McKay's Surgery

McKay had his surgery yesterday. He ended up having a hernia on both the left and right sides (so two incisions plus one through his belly button- poor thing!). He was such a trooper. They had him and a parent (Russ- he is an AMAZING husband and father!!) stay the night because of his age/weight. He did great and came home today.

Our Memorial Day...

McKay woke up at 5:30 am screaming like he was in pain. I took him to his pediatrician who found a hernia (apparently that is common is premies and twins). He told me that we needed to take him to the Primary Children's Emergency Room and possibly have surgery to get it fixed. We took McKay to Primary Children's and for the next six hours did blood work, vitals, ultrasounds, more blood work, etc. (and they wouldn't let him eat in case he had surgery- poor kid!).

Ultrasound

EKG (His potassium levels were high because of his kidneys. High potassium is bad for your heart so they did an EKG to check the electrical activity of his heart. The EKG looked good.)

When he finally was able to eat!

 It was determined that McKay had a hernia on his lower left intestines and possibly one on his right. He needs surgery but Primary's was only doing emergency surgeries that day because it was a holiday. So we have his surgery scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, May 29th.

Home Sweet Home

Kooper and McKay are both at home and doing great! I am now just trying to keep up with TWO babies! (I am so grateful for my mom because most days it takes both of us to keep up with the boys!)

 Kooper

 McKay

* I was recently reading Neal A Maxwell's talk from October 1997. He had been going through cancer treatments and said "I have been mercifully granted what might be called a 'delay en route.' Whether short or long, it is a wonderful blessing from the Lord! I have thereby learned, however, that there is another side of the "Why me?" question, since some are not granted a 'delay en route' at all. Whichever side of that question, what is needed is mortal submission, even when there is no immediate divine explanation. Thus we are to press forward, whatever the length of the near horizon, while rejoicing in what awaits us on the far horizon."

I was struck by his statement because I too feel like I am on the other side of the 'Why me?' question. Why me? Why am I so blessed to have three boys who are alive and well? Why am I blessed to live when there is advanced medical capabilities that has made it possible for my boys to enjoy healthy lives when they were born with imperfections that could have been fatal not too long ago? Spending time in hospitals, especially children's hospitals, helps me to focus on what is most important in life and makes me even more grateful for my blessings, health, and children. I am so grateful to continue my journey of motherhood with these two special babies.

McKay

SURGERY:
McKay's surgery went well. His catheter was removed the next day and he has had great wet diapers ever since! He has continued to improve and has started to take full feeds again which means he gets to come home... tomorrow!!

KIDNEYS:
We were finally able to talk with a Nephrologist (kidney doctor). He told us that McKay's kidneys are functioning at about 38% (which isn't as low as it sounds because newborn kidneys usually function at around 45-50%). His Creatinine levels (which help determine kidney function) continue to go down (which is good). His blood pressure is high (kidneys help regulate blood pressure) so he will come home on a medicine to keep his blood pressure down. He also has high phosphorus levels so we have to mix calcium carbonate (similar to TUMS) in his milk. This will bind with the calcium so his body doesn't obsorb as much phosphorus (who knew?!). He will continue to be monitored throughout his life by the Nephrologists at Primary Children's.

We are so glad that he is doing so well and that he gets to finally come home!!

The Boys

Wow! It's been quite the whirlwind the last couple days! I went in to the hospital to visit the boys yesterday morning (Monday, May 6th) and they informed me that Kooper was coming home THAT DAY and that McKay was going to Primary's THAT DAY! So we did discharge stuff all day and brought Kooper home! We then went and visited McKay at Primary's.

Here's Kooper all ready to come home!

Here's McKay all ready to go to Primary's in the ambulance.

McKay is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow (Wednesday, May 8th). If all goes well, he should be able to come home in a few days!

At first, we couldn't tell if they were truly identical twins but they look more and more alike every day! 

 McKay

 Kooper

Two steps back...

McKay has had a rough couple days. On Thursday he started acting strange (moaning/whimpering, pale, lethargic) and he had air in his catheter which was concerning. Labs, x-ray, ultrasound, and a dye test were done and they found air in his bladder. The Dr's explained that one of the only explanations for air in the bladder would be a bacteria (like E. Coli) so it was assumed he had a bladder infection. He was put on strong antibiotics, put back on oxygen, got an IV for the antibiotics and fluid, and stopped his feeds.  Yesterday he was alert enough to want to try eating so they let him have a little food. Today he is feeling better (still a little more sleepy than usual) and he is back on full feeds! Primary's is still not ready for him so we are going to try to get him better from this infection and keep increasing his feeds.

Kooper keeps working on increasing his oral feeds. He was off oxygen for 48 hours then he started de-stating after his feeds so every so often he needs a little oxygen to keep him going.

*I'll try to post more pictures soon!!

Quick update

Sorry we haven't updated for a while! We've been busy running back and forth to the hospital. The boys are both still in the NICU but doing good. They are both off the ventilator. They are on and off oxygen and just working on increasing their oral feeds (they can do about half of their feeds orally). Kooper can come home when he can do all his feeds orally (whether that's one week or three weeks is all up to him!) McKay hasn't been transferred to Primary's yet. We are so grateful that both boys are still together at one hospital.

Thank you again for all your comments, texts, phone calls, and especially your prayers!

Our Twins

McKay Beck Ferry was born at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 21 weighing in at 5 lb 2 oz.

Kooper John Ferry was born three hours later weighing 5 lbs 6 oz. We are so happy they are here!

LABOR: I was induced Saturday morning at 8:00 AM because McKay's amniotic fluid was really low and the high risk doctor felt that we were at the point that the babies would be better out than in. I labored until midnight then they wheeled me to the OR room to be delivered. I delivered McKay normally but Kooper was being a stinker and they couldn't find two legs to do a breech extraction. They also couldn't get him turned around and his cord was in the way so a few hours later it was decided he needed to come by c-section. 

MCKAY:

While I was in labor with Kooper, the nurses rushed McKay back to the resuscitation room and got him ready to go with a ventilator, catheter, IV's etc. We were so grateful for the room full of professionals that were ready to help me and the boys that night! 

I don't know all the details (because I've been in and out of consciousness on pain meds!) but it was discovered that in addition to his kidneys, McKay also has fluid around his lungs so they put a chest tube in to drain it. He was placed on a ventilator/respirator to help him breathe, he has a catheter to help him urinate. The nurses are great and are taking really good care of him!  

 They are working on stabilizing McKay's breathing right now. The doctors have been working with the Urologist Team at Primary Children's and once McKay is stable and breathing on his own he will go to Primary's for surgeries on his urinary track and kidneys. 

KOOPER:

Kooper has also been on and off a ventilator/respirator to help him breathe (both of the boys are together in the most intensive NICU unit here where there is a full-time Respiration Therapist). He has had a very hard time regulating his breaths but is finally starting to slow it down and figure it out.

They extubated Kooper today (Tuesday 23rd) and he's done great so far! He was able to try out a pacifier for the first time. He loves it! Once he becomes stable with his breathing they will work with him on his feeding for a few weeks which means we'll have one boy at McKay Dee's and one at Primary's :(

Kooper is taking it easy after they extubated him. He loves his pacifier!

 We are so grateful for our beautiful baby boys!

MANY THANKS

We love this picture which was taken right after McKay was born because it shows the many hands working to save McKay right after his birth. We are also so grateful for the kindness and prayers offered for our little boys. We have felt at peace with the many prayers given in our behalf. We are so grateful to our Father in Heaven for sending us these sweet spirits.

Tomorrow...

I am getting induced tomorrow (Saturday, April 20)!!

32 Weeks!

I told myself that if I made it to 32 weeks I could write one pregnancy post so here it goes! 

First off, what is so great about 32 weeks? For women who are at a high risk of premature labor/delivery, there are a few major milestones. The first is 24 weeks: the threshold of viability with a third of babies surviving with no long-term problems. The second milestone is 28 weeks when viability skyrockets and 90% survive but long-term complications are still possible. The next milestone is 32 weeks. At 32 weeks (if everything is going well and your babies don’t already have birth defects… like bad kidneys) then they will have an excellent chance of survival without any major long-term complications. Of course, the longer I can go… the better. Twins are considered ‘full-term’ at 37 weeks so I only have 5 weeks left!

I had NO IDEA how different a twin pregnancy would be from a singleton pregnancy! When I was pregnant with Lincoln, I was nauseous for the first five months then the last four months I felt great! I wasn’t uncomfortable at all, I didn’t have to cut back on any of my activities, I worked full time until the day I delivered. I always wondered why pregnant women would complain… now I know.

I had similar nausea that I did when I was pregnant with Lincoln but the nausea still hasn’t completely subsided. From the very beginning of this pregnancy, I was more light-headed, tired, and weak. I was literally 8 weeks along and would have to sit down and rest after simple tasks like laundry, dishes, etc. There were a few times when I was in the teen weeks that I went grocery shopping and couldn’t finish. I would have to leave half way through my grocery shopping with whatever was in my cart because I couldn’t walk anymore and I was going to pass out. I started feeling a ton of pelvic pressure around 20 weeks and was terrified because I had never felt that with Lincoln. The only way to explain that pressure is that I felt like I had fallen into the splits and tore all the muscles between my legs. I felt like the babies were going to fall out. At 28 weeks I hit a wall. I was so done and I did not know how I would carry these babies any longer. My pelvic pressure turned to pelvic pain and I could not walk around or go up and down the stairs without pain. I knew I wouldn’t survive in my house (where I have to walk up and down the stairs all day) and that I wouldn’t be able to take care of Lincoln all day by myself so Lincoln and I moved in with my mom. I put myself on modified bed-rest, which consists of sitting on the couch all day. I get up to go to the bathroom, shower, or get something to eat but other than that, I don’t do a whole lot. I’m already much larger right now than I was with Lincoln at full-term. I constantly (night and day) have some kind of discomfort or pain (leg cramps, back aches, pelvic pressure, etc.)… some nights I have to sleep sitting up so my back doesn’t hurt. I’ve never had to live with constant discomfort. I know people who do and I have much more respect/sympathy for all that they endure everyday with no end in sight. I’ve also never been physically disabled and had to rely on others for the most basic tasks (cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.). I don’t think the pain is as bad as the feelings of helplessness and guilt that I can’t do all I am used to doing.

There is no way I could have gotten through the last month and no way I would get through the next month without my mom. I can’t believe how willing she is to let Lincoln and I live here. She cooks and cleans up after us and takes care of Lincoln and takes me to doctor’s appointments multiple times a week. She is such an example of Christ-like love and service. She sacrifices so much every day to allow us to be here and take care of us. She doesn’t think of herself and has no thought of a reward or recompense for all that she does. She simply loves us and wants to help. I honestly don’t know what my little family would do without her!

I still don’t know how much longer I can make it and I am so grateful every day that I have made it through another day. Like I mentioned, I have had a hard time that I’m not able to do my part and help and serve others right now but then I have to remind myself that I am serving these two special spirits as I try to take it easy and rest so that they can be as healthy as possible. I still marvel that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of providing bodies to his spirit children and allows me to raise them here on earth. I will go through any amount of pain and discomfort for that wonderful blessing.