June 18, 2012

Part Deux: Expect the Unexpected.




My little sister Lindsay and her husband Jim, last fall.
********


When I answered the phone last wednesday (June 13th), my mom's voice was very excited. 


"Davi. The twins are here."


"Omygosh! Is everything ok? How are the babies doing?" I ask in a rush.


"They are doing great! James is 5 lbs 11 oz and Savannah is 6 lbs", mom answered proudly.


"Wow! Big babies for twins! How did the c-section go?", I asked.


"Oh, I think it was rough. Lindsay threw up afterwards. But she is fine. She is in recovery right now", mom replied.


"Ok. I'll call back when my friends leave" I said, as we hung up.
*******
By now my friends are getting ready to leave my house.


We say our goodbyes, and I walk Gretchen out to her car with a big hug.


As I walk back inside, I realize both Ollie and Twain had skipped naps today.


And John had recently walked in the door.


"John! Lindsay had her twins today!", I tell him first thing. "Can you deal with the boys? I'm gonna go call my sister".
*******
I nestled onto my bed with my cell phone and happily dialed my older sister Jessica, to get all the deets.


I really really wished I was celebrating at the hospital with everyone. Jessica and her 4 girls were down there, along with my parents and Jim's parents. I lived around 2 hours from the hospital and was not expecting Lindsay to deliver the babies til Sunday.


This was the moment I had been waiting for....all these months. When I found out that my little sister was pregnant last fall, I was besides myself with joy. If anyone out there has a younger sibling, I think you know how I feel. Every since I got married and had kids, I just wanted the same for my younger sister. I just wanted her to be happy.


And Lindsay's pregnancy was not easy. After finding out they were TWINS, there were a few scares along the way that had me biting my nails ferociously and praying with all my heart. But the twins hung in there. Through thick and thin. I knew they were little miracles.


When we found out that Lindsay was having a BOY and a GIRL, our family was overjoyed! (I have 4 boys and my older sister Jessica has 4 girls, so we thought Lindsay was being very accommodating to us, haha).


And then at 28.5 weeks along, Lindsay was admitted to the hospital for preterm labor issues.


Once again, the biting of the nails and holding of my breath and praying each and every day until she reached 32 weeks. I tracked every.single.day and could tell you at a moments notice how far along my sister was, to the day. Because I'm slightly neurotic, in case you haven't noticed.


Every week I texted Lindsay,


"Yahoo! 29 weeks!!!"
"Wahoo!!! 30 weeks!!!!" And so on until she reached 37 weeks".
Each week was a milestone.


And at 37.5 weeks, June 13, Lindsay's twins finally entered this world. I could not have been happier or more proud.


And I wanted to be there RIGHT THIS SECOND. I wanted to soak up every ounce of joy and celebrate with my loved ones all together in one room. I was plotting my escape to the hospital and was happily chatting on the phone with Jessica as I made my plans.


I'm not sure exactly how long Jess and I chatted. I think I even hung up for a minute because her husband called. And then I called her back...or she called me back. It's all hazy.


But here is what I DO remember, as we spoke on the phone. I overheard Lindsay's husband Jim walking out and talking to everyone. I'm just hearing from the other end of the phone, keep in mind. Something about "Lindsay has a headache...and Linsday's blood pressure is going up...and we don't know why....the doctors are observing her..."


And I overhear my mom asking concerned questions about the blood pressure. And I felt myself getting a little nervous.


The mood sounded like it was starting to turn somber. But then I kinda heard Jim laugh as he talked about the babies...the babies were doing great. And so I kinda breathed a sigh of relief.


And then all of a sudden.


My sister Jessica speaks urgently into the receiver. "Davi. They have just issued a code blue on Lindsay. Please pray right now", she demanded, very firmly.


"A code blue?" I barely squeaked out. "What is that?" But I knew what that was. Jessica said something that I cannot remember.


And then she hung up.


to be continued. I will try my very best to finish as soon my boys go down for a nap:):)