroom. While it is still possible even for a singleton to become tangled in his or her own cord, monoamniotic twins have to worry about becoming tangled in their sibling's cord, too. Cord entanglement is the number one risk in this type of pregnancy.
One other thing with monoamniotic twins is that I will be delivering via c-section, prematurely. The idea is to balance the outside risks (prematurity) vs. the inside risks (cord compression). MoMo twins are very rare. Occurring in only 1 percent of all twin pregnancies and are always the same gender.
We are very blessed to have the love and support from our family and friends. We appreciate the prayers and everyone who has listened to our worries and concerns and the time you have given us. If you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to email or call me (as Craig said, I am on bed rest...not because of the monoamniotic twins, but because my body is essentially 'full-term' for one baby and we need to do everything we can to keep me from going into pre-term labour).
Here is a diagram of what the two babies look like:
Here are the twins on the day of discover, December 29th, 2008 at 18 weeks 4 days:
-Lindsay
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
An Opening Post
Hi all,
Welcome to our new blog! By creating this and hopefully keeping it relatively updated, Lindsay and I hope that you will be able to visit the site quite frequently (so make sure you've got it bookmakred) for information and/or progress updates. While we have only been dealing with the news of having Monoamniotic Twins for a little over two weeks now, we have found that the most exhausting part has been communicating the results of doctor's appointments to everyone. We thought we would give this a shot...after an appointment, or whenever the need arises, we will update the blog. This will allow everyone to get themselves up to speed. Once the twins arrive, we will use this site to upload pictures and other progress reports!
Because Lindsay is now at home on bedrest, you may find her updating this site with random thoughts as well. Please feel free to leave comments after any of the posts - we would love to hear from you!
Lindsay and I would like to thank everyone for all the love and support you have given us to date. We truly appreciate everything!
-Craig
Welcome to our new blog! By creating this and hopefully keeping it relatively updated, Lindsay and I hope that you will be able to visit the site quite frequently (so make sure you've got it bookmakred) for information and/or progress updates. While we have only been dealing with the news of having Monoamniotic Twins for a little over two weeks now, we have found that the most exhausting part has been communicating the results of doctor's appointments to everyone. We thought we would give this a shot...after an appointment, or whenever the need arises, we will update the blog. This will allow everyone to get themselves up to speed. Once the twins arrive, we will use this site to upload pictures and other progress reports!
Because Lindsay is now at home on bedrest, you may find her updating this site with random thoughts as well. Please feel free to leave comments after any of the posts - we would love to hear from you!
Lindsay and I would like to thank everyone for all the love and support you have given us to date. We truly appreciate everything!
-Craig
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