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34w, 1d Birth Story & PIPs (Near Infant Loss Mentioned)
WARNING-CRAZY LONG POST.
Wednesday, Sept. 26th my OB called me just before her office closed for the day and suggested that I bring a hospital bag with me to my appt the following day. She was reviewing the protein content in my urine and was growing concerned that despite my low blood pressure, I was developing atypical pre-eclampsia.
When I went to my appt the next morning, my protein count had gone up past what is considered the "pre-eclamptic" range. I had also been experiencing headaches, nausea, dizziness, and blurry/spotty vision. I did have some swelling, but it wasn't anything insane. She decided to admit me to the hospital for my second 24 hour urine.
Once I was in the hospital, my high risk doctor came to my room to check in on me. He tested my reflexes and when I nearly kicked him in the face, he started to freak out. It made me incredibly nervous. He rushed out to tell the nurses to get a mag drip started on me ASAP. He came back in and explained that my reflexes were far too over reactive and he felt that I was in imminent danger of having a seizure. They got the mag drip going and it burned horribly. The wrist that had the IV in it, hurt so bad I couldn't stand for it to be touched. It actually throbbed for days even after the IV came out. The high risk dr also changed my 24 hr urine to a 12 hr urine because he felt we needed the results back faster.
After I got the mag drip, they made me get a catheter because I wasn't allowed out of bed. It also made me get uncomfortable and feel "tied down" and my anxiety started to really rev up. At 11pm, I got a new nurse that I did not care for at all. She was very dismissive and rude to me. She also dumped out one of my urine samples(just two hours from being done with the test!) and so we had to start the 12 hrs all over again. She said to the other nurse who was leaving, "Don't worry, it's not a big deal. I'll take the full blame. He can yell at me.", but never apologized to me for prolonging my situation. C U Next Tuesday, hor. Sorry, I'm still very bitter with her.
At
5 am, I started to have terrible contractions every two minutes and
felt like I was having a panic attack. I just felt so stuck in the bed
and for some reason it was really messing with my mind. The OB came to
check me and I stayed at 2 cm the whole night. My nurse had to sit with
me for an hour or so though, massaging my back and talking me down,
until my panic attack subsided.
So, at 11 am the next morning they took my urine down and the results came right back up in half an hour. My protein levels had almost tripled in six days. My high risk doctor came in and said I would be having the girls that day. He called my OB and told her to put me on the schedule. He told me it would probably be later that evening since they had to find where to fit me in. At noon, my OB came in and told me I would be having my c-section in the next 30 minutes to an hour. My husband hadn't even left work yet to be there. I frantically called everyone and my DH got there just in time to throw on his clothes and run down the hall after us to the OR.
DH had to wait in the hall while they gave me my spinal. They had me sitting up leaning over as they started. I started to get very clammy, nauseous, and dizzy when they started. I told my OB I was going to faint and the anesthesiologist laughed and said, "That's just the medicine, silly." Then my OB glanced at the monitors and saw my oxygen level and blood pressure had plummeted and I was in fact passing out. They had to finish it with me laying on my side.
Once I was finished and they had rolled me on my back, DH got to come into the room. My anxiety finally hit a peak. I started crying and swinging my arms trying to move my body. I kept saying over and over that I had to get up. I couldn't be held down any more. DH said he knew I was legitimately having a panic attack and not just messed up because of the meds when he told me, "You're fine. It's just the medication making you numb." and I responded very calmly, "I'm not an idiot. I know the spinal is why I can't move. I'm just telling you that the fact that I can't move is making me freak the fuckout." Then apparently, the anesthesiologist said "Okay then, dear", tapped a few buttons, and I was out cold.
(This segment has been relayed to me from DH and our neonatologist as I was unconscious.)
So I was out and the c/s was under way. He said it went a lot faster than with DD1. In no time, they were pulling Emma out and the chaos began. She was a deep blue and he heard my OB yell, "She isn't breathing." The neonatologist took her and ran over to the station they had ready. He radioed for an extra team from the NICU to come down and an ambulance team to the local children's hospital to get ready. Her initial APGAR score was a 1.
At this time, Avery came out and looked just like
her sister. She was breathing, but barely. The neo called the NICU
again and requested a second team STAT. He then called back and asked
for a "blue cart". DH knew that meant he was requesting the tools to
restart their heart because he thought it was going to stop. Avery was
given an initial APGAR of 2 and the anesthesiologist ran over to help
the neo because he had two babies that needed attention and the help
from NICU hadn't arrived yet. At this time, DH was frozen in shock
worried about both babies and now his wife who laid completely
unconscious and didn't have the attention of her anesthesiologist.
Once everyone arrived and they got the girls on CPAPs, they started to breathe. Their hearts never stopped. Things calmed down and their APGARs went to a 7 & 8. The nurse came and took the camera out of my stunned DH's hands and started to take pictures. The anesthesiologist came and woke me up and I got to see the girls for a brief moment before they were rushed upstairs to the NICU. I thought they had the most perfect, beautifully shaped little faces that I had ever seen on any baby, any where. I yelled at DH to go with them and apparently went back to sleep.
On his way upstairs, he met his parents in the hall who had seen all the chaos of the teams running into the room and they were both sobbing. They had heard one of the nurses say to the team as they rushed by, "Twin A is already gone." The neo later explained how close we were to losing Emma. When he initially called for the back up teams, he didn't think she was going to make it to her second APGAR.
I
woke up, back in an L & D room. I had to stay on my mag drip for 24
hours. I wasn't supposed to be able to leave the bed or go see the
girls, but at 6 am, I had cried so much, my nurse snuck me up in a
wheelchair and I got to see them for a few minutes. I couldn't believe
how small they were, the pictures I had seen made them look so much
chubbier. It terrified me to see them hooked up to so much, but it eased
my mind to finally get to be in the room with them, even though it was
only for a few minutes.
Once the girls got upstairs, all in all, they were okay. They got to downgrade from CPAPs to cannulas very quickly for oxygen. They didn't have to go to the children's hospital. Emma came off oxygen all together in two days, Avery in four. We had some issues with jaundice, feeding, and regulating temps, but everything improved with time. We did find each girl has two holes in her heart, but they are expected to grow up on their own and not require surgery. They also each have a dimple on their spine and were warned they may have spina abifida, but the tests came back negative for that on Tuesday. All in all, they're healthy girls. They spent 12 days in the NICU and I stayed at the hospital with them the whole time. They finally got to come home last night.
It's been scary having them here without monitors, but they're doing great. I'm still learning how to care for these babies that have higher needs, but I think we're getting by okay and it's wonderful to finally have everyone here and home safe. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel somewhat traumatized by the entire situation. I plan on seeking out some counseling to just to help me come to terms with some of my lingering feelings over the whole ordeal. At this time, however, I'm just trying to take solace in having them here in my arms and the whole thing being over.
Now, for the PIPs:
This is my siggy. Love it.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: 34w, 1d Birth Story & PIPs (Near Infant Loss Mentioned)
Thank you so much, BK. You helped me prepare for this for a long time leading up to the ordeal. I was so much more prepared and knew where to turn for support, thanks to you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This is my siggy. Love it.
Thank you!
This is my siggy. Love it.
Daughter born at 34 weeks due to PPROM, July 2012
Expecting baby #2, May 8, 2015
May 2015 signature challenge for January: "You had ONE job!"
Congrats! Your girls are simply precious!
And I agree with PP about the snuza...I used one on DS for a few months and it let me sleep at night :-)
BFP1: DD1 born April 2011 at 34w1d via unplanned c/s due to HELLP, DVT 1 week PP
BFP3: DD2 born Feb 2013 at 38w4d via unplanned RCS due to uterine dehiscence
Congrats on your beautiful girls! I literally said "awww" out loud when I saw the pic in the basket.
DD's first APGAR was a 2 and her 2nd was an 8, but I didn't know any of that until weeks after. Once they got her out of me, they whisked her away so fast and I didn't get to see her for another 12 hours.
BFP(4) DD2 born 2.14.13 @ 35w5d due to pPROM