not one but two

Thirteenth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 9th February 2014

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

Week 30

YAY!!! We have reached the golden number – 30 weeks and it is a bit of a relief to finally get here and still have the bubs baking in the oven I have going on here. But to tell you the truth, I am so un-comfy, that I don’t really think I could have gone to full term with these two little buggers. Not the way they are trying to claw out the belly. Worst but best feeling ever!

So the scan on Tuesday saw the first one that Rohan couldn’t be there for and had my support peeps of Aunty Lorna and Lee with me. With the Professor away we had Doctor scanning us and also another lady Dr that learning to do these types of scans for the next two years. Now with the Prof, she explains and goes through everything that she does and makes the experience worthwhile, but with Doctor, he is like in a hurry to get things down and doesn’t really talk the way through it until the very end or a quick rundown as he goes from one twin to the other. Plus there was a bit of flirting going on between the two Drs that made Doctor be a bit more energetic with the scan at least, and talk a bit more, or it could have been Lee and Aunty Lorna.

Tuesday Scan on Twin 1 saw the heartbeat at 153bpm and 2cm of fluid round, which is a bit low but had a very full bladder. The heart walls were still thick and also the valve was still a little leaky but the overall functioning is fine. The bub wants to stay in the belly for a bit longer and is looking ok. But just has not been as active to me as it usually would be. So was told if it continues to slow down even more to ring up and would have another scan to make sure everything is fine.

Twin 2 heart beat was 124 bpm and 4.1 cm of fluid round, and everything seems to be fine. This one has been the more active of the two, and that clawing I talked about earlier, well that was this one. Couldn’t really tell what position it was in but I think it has come out of the pike position and into a position that we cannot even tell. All we see now is arms, then legs, then head and brain and then body with spine. Definitely doesn’t help when trying to get measurements with the Dopplers that’s for sure.

The scan on Friday had a bit of a different feel to it for me at least, it was just Rohan, myself, Doctor and Midwife Teresa and it was like he was trying to get through this as fast as possible because they were running behind. There was no talking or anything throughout it and only when Teresa spoke to Doctor about something’s that he actually spoke. Best to say that this had me in tears because of it, I think I was just really missing the prof and her friendly nature more than anything. Plus with the stress on wondering when they make the decision on when to deliver them is probably getting as bit too much.

So the scan saw Twin 1 with a heartbeat of 129 bpm and fluid of 3.8 cm and even with a full bladder. With all the Dopplers good and still the issues with the heart and when we asked the Dr about what this may bring, he said that it may correct itself when they are born or it may stay around for a bit afterwards, they just couldn’t give is a defiant on what might come of this. Which is fair enough, best not give us an answer and say this is what goes and it ends up the other way.

With Twin 2, it seems that it is starting now to go backwards, the heartbeat when he first done it was round 169bpm, which is a bit high and 2.4cm of fluid round. So it is like they did a swap on the fluid there. When Teresa spoke about the heartbeat, Dr did a couple more and some came up as the same 160 + and then one came up as 145bpm so we don’t really know what to take with that. The main concern now is the cord forward flow, which was the problem we had from when we had the laser surgery for the 3 weeks until it got better. When you look at the screen and they have the correct spot, the monitor looks like round hills with a bit of a cliff on one side. This means good forward flow

This is sort of what they have looked like for the last 10 weeks or so. But now the hills are getting sharper peaks on the top and more of a valley in between them you can say and this means not good/or no forward flow.

Once I saw this, I just knew we were now going backwards and the end is going to be very near, and the Dr was concerned about this and it is something that is going to be monitored very closely, but they don’t want to deliver the bubs until this does really start to fail. Both bubs are happy and content inside the oven and it isn’t until the Dopplers really start to fail then they will deliver them. But what they can’t say is when that will happen. Could be this Tuesday, could be Friday, or it could be next week. But they seem to think that it will be in the next week or two, for this Doppler to do this over 2/3 days or could be soon.

Well, Monday night was also a bit of fun for Aunty Lorna and I as we went to a multiple birth class, and whilst we dodged the fire that was out this way, were worried for the families that it was effecting, off we went to the hospital again. Let’s just say Aunty Lorna learnt a lot about birthing and breast feeding that night. Wish Rohan was there as they got out the pregnant belly and one of the partners put it on for half the course and if Rohan was there I would have been putting his hand up to do it for sure. Only problem was it was only a singleton belly not a multiple belly. But the pictures would of been priceless :o) It was a good course, but a lot of it was repeated from the courses that we did a couple of weeks back and a lot of research that we have done on the internet, but one thing for sure is that there is going to be a lot of twins born in the next couple of months at King Eddy. There was round 9 couples there all over 30 weeks, even the two that were at the courses earlier in the year.

Well time to head off and put this belly to rest, if the kids settle down. I don’t think it has anything to do with the chocolate that I just ate. (Kylie – they are going down a treat!!!) If we have time I will do one next Sunday, if not then it will be from the flip side of pregnancy and onto parenthood.

Thank you also to everyone for the well wishes and love, we really do appreciate it and if you send an email and I don’t reply, it isn’t that I don’t read it, I do, it is just I cannot email on my phone and my internet is limited with pre-paid. I take everything you type to heart and is saying a big thank you from all of us!

Lot of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

xoxoxoxo

Eleventh Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 20th January 2014

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

27 Weeks

I have returned home for the next 5 days, to get everything all in order before finally relocating to Perth and being ready for these bubs to come. I have been feeling very stretched and pulled and like I have a defence team going on in my belly with arm bars and knees poking each and every way. The ninjas have really stepped up their game this week and are really moving round. I saw a post of Facebook or somewhere that unborn children sleep 90% of the time that they are in the womb – I think our two forgot that memo and just do what they want.

Rohan made it a bit of fun going into Friday when we went through for the scan and all we could see was Doctor round and Prof Jan was nowhere to be seen or that her name was not on the board next to the door, so I went off to do my tests that I do every time I come in and when I returned, Rohan was shaking his head. To me, this meant that we had to deal with Doctor for the scan and it was a bit of a bummer going into the room. Then it was like the heaven lights shone upon us (well the lights in the room were all on, which was something different, usually they are all off) and there was the Professor and this gave me the instant reaction of giving Rohan a little punch to the ribs, for teasing me like that. But I could see where he was coming at firstly. So onto the scans and the measurements that was done.

In the red corner – weighing in at a massive 923gm, (that is a 242 gram weight gain in the last two weeks) and a heart beat of 151 bpm is Twin 1. This little fighter will be a trouble maker as no other measurements could be made, due to position and also it having ADHD or something because it would not settle down. Even with the Prof poking my belly did not help it at all, I suppose it didn’t help that I kept on laughing when Prof was doing it, it was the Prof was slapping its hand and saying stop that now! The only thing that came up was a spot on the heart that showed that a little bit of non oxygenated blood was going backwards which meant a leaky valve, but the Prof doesn’t seem all that concerned about it at this point as these things do have a way of fixing itself. We are still also confused on whether this was the twin that had the problems in the first place also.

In the blue corner – weighing in at (drumroll please) 601gms (The ninja made it – it was a surprise but it made it! 156 gram weight gain!) and heart beat 147 bpm. All the Dopplers and other measurements for this one were fine, the Prof was very happy with its progress and were it had come from.

So this Friday sees the magical 28 week mark and these little ninjas may be born any time after that. We are still hoping to get to the 30 week mark but fingers cross we can make it further! I will also be having steroid injections Friday and 24 hours afterwards to help their organs mature, so if the time comes earlier then they are in with a fighting chance.  I am just hoping that no facial hair or chest hair starts popping up on me then I will be giving Rohan a run for his money

Well, I think that is all I need to put in there, for the people that have been asking, here is a belly shot I took this morning. Thank you also to the people with the encouraging words of wisdom with the C-section and I will be keeping them all in my mind when it comes to it. Also Joan, I will be awake for C-section and Rohan will be right there also holding my hand. But I think they still do put mums to sleep if it is more serious or complicated.

Til next week…..

27 weeks

Lot of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

xoxoxoxo

 

Tenth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 13th January 2014

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

26 Weeks

Another week has gone past and it feels like it was a very busy one at that. Rohan was starting with longer hours with his work and feeling the punch at the end of the first day and with me handing over my work in the first 3 mornings and resting in the afternoons, and then seeing mum and dad from their actual going somewhere trip in the caravan – just made the week fly by …. Well for me anyways.

The system I spoke about with the file and if the Professor would be doing the scan or not, well it didn’t work this time. The file was behind the desk, and we had the Prof doing the scan. We had one of the lovely midwives that just came back from holidays, so it was nice catching up with her. For the life of me, I cannot remember her name at this point in time. Our appointment was at 1:30, but we rocked up early, just so we can get a seat and also so we can see them on time, but there was no one in the waiting room, so we got to go in half an hour earlier. We left when our appointment was meant to start! (Winning!) I went off to do my bit that I do each week for the and saw that there was both Prof Jan and Doctor in the room, but by the time I came back out, Doctor had gone on lunch so we just had the Prof doing the scan. (More Winning!) So onto the scan;

Twin 1 – its little heart is beating at 128 bpm (which is the slowest we have seen for a while but the Prof didn’t seem to concern about it). There was also a nice big full bladder and 4.5cm of fluid around it. Prof Jan also went through the body and showed us the stomach, which had fluid in it, the kidneys and the arteries and everything was in working order. The heart was beating very nicely with also the 4 chambers and all the Dopplers had forward flow. With just the way that the ninja was laying she just couldn’t get a scan of the brain blood flow, but it stretched whilst we were looking at it, and she got the scan and that was fine as well.

 

Twin 2 – The little ninja’s heart beat is at 157 bpm with also a nice full bladder and with 3.5cm of fluid round it. The Prof went through the same thing as with twin 1 and everything was where it should be and in working order. Even the heart was good. She was also very happy with the Dopplers for Twin 2, which is great. She also seemed to think that the scan this Friday may even see this one at 600grams, but she would still like us to get to 28 weeks before they do anything. I did ask would they be delivered when all of that is met and she said no, they are better of baking then outside. It is just there is a higher success rate of survival if both of those targets are met. So it was still good news all round!

So measurement will be taking this Friday. Trust me, I feel like both of these babies have put on weight, and with what I am eating, it better not be going to my rear end, just let me put that in there. I have been eating a lot of fruit and the protein shake and muffins and nuts, pretty much anything with protein in it, I have been consuming it. Rohan said to me before he left on Sunday that he would like to see me pop out another 3 inches! Let’s just say he got a really evil look and an ‘I don’t think so’. Half or even an inch would be great! I don’t have any stretch marks yet and I don’t want to start getting them now! Yes Mum and Lee, I am putting the oil on every night now!

So Saturday, saw both Rohan and I go back to the hospital for some course on parenting and going through the procedure of the C-section. It was very much an eye opener and although they were condensed coursed for 2.5 hours each; they did have a lot of information in them. The parenting class had 5 couples in it and 3 of us were having twins, plus all of us were having a problem pregnancy as well. One couple also have TTTS but had not gone as far as the laser surgery, although they were meant to have it each week, but they have now made it to 30 weeks, so they are just still being monitored. They were also from Merriden. The other couple were from Mandurah and she had been in hospital now for the last 4 weeks due to her dilating, she was at 28 weeks on the weekend. She is hopeful that if she hadn’t dilated more then she could go home for the day! Fingers cross to her, I couldn’t stand 3 days, let alone 4 weeks +.

The C-section course was interesting, but once she showed the pictures of the epidural and the spinal block, I just went to a different world and didn’t listen to anything else. I am so not a fan of needles, even if I can’t see them. But it was good to get an idea on what we will be going through on the day.

Well that is all I can think of, and I am so glad it is much cooler this week in Perth then the weekend and I am also glad that I am not in Kalgoorlie this week as I did not cope with the heat yesterday at all. But I am glad that I had Aunty Lorna here to force me in the pool to cool me off.

Lot of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

xoxoxoxo

NinthUpdate – Wise/Williams Twins – 5th January 2014

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

25 Weeks

Cue music – Cue Johnny Nash – “We can see clearly now the rain has gone, we can see all obstacles in our way” Yes you read right and singing the whole song now, I bet. We have some answers to our questions and now know what is going to be happening in the next month or so, and it is the best feeling ever after the last two weeks. Positive feelings and emotions are now coming through instead of tears and worry.

So we have now worked out the system of when the Prof is going to be doing the scan with the ladies at the front desk. If our file is there with them, the Dr is going to be doing the scan. If the file isn’t there, than we have the Prof and this week, the file wasn’t there, we had the Prof and hopefully the answers we needed. It was also measurement day as well, so we also get to see how the babies are progressing and if they have put some fat on.

When the Prof Jan put the scanner on our belly, all you could see was babies’ arms and legs and bodies, it is hard to believe that they have grown so much and you don’t notice it until you really look at it. But onto the measurements;

Twin 1 is still progressing nicely, weighing in at 681 grams and a heart rate of 147bpm with 3.5cm of fluid around it and also a nice full bladder and fluid on the stomach. We also got to see glimpses of the kidney and other organs, which didn’t look like much to us, but the Prof said that they look good and in the right spots. So this little ninja is still growing along nicely having put on 179 grams in the last two weeks, now within the percentile range but only just.

Twin 2 – the biggest fighter of all, weighing in at 445 grams, with a heart rate of 135 bpm and 3.4cm of fluid around it also with a nice full bladder and fluid on the stomach. Falling a little bit more outside the percentile range, but they are both moving along on their own graph line. This also means that not much weight has been put on, with only 60 grams been put on in the last 2 weeks. The Dopplers are still the same, they haven’t gotten worse and they haven’t gotten better, so the Prof would like to see this little fighter at 600 grams before they will be delivered. But they would like for us to get to 28 weeks before they will deliver them. Hopefully we can bake them a little bit longer. Fingers crossed.

So at least we now have a time line to work towards and they have also told me to slow down on the work front and look at going on maternity leave next week. I am staying in Perth for this week and passing on the work to the lady who will be reliving me for this time. I have been told to rest and keep my feet up and lie on my sides to help with the blood flow to the babies and placenta, and also keep on drinking the lovely tasty protein shake to help with that also. Just waiting on now, is when we will be having to do the scans twice a week and if not next week, I will be going back home to say bye to Kalgoorlie for probably the next 3-4 months whilst the babies are born and in nicu and the special nursery for the however long they will be in there for and can come home with us. I meet up with a friend, before coming to Perth, who also had a premmie baby and the information she gave me is golden! We need to be ready to be scared and emotional and also demanding. It’s great to have that heads up and we will now be having a tour of the nicu and meeting with one of the paediatricians beforehand.

So Rohan has now gone home in our new bigger family car, a 2010 Ford Territory, (still thinking of a name for it, I like “twin terror”) so he can now tinker with it however he likes and also has a reliable car to drive up and back in. We didn’t trade in the other car, so I have that here with me.

Well another scan next Friday at 1.30pm and hopefully know even more from then. With all of this time off, it will give me time to rest and make up two little memory boxes. I also want to look into a good blog site, so that I can put these updates (taking out the nasties about the doctors) and everything else to this point to help other couples and families with what we have and will go through due to TTTS. A lot of stories that we have read so far is just like an essay on the whole TTTS journey on a page, instead of really getting into the emotional rollercoaster and week by week blow on how things are. When we were first diagnose with this and asked about it on facebook on alot of the twin pages, a lot of the ladies just commented and said a friend of mine had that and the babies turned out fine, or they had it, and it was all good. For me personally, I need to know more and not knowing these people, I didn’t want to dive into their personal life and ask “was it really?” I would have been happy with comments like, “we had that and the babies are fine, but get ready for the emotional/bumpy roller coaster.” But with this blog I am thinking of doing, hopefully it will give people more insight to the disease and let people know it is alright to be scared s**tless and have the unknown week to week confuse the hell out of you, but it also tests your relationships with partners, family and friends and make you want to see your babies each week and hope that there are still two heartbeats every single time.

Well time to go and find something to eat! I am starving!

“It’s going to be a bright, bright, bright sun-shiny day!”

Lot of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

xoxoxoxo

Eighth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 30th December 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

24 Weeks

Again another trip to Perth, but with Christmas holidays that we are both on, it was good that we could travel to Perth on our time and not be so rushed with it. We had a lovely Xmas with my folks as unfortunately Rohan’s parents flights that they booked a while ago got cancelled due to not many people being on the flight. So it was sad that we didn’t get to have it with them as well and for them to also meet their new granddaughter as well. But they can do that once the bubs are here and have lots of cuddles with all grand kids.

So on to the scan, after an hour wait, we finally got into see our little bundles of joy and we were told that the Prof was in doing the scan! This was YAY! time us and our special high five done on the side, but she just walked out to do something and Doctor called us in, bit of a bummer that was, but the Prof did walk back in but she wasn’t going to do the scan. She sat in the background and wrote all the notes.

Due to them doing measurements last week, they weren’t measured this week, so hopefully more information next week on whether they have put weight on or not.

So firstly Ninja Twin number 1 – Kicking butt still with round 3cm of fluid round it, it did have a full bladder so hoping that the other centimetre that were there last week was in that bladder. The tiny heart was beating at 157bpm. So this little fighter was just like having a single baby and going along nicely. Plus it is also kicking my insides as it is the only one I can feel mostly.

Ninja Twin No 2 – Our little problem child, still kicking with 3cm of fluid round it and a heartbeat of 144bpm. Again also a little wriggler which was funny to watch as Doctor again was playing video games with the screen and was trying to get further away from the screen as possible with his head, then moving the hand and the scanner. (Next week I want to ask him whether he played video games when he was younger) The Prof even commented on how naughty the baby was being as they were trying to get the dopplers beats/measurements again. But here comes the not so good news, the dopplers haven’t improved at all from last week, Doctor asked whether I was back in Kalgoorlie and then ask Prof Jan whether it could wait another week. She said yes it can, so we will know more next week. More or less, I really need to start putting my feet up and get as much blood as I can to the placenta in the meantime to help the little ninja out. Rohan asked him, what will happen if they don’t improve the Dr said ‘Worst case, we will be delivering your babies’ So these babies may be seeing the world sooner than we thought.

This may also mean that I am in Perth from next week onwards, so it is onto working this week til we go back to Perth on Thursday and depending on how the scan goes on Friday, passing everything over to the lady that will be looking after the position while I am away on leave, It just seems so real that this could be happening in the next couple of weeks. But just need to think of the positives and that these little ninjas don’t like the heat much and being baked in the humanoid oven I have going on here and rather be in the air con with us.

Til next week – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Lot of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

xoxoxoxo

Seventh Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 24th December 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

23 Weeks

This week saw us having a later appointment time, so that we could travel with my mum and dad in the one car as we had a 30th birthday to go to that night. Much easier than taking two cars but Rohan isn’t a fan of being a passenger, just makes the trip a little bit of a long haul. Now he knows how I feel.

So the scan this week was a bit of a setback, you can say. It could have been one of two things really, so just waiting for the scan this week to make sure that what we were told last week is correct.

The first thing is due to the Christmas holidays, the Prof was overlooking the whole of the department, so she wasn’t in doing the scan and we had Doctor doing the scan. Let’s just say that the nice things we said about him in the first post, well…. That all went out the window after he did the scan after the surgery and gave us false hope. He mumbled throughout the whole scan and with an air con on in the room, I was the only one who could hear what he was saying and Rohan and Mum could not hear a thing. I felt sorry for the two medical students behind him as well as I doubt that they could hear what he was saying as well. (Good luck to them learning anything that day) So this update may be a bit higgledy piggledy, as I am the only one that got everything and I may miss things. Plus he has no people skills and to tell a pregnant lady and the babies daddy “Not to worry if there cannot be anything done about it” just makes you want to slap him right there and say get a life.

So on to the actual scan, I have had my vent, we had measurements done again. Just to check their progress and all the heart beats and dopplers and everything. Twin 1 is breezing through it and was great with all the blood flow and heart beats. It now weighs in at 502 grams, which means that it has put on 136 grams in 2 weeks. The fluid round it was around 4.9cm from memory. Twin 2’s heart beat was fine and the dopplers were a bit of pain in getting the measurements as it had the hiccups and wouldn’t stop moving either for the Dr. The weight of this little ninja was 385 grams, which this one hasn’t been beefing up and has only put on 87 grams in the last two weeks, and that isn’t from me not eating – let me just add that in there. The fluid was around 3cm, I think. This then puts both babies under the percentile range, which makes you think that we may be seeing these little ones earlier than we think. I also asked about Twin 2’s heart and how is it this week as it hasn’t been all that great. The Dr told me it was fine and always had been and it was Twin 1’s heart that was the problem. So this is where all the confusion starts to set in. We are sure that they were on Twin 2 to start with on all the scans that were done, when they said that the heart was sluggish or had a white spot on the scan. He did explain that due to having the TTTS and Twin 1 being the recipient that this was the reason it was sluggish due to some fluid may have been round it. That made sense, but it wasn’t Twin 1 that the problem was with. We are so confused by it all, that we are going to ask again about it on Friday and hopefully the Prof will be there.

So from the scans and measurements, we have now found out that Twin 1 is going good guns, but is about 2-3 days behind the gestation of 22+6 weeks on the day and Twin 2 is a week and an half. The placenta that Twin 2 has isn’t the best, so this is one of the reasons for the delay in growth. So this is when I asked the Dr if it should be something to worry about? That is when he came back with that answer. The midwife that we had that day after we got the appointment for the next scan was helpful in saying that I just need to put my feet up this week (now I feel really hopeless around Christmas) and to boost up the protein.

On the way back to Paul’s, it was all on to google to look at what protein foods are and how much I should be having. I also had suggestions from the Mothers group I have on Facebook that there is a natural protein powder that can be had that has none of that extra stuff added to it and makes it totally safe to have whilst pregnant. Let’s just say, it also does not taste the nicest either, be sure to use natural sweeteners to make it drinkable!

It was great to be home on Saturday, where I finally got to have a bit of a cry and say how sick I am of having this emotional roller coaster for both of us, that it seems that we take 3 steps forwards and about 4 back. But our goal now is to have these two baking in the oven til at least 30 weeks. This is round 7 weeks away, but it may be 3 weeks even, but just as long as we have both of them in the end, 7 weeks is our plan. Just thinking about it also, it may mean that Perth is probably going to become my new home earlier than I think as the 2 scans a week may be starting earlier then we though.

To answer some questions that we have been getting via emails and text, we have been getting help with the PATS (Patient Assistant Travel Scheme) for all the travel that we have been doing. It is a flat rate for the petrol and I do have the option to fly now that the Dr has ticked that bit, but they have ticked no to the escort side of things, which means Rohan is unable to fly with me unless we pay for it, and at the moment, money is tight with both of us only working 4 days a week. I could go by myself, but I want Rohan to be there with me for a couple of reasons, 1. The only time Rohan didn’t come with me to an appointment is when this all started, I was in so much shock that I missed a lot of what is being said, 2. Two lots of ears are better than mine alone. I forget a lot of things that are said to me if I don’t think they are important, also he is picking up more things with the scans than what I am and last, but not least 3. They are his babies too. But it may change if the scans have to be done twice a week, I will have to go by myself or have an aunty come with me to pick things up as well. Also with staying with family we also get $20.00 a night for the stay.

Now I think I am now done with all the information that is in my head. We will like to say a big huge Merry Christmas to everyone that receives the updates and to the ones that get it second hand and are supporting us throughout this, even the ones we haven’t even met!

Lots of love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the fighting Ninja’s!

xoxoxo

Sixth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 15th December 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

22 Weeks

I’m sorry for not doing this last week, I was absolutely buggered and with travelling and work, I am stuffed by the end of the day. So since the last update, 2 weeks have passed and 2 flying trips to Perth and back have been made.

Week 21 – Lets just say we were buggered for this trip, Rohan has been working flat out and we didn’t get much sleep the night before due to lots of banging happening in the backyard and also coming up with issues that may come up once the babies are here and with me not working and having that extra money coming in, it was an eye opener to say the least. But we made it and thanks to Paul and Jess for letting us sleep in a little bit longer and not even getting to see them at all.

The scan was great, the Prof was still overly excited every time she puts the scan on us as there was two bladders right there on the screen. She, for some reason, is always a little nervous when we come in for the scans. But these little ninjas are kicking butt and now doing what they are meant to be doing. We also had the measurements done on them this time around as well, so with the fluid around the babies Twin 1 had 2cm and Twin 2 had 5cm, so Twin 2 was improving or you could say peeing to all buggery. Twin 1 still needed to catch up a little bit more. The actual measurement side of things was good. Twin 1 was 366 grams, which was in the 40 percentile range, which is the average and good. Twin 2 was 298 grams, which was a little bit under the percentile, but still good considering. The only thing really that came out of the scan was that Twin 2’s heart is still an issue, it had a white spot on it at the scan and but it was better than last week. But we had to go back next Friday for another scan.

The funniest thing that when we rang mum and dad to tell them the news, they were on their way to Perth for the weekend; mum thought that we may possibly pass each other on the way. Dad’s come back was a classic, but I will let the imagination go to work there. We met up with them in Merriden for some lunch and showed them my new trick, that I can now poke out my belly button. Rohan doesn’t like me doing that at all.

Week 22 – This trip was a lot better of a drive and we were more refreshed for it, but not so much for the trip home though. I finally got to see Paul and Jess in the morning as; I am now on mother time and have a good chat with them. We got to sample some of the heat wave, which we are getting now on that morning, so glad we have a pool! So the scan this week, the ninjas are still kicking butt. The Prof put the scan on and all you could see was all the fluid that was there and the membrane, floating in between them! Twin 2 had also turned round so they are both heading in the one direction, I think she said breach, so I am getting a lot of kicks down there you can say. The fluid round the two are Twin 1 3cm and Twin 2 bout 4.9 cm, so they are really drinking and peeing! There wasn’t really a bladder there with Twin 1 as it just peed, so she went back like 3 minutes later and it was there and full. I so hope this isn’t something of the future with the nappies! Twin 2’s heart is sluggish again, couldn’t see the white spot but the Prof did spend a bit of time on it and I think this may be something that we will have to ask more about next week. So stay tuned for that. All the dopplers though are great and really improving from last time!

So that is all I can really think of in regards to the last two weeks, we got a definite answer on the sex of the babies, but still not saying anything. Don’t ask Aunty Sue! I so know you will :o) We also don’t have to worry too much about driving this week either as we are going down with mum and dad on Friday morning, we got an afternoon scan as it is Jess’s 30th Birthday party Friday night, so we will be coming back Saturday with them.

So till next week! Go Ninja’s!

Here is the latest scan we got on Friday.

April Rachel Waving

My bump

21 Weeks Bump

Fifth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 2nd December 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

20 Weeks – Half way there!

As you have probably heard, I am finally back home in Kalgoorlie and really enjoying being in my own surroundings and around the four-legged babies! So apologises for not doing this sooner but travel and other factors sort of got in the way.

Well the week started on a positive note as I had to go and get some more blood tests done as they could not get them from Kalgoorlie and the room that I went into to get it done had only one picture in the room and it was of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Needless to say, this put a smile on my face and also helped take my mind of the needle. So that is one great sign to put a point on the scoreboard to say that these ninjas are going grow and do what is asked of them.

Second scratch on the score board was that I worked from home the whole week; this was to make sure I relaxed more and didn’t have to carry my laptop around with me all the time. I felt really good throughout the whole week and wasn’t tired or overworked or stressed in any way, the only time I did go into work, was just to print stuff off and to grab the mail to do the work.

Third point on the score board – BOY did I pop out and grow outwards this week. I was stretched to the poo house and sore, OMG I was so sore. I kept on telling myself that this is a great sign and must mean that these babies are doing exactly what they are meant to be doing! And that is growing!!!

Fourth point was that I was feeling them move and kick and allsorts all the time, and on both sides on the belly. I think they will be basketballers as that is when it all started, when Paul invited Courtney and myself to the basketball on Sunday to watch the Wildcats (hence the talk about the scoreboard) but still couldn’t feel it on the outside, just a lot of offence moves on the inside.

So with the scoreboard at 4-0, we were feeling really positive about the scan! Well we had too, or else it would have been doom and gloom come the scan. Rohan arrived by plane that Friday morning and we went to our usual café for lunch and off we went to have our scan.

Firstly, we saw a dietician, as being separated from Rohan and Aunty Lorna eating like a rabbit; it was hard to cook big meals and also to even be bothered to cook at all. So we just wanted to see what we need to do to make sure I am eating enough for 3. Plus the blood test also showed up that I had an iron deficiency, so it was another pointer to get information on. But firstly, all we can say was what a waste of time. She had no idea on why we were referred to her, she had no clue for twins and what we should be eating and couldn’t really understand why I cannot eat certain foods and kept looking at me on why can’t I eat these foods, and not because I was pregnant. I kept on trying to explain why but I don’t think she could see my point. Rohan was not happy with her at all. But we were again seeing her after the scan, as she forgot to get pamphlets that we needed for information.

We were called away as the Prof was ready and I weighed myself beforehand as feeling big, I wanted to make I had finally stacked on the kgs, and I had 4kgs – so another point 5-0 – I laid down on the bed and was ready for the scan and Prof said that she had been so worried for us all week and so hope that we have good news. I said well I have popped out more this week, so that has to be a good sign, she shook her head and said not really. So that was like unsportsmanlike foul and time for me to take two free shots and get a side ball. She put the scan on my belly and her face was priceless – she looked at the screen and then to Doctor and then back to the screen and then punched Doctor in the arm! We have two bladders that have grown and noticeable! She hoped that Doctor won’t be reporting her and then looked at me and called me a cow, she said that she had been so worried about us that she didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news and couldn’t believe how bizarre this disease is! So thank you very much Prof Jan, we made both shots and even a three pointer!

The rest of the scan was great, one of the babies had turned around so now they are top and tail and there was fluid in there stomach and the forward flow had improved also, which was great news. These little ninjas are fighters and they still have to fight til the very end! Twin 2’s heart is a little bit sluggish still but is better, so this little ninja is still fighting strong. We were so happy about this and Prof was happy that she didn’t have to give us the talk that she prepared, we made her week, and she made ours. It’s strange to think that we have to go by week by week and not months by months, but we will take it any way we can! Just means we really get to see how much our babies have grown every Friday before our very eyes and before we even get to hold them.

So another scan is booked in for Friday at 9.30am and this will be a fly by trip, leave Thursday night and come back Friday after the scan, if we can. In this scan we will be having measurements and so forth done, so we will have more information on that side on the next update.

On the way home, peak hour traffic, so we were stuck on the freeway, after speaking to our mums and telling them the good news, we start high fiving in the car, we must of been great entertainment for the people in the car behind us! But we were just so thrilled to have 2 bladders and they have improved flow, that we couldn’t contain our excitement. There was even big hugs and kisses for Aunty Lorna, when we got back home! But needless to say that the defence started and we were in for a fun day Saturday.

The lunch that we had on Friday before the scan, I had a craving for fish and chips and Rohan wanted that too, so we went to the café that we always go to and as soon as we got it, it tasted funny. At first I thought it was the sauce that came with it, but nope it wasn’t. I think that I could now relax and be less stressed once we got home, it attacked and Saturday morning, it was coming out of both ends (11-1 due to good defence). Rohan was bad as well, but he has an iron stomach, but he really looked after me and got me electrolytes and made sure I drank, but all I wanted to do was throw it back up again. At one point it was really bad, that it might be time that I go to the ED and get fluids pumped into me. 5 hours later, they couldn’t pin point the reason, and could find that it was virus of some sort, so it may have been the fish. The babies were fine throughout all of this, a midwife came and saw us before we were seem by a doctor and the heartbeats were pumping along fine. This just put a damper on everything, because the Dr said that if I wasn’t better tomorrow to come back in, and I won’t be going home at all. In my mind, I was going home and nothing else to it. Needless to say, that I woke up the next morning, and I was fine, Rohan feed me some toast when I got home that night and I ate another two bits for brekkie, so I think it had passed.

So now, I am home and trying to get back into the way of life in Kalgoorlie. Still trying to get a way to start working from home, but have to start getting the office organised and not being able to do much doesn’t help the matter much. Rohan has been awesome and I cannot ask for a better man to be with and be these ninja’s daddy!

Til next time, hopefully we can score high and aim for another grown spurt that only happens on the inside and not my outsides :o)

Love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Fighting Ninjas!

Xoxoxoxo

Me at 20 WeeksPhoto of me at 20 weeks

Fourth Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 24th November 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

19 Weeks

So another week has passed and now finally back to work, which has filled in the time a lot and made the days go pass a bit more quickly than last week. Have been missing Rohan a lot as well, as he been back in Kalgoorlie so he can continue on with work as well. Both our work places have been very supportive towards this and we cannot be thankful enough.

Rohan has just left to go back to Kalg after his overnight drive here on Thursday night. So this left us both very tired for Friday and for the scan appointment at 4pm. Now that I can drive I got to drove everywhere whilst Rohan slept. We are now flying him up and back from now on. May be a bit more money but at least then, my stress worries will be less and he won’t be so tired when he gets here. Thankfully Virgin has cheap flights, so we can bypass Qantas.

Well the scan was …. well a bit disappointing in all aspects you can say for both us and the Prof. Both twins looks like they haven’t grown, the bladders haven’t improved and now the dopplers are not overall good for both babies now and not just Twin 2. The prof was hoping for a bit more of an improvement in all of them but it’s not to be. We have another scan now at 3pm on Friday, and if there is still no change or improvement then we will be given options that we will need to take. They didn’t really go too much into it, which is now playing on my mind, but I just need to start being positive about it all, and just get through this week. You sometimes just can’t help feeling helpless. But also just can’t think too much into it until we have all the facts and what these options are.

With this week, I’m going to try and rest a bit more in the afternoon. Aunty Lorna has been at me all the time to do it, so I think I might listen to her a little bit more. It’s pretty hard to become the slob that you usually are at home and have to do it at someone else’s house. But I think I will try my hardest at it. :o)

Well this one is a pretty short and sweet update, with not much news it is hard to put a lot in. I will give you an update next week, but hopefully I will be allowed to go home and just travel up and back each time. I’m very much missing home, the dogs, the folks, and my friends. I did mention Rohan in that didn’t I? Well him too!

Our love and kisses to everyone and thank you for all your support and positive texts, emails and phone calls. They have been great!

Love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Fighting Ninjas!

xoxoxoxo

Third Update – Wise/Williams Twins – 16th November 2013

Posted on by bjwilliams2014

18 Weeks

So all nicely and moved in with Aunty Lorna and getting waited on hand and foot. I feel so useless. I still think I am over doing it in some spots and I get pretty sore in the belly at times and very very exhausted. So glad she has a pool for this weekend! It was really hot yesterday waiting around to go to the hospital.

Rohan was happy to be here as well and did some odd jobs for Aunty Lorna around the paddocks. But at least he wasn’t going insane, and he always timed it so he did the jobs when Aunty Lorna was going out, so she didn’t help. I think he was very sneaky in that aspect.

Well I guess everyone is just telling me to get on with the news and stop stalling, and I will right now for you! Plus it must be a good sign when even your doctor can not even notice the difference between the two anymore and have to go by the cords and were they are attached, but WE HAVE TWO BLADDERS!!! In Twin 1, it has reduced which is great, Prof couldn’t see it when she was scanning for but as she kept on going back to it, it was filling up and she was happy at the size. Twin 2 it was tiny but one was there and all the thoughts of bladders really must have made a difference. (Thanks everyone!)

So they roughly weigh around 200 grams each, which when going shopping afterwards it about a block of chocolate, there is also around 2cm of fluid around them, which means they are both producing fluid. Also their little tiny heart beats and beating at a good 150 to 140 beats per minute, which is great also! So in regards to the babies and their development, we are all happy with that.

Now for the not so good news, Twin 2 dopplers or the blood flow from the placenta to it, aren’t that good at all. Which weren’t good from the start either, and this now something that is going to be monitored each week. When Rohan asked about what happens in regards to this and the outcomes, Prof Jan couldn’t really give us an answer, she shrugged and said, that we may lose Twin 2, we may not. She also said that she has also seen this kind of dopplers and the baby has survived and she has also seen dopplers that are fantastic and the baby has died. So they are no actual answer that can be given for this and she didn’t give us any percentages as well. But if Twin 2 does die, we will still end up with one baby regardless due to the laser surgery has now saved Twin 1 from contracting any of the toxins from Twin 2. You could say that we are fine with this news, there were no tears this time, but from what we can see at the moment, these two are fighters and we (hopefully) will have two babies in the end. We only need to get to 26 weeks with them, for them to be safely delivered, if you can say that.

One thing that did shocked us, was the Prof also said that the Senior sonographer that picked this up from the start in Kalg was also very shocked that the babies were still alive when we got down to Perth for the original scan. This is just proof in the belly, that these two are fighters and want to come into this world together. But we just have to keep our fingers crossed and toes and legs and arms and anything else that can be crossed that every week that we have a scan; we have two little heads, four arms and legs, two strong hearts, two growing bladders, more centimetres of fluid and a lot of movement in between.

So now Rohan has gone back home to Kalg, as the dogs have been a bit of a so and so’s and keeping the neighbours up at night. They must be missing us. Plus to get the backyard in order so he doesn’t have to do it after work. He starts work on Monday and I do as well here in Perth. We are going to miss each other very much so over this time, but just a phone call away.

So that is all from this update, the next scan is on Friday at 4pm so I will do another one again on Saturday after we have processed all the information and collate it all together.

Thank you all again for the thoughts and well wishes!

Lots of Love Bobbi-Jo, Rohan and the Ninjas

Xoxoxoxo