Our Journey!!

by A Zena
(Corpus Christi TX)

At 11wks pregnant I found out I was pregnant with twins. But not just normal twins, Monochorionic Monoamniotic, Identical twins!!! I was excited, but when the doctor explained to me what that meant, I was devastated. Mo-Mo twins share the same amiotic sac, meaning there is a great chance of cord entanglement which could lead to death. The survive rate was about 65% according to my MFM Dr. So at 25wks I was hospitalized for close monitoring of the twins, and planned for a c section at 32wks. The stay in the hospital was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I left behind my 17 month old baby boy and my husband. Although they did visit and my husband stayed with me about 2 or 3 times a week. Christmas and New years while in the hospital just wasn’t the same, although I did have a Christmas tree.

At 29wks my doctor ordered continuous monitoring for low fluid. But then decided a couple days later continuous was no longer needed but I told the doctor I felt more comfortable on continuous, so continuous it was. One night while I was asleep my nurse rushed in my room and started searching for babies heart rates, I was put on oxygen and they searched what seemed like forever!!! No heart rate!! But finally thanks to god they found it!! A sono was done and they said both babies were fine. The whole next day I had contractions and just knew something was not right!! That night I could not sleep, I feared for my girls’ safety. I kept noticing the girls heart rates would dip into the 90's, which never ever happened before. But the Nurses said it wasn’t significant and they were fine. But try telling a mom who has gone through so much to get that far in her pregnancy.

I kept questioning the nurses and Doctors. Till finally 3 days later My MFM doctor came to do the weekly sono. I told her everything that happened and told her to review the night’s heart rates and showed her the dips. She did the sono & agreed with me, something was not right. The girls cords were extremely tangled and that day, exactly 30 wks, I had a c section. Twin A was 3 lbs 2ozs and B was 2 lbs 9ozs. They had breathing problems which are normal for premature babies and both were put on ventilators. They both had a heart murmur because the valve in their heart did not close on its own. So they had heart surgery to close them. After that they were on the road to recover and weight gain.

After 6 wks in NICU they came home. Now they are two months and are healthy as ever. I am very blessed and honored to be given the opportunity to experience all this. It made me a stronger person and though it was the toughest time I have ever had, I wouldn’t change it for anything.