February 27, 2011

Today is day 41 in the hospital.  The doctor planned on Sarah discharging today, but her blood pressure is still high and her swelling is still severe too, so they are going to keep her and decide if they need to give her IV Lasix, which would mean starting another IV.  I feel bad because this pregnancy has been very hard on Sarah both physically and emotionally.  Now it is the waiting game to see if her body starts to get rid of all the extra fluid by itself.  Sarah's parents came up to see us in the morning and brought Sarah a bagel from Sunrise Bagels.  My Mom and Dad brought us dinner from home after they dropped off Hayden at Bob and Nancy's (they will keep Hayden until Monday night).  It was awesome because it was actually a home cooked meal for once.  Thanks Mom and Dad.  My Mom and Dad got to watch an entire feeding from start to finish.  They got to see how long it takes.  By the time we get totally done, we have about an hour break before the next one.  All 3 babies ate 8 ml each at the 11 PM feeding when nursing from Sarah.  They can tell this because they weigh each baby right before and right after breastfeeding.  They are slowly, but surely, learning how to suck.  They take about 1/3 of their feedings by bottle, then the rest through their feeding tubes.  Their feeding schedule for the day consists of rotating every other feeding with either breastfeeding or bottle, then gavage (feeding tube).  They tire out too easily to try to have them suck every feeding, so we give them a break after each time they bottle or breast feed.  Also, their current weights are:

Hunter 5 lb 3.4 oz

Hadley 4 lb 7.8 oz

Holden 4 lb 12.1 oz

Thanks for all your prayers, keep them coming! 

-Casey

February 26, 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011, also Day 40 in the hospital for Sarah
Today was another day in which we woke up bright and early to go feed, change diapers, and just stare at our triplets.  We also finalized their full names.  They are:
Hunter Douglas Lulay
Hadley Anne Lulay
Holden Bradford Lulay
The middle name Douglas is after my dad's first name, the middle name Anne is Sarah's middle name, and the middle name Bradford is Sarah's maiden name, which ended with Bob because he was the only boy and he had only 2 girls.  Now, Holden is going to carry on the Bradford name for another generation. 
My Mom and Dad and my Grandma Darlene and Grandpa Don came up and brought us my Grandma and Grandpa's trailer so we have a place to stay when Sarah is released so we can be here with our trio.  This was so nice of them.  They have free spots here where we can park the trailer with full hook ups too.  Sarah's parents, Bob and Nancy also came up to visit.  Then, Katie and Kyle and Olivia came up.  Our day of visitors ended with Sue, Jessica, Riley, Chase, and Carson.  This was very nice to see our family and friends.  All 3 triplets are starting to breast-feed more and drink half their bottles sometimes too!  Then, about every other feeding we give them their feedings through their NG tubes.  We had an awesome nurse, Heather, today for the babies.  She let us do whatever we wanted to do as far as the feedings.  This is nice because at times some nurses want to keep right on a tight schedule.  Dr. Pandipati decided to keep Sarah another day due to her severe swelling and her low urine output.  He also came to the NICU so we could visit and get pictures!  He told us that Sarah did faint during the c-section because Holden was so high up in Sarah's uterus that he had a hard time getting to him.  He actually delivered him feet first, which was very safe to do, but this also created a vagal response, so her blood pressure dropped suddenly.  The current weights of the babies are:
Hunter: 5 lb 2.6 oz (up 20 grams)
Hadley: 4 lb 6.2 oz (up 5 grams)
Holden: 4 lb 11.2 oz (up 10 grams)
We celebrated because this was the first time they gained some weight!  We are being told by all the nurses and doctors how lucky we are and that we truly overcame the odds to have our triplets safe, healthy, and happy.  This brings tears to our eyes whenever we hear or even see our triplets. 

Dr. Pandipati (the best doctor ever) with Hunter. 

We were so blessed to have such an awesome doctor! 
He helped us get through this tough pregnancy and he

is someone we will never forget and don't know how to thank

him enough!  He truly is a life saver!



Hadley (you can definitely tell she is the girl)

 Holden (notice how he is yawning?  Dr. Pandipati
said this was perfect because he was the one that was
highest and last to deliver and was just hanging out in no
hurry to deliver)

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers.  We are blessed and thankful for our 3 little angels!

-Casey

Weights

On February 24, 2011 at around 8 PM the weights were:
Hunter:  5 lb 2 oz
Hadley:  4 lb 7 oz
Holden:  4 lb 11.4 oz

On February 25, 2011 at around 11 PM the weights were:
Hunter:  5 lb 1.8 oz
Hadley:  4 lb 6 oz
Holden:  4 lb 10.8 oz

February 25, 2011

So far this has been an emotional rollercoaster because we are so thankful that are triplets are healthy and happy!  Last night they all got their first baths!  They stopped their oxygen monitoring already, so they are getting stronger!  Now they are just feeding and growing.  Today we had a visitor, Britt, (another triplet mom that has cute 3 year olds).  She has been Sarah's rock and inspiration lately.  She is an amazing person and we love visiting with her and learning from her suggestions.  She even helped us write out a daily log that we will use when we get home!  Today the lactation nurse met with Sarah at 11 AM (and will be every day).  After Britt left, we listened to her suggestion and Sarah tandem nursed (nursed 2 at the same time) Holden and Hadley for 10 minutes!  Then, Hunter nursed for 20 minutes.  We decided that Hunter likes breast feeding instead of bottle because he sucked the most ever today!  Whenever we just sit there and stare at our 3 angels, it brings tears to our eyes to know how blessed we are and know that God and all our angels in heaven definitely are watching over us.  Now, we are just feeding them every 3 hours.  By the time we are done, we have about an hour or so break in between!  Then, Sarah is pumping every 3 hours as well.  We are getting through this sleep deprivation by knowing how good it is for our babies to have us hold them and feed them.  We will post pictures when we have time.  To top all this off, Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Dough took Hayden to the pediatrician today and he has a sinus infection, so he is now taking antibiotics and getting breathing treatments.  This is very hard because he cannot come up here until he is better :(  Thanks again for all your prayers!

With Love,
Casey

February 24, 2011

Last night Sarah and I were able to see our babies for the first time together!  It was an overwhelming experience and our emotions were flowing!  It was absolutely amazing to see Sarah hold them!  I got to do skin to skin (kangaroo care) with the 2 boys while Sarah did with Hadley.  It was so amazing to hold my 2 new sons at the same time!  Sarah got to shower this morning for the first time, but her pain is very intense.  Her blood work just came back and her platelets are back to the normal range (150,000)!  This means she does not have the HELLP syndrome (a complication of preeclampsia)!  We are about to head down for another feeding and first baths.  Sarah is going to walk some of the way, then I will push her the rest of the way in the wheelchair.  It was nice to see Eric and his mom today, they got to meet our trio!  Then, Grandma Cindy, Creed, and Ashley came up and I went to Red Robin with them and then brought Sarah back a milkshake.  Thanks again for all your prayers!

Hunter, Hadley, and Holden

Hunter

 Hadley

Holden

 Holden and Hunter

Hadley

 First trip back from the NICU with snow in the background



February 23, 2011

The first night went by very fast and good.  All 3 babies are in their own separate room.  Hunter and Holden will eat for a little bit and then get the rest through their NG tubes.  Hadley ate her entire feeding with the bottle again!  Sarah is in lots of pain and her BP is still very high.  Our trio got to be moved into the same crib without warmers this morning!  I have been able to feed them and change diapers, while Sarah is busy pumping to get her milk in more.  It was nice to have Grandpa Doug, Grandma Cindy, Katie and Olivia, Ashley, Grandpa Bob, Grandma Nancy, Val, Nicole, Chad, and Emma come see us today!  Brooke was able to come see them too since her trio is down the hall.  Here are some pictures...

Our three little babies all together for the first time!

Hunter, Hadley, and Holden

Holden, Hadley, and Hunter





Welcome Hunter, Hadley, and Holden

What a day!  Today I was at work and Sarah called me at 1:50 PM in a panic to come up asap b/c her protein level from her 24 hour urine test (which indicates how severe her preeclampsia is) was 3 times the dangerous limit!  I rushed out the door and had to get gas because I was buried on "E."  I stopped at Fred Meyers on Market Street and it took forever, so I went and found a worker in his booth and told him it was an emergency so I needed help!  I got to St. Vincent's at around 3 PM.  I rushed into the hospital and went to Sarah's room where Dr. P was waiting and Sarah was already in her wheelchair.  I gave her a quick kiss and started changing into my OR attire.  I then met Sarah in the OR where she was all prepped and ready.  During her C Section her BP dropped to 60/30 and she passed out.  This was right after Baby B was born.  I was horrified and scared since I know this is very very low!  Hunter was born at 3:33 PM and 5 lb 7 oz and 18 1/2 inches with apgar of 7/9, Hadley born at 3:35 PM and 4 lb 14 oz and 17 3/4 inches with apgar of 8/9, and finally Holden at 3:38 PM and 5 lb 1 oz and 18 3/4 inches with apgar of 8/8. Hunter has blonde hair and Hadley and Holden have brown.  They are all doing great and everyone is amazed how big they are for being 34 weeks!  The neonatologist and our perinatologist told me to tell Sarah how awesome she did growing our trio :)  Sarah is doing ok, she is on iv magnesium for 24 hrs and can't go to the NICU until tomorrow night, so I am going every 3 hours to feed the babies! This is a surreal feeling and I am so thankful that everyone is healthy at this point.  Hayden got to come and see Sarah and me, but not the trio yet.  He was in a great mood (we think he knows how much fun he is going to have with his 2 brothers and sister).  They were in the level III NICU until about midnight and then just all moved to level II and when I left Hunter and Hadley were co-sleeping and they are going to see if they can put Holden in with them.  Hadley ate about 25 ml from a bottle tonight and both boys ate about 5 ml.  They all have NG feeding tubes in so when they tire out, they can give the rest of the feedings through this.  Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Doug, Grandma Nancy, Grandpa Bob, Great-Grandma Gescher, Val, and Hayden come up tonight!  Thanks to all of you, our prayers were answered! 

Hunter

Hadley

Holden

Proud Big Brother Hayden

-Casey