I've been wanting to blog about them for sometime now but there is so much to say! and wait for that I've just put it off. Their story is amazing, miraculous and faith building. I love my brother and his wife. We told them kids will change everything, but their story surely takes it up a notch or two.
Because they couldn't just have one. They had to announce twins that came to them only a short time after "giving it to God" when they were told it might not be easy for them to get pregnant. My brother likes to prove everyone wrong. What a blessing. Twins are scary, sure. You automatically join this niche group of parents who need a support group because the first year of twins will feel like you're drowning they say. But it gets better they say. "I couldn't imagine" says everyone else.
But soon after they found out they had twins, they were also told one will most likely die. I have a hard time even saying that out-loud, let alone soak it in as reality. Their first doctor even told them to forget about the one and focus on the other. How can a parent do such a thing? So of course they didn't. But they kept this part to themselves. They shared with parents, but I didn't even know for a few months. So here I am talking about twins, and twin stuff, and they are dealing with the heaviness that comes with already losing a child.
Due to poor timing, they didn't have consistent and even decent medical care that could definitively answer their questions. in the beginning. They graduated, vacationed, moved and started a new job in between insurances etc... but every doctor kept telling them the same, there was little to no fluid surrounding baby B. Therefore, her lungs would not develop enough to survive long after birth. She would most likely even pass in the womb and that opens questions to how her health affects baby A.
Baby A was fine. Baby B always measured smaller, but all we felt we could do was wait. Mom could be sure to keep up the liquids, take it easy and just wait. If they could've done a transfusion, that time had passed. The doctors were sure they had separate sacs any way. Rand & Sav had such faith & strength. It was painful & heartbreaking, but they trusted in God. And we prayed, fasted & waited.
Then Sav had a pin hole tear and leaked water at 26 weeks. I couldn't imagine how scary this was for them. They went to the hospital and were sent home. The scans turned up fine even when they had concerns about fluid, she was sent home, but hours later returned due to a complete water breakage. There she remained on hospital bed rest for 4 weeks. The water broke from the baby who already had little fluid. But, she had fluid to lose?! The hope was that she had just enough during the crucial 15 week development as well.
They delivered the girls April 1st at 30 weeks. Little baby wasn't expected to grow much and it was reaching that period of time when the longer she went on, the worse her situation could become on the inside. My brother said they got the distinct impression that the stronger baby was willing to sacrifice less growth time in the womb to give her sister a chance at survival. They scheduled a C section and again, doctors prepared them to handle the bad news. I'm not sure what the doctors would have said was typical, let them hold their dying baby while the other is rushed off to the NICU? But it doesn't matter, because they both came out very much alive. It may not have been the typical cry, but there was hope in their lungs.
I just cried when I heard the news. What a relief. There was no funeral to plan; we did not have to rejoice AND grieve. They were strong enough to handle that outcome, but they don't have to. They get to see their girls fight for their life. Which, they still needed to do.
We were all surprised to hear that the smaller baby was larger than expected at 2 lbs 7oz and 13 in and the bigger baby was smaller than expected at 2 lbs 13 oz. and 15 in. I know that made my brother question their decision to induce, the baby they were told to ignore was growing! How much longer could she have gone? But the doctors assured them that with the fluid build up around her lungs and heart, that was probably a critical time to deliver. And without amniotic fluid, the cord and pressure would only get more precarious with growth. I know God's hands are in the timing of his children.
They beat the odds and continue to beat the odds, especially Nova Rose who was told wouldn't make it. She fought past the doctors' expectations, the needles and heavy equipment. She was born with substantially smaller lungs, but she continues to fight and get stronger. Unfortunately, my brother witnessed both lungs rupturing when she was on the initial ventilator. As he explains, it went ventilator, oscillator, ventilator and now CPAP (she coughed up the ventilator and has been doing great sense). She will eventually do Vapotherm and then regular air flow. I know they are happy to see her in less pain. She no longer needs her medications. I know she wants to keep up with her sister. She reached the point where the doctors told my brother most don't reach. She made it.
Sage Luna keeps fighting too and luckily didn't need as much care as her sister. She has stayed on the lowest level of oxygen support (weaning her off that has been the hardest part for her) and is eating well from the bottle her mom fought hard to pump. It's not easy to keep up your milk supply without the baby to get things started in the beginning, but of course Sav exceeded there as well. As they approach their due date, Sage will be coming home soon. But they have to move due to mold being found in their home! So just add that stress to the daily NICU travel logs. Can we just know everything is perfect and prevent all further complications? That would be nice. Perhaps we just wouldn't be as strong and wise.
Miracles do happen. It's amazing the odds these two have overcome to live thus far. I'm so proud to be an Aunt to these fighters. I'm grateful to their parents for their example of faith & strength to give their girls this fighting chance. Our purpose is to give our children that chance. I can't listen to anyone who tells me otherwise. Children are not a choice, they are a privilege and parenthood is probably the only chance we have to experience real growth and real understanding.
Comments
Post a Comment