In This Week's News.....

Each Sunday, my MFM doctor reviews my charts and comes and meets with me in my hospital room. Every week, changes are made based on my statistics. After discovering Drake's heart arrhythmia, he recommended 4 sonograms each week, plus the regular lab work and other daily monitoring. However, after ruling out all the major causes for this abnormality, he has now moved me back to sonograms twice weekly. I was also given permission this last week to walk short distances in my wing of the hospital. I can now walk on my own to the lobby, the craft room, and the mail drop box. Even better, I was given a pass which allows Rob to take me in a wheelchair for a 30 minute "walk" either outside or around the hospital. This is a HUGE treat!

As was expected, my blood pressure has continued to slowly creep upwards. As of today, my meds are triple what I was taking originally. The danger zone in which delivery will be considered imminent is 160/105. So far I have not exceeded the 143 mark. This is monitored 6 times each day and meds can be increased as needed. While the doctors had been talking about still trying to get me to the 36 week mark, on Sunday it was confirmed that I will not be allowed to go past 34 weeks (assuming I can make it that far). The 34 week mark is May 1.

While I had already taken a blood glucose test in earlier pregnancy, the doctors ordered a second one on Monday morning. Well, I failed it. To confirm a diagnosis, a 3 hour glucose test was ordered for this morning. I failed that one, too. They needed my blood-sugar level to be under 140, but mine had spiked up to 177. So, as of today, I have now officially been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I can't say that anyone was surprised. I was told early on in this pregnancy that with three babies I would be at risk for absolutely everything. It is very hard for the body to keep up with the demands of three babies needs. As with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes is expected to go away upon delivery. At this point, it seems I will need to follow a strict diet, take blood tests four times each day, and begin taking yet another medication. If things get worse, I will also require insulin shots.

Despite this week's setbacks, I still have much to be thankful for. And, since I am commanded to give thanks in everything (I Thess. 5:18), that is what I will do. Last weeks blessings include:

1. I got to eat the first half of my box of chocolate Swiss Rolls before my "Happy Stash"  was considered off limits.
2. Three 30 minute wheelchair rides outside this past week.
3. A memory foam mattress on top of my hospital bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Two home cooked meals that my family got to eat together in the 4th floor lobby.
5. A large ministry project that makes me feel useful. (Rob wants the church music library cataloged and set up a way for me to do it from the hospital.)
 

So Much More

One thing I have determined to do for each of my children is to write and record a song for each of them. Back when Griffen was born, God had so impressed on my heart the words of Psalm 139:16  - "in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me." I was amazed to think that somehow God had protected this perfect little baby and led him to our home. He had rescued him from a bad situation and created a good plan for each day of his life. Based on these lessons, I wrote Griffen a song entitled You Numbered All My Days.

When Rhys was born, our journey to a finalized adoption was quite different. While we were able to take him home directly from the hospital, we soon found ourselves dealing with a corrupt adoption agency. Mere weeks after Rhys' birth, they were closed down by the FBI for fraud. With the CEO in prison and the employees all dispersed, this agency, who took our $29,000, closed down without giving us any of our needed paperwork. We entered a year-long ordeal in which we had to acquire additional help to legally complete his adoption. In the end, his adoption into our family cost around $33,000. This was the first loan we had ever taken out in our lives (aside from our mortgage). His adoption cost MUCH. Much stress, much time, and much money. As I contemplated all of that, I was reminded of Paul's worlds in I Corinthians  6:20 - "For you were bought with a price." Christ paid MUCH more for me than anything we ever paid for Rhys. And why? It was all because of love. We often say that while Rhys may have been expensive, he is priceless! The song I wrote for Rhys is entitled, The Price He Paid For Me. (I should also add that God provided for all our expenses within about 6 weeks of Rhys' birth.)

Back in the summer of 2011, God once again pricked our hearts regarding adoption. We had received a check from the government for $20,000 in back dated adoption credits. We had been making double mortgage payments for almost 4 years already and so we had many projects that were on hold. When the money arrived, we were overjoyed to think that we could finally address some of them. The list included some new furniture, a family vacation, saving for a "new" car, and starting up retirement accounts. About that time Rob and I had started reading a book entitled, A Quest For More by Paul David Tripp. The primary thrust of his book is that our lives were meant for so much more than fulfilling our personal desires. God intends to do great things in our lives. He has big plans to use us. And yet, too often we do not allow Him to do so because we are so focused on the temporal. Through prayer and the influence of this book, Rob and I decided that this money would be far more effective in trying to impact the life of one more child than could ever be accomplished through new furniture, cars, or vacations. And so, with those lessons in mind, I wrote a song entitled So Much More. Before we even had another child, I had already written and dedicated this song to them.

As some of you may be aware, our family has a small music ministry called Forever Be Sure. This past August we recorded another CD entitled Still You Satisfy. Well, after months of hard work and editing, we are pleased to announce that it is finally complete. Today marks the album drop for digital distribution. (You can find it at CD Baby and iTunes, if interested.) The physical discs are being printed and will be available by March 21. The track below is my sister, Heather, and I singing So Much More - one of 17 tracks on the new CD. While I wrote this song long before we knew anything about these triplets, I am amazed at how well it testifies to our journey. God had so much in mind for His chosen people, Israel, but all too often they forfeited those blessings because of their sin. Time and time again, God reminded them that if only they would turn to Him, He would do amazing things. I can almost hear God saying something similar to us today. "May your life not be less than what I know is best. Keep your hands lifted high seeking more." Based on Psalm 81, I trust this song will be a blessing to you.

"Open your mouth and I will fill it.... [I will] fill you with the finest of wheat, and with honey from the rock I [will] satisfy you."  (Psalm 81:10, 16)

 

26 weeks

I have now been in the hospital for 10 days and things are going well. Lab work and sonograms are being done often and vitals for both me and the babies are checked about 3-4 times each day. My blood pressure has been doing great since I was admitted (and the medications were doubled) and my blood work has all been normal. Praise the Lord! I have been reminded by many of the tremendous value of bed rest. I am also reminded daily of the tremendous value of prayer!

The regular sonograms are definitely a highlight each week. As I get to look at the babies, I am reminded of why I am here and going through all of this. Rob was even able to be at the Monday sonogram, which was extra special. All three babies still have their heads lined up in a row at the bottom. Drake and Keira angle straight up, while Taerik has now draped himself across the top of them. It is really cute to watch them all kick and wiggle. Drake and Keira's little bottoms are right up against each other and they just go back and forth kicking. The nurses can hardly believe all the movement. It's even hard to listen to their heart rates, as they just won't stay still long enough. At each appointment the babies are each graded on an 8 point scale - 2 points for amniotic fluid levels, 2 points for diaphragm activity, 2 points for arm and leg movement, and 2 points for full body movement. If even one baby fails, I will begin wearing the monitors again and delivery will need to be considered. So far, they have passed each test with flying colors.

On Monday morning, Rob and I also got a tour of the NICU. This was highly recommended by the hospital staff. It certainly did help us gain an understanding of what will likely be in our future. The parents of one little baby even gave permission for us to come and observe their newborn son, who was born at only 25 weeks and weighed only 1 lb., 3 oz. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about him. Such a precious little life with a long road ahead.  

Wednesday afternoon we had a little scare. When the nurse was checking the babies heartbeats, she noticed an abnormality with Drake. His heart sounded like it was skipping beats. She immediately called the doctor who ordered me down to "Labor and Delivery" for tests. I was initially told that I would only need to be monitored for one hour. Howeverr, 17 hours later and I was still hooked up to machines. It made for a nonexistent night's sleep. The doctors clearly detected a heart arrhythmia with Drake. His heart rate would be going along strong at 150 and then all of a sudden would drop to 80 and stay there temporarily. At least one episode lasted about 40 seconds, but most of them were much shorter. In the end, after reviewing the babies echocardiograms and doing additional blood tests, the doctors could not find any cause for this abnormality. I was told that in this case that is what they were hoping for. When the structure of the heart is OK and it does not seem that other factors are causing such stress, it is asssumed that this will simply correct itself at birth. The final decision was to now perform the sonograms 4 times each week and continue monitoring the blood work. We would appreciate your prayers for Drake and this heart issue! 

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness."  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

New mercies this past week -
* 23 visits (besides the regular visits of Rob, Griffen, & Rhys) to help the time go by more quickly
* The discovery of on-line shopping
* Girl scout cookies, blueberry scones from Panera, Reese's peanut butter cups, cozy blankets, fun socks, cherry blossom lotion, nail polish, good books, and flowers
* My 33rd birthday (It's definitely the year for 3's)
* Game Day with friends (and even a WIN)
* A fantastic husband who is somehow managing to find time to be with me despite his overwhelming load
* Two very special big brothers who love to come and visit "mommy's hotel" (They especially love the moving beds.) 

24 weeks, 6 days

Well, now that I suddenly seem to have SO MUCH MORE time on my hands than I did three days ago, I might actually get around to writing blog posts more often. So, here's the latest scoop -

I am officially on complete hospitalized bed rest (with bathroom privileges only) for the duration of this pregnancy. I am able to sit up and move to different chairs in my room, however, there is to be no walking. The more I read and talk to people, the more I have come to understand that the benefits of this limitation greatly aid in carrying the babies for as long as possible. In fact, my blood pressure has already gone down. :)

For the first night of my hospital stay, I was hooked up to all kinds of monitors. However, the babies were doing so great that they were able to be removed within about 14 hours. The current plan, as it has been explained to me, is -

1. My MFM meets with me weekly for evaluation.
2. My OB checks in with me just about every day.
3. Nurses monitor my vitals 3 times each day.
4. Nurses monitor the babies vitals 3 times each day.
5. Blood draws will be taken weekly to monitor any growing effects of the preeclampsia.
6. Sonograms will be performed twice each week.

I have also already had very informative meetings with the NICU doctor, the chaplain, the nurse navigator, several on-call doctors, and a host of nurses. While the risks are high, the goal is still the same - to keep these babies inside as long as possible.

While I am still learning all the in's and out's of preeclampsia, the basic premise is as follows. Preeclampsia is a disease that only occurs during pregnancy and is only cured by delivery. It is diagnosed by large amounts of protein in the urine. While kidney function and blood pressure are affected, the hope is that it does not progress to harm other internal organs. The primary concerns are liver function, headaches, changes in vision, lowered fetal movement, placental abruption, contractions, and bleeding. Cases can get so severe that the disease can cause stroke, seizure, and even death. I currently only have mild preeclampsia. The doctors have explained to me, however, that if things progress to the severe stage, they will deliver the babies immediately. Preeclampsia is quite common in multiple pregnancies and is monitored very closely.

I am feeling great! In fact, I was quite surprised when the nurse called with my lab results. I really have none of the symptoms or pain that can accompany this disease. Please pray that this continues!

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thess. 5:18)

*Griffen's surgery went great. Rob bought him a little Lego set and by the time he got home he was putting it together.
    
*I was so happy to learn that Rob and the boys can visit anytime. They are even allowed to spend the night in my room. I think we might try that out this week sometime. They came last night and we all put together a 3D puzzle of the Empire State Building.

*When you cook as bad as I do, the hospital food tastes great!

*Our family is SO grateful for all the friends who have offered help during these next few months. From homeschooling, to child care, to laundry, to cleaning ---- ALL is very much appreciated!!!

*I am supremely grateful for all the prayers on my behalf and for a God who hears!

Prayers Appreciated

Well, bed rest has come sooner than we hoped. At about 5:30 this evening, I received a call from my OB's nurse with the results of my latest blood and urine tests. Due to my elevated blood pressure, they have especially been watching the protein levels in my urine. The numbers should stay below 300, however mine recently spiked to 430. Because of this, my OB and MFM agreed that I needed to check into the hospital immediately. So, Rob helped me pack a small suitcase and by 6:30 I was checked in at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Upon our arrival, I was hooked up to a multitude of machines and, after speaking with several doctors, was diagnosed with preeclampsia. While the babies are still doing great, preeclampsia mostly poses a risk to my health. These risks include stroke and seizure. All the doctors seem to agree that they would like me to stay on hospitalized bed rest for the remainder of this pregnancy. I was also given the first round of steroids tonight to help the baby's development in the event that they need to be delivered soon. I will get a second round of steroids tomorrow sometime. Our new goal is to make it to 34 weeks. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for some specific request.

1. That my blood pressure would remain below 140.

2. That my protein levels would go down.

3. That my blood work would come back normal.

4. That I would be able to carry these babies as close to 34 weeks as possible.

5. That God would give grace during these next few weeks/months as our family is apart.

6. Griffen is having surgery tomorrow morning to put tubes in his ears and to have his adnoids removed. Please pray that his surgery goes well and that he would recover quickly....without his mom.

Milestone #1 - 24 weeks!!!

We have finally made it to milestone #1. Twenty-four weeks marks the time at which a baby is viable outside the womb. While babies born at this period will likely need to spend months in the NICU and can face a variety of medical concerns, the national success rate for their survival is 50%. However, at the Wesley Medical Center, which is where we will be delivering, the success rate is 70%. So, while we do not want to deliver any time soon, this certainly provides some sort of peace and reassurance. Many have asked me when I am due. Well, that is a very tricky question. Since there are so many complications that can arise with triplets, we are just told to aim for certain milestones. They are -

• 28 weeks (March 20) - While the babies would still need to be in the NICU for some time, the success rate of survival is near 100%.
• 32 weeks (April 17) - The average triplets are born at this time.
• 36 weeks (May 15) - At this point the babies are considered full-term and would hopefully need little to no time in the hospital. 

Today, we had sonogram #8. This was a longer and more intense appointment. The MFM (maternal-fetal medicine) doctor and the technician both did the scans and looked at just about every organ. As we sat and watched the blood flow through the umbilical cord and watched the 4 chambers of each heart pumping blood, I was amazed at what a mighty God we serve! He truly is a wonderful Designer! While the babies are moving and turning all the time, today all three of their heads were lined up together in a row. We just had to share this picture of them all together. (This picture labels each of their heads.) 

Each baby is doing awesome! Their current stats are - 

Keira - 1 pound, 9 ounces

Drake - 1 pound, 12 ounces

Taerik - 1 pound, 13 ounces

Beginning today, the MFM doctor wants me to come in for sono's every week. In fact, they handed me a printout of all my appointments through May.On top of that, he wants me to start seeing my OB every week, as well. His primary concerns are - 

• My blood pressure - While I was given a prescription many weeks ago,  he told me I could hold off taking it until my blood pressure rose above 140. Up to this point, I have not taken any. However, starting tomorrow I will need to begin these meds. While my OB stated various concerns regarding my blood pressure, my MFM doctor is primarily concerned with my eyes. He says that high blood pressure can lead to certain eye problems and so he is handling my situation very cautiously.  
• Preeclampsia - My high blood pressure could also be a sign of preeclampsia. So far, I have had no other symptoms of this, however they will be screening me regularly from now on. 
• Preterm labor - So far, so good. However, this is a common cause of premature delivery. They will now begin measuring my cervix every week to monitor this. At whatever point early labor starts, I will likely be put on hospitalized bed rest and steroids.   

I so much appreciate your continued prayers on my behalf!!! We are excited to finally be this far along and continue to pray that God would allow us to go much further. One technician told us today that we are happiest parents of triplets she's ever seen. Well, we certainly have much to be happy about!!! 

22 Weeks

What's new at 22?

Sonograms are now every other week! We had sono #7 on Monday. Of course, the babies are so crowded at this point, that all I see is a mass of body parts. But, the ultrasound technicians amaze me, as they seem to know what part belongs with which baby. While they do need complete concentration, they always start with the head and work down. If ever they get confused, it's back to the head and down again. It also seems that each time we go for an appointment, the medical residents are invited to sit in on our case. We were told that triplets only come along about once each year.

I have gained 40 pounds already! As astounding as this fact is, I am actually right on track with my weight gain schedule. So, praise the Lord! This is probably the only time in my life you will ever hear me cheer for weight gain.

At my OB appointment on Thursday, my belly measured 34 cm! Full term size for a singleton pregnancy is 37 cm. This, too, is right on track. I was told at the beginning that I would likely look full term at 24 weeks.

Due to some light cramping, I am now officially at the "limit time on feet" stage. All along, I've been anticipating various forms of bedrest (modified, complete, hospitalized). These limitations come as contractions come. I am so thankful to only have these minor limitations right now, and am hopeful that I will not have to add any more in the near future.


Baby, Baby, Baby Shower - February 1, 2014

Some dear friends in our church threw a baby shower for me last Saturday!!! They did such a beautiful job and really helped to make this journey extra special. I am also extremely grateful for how God continues to provide through the generosity of His people. We were overwhelmed by all the gifts!



In typical, non-traditional form, I was the "speaker" at my own shower. All along this journey, Rob and I have desired to make God preeminent. So, when asked who I would like to speak, I volunteered to share my personal testimony of God's leading in our family these past two years. The following video documents our journey and is approximately 30 minutes long. While I don't expect that many will have the time to watch it, I chose to record and post it publicly for several reasons:

• Due to an ice storm the night before the shower, there were a number of people who were unable to attend. Some have asked to see it.
• With all of our family living in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, I wanted to be able to share the experience with them. 
• While I completed detailed baby books for Griffen and Rhys, I am fearful that I will not be able to keep up with such an endeavor for these three babies. So, instead, I am making a DVD that will serve as each of their memory "books." It will include this blog, numerous pictures, a song I wrote and recorded for them, and various other files I have on our computer. I do not care that they ever know the in's and out's of this triplet pregnancy, however I deeply desire that they are someday able to see God's supernatural leading in their lives. HE saw their unformed substance and planned out all their days (Psalm 139:16). 
• In an effort to be transparent, and with a great desire to minister to others going through deep trial, I wanted to offer hope and encouragement. I do not for one second think that everyone is waiting with baited breath to hear what I have to say. In fact, if anything, this testimony actually highlights many of my weaknesses and insecurities. But, if it can be used to help even one individual, then it has been worth sharing!