Gavin's strength

              On Saturday the 19th we went the hospital in the morning to visit with Aiden and Gavin. Aiden was as feisty as ever, giving the nurses an earful and attempting the push their hands out of the way during changings and feedings. Gavin was stable, still on the oscillator with hopes that once his CO2 levels were within range that he would go back on the regular ventilator and soon the c-pap.
              We decided that since there were no changes we would head into Seattle with some friends. I had not really seen Seattle since we moved here in mid December. We went to the aquarium, a local seafood place and Pikes Place Market. I was exhausted by the end of the day but it felt good to be out with my husband. He has been very supportive and easy to talk to if I feel like I've met my limit for the day, which on this day I definitely did.
              We went straight to the hospital to visit with the boys before going home. I pumped along the way, not wanting to miss a moment with my boys once we got there. We spent sometime with both boys and then decided to go home for some much needed rest after our adventurous day. We got a call around 1030pm from the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Elaina telling us that Gavin's blood pressure was dangerously low and they started him on dopamine right away and had sent blood off to run a variety of tests to find out why his blood pressure was suddenly dropping. We went straight to the hospital Sunday morning to be with Gavin. The nurse practitioner Laurie was on and had evaluated his blood test results and came in to go over them with us. She told us that it was a very bad bacterial infection. Somehow he had gotten e. coli! We were in shock, not knowing how this could happen. She said there were a variety of ways it could have happened and there's no way of pin pointing exactly when it happened. She went on to tell us that he "may not survive this infection". Sean and I both started balling our eyes out. How could this happen!? After the initial shock and disbelief. Sean called his aunt for some positive words. He came back in and firmly told me, "we are going to be strong for him and watch him fight this. We had to go through so much over the years we've been married and we made it and are stronger. He's a fighter. He's going to pull through this and be so much stronger!" I knew he was right. Gavin needs us more than ever. Since the awful news the doctor started him on several drugs to help his body produce more white blood cells to fight this infection, started his on several antibiotics, and continued the dopamine for his blood pressure.
            Monday morning we went to visit with the boys and Gavin looked 10x better. His color was gray the day before and Monday he was pink and opened his eyes a little bit for us. He wasn't going to let this infection get to him! We are so proud of our little boy! Now we just have to pray that he kicks this infection soon. The doctors and NP project that once the infection is gone his lungs will be able to recover properly allowing him to expel CO2 properly and transition to the regular ventilator.
            We pray that Gavin and Aiden both continue to receive warm wishes and powerful prayers to allow them to get better.                

Gavin and Aidens first week

On February 11th my twin boys were determined to come into the world 11 weeks early. I was terrified. I knew they weren't ready. The doctors put me on a high dose of Magnesium Sulfate to stop the contractions. After almost 10 hours on the Magnesium it was determined my contractions were not only continuing but getting closer together. My doctor decided to leave the magnesium on the lowest dose possible to protect neurological function of the twins. By 5am on February 12th I was dilated to 6cm. My doctor told me she would go ahead and break my water because the way Aiden was sitting was no safe. They took me to the operating room no knowing what the outcome would be. After my water broke my contractions were so strong it only took minutes for Aiden to come out. I heard his sweet cry and breathed a sigh of relief. He was much bigger that I thought which automatically gave me more hope that he was a healthy boy. Minutes later Gavin came right out crying and moving his hands and feet. I was so happy to see them but so scared that I had brought sons into this world that would have to start out fighting. I feel/felt responsible for putting them in the position they will be in for the next 8-10 weeks. On day 5 after their birth I spoke with the nurse practitioner who was overseeing their care for the day. She told me that there were signs of an infection starting with Aiden and that if he wasn't delivered in the time that he was then the infection would have gotten worse in the womb which would have been very life threatening for him. 
Over the first two days after birth Aiden excelled and was off the breathing tube and quickly transitioned to the c-pap and then the nasal cannula. My poor Gavin was not as ready to come out of his mommy's womb. He has been struggling with his immature lungs. He's trying so hard for us that he stresses himself out. He was given adavan to calm him.  His CO2 levels were dangerously high so his doctor changed to type of ventilator to an oscillator which creates tiny puffs of air as to expel the CO2. This morning his CO2 was down and he is only on 23% Oxygen!! I was so happy I started to tear up. I was hoping he would listen to mommy and daddy and just relax and trust his doctors and everything would be okay.