Glucose Testing

I continue to be in awe of the miraculous gift that has been given to Steve and I every day. God is so amazing to me and constantly revealing Himself in ways I could never have imagined. I had my glucose tolerance test today…disgusting! After being extremely ill Monday through Thursday, it was not helped AT ALL by having to drink that nasty stuff. I will say today’s was better than the orange nasty I had with Aidan, but it was still so gross. I have no idea if I passed or failed, but am thinking that I probably didn’t do too well. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.We had another ultrasound today. Dr. H did an umbilical cord study on the identical babies this time. It was very stressful because I had no idea what he was doing and he was very quiet. I really thought that something was wrong. It took about 30 minutes for him to do it. He also did a biophysical profile on each baby. He suddenly said that the umbilical cords were terrific and babies were moving, hiccupping, swallowing, and everything they were supposed to be doing fantastically. He got some really good videos of them hiccupping and swallowing that were really cute. He also got one picture of the two identical (we think!) babies face to face. That is absolutely amazing and I will post it under the photos section. Babies B and C, which we believe are the identical two right now, but he also said he really can’t guarantee that at this point, are both breech and on the top. Baby C, the singleton (we think!), is vertex and buried pretty deep down. He couldn’t get any good shots of him. He tried to move him and turn him manually (VERY painful) so that he could get a better shot, but he just couldn’t. Each of the babies is growing at an amazing rate. One baby is 3.05 pounds, another 2.6 pounds, and another 2.8 pounds. All excellent sizes. Doctor assured me that we will be bringing home three babies. This is the first time he has ever actually said that. He said that we are completely out of danger really and everything from here on out is essentially bonus time for the babies. He said that he has delivered a fair amount of singletons at the babies’ sizes and they have done well. He also said that at this stage (29+ weeks), the rate of mortality in one of the babies is about 1 in 200, so less than 1% and the rate of long term disability is about 2%. [Probably TMI following --] My cervix is still measuring way huge. Today is was 5.51 cm. Last time, it was 7 cm. Normal, singleton pregnancy is 3-4 cm. He showed where the one baby’s bag was bulging down and in a “normal” person, that would be causing the cervix to dilate and I would be in labor. However, in my highly interesting body, it is pushing on the right side of the cervix, moving it out of the way instead of pushing directly on the cervix causing it to dilate (like it should be). He said at this point, I will more than likely NOT go into labor on my own and if I DO deliver early, it will be because of pre-eclampsia, not dilation or anything else. I had protein in my urine again today and my blood pressure is rising still. Plus a lot of swelling in my hands, feet, and face again. Pretty much all over. My weight was a bit of a problem. I have been trying so hard to gain, but after being so ill, I am now down to lower than I was at my first OB appointment and at that point, I had already lost a lot. So now I have lost even more again. He said that he would overlook it this time because he knew I was really sick, but he does want me to work on it. The nurse also said my urine was extremely concentrated, but he said that was OK also because he knew how sick I was. And told me to keep pushing the fluids. Everything going as well as it is at this point is nothing short of a miracle and God. There is simply no human way to explain pregnant with triplets, who are growing exceptionally well and doing so well, and NOT on bedrest. It is almost unheard of. I am just so in awe of everything that is happening with this wonderful gift. And humbled by all the prayers being said on our behalf. It is greatly appreciated, more than I could ever express.Steve and the boys are going to his family’s Christmas Sunday and I will get my very last day for a very long time, all alone, to luxuriate and do nothing. I am pretty excited. I think that may very well be my best Christmas present! Then on Monday we are able to stay home for the first Christmas ever and just enjoy it as our own family. I am looking forward to that, also. I am no longer allowed to travel, so that is why I am not attending any festivities.I wish everyone a very blessed Christmas and safe New Year!

28 weeks

Twice in one week...I'm getting good! I just wish I could remember to take weekly pictures, because they do change weekly.

27 weeks

I am now 27 weeks. This was taken before Austin's Cub Scout meeting. I no longer fit into my Cubmaster shirt at all...not even with leaving it open, so I don't even bother. Last meeting before Christmas and my "maternity leave" from Scouts!

DON'T Measure Your Fundal Height!!!

So yesterday someone on my multiples list was talking about uterus measurements. I have been very curious about this because for some reason, Dr. Hintz doesn't do it. I think because he does an ultrasound at every visit, he can see clearly that the babies are OK, so he skips that. At any rate, I still want to know what I am measuring. So, they explained how to do it (which is simple) and I did it. I was HORRIFIED!! I never should have done it! I got 43 weeks and I couldn't possibly believe that I had done it right, so I made Steve do it when he got home. He got 42 weeks by pulling the tape a little snugger and trying to be "nice." WHAT!?!?! I knew that I have been miserable and FEEL huge, but I had NO IDEA I would measure that big. By the way, I am *only* 24 weeks pregnant! Maybe there is a good reason behind Dr. Hintz not doing it after all...We have our next appointment (and ultrasound) on Wednesday. I am looking forward to seeing the babies again. I always start to get a little nervous about a week or so before appointments and it is so reassuring to see them moving around and growing. Because I really don't feel like I look like I am growing. Although people are starting to look at me funny when they ask when I am due and I tell them March 6. Then I usually explain why I am a smidge larger than some! And other than hiccups, the babies are not moving nearly as much as they were even a week ago. Just thought I'd update with my fascinating measurments. I'll update again next week after our appointment!

Level 2 Ultrasound

Yesterday we had our Level 2 ultrasound. Dr. Hintz had told us to plan on four hours, but I guess I didn’t really think it would take that long. It did. We got there at 1:20 and we left at about 5:15. It was a VERY long day to say the least! He did give me breaks after each baby for about five minutes to go potty, get up and walk around, and get off laying on my back. He dictated each baby during that time. After the first baby, both Steve and I thought that he was finished with two babies instead of one!He looked in detail at each baby’s brain, heart, kidneys, gallbladder, bladder, bones, everything! He said that he couldn’t believe what great views he got of two of the babies hearts and he was really able to look at them in depth. The third baby is a flipper, so he didn’t get as great a look, but still got a very good look at it. Everything with all three babies is absolutely perfect!!! There is nothing wrong with any of them! That is such a relief. Baby A (Mr. Flipper) was breech like everyone else, then one minute later he was head down, then another few minutes would pass and he would be transverse. He REALLY liked to move around. He was also the last one to be looked at and was buried pretty deep in my pelvis when he was transverse, so that could be why he was uncooperative. All three babies are measuring at 20 weeks, 5 days and I am 21 weeks, 2 days, so they are still doing very well. Baby A (identical) weighed .83 pounds and was the smallest of the three, but not by much at all. Baby B (the other identical) weighed .86 pounds and was the largest of the three. Baby C weighed .84 pounds. I forgot to ask him how long they were, but they are really very long, which surprised me. All three when breech had their heads way up high under the top part of my rib cages, with butts down by hips and legs over to the side from that. Steve and I are still trying to figure out the report he gave us of each baby so we can figure out just how long they each were, but it is Greek to us! And it really doesn’t even matter, considering they are doing so great! Dr. Hintz gave us a disk with over 200 images on it of each of the babies, plus six live action movies of them. That was really neat to be able to show Austin and Aidan. They both lost interest in it pretty quick, but at least they got to see it.The very best part of the day came at the end when he checked my cervix. I dread having it done, but it was excellent. The first time he measured it it was 4 cm and he was certain it couldn’t possibly still be that long, so he had me go to the bathroom. Then he measured it again and it was 7 cm!! It hasn’t started to shorten AT ALL and he said he has never seen anything like it at this stage. Shirley, his nurse thought it would be hilarious if he had to induce triplets. He said he didn’t think THAT would happen, but he did say that he is pretty sure I will go very far. That is so reassuring! For once a part of me that doesn’t work is turning out to be a huge blessing!!I put some pictures of the babies on the front page and I put a few more under “my photo gallery” for your perusing pleasure, if you so desire. They are too big to get anything more than the tops of three heads on one picture and he didn’t save that image, so they are all individual. Some have various parts of the other babies’ in with them, though!Thank you so much for all of your prayers…God is so great! We are feeling so privileged to daily be able to witness God’s awesome power!!