Our Story

I never expected to get such a reaction out of writing this, so I decided a little background might be needed. I saw this picture the other day and realized how true it was. This time last year we were counting our days and hours by each dr visit or nurses' report. 74 days in all. Our eyes and ears were constantly glued to the monitors that were attached to our micropreemie twin girls. Ella and Paige were supposed to be Valentine babies, instead they chose to make their entrance on Thanksgiving day 2011, at 28 weeks and 4 days. They weighed in at 2lbs. 10 oz and 2 lbs. 7 oz. It was the scariest and happiest day of our lives.

We were blessed in that other than being tiny and early, there were no major complications, physically both were fine. Acid reflux was our major issue. I will never forget holding Paige and watching her turn gray, then blue as reflux caused her heart and breathing to stop. No matter how many times that happens you never get used to it. I remember coming in one day and they told me that she had an episode so bad they had to bag her to get her breathing again. Then there was the night, at 3 weeks old, the dr called asking permission to do a blood transfusion because her episodes were getting so bad. Half hour later another phone call saying they instead wanted to do a spinal tap and they were moving her and Ella back to the main NICU. That was more than I could take so I make Chris get up and head to the hospital. One of the longest nights... there is nothing I have found more painful than to hear your baby screaming and knowing that a nurse is there standing guard so you can't get to her.

But finally the episodes started decreasing as did their need to be on oxygen, Paige finally pulled hers off one day, as well as her feeding tube, and her monitors the day we planned to take them off of her. Set off every alarm! She is feisty! Ella never gave us as much worry, not until we brought her home and a few weeks later discovered that her oxygen levels were to low and we had to start home oxygen. Oh how I hated that! The machine was big with a short cord, Chris added and extension cord and a tow strap and we had to lug that thing all over! I was so happy when months later we were able to get rid of it. I sat on the floor and cried when they took all that equipment away.

Now almost 14 months later, the twins are both 19 lbs and doing fantastic! Ella wants to walk so bad and Paige could care less. They both can say mama all day but when I look at them and say mama, both will grin and say dada, Turkeys! Our apartment is small, noisy, full of toys, and unfortunately still boxes. But it's also full of happiness! The girls are such happy babies and constantly make us laugh, and they laugh at each other too ;-) The most dangerous thing we have to worry about is the jaws of Ella. She loves those teeth, I swear she thinks she's a puppy sometimes! Chews on everything! She can draw blood with those chompers.