This past week everyone in the house got sick. I took the babies to the pediatrician and she increased my son an extra nebulizer treatment a day. I was only sick for about 4-5 days so it wasn't that bad. I was mostly congested. The babies are doing much better and the only one coughing now is my son and it's not too bad. My husband called off from work those days and stayed home to take care of us :) He's too sweet!
Mother's day was amazing!! Yesterday was my first mother's day and it was an unforgettable one! My husband got me roses and a much wanted necklace that I've been wanting for a few months now. He took the most care of the babies all day and was giving me the day off. We went to church in the morning with all THREE babies... If you have multiples you can just imagine how crazy that was! It was an adventure just getting them ready for church in the morning. It was the first time I took all three babies to church! After church my whole family met at my mother's house and we had dinner and spent time together. The men served their wives and we just relaxed and talked to each other the whole time. It was the first time that I took the babies to a family event. I usually try to keep them out of crowds as much as possible.
Today is Monday and I'm back to reality. I'm home alone with my three munchkins and even though I love being home with them all day, it can be very exhausting. This week will be a busy one since we have a few appointments for the babies. All three of them have an ophthalmologist appointment tomorrow, Delilah has a gastroentologist appointment on Thursday, and Hector has an audiologist appointment on Friday. I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but my son has some hearing loss and requires the use of hearing aids. Thankfully he is responding wonderfully with the hearing aids and appears to be hearing well with them on. The hearing aids are at a very low setting which is great because it means that his hearing loss is not severe.
The babies turned 7 months old today!! Time really flies! It feels like it was yesterday they were in the NICU. I am so thankful for every month that passes and God allows me to have them with me. I love them so much and I always look forward to their full recovery and well-being! Happy 7 months my beautiful triplets!!!
I will post some pictures of Mother's day later on. I have to find my camera usb cable to download the pictures and I have no clue where it could be. Until then, have an amazing start to this week!! :)
My name is Annette and my husband's name is Hector. We are raising triplets!!! They're names are Delilah Marie, Hector Manuel Jr., and Melody Grace!!! Our triplets were born at 24 weeks 1 day and we are very blessed to say that we have all three of them at home with us! We've had a very long and bumpy road, but God has brought us through! Miracles do happen! Thank you for reading!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Triplets' first time at the beach.
This past weekend I took the triplets to the beach for the first time. We were supposed to present the babies at church, but unfortunately my grandmother got admitted to the hospital and we were unable to. Since my husband had the weekend off for the event, we decided to go to the beach and stay overnight. We had a lot of fun, but it was oh so difficult!! It felt like the babies were eating all the time, since time flew. My aunt, her husband, and my cousins joined us for this overnight stay, and my mom and her hubby met us over there just for the day. It was a beautiful day for the beach, but I was worried about the sun and we decided to stay in the hotel room until the sun went down. Overall we had a good time and now we have a better idea of how a mini vacation with the babies would be like.... One thing we definitely know is that WE NEED HELP if we're gonna do this again!!! :)
Here are some pictures of the triplets' first time at the beach:
Our pretty little family:
My mommy and my aunt with the babies.
Hector Manuel Jr. with his hat and bathing suit shorts!
Melody Grace showing off her bathing suit. :)
Delilah Marie with her big bow and her blanky.
Continuation of March of Dimes story post...
Ok so this post will be the continuation of the March of Dimes story.
Delilah had the surgery on March 30th. It was a true success! The surgeon had a smile on his face when he told us the good news about her surgery and how he didn't have to remove any more intestine. Yay! She was in the hospital for a week and a half and went home with some feeds, but still on her IV fluids. It was so awesome seeing having some feeds. We are extremely thankful to God because we know that all this time He was watching after her.
The day after Delilah came home, the triplets turned 6 months! Half a year!! I couldn't help but celebrate this big event and invited a few friends and family and had a little party for them. I got them the bumbo seats (which I love!) and got them each a cake! It was a lot of fun!
The triplets have been growing and developing wonderfully! Melody is the leader since she meets most of the milestones before her siblings... Hector is my quiet little angel... He's such a sweetheart! Delilah is my fighter and almost always gets her way. She is a cuddle bug and loves to be talked to.
So far, so good! So keep us in your prayers so it can continue to be this way!! :)
Pictures of the triplets from newly born to now!
Here are some pictures! Enjoy!
First Kangaroo Care with Hector Jr.
First Kangaroo care with Melody Grace
Delilah Marie could not be held until she was 5 weeks old!
Here she is at about a month old.
My Delilah Marie at 6 months old.
Melody Grace always smiling!
Starting once again... :)
Ok, ok... So I've been missing in action again for a while. It's hard not to with triplets! I left off at my triplets' 10 days of life. They are now almost 7 months old now and sooo much has happened!
I posted their story at the March of Dimes website, so what I'll do is copy and paste it so that you can all be updated and then I'll continue from there. Hopefully this time I will continue the blogs... *cross fingers* :)
My name is Annette and my husband's name is Hector. We had been trying to conceive for two years before we finally got pregnant! It was a very joyful time and we were so excited on our journey to parenthood. At 6 weeks pregnant we found out I was pregnant with triplets... YES!! TRIPLETS!! We were very much in shock, but super excited! We had no idea how hard this pregnancy was going to be. We kept being warned that I would most likely not have great results with my triplet pregnancy because usually triplet pregnancies are very complicated and to top it off I'm very short (5'2) and didn't have the "ideal" body to carry triplets. My husband and I were still hopeful and prayed that we could carry the triplets to a viable term.
At 20 weeks gestation, I began to have pre-term labor. My high risk doctor put me on bed rest and gave me medication to stop my contractions. I was diagnosed with incompetent cervix and even though my doctor had placed a cerclage on my cervix, the cerclage was not holding it close. I was admitted to the hospital at 22 weeks with not much hope that I would carry these babies much further along. My doctor really did not want to admit me because he did not think it would make much of a difference, but I insisted, and so he did. I was in the antepartum floor with heavy duty medications to hold my pregnancy, daily ultrasounds, and a contractions monitor 24/7. No fun. But I was willing to do it because I wanted these babies so bad! Every day that passed i was more and more in love with my triplets and all I wanted in this world was for them to be okay. I received the steroid shots for their lungs at midnight on my first day of my 24th week. I was so excited because I knew that the shots would help my babies' lungs!
At 24 weeks and 1 day I went into an unstoppable labor. I knew their chances were only 40-50% but I kept my faith and I was hoping they would be okay. Everyone looked at me with eyes of pity because they thought that my babies were most likely not going to make it... I ignored those looks and kept my faith and hope alive. I was 7cm dilated and Baby A wanted to meet this world.... My water broke and then the action began. I was taken to Labor and Delivery and received a spinal anesthesia. My babies were born October 10, 2009 at 1:32pm, 1:33pm, and 1:37pm. The doctors switched the order that they came out because Baby A was already on my birth canal and they wanted to take out Baby B and Baby C first. Baby B became Baby A, Baby C became Baby B, and Baby A became Baby C.... I know, it's kind of confusing... It was for my husband too!
Their weights and lengths were as following:
Delilah Marie- 1lb 7oz 11 3/4in
Hector Manuel- 1lb 10oz 12 1/2 in
Melody Grace- 1lb 6oz 12 in
They were tiny, tiny and were rushed to the NICU. I was not able to see them because they were taken as soon as they came out.
Delilah gave us the most problems in the NICU. At 2 days old one of her lungs collapsed and she had to get a chest tube and was put on the High frequency ventilator, also known as the oscillator. I called it "the monster" because it was so loud and it would make her vibrate non-stop. The high frequency can give the babies up to 900 breaths per minute! It is very, very scary to see a baby in this machine, but I still did not loose hope. I knew my Delilah would make it through. Two days later she came off the high frequency ventilator and was placed again on a regular ventilator. They also took off the chest tube. A 14 days old, Delilah got sick with NEC. NEC is when the intestines begin to get necrotic and the babies get really sick. If NEC is not caught on time the baby usually dies. Delilah was under a pound and a half and the doctors gave me absolutely NO HOPE. The surgeons explained to me that they were going to take her to surgery because there was nothing else they could do and that she was most likely not going to make it through surgery. I remember not receiving those words and going to the surgery waiting room bathroom... I knelt down and began to beg God to save my daughter and I pleaded Him and reminded Him of His promises with the my babies. I cried and wept... Then I felt a load come off my shoulders and I saw a picture of Jesus performing that surgery on Delilah. It was at that moment that I stood up, went back to the waiting room, and knew that everything would be alright. About 45 minutes passed (which felt like hours) and the surgeon came to talk to us. Delilah survived the surgery but now she had to survive the next 48 hours after surgery. We passed the first 24 hours and Delilah started getting very sick. She wasn't urinating and her kidneys were apparently shutting down. He little body began to swell up and she looked lifeless. She was max out on blood pressure medications because her blood pressure went down, she was also max out on the high frequency ventilator and there was nothing more that they could do. The doctors were doing their rounds and said they were very sorry. I said "No! Delilah is going to be just fine!" They thought I was crazy, but I knew that God had the last word. And He did. Delilah finally started to urinate. Her blood pressure began to normalize, and her swelling started to come down. She was taken off the high frequency ventilator and was placed once again on the regular ventilator. It was a MIRACLE! Everyone was surprised. Except for my family and I... We always knew that God was in control.
Delilah and her siblings continued to grow. Delilah had an ostomy were she put stool through and a central line to have TPN (IV fluids with nutrients and fat for the body). An ostomy is pretty much a part of her intestine sticking out of her belly that acts as a temporary anus. Delilah could not tolerate food because her ostomy was in her small intestine and everything that went in through her mouth, she would put out right through her ostomy. They took a total of 7cm of intestine in that surgery.
Delilah, Hector, and Melody went through a PDA ligation at 1 month old. They had a large ductus that caused them to have murmurs. The large ductus also caused the desaturate and have bradycardia. With the PDA ligation, they put a small titanium clip and close off the ductus. After this surgery, the babies started to get better and slowly got weaned off the ventilator, then to a C-PAP, and then to a nasal cannula. Melody and Hector were having a good journey through the NICU, which was still very surprising because they were 24 weekers!
Delilah was still getting sick and having lots of infections. At two months old, one of the NICU doctors thought that it was coming from her intestines and wanted to take her back to surgery to check her intestines. And so he did. Once again the surgeon told me she might not make it out of surgery. She made it out much better then her first surgery. The reason for those infections was that her ostomy had an obstruction and they removed another 5cm of her intestines. Her recovery was excellent and Delilah was a brand new baby. She weaned off her ventilator and went back to a nasal cannula! She was doing outstanding! It's as if she was screaming for that surgery to be done. Delilah was left with her ostomy and she was doing great. Her siblings were doing absolutely amazing.
At 3 months old, Melody came home without any breathing support, just a apnea and bradycardia monitor. She was only 36 weeks gestational age and she was doing great. She only weighed 4 pounds even and was still so tiny. Two weeks after Melody went home, my son Hector came home. He came home on a little bit of oxygen and also a monitor. Neither Hector or Melody had any feeding issues. They both ate great by bottle. It was great having two of my babies home, but I hated leaving Delilah all alone at the hospital.
Delilah continued to thrive in the NICU but still had her ostomy and had her TPN (IV fluids). Her NICU doctor decided to send her home because there was really no reason for her to be in the NICU since all she really had I could do at home. She would come home and have her surgery to get her intestines back together and working 4-6 weeks after she went home. Delilah came home a month after her brother. She came home on a little bit of oxygen and a monitor. She also came home with her central line and the TPN to go through it. I had all three babies home and doing absolutely wonderful! It was my dream come true! I was truly the happiest mommy in the universe! My 24 weeker triplets made it out the NICU and are doing great!
My triplets are currently 5 1/2 months old are thriving! Delilah was taken off her oxygen and monitor and Melody was also taken off her monitor. Delilah is currently back in the hospital awaiting her surgery which will take place in THREE days! This surgery is going to make our Delilah a normal baby. She is going to be able to eat and stool through her anus instead of her ostomy. We really can't wait for that to take place. We are truly excited and pray and hope that everything will work out great.
We feel very blessed because we have three amazing babies that complete our lives. We know that these babies are a miracle and we give thanks to our God because we know that HE made it possible! Please help us by praying for Delilah's surgery. We need all the prayer we could get.
Thank you for reading our long story... This is just the beginning!
With love,
Annette, Hector, Delilah, Hector Jr., and Melody Torres
At 20 weeks gestation, I began to have pre-term labor. My high risk doctor put me on bed rest and gave me medication to stop my contractions. I was diagnosed with incompetent cervix and even though my doctor had placed a cerclage on my cervix, the cerclage was not holding it close. I was admitted to the hospital at 22 weeks with not much hope that I would carry these babies much further along. My doctor really did not want to admit me because he did not think it would make much of a difference, but I insisted, and so he did. I was in the antepartum floor with heavy duty medications to hold my pregnancy, daily ultrasounds, and a contractions monitor 24/7. No fun. But I was willing to do it because I wanted these babies so bad! Every day that passed i was more and more in love with my triplets and all I wanted in this world was for them to be okay. I received the steroid shots for their lungs at midnight on my first day of my 24th week. I was so excited because I knew that the shots would help my babies' lungs!
At 24 weeks and 1 day I went into an unstoppable labor. I knew their chances were only 40-50% but I kept my faith and I was hoping they would be okay. Everyone looked at me with eyes of pity because they thought that my babies were most likely not going to make it... I ignored those looks and kept my faith and hope alive. I was 7cm dilated and Baby A wanted to meet this world.... My water broke and then the action began. I was taken to Labor and Delivery and received a spinal anesthesia. My babies were born October 10, 2009 at 1:32pm, 1:33pm, and 1:37pm. The doctors switched the order that they came out because Baby A was already on my birth canal and they wanted to take out Baby B and Baby C first. Baby B became Baby A, Baby C became Baby B, and Baby A became Baby C.... I know, it's kind of confusing... It was for my husband too!
Their weights and lengths were as following:Delilah Marie- 1lb 7oz 11 3/4in
Hector Manuel- 1lb 10oz 12 1/2 in
Melody Grace- 1lb 6oz 12 in
They were tiny, tiny and were rushed to the NICU. I was not able to see them because they were taken as soon as they came out.
Delilah gave us the most problems in the NICU. At 2 days old one of her lungs collapsed and she had to get a chest tube and was put on the High frequency ventilator, also known as the oscillator. I called it "the monster" because it was so loud and it would make her vibrate non-stop. The high frequency can give the babies up to 900 breaths per minute! It is very, very scary to see a baby in this machine, but I still did not loose hope. I knew my Delilah would make it through. Two days later she came off the high frequency ventilator and was placed again on a regular ventilator. They also took off the chest tube. A 14 days old, Delilah got sick with NEC. NEC is when the intestines begin to get necrotic and the babies get really sick. If NEC is not caught on time the baby usually dies. Delilah was under a pound and a half and the doctors gave me absolutely NO HOPE. The surgeons explained to me that they were going to take her to surgery because there was nothing else they could do and that she was most likely not going to make it through surgery. I remember not receiving those words and going to the surgery waiting room bathroom... I knelt down and began to beg God to save my daughter and I pleaded Him and reminded Him of His promises with the my babies. I cried and wept... Then I felt a load come off my shoulders and I saw a picture of Jesus performing that surgery on Delilah. It was at that moment that I stood up, went back to the waiting room, and knew that everything would be alright. About 45 minutes passed (which felt like hours) and the surgeon came to talk to us. Delilah survived the surgery but now she had to survive the next 48 hours after surgery. We passed the first 24 hours and Delilah started getting very sick. She wasn't urinating and her kidneys were apparently shutting down. He little body began to swell up and she looked lifeless. She was max out on blood pressure medications because her blood pressure went down, she was also max out on the high frequency ventilator and there was nothing more that they could do. The doctors were doing their rounds and said they were very sorry. I said "No! Delilah is going to be just fine!" They thought I was crazy, but I knew that God had the last word. And He did. Delilah finally started to urinate. Her blood pressure began to normalize, and her swelling started to come down. She was taken off the high frequency ventilator and was placed once again on the regular ventilator. It was a MIRACLE! Everyone was surprised. Except for my family and I... We always knew that God was in control.
Delilah and her siblings continued to grow. Delilah had an ostomy were she put stool through and a central line to have TPN (IV fluids with nutrients and fat for the body). An ostomy is pretty much a part of her intestine sticking out of her belly that acts as a temporary anus. Delilah could not tolerate food because her ostomy was in her small intestine and everything that went in through her mouth, she would put out right through her ostomy. They took a total of 7cm of intestine in that surgery.
Delilah, Hector, and Melody went through a PDA ligation at 1 month old. They had a large ductus that caused them to have murmurs. The large ductus also caused the desaturate and have bradycardia. With the PDA ligation, they put a small titanium clip and close off the ductus. After this surgery, the babies started to get better and slowly got weaned off the ventilator, then to a C-PAP, and then to a nasal cannula. Melody and Hector were having a good journey through the NICU, which was still very surprising because they were 24 weekers!
Delilah was still getting sick and having lots of infections. At two months old, one of the NICU doctors thought that it was coming from her intestines and wanted to take her back to surgery to check her intestines. And so he did. Once again the surgeon told me she might not make it out of surgery. She made it out much better then her first surgery. The reason for those infections was that her ostomy had an obstruction and they removed another 5cm of her intestines. Her recovery was excellent and Delilah was a brand new baby. She weaned off her ventilator and went back to a nasal cannula! She was doing outstanding! It's as if she was screaming for that surgery to be done. Delilah was left with her ostomy and she was doing great. Her siblings were doing absolutely amazing.
At 3 months old, Melody came home without any breathing support, just a apnea and bradycardia monitor. She was only 36 weeks gestational age and she was doing great. She only weighed 4 pounds even and was still so tiny. Two weeks after Melody went home, my son Hector came home. He came home on a little bit of oxygen and also a monitor. Neither Hector or Melody had any feeding issues. They both ate great by bottle. It was great having two of my babies home, but I hated leaving Delilah all alone at the hospital.
Delilah continued to thrive in the NICU but still had her ostomy and had her TPN (IV fluids). Her NICU doctor decided to send her home because there was really no reason for her to be in the NICU since all she really had I could do at home. She would come home and have her surgery to get her intestines back together and working 4-6 weeks after she went home. Delilah came home a month after her brother. She came home on a little bit of oxygen and a monitor. She also came home with her central line and the TPN to go through it. I had all three babies home and doing absolutely wonderful! It was my dream come true! I was truly the happiest mommy in the universe! My 24 weeker triplets made it out the NICU and are doing great!
My triplets are currently 5 1/2 months old are thriving! Delilah was taken off her oxygen and monitor and Melody was also taken off her monitor. Delilah is currently back in the hospital awaiting her surgery which will take place in THREE days! This surgery is going to make our Delilah a normal baby. She is going to be able to eat and stool through her anus instead of her ostomy. We really can't wait for that to take place. We are truly excited and pray and hope that everything will work out great.
We feel very blessed because we have three amazing babies that complete our lives. We know that these babies are a miracle and we give thanks to our God because we know that HE made it possible! Please help us by praying for Delilah's surgery. We need all the prayer we could get.
Thank you for reading our long story... This is just the beginning!
With love,
Annette, Hector, Delilah, Hector Jr., and Melody Torres
http://www.shareyourstory.org/webx/.ef6abdf
Now that you're all a bit up to date, I will post some pictures on my next post of their growth and how they are today. :)
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