4.25.2012

{Quad Squad} The Wheelchair Route

I wanted to be sure to get a quick update posted today—the last two days here in my hospital room have actually been very busy between a few visitors, nurses, heart rate monitors, growth scans, various consultations and so on. It's amazing how much my door opens and closes sometimes!

The weekend was a great one, as I mentioned before the husband and I celebrated 24 weeks and our first point of viability for the quads. He brought me a steak from Texas Roadhouse—which I devoured every bite of!—and on Sunday his brother and his girlfriend visited and we ordered pizza.



Twice over the weekend, I got my first dose of outside air and sunshine. It was amazing!! I hadn't been outside in two weeks. My husband even thought to bring up my sunglasses so I could sit in the sun without squinting. It was pretty weird getting taken out in a wheelchair with an IV still attached to my arm. People give you funny looks as you get close to the exit like you're making a run for it. Or it could have been be me yelling "FREEDOM!" all the way out the door.


He parked me right in the sunshine and we sat and talked for a minutes, joined shortly afterward by a fellow preggers mom with twins at 33 weeks and her husband. She was also on the magnesium sulfate IV (the one that makes us all so sick) and was jonesing for some fresh air. It was a pretty hilarious site, us chatting wheelchair next to wheelchair, big ol' stomachs and IV poles and all. Later, a dad-to-be drove up with his pregnant wife in the passenger seat. He was making a trial hospital run as she was due soon and came up to us asking for the best way in to labor and delivery. Clearly, we looked like the experts! Both our husbands immediately told him exactly where to head when the big day arrived. Ah, how my life has changed.



I even managed to break a small sweat in the daylight, a luxury I actually relish. I am a sun baby to be sure! After we returned to the room, the husband and I watched movies and relaxed and he spent the night. He is such a trooper, I have cherished all the time he's spent with me at the hospital—and he never complains!

My newest "torture device" involves daily heart rate monitoring for each of the babies all at the same time for about 30 minutes. It's a semi-disturbing picture, but photos speak louder than words in this instance! They first have to locate each of the heart beats, which generally tend to stick in the same area, then they strap on a monitor and move on to the next one. It's uncomfortable, to say the least, but it gives the doctor a good "view" of their heart stability and that there are no blips or potential issues.



It's been a week of ups and downs for me, as far as hospital life goes. It's always the same story—one day I'm doing good and in great spirits and the next day I can hardly stand to be in here anymore. I'm constantly connected to my contraction monitor, my IV stand and leg pumps and was about to throw them all out the window today. It literally takes me several minutes just to get out of bed for a bathroom break... and that happens every 20 to 30 minutes these days! Ugh!

Last night I'd had a time of it and stood in my bathroom in front of my mirror and reminded myself that going ONE DAY at a time is the best way to go. It's harder than it sounds because, while laying in bed, your mind tends to wander and think ahead and contemplate the big picture. But I am determined to reel myself back in and focus on the next 24 hours and try not to go past that too much. It can literally drive me crazy. Long prayers each and every morning and evening also help keep me calm—I talk to God about my feelings, I re-dedicate the babies to him constantly and I pray for my doctor that he'll make all the right decisions, as I feel he's done so well up to this point.

Yesterday, at long last, was a growth scan for the babies and I was thrilled with the results! At 24 weeks and three days, here are their weights:

Trystan - 1lb 9oz
Kailey - 1lb 8oz
Harrison - 1lb 120z
Logan - 1lb 6oz

They are all doing really great and developing right on track. It's good that Harrison, our boy, is still the biggest because both the doctor and nurses have mentioned how girl preemies do better than boy preemies. So he'll need every advantage he can get! The nurses have also told me you can add about two pounds of extra weight per baby for the placenta, amniotic fluid, etc. With a rough bit of math, that means I'm carrying an estimate of 14 lbs. in my stomach!! And weeks to go...sometimes I have no idea how it will all work out but then again, being pregnant with quads isn't something I knew how to anticipate either. ;)

I also had a regular ultrasound and cervical check today, and my cervix is still holding strong and measured 4.2cm. It measured 3.7cm last week, which was also good. It's normal for its length to fluctuate and is obviously better for it to be going up than down. As long as there is "length" that means my cervix is still closed, which means my body is not about to go into labor just yet. I have been having quite a few contractions over yesterday and this morning, but the more I can keep myself horizontal the more inactive those become. That said, I'm signing off to recline in bed and try to get a little shut eye. Hospital life can be rough business, but I'm encouraged with our good results and am hanging in there another week! Thanks for all your comments and prayers, as always!

10 comments:

  1. Hey Honey! I just read this aloud with Louis Dean beside me and he says to tell you he is really looking forward to seeing you and Mike. He will have to miss this next trip because of a dr. appt but can't wait to come the next time around! YOU are a trouper!!!
    Through and through!!

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  2. Traci DvorakApril 25, 2012

    Amber - you are doing great and are so wise to focus on one day at a time. I know that is easier said than done. I also hated the contraction monitor - and I only wore it for 1 hour per day! I wanted to throw it out the window and could have sworn the stress of watching contractions caused me to have more! I am praying for your emotions, strength, patience, and - above all - peace and faith in His plan.

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  3. Amber,
    I am so glad to hear that kids are growing and that you are holding strong! You are all in my prayers!
    ~Lynne
    w/L.

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  4. So glad the babies are gaining weight and doing good.
    You look so happy being outdoors.
    Texas Roadhouse..yummo your hubby is one fantastic guy
    Do you have to keep those leg pumps on all the time while horizontal? They are the pits!!
    Take care:)
    Continued prayers for you and those little ones.

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  5. Kathy in AlabamaApril 26, 2012

    Amber,

    You are doing great and it shows through on how well your babies are doing!!! One day at a time!!!!

    I have one daughter but we were unable to have anymore children...multiple miscarriages. The struggle is so worth it in the end!! You are all in my daily prayers.

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  6. Amber, I have been reading your blog for a while now, not sure how I even came across it, but I want you to know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm a mom to three grown children who are all married and we have one grand daughter (almost 3 months old) and one grandchild on the way.....just to let you know I'm not some weird person! I have no idea what you are going through but just recently fell and broke the femur bone in my left leg and have been on lots of bed/chair rest and having to depend on people to do so much for me....after all I am 51 years old.....so I do especially feel for you....just take it one day at a time and know you have lots of people pulling for you and those precious/blessed babies! A friend in East Texas, Pam.

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  7. You're doing great! My perinatologist told me that for every day I could stay pregnant it kept the baby out of the NICU for 3 days. So you've already saved your kids over a month in the NICU!

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  8. Hi Amber,

    My name is Klarissa Williams. I am Summer's nefew's fiancée, she's the one that introduced your blog to me. Over the past week i have read all about your journey with your quads and just wanted to say congratulations. You are a amazing beautiful woman that give people inspiration to conquer anything, everywhere. This was not the only reason why i am writing you today. I am currently in college for culinary arts (i love to bake) and i was hoping i could make you one of my unique edible arraignments. If so are u allergic to anything? What are two to three of your favorite colors and favorite cake? And if this is ok to do i can't give a definite answer on when i can get it to you, but ill keep you updated (as you have done for us ;) also since i live in fort worth im goin to,have to work out a way for you to even receive it lol

    Looking forward to hearing from you!
    Klarissa

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  9. I'm so so so glad you were able to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Sometimes sunshine can really life your spirits!!!

    Hang in there girlie. You and the babies are doing so good!!!

    Love and prayers for you all :)

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  10. You crack me up. "Freedom" I'm that would have gotten some attention. One day at a time is the best practice.
    Relax when you can and keep smiling that beautiful smile.
    Hugs

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