Twins - 30 Weeks

We made it to 30 weeks! I am writing this post from the IHC hospital in Murray.

I have finally succumbed to the awfulness that is preeclampsia.

I went to my doctor for my  regular check up on July 10 and my blood pressure was really high. The doctor had me lie down and checked it again every 5 minutes for 20 more minutes. It went down, but the fact it was so high without lying down he put me on bed rest (I was already on bed rest kind of, this was more official and strict).

I had really not been feeling great and working was becoming way more than I could handle, so I had come prepared with disability documents for the doctor to fill out. Thank goodness I had already done it all, because things really went down hill from there.

I submitted my disability papers and officially said I can’t work any longer on Friday, July 11. This was a hard decision because we need the money and staying home all day by myself is torture, but at this point physically and mentally I just couldn’t work any longer.

Tuesday July 15 was my sizing ultrasound. The twins (thankfully) looked amazing. Loki is still measuring 2 weeks ahead, and Thor 1. He was 3.1lbs and she was 3.9.

The doctor, however, was less than pleased with how I was doing. My swelling just keeps getting worse, I’m having cramps (no contractions that I can feel though) and my blood pressure was really bad.

So, the doctor sent me to labor and delivery to be assessed. They monitored the twins and I for about 4 hours. The twins did amazing. My blood pressure slowly got a little better, but still wasn’t great. They took a urine sample and finally sent me home with a “hat” (bowl thing you put in the toilet and pee into) and a gallon jug for urine. I had to collect urine for 24 hours. YUCK. That was not fun. And we had to refrigerate it. Nothing like a thing of pee in your fridge.

We had to drop it off at the hospital 24 hours later, and Trev had to walk into the hospital carrying this gallon jug of my pee. That is love.

That Saturday (7-19), we moved to our new home in Kaysville. We had so many friends and family that made that happen and we can’t thank you all enough! My mom came and packed the cave, we moved, then she made sure we were unpacked. It was a huge blessing, since I can’t do anything but sit on the couch all day.

Saturday my blood pressure was high all day. Sunday it stayed high. Monday (7-21) I woke up not feeling super great, and my blood pressure was still really high. So I called my doctor wondering about the urine test and was told it came back I have preeclampsia and I needed to go to labor and delivery stat to be triaged.

My doctor is in the Riverton hospital, and they do not have a level 1 NICU. So my doctor sent me to the IHC labor and and Delivery in Murray, since they have a level 1 NICU.

I was admitted to the hospital and poked and proded for 3 days. After 3 days my blood pressure had gone down enough that they (with some persuading from me) allowed me to go home (7-23)

I made it home 1 day before I was admitted again. I had my non stress test on Friday the 25^th,  and my blood pressure was really high. The twins looked good – but Thor gave me a bit of a scare. They had to buz him 3 times to get his heart to fluctuate to the degree necessary. I guess he was asleep, and he ended up making the target, but I was really nervous for a while. They had me hooked up probably for 40 or so minutes. 

They tested my urine again and the level of protein was even higher, not good. They sent me to the lab to have blood drawn to test to see if my organs were being affected or platelets.

I hadn’t been feeling great and I just kind of knew the results were not going to be good, so instead of having Trev drive me home I just had him take me to his parents to wait to hear the results of the blood work.

They called back at about noon and my blood work came back slightly irregular. Not good. So they told me to come back to labor and delivery and be admitted again.

So, here I am, on day 2 of my second hospital stay this week. They took my blood this morning and my labs look about the same, which is good. My blood pressure last night was amazing, but hasn’t been doing so great today.

The doctor said I might get discharged tomorrow, and I hope I do. I’d rather be at home than stuck in the hospital.

They want me to make it to 34 weeks before these babies come. At the rate I’m going, they think I can make it to 34 weeks. The Doctor said sometimes the labs will stay stable for a bit, other times tank out of no where. So there is really no way of knowing. If I am released, I’ll be at the hospital at least 2 times a week to do a stress test and get labs drawn. But that is still better than being admitted.

I’m so uncomfortable and staying at the hospital bites. I want these babies to stay cooking, and I do not want them in the NICU, but the idea of 4 more weeks of this is so intense. I’m not sure I can do it. Trev says I can’t think about it as 4 more weeks. It has to be one day at a time, and he’s right. I can handle one day at a time. 4 weeks, even though I know it’s nothing, seems like an eternity.

And I really don’t want little premi babies! It’s so stressful for me worrying about the babies coming too soon and will they be ok, etc.

I wanted to get all this documented before I forgot. That has been our week! Luckily I’m showing no signs of labor yet.

Twins Bump Pictures

9.4 weeks

12 weeks

 16 weeks

17 weeks

18 weeks

19 weeks

20 weeks

22 weeks

23 weeks 

(June 9, 2014)

24 weeks

25 weeks

26 Weeks

27 Weeks

July 7 

July 10

July 15

August 2
(I stopped taking pictures the last month... I got so huge, felt so utterly miserable, was in and out of the hospital... This picture was taken at my baby shower the week before I went into labour. I look so HUGE AND horrible. Ugh. This is why I didn't take any pictures!)

Happy First Year Anniversary!!!

This year has been insane... 

I’ve had 3 different jobs, Trevor has had 2 (all within the same companies, just different positions). We’re on our 3^rd move (2 of which I’ve done pregnant). We’ve gotten (accidentally) pregnant. Found out we’re expecting boy/girl twins. Bought a house. Taken trips, dealt with personal struggles, made life altering decisions.

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest. The first 4 months or so were pretty hard at times, I won’t lie. Learning to be married isn’t always easy. Learning to live with someone from a completely different background. Learning how to be a wife wasn’t always as intuitive as I expected it would be. Overcoming certain expectations, understanding how I work, my needs, and communicating those needs was a challenge I didn’t expect.

But one thing is for certain – I married the best man in the world.

I thought I knew Trevor when we got engaged. I was terrified of getting married, but loved him so we did it – got married.

I’ve realized now I didn’t really know him before we were married. I did, to a degree, enough to know he is worth marrying – but I truly know him so much better now. And I hit the jackpot with him.

He tells me he loves me and I am beautiful multiple times a day. I kid him, because he isn’t good with words. As in, writing me love notes or stuff of that nature. But the guy is amazing at reminding me he loves me all day. He doesn’t do it in a routine, habitual way. Every time he says it so I know he really means it. And he tells me I’m beautiful. Even now, when I’m hugely pregnant with twins, swollen and fat and feel so unattractive – he tells me I am beautiful. And I know he means it, because he looks at me in his Trevor way with such sincerity.

He is so service oriented. He’s always willing to help a friend, even if it is inconvenient. He over books himself, because he can’t turn someone down. He serves me non-stop. He makes me breakfast every day, which I can’t begin to say how much it means to me. With this pregnancy, his thoughts are for my well-being from morning night. He puts himself and his needs on the back burner every single day.

He’s happy. Seriously, he’s always happy. He rarely gets moody. He’s solid. I’ve always loved how he’s such a happy guy, but never realized what a true blessing it is in my life until after marriage. With all the changes and curve balls life has thrown at us, this man has never ceased to smile about it. He takes it as it comes and enjoys it. With as sick as I’ve been this pregnancy, he has every right to get frustrated with me or at least the frustrating situation – but he doesn’t. He continues to wake up every morning and make me breakfast with a smile on his face. I love this about him.

I could go on and on. Trevor is seriously my best friend. We have so much fun together, all the time. I am way more in love with him today than I was a year ago when we got married. He makes me want to be a better person. I still get butterflies when he kisses me, when he’s on his way home from work and I can’t wait to see him.  This pregnancy has been totally unexpected and quite difficult, but it’s brought us closer together and for that I am so grateful.

I’m excited for the next year, to see the joys it brings. We will be a family of 4! HOLY COW!

Trevor Freaking Schauerhamer, I love you more than I can say. You have become part of me. I still fall asleep at night thanking God that you are by my side. That I am lucky enough to be your wife.

Love,

Brittney