Our Road To Triplets (Part 7)

To all my faithful readers, it is now time to finish this story.

So that next morning Jon and I headed into the Doctor's office. They proceeded to do the level II ultra sound and told us that all the babies looked good and they were all between 4-10 and 4-12. We were happy with these weights. After the ultra sound we headed across the hall to see another doctor. The nurse told me to get changed so the doctor could do an exam. I was not thrilled by this as I was so big and uncomfortable but Jon helped me to get undressed. When the doctor came in he asked me what had been going on. I told him all about the blurry vision and the high BP. He then told me that there was no reason to do and exam and to get dressed. He said it was more important that I head over to the hospital to be monitored at this point. I think he knew that I would have the babies that day but he did not want to alert us at that point in time.
When I stood up to get dressed I notice that the seat was wet where I had been sitting. The nurse came in and took one look at that and laughed. She told the doctor it was a darn good thing he was sending me over to the hospital as I was "leaking"! I was so embarrassed but she thought it was great.
We got over to the hospital and I got all checked in. The doctor came in and told us the news that it was time to deliver the babies. We were going to have the babies and it was June 1st, 2004. We had to wait for awhile as they were trying to get some room cleared up at the NICU to make room for our babies. Jon got all dressed up in his scrubs and my mom showed up to offer her moral support. My cousin Heather also arrived as we wanted her there to be with my mom while she waited when we were in surgery.

Mommy & Daddy waiting for the surgery!

At around 6 PM they came and got me to take me to the OR. They told Jon to hang tight in the room and they would come back and get him once I was all set up. I remember being wheeled into the Operating Room and it was very cold in there. They told me to sit up so they could get the spinal in. I sat up and all I remember is this doctor trying to make me bend in half and it was not working as I was so large. The first time they put the needle in I could feel it in my left leg and once I told them they immediately removed it. The next time they stuck in my back it worked find. They laid me back down and started to prep me for surgery. Jon came in and was sitting by my head. I knew I was not numb at this point as I could still feel everything. When the doctor came in I started to get a little nervous and when he asked me how I was doing I told him that I was not numb (I was really freaked that they would cut me open and I would feel it). The anesthesiologist did not believe me when I told him I could still feel everything down there. After the third numbing test they told Jon to go stand in the corner and they sat me back up to give me yet another Spinal! Yikes, I was getting nervous that it was not going to work and they they would need to put me out for the birth of my children.

This is the nurses lined up to take the babies once they come out!

The third time was a charm and now I just think three spinals for three babies! Anyway, the surgery proceeded. The anesthesiologist was very nice and he took our camera from Jon and started taking incredible pictures. I will not share those here as they are a little graphic but I have been told that they belong in a medical journal on Triplet C-Sections! I remember the doctor asked me what order I wanted the babies to come out and I thought this was a weird question but we told him we wanted them in order of baby A, B, & C! It felt like it was taking forever for them to get baby A out. All I wanted to hear was a little cry as I knew if they would that they were breathing on their own. All of a sudden I heard A cry a little cry.

Mommy seeing A up close for the first time!

The doctor held her up and I thought she was awesome. He said she was a good weight for a triplet pregnancy as she weighed in at 4-12. Two minutes later E came out and she cried right away too. They held her up and showed me her and she was amazing too. After they took E out Jon said that I let out a huge sigh of relief and the entire operation room laughed at me. The doctor was amazed that I could say I had relief when I had another baby inside of me. However, she was in my ribcage and it hurt so I was so relieved when they got her out.

Mommy seeing E up close!

Last but not least we met our little boy! He cried right away too. We were told that all the babies were doing great and they all were healthy.

This is mommy seeing K up close!

As they started the process of stitching me up they packed the babies up so they could transfer them to the NICU. I told Jon and I was fine and I wanted him to go with the babies. As he followed the babies out into the waiting area he was met by my mom and cousin. They were both thrilled at the news and all three of them followed the team of professionals who were transporting our babies to the NICU.

This is the babies in transport to the NICU! This is also how my mom and my cousin first saw the babies!

I remember being in the recovery room and feeling so good because I no longer had that huge stomach full of babies. The nurse kept asking me if I needed any pain medication and I just kept telling her that I felt GREAT! My cousin came back to see me and report that the babies were all doing great and they are all beautiful and healthy. She gave me the play by play of what was happening at the NICU with the babies. I was thrilled that everything seemed to be going so great. My mom and Jon then came back and gave me the same report. They said that they had all the babies checked in and things were going well. Then the nurse asked if I would like to be wheeled over to the NICU so I could see my babies. I was very tired but so eager to go. They wheeled me all the way over to the Children's hospital. I was so happy that I was able to see my babies. I just wanted to hold them but I knew I needed to be patient.

My three spinals all started to wear off and I had an rough night. Plus they stuck me back on the Mag because of my BP so I was feeling pretty crabby through the night and most of the next day. Once the doctor came in to check on me I begged her to take me off the Mag.. By 7 pm I was off the mag and feeling like myself again. I spent the next five days in the hospital recovering and visiting the babies. I started to pump for breast milk and this was a very slow and painful process. The day I left the hospital we transferred the babies to a special care nursery that was 5 minutes from our house. This made things a lot easier on Jon and I.

The babies spent exactly 4 weeks in the hospital on a feed and grow plan. This gave me a great deal of time to get some rest and to heal. I don't think anything can prepare you for bringing three babies home and it was hard the first few months but we had a lot of help from family and friends. What an incredible journey it has been and I have no idea why God blessed both Jon and I with these three incredible gifts but I am so grateful he did. I tell people all the time that I would not have it any other way.