Dr. appt yesterday

I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday to follow-up on the medication they gave me since I had had 2 strep throats in a month. He said everything looks fine. He wants me to go in for more tests…Cholesterol, etc. I’m not looking forward to that! He said when I come back into the office after I have those tests, he’ll check me for asthma.

I hope dh will take me out to eat this weekend in honor of my Birthday!

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Daniel and Andrew turn 2!

WOW! It’s been 2 years already! It doesn’t seem like it at all!!

Friday 2/16 was their actual birthday! We headed up to my parent’s house in the afternoon. Stopped by my old place of work (not sure why I feel the need to do that at times…there’s only a handful of people that I like to see and only 1 that I actually stay in contact with and she wasn’t there!). Then we met mom at her work. We then followed her to the nursing home to see my grandmother. She was so surprised and happy to see me and the boys! Although Michael complained of the smell and Daniel & Andrew were running all over the place! The good thing is her room is right outside this big area that they play bingo and eat at, so we sat outside her room at the tables. Daniel & Andrew loved running around the tables and Michael & Noah played checkers. My grandmother was so happy.

Saturday, we had a birthday party at my mom’s house for the Daniel & Andrew. They got a lot of toys! Almost everyone showed up…well except for my grandmother who is in the nursing home and Kevin’s grandmother whose knee was acting up. Everyone else RSVP’d (except Kevin’s one brother and his family…but that’s a whole other story, and I don’t want to get into it right now).

Well…since it has been 2 years, let me just go over Daniel & Andrew’s birth story…
2/14/05:
I had my regular OB appointment today. My BP was high again. They admitted me to the hospital for what I was told was going to be observation. After being there and them running tests, I was told that I had what was called HELLP Syndrome (Hemolysis Elevated Liver, Low Platelet Syndrome), so they had to transport me to a Level 3 hospital since I only had a short amount of time before I have to deliver my boys. HELLP Syndrome is basically my liver wasn’t functioning properly.

Technical defination of HELLP Syndrome: Blood vessels start to act like a muscle relaxing and contracting. As blood is passed through these relaxing and contracting veins, it causes damage to a special lining that is found in the veins. As this damage occurs to your red blood cells, your platelets come to the rescue to try and heal the damage. In the process, they create clots over the damages. These clots get bigger and bigger and begin to stress your body as it tries to push the blood past this damage.

Your body tries to make up for the damaged red blood cells, which causes your veins to become “leaky” by increasing your body’s water volume. Your kidneys start to hold on to more water resulting in low urine output. Swelling comes from those “leaky” veins. The decreased blood flow only adds further strain to your heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, and liver.

In HELLP, the liver is mainly affected. It is deprived of oxygen because of the clots. It begins to die. This begins the rise in liver enxymes or the pain that is often misdiagnosed heartburn or feeling “flu-y”

Of course these vasospasm that cause damage also cause damage to the vessels in and out of the placenta. The stress causes IURG (Intautrine Growth Restriction). These all result in the HELLP Syndrome.

2/15/05:
After being transported to the Level 3 hospital, the doctors explained to me that they only had a few days (3 MAX) that they could leave D & A inside of me. I’m only 31 weeks. Basically, my body is starting to shut down and the only way to correct this HELLP Syndrome is to deliver the babies. At this point, both babies are fine, but if left in too much longer, they would start to distress and then both my life and the lives of these babies would be at risk. So I will be delivering them tomorrow! I’m very nervous…especially since my due date is April 18th, but I don’t want to risk the lives of all 3 of us. They started yesterday giving me shots for their lungs…and more today. They want to be sure their lungs are developed. As of right now, as long as baby “A” is head down (which they keep switching positions, I will be having an U/S soon), I can have them vaginally…but if they aren’t, I will have to have a c-section. Oh and the best part (hear my sarcasm)…Kevin has the flu, so he’s not allowed in the hospital! It’s a good thing my mom is around!

2/16/05:
Daniel & Andrew arrived today via c-section. My mom was there with me since Kevin has the flu. I feel awful! They have me on Magnesium Sulfate for my blood pressure…YUCK!

Daniel was born at 1:23 pm (he was baby “B” through out my pregnancy, but decided he wanted the “A” position today). He was 2 pounds 15 ounces and 15 1/4 inches long. He is in the NICU and breathing on his own.

Andrew was born at 1:25 pm (he was always known as baby “A”…hence the reason his name begins with A. He was transverse so it’s a good thing we had a c-sect.). He was 2 pounds 12 1/2 ounces and 15 1/2 inches long. He had a little trouble at first breathing, but is in the NICU and breathing on his own.

I have been unable to see them since I’m not allowed out of bed. Mom has been down there a couple times and has brought pictures up that the nurses had taken of them. They are so tiny! I’m not feeling the best at the moment. I’m hungry and tired…but add on top of my c-sect (with staples) a cough/cold…not fun! I can’t wait to get off the Mag. Sulfate and the cath. out!

Those were posts taken from my journal back when they were born. They were in the NICU for 4 weeks, basically they needed to learn to eat and gain some weight before they could come home. I have been so blessed…they are 2 healthy, rambunctious boys!

A poem I had written on 2/21/05:

No One Told Me…
by mommy

No one told me how this could be…
No one told me that I would get pregnant with twins.
No one told me that you’d come early…
No one told me that walking into the NICU could be so emotional.
No one told me that you could be so little, yet thrive.
No one told me that when you look at me I’d melt.
No one told me that I could love you the way I do.
No one told me that love coudl double the way it has.
No one told me that the blessings would be this great!

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40 Days of Purpose

So far I’ve been doing well with my 40 Days of Purpose. I’ve been reading every day like I need to, writing in my journal and everything! However, I haven’t done today’s work…I need to get on that! Tomorrow I need to do it early so I don’t have to take it with me when I go out of town.

I’ve learned a few things about myself that I don’t particularly care for. :( I’ve been in prayer about those things and with God’s help, I’ll change! I’ve also realized, I can’t change others like I want to.

There are things in dh that I’ve been wanting changed. I’ve spoke to him about them and then through my Bible Study, I’ve realized that I’m going about things all wrong! 1st off, I can’t change him, if he’s going to change, it’s going to have to be his doing, not mine. 1 Peter 3:1-2 says Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

So taking that information into account, I applied this the other day to our lives. When something that I knew dh did wasn’t right, I kept my mouth shut, and prayed. And the amazing thing is that he corrected his actions. I was amazed. Now if I can remember to keep my mouth shut and actually respect and honor my dh!!

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School

We have our good days and bad days with our homeschooling. Michael fights me and struggles to focus…especially when Noah doesn’t have school (which has been a lot this week).

I do see Michael getting things…and the best part, I’m learning too! There is so many things they are teaching him that I remember learning as a Senior in HS! He’s only in the 4th grade!!

If we could just get a schedule set in place that would work for us, things would go so much better!

Speaking of no school…Noah only had school on Monday this week…he has been off the rest of the week because of the weather. Noah was so upset that he was going to have to miss his Valentine’s party. I think they will have it when they get back…or at least send all the snacks and stuff home with them on their way out the door.

I’ve got so much more to talk about, but not relating to this subject so I will make a new post!

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Rough..

We’ve had a couple of rough days…homeschooling. Michael has fought me every step of the way. He should be doing his work, yet he sits there and plays. Yesterday we didn’t do a thing! :( Today hasn’t started out so well either!

I’m not sure what to think of this. I’m beginning to doubt my abilities of teaching him at all. I know it doesn’t help when Noah is home from school because of snow, but I still need to teach Michael!

I think it’s coming up on that “time” of the month too. I tend get very moody around that time. I don’t think it’s right, but I do know that is what’s going on.

*sigh* :(

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In the Midst of Change

I’m going to try and see if this type of blogging is for me. I’m a former member of both LJ and GJ…neither of those were working for me…

Well, things are changing around here. I hate to admit it, but I need to say it…I’ve backsliden a bit. :( I haven’t been reading like I should, but that’s going to change! I have joined many other members of our church in The Purpose Driven Life series. I’ve had the book for over a year now, but haven’t really read it. I also purchased, from our church, the Small Group Study Guide that we will be going through in our Bible Study. The leader of our Bible Study purchased all of the “regular attenders” of our Bible Study The Purpose Driven Life Journal. I’m excited to get started! Day one is tomorrow!! I have set up a reminder on my Outlook so that it will remind me to read a chapter a day for the next 40 days!

Michael has been homeschooled (OHVA…which is still a public school, but taught from me at home using the K12 curriculum) for a little over a week now. He enjoys it. We are working through the kinks and I need to get a schedule put in place. It’s difficult for me to homeschool Michael…get Noah out the door and onto the bus at noon (he’s in K)…and keep Daniel & Andrew (my twins) from being distractions for M during the day. Not to mention my house is a complete disaster…I have piles of laundry that needs to be done. I’ll be working on that tomorrow!

I had a binder made a few months ago and it sort of went by the wayside…I didn’t like the way I had some things and really didn’t follow any of it. I have recently started working on it again so that I can get a schedule all set up for Michael’s schooling and keep Noah’s school stuff and homework in order.

Michael’s computer arrived today! Kevin set it up today after he got home from work…we were at a baby shower today!

I have so many ideas…I just need to get things in order and scheduled…maybe I can get stuff done!!
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