What a Journey with the NICU

Sorry it has taken us so long to blog. The girls are really doing well now but the first 48-72 hours were tough. They both had issues with thier lungs and both needed surfactant, both went on the CPAP and then Isabella eventually had to be put on the ventalator for a couple of days. Today however we found out that they were both coming off the cannula oxygen tubes and that they will be moved up to intermediate status by tonight. YEAHHHHHHHHH

This has been such an emotional journey for our family and we are so very thankful to God for our precious girls. We feel so good about our decision with our doctors to take both Isabella and Sophia at 32 weeks because their cords were very tangled. Both the Neonatalogist and my Doctor said that they had never seen such a tanlged cord in thier career. Our girls are truly a miracle from God and we are so very thankful!!!! Thank you all for your prayers and support during this time.

THEY'RE HERE!!!!! NO MORE COUNTING!

Kim delivered this morning at 7:56am and 7:57am this morning. We're now the proud parents of 2 more children (4 total) of babies;

• Isabella Grace - 4lbs 8oz and 18" long

• Sophia Marcella - 4lbs 5oz and 17" long

Both went pretty quickly into the NICU and were breathing okay but the Dr's put them both on CPAP for about the last 10 hours or so however, the NICU Doctor just came up and told us that they were going to give Isabella "surfractant" to help her lungs a little more and that this was "not unexpected" but the first 24-48 hours would tend to be the critical time in terms of their lung development but not to fret. Of course, we fret but also know God is in control and we simply walk in His care and grace.

Kim is doing pretty well and expected to get out of the bed tonight so we can venture up and let her see the babies again (since delivering). We're out of the old room and here just for a few more days and continue to pray for our girls health and development.


Just wanted to give a quick update and thank you to all our family and friends. We'll upload some photos soon.

Leon and Kim

DAY 50! ONLY 11 HOURS TO GO!!!!!!

Well we're down to "HOURS" instead of days! Praise God! They've started getting Kim ready for surgery tomorrow; installed her IV port, started her on Mag (magnesium) which apparently is something relatively new that they believe can help with potential for brain issues in premies.

Kim is now confined to the bed until surgery in the morning and will be checked every 30 minutes all night until surgery tomorrow. We're scheduled to be 1st in the OR tomorrow morning and her Doctor said she'd be starting by 7:30am. It's hard to believe the time, day and hour has finally come.

It's been one heck of a journey and want to tell my wife how proud I am of her, going 51 days in the hospital alone is enough to make anyone crazy never mind the constant strain of the type of pregnacy shes carried! I'm proud of our kids JT and Hannah on how well they've done in her absence and thankful for my mother and father in law who have taken care of the kids, the house and everything inbetween during this time! Thank you to our family and friends who have faithfully prayed, visited us, and encouraged us during the last seven months. It's meant so much to our family.

I think sleep will come fleetingly tonight but the anticipation and anxiety of meeting our children (new children) tomorrow morning will be such a great moment and then the next chapter of our journey will begin........!

We'll update again in the next day or two once the twins are stable and their assessments have been done.

Thanks again for your thoughts, prayers and helping Kim get through the last few months.

Leon and Kim

Day 47, only 3 days to go:)

Well my family just left the hospital room and Hannah was able to spend the night with me last night. We all were able to realize that this would be the last weekend with just the four of us. After Wednesday we will be a family of six. We had a nice prayer and it was so special.

Pray for the kids next week because they will have their standardize testing in school and will have a lot on their minds. I am scheduled to go on Magnesium sulfate Tuesday night( which is something new that MUSC is doing to help benefit premature baby's )then I will deliver by c section first thing Wednesday morning. Needless to say I am getting a little nervous. Pray that God will help me with my fear!

Thank you all for your prayers and we will update everyone when the girls are here.:):):):)

Day 40- The countdown is on T-11 Days to go!) Another post from leon

DAY 40 - The Count Down is on T-11 Days to Go! (Another post from Leon)

Had some contractions again today and they administered another dose of brethane (spelling?) however, the Doctors said that will be the last dose as they will let the contractions run their course from here moving forward.

Kim's now on continuous monitoring with the exception of 2 short walk breaks, a shower break and off monitoring from 12am-4am. Which doesn't lend itself to getting much sustained sleep as the nurses are having to constantly come in to find the babies and get them back on the monitor.

The journey is coming to an end but the anxiety and stress seem to be multiplying. The closer we get the more the tension seems to rise, and Kim is getting exhausted. We continue to pray and ask God for His hand to deliver our girls in 11 days healthy, safe, and happy!

We're having the last growth ultrasound on Monday (3/16) and looking forward to seeing the weights of the babies (2 weeks ago they were 3lb 5oz and 3lb 3oz). Then we're only 9 days away from delivering. Kim's OBGYN has scheduled her C-Section for Wednesday March 25th!

Thanks again family and friends for your thoughts, prayers, calls and wishes. We'll keep you posted as we move forward.

Leon and Kim

DAY 36 Today (3/10/09) NOTE FROM LEON;

Well the contractions got a little worse last night, so they had to give Kim 2 different doses of medicine to stop them. They were coming roughly every 3 minutes but the meds stopped them (around midnight). Today they've started back up, but Kims doctor said she wasn't going to stop them (via medicine) again!?! Not sure exactly what this means yet, but they are beginning to subside a bit in intensity and duration (as of 4pm).

Kim's sister left today and is heading home tomorrow (back to Switzerland) and know how much Kim appreciated her being there (and the fact that she spent 3 nights in the hospital in a fold out chair/bed)!!! :)

We're obviously still praying that God will lead our twins through this time and He will ultimately bring our (new) girls into this world when He is ready. There are a number of different options from this point depending on how the contractions go from here however, we're taking it one hour at a time.

Starting tomorrow (30 weeks) Kim will go on to 24/7 monitoring, which means we're now only 15 more days away from delivering anyway!! Praise God.

Will update again soon as we learn more, thank you for the prayers for our girls and family.

Day 33

My sister Sabrina is here from Switzerland, YEAH!!!!!!! We are having great pj party's and it has been so good to spend time with her. The babies are doing good, only a couple of contractions but nothing really to worry about. I cant believe that we have been in this room for 33 days. Only 20 days to go before I meet the twins. God is good!

Day 28 and only 25 days left:)

I just had my ultrasound this morning and the girls are doing good. Thier weight is Baby A and 3 pounds and 5 ounces, and Baby B is 3 pounds and 3 ounces. This is great for me being 28 weeks! Thanks for all your prayers and we are doing good. Only 25 days to go!!!!!