1. We moved from Virginia to New York the first weekend in May. That's when all of the swelling in my legs began (30 weeks) but my blood pressure was still great so no concern for preeclampsia.
2. We met with our new doctor, Dr. Manning the first week in NY and fell in love with him. He told us to plan on making it to 34 weeks but it could be sooner. "HA", I said, I'm making it 35! Little did I know what God had in store for us!
3. I cruised through the next 2 weeks, even had another beautiful baby shower thrown by my in laws! I was feeling a little obese, but still good.
4. Friday May 21st I began to feel really bad. I could no longer walk and I had gained 15 pounds in 2 weeks just in fluid in my legs!
5. Saturday May 22nd, I woke up with horrible contractions in my lower abdomen where I couldn't even stand up straight. IT WAS TIME!! We quickly got in the car and began our 45 minute drive to West Chester Medical Center. I made a quick phone call to Labor and Delivery to let them know I was on my way.
6. After driving through horrible contruction and hitting every pot hole in NY we finally arrived at the hospital. I waddled into Labor and Delivery holding my belly up:
7. They immediately admitted me due to high blood pressure in fear of preeclampsia. I was monitored through the weekend until Monday morning.
8. Monday May 24, 2010 Dr. Manning stood at the end of my bed and said "What are your plans today? How about have some babies!" So the prepping began, families were called, and the chaos began! Here's Joe scrubbed in and ready!!
9. At 1:03 Gavin Joseph was born 4 lb 2 oz, 1:04 Ava Grace was born 4 lb 6 oz, and at 1:05 Brayden Stevan was born at 3 lb 11 oz!!
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| Ava Grace |
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| Gavin Joseph |
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| Brayden Stevan |
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| Mommy and Ava |
10. Brayden was immediately put on CPAP for oxygen but Ava and Gavin just needed a little bit of oxygen to get them going. The doctors couldn't believe how healthy they all were and I began my recovery while the babies were monitored in the NICU
11. Tuesday May 25th is when everything changed for me. I was about to be taken off of the magnesium sulfate (for the preeclampsia) when Joe noticed that the right side of my face was drooping. My mouth wouldn't move, my eye wouldn't close, and I had a horrible ear ache. They discovered that I had developed Bells Palsy (which you can see in a lot of the pictures and videos) from all of the swelling.
12. Then the doctors came in with more bad news, they had finally figured out why my blood pressure was still all over the place: my preeclampsia had turned into HELLP Syndrome, which effects 1 in 500 pregnancies! It damages the liver, begins to shut down the kidneys, and causes seizures. My blood count and platelets were out of control and I had also become anemic so I immediately had to get a blood transfusion.
13. Before the transfusion I gave the poor nurse and Joe a scare when they walked me into the bathroom and I passed out on the bathroom floor from being anemic. The transfusion began.
14. Not really understanding the seriousness of everything going on because I was so out of it, everyone else found out the seriousness when the nurse pulled the curtain shut around my bed and said "She's really sick" and wouldn't allow ANYONE in the room to see me.
15. The next week in the hospital would consist of catscans, MRI's, IV's of iron and blood, lots of meds, medical teams at the foot of my bed trying to figure out what was going on with me (and my face), sonograms on my legs, and lots of poking at my veins with needles.
16. On Wednesday at 2 am Joe was finally able to wheel me down to see the babies for the FIRST TIME since they were born! That was by far the hardest thing to not be aloud to go down and see our new babies for the first 2 days of their lives.
17. Finally on Saturday May 29th they discharged me from the hospital.
18. I went into the doctor last week and had lost 45 pounds in 2 weeks!! Most of that was fluid so they took me off of the blood pressure medicine!
So I'm feeling much better and the babies are doing amazingly well!! They're all gaining weight, breathing room air, eating a lot through bottles, and already showing adorable personalities!!
Oh my goodness Gayla I had no idea you had so many issues right after giving birth - all of your pictures look so beautiful and normal and perfect, and now I read about the scare you gave everyone! How are you doing now? You said you lost lots of weight and so they took you off of the BP meds... I bet you're feeling much much better by now. Goodness gracious! I'm glad you're alright now, and I'm so happy your babies are coming home one by one, as they are healthy enough to do so. Think of it this way - you'll be able to adjust to each baby personally and individually, and then you'll have all three as a whole! I know you will all pull through perfectly - you are such a happy, wonderful, loving family - you will be perfectly fine! I'm thinking about you all, and still trying to figure out what in the world you and Joe did to get pregnant and then have TRIPLETS in the time I haven't seen you!! Congratulations many times over... Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteGayla- I don't know you that well (we had a mutual friend from HS- Mimi Grindstaff)... but just wanted to say that you are doing wonderful- and you look like you have this mommy thing down perfectly! I too, was very very healthy throughout my entire pregnancy and didn't develop preeclampsia until 39 weeks and went through everything you did- and it's rough... but you look fantastic and your babies are gorgeous! Just wanted to say congrats from a friend-of-a-friend and let you know you're definitely not alone! I don't have three (just one)- I definitely admire you!
ReplyDeleteHi Krissy! Thanks so much for the kind words! I absolutely LOVE being a Mommy (times 3). I can't imagine not having the opportunity to be home with them every day. Yes...the complications that I had after the babies were born was very rough...at least I have a story to tell later on down the road! Congratulations and good luck with your little one!
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