The First Trimester

When I made the Big Announcement I also promised that I would share some select journal entries I made during the first third of this pregnancy.  I was consistant at the beginning (though some of those entries aren't worth sharing here), then as we moved forward I started writing less and my last entry was in early December.  I won't share everything, but wanted to share enough so you know how those first few months were while we were keeping silent about our big news.

Oct. 18, 2010
18 days since thermal shift and temps have been continuing to go up.  Took test in AM and BFP [Big Fat Positive]!!  As luck would have it, had an appointment already scheduled for today.  Had a Beta HCG test done.

Oct. 20, 2010
2nd Beta test done.  Saw nurse when I went in to register and she asked me to come back that afternoon for an ultrasound.  They had no appointments just clinicals.
Went back at 4pm, saw sac, looks good.  Also saw a possible second sac, but doesn't look like it is developing.  Probably at 5 weeks.

Oct. 21, 2010
Driving to Normal, IL for a conference; nurse called with Beta test results which showed a 60% rise.  Nauseousness starting to set in.  Stopped at a Cracker Barrel in no-where Indiana and bought some peppermint sticks.  Ah!!  Much better!

Nov. 3, 2010
Ultrasound this afternoon!  I think I'm about 7 weeks.
Estimate is 6 weeks 4-5 days, due date currently set for June 24.  AND ... Twins!!  Possibly mono/mono twins, which are exremely rare: 1 sac and 1 placenta.  HBs are 125 and 130 bpm.
OMG!!

Nov. 4, 2010
Mentioned to Hubby last night that now we have to come up with 4 names -- he groaned.  He doesn't like that process!

Nov. 9, 2010
Over the last week I've noticed:
1. I seem to have an aversion to chocolate -- eating some anyway
2. My lips are constantly dry!  (And I'm drinking lots of water!)
3. The first 15 minutes of my day are the best -- it's downhill from there
4. I don't like the thought of any foods but I have to eat and eating makes me feel better.  However, cheese and hard-boiled eggs are good!!
At 3:00pm today I went to the student center and bought an 8-piece box of Chick-fil-A nuggets.  What an awesome afternoon snack!  I might do this every day!

Nov. 17, 2010
Going to the high risk office this afternoon for an ultrasound.  Kind of nervous.  Things I want to ask about: 1. TTTS and %-age of occurance; 2. Is it mono/mono?; 3. Plans for future care?; 4. Progesterone in 2nd trimester?; 5. cervical cerclage?
Brigit died at about 9 weeks, I'm currently 8 weeks and 5 days.

Nov. 19, 2010
Ultrasound on Wed. went great!  Babies look good.  HBs: Twin A=176; Twin B=182; measurements: Twin A=9w, 2d; Twin B=9w, 0d.  Modified my due date to June 22.
Big news!!  Saw a thin line of membrance between them!!  Yay!  Two sacs!!  They do share a placena, but all looks good and all 3 of us will be watched closely.  There are interventions for TTTS.
Got a little worried when they were studying the yolk sacs.  There seemed to be another one near Twin B and they decided to do an interior ultrasound.  Triplets?!?!  Luckily no.  Phew!!  Turns out Twin B's bowels are still outside, but that is normal at this stage.
Progesterone in 2nd trimester not an option.  Doesn't work in twins like it does for a singleton. :(
Cervical cerclage may be used, but it depends.
Advised not to travel in February, so no MLA meeting.
Scheduled another ultrasound for 12 weeks following which will have one at 15 weeks and then every two weeks after that.
Went to church tonight for a presentation and film on Archbishop Fulton Sheen.  Was really good!  Had a wicked headache by the time we got home.  So I just finished off an entire can of pear halves.

Dec. 8, 2010
Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
Had another ultrasound yesterday:
Twin A: HB= 158; mm=12w & 1d
Twin B: HB= 150; mm=12w & 2d
So cute to see them moving around so much and their little hands and feet were flying everywhere!
Also had the screening appointment before the ultrasound.  All fine there, just a ton of questions.  Had one mishap while attempting to give a urine sample (dropped the cup).  Did the blood work, downed a whole bottle of water, and did the urine sample successfully the second time.  Felt kind of stupid!

That was where my journal entries ended.  Since then I have had one more ultrasound (at the end of December) and I have another scheduled for Wednesday of this week.  At the one at the end of December they took very careful measurements of the babies to check for possible TTTS (Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome) and they came up with a 0% discrepancy between the babies!  This is fantastic!  The technician told me she doesn't remember ever giving anyone a 0% discrepancy before! 

Another ultrasound and another regular appointment are coming up this week.  Hopefully all will continue to look good.  I am going to try to give weekly updates each Wednesday from here on out.  Other than that, I will try to keep my other posts non-pregnancy related.

Thanks again for all the prayers!!  Please continue to pray for us.