Stella and Lucia Are Here!

We are very excited to announce the birth of Stella and Lucia--our miracle mono-mono twin girls, born at 32 weeks and 5 days!  It has been a very scary and difficult pregnancy, and our motto continues to be "Everyday is a good day!"  Here's a little run down of the past few days...

Friday October 26th

I went to Evanston for my routine 3/week ultrasound, amniotic fluid check, and non-stress test at 2 pm.  We started with the ultrasound and the girls looked great.  There was still enough fluid, they were still both head down, and heart rates were great.  I then got hooked up to the stress test monitors.  Although I had been feeling contractions for about a week at that point, and certainly a few that morning, they were not consistent, so I was not concerned.  While on the monitors, I continued getting contractions, which kept getting stronger, so I was admitted to Labor and Delivery for more monitoring.  I honestly didn't think anything about it.  I usually have contractions for a few weeks before delivery, and I was scheduled for a c-section on Fri. Nov. 2, so I just assumed that was when I was delivering.  I continued to be monitored and the contractions were coming on quicker and stronger, and I was dilated to 2, so Dr. Plunkett decided that we would do the c-section that night.  I protested a bit, saying that I was dilated with Gigi for about 4 weeks.  She did not want my labor to get any further, so it was safer to get the girls out that night.  When I walked into the OR to get my spinal, Kenny was not even there!  I was scared that he was going to miss it.  Within a few minutes, he arrived and we started.  I felt a lot of pressure and started vomiting almost instantly.  :(  But at 6:33pm, we heard Stella Diane's (4 pounds, 6 ounces) sweet little cries, which made us so happy to hear.  I could see her pushing the oxygen mask off her little face, and I knew for sure that was feisty Stella--she had certainly been the more active one in utero!  A minute later, Lucia Rosa (4 pounds, 5 ounces) was making little sounds too.  They were wrapped up and taken up to the Infant Special Care Unit (ISCU) as soon as they were able, and I was left in the OR.  I had a very rough delivery and initial recovery period, but was finally able to go up to my room around 11pm.  I was not able to see the girls, which made me so sad.  Kenny was able to go into the ISCU to see the girls and snapped these pics:

                                                    Stella

                                                   Lucia

Saturday October 27th

Day 1 in ISCU--I was so eager to get down to the ISCU to see the girls.  I had the nurse wheel me down there as soon as they said that I could go.  It's an incredible sight to see your children all hooked up to tubes helping them breathe. While I was so happy to see them, I spent most of the visit in tears.  I was so happy that Talia and Giana came to visit and were so excited to meet their baby sisters.

                                             The proud big sisters

                                       Kenny and Giana watching over Lucia      

                                      Talia watching over Stella

Around 7 pm, one of the neonatologists came up to my room to let us know that Stella was about to go into surgery.  Her left lung collapsed and she needed to have a chest tube to help.   (A collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, is the collection of air in the space around the lungs. This buildup of air puts pressure on the lung, so it cannot expand as much as it normally does when you take a breath.)  She would also need to be intubated with tubes that go down her throat through her mouth. Around 9 pm, we got a call that she was out of surgery and doing well.  Kenny went down to see the girls and then left with the "big girls" a bit later.  When I went to see the girls, Stella seemed very comfortable, even though she had this big mouth piece, but Lucia seemed to be breathing harder as well...

                                               Stella after surgery

Sunday October 28th

Day 2 in ISCU--The morning started early with a neonatologist in my room at 6 am, telling me that Lucia's left lung also had a pneumothorax.  She was not to be "outdone" by her sister!  They were going to start surgery soon, and would call when it was done.  It was a long morning...poor Lulu did not handle surgery well.  They were having a hard time getting an IV in her and needed to reinsert the chest tube that drains all of the fluid out 2 different times, as it was not in the correct position the first time.  She was in surgery most of the day...and we were not able to be in the ISCU with either girl. :(  Kenny came to the hospital with Giana, as Talia woke up with a fever!  He was then able to come back later and we had a nice visit with the girls, telling them how proud we are of them.  They are being so brave!

                                           Lucia asleep after a hard day

Monday October 29th

Day 3 in ISCU--Both girls were moved to an oscillating breathing machine that was "shaking" their lungs, and that was helping their lungs to keep inflating and deflating gently.  All of the doctors and nurses have been so wonderful and helpful.  It has been such a warm and loving environment.  I am so thankful to everyone for their help and support during this crazy time.  

pics of Stella

                                                   pics of Lucia

Tuesday October 30th

Day 4 in ISCU--I was so not ready for today to come, as I was discharged from the hospital.  And while I knew for a while that the girls were going to have to spend some time in the ISCU and not be coming home with me, it did not make it any easier to leave them there.  The girls looked great this morning!  They were flipped so their tubes and head were on the other side, and I felt like I could see their cute little faces so much better. Lucia has jaundice, so she was placed under lights, with these super cute little sunglasses on to cover her little eyes.
                                                 
                                                       cute, right??? :)

Both girls seemed to be responding to our voices and arching their backs when we would be talking to them.  I felt badly, as then they would both seem to choke on their tubes in their mouth.  :(  The girls haven't eaten yet, so any nutrients that they have received have been from their IV.  I have been pumping, so I hope they are getting my milk soon!

Sweet Stella 

me and Lulu

Kenny and Stella