Catch up from last week

OK.. now I've got this blog up and running, here is a brief chronology of events from last week throughout today.

Thu, Aug 30th. Abby and I check into Lion's Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, due to Abby seeing some minor spotting. We are admitted for an ultrasound, where it was discovered that she was dilated 1.5 - 2 cm. As luck would have it, Abby's OB/GYN (Dr. Thomas) is on vacation until Sept 10th. The attending doctor, (Scalia??) recommended a cervical cerclage, which is basically sewing the cervix closed to prevent the pregnancy advancing. We also found out the sexes of the babies in the ultrasound. Twin A (lower one) is a boy, and Twin B is a girl.

We are put in a waiting room while a bed is scheduled for the surgical procedure, during which time Abby starts to have cramps. We notice they start developing a regular pattern and contact the nurse. Another examination determines that Abby is now in pre-term labour, and birth is imminent. At this point Abby is 2 days shy of her 24th term, generally considered the earliest preemies can be delivered and survive. The doctor gives us devastating news. We will lose the babies due to the fact we are pre-24 weeks and as such they will not resuscitate.

After a few hours, and consultation with a few other doctors, there appears to be a change in plans. Move us to a facility with an infant ICU as soon as possible. There are no beds available in Vancouver, so after calling around (at one point we were going to Michigan!) we are scheduled to fly to Edmonton.

The team from the BC Air Ambulance team were great, and the ride to Edmonton is uneventful. Abby is given Gravol, and is semi-conscious for most of the ride. Not the way I wanted to experience my first ride in both an ambulance and a Lear 35 Jet. The whole trip from hospital to hospital takes under 2 hours. I now know why people like private jets. We were airborne minutes after arriving at the airport!

Fri Aug 31st - Midnight Thu, early Friday finds us checking into Royal Alexandra hospital in Edmonton. We're 4 hours getting getting checked out, and get into a delivery room about 5am, and get to sleep. (I'm on a mattress on the floor). We are told by the on call OB/GYN that our goal is to hang on 2 more weeks and try to make it to 26 weeks, where odds get much better for babies.

Friday is one long day of hell. Operating on very little sleep, we talk to round after round of high-risk infant care experts, and all the stories are bad. The math puts the babies' chance of surviving without a major life-impeding disability at 17%. We are asked questions about what to do if they come early and appear severely impaired, do we try and save them, or let them die? What if one is strong and one weak, do we focus on the stronger with the better chance? (It was like living out a scene from "Sophies Choice").

We go for an ultrasound and they discover that we have another complication. Abby has what is called an "hourglass membrane", where the amniotic sac holding Twin A has slipped out of her cervix and is pushed out into her vagina. This is not good, as it makes performing the cerclage very difficult. Abby is now confined to strict bed rest, and is no longer allowed to even sit up.

Abby is now starting to feel constipated and is getting increasingly uncomfortable as they day progresses. By Friday night she is in cramps and experiencing spasms every 30 minutes that have her in tears. We get her a shot of Gravol to try and sleep. By now she has a catheter and IV in, and about 13 million drugs flowing through her. For all the talk about pregnant women not taking drugs, they are flowing pretty liberally here. Good thing too, as managing the pain for Abby is critical.

Sat, Sept 1 Well, not how we wanted to spend Labour day weekend, but here we are, trying not to go into labour on the only weekend named after the activity. Doctors attempt a cerclage today. They put Abby under, and stand her on her head in the surgical ward in something called a Trendelenburg position. They then attempt to push the membranes back inside her uterus to attempt the cerclage, but they cannot get it in. It's a disappointment, but the membranes do not burst, so at least we are not any further behind.

Sun, Sept 2 Abby's worst day for cramps so far. She has not had a BM since Wed morning now, and the cocktail of drugs she is on, plus they fact she is now flat on her back, with her feet raised (more Trendelenburg) is not helping. She is in tears over the pain every 30 mins or so throughout the day. She gets a Morphine/Gravol blend in her IV to try and knock her out to sleep.

Mon Sept 3 We've never been so happy to see shit! Abby has a BM at 3am, difficult to perform as she is using a bedpan (still no sitting up). Joelle, Roger, Jenna, and Holly stop in for a visit on their way back from Calgary later in the day, and I catch a lift with Roger to the local video store to rent a bunch of DVDs to keep us occupied. I end up renting CSI season 5, and we watch gross gory TV complete with autopsies while lying in the hospital. Not the best choice for uplifting, distracting entertainment.

Tue Sept 4 Had another ultrasound in the afternoon. Abby's Mom flew in today so that is making things a bit easier, as I haven't really left this room since last Friday. Through a change is some drugs, Abby is in a little less pain, although the sheer act of doing nothing gets quite painful after a while. You never think doing nothing is hard, but I would never wish bed-rest on anyone now.