29 Week Update...

Hey everyone,

Today is 29 weeks!!! We are getting there, but def some bumps in the roads. As Mike mentioned in the last blog, we were put on an aggressive dose of Endomethecine. I completed that round this morning and saw my high risk doctor. The Ductus Arterius on both babies looked good after that round, but it seems the medicine caused Baby A (Mason's) amniotic fluid to become very very low. So, at this point, I will not be going back on that medication until at least Tuesday when they see me again and his fluid is built up again. 

I am now in a private room thank God!! Mom is here for the day which is great not only bc i love her company but bc she is keeping Mike from googling every possible thing that can go wrong. She even made to have the doctor reassure him that googling every possible outcome is not healthy! lol.  

Our main concern at this point, is that being off of this medication my body goes into labor. There is nothing at this point they can do to stop it if it does happen. 

We requested the NICU team to come talk to us so we will be prepared for what will happen if they are born today. Basically, they will be born...they will live. There are of course different scenarios that could happen, but you don't know that until the babies are born and evaluated.  

Thanksgiving was a hit! Mom and dad cooked at our house and then delivered us our food, we ate, and then they came with dessert. The boys were happy!! They were so active yesterday. I think we are going to have some good eaters on our hands. :)

Thank you for thinking of us!

Shannon and Mike

The Roller Coaster Ride Continues

Shannon could not update her blog so this is her husband Michael.  So...on Sunday evening Shannon has had a stomach bug but still little or no contractions.  Also on Monday we saw our high risk doctor who actually said that her cervix had not only stopped shortening but had also moved up to like a 2.5 (it was a 2.2).  So we thought FINALLY we are catching a break!  Well, Shannon's stomach bug worsened today and after we thought that was finally settling down, her contractions started back up and now they are a little painful.  So once again back to the high risk doctor.  Well her cervix went down in one day to a 2.1(but not dilated) and the contractions are continuing.

The high risk doc has now decided to put us back the Indomethacin (Indo) today instead of the weekend which is a little worrying.  Well on top of that he has doubled the dose to 50mg every 6 hours which is worrying us even more!  Indomethacin can be harmful to the babies if they are not monitored closely for amniotic fluid and also a major blood vessel for the babies, the ductus arterisous, could close prematurely (it closes on its own naturally when the baby is born) which could stop their hearts.  However, our high risk doctor has been doing this type of treatment for 14 years and he is confident in this decision.  The issue is that Shannon is carrying twins which makes getting together the right dose and course of action difficult because most of the research is for mothers carrying single babies not multiples.  At the worst it will delay labor for a few more day and at best it could stop it altogether.  So Shannon will be on this double dose on Indo until Friday morning in the hopes it will not interfere with the babies too much and stop her contractions.

This has been the worst roller coast ride.  Every time we think we have made progress in the right direction something else happens.  I have been on constant edge and I hate when the phone rings when I'm at home and not with her thinking something else has gone wrong. This next rounds of meds will really determine whether or not we can trick her body out of going into full on labor.  We hope you all will pray along with us that the babies will be safe and this will be successful.  As always thank you for you support.

Shannon & Mike

28 week update....Can't seem to catch a break

Hey all,

Well, it seems these little boys just want to come out!! Little do they know they have almost 8 more weeks to go since we are only 28 weeks.  The past 3 days we have been having steady, painless contractions and thought it would be wise to get checked out. After all the exams, tests and medications nothing seems to be stopping the contractions. We are currently at the hospital and under doctors orders there is nothing more they can give me except for admitting me until they either stop or the babies want to come out.  They did the steroid shots, Magnesium and I am on 150 mg of Procardia a day and Indamethocin every 6 hours every weekend. 

Mike is a wreck and believe it or not I am pretty calm and usually it is the other way around. He has been my rock and can't wait to see him with his little boys. He is going to be such a great daddy<3.

Anyways, I am rambling, so I will end this blog. Hopefully, things stay quiet and I am only here in the hospital for a day or so. 

If you get bored, email me, text me, tell me funny jokes I will be up for anything :)

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers <3

Shannon and Mike

Update to last weeks hospital stay

Hey there,

So, on a good note we are in our third trimester starting today, 27 weeks!  

On a not so good note, we met with our high risk doctor today and unfortunately my cervix has shortened quite a bit from last week. It is too late to do a cerclage so I was put on Procardia for the rest of my pregnancy and another medicine to keep my cervix from shortening and stop the contractions. 

I am on complete bed rest and only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and shower :(.  I am pretty surprised at how calm I am, but Mike is angry and def on edge.  In his mind he doesn't understand how we can go through all these doctors and have the best care and still have issues. I guess it's a man thing :) 

Just keep us in your prayers and pray these little guys stay in to cook a lot longer.  They are 2pounds 2 oz and 2 pounds 4 oz and have chunky cheeks :)

Thank you everyone!

Shannon and Mike

Asking for everyone's prayers

Last night around dinner time I went to the restroom and lost my mucus plug. We ran to L&D and after a pelvic exam I indeed lost my plug. Luckily enough I am having no contractions, cervix is still closed and no dilation. However, last time at 20 weeks this is how it started and two days later I went into active labor. I received a steroid shot ( which let me tell you may just be the worse injection ever, but so worth it) and a Rhogam shot and fluids. I will go in this morning to my HR doctor and there will be a discussion of a cerclage and I am definitely put on bed rest. I will have to go back tonight to receive the second steroid shot. Mike will be taking the next week off with me just to get into a new routine of "actual" bed rest and may have to show him pinterest! lol.

Am I in a panic, yes. However, with being 26 weeks I was able to get the steroid shots and with quick intervention my babies will be given the best chance and care.

Oh, BTW, we are letting everyone know the babies are indeed BOYS!! It is official :)


TIA for all the prayers and thoughts. I can't tell you how much they mean to Mike and I. 

Shan

22 weeks pregnant!!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to come on here and say we made it 2 weeks further!

Also, I thought I would document my lovely Lovenox bruises.  I do not have one stretch mark, but these def make up for that!  Luckily, these bruises are covered under clothing or the police would be questioning our marriage...lol. 

Talk to you all soon!

Shannon

Update: Things are looking better!

I just wanted to give everyone an update to Friday's run to L&D. This morning I went into my high risk doctor to just get a more in depth check.  I know L&D checked everything, but if you know my HR doctor they go way more in depth than any machine in L&D. So, luckily, my cervix is still really long and closed. No cervical changes which is a great thing!

I mentioned that I had an upset stomach all day the day we went into the hospital and my tech said it could have easily had been something I ate that caused my irritable uterus. I mentioned Subway the day before and she asked in her russian accent, "why you eat subway? Who told you you could eat cold cuts?" I just looked at her and replied, "It was heated up!" lol.  She informed me that subway does not heat up their meat high enough to kill any bacteria and the fact that it is sitting out all day is basically just asking to get an upset GI tract. Which could easily cause issues.  So, no more subway for me and basically no more eating out unless I know for sure everything is prepared correctly!

Long story short, with twins I am going to have braxton hicks/irritable uterus.  My uterus is stretching at a much faster rate and it is just going to happen. If my cervix starts to change is when we need to worry. If my cervix starts to change and I begin to have contractions no bag of fluid or bed rest will save us.  So, we are praying to God and asking everyone who is praying for us to just ask God to keep my cervix closed, shut and long! 

Thanks for your prayers!!! I really appreciate it. Love you all!!

Shannon