07 July 2009

Today was THAT Day

I'm sitting here munching on raw almonds, cheese, and spicy salmon salad on crackers wondering how to write this post.

I have for the past two months had an irrational fear of going to the OB office. "Is this appointment where the high risk bad news gonna start rolling in?" I would wonder every time I pulled into the parking garage. I've read a lot about what could happen and feel pretty educated to receive bad news, but truthfully I've had an extremely easy pregnancy. The kind of pregnancy that has made nearly every mother of singletons I know jealous. I haven't once worshipped the porcelain god, I'm gaining weight at a rate that the doctors like (and the weight has stayed mostly in the tummy!), my cervical length was an astounding 4.3 cm at 24 weeks, my blood pressure looks great, I've eaten enough cow and broccoli to keep anemia away, and I actually have the energy to move about and do things (although at a slower pace). In fact, the only things I've had to complain about are the 3 weeks of the first trimester that I slept away, the amount of food that I have to eat everyday just to keep from feeling starved (bring on the pie eating contests... I promise I'll win!), and how sensitive my belly button is (OUCH!).

Today was that day; the one I've been fearing. When the doctor delivers bad news to your already hormonally challenged body, it's all you can do to keep from becoming a quivering, tearful, anxious mess. But let me try to keep it real and first list the blessings.
  1. My movement has still not been restricted. I will still be known as Buoy in the newly opened swimming pool!
  2. My weight gain is still right on target.
  3. The girls were so active (and evasive) that the ultrasound tech had to chase them around my womb!
  4. The vagal response I had from laying flat on my back while the tech chased the aforementioned rambunctious twins around, did not result in fainting because of quick intervention (rolling onto my left side and off my vena cava).
  5. My high blood pressure as first recorded, was due to this vagal episode (okay I'm a nerd and am fascinated by this whole thing) and went away after more rest on my left side.
  6. Baby A still looks like daddy and is stubborn like me (and still breech)
  7. Baby B is still giving death stares to the ultrasound tech (poor Karen!) for touching her and will not allow a profile picture to be taken (and still cephalic!).
  8. I am still hungry enough to clean out the fridge (given the opportunity and lack of aversion to anything in there).
  9. None of us are in a hospital!
The "bad news" doesn't seem so daunting with that list finished first.
  1. Baby A might have club foot. The Shriner's hospital is here in Greenville and has a doctor trained to treat club foot with the Ponseti method. Treatment using the Ponseti method consists of 5-8 foot stretching and castings, a clip of the Achilles tendon, 3-4 months solid in barred together shoes, and then barred together shoes during nap/sleep periods until age 4-5. After that period Baby A would be just as normal as other kids. Kristi Yamaguchi was a club foot patient. So really I'm not at all stressed about this. A hassle (if she does indeed have it), but not a hassle that's unmanageable.
  2. Baby A is measuring in the 2nd percentile for gestational age. This means that of 100 babies her age, statistically only 1 would be smaller than she is. Of course the gestational age comparison is with singletons so one would expect her to be a little small as a twin, but that is more than low enough for them to send me to a perinatologist (doctor who specializes in high risk pregnancies).
  3. Baby B is 10-15% larger than Baby A. I find this weird considering my girls do not share a placenta (as far as they've been able to tell). But I guess it really means that A's placenta isn't working as well as B's. Or that A is burning off all the nutrients from constantly body slamming B :-p
All and all the news isn't that bad. The girls are still relatively healthy and are currently performing their circus routines in my tummy. It does mean that I'll probably get ultrasound pictures even more frequently this trimester and may even get a fancy 3D ultrasound. W

Pray that we'll be able to avoid anxiety on two fronts: financial and unnecessary worry about the girls. Pray also that we'll surrender these little ones to His care and know that His grace is sufficient.

9 comments:

KJ said...

Hey-
I found your website through the Multiples and More blog. Try not to stress too much about the babies. We had twin boys and at 24 weeks if I remember right, baby B was still breech for us. And he flipped by the time we delivered! Also, don't focus too much on the weights. They can be off by quite a bit. At one point we were told there was a 15% weight difference, but when they were born (a few days later) there was only a 4 oz difference. Keep trucking along! The last few months will go by faster then you think! If you ever have any questions...feel free to ask!

Jamie said...

GOD is SO GOOD!!! You are doing a fabulous job...I pray you continue on your journey to full term. God and I discussed this topic alot while I was prego with my two. I carried to 37w6d and it was all because I knew He would give me the strength to do it! I know it is hard to be overwhelmed, but you sound like you are so on target! These last few weeks are going to be teh toughest, but I believe you can do it! Oh...silly me; I popped over from the MoMs blog.

cat said...

Ove here form MOMs as well. The perinatologist told me that every woman has one optimal place for a placenta to attach and that the first baby to attache normally gets it. Some woman have a few almost as good places, others not. Therefore a difference in weight is normal. Try not to stress too much (I know it is easier said that done). God's love and loght to you girl.

Heather said...

I'll be praying!

On another subject, I saw this today and thought of you and your girls! http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/inspiration/found-table-tents-with-windows-089451

I can totally see you whipping up one of these for them when they're older!

E. Merritt said...

I also found your blog through the Multiples and More blog. I had BBB triplets at 30 weeks and my baby C was IUGR (growth restricted). He was in the 2% growth from day 1 and continues to be right on/below the growth charts. Baby A and B were 3 lbs. 5 oz and Baby C was 2 lbs. 12 oz. At almost 5 months their weights range from 10-12 lbs. My little Baby C (Noah) remains the smallest, but is physically the strongest (he's already rolled over and holding his head up).The little ones seem to have to prove themselves!

Emily said...

It sounds like you are doing everything you can, Melissa. Keep it up! Those weight estimates can be waaay off. And even if one twin is bigger than the other, I'm sure they will even out later in life. My mother's twins were 8 lbs 13 oz and 5 lbs 7 oz. Now at age 14...and really since they were about 2...they are the same size. I think the girls will be fine. God is watching over them!

Andreina said...

Hi Melissa,
Thanks for stopping by my blog :)

I think our pregnancies sound so similar! I've also been very lucky...and other than the back pain I really can't complain!.

I know it's hard not to worry, but I think it's a good thing to see a specialist anyway!. I think your girls are fine and I have erad it's normal for them not to be the exact same weight. Usually when they each have a placenta, Drs don't really worry about small size differences (they are two different babies! ;))

So keep up the good job...and keep enjoying those kicks!! They are fun for sure (even in the middle of the night!)

Andreina

Unknown said...

I'm new to your blog and am enjoying reading about your preparations for your little ones. Our twins (boy/boy) had different estimated weights while I was carrying them. The doctor was concerned and I had many ultrasounds. My dad and husband would look at the ultrasound photos and talk about how the babies didn't even look alike (the docs suspected they were identical). I delivered at 36 weeks, the boys weighed 6#1oz. & 5#2oz. Oh, and baby B (who was breech the entire time (up until two days before I delivered)was head down when I went into labor (despite the fact that the ultrasound tech and doctor felt "assured" they would change positions.) It's great that you are looking at all the good news first. God is so good!

Kristyn said...

Hi, I'm stopping by from Multiples and More. One of my twins was much smaller than the other for awhile (in the beginning the Drs said there was less than a 50% chance that I'd deliver both of them) and then all of a sudden started catching up. By the time they were born (38 weeks) there was only 3 oz difference between them (7lbs 1 oz and 6lbs 14oz) so there definitely is hope. I'll say some prayers for you and your little ones! ~ Kristyn