A lot has happened in the last week

This last week has been a complete blur, a lot has happened since our last real blog update.

The delivery was hectic, to say the least. I counted twenty people in the OR for the c-section. Besides the usual people, there were TWO OB's performing the surgery, and each baby had their own NICU nurse, respiratory therapist, and I believe a neonatalogist was present as well, as well as a student that we consented to.

There was a problem with Tarynn's epidural. They described it later as her having "hot spots". Basically, there were parts of her that were supposed to be numbed that weren't. And one thing surgeons really don't like is for their patient to suddenly scream in pain and jump around on the operating table. They quickly gave Tarynn some stronger drugs to her IV to make her more comfortable, but unfortunately that meant she wasn't able to be as lucid as she'd like to be for the delivery.

But, most importantly of all, it looks like everyone's okay. I wish Tarynn had been able to be more conscious during the birth, but she's okay, and the babies are okay.

Today is the triplets one week birthday. Wow... This last week has really REALLY flown by. All three are off their CPAPS and have been for several days, breathing room air with no assistance. Brian and Kaelynn are off their IVs as well. Blake's still a little smaller, but so far he's gaining weight faster than the other two. I believe he's returned to his birth weight. The other two are getting close, but haven't quite gotten there yet. (Babies tend to lose a little weight after birth and it takes them a bit of time to gain back to where they started, that's normal.)

These pics were taken earlier in the week, when mommy was able to hold each for the first time. We're gonna try to go back tonight and get some "1 week" pictures of all three, I'll update this post if we're able to do that before we collapse from exhaustion.

I've probably said it before, but I can't say it enough. To everyone that's stepped up and helped us, or even offered help... I give you the most sincere, deeply held heartfelt THANK YOU! All of your assistance has helped us massively!

Kaelynn Elizabeth Ecton

Brian Keith Ecton II

Blake Dale Ecton

Few pictures of the new Ecton Pride

No fancy wordplay this time, I'm just too tired, but here are a few pics of the new ones:

Kaelynn:

Brian:

Blake:

Three Becomes Six

It's been a VERY long day, and I still haven't had a chance to upload pics yet, but:

Kaelynn Elizabeth Ecton
3 pounds, 10.2 ounces
16 1/4 inches

Brian Keith Ecton II
4 pounds, 1.6 ounces
16 1/2 inches

Blake Dale Ecton
2 pounds, 15 ounces
16 inches

All three are in very capable hands in the NICU, and will be for some time yet, but for their age and size they so far seem to be very healthy.

Mom's pretty beat up, but resting. Dad's in a daze that's expected to last at least the next 18 years...

More details to come later. We're both really beat and trying to rest.

Change in a heartbeat

I'm not sure how to even start this, but to say wow, omg, wth, AHH! Not in my wildest dreams this week did even think these kids would be born in June.

The medical details are in Brian's post. Blake's growth slowed dramatically and blood flow in the umbilical cord was restricted. As expected, the perinatologist pulled the trigger.

The dr had a very way of delivering the information. He had reviewed the sono and done his own looking. He looked at me and explained the blood flow stopping, said when this happens he can get at best 21 more days. This is his specialty. The steroid shots have peak effectiveness at 48 hours after being given. If we were at 24 weeks he'd have to wait. But why risk one when the odds of viability and success are already so high? Thus, he was advising I get the steroid shot now. He was going to call the OB in a few moments. Any questions?

I was still processing; Brian got it faster. He let me get it and I asked, "So... that means babies on Friday?" The dr agreed. "Should be June 17th," he said. He left to call, I got cleaned up, when he returned he told me his assistant would show me where to go for admission.

Do not leave, do not pass go, I'd paid the $250 hospital deposit yesterday.

Panic set in after admitting but before we got to the room. Forget running to the car, going home, getting stuff, etc. Time up. My eyes were tearing up, but when Brian said something about running an IV I dead stopped in the hall and started bawling. I finally got ahold of myself once we were checked in. Our friend Betsy came and picked up some lunch while Brian left to get my stuff and pick up Mom. After an hour or so it all started to sink in. It's all good at the moment.

So... long story short, I'll be home in a week or so but not with my babies. That's ok - all the babies will be alive. = )

...the best laid plans...

So, today we went to a routine visit to the perinatologist and the OB, and the next thing we know, we're being admitted to the hospital and being given steroid injections to get the babies lungs ready to breath air.

It seems that baby C (Blake) has stopped growing, and the blood flow through his umbilical cord has slowed down (it flows during the pressure beat of the heart, but stops during the resting phase of the heartbeat) so.... It's time for them to be born.

Tarynn had been admitted to the hospital and been given the first of two steroid injections. The babies are now scheduled to be born this Friday (June 17th) in the afternoon...

If anyone's curious, we finally got the medical term for the condition that Blake (Baby C) has that's moving the delivery forward. Googling on the term, I better understand how serious this is, and why they're moving us forward so quickly. It's called "absent end diastolic flow" if anyone wants to google on it...

More updates to come as needed, but wanted to let ya'll know, things are moving a LOT faster then we thought they would!

A rose by any other name, and we have a DATE!

Tarynn and I have been privately discussing names pretty much since we found out we were pregnant. The two of us had settled on names for the triplets a few months ago, and were letting the names settle between us for a while before we were sure we had the right ones, and to make sure they felt right. We're finally to the point that we're comfortable with the names, and ready to share them... The triplets will be named:

Baby A - Previously Bunny - Kaelynn Elizabeth Ecton
Baby B - Previously Booger - Brian Keith Ecton (the second)
Baby C - Previously Buttons - Blake Dale Ecton

Yeah, I know. I'm surprised as anyone else that I'm having a junior, and it was my idea! Totally caught me off guard, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. The Dale in Blake Dale is in honor of my late paternal grandfather Dale Ecton, and Elizabeth is a traditional name for girls in Tarynn's family.

The other big BIG news is - We now have a date!

This caught me completely off guard, Tarynn had a regular OB appointment this morning, and she called me afterward to inform me that we now have a date scheduled for a c-section. Now, this is still subject to change as medical issues dictate, but we're now scheduled to check into the hospital at 11AM on July the 8th, 2011, for a scheduled 1PM c-section. That's one month from tomorrow. We are not prepared!