Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome

These last couple of days have sort of been a whirlwind and after talking to thirty different people on the phone in one day, I decided I need to have a central place to keep friends and family updated on our boys.

By the way....we're having BOYS!!!

Some of the best words I have ever heard (after I got past the shock) was the news that there were two babies. I felt blessed to have one and twice as blessed to have two! Fast forward 6 weeks to yesterday and the scariest words I have now heard are that my babies might have a rare and serious disease.

Sparing too many details, I went to the doctor yesterday a little worried that something was wrong. What I was worried about turned out to be nothing, but from the ultrasound, my doctor could tell that one baby was growing quite a bit more than the other and had a significant amount more fluid in his sac than the other. Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) has been mentioned from the beginning as something that they would be watching for and these things were the first indicators that it might be developing. I was scheduled to see a specialist in Houston this morning and after the long emotional appointment, this is what we now know:

*I have the very best team of doctors in the nation. This alone gives me confidence in the road ahead.

* I do not have TTTS....yet. My doctor feels fairly certain that it will develop at some point in time, but I do not yet fit the criteria for it. The time frame is very uncertain. I could go weeks, months, or it could develop overnight. It was mentioned that he has seen this problem "fix" itself, but he didn't really entertain that as a realistic possibility.

* Once it develops, I will have a procedure where they cauterize the blood vessels that are being shared by the babies so that each baby is independent of each other. After the surgery, there is a 50 - 60% chance that I can take home two healthy babies and that is everyone's goal.

*For more information about this disease, visit this website.

*Most importantly...I know that we need prayers. Please pray that our babies will come home healthy when this is all over. Please pray for wisdom as we make decisions in the coming weeks. Please pray for me and Dustin as we will be separated throughout most of this as we have just moved to Snyder where Dustin is working, but I need to stay close to Houston to be closely monitored.

You can tell me all the statistics in the world about this disease, but none of them matter too much because God is in control and taking care of us.

I go back Monday afternoon and I will try to keep updates posted on here.

Thank you for your prayers,

Amy, Dustin & the boys :)

My Babies

I don't want to bore you all with endless pictures and ramblings of my babies, but as it turns out...it's pretty much all I think about :) After three weeks of praying, worrying, and wondering about their well-being, I went back to the doctor last Thursday and they are both growing and doing well. The risks are still high, but for now, our babies are well and I couldn't be more thankful. Here is their latest portrait. I think one inherited Dustin's nose on the back of it's head and it looks like I already have a thumb-sucker.

Happy Mother's Day

This time next year, I will have a whole new perspective on what this day truly means, but today I honor two women I am blessed to have in my life and call family.

There are a million things I could say about both of them, none of which could truly do them justice. They are selfless, loving, kind, and most importantly: God-fearing women. So as Dustin and I start our family, I have confidence in the fact that I learned from the best and will have them there to help me.

Happy Mother's Day!