Stolen moments

(My two little 5-month old pumpkins)

Happy Fall everyone! This is a picture of my two cute miracle pumpkins gives us so much joy. I recently read a story of a grieving father and his precious daughter. And the two words "stolen moments" caught my total attention. I really like that description, because I too feel cheated in life of so many stolen moments I will never get to experience with my triplets. And so when I look at my twin little ones, I'm still in awe of all the many times their lives were at risk, and be able to overcome them. So I treasure them, while I yearn for my babies in Heaven.

Over a year ago I remember when we went for the ultrasound and we discover their heartbeats for the first time: "It's twins!" the nurse celebrated... Honestly I was scared to death of loosing them because of multiple-pregnancy and its complications; or the traumatic experience and loss of our triplets.

Our miracle twin babies

(My two little giraffes. 7 days old)

This picture was taken when my babies were only one week old. So much joy they have given us already in these few days.

During Jess long stay at the hospital I’ve come across with so many amazing stories of other parents sharing their joyful story of their miracle babies. Some giving us reassurance, others asking for support and a word of encouragement. I listened to their fears and worries. And more important, I prayed for them daily. Some babies did make it to the gestational age that they could go to the NICU and survived. But sadly others parents experienced the same loss that we did with our triplets, and my heart broke for them every time I heard about them.

Hence, going through this experience showed me (once more) how complex and fragile new life can be. On this post I want to summarize all the medical challenges that my two miracle boys overcame to finally be in our arms. This should help many others when they go through similar situations, to give them hope and faith that He can do miracles for them too.

We are in good hands

Baby-B 3D scan at 25 weeks

Yesterday, we went for the ultrasound check on the anti-body status, baby growth and the cervix length. And prayers are being answered with the anti-body situation, because there is no indication that it has affected my two boys at all. However the cervix measurement showed that it is now too short, and required my wife to be hospitalized.

Thanks Heaven for boys

It was exciting for me reveal to the rest of the family the genders of the babies. I also know that many people were hoping that at least one of them would be a girl. And I would have liked that too; but deep in my heart I've been praying for healthy babies, whatever their genders are.

Waiting to find out their genders

(Merged 3D scan at 13 weeks)

Last month, we got our first appointment with the MFM doctor assigned to our case. And they did a 3D scan on the babies. I'm so amazed how much at 13 weeks a baby already looks like. Both of them are at the right size for their gestational age. So, we will keep pressing forward on our prayers for my little ones.

During the same appointment the doctors kept talking about their concern over the couple cysts that Jess has in her body, and the potential risk that the cervix could give up later on in the pregnancy. So, two weeks ago they scheduled a surgery to do a cerclage (known also as a cervical stitch). The night before the surgery our main doctor calls home, and shared that he wanted to add to the surgery a cyst draining procedure. This meant she would be under total anesthesia.

Antibody detected

Last week the doctors did a routine blood screening on Jess. And few days later we had an ultra-sound appointment. The scanning of the twin babies showed that everything is good. They have a good healthy size for a 10-week fetus, their heart rates are nice and strong; and the cervix length is also good. But at the end of the test, the lab doctor came into the room, and told us to go to a different room, to the despised patient conference room. We were wondering: Why? What's wrong? But no answers.

Seven more weeks . . .

Week 17

Waiting for time to go fast.

There is this four-letter word that we all hate:  "W-A-I-T"

Even when we're a child, if we don't get it our way quickly then we cry and scream as hard as we can, until the desire is meet. The sooner the better! We love the microwave; I mean you get instant food real quick. Or we like to go to the fast-food trough the drive-thru and in few seconds we get the food we ordered. You expect that everything in life should get to you almost at the same time that you think about it.

I've been waiting to be a parent for almost two decades.

Hemorrhage! Did the babies survive?

Another trip to the ER

Last Sunday, we went to sleep early, because I had to go to a conference call meeting at 6:30 am with engineers in India. I took the garbage out, place the doggies in their cages, give the medication to Jess, and we went to sleep.

It was 2:30 am, and all sudden I heard a frantic scream: LUIS! Jessica was yelling from the bathroom. I quickly got up and when I opened the door, I found the floor covered with blood, including the rugs, and all of her legs were dripping blood. I desperately call the doctor directly, while getting new clothing for her. The doctor half-sleep answers and I tell him: My wife is bleeding! He replied: "take her to the ER now!"

Twenty minutes later we are in the ER room. They check her vitals, then the ER doctor came in, and performed an examination, and he tells us "your wife is going into labor". Jess and I look at each other, with so much despair. This can't be happening, not now, it is too soon. Can the babies survive? No, the doctor answered, and left the room. I followed him out, is there anything you can do to stop this? No, there is nothing we can do to stop nature, what is happening is beyond our control.

From Triplets to Twins

Lilia (Baby C 11-weeks)

One of the babies will not make it

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
and lean not on your own understanding"
(Proverbs 3:5)

Today at thirteen weeks, we went to the first full scan ultrasound at the fetal imaging in the hospital. They performed a complete evaluation of each baby. They measure height, head size, Femur length, heart rate, heart cavities condition, and determination if the babies share common placenta.

Each of them has their own placenta. Baby-A and C are 6.6cm (2.6inch), and the rest of the measurements are good and healthy. Baby-B has problems. The femur length is too small, all the skin is swollen, there is a big bag around the head, and the heart beat is abnormal. At that point the nurse went and called the resident doctor.

The doctor confirmed the findings, and told us that we have bad and good news.

Unexpected trip to the ER.

Dizzy, uncontrollable shaking, blurry vision.

The first months of the pregnancy were miserable for Jessica because of her constant nausea. When she wakes up she would vomit. She would eat crackers and will vomit them few minutes later, or eat yogurt, and vomit later; or eat cereal, or milk, or granola bars, or any lunch food or any dinner food; and vomit all of it. And even after vomiting, she would have to visit the bathroom again multiple times.

So, she started losing weight, instead of gaining it. The doctor was worry that she was not getting nutrients for herself. The babies will be ok for a while. So, he prescribed her the best medicine that he knows works for these cases. She got the medicine. And it was like a miracle. Finally, she was able to eat, go out to restaurants, and even allow me to cook or see any food without any nausea. It works like wonders!