30 Fingers, 30 Toes

These past few days have been a whirlwind. Friday night I was being wheeled down to Labor & Delivery for sever pre-eclampsia symptoms. My liver was not functioning correctly and so the doctor wanted to give the babies the second round of steroids before delivery. I was also given an IV with a magnesium sulfate drip to prevent seizures. This caused many flu-like symptoms. The doctors hoped to wait until Monday morning to deliver - primarily because I pleaded the case of my husband - a music PASTOR, who had many responsibilities on Palm  Sunday. I did not get any sleep on Friday night, due to round the clock monitoring.

Saturday, they decided to give me a little break from the monitoring so I could actually sleep, however, by Saturday night I found myself gasping for air. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't catch my breath. By 4:30 AM the doctors ordered a chest x-ray and an EKG. I was wheeled downstairs for these tests, and then we waited. By 8:00 Sunday morning, the results were in - I had fluid in my lungs and the babies were to be delivered within the hour. I called Rob, who was already at church preparing for his Sunday morning responsibilities, and told him the news. He needed to come immediately!

Sure enough, by 8:52, 8:53, and 8:54, each little life was delivered. There were a grand total of 27 people assembled in that busy operating room. We heard each baby cry (which was not promised due to underdeveloped lungs), and then got to see each one briefly before they were taken to the NICU. Not one of them needed a breathing tube!

Keira Ashleigh

Born at 8:52 AM

4 pounds, 5 ounces

Taerik Andrew

Born at 8:53 AM

4 pounds, 5 ounces

Drake Alexander

Born at 8:54 AM

3 pounds, 11 ounces

After the surgery, I was wheeled back to Labor & Delivery, where I needed to stay on the magnesium sulfate for another 24 hours. Since Rob also had some cold symptoms, neither of us was able to go see the babies until about 36 hours after their birth.

I have been dealing with some sever pain since Sunday morning. I was put on small doses of oxygen to help my lungs recover and have had to have my blood work monitored regularly to make sure that the pre-eclampsia symptoms are subsiding. At this point, I am experiencing some improvement. The first trip to the bathroom was a process of weeping with each step. Now, I can at least manage on my own without quite as much pain. I would still greatly appreciate any prayers on my behalf - that the pain would subside and that I would be able to spend more and more time with our babies.

The NICU stongly encourages skin to skin contact with preemies. Because of my pain, I had been unable to do this until today. However, this afternoon I was able to be wheeled downstairs to the NICU where I got to spend some quality time with my babies. After visiting each one briefly, I had to choose which one I would spend an hour with doing "kangaroo care." I chose Drake, and was able to snuggle with this precious little bundle for one hour of uninterrupted time. While I was doing this, Rob went over and was able to spend one hour of contact with Keira. Apparently, the nurses LOVED this, as not all the fathers are so eager to get involved. While I quietly snuggled, I guess Rob read Keira all our Facebook posts and messages, sang to her, and then read part of a book he was reading. All in all, the time spent with these two was very precious.

I cannot say enough how much all the prayers are appreciated. I would ask continued prayer for my recovery. I feel like I have much I need to do, however I have no ability in which to do anything. I also believe wholeheartedly that it is because of prayer that our babies are doing so well. As of this afternoon, both Taerik and Keira are both completely off any breathing assistance. In fact, the doctor was going to move them to the special care unit and out of the NICU, however has decided to wait for Drake to catch up with them. He is not far behind. He still has the C-Pap on it's lowest setting which just helps to keep his airways open, but does not offer any breathing assistance. They are really all doing remarkable! The Great Physician is definitely loving and caring for them each perfectly.

Sooner Than Expected

Well, no sooner had I finished yesterday's post, than we had some unexpected news. It seems that we will be meeting our babies on Monday, if not sooner. I have been having some upper right quadrant pain the past few days which I just attributed to normal pregnancy discomfort. However, upon reviewing my labs today, it was concluded that the pre-eclampsia has now progressed to the severe stage and my liver is not functioning properly. The biggest fear is that this disease will continue to grow rapidly, which in turn could lead to some very serious complications. I am trying to quick post this news before they wheel me down to labor & delivery. In the next few hours I will be getting the second round of steroid shots, as well as a magnesium sulfate IV drip. If any further complications arise, they will delivery the babies immediately. Please pray that I can at least remain stable for these next two and a half days and that the babies would remain stable.

31 weeks

Only 21 more days to go! My c-section has officially been scheduled for Thursday, May 1 at 5:00 PM, so the countdown has begun. Considering that I have already been in the hospital for 6 1/2 weeks, the remaining 3 seem manageable.

One of the highlights of this past week was getting moved to a new room! Wesley Hospital is undergoing a lot of construction and my floor is one of the major updates. So, yesterday my belongings and I were all transferred to the totally brand new wing of the women's floor. My new room includes a much improved view of the outside, a mini-fridge, a couch, a desk, closet space, and an awesome Patient Portal computer system. This new gadget swivels on an arm so I can use it in various places and includes movies, TV, games, internet, Skype, and much more. The best bonus of all, though, is the addition of HGTV and Food Network to my TV channels!!!

Another highlight was having Rob and the boys spend the night on Friday. We snuggled together on two beds and watched "Frozen" while the boys ate various snacks in front of me..... This diabetes thing is for the birds! I am already planning my "post-delivery" celebration meal. Cheesy chicken enchiladas and an entire box of Swiss rolls!!! I can hardly wait.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Rob and I love to put puzzles together. After completing numerous 500 piece puzzles, he decided to bring in the big guns. So, our upgraded 6 foot table can now hold the 1000 piece variety. Rob purchased one rather challenging looking puzzle at a garage sale last year that we had never had a chance to do. Well, after much effort, it was completed. Imagine our dismay when the final product was missing about 30 pieces. :(

Today marked sonogram #25. This was definitely the shortest one yet. They usually schedule my appointments for an hour and a half, allowing 30 minutes for each baby. However, I think the whole thing was completed in 10 minutes today. When I commented to the technician on how fast things went, she told me that it is because they are doing so well. With many babies, they have to wait for movement and breathing. However, my three are so active, she got everything she needed in record time. Many people ask me if I feel them move a lot. The answer is a resounding YES. They don't just move. I sometimes think they are holding karate workshops inside. I don't know where they are finding the room, but they are definitely an active bunch! One technician also commented how impressed she was that all three were doing equally well. Apparently, by this point, one will often start to lag behind. However, all three continue to grow and thrive at the same rate. She even commented that she thought this was the result of prayer. I most definitely agree!

I'm not going to lie - I have had many moments in which I have thought to myself that I just can't take this another day. The pre-eclampsia has progressed and my meds keep being increased. My vitals are checked 6 times a day to monitor blood pressure spikes. I also had to start insulin shots this week to better regulate the diabetes. (That's 8-9 "pokes" a day.) I have a difficult time sleeping and have developed some record setting swelling. II Corinthians 12:9 has become a regular prayer of mine - "My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." I have certainly felt God's strength! He continues to give me just what I need at just the right moments. I KNOW that people all over the country are praying for me and I appreciate it more than you know. 

Please continue praying that -

1. I would have the endurance to hang in there for 3 more weeks

2. That I could make it all the way to the May 1st delivery date

3. That the babies hospital stay would be minimal. (As unrealistic as it may sound to some, I am praying that they could all be out of the hospital by Mothers Day on May 11. I have been told that this is not outside the realm of possibility if they are all born healthy at 34 weeks. Sometimes,"we have not because we ask not", right?)

Old Room

New Room

Why Adoption?

When Rob and I began our whole adoption journey back in 2005, I must confess that our motivations were not much more than the simple desire to have a child. However, as we have followed God's leadership and been willing to walk through the doors that He Himself has opened to us, our minds have been changed, our hearts have been expanded, and our lives have been sanctified.

Griffen was born in February, 2006. By October, we were driving to the courthouse in Valparaiso, IN to legally finalize his adoption. In our excitement, we paid little attention to the formal court hearing. After all, we were captivated by the cutest little blonde haired baby who had stolen our hearts and had changed our lives completely. When the papers were signed and stamped, we said our good-bye's and got in our car to begin the 2 hour drive back home. As we drove, I browsed through the paperwork and began reading portions out loud to Rob. While there were pages full of legal jargon, I finally came to one paragraph which read, "The court hereby declares that Griffen Anthony Fuller is now the legal son of Robert and Heidi Fuller and is thereby privileged to all the rights and benefits, just as if he were their natural born son." By this point tears were streaming down both our faces as we pulled our car over to the side of the road. And while we were undoubtedly ecstatic that the legal process was behind us, that was not what had spurred our emotions. Rather, Rob looked at me and said, "That's what God did for us." Those were my sentiments exactly. In that moment, we experienced firsthand what God had done for us in salvation. The similarities were astounding -

1. Our love for Griffen existed even before his birth. God loved us before we were even born.
     "[God] loved me before the foundation of the world."  (John 17:24)

2. We chose to bring Griffen into our family before he ever expressed his love to us. God chose us before we ever could have earned his favor.
     "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world."  (Ephesians 1:4)

3. We chose to make personal sacrifices to adopt Griffen. In spite of our sinfulness, God chose to sacrifice for us.
     "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

4. Adoption can be an expensive, long, and stressful process. God paid a great price to buy our adoption into His family.
     "You were bought with a price."  (I Corinthians 6:20)

5. Adoption made Griffen equal to any biological offspring. Spiritual adoption makes us equal heirs with Jesus Christ, God's Son.
     "We are children of God...and fellow heirs with Christ."  (Romans 8:16-17)

I sometimes fear that misconceptions about adoption can lead to misconceptions about salvation. Some of these include - that you can't possibly bond as closely with an adopted child as with an biological child; or that the love of an adoptive parent could never be as strong as the biological parent; or that blood is thicker than water. I am sure that Rob and I had many of these errant thoughts before we adopted, as well. What a blessing it has been to get a more vivid picture of God's great love toward us! With each additional adoption, it seems that God has enlightened us to new and distinct truths about Himself.
    
On numerous occasions I have caught myself looking at one of my boys and just basking in the thought that God used me to rescue them from a bad situation and change the course of their life for good. On top of the lessons they have taught me about salvation, you cannot begin to imagine the joy that has come from being a direct tool for God in their lives. "For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work, at the works of your hands I sing for joy."  (Psalm 92:4)

Over the years, God has moved our hearts from a place that merely desires more children to a place that truly desires to be used by Him. In all honesty, we thought our family was complete after Rhys was born. It wasn't until God worked miraculously in providing the necessary funds for a third adoption that we even considered traveling that road again. At that point, we had to make a real decision as to where we wanted our treasure to lie. All throughout Scripture we read that God has a special place in His heart for orphans and widows. We want to love what He loves. Beyond that, we have been reminded over the years that God desires to see our faith in action. James 1:27 reminds us that "religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." Upon further study, you will realize that "visit" means to play an active role in the life of the helpless. While God may not call everyone to adopt, He most definitely wants us all to actively minister to the helpless.

I really do not mean for adoption to be my "soap box" issue in life. God works differently in the life of each believer. Rob and I simply desire to testify to the truths that God has taught us along our journey. We are eternally grateful for the 5 children that God has now allowed us to adopt and cannot wait to see how God will work in their lives throughout the future. 

30 weeks

Finally having reached 30 weeks, I am beginning to feel like the end is in sight. Only 4 more weeks to go!!! There isn't much new information to report. The babies are STILL doing great. I had sonogram #23 this morning and each babies' fluid levels, breathing, and movements were normal. They are growing like weeds. My husband and kids even comment from day to day that I'm looking bigger. Boy, I am feeling it, too! Hard to believe my stomach can get any bigger. As of Sunday, I had already gained 60 pounds!!!

God continues to help me pass my days without too much boredom. Rob brought a 6 foot table into my room and we have now done about 6 different puzzles. I also pass the time reading, going through our personal mail, paying bills, spending quiet time with God, working on the church music cataloging project, and chatting with visitors. To date, I have had 108 visitors! Some of these have come in groups or multiple times, but that is still a LOT of people. And that does not include the visits from Rob and our sons who try and come see me 4-5 times each week. Most nights they come and take me for a short "walk" outside or around the hospital. These are a definite highlight of my day. On top of all this activity, the doctors and nurses are in and out of my room many times each day. I have had good conversations with several of them and really appreciate all they do for me.

One kind church friend came by this week and tried to teach me to crochet. She brought a book, yarn, and a crochet needle (or whatever it's called), and told me to start with square wash cloths. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, after about 2 hours, I had created the masterpiece seen in the picture below. This endeavor has definitely provided MUCH comic relief this week. (I have started a second one, which is a significant improvement.)

                   

29 weeks

Today officially marks 29 weeks! Praise the Lord! My MFM doctor stated on Monday that he believes that this bed rest has really allowed me to make it this far. Of course, I would also add that prayer has certainly been a large factor, too. Not much has changed this week. The babies are still doing great. They passed both sonograms this week with flying colors. At one sono, Drake had his bottom in Taerik's face and today he was stepping on his head. All this was going on, while Keira just posed for pictures. They sure do look like they're getting crowded in there. My blood pressure and labs have all been good and we're learning how to manage the gestational diabetes. I also had to get a TDAP shot this week, especially because of the whooping cough outbreak this year, and Rob is encouraged to do the same.

I continue to be encouraged by the kindness and prayers of others. So many people have expressed their support and love in a variety of ways! After totally outgrowing my maternity clothes, I had resorted to wearing Rob's t-shirts. However, one kind friend bought and delivered several new XL maternity shirts on Wednesday evening. (Yes, XL maternity - don't judge.) Two others came and decorated my room for spring. Others have brought fruit, books, and preemie size sleepers.  "Taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).

Milestone #2 - 28 weeks!!!

Today marks milestone #2. We have finally made it to 28 weeks! At this gestation, nearly all newborns survive outside the womb (with help from the ICU). Praise the Lord for this new victory!

Yesterday marked yet another growth sonogram. Most of the sono's that I get are just bio-physical profiles, which only measure movement, fluid levels, and practice breathing. However, about every 4 weeks the babies are measured for their size and growth. Their most recent statistics are -

Keira - 2 pounds, 12 ounces
Drake - 2 pounds, 13 ounces
Taerik - 2 pounds, 15 ounces

That's 8.5 pounds of baby so far! Each one measured about one week ahead of it's gestation. We are grateful for their continued growth and progress!