March 30, 2007

March 30th, 2007 is a day I will never forget. It's the day my world was forever changed. It's the day we found out I wasn't carrying just one baby, but three.

Even though the day was 2 years ago I can remember it like it was yesterday. I remember being irritated at how late my appointment was starting - how dare they tell a pregnant woman to drink as much water as she can possibly hold and then make her wait almost 30 minutes for her appointment to start!

I vividly remember looking at the screen and immediately seeing what looked like two babies and then being told we were having twins. I remember having about 90 seconds to digest that news before the ultrasound tech found baby number 3. I then remember laughing and crying at the same time. I'm sure the color drained from my face too.

It's dark and grainy, but if you look closely you can see the three monkeys there... I was 12 weeks out when we found out and this "picture" was taken.

I remember crying in the bathroom afterward and then trying to make myself look presentable before heading to work. I remember arriving at the office, plunking down a whole sheet of ultrasound pictures and then watching the looks of disbelief when I told my co-workers I was having triplets.

I remember sitting at my desk and trying to focus on work (not an easy task!). I remember receiving a call from my doctor's office informing me I was being referred to a team of Perinatologists for the duration of my pregnancy. That's when it dawned on me that I was now considered high-risk. That's when the fear started creeping in.

As the weeks went on I read message boards, books and spoke to my new doctor(s). I learned that making it to 24 weeks was crucial and that if I made it to 32 weeks then we'd "hung the moon" as one doctor put it. I learned to expect bed rest and quite possibly hospitalization. I learned about the dangers of TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome) and how the doctors were watching the boys for signs of it. I learned about drugs that I would be given should I go into labor too early. I learned about what to expect out of NICU babies. I felt prepared and scared at the very same time. Each doctor appointment brought the "what if's". What if today is the day they find something wrong. What if today is the day I'm put on bed rest. What if today they admit me to the hospital for closer monitoring.

Even with those What If's though I knew I was in good hands. I knew my doctors had plenty of research to back up what they were doing. You know why? Because of organizations like March of Dimes.

Had my pregnancy not been as easy (I went 33w3d with no bedrest), there are medicines and procedures thanks to the March of Dimes that could have kept my pregnancy going longer. Had the boys struggled in the NICU (instead of just being feeders and growers for a couple of weeks), there would have been treatments, surgeries and medicines that would have helped them thrive thanks to the March of Dimes.

My boys may not have needed those treatments, surgeries and medicines but I know plenty of babies who did and there will be millions more who will need in in the future. March of Dimes is important to me and millions of other moms. Please consider donating by clicking on the March for Babies banner on the upper left hand side of this blog or here. Even $5 helps push me closer to my goal.

If you live in the Kansas City area, please consider joining me for the March by clicking here! It's a fun family day and raises money for a wonderful organization. Someday all babies will be born healthy, but until that day we need the March of Dimes.