Wednesday, September 29 Doctor Visit

We had a great doctor visit yesterday. As many of you know, at 16 weeks the doctor was concerned about TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome) and we were transferred to Houston. At that time the babies were 17.6% different (they really worry at 20%) and the doctors were preparing us for surgery to lose one or both babies. Now we are at 24 weeks and after many prayers the babies are only 6.4% different. YEA! After the monthly measurement they found Baby A to be 1 lb. 6 oz. and in the 71st percentile and Baby B is 1 lb. 7 oz. and in the 84th percentile. They are big, healthy babies so far. After this exciting news, they released us to San Antonio. I will have an appointment in San Antonio in two weeks to meet with the doctors and finalize the plans. So far, I know that I will be going inpatient into the hospital on week 28 which is November 1st. I will be in the hospital until the babies are born (hopefully I hold them until the end of the month). While in the hospital I will be monitered 3-4 times a day. They will be looking for fetal distress (babies heartrate dropping due to cord compression). I hope to hold them until 32 weeks, but if they see problems they will take them emergency c-section. It's so awesome to see the babies doing well. I'm getting excited, but I am reminded there is still a chance I could lose them to cord entangement between now and then. Trey and I look at our lives and we realize that God has a plan for us. It's amazing to see the clear path God has made for us. I thought I was resigning from my job to get to hang out more with Quade and make a weekly trip to HEB in Kerrville, but since I left my job I have been carrying twins on an emotional roller coaster and I have yet to travel to Kerrville to go to HEB. I have, though, been able to spend lots of time with Quade and I've been able to get lots of rest. I've truly been able to carry these babies without the normal stress of a job. If I still had my job I would not be able to give 110% and I would be worried daily about the students and all the days I would be missing. I still go up to the school once a week to visit, do a little bit of volunteer work, and take the teachers Friday lunches. It's been a wonderful blessing and I know the Lord provided us this opportunity so that I could carry the babies. I believe that the Lord will not give us more than we can handle. Please continue to pray for God's will. By the way, Quade is doing great! We make our rounds in town everyday. We continue to stalk the dumptrucks, excavators and bulldozers at the new hospital construction site here in Junction, and we always stop by the airport to see the planes. We finally caught one taking off today. He said, "I'm so excited, I cannot wait for the plane to TAKE OFF!" He loved it! Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers.

Recent Doctor Visit Wednesday, September 15

Sorry for the late update, but our Internet was down earlier today. Yesterday we went to Houston and had the major organ scan. Everything looked beautiful! We saw fingers, toes, hands, feet, kidneys, bladders, brains, eyes, noses, lips, bones, 4 chamber hearts, and a bunch of other things. The amazing thing is that they are both so very healthy. I loved it when the sonographer and the doctor looked at the sonogram and said, "which one is the bigger baby, they are both looking to be the same size!" Yes! I thought, because they have been labeled big baby B and little baby A since the problem we had at 16 weeks. Here we are at 21 weeks and they are looking similar again; baby A is catching up. It is a total blessing to have two healthy babies growing inside me, and the support from thoughts and prayers make me feel at peace. We are definitely still faced with the reality of cord entanglement. They are already extremely tangled and twisted like a bowl of spaghetti (Trey's description). The first twist and knot starts at their abdomens so they are pretty close to one another at all times. We pray for God's will and I hope and pray God's will is that I deliver two happy, healthy babies. I've read good stories and bad stories, and I pray a miracle is in store for us. I love to see them touching each others face and I can tell they love eachother. We were able to see 3D (I'll post pics ASAP). They were both smiling! I can tell they are ready for a little bit of their own space because one second they are touching eachother nicely and then one gets kicked in the face or elbowed in the gut. It's definitely an exciting sight. I know everyone is also wondering if I'm going to get to go to San Antonio now, but Houston decided to keep me a little while longer. I am a rare case and I feel like a freak show. Everyone comes in to see me (residents, etc.) and I'm sure I'm a documented case. I do get a break from seeing the doctor next week and then I will head to Houston again the following week on Wednesday. Obviously, they don't want me to leave (probably because they get money everytime we come) but I think, know they love us too. Awesome Christian environment! They have even offered me a room in their home while under their care. Seriously! I am so blessed to be in great hands. It is hard to leave Houston, but I know in my heart that when I go inpatient (into the hospital) on November 1st I will want to be surrounded by friends and family, especially having the opportunity to see Quade and Trey more often (if I'm in San Antonio). Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers! Keep them coming!

Quade's Kidney Appointment

Quade's kidney appointment went okay today. His condition is called Hydronephrosis in his left kidney, which is the swelling or dilation of the kidney due to the backup of urine. Over the years they have checked for an obstructed valve, blockage, etc. but it seems as though the ureter (which connects the kidney to the bladder) is too small for free flow. Over the years the ureter has grown and he has slowly grown out of the condition. His sonogram today showed that he hasn't changed much since last year, but it hasn't gotten worse and he does not have any scar tissue. The kidneys are growing equally and looking healthy. Since the drainage issue is not bad, but not completely gone they will keep an eye on him every year until he is four or five. They just want to make sure he doesn't get kidney damage or kidney infections. He has a great doctor at Dell Children's Hospital in Austin. Surgery is not necessary and we are sooo thankful for that.

Nice Break This Week

Well it was nice to have a break this week. This is the first week (week 20), since week 6 that we didn't have to have a sonogram; I'm sure the babies are thrilled too. It was nice not to have to drive to Houston. Some of you may be wondering who keeps Quade while we are in Houston; we have a wonderful sitter (Sandra Timms) that has been taking care of Quade since he was 6 months old. Sandra does a wonderful job and Quade also loves her husband Nick who is the local butcher at Super S. Nick spoils Quade with cookies and cheese every time we go to the grocery store. This past Wednesday she kept him for a few hours while I did something for myself (a haircut). Other than that this week, Quade and I fed the ducks at the local park everyday. If the Junction ducks are looking on the heavy side, they are eating lots and lots of bread and tortillas (or tacos as Quade called the tortillas - "Come and get a taco, ducks!"). We also stalked the dump truck drivers taking dirt from the new hospital grounds. We sat and watched the excavators fill the dump trucks, then we would follow the dump truck to watch it dump at another site, and then follow the dump truck back to the hospital site to do it all over again. It was great fun and Quade was soooo excited. This week: On Monday we are making a short trip to Austin for one last sonogram on Quade's kidney. To update anyone who does not know - On my last sonogram before Quade was born the sonographer found that one of his kidneys was enlarged. Over Quade's first year of life he had sonograms every few months to watch his kidney; they were watching to make sure it drained properly. He was growing out of it and his kidney was not damaged at our last visit. We will go tomorrow (it's been a year or so) to make sure the kidney is draining properly and he has grown out of the problem. He doesn't have a problem urinating so we don't expect any problems and hopefully we don't have to return. Wednesday we will return to Houston for the manditory full organ sonogram scan for the twins. Hopefully the scan makes the doctor happy and we will be transferred to the doctor in San Antonio. The Houston doctors will work side by side with the San Antonio doctors in making decisions for the babies. This is week 21 and we continue to be blessed. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Good Doctor Visit 9/1

Well, we had a great doctor visit yesterday. It's a long ride to Houston and back, but a huge blessing to be in the hands of the "twin gurus of Texas" as they call themselves. Dr. Moise is wonderful; he is associated with Baylor Medical Clinic and Texas Children's Hospital. Three weeks ago our Austin doctor transferred us to Houston because of the possibilities of TTTS. All of the doctors were concerned by what they observed, but over the past month things have gotten better. Three weeks ago Baby A had almost no bladder while Baby B had a huge bladder and was urinating frequently. Baby B also had signs of a stressed heart. These are the signs of TTTS which is rare in Momo twins, but possible. They told us that they were 17.6% different and they start really worrying at 20%. They gave us a week for possible, but doubtful changes. But as I said the power of prayer, love and support helped things to change. We are going in a positive direction because the babies are now only 11% apart. Baby A and Baby B look very similar, even the bladders. Baby B does not have stress on his heart anymore. We are so happy with this change. He is giving us a break next week from traveling, so in two weeks we will be back in Houston for a major organ scan. He is not worried about the scan because we've been looking at them for 19 weeks now, but it's a manditory scan. After this scan, if everything is great we will transfer to San Antonio for sure. Yea! Again, thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. By the way, Quade is doing great and I am loving staying home with him. He definitely keeps me entertained.