GI Specialist

Another day.. another trip to a dr. , That is the story of our life. We took Hallie to the GI specialist today. He doubled the amount of one of her meds, and gave us a new med that we give 4 times a day, all in hopes of helping her to throw up less and gain some weight. I had to stay home from work today because Heath is so sick. I called the Dr back and he is now on an antibiotic. He was up all night long and is so miserable. Im not sure that his fever has broke all day. He has hardly eaten anything, in fact less then half of what he usually eats. Hallie had a really good day today, until I was telling a friend that she was doing so well. I really think she hears me, cause next feed..she threw it all up! Kids! For those of you guys that have never seen a G button, Im putting a picture on here. That is how we feed Hallie, it isn't near as bad as it looks(Carrie, you were right). But, I would give anything for her to take a bottle. Im obsessed with pictures, so here are a few of the latest!

Update

Yesterday was not near as bad as I thought. The Dr. wasnt too worried about Hallie's development. He said that she is doing what he would expect , since she has been through 4 surgeries in the last 6 months. He said its hard to catch up when you keep having surgeries to bring her a step back. He was pleased that she is grasping toys and switching hands with the toys, rolling over, and putting her feet in her mouth. She was showing off for him, she stood on her feet 100 times better then she ever has before. I think she knew he was grading her! It was great to hear that he thought her muscle tone was good. Before we left for the Dr. yday, we got a call from the day care. Heath had a temp of 101, so of course Tiny Tots got a call from me. We took him with Hallie. He has a cold, and a possible ear infection. So meds again! He was up the majority of the night, I think this is the worst he has ever felt. Hallie has an appt Friday with the GI specialist, so we have our fingers crossed that he will give us something that makes her better. The Dr. did say yday that we should be pleased with her only throwing up 2-3 times a day. That is not what i wanted to hear! Last night Hallie took about 10 bits of Squash... YEAH!!I saved the best news for last.... Hallie now weighs TEN lbs 2oz! We are so excited. Heath is 14 even, last week he was 14.9, so Im not sure what happened there. But, Heath will catch back up..

Poor Little Hallie

I'm really just posting this message out of stress. Nothing new to tell you as far as milestones or development. But, yesterday I got a call from the Dr. , they want Hallie to come in ASAP to get evaluated. This would not be that scary except for the fact that I did not call and ask for this. It isn't just the CNP we usually see that wants to see her , its the main Dr at the clinic, which I have never seen there. I am so scared of what he will say about Hallie. I know it is a good thing that she goes, and we need to know if there is something we can do to help her. But , I fear what I might hear. They told me on the phone yday that they are worried about her development and weight. (which we are very worried too) But, everything is about to get so real if they tell me something is really wrong. My mother -in-law is going with me for support. Wish us luck.

Heath and Hallie

Looks like mommy

He definitely took after mommy on this one. I would rather lay my head on a book, then read , ANY day!

Just another wkend

Justin and I actually got to go out alone this weekend. It was nice to get away! Even though we were home by 10. We started Hallie on a new formula, we were suppose to try for 3-4 days. Im not sure there was any improvement, so we switched to the expensive stuff last night. So far, it isnt looking promising either. I dont know what we are going to do with her. Her eye seems to be bothering her again, its looking worse. I really hope it isnt getting infected. Heath , too, has been fussy. I sure hope it isnt this bad every time he is trying to get a new tooth. I am just guessing that is what the problem is. But, I have been saying that for 2 months now, and still no teeth! Hallie has been showing improvement in her legs. She will now stand ( of course with us holding her up) on her feet for about a minute at a time. I know this doesnt sound exciting to anyone else. But, its huge from where we were a week ago. Now, if we could just get her to gain some weight, and eating would be a plus! Harley threw his typical tantrum every time we made him sit on the potty, but he did go a few times! It was so funny, we had him wearing big boy underwear, and we were telling him all the big boys that wear them. So he went up to my uncle Lynn, and ask him if he had some with footballs and basketballs on them too, Just trying to get Harley interested he said yes. Well, of course Harley wanted to see! He was quiet disappointed that he didnt get to check out Uncle Lynn's big boy undies.

Dr. visit

Well..Well... Yesterday was an experience... we were at the Dr. for 3 hours. There is good news and bad news... The bad is that they tried drawing blood 2x on each baby and still didn't get any. Good news... they are gaining! Hallie is still not 10 lbs, but we are slowly getting there. She is 9lbs 14oz! Heath is getting HUGE... he is 14lbs 9oz! I'm very excited about that. We have once again switched Hallie's formula.(5th times a charm, right!) We are trying Gentlease for 3-4 days to see if she gets any better, then if not, we are moving to the really expensive stuff, Neocate. You cant even buy it at the store, only pharmacy. At this point, I just want her better...we will pay! They got their first RSV shots yday, so keep your fingers crossed that it works. We will have one shot every month until March, in hopes of keeping the babies out of the hospital. RSV can be deadly to preemies. Justin and I get to go out this weekend. My Aunt is coming down from Arkansas and has offered for her and my mother to keep the kiddo's. Heck yeah!

Imagine....

I was reading on the March of Dimes website ..... parents had written there own "imagine" verses from their experiences....so I thought I would do the same...



Imagine being told that you are pregnant with triplets.

Imagine being told they can only find 2 heartbeats, a few weeks later.

Imagine being rushed to the ER at 25 weeks pregnant , thinking that you have lost your babies.

Imagine being told that you are about to have a C-section, but don't expect the babies to come out crying.

Imagine your babies being born the size of a ruler, weighing a 1lb

Imagine your babies being 100% dependant on a machine to live.

Imagine your wedding ring fitting on your baby's arm, loosly.

Imagine not being able to hold your baby for weeks.

Imagine looking at your baby , praying to God, that she will live another day.

Imagine your son having life or death surgery, but the Dr. telling you it has never been a success on a baby so small.

Imagine watching your 2lb son being carried down the hall to surgery, not knowing if you will ever see him alive again.

Imagine having a baby but going home without one.

Imagine what it feels like not knowing if your baby's next breath will be his last.

Imagine going to the mall, too afraid to buy baby clothes, because your not sure that your babies will live to wear them. (and feeling ashamed for thinking those thoughts)

Imagine bringing your babies home, but you cant take them to the other room because they are strapped to so many monitors.

Imagine being woken up by the sound of your baby's heart monitor going off.(which means it isnt detecting a heart beat.)

Imagine the feeling of hopelessness when your baby will not eat.

Imagine having a 9 month old , that weighs 9 lbs.

Imagine trying to stay sane while all this has taken place.

Imagine having micro- preemies.

Can you imagine?

9 Months..

Its so hard to believe that Heath and Hallie are 9 months old today. Nine months to the typical baby probably means crawling, teeth, standing..... But, not here! I say probably, because I don't even know what a "normal" baby does at each stage. I just know what "we" do. I keep up with 2 other micro preemies, Julia and Halle Grace, so to me... We are normal. I don't even talk to other friends about their baby's progress.... It would just make me feel bad and they wouldn't understand. I am so thankful I have someone to talk to about the issues we have. Thanks Carrie and Julie. This weekend was pretty typical, nothing exciting. Hallie took 3oz of formula, cereal, and applesauce 4 nights in a row...The trick is , feed her while she is sleeping! Im not bragging... Just telling. I have already figured out , if you brag, its STOPS. Hallie has also officially out grew her newborn sleepers! O-3 months now, yeah! The last few nights Heath has eaten a half jar of baby food, at one feeding! And probably the most exciting news in the Lovvorn house....Harley has gone Tee Tee 3x this weekend! Tomorrow is our first shots for RSV... And new updates on weight, stay tuned!

Harley Jacob

After posting about the twins...I decided that I need to tell everyone about Harley, and how he came into our life. I was a single foster parent ( I was dating my husband), and I got the call that there was a baby that needed a home. Even though I had turned down several kids in the past, I decided it was time for me to take this little one. Harley came to me when he was 11 months old. I fell in love! He had long blonde hair and big blue eyes... He was so big that he couldn't even crawl. It was very obvious that he had been neglected. But, he was the best baby ever. After a long battle with CPS and getting birth parents rights terminated.... He is OURS. He is now a Lovvorn! Harley Jacob Lovvorn. He is now 3 years old. He is still a big boy. He has a great personality.... We are working on potty training , its not going too well... He would just rather wear a diaper... (It's killing me!!) Harley is so great with the babies. I do feel sorry for him because I feel like im constantly telling him to be quiet because he cant wake the babies or I cant play with him cause im feeding one.... But , he is really good about it. I have never seen a kid be such a DADDY'S BOY.... He loves his daddy. Since daddy likes watching football , so does Harley. He is a great BIG brother.

Sitting...what a BIG boy

Paranoid, I know!

I know ... I know... Hallie looks like she is ready for the snow... Im a little paranoid!
Better safe then sorry.

Heath Tucker

Heath Tucker.... His name came from Justin's middle name is Heath, and my mothers maiden name is Tucker.... Since coming home from the hospital, he has done nothing but improve. In the hospital every time he ate, he stopped breathing. They sent him home like that, they told me I knew what to do (beat him on the back, til his color got better). I was so nervous to take him home. But, he decided once he was home that he would be better... Never once did he turn blue... He now weighs 13lbs 10oz and is 25 inches long. He is learning to sit up, which he does for about 15 seconds at a time. And the little guy will walk if you hold his hands...It is the cutest thing ever! There really has been no issues with him since we have had him home. He has battled 4 ear infections but even they haven't slowed him down. I'm so proud of his progress.... He just needs to give sister a pep talk! He is a spit'n image of his Daddy!

Hallie Brooke

Then June rolled around..... Hallie decided "its summer.... I'm going to be lazy"...So she stops eating! Yes, STOPS.... We tried an NG tube to help her gain weight...And we were hoping that she would remember how to eat... Not happening! In July we decided, along with the Dr's, that a G button was our best bet. She had gone all summer not gaining much weight at all. If I remember correctly... She gained about a lb all summer long. Surgery went well...And now that is how she eats..She takes about 15-40 cc's by mouth, per feed. She weighs 9lbs 11oz now...And is 23 inches long... She has had 6 surgeries...4 being her eyes. She wears a contact in one eye.... Yes, they make baby contacts. One person in the U.S. does! She is very laid back...She laughs if you even pretend to tickle her. She is behind in development, the dr actually said yday that she needs "extensive therapy" on her legs. We're working on it. She's my little angel...

Picture

Here is a picture of their March of Dimes shirts..... So little...so cute! Heath looks like daddy...Hallie like mommy...
This was one of their first pictures together...in april.

The Delivery

I was in the operating room.. The Dr. Had alreadly told us what to expect... blah blah blah.... Like you can be prepared to have 25 week twins. First came Hallie Brooke.... A whopping 1lbs 9 oz, 13 inches long.... Then 3 mins later Heath Tucker.... 1lb 10oz, also 13 inches. When Hallie came out , I heard nothing... when Heath was pulled out he began to cry....and then so did I. I wasnt expecting to hear anything. Justin took pictures and went and checked on them. They wheeled them by me on their way to the NICU.... I couldnt see anything but blankets. I then went to recovery.... After 3 doses of pain meds , i finally feel a sleep. The dr. came in and talked to us and told us they looked good, considering. They took us up there, I was so drugged the only thing I remember is them hitting my bed on everything. Its sad, but I dont even remember seeing the babies that time. It was the next morning before I remember going in there. I could not believe my eyes. They were SO tiny. I could not imagine how something so tiny , could survive. At one point we put Justins wedding ring on Heaths arm and it was very loose. Picture's dont do a thing, if you havent seen a 1lb baby then you cant even imagine. I was released from the hospital a few days later, but visited every day after. The first big test was the brain scan....ALL CLEAR! It was about a week after that they discoved Heath had a heart problem, and not the normal preemie heart problems.... a major one...for a 1lb baby. They transfered him to Childrens and did a surgery (ill brag..he is the smallest baby they ever successfully did this on!)... He then went back to Baylor to be with his sister. She too , had a PDA surgery... simple thing the dr does several time a day... no biggy! ( i can say that now!) ....weeks went by.... The next big move was SOUTH HALL... we moved up to regular cribs... then there was the eye surgeries.... both had... They were starting to take a bottle... Hallie did great... Heath couldnt get the whole...suck, swallow, breath ..thing down.... He could suck/swallow... he would just turn blue.... big problem... Hallie came home on April 17th!! weighing 5lbs even.... Heath a few weeks later on May 5th..6lbs 5oz.... both on oxygen, apnea monitors..and pulse ox as needed ( we just happen to think we needed it all the time....) Time goes by....

The Pregnancy

The pregnancy...Anything , but normal. My husband and I found out we were expecting in August of 04, perfect due date..April 29th.... (not in basketball or football season! Coaches!) I suppose to pregnancy was going fine for the first few weeks. I joked with my sister that I thought I was getting huge...Maybe it was twins... When I was 6 weeks pregnant, Justin and I went to get our first ultrasound.... OH MY GOODNESS.... I said "Tell me all of those aren't babies"...And of course the Dr. Says "don't panic" ... Justin and I didn't say one word after that....There were THREE!! Two weeks later we went back... Everything was fine. So we started telling people... I told my principal... "I need to talk to you" So we went in his office ... I told him I was pregnant... And he started saying congrats...While he was saying that I said... With triplets.... Of course..."Oh S**t" came flying out of his mouth.... Ill never forget that.... The news was around the school in a matter of minutes. Two weeks later I went back to the Dr., alone this time, thinking everything was going to be okay. Another ultrasound...This time, only 2 heartbeats... I was devastated. Not that I was hoping for triplets, by any means, in the beginning. But, once you realize you have 3 little babies in your tummy, you don't want just 2. It wasn't just that either. The Dr. Had found something inside my uterus, and he didn't even know what it was. He thought either a blood clot or a tumor... I call my husband crying...He rushed home from practice... And the next day we go to Dallas to see a specialist. With his high tech equipment we found out that baby "c" wasn't developing normally. He said bodies will just spontaneously abort these babies. It was a little more comforting to know that it wasn't something to I had done. We did find out that I did have a blood clot but it was going away on its own.... For months the pregnancy was going smoothly after all the scars....Until the morning of January 16th...I woke up bleeding.... and not just a little. Justin rushed me to the hospital.... My parents, our oldest son (which we adopted), Justins' parents, and our sisters werent far behind. He took me to the ER where they rushed me up to labor and delivery... The whole ride up there I was praying ... I thought I had lost them... I remember thanking God that he brought Harley(our oldest) in our lives and prayed over and over to save the babies. Once in L&D, a dr did an exam and told me I was dilated to a 3, and that I was going no where until the babies were born. We were really hoping to make it to 28 weeks.... I was 25 and 2 days at this point...They started me on mag to stop the labor and also gave me 2 rounds of steroids for the babies lungs. Two nights later, I made the dr check me before I went to sleep...something just didnt feel right... Thats when they told us they were about to prep me for a C- section... It was happening...Justin just went and set on the couch with his hands on his face...I could tell at that moment that he was worried too... he had been so calm for me, all of this time. We were off to the operating room...