The Naming of Henry and Hollis

 

Throughout my pregnancy we chose and changed names many times- including Levi, Nathan, Holden, Harvey, Easton, and Weston. We finally decided on Henry and Hollis, despite some opposition from their older siblings. We talked about other options after that but kept coming back to these two names.

Hans and I had not decided which baby would be named Hollis and which baby would be named Henry but the minute Hans saw Hollis he knew the name fit him perfectly.  He didn't say anything until we could see both boys.

When we had both babies in the room we all decided on our own who should be named Hollis and who should be named Henry. There was no debate or discussion. We just knew. Hollis was the smaller and first born and Henry was the bigger one with wide open eyes and dark hair.   Even their older siblings when they arrived the following morning agreed upon meeting them.

Hollis Makaio

Hollis is named after Hans' favorite grandfather. His grandpa Hollis was a man of faith and good humor. Hans remembers a story his dad, Kendell tells of when his dad, Hollis, was dismissed from a calling in sacrament, suddenly and without notice because of some unfounded suspicions that he was associating with some groups opposed to church views. The next week Kendell was surprised to see his dad getting ready for church and asked why they would go there after what happened. He said "they cannot take my testimony of the gospel." This example had a great impact on his son and set a foundation of faith for generations. Hollis is fondly remembered by everyone in his family, especially grandchildren who remember how he teased and played with them.
Nickname: Hollicito

Henry Akoni

Henry is also a family name. Hans and I both have great grandfathers further back in our line with the name Henry. Of Germanic origin, Henry is a strong name, with a royal pedigree. The meaning of Henry is "home leader," from Haimric, derived from haim meaning "home" and rîc meaning "power, ruler". We both really liked the name and thought it went well with Hollis.
Nickname: Henry Bug

In keeping with Thompson family tradition, we gave both boys Hawaiian middle names. Akoni means "priceless or invaluable." Another possible meaning is "praiseworthy." Makaio means "gift of God."

Birth Story

We went in to the hospital at 6:30 a.m. At around 8:30, they started me on Pitocin. I think it was around 10 or 11 that Dr. Pennington arrived and put in some kind of balloon device to help me dilate. At that point I was only at 2 cm and this device was supposed to expand and get me to 4.  I started to really feel some pain then and asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist came in and started asking me questions about what if any medications or supplements I had been taking. When I mentioned that I had been taking garlic capsules to get over a cold, he became concerned. He explained that garlic is a blood thinner, which can cause complications, specifically paralysis, with any kind of spinal anesthesia.Since I had only taken a half dose once or twice in the last couple of weeks, I felt safe going ahead.

I MIGHT have tried to go all natural if it was a single birth.  But, since baby B was not positioned well, the doctor warned that it would be horribly painful to not have an epidural if he ended up having to go in and try to move him. Also, if it ended in an emergency C-section, I would have to be put out completely if I did not already have the epidural going.

After the epidural started, I didn't feel any pain. I hardly knew I was having contractions unless someone told me. The only side affect that bothered me during the day was the shaking, which got worse when I was anxious.

Around 11 in the morning, Mom arrived(Bo and Laura had picked her up from the airport.) After coming in and giving me hugs, she said she had a surprise for me; my Dad! I was so happy to have both my parents with me. I really didn't expect it as I knew he couldn't take much time off and wasn't planning to come.(He bought a ticket at the last minute to come for the weekend.) Hans' mother, Beverly was also there with us for the whole day. She was so sweet and comforting to me. .Bo also came and brought playing cards. We played Bluff(B.S.) for a while which helped take my mind off of things and stop shaking.

Sometime mid-day, I dilated to a 5, but stayed there for several hours. At that point I was afraid we might have to do a C-section or go over into the next day, but eventually, things picked up again and by around 9:30 p.m., I was ready to push. They moved me into the operating room, just in case. Hollis had been in position for weeks and was low in the canal. On the fourth contraction, I was able to feel his little head and by the fifth, he was out! They placed him on my chest for just a few moments. He was so small and warm and sweet. They apologized for the mess(I didn't mind) as they took him away and starting wiping me off.

Hans recalls very vividly Hollis' entry into this world as he seemed so relieved to be able to spread his arms.  It was almost as if he climbed out on his own.  Almost immediately, he began to cry.

Dr. Pennington then started working on Henry, who had not turned as we had hoped. After about a half an hour of trying to get a hold on him so that he could pull him out, the doctor said we couldn't wait any longer. Baby needed to come out. So, they went forward with the C-section.  As they worked, I started having a painful ache in my neck, which the anesthesiologist quickly fixed. Hans asked why I would have pain there and the doctor said "you don't want to know." Later, he explained that the doctor's take the uterus all the way out and place it on the mother's stomach. The air surrounding everything sometimes causes neck pain.  Hans was grateful that he was hiding behind the makeshift curtain they had placed between my face and the procedure.

It seemed like a long time before they got Henry out and they immediately started working on him.  I saw a team of nurses surround him and watched and waited nervously for the sound of a cry or some news of what was going on.  Hans and I were praying intensely and asking others (through social media and texting) to pray for our baby.  Finally, the baby began to cry and they asked Hans to come over and help.  They continued to work on me and told Hans he could take Henry back to the room.  He was surprised as they had taken Hollis directly to the NICU.  Hans asked them why they had taken Hollis to the NICU but Henry could go back to the room.  They then told us that Henry was doing great but Hollis was having some problems breathing and they wanted to monitor him for a while longer.  Hans took Henry back to the room so he could meet my parents and his mother.  Henry's eyes were wide open and he was as quiet as a church mouse.  Everyone was so excited to see him.

I have a hard time remembering all of the details but I was so relieved when I had both of my sweet babes with me. They were both in both in good health and the only concern was Hollis' oxygen levels and a little bit of jaundice.  .

Although I was exhausted and hurting, the time in the hospital was precious. We had several visits from family and a dear friend. I was embarrassed at the loss of bladder control. I made a mess when I stood up because I had no idea, but the nurses were all so patient and kind. I broke down at one point when a nurse asked me about the pain. I was touched by her empathy as she cried with me and spoke words of encouragement. It was unusual as professionalism usually precludes shows of emotion, but it was a meaningful moment for me. My mother was with me the whole time, helping with anything and everything I needed. Whenever I pass by that hospital or think of my time in the maternity ward, I am filled with fond memories of that time, surrounded by love, and getting to know my precious babes when they were so tiny and fragile and sweet and new.

Expectancy and Joy

A few weeks after the blood test, we had an ultrasound to check heartbeats. At this point we didn't know if there were two babies or just one. We didn't even know for certain that there would be one since a positive test is not a guarantee. Shane and Ericka were visiting and I was planning to drop them and the kids off at the water park before heading over. I was so nervous about everything though that making a U-turn had me totally flustered so Shane took over the driving and offered to drive me to the U/S after dropping the kids.

We drove over and met Hans at the medical center. All three of us went in and up on the screen we saw two little black sacks and inside each sack was a strong little heartbeat! You couldn't distinguish much else, but you could clearly see the hearts beating I was so happy and so relieved to see that they had both made it. It was sweet to share that moment with Hans and my little brother.

Since then they have continued to grow bigger and stronger every day. It has been an amazing experience. I have loved having them with me every moment. I was filled with joy and wonder when I began feeling the little fluttering of life inside of me. The best way I can describe those initial tiny movements was "little fishes." Long before this time, I had visions of one day carrying a child accompanied by sensations in my womb of warmth or longing and a feeling of joy. In those times when I thought this day might never come, I would remember those feelings.

Since then the movements have become much stronger- kicking, hiccups, stretching or rolling.  I love all of it- I love watching my bare belly moving or putting my hands over it and feeling them move, sometimes responding to my touch. I stare at my belly now and can't believe our two little boys are inside, waiting to come out into the world and meet their family.

I've been very blessed to have a relatively easy pregnancy. Getting to this point was not easy- going through all the fertility disappointments and then the treatments with the crazy hormones and bloating. But the pregnancy itself has been smooth. There was a little scare with some bleeding in the first trimester that went away quickly and a heart check reassured us all was well. The first trimester nausea was constant for some weeks, but mostly mild-only "lost my lunch" about 4 times total.

Other than that it has been the usual symptoms- difficulty breathing, sleeping, making a million trips to the bathroom, occasional ligament pain or backaches, occasional nasty gurd, which usually was eased with a dose or two of TUMS, getting tired and achy and not being able to walk as fast as I'm used to, or as long, being constantly thirsty and often stuffy. The hardest part was getting sick right around Thanksgiving. I had a terrible cough that got better just before Christmas and then came back worse just after. It had me exhausted day and night. Hans and I were both worried about the babies when the coughing became particularly violent, but our doctor reassured us that they would be fine. People at work were very understanding and I was able to take sick time to rest when needed. Being sick really does make you grateful for wellness and I have been able to mostly just enjoy the pregnancy since then.

And now, although I can hardly believe it, the time has come. I am and will always be so very grateful that Hans chose this adventure with me. Tomorrow we will go to the hospital to be induced(at 38 weeks-which is standard procedure for twins). Henry and Hollis- named after strong and faithful great grandfathers will be in our arms and we will be responsible to teach them and privileged to love them. I will be their mother-forever. I hope they will always know who they are and how much they are loved. I hope they will follow the example of their father and grandfathers. I hope they will grow up strong in conviction, kind and helpful, and that they will be happy and love life-finding joy in the things that matter most.

And it was... POSITIVE!!!

Took the blood test on Saturday- never been so nervous for a test I couldn't study for.  I was feeling really calm up until the actual blood test. When the doctors called me an hour later I could hardly wait to get home to call them back with Hans. And then they said it was a yes! Dr. Richards said my levels were high enough that he feels there is a good chance of twins. I did a follow up on Monday and the levels are rising, just as they should be. We definitely are excited, but it doesn't feel real. I don't feel any different yet, although I'm told the nausea usually starts around week 6 or 8. I am at about 4 weeks now- due February 24, 2016! :)

In another 2-3 weeks, we will have an ultrasound to check on things and count heartbeats to see if we will be having 1 or 2- then I think it will feel more real.  After that, we find an OB doctor and I am just a regular expectant mommy.

Transfer Day

Yesterday, Laura, Naiya, and Aria drove me to Logan for the embryo transfer. The girls were having a hard time understanding how they were going to put babies in me. I was talking about being nervous, and being nervous about being nervous. Laura told me about a conversation with a friend who said, "Think about all the babies born in way more critical circumstances(drugs, etc.). If they all survived their conception and made it through pregnancy, than you probably can't hurt yours because you were a little bit nervous."

The doctors were still a little worried about me becoming hyperstimulated- retaining too much water and having my ovaries over swollen. They talked to me about the risks- that I might become much more uncomfortable and may even have to go to the ER to have fluids drained. But, they said that even if that happened it would not affect the embryos. I felt better yesterday than I have since Saturday's procedure, so I told them I was ok with discomfort as long as the embryos were not at risk. I wanted to go ahead.

I had to have a full bladder so that they could get a clear picture with the ultrasound. Other than that discomfort, the procedure was painless. It probably also helped that they had me take a Valium an hour prior. But, I have had no pain since.

I got to watch on the big screen as they put the tiny catheter needle into my endometrium and deposited our embryos- just a bright white dot on the screen. We were also able to freeze 6 more healthy embryos, which means we could do this three more times if needed, at a much lower cost.

Today, I am taking it easy- Doctor's orders. I'm praying for our embryos to be happy and healthy in their new home and that they will continue to grow strong. I know it is in the Lord's hands- whether we have one or two, or whether it is not this time. I feel so very blessed to be able to do this with Hans- my biggest supporter and friend- my partner for eternity.

JUNE 18th will be the first pregnancy test. Soon after that they will do another ultrasound to count heartbeats.

Aria and Naiya said they were praying for me, and Aria said, "I REALLY want you to have babies!" She is four and she is a character. When she was three, we were talking about birthdays and she said, "When I am four I will be HILARIOUS!"

Retrieval Day

On Saturday morning, Hans and I left the house at 6:30 and arrived at the doctors office in Logan just before 9. I got into my hospital gown and got the needle stuck in my arm and then woke up to the nurse and Hans asking me questions and helping me get dressed and back out to the car.

On Sunday Dr. Richards called to say that he was able to fertilize 22 eggs! He explained that if we only had a few good ones by Monday, that we would implant on Day 3, but if we had a good number growing, we would do the transfer on Day 5.

Today he called and said that he felt we should go to Day 5. Apparently, that is also when they reach blastocyst and can be frozen. So, on Thursday we will transfer two of the best embryos and freeze the rest.

The doctors are concerned that I might be hyperstimulated, which is when your ovaries become very swollen and painful. If it continues, they will have to freeze all the eggs and wait until next month for transfer. I am supposed to measure my weight and circumference every day and drink a lot of fluids with electrolytes. I have been very uncomfortable - my lower abdomen hurts and I feel like I am full of gas. I've had spells of nausea and have not felt like eating much of anything, except salt. I didn't sleep well at all last night. I'm wearing my Grandma Adeline's house dress every chance I get because it is about the only thing that doesn't feel tight(poor Hans.) I think it is getting better though, so I am hopeful that we can go ahead on Thursday and get the babies into Mommy(that's Me) :)

Hans Describes Azure Waking up from Anesthesia

As I was sitting in the waiting room I could hear the nurses talking to Azure trying to get her to wake up.  After about 10 minutes of this they finally asked me to come back.  Azure was very out of it and her chin was quivering.  The nurse said that was common.  I could tell Azure just wanted to sleep as she was very drowsy and we all know how much she likes to sleep.  The best way to describe this moment would be compare it to sacrament meeting.

After about 5 minutes of talking to her Azure asked how many eggs were retrieved to which we told her 31.  I could tell by the nurses response that she had already told her that at least once before.  They we told Azure that as soon as she got dressed and got in the car she could sleep.  She was pretty excited about the idea of sleeping in the car and said "I can really sleep in the car?"  After another 20 minutes of encouraging her to keep her eyes open and talk to us I asked her if she knew how many eggs were retrieved and she said "no, how many".  Then again, I told her to fight off the sleep and keep her eyes open so we could get her dressed and in the car.  I told her once she got in the car she could sleep while I drove and she was shocked and asked again if she could sleep in the car.  This happened one more time about 10 minutes later.  It was fun teasing Azure and trying to get her to laugh.  The best part was when we finally got in the car I told Azure that they mixed up my sperm with another patient's sperm to which she said "I'm going to have a black baby".  I was pretty impressed that she was coherent enough to be that witty and that she did not freak out.

My favorite part of the experience was seeing her in a very vulnerable state and realizing how much I love and care for her.  She was happy to see me and I felt we grew closer together through the experience.

Final Ultrasound

Dr. Amesse gave me an "A" for quality of my uterine lining. Thickness was 11 and the doctors say they like it to be at least an 8.  Woohoo!

The egg follicles are growing very well. Dr. Amesse says he is hopeful we may get as many as 16 good eggs, which is great for my age!

Retrieval is Saturday morning!

Something encouraging I found from a quick google search:
"A recent study published online in the journal Human Reproduction found that retrieving around 15 eggs from a woman’s ovaries in a single in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle gave a woman the best chance of a successful pregnancy and birth. The study found there was a strong relationship between live birth rates and the number of eggs retrieved in one cycle."
https://www.fertilityauthority.com/articles/15-magic-number-egg-retrieval

IVF Stuff

Estradiol(blood tests):  I got 613 on Friday and 2816 on Monday, which won't mean much to most of us(including me.) All I know is that it is supposed to be rising, but not too much. Dr. Richards says it looks good.

Ultrasound: On Saturday, we got to see the growing follicles. They look like clusters of bubbles. I have about 6 that are really good size, and a bunch more that may be catching up. Tomorrow morning I will drive up to Logan for 1 more ultrasound. After this one, the Doctors will decide(based on growth rates) whether to do the retrieval on Friday or Saturday.

Symptoms have not been too bad. I've been tired, but not a lot more than usual. I've been a little more emotional and sometimes grumpy. My brain feels kind of muddy sometimes, especially when I'm tired.(I hope that is just a symptom of the hormone injections.)

I sobbed when our neighbor's old Bassett hound, Dash, died last week.  But, I really did feel like he was partly our dog since he used to come and visit us almost every night looking for treats or a belly scratch. I told Hans I thought Dash was going to be there to comfort me if things didn't work out. Maybe he just won't need to.

I've started going for walks every night, which seems to help the moods and the energy. I am definitely bloated, which is normal when you are growing a bunch of egg follicles. No big deal, just not wearing my "skinny" jeans much.

I'm feeling positive about everything. I really feel like it is all going to work out, and maybe we will even have twins. I don't talk much about the alternative. I don't think much about the alternative. Maybe I should. "They" say you're supposed to prepare for that possibility. But, I don't see the point. And, if I ever do start talking about it, friends usually steer me quickly back to positive. And I'm good with that.

IVF Schedule

E2 is an Estradiol blood test. U/S is an ultrasound where we check the growth of the egg follicles. You might have to click on the image to be able to read it, but the highlights are:

June 1st will be my first trip up to Logan for a final ultrasound. That ultrasound will tell us when we do the egg retrieval. Egg retrieval will be June 4, give or take a day. Three to five days after that we will transfer(implant) 2 or 3 embryos. Then, the hard part...waiting until the pregnancy test on June 21st.

IVF Continued

The Routine:

2 Shots in the Morning

1 at Night

IVF Adventure: Part I

Note: I am writing this blog partly as a therapy and personal/family history, and partly as a way to keep my family and dear friends informed. I didn't want it as public as Facebook, but if I am sharing this with you, just know that you have permission to share with anyone who might be interested or who you think may benefit.

Since my last post, I've found my Top Ten Guy(see previous post). I feel so very blessed and lucky to have married Hans Branch. When we first started dating, he asked if the fact that he had four kids was a concern for me. I told him no, as long as he was open to having more. He said he would be and he meant it. He said he wanted to have the experience of parenthood from the beginning with me. He said he could see how I light up when I hold a baby and how much I want to be a mother and he wants me to have that opportunity. He left no doubt about his commitment when he underwent a painful surgery(vasectomy reversal) a few months before we married.

Several months after our marriage,  the doctor started me on a round of Clomid. Since we were both 39, we didn't feel that we could wait and hope for a full year before taking any action. This lasted about 4 months, with no success. I had also been tracking my temperature every morning and taking ovulation tests. So, just after our 1 year anniversary in March, we decided to take the plunge and use up everything I had saved to pay off my student loan debts to instead pursue IVF.

All of our tests have been good/normal: my HSG(x-ray of uterus and fallopian tubes), and blood tests, his semen analysis. This is good, because it means that there is no major concern to make us poor candidates for the IVF, but frustrating because we still don't know why we haven't been able to get pregnant naturally.

A friend of Hans's referred us to Dr. Richards, who was their IVF doctor. They traveled to CA for the procedure. Lucky for us Dr. Richards now practices in Utah, so we only have to travel to Logan.

The PROCESS

I have been taking Prenatal Vitamins with Zinc and Folate since we decided to pursue this. On April 27, I started taking Birth Control pills- only the red ones, no sugar pills, until the Doctor told me to stop on the 17th. Hans and I both had to take a week of an antibiotic, which I hated to do, but it is standard for all IVF couples, so I decided to trust the doctors and go ahead with it. I have also been drinking Kefir and eating raw sauerkraut to try and replace the probiotics.

On May 12, I started giving myself an injection every morning, which really hasn't been too bad. The tiny needle doesn't hurt at all, but I learned not too push the med in too quickly after bruising myself badly from the first one.

On Friday, I had an Estradiol blood test and on Saturday I had my first vaginal Ultrasound. Dr. Richards said the blood level(less than 25) was right where it should be. He also said that it looks as though I have a good number of eggs in there that we can work on growing over the next couple of weeks.

On Monday I will be adding two more injections to stimulate the growth of the egg follicles. Then, I'll have another Estradiol test and ultrasound this weekend.

If you have any questions about all of this, please feel free to comment or ask. I'll be updating once or twice a week until the end of June, after I take the pregnancy test.

We would be grateful for your prayers on our behalf.