Another visit has come and gone...it's funny how the push to post an update somehow seems less imperative now that we're no longer going to Philadelphia each week. I apologize for leaving you hanging, especially if you've been waiting all day for this post. In the waiting room today, Jeanine said two things I found interesting. One was that she had always told herself she would never wear black to one of these appointments. Due to some extra lengthy dental work (I got a crown today, though I'm not a king) we had no time to spare and thus no time for her to change out of the black tank top she was wearing. The other was about how accustomed we have become to positive reports. I think we both went into this week's checkup feeling rather confident. It was the week for measurements once again and both babies are growing, though when the first numbers were reported we were both alarmed. Baby A (DMan) came in at 941 grams, which is a healthy 2 pounds and one ounce, a gain of 111 grams in two weeks - very good! Spud, however, was initially reported at 465 grams and after a few more measurements from different angles was given a weight of 477 grams, 1 pound and a little less than an ounce. That's only an increase of 20 grams in two weeks. The technician told us not to worry (easier said than done). Her reasons were these: first, with the little baby she said it's important to see the trend over a month's time rather than just two weeks. Even in that time span sometimes the numbers can be skewed. So, if we go back over a longer period, like to June 11, our fourth visit to Philadelphia, DMan was 325 grams and Spud was 175. In seven weeks, Spud has gained 2.72 times his/her weight and DMan has gained 2.89 times his/her weight - both very comparable. Second, Spud's head and femur - two of the three measurements they take (the other is the stomach circumference) - we both measuring at larger size/weights than the stomach. Somehow based on all three measurements a weight is arrived at, some kind of average between the three. So she said not to worry because the head and leg were more "normal" size. After checking the dopplers (umbilical blood flow) she said there's really nothing to be alarmed at and she would see us next week Wednesday morning. Another week to trust that God is growing healthy babies. Another two weeks to wait and see how much they will grow. But in two weeks we will be at another graduation day - the 28 week mark will be past. Today marks 26 weeks and 5 days. Time marches on and yet takes forever. I am thankful today for our technician who talks to our babies like they're real people and speaks hope to us. She's very good. Please continue praying for our babies and for us. We've all come a long way and we're praying for 5 or 6 more good weeks at a minimum. It'll go so fast! And I'm thankful for all of your support and prayers for us. God is good and none of this is possible without his mercy. THANK YOU!!!!

And Again

What more can I say? Another week, another stable report. Both babies have blood flow that is stable and both have functioning vitals. The focus today at Dr. Garber's office was on actually seeing Spud breathing. Fascinating when you consider that there's no air - it's all amniotic fluid being "breathed" in and out. Yet, sure enough, there was the unmistakable in and out motion of a little chest that contains a set of lungs doing what they're supposed to do. That was pretty cool, to say the least. Anyway, things look good for another week and we have more pictures of the ultrasound which I'll post in due time. We're set for weekly visits on Wednesdays. Today was more typical - it took well over an hour to be seen and almost two hours for the entire visit from start to finish. So we watched the Price is Right in the waiting room and interacted with the kids of other families who also were waiting. Jeanine's brother Jim is in town for a few days and I'm off of work for the next week, practicing a "Staycation." We are once again amazed by the grace God continues to show. It's becoming ever more real and the babies' room is becoming more so as well. Please keep up your prayers and we have been so blessed by many notes and cards. THANK YOU!!!

25 weeks down

Amazing how much less time it takes to travel to and from Clifton than to travel to and from Philadelphia. Today was probably an exception, but we had an 11:45 appointment and were back home by 1 PM. Normally at Dr. Garber's office it takes a bit longer to do all the details and to see the doctor. But because we only had an ultrasound today it was lickity split. Lickity is underlined in red...did I spell that wrong? Anyway, I digress. Today marks the 25th week. Jeanine and I are in disagreement as to whether that means 25 weeks finished (I think) or just beginning the 25th week (she thinks). Any input from you who have been pregnant before? There was some confusion at the doctor's office regarding paperwork from CHOP today. The ultrasound tech hadn't seen any of our stuff leading us to believe that CHOP had not sent it. She also said we shouldn't come to the doctor's office for the ultrasound but should rather go to Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, where Dr. Garber spends more time. So after she told us she might not be able to really give us accurate insight and interpretation of the ultrasound, she did relent and do the ultrasound after all (I'll give the vitals in a bit). After completing the ultrasound, and some more confusion about whether or not we would see Dr. Garber, we checked out and set up an appointment for next Wednesday morning (11:15) at the same office, with the expectation that we will also see Dr. Garber, whom we did not see today. And no need to go to Holy Name Hospital - they can do what we need done in the office, just like they did today. The receptionist seemed to have a much better understanding of the situation than anyone else there today and assured us that this was indeed the proper route to follow. Phew. At least SOMEONE knows what's going on.

Depending on your interpretation of 25 weeks, Baby A* (DMan, big baby) checked in at 830 grams, or 1 pound 13 ounces, a growth of almost 300 grams in two weeks. The tech said this is normal weight at this stage of development for a twin baby. Baby B* (Spud, little baby) came in at 457 grams, or just over 1 pound, a growth of 166 grams in two weeks. The kids are still at a 45% discordance - about 3 weeks difference - which has been consistent since week 16 when we were first made aware of their size differential. The doppler/umbilical blood flow also remains consistent and the amniotic fluid levels look to be sufficient once again. So amidst all the paperwork confusion, the message from this visit is the same and for that we're thankful - another week closer.

*And now a word about the nicknames of these two babies, as well as an inviation to let the guessing games begin. Some have voiced displeasure at our choice (well, my choice really) of nicknames for our babies, stating that they could be girls and what are we doing to them if in fact they are girls and we've given them boy nicknames? And some of you have also tried to read into how we refer to them in person and guess their gender based on the color of shirt I've worn. Alas, we are giving nothing away except that after all the testing and medical reporting we do now know their gender and they are the same - after all, they are identical. Except for their size. For now. So what do you think? I'm thinking we can have some kind of contest with three categories: 1. Date of birth, 2. Total birth weight, and 3. Gender. Sounds like fun, right? It has been suggested that we do a 50/50 with the proceeds going toward the RCRC building project. Depending on your view of such things, that could be interpreted as gambling which we good CRC members do not condone. I'll let some interested party take care of setting something up since I'm disqualified at least from the third category.

What can we pray for this week, you ask? Some of it is the same, some of it is new. 1) Praise God for growth! 2) Continue to pray for Jeanine and her spirits. Also, the weather has warmed up the last couple of days and I've heard it's not so pleasant to be pregnant during hot weather. 3) Continue to pray for more growth for the babies and also that Spud will pick up the pace! 4) Pray for at least 7 more weeks of growth inside before they decide it's time to grow on the outside.

Thanks for reading and praying once again. Next post will be next Wednesday afternoon...

This Week In Babies

For you baseball fans you'll recognize TWIB...anyway, here's an update of our appointment schedule for the week. It's our first non-Philadelphia trip and we'll be seeing Dr. Garber in Clifton on Friday morning at 11:45. We're slowly allowing ourselves to start thinking about and planning for the arrival of the Broek Babies, which means some online shopping for diapers, equipment, and other things which make more sense to Jeanine than to me. Someday she'll explain them all to me, I'm sure. We'll still have our weekly prayer time Wednesday night and I'll update the blog after our Friday appointment. All day today I've had the bread petition in my head: "Give us this day our daily bread." God has been faithful today and every day for at least the last 9 weeks. I'll pray it again tomorrow.

Graduation Day - Part 1 (of many)

Can you believe today was our eighth trip to CHOP? It's really amazing to look back and think about where we were mentally and physically back on May 21 when we made our first "field trip" to Philadelphia. And now, here we are on the verge of 24 weeks along and after our visit today the doctor told us we were being officially referred back to Dr. Garber's care in Clifton. Woohoo!!! A few things about today's trip (weather and traffic reports aside). We knew after last week's visit that we would be seeing the doc who was the most vocal proponent of "selective reduction" (i.e. termination of Spud) and we weren't looking forward to that pressure again. Legally speaking, once you reach 24 weeks SR is no longer an option so our assumption was that if something had changed with the babies we would get a hard push in that direction. A few miles before we got out of the car we were discussing why we were making this "last" trip since they did give us the option last week. We decided it was because the doc today was going to speak grace instead of the alternative and it would sound much sweeter coming from his lips. Jane, the nurse who has been taking the ultrasounds since we started going on a weekly basis, once again took the ultrasound today but after she was finished gave commentary on what she saw - something she has not ever done in the past. Maybe she knew that today's doctor tended to be more realistic (pessimistic?). Whatever the case, she told us that the doppler flow on both babies was really good, better than it has been for Spud. She gave us a boost of confidence that increased when the doc came in and said we'd been booted. We decided it was not a "booting" but a "graduation" that had occured. An intensive 8-week study on the hearts, bladders, amniotic fluid, doppler blood flow (umbilical chord), weight in grams, etc. and these little babies passed their first course. I asked him how big they were and he said essentially they are each about the size of the palm of my hand. Incredible - that though they are both so small, everything they need is there...completely formed, just needing to grow.

So, on to the next class. We hope this one will also be an 8-week study, not as intensive because the classroom will be in Clifton (about 25 minutes from here) instead of Philadelphia. And we hope it won't be as mentally challenging as the last class was, but it undoubtedly will be. We'll be seeing Dr. Garber on a weekly basis for the same things we were doing in Philly and as I've mentioned previously, he will decide in consultation when it's time for these babies to live on the outside instead of on the inside.

The prayers don't change much this week: 1) Pray for Jeanine's bed rest state. 8 weeks of trips to Philly means 8 weeks of bed rest down. That's a long time to do very little. She's an active person. This has been a challenge for all of us...well, not for Molly...so please keep her mental and physical wellbeing in your prayers. Her appetite is good now, which we're thankful for. And we're starting to think more concretely about where we're going to put these babies when they come. 2) Pray for Spud and DMan's size discrepancy. If their hearts and dopplers continue to be steady, the size is the only problem. Let's go Spud! 3) I can't really think of a third, so consider this an invitation to insert your own prayer request. We've been covered by your prayers...what do you need prayers for?

Thanks again everyone. Another week down, and another night of rest ahead. Thank you God!

Let the countdown begin...and the prayers continue

I apologize for the late update this week. This post comes to you from NW Iowa - I’m here for a very quick trip. My grandma Broek died early Sunday morning and the funeral is Thursday. It was providential that our appointment this week in Philly was scheduled for Wednesday. It has afforded me the opportunity to participate in the funeral and reconnect with my extended family. Jeanine is home again after our good friends Ron and Ginger made the trip with us. I flew out of Philadelphia and they drove her home.

So...you may have guessed, everything continues to hold steady with the twins. Spud still wiggles whenever they try to measure the heartbeat. And both babies continue to gain weight, DMan (aka Danny Manning, aka Baby A) now weighs in at 532 grams and Spud (aka Baby B) now tips the scales at 291 grams. Last week’s discordance was 40%, this week it’s back to 45%. But as they told us last week, so they told us again this week, everything is holding steady. The hearts are consistent, the amount of amniotic fluid is consistent, and the presence of the bladders is consistent. All good things. Of course, the words of caution from the doctor is consistent as well. At 22 weeks and 5 days, we are only 10 days from limbo. Once we hit 24 weeks, if something goes severely awry, the babies will be delivered. They’ll keep monitoring the same vitals each week, as I mentioned last week. But the monitoring will be done from North Jersey instead of CHOP.

What does it mean? Well, really nothing new. One more trip to CHOP next week Thursday at 1:30. At that point the babies will be 23 weeks and 6 days along, effectively putting us over the first hurdle. Then we’ll pray even more fervently for the next hurdle, which is the 28 week mark - August 7.

Prayer team, here is your challenge (and we continue to thank God for your acceptance of this challenge on our family’s behalf): 1) the growth and development of Spud and DMan. As God has blessed them with healthy hearts and bladders and weight gain we pray that he will continue to be faithful to our babies and help Spud close the gap. 2) the lovely lady on bed rest. It’s been a long haul for Jeanine already and Lord willing we still have 9 weeks to go. Pray for continued sleep at night, continued appetite during the day, and freedom from the aches and pains that go along with a consistently stationary posture. And finally, 3) peace of mind for both Jeanine and I. The anxiety rises every week when we get close to our appointments. Pray that we can rest well and trust in God’s wisdom and providence.

What a journey it’s been. What a journey it will continue to be. What a story we’ll have to tell. Love to you all.