As you all know, we have had a wild week. Angie was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon (8/31), and by Wednesday morning, our girls had made their appearance at 25 weeks. It has been an up and down first 5 days, and we are just now starting to dig in for the long road ahead. We apologize for the lack of updates, but it’s difficult for us to put into words everything that has happened.
We are grateful for the amount of well wishes and prayers you all have been sending our way. From an outpouring of love and support from our church, an elementary class in Des Moines, to a baptism in Connecticut and everywhere in between, it’s been just overwhelming. God is good and our girls are strong, but face an uphill battle. I pray every day they feel His love and power and are comforted by His presence.
So everyone is on the same page, here is where we stand. Tuesday afternoon at approximately 1:30p Baby A (Lucy’s) sac ruptured. Angie was admitted to the hospital for what were we expecting to be three weeks of strict bed rest and eventual delivery at 28 weeks gestation. Around midnight, she began to experience major contractions, and by 1:30a she was fully dilated and in labor. She was rushed into the OR for an emergency C-section. Annaliese Hope was born at 2:50am, followed by Brenna Renee at 2:51am, and finally Lucy Jane at 2:52am. Angie was taken to recovery, and the babies were immediately admitted to the NICU at Mercy.
In the last few days, there have been ups and downs, and we are preparing for many more. Anna had some fluid in her lungs, which was cause for concern, but that seems to have corrected itself. She does however have a heart murmur. This could be a result of the fluid in her lungs, or it could be a duct in the heart that needs to be closed at birth that may be partially closed or not closed at all. She will need to be checked by the cardiologists. We have been told this is a common occurrence in babies born this early. It can be corrected with medication, but it may require surgery.
A major concern for premature infants is a brain bleed which can occur within the first three days after birth. Level 1 and level 2 brain bleeds can be nothing more than bruises, while level 3 and level 4 brain bleeds can cause a lot of problems. The girls will be screened for this on Wednesday, via a brain ultrasound. We should have results of the ultrasound on Wednesday evening, but we are asking for prayers that our little peanuts are ok. Another major concern for preemies is infection. Please pray they avoid them.
Fortunately, today was full of encouraging steps. Miss Lucy no longer requires her phototherapy for battling bruises and jaundice. Miss Brenna has opened both eyes and is on a less invasive ventilator. If her breathing continues to improve, we may be able to actually hold her in the next few days. Miss Anna has both eyes open as well and is no longer required to be on her side to help with the fluid in her lungs. All three girls got their first breast milk via IV today and all have handled it like champs, as well as no longer requiring full time antibiotics. As I type, they are all three resting comfortably in their own little isolettes.
I apologize for the mass email, it was the easiest way to go at this point. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone who would be interested. Any and all prayers are welcome and appreciated. Please help two scared, first time parents through the most difficult time in their lives. We really enjoy the quick words of encouragement everyone has offered, it helps pass the time in the NICU. We might not respond right away, but know your words are received and treasured. Our life motto has become “Never easy”, but where worry ends, faith begins. We are attempting to set up a blog to make this a bit easier, and we will make it available as soon as we find time to get it going.
On our very first day in the NICU, one of our nurses said, “I don’t believe that God gives you anything you can’t handle”. We believe it, too. Why He has chosen this path for us, we may never know, but it is His will, and we thank him every day for our three little blessings.
In His name,
Brad, Angie, Anna, Brenna, and Lucy Kamps
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