10.03.09
Finally, some news
We finally heard from the scheduler yesterday. She knew nothing about it needing to be done sooner rather than later and the doctor is out of town. She texted the doctor to find out what he wanted done, since the only spot on the schedule that she could see to squeeze N in would be Monday. This was at 4:30 on Friday afternoon. She was kind enough to take N’s information home with her so that if she heard from the doctor she could contact him over the weekend.
She called yesterday evening to say that the surgeon does want him squeezed into the schedule on Monday. But she’s waiting to find out if the hospital will have the OR space for him. So N is to plan on having surgery Monday, nothing to eat or drink after midnight Sunday, and by 9:30 we should know if he has to come to the hospital or not. Nothing like last minute warning! I sure hope they fit him in so we can get it over with.
After the surgery he will not be allowed to return to work for 3 months. Also, he’ll have lifting restrictions for that 3 months that mean he won’t be able to pick up the kids (he hasn’t been allowed to since the doc saw his MRI and said he was surprised he was walking). It’s going to be difficult, but I know we have lots of love, support, and prayers backing us up. We can meet the challenge. I do not like being on this side of the OR, but N has seen me through so much and I will do everything I can to help him through this.
09.02.09
One night down, two to go
Well, I survived the first night (and apparently so did N). Sadly, I think I was awakened as much, if not more, than if I’d been home with the babies. Granted, I didn’t have to get out of bed, but still. Is it really necessary to wake a patient 4 times for vitals, 1 time for an EKG, and 1 time for blood? Are these so important when you’re on a freaking heart monitor 24 hours?? And why the middle of the night for blood? It’s never made sense to me. *sigh*
Other than being bored and missing my babies, I’m doing fine. Interestingly, I have the same room and same nurse as the last time I was here! LOL I really like my nurse. She helped me (emotionally) a lot the last time I was here. I’m glad she got to meet the babies yesterday. Last night she said she wouldn’t be here today, but she’d be back Thursday. Then she walked in this morning! Apparently they called her in and she decided that since she liked her patients yesterday she’d come on in. I told her she just wanted to see me some more. 
The food in this hospital tends to be a step up from most hospitals. But last night I chose poorly. It was bland and I had to force myself to eat it all so that I wouldn’t be starving by morning (no one to go get me an alternative). I’m hoping someone might bring me food for lunch, but we’ll see. Last night I’d gotten the pasta salad that I loved last time I was here and it was awful. I’m hoping my other favorites haven’t gone downhill. But at least breakfast was still good. They have Southwestern Eggs Benedict. It’s an English muffin, “low sodium” ham, scrambled eggs (I’d prefer over easy, but it’s still good), topped with sour cream and salsa. Yum!
I was told I can shower. Woo hoo! So I think I’ll call in my tech and see about getting that done. Then maybe it’s time for some laps around the floor or maybe some reading? This is going by SOOO slowly! I miss my babies!!! (hopefully they will come by at some point today if N can get them out the door)
08.29.09
Limbo
Okay, so for about a week now I’ve been in limbo regarding the hospital stay to start on sotalol. I got a phone call from my cardiologist (after I called her to find out what was decided in the conference on Monday) saying she ran into the EP that helped with my surgery in December. When she told him about my situation he recommended not using sotalol, but instead using Multaq (Dronedarone) which does not require hospitalization to start. So my cardiologist wanted that EP to get in touch with my regular EP and have them make a decision together. Well, I called Tuesday, nothing. Thursday, nothing. Friday, still nothing. The two EPs have been playing phone tag, apparently. So nothing’s been decided and I’m scheduled to be admitted to the hospital on Tuesday. I’m thinking surely I won’t be going in. At least, I hope not. Except, this Multaq stuff is really new (approved by the FDA in July), so I’m hoping they know what they are doing. I don’t want to go into the hospital, of course, but I also don’t want to be an experiment.
In other news, N’s back is totally messed up. He’s had to take some time off work because he can’t make it through the day without narcotics, which probably isn’t a good idea for a nurse to take while at work. He was able to pick up some hours by working the telemetry room yesterday (and he will again on Monday), but that’s still not his full hours. I sure hope his back is better soon!
Oh! And we finally got the twins birth certificates in the mail today! They’re official! But it was somewhat disappointing to read “Native Oklahoman” in huge letters across the top. Do they really have to remind us.
07.22.09
Catching up
It’s been a few days since I last updated on how our new family is doing. It’s been quite hectic around here and I think this is the first stretch of calm I’ve seen in quite some time. I know I should go take a nap, but I’m afraid that the minute my head hits the pillow, someone will wake up. I swear they have some sort of radar that says “If Mommy’s head hits the pillow, puts food in her mouth, or steps into the shower, then someone must scream. And if there’s someone here to help, both must comply.”
The first month I felt like I was actually capable of doing this alone when N is at work. Now I’m admitting defeat and call in help any chance I can get. I think they were lulling me into a false sense of security before. Either that, or that first bit is when they are “easy” because the mother is USUALLY recovering from delivery, so I had half the stress at that time? I don’t know. All I do know is that the more time they spend awake, the more stressed I’m getting. Granted, I love when they’re awake and happy, but it’s hard to keep them both that way when you’re the only one here. So anyone who wants to come over to help out, please give me a call! 
Despite being severely sleep deprived, I can’t help but look at their adorable faces and fall in love over and over again. I mean, who can resist this:
Or this:
Not to mention this:
Oh, and as for my heart stuff, I just got off the phone with my cardiologist. Apparently my MUGA scan showed arrhythmia and a lower heart function (which could be a false reading because of the arrhythmia). This may be consistent with what she heard (but my defibrillator did not read) at my appointment. So now she wants me to come by tomorrow to have a 48 hour holter monitor put on (it’s not like I have time to shower anyway). Once we look at the results of that she wants us to see if it matches what the ICD recorded. So we’re still investigating. But at least I’m feeling like I’m not completely crazy! (though my cardiologist says she won’t sign off on anything stating my sanity. :p )
Off to play games with N and cuddle with a baby or two!
06.22.09
Home is where the heat is…
Well, we’re back home. But we’re regulated to just the bedroom. The warrantee people won’t be here to look into the A/C problem until tomorrow, but N and I just couldn’t take not sleeping in our own bed any longer (his back is killing him). So we had the brilliant idea to rent a window unit for the bedroom. We also rented one for the living room, but it’s such a large area that it really doesn’t work all that well.
At least we’ll be able to sleep in our own bed tonight. The babies are going naked for awhile, but they don’t seem to mind. We may have to leave during the heat of the day, but at least the evenings are bearable.
Ah, the adventures of home ownership…
06.07.09
No babies yet…
We went in to L&D last night around 9 PM. We found out that LD was 4 cm dilated, 50% effaced, and at “station 1″ (whatever that means). We expected the babies to make their appearance before the end of the night. N came up and arrived around 1 AM. However, at noon today she had only made it to 6 cm and we were given the option of giving her pitocin to speed things up, or coming home (LD’s home, not ours). We chose home. Looks like the babies just wanted to tease us. Please pray we’re back at L&D tonight and it’s the “real deal.” I know we’re all very anxious to meet Kyla and Lucas. Not to mention a tiny bit disappointed that they didn’t cooperate last night/this morning. If they don’t come tonight, we have an OB appointment tomorrow, so I’m pretty sure we’ll end up with babies tomorrow if nothing else (LD thinks he’ll push the pitocin and she might agree this time). I’d rather them come tonight, but God (and they) doesn’t always want the same things I do..
06.06.09
Hola from Oklahoma
I made it in last night around 9:30. Of course, LD had a pretty quiet day as far as contractions went yesterday, but at least now I’m here if something does happen. Also, if D has gone to work I’ll be here to drive her to the hospital. I think that was another big worry for all of us.
This morning she came in and showed me that the babies have dropped significantly. Lucas is not in her rib (as much) anymore, and Kyla is WAY low. Also, her back is hurting down by her tail bone. We’re hoping all this means they’re getting into position to make their debut, but who knows?
All of us girls (LD, K, S, and myself) went and had pedicures done so that our toes will look pretty for the babies. K has blue toes with white polka dots, S has pink toes with a flower on the big toes and polka dots on the others, LD has a light purple (no decorations), and I have bright red toes with a white flower on each of my big toes only. LD loved sitting in the massaging chair. I’m so glad I could give her a little pampering. 
I wish I could do even more.
Right now she’s not feeling well (nausea, and “just not right”). She is laying down hoping that will help her feel better. I feel so helpless. I wish there was something I could do to make it better. I’m betting I’ll have that feeling a lot here in the next few days. 
I just hope that these babies decide to come sooner rather than later so that she doesn’t have to feel so miserable for much longer. My prayers have been that they come tonight. I think that’s LD’s hope as well. Neither of us want to make it to her next appointment (Monday) and face talking to Dr. K about a possible induction.
06.05.09
FYI
Just thought I’d let you know what is going on (or not going on) as far as the babies go.
They cooperated and let me finish the school year without a problem. When LD went for her appointment on Monday she was not even remotely dilated. The OB had her stop taking the meds to relax her uterus and said that if she didn’t have the babies by 37 weeks (June 11) he would want to induce labor.
Well, since being off the meds she has been having more and more contractions, which are becoming painful. Last night they were coming about 5-8 minutes apart and we thought there was a good possibility they would decide to come on their cousin’s birthday. However, by morning the contractions had died down and all that was left was a back ache.
To put her mind (and mine) at ease, I am going to go up there to stay until the babies arrive. N will be staying here until he gets “the call” simply because he needs to work and we’d rather not board the dogs until we have to. I’d hoped to have a couple of days after school let out to clean the house a bit, but it looks like the babies would prefer to start out in the filth, rather than build up to it. N fully expects to get a call tonight saying “get up here” but says that if he were to come with me there would not be any sign of them coming any time soon. We shall see. We’re still working on how we’ll get two cars home after they arrive, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it (if anyone has an idea, we’re all ears ). Hopefully I’ll be able to hook into LD’s internet and stay connected to you all this way. If not, I’ll have my cell.
It is a bit odd thinking about the fact that this will be the last time I will see my dogs, my house, my life without our children in tow. Goodbye old life, hello parenthood!
06.01.09
Ft. Knox
Apparently LD’s cervix is still sealed tighter than Ft. Knox. No babies getting out just yet. She had an appointment with Dr. K today and convinced him to check her. We’re surprised there has been NO cervical movement, since she’s been having some pretty good contractions, but apparently Kyla and Lucas plan on sticking around a while longer. He did tell her she could stop taking the terbutaline, so that could move things along a bit faster. Who knows!
LD asked when Dr. K would want to induce if it comes to that and he said “In a week and a half, at 37 weeks.” Wow! That seems so soon and yet so far away! LD says she might push him to 38 weeks, depending on if Lucas will get out of her rib or not (I’m betting not at this point, the stinker ). I think I’m going to go up to stay starting on Sunday. I’ll feel a lot better knowing I won’t miss the whole thing (but I wish N could come too!).
05.30.09
Getting anxious
I know we’re all getting a bit anxious to meet these precious ones. LD is probably the most anxious of all, since she feels she’s as big as a house (but I think she looks fabulous!). People are always saying stuff like “When are those babies going to get here?” and all I can say is “When they get here! They haven’t let us in on their plans.”
Nathan and I were talking the other day and both feel the same way. We’re really ready for the waiting for their birth day to arrive, but at the same time, we’re not sure if we’re ready to be parents. Is anyone ever ready???
That’s another question I get constantly: “Do you have everything ready yet?” Standard answer: “If they come today, we’d be okay. But that doesn’t mean that everything is done. I don’t think that will ever happen!”
Ooh! And the question I hate most: “Aren’t you glad you don’t have to be the one carrying all that baby around?” or “Aren’t you glad you get to sleep through the night for now?” Ugh! First version: “No. I’d trade it in an instant.” (people just don’t get it, do they?) Second version: “Are you kidding? I haven’t gotten to sleep through the night the past 4 months! I’m inducing lactation and have to pump at night.” 
I know they all mean well and our situation is a bit different to everyone. I don’t really mind answering the questions, because I figure it’s just their way of trying to feel involved. But sometimes I wish people would think a little bit before they speak.
