The Georgia Guinn Triplets

Here is our video for the March of Dimes presentation.

 

One of my favorite songs is “Ordinary Miracles” by Sarah Mclachland. One of the lyrics says:

“It’s not that unusual
When everything is beautiful.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.”

 

When couples embark on the journey of parenthood, they are praying for that ordinary miracle.  The textbook pregnancy, followed by an uneventful delivery, and leaving the hospital with their bundle of joy in a day or two is all any new mom and dad wants.  Yet, too many parents find themselves praying for an extraordinary miracle when a premature birth occurs. 

 

In April 2006, we thought our lives had changed forever when we found out after just two months of trying that we were expecting.  I had a completely normal pregnancy.  I was preparing for an all natural birth by exercising, taking my prenatal vitamins with folic acid, and regular visits with my OB. I was measuring on the small side for my gestation and everything was right on track.  

 

On July 18^th, we excitedly anticipated seeing our son or daughter for the first time during our ultrasound, but our world was turned upside down with 5 little words from the ultrasound technician, “Guys, there’s three in there.”  Our excitement was replaced with fear and tons of questions.  How am I going to be able to carry three babies?  What if they are born too soon?  What if they have to stay in the NICU?  What are we going to do it there are problems?

 

I was immediately referred to one of Georgia’s top preinatalogist, and I began researching triplet pregnancies.  The news was not promising.  Through resources like the March of Dimes, I learned that all of a sudden, I was 6 times more likely to deliver my babies early/preterm, than if I was carrying one baby.  Also, it became much more likely that each of my babies would weigh less than 5 ½ pounds.  I also learned from March of Dimes materials that babies born too early and too small are more likely to have chronic respiratory issues and other health problems with prolonged stays in the hospital as opposed to full term babies.  Added to the fact that premature birth is the second leading cause of infant death and you can see that we had much to worry about.  Driven by these statistics, my husband and I decided to do everything we could to keep these little ones “cooking” as long as possible.

 

So with the help of my doctors, I set out to carry these babies for the long haul.  I had weekly ultrasounds, which showed each babies’ growth and was surprised to see them measuring the same as a singleton pregnancy.  At 23 weeks, I was placed on home bed rest as a precautionary measure. I did everything I was supposed to do.  I drank a ton of water, laid on my left side, and only got up for trips to the bathroom and one shower a day.  I was admitted to the hospital twice for monitoring, but everything continued to be progress in a positive manner. 

 

However, all this changed on week 28.  I had awoken, and decide to go downstairs for the day to lie on the couch.  As I was coming down the stairs, I slipped and fell.  I landed on my hands and knees.  My belly never touched the ground.  However in the next three days, I started leaking fluid.  At the next check up, it was discovered that I was leaking amniotic fluid.  Baby A’s head was acting as a cork and keeping the fluid from leaking completely out.

 

I was told to go to “Labor and Delivery” immediately and check in. I spent the next week at Kennestone Hospital trying to keep the babies inside.  During this time, I received two shots of surfactant.  When a baby is born prematurely and the mother doesn’t receive these shots, the babies often suffer from Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), which means the small sacs in their lungs will not inflate.  We found out later that the use of this shot was developed through research funded by the March of Dimes.

 

On Friday, October 6^th, I awoke to find meconium (the first infant stool) in my urine, which meant an emergency c-section because the baby could aspirate it into its lungs.  Frank rushed back to the hospital from the Atlanta Fire Department, and I was whisked away to the OR.  Over 25 healthcare professionals filled the OR to care for the babies and myself.  At 11:04, we welcomed our first born, Isabelle Caelyn into the world.  At 11:05, Alyssa Cosette made her appearance, and last but not least, at 11:06, Makenna Kathleen was born.  Isabelle weighed 3 lbs 4 ounces and was 15.5 inches long.  Alyssa was the smallest at 2 lbs 6 ounces 15 inches long. Makenna weighed 3 lbs 3 ounces and was 15.5 inches long. 

 

As soon as the girls were out, they were handed over to a team of specially trained nurses and neonatologists.  Each girl had their own team, who worked quickly to stabilize them, so they could be transported down to Kennestone’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  I was taken to recovery and then moved to a room on the floor.  I cannot begin to express how grateful I am that these dedicated professionals were there to help my babies survive.  Without the work of the March of Dimes and their leadership in the establishment of regional NICUS during the mid 1970’s, my girls would have most likely not survived their birth. 

 

Frank and my mom went to visit the girls in the NICU.  He came back to tell me that the girls had been placed on ventilators and were doing well considering how early they were born.  Within seven hours of the girls’ birth, we were informed that due to the large number of premature births that had occurred in the last few weeks, there was no room in the NICU for our girls.  Therefore they would have to be transferred to Cobb WellStar NICU for care.  Our girls were brought to see us in a portable isolation unit.  We were shocked to see that our girls were no longer on their breathing devices and were able to breathe on their own with a nasal canular. The surfactant worked.

 

Two days later, I arrived at the NICU for the first time and saw my children. Isabelle and Alyssa were in open warmers, and Makenna was in an incubator (which I learned was a step up from the warmer).  They were so small, so frail.  There were wires everywhere.  Monitors beeped and alarmed at the littlest change.  I stood with my husband seeing my babies , crying in the uncertainty, crying in the moments of fear, crying in the happiness that they were alive. 

 

Although the reality of what we were facing was more than I could handle at that moment, the news that we were given held a range of possibilities.  Makenna had suffered an intraventricular brain hemorrhage.  An IVH is very common in preemie babies and is believed to be the result of the fragile blood vessels in their brain that have not had time to develop.  Alyssa was very little and had begun to drop weight.  At her littlest, she weighed 1 lb 12 ounces.  All three were having episodes of Bradycardia (a sudden decrease in heart rate) and Apnea (where they stopped breathing for more than 20 seconds).  

 

During the first weeks, we began to deal with the reality that is the NICU.  We quickly learned the lingo. All the girls developed Jaundice (a condition of limited liver function) and were placed under bililights.  Because they were born before 34 weeks, they did not have a suck reflex and received their nutrition from Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN).  Eventually they were able to process breast milk and had an NG tube (a tube running down their nasal passage into their stomach) placed until they were able to learn to suck.  Everyday that we could, we would place the girls on our chests, skin to skin.  This therapy is known as Kangaroo care.  

 

 

We learned to take it one day at a time.  The NICU is often described as a roller coaster ride, and it truly is.  Alyssa developed a staph infection and they discovered that she had fluid on her lungs, which was leaking and pushing her heart to the left.  However, with treatment, she recovered.  She also suffered from anemia, and received EPO as a treatment for this condition.   Not to be outdone, Makenna also developed a staph infection and had setbacks. 

 

However, we quickly learned to celebrate each moment, especially the firsts:

The first day without oxygen

The first diaper change

The first poop (who knew you could get so excited about poop)

The first bath

The first day wearing clothes

 

These firsts became our measurement of progress. 

 

After 48 days, Makenna was released and home from the hospital.   Two days later, Isabelle joined her sister at home, and exactly 60 days after birth, Alyssa was released and our family was complete.  Each girl came home on monitors because they were still having some breathing episodes. 

 

Since coming home, we have only dealt with a few residual issues.  Alyssa had both indirect and direct jaundice and needed medicine to treat it.  She also dealt with a failure to thrive diagnosis which was resolved through a specialty formula.  Makenna has had continued monitoring for her IVH.  At 16 months, the girls are meeting the developmental milestones for their actual age. 

 

Thanks to the work of the March of Dimes, my girls are here today, healthy and happy.  Through the support of people like you, MOD can continue to research and find new ways to prevent and care for premature babies. 

 

If my girls had been born just 4 weeks later, most of the issues they faced would have been resolved.  An instead of praying for an extraordinary miracle, we could have joined the families who experienced that ordinary miracle.  Please join us in providing families these ordinary miracles by reaching out to your community, friends, and family and raising money for March of Dimes. 

 

Life is like a gift they say
Wrapped up for you everyday;
Open up and find a way
to give some of your own.

 

Isn’t it remarkable?
Like every time a rain drop falls,
We’re just another ordinary miracle today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank's Badge

Kimberly's Badge

Nana's Badge

Sandra's Badge

Wallace's Badge

We need more walkers so come and join us at

http://www.marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?SeId=494974&

Megan Malia-$25.00

Kelley Williams-$5.00

Alisa Tarditi-$100.00

Monica, Chris, and Lanie Wynn-$30.00 (Aunt Coonie, I guessed on the spelling, so let me know if I need to correct it.)

John Gosselink- $50.00

Doug and Vonnie Murray-$25.00

Ginger, Greg, and Justin Woodall- $50.00

Mary Beth and the four silly sisters- $25.00

Joni Rice- $50.00

Shelby Steinhauer-$54.00  (Shelby's donation has a really cool meaning, so I am posting it here. Hello all! My donation probably seems odd -- why $54 and not, say $50?The number 18 is also the Hebrew symbol for life, or "chai."Fifty-four is three times life! L'chaim! To life!)

Margie Lee-$5.00

Millie and Travis Bauldree-$10.00

Marcella and Paul Guinn- $50.00

Laura and Denise Tinsley- $20.00

Carolyn and Poley Guinn-$100.00

Mona and Louis Holman-$50.00

Suzy, Todd, JT, Kirk, and Josh Allen-$30.00

Carleen and Speedy Hollan-$25.00

Brenda Rainey- $25.00

Sharon and Wallace Murray-$250.00