Babies

Many Many MANY a thing has changed since my last blog.  We conceived twins, started having complications, Jonathan turned 30, and we continue to have complications.  There have been lots of informative emails that went out (mostly to a small group of people praying fervently for us) but I have neglected to put anything here for the blog reading public.  So below I'm going to post, in order, the emails I've sent so that if someone wants a full update they can find it here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 31, 2010

Dear Praying Friends Our little family needs your prayers.  I had an appointment today with the specialist and they found that Baby B has what's called a Cystic Hygroma.  Its scary if you Google it so he suggested that I not and I'm sticking to it.  Basically it's a fluid filled cyst along B's back and neck and can be an indication of nothing, of chromosomal disorders (mainly cardiac), or of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) which can be fatal.  If you look at the ultrasound picture with both of them in it from 11 weeks or if you watch the video of the ultrasound on facebook you can see it pretty clearly.  He said there's nothing that we did to cause it and nothing we can do to change it.  It's just a matter of praying and waiting to see how things develop. They don't usually see it this early and I'm not sure whether that's good or bad, but I have another appointment in 2 weeks to see how things are progressing. It is a very real possibility that we could lose little Baby B so the immediate request is for it's safety.  If the Lord chooses to let us keep our little miracle there could also be some health issues once it's born.  So the secondary request is for it's healing. Most of all we ask that you pray that God will get the glory no matter what happens and that He'll give us the peace and faith to handle this situation that He's entrusting to us. Thank you for your prayers and support The Chus (all 4 of us) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 14, 2010

Dear Praying Friends     We just got back from the specialist's office and are beyond happy to let you know that the Lord has totally done away with Baby B's Cystic Hygroma. Praise Him!!!  Thank you so much for your prayers and support.  We still need them.  Since you guys are such excellent prayer warriors...your next task is to pray that both babies grow evenly.  The risk now is for a complication called Twin to Twin Transfusion (TTTS) where one baby steals the nutrients from the other.  The doctor said that they don't usually see signs of this until 16 weeks and that seeing it so early (I'm not 14) is a concern.  As of today, Baby B is right on track and baby A is 4 days behind...although 2 weeks ago A was right on track and B was 7 days ahead.      It's all rather confusing but we know that it's not confusing to the Lord.  Please continue to be faithful it prayer that He would be glorified through this journey.  We know that these children are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him and that He already knows where their little lives will lead and how He will use them.  They are simply on loan to us and are ultimately His, just as we are.  Thank you so much for being willing to ride this roller-coaster of very early parenthood with us! Love,   The Chus ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 22, 2010

Dear Praying Friends, Jonathan and I went back to the regular OB yesterday and came home with a good report!  Baby A is now 3 days ahead of Baby B and the doctor said that they looked great!  So it seems to my untrained eye that they are just taking turns with their growth spurts!  I've definitely started to feel them moving around and rightfully so as they are about 4 inches long from head to rump and about 4 ozs. each.  Pretty crazy!  The Lord is just knitting away in there and we're very glad to have a good report after so many scary ones!  Thank you so much for your prayers and we'll keep you updated.  Our next appointment will be next Tuesday with the specialist.  Lets pray that he sees the same thing that the regular OB did! Love,   The Chus P.S.  The new ultrasound picture as well as the video of this last visit are both up on facebook if you'd like to see them. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 29, 2010

Ok,   Jonathan and I went to the specialist today and were met with some unsettling news.  The babies are very close to a TTTS diagnosis. Right now B has 6 cm of amniotic fluid and A has 2 cm.  An 8/2 ratio is what is required for a TTTS diagnosis, so the doctor wants to see us Monday (3pm) to check the levels and see what the next step will be.  Most likely it will mean going to the Texas Children's Fetal Center in Houston to have a laproscopic laser surgery that will give each baby an independent blood flow and hopefully completely fix the problem.  Here's a link to a very informative video about the whole Syndrome, the options, and the surgical process ( TTTS Video )  The menu on the left allows you to skip to the part you're most interested in.  It's really amazing what is possible these days!    Please pray for healing, wisdom, and faith as we continue on this journey.  Thank you and we appreciate your prayers more than you know! Jonathan and Bethany  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 4, 2010

Well, we didn't get the definitive answer we were hoping for.  The babies are no worse but they are also no better.  The fluid levels were not such that they could be diagnosed with TTTS and so we continue to wait.  We have another ultrasound scheduled for Thursday to see how they are doing and probably will continue to have twice weekly ultrasounds until things progress one way or another.  Your prayers for our peacefulness sure have been working. Even the doctor noticed that we were more relaxed! We got to tell him that a LOT of praying and trusting God will do that for you!  We so greatly appreciate all of your prayers and support and will let you know as soon as anything changes. Love,   The Chus ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 7, 2010

Just a quick update about today's appointment.  Nothing much has changed except that Baby A's fluid is a little lower.  The doctor didn't seem any more concerned than before.  We'll just continue to wait, watch and pray.  He did say that Baby B is looking wonderful (he said "rockstar").  There was a little more clarification on one of the things going on with A.  For a regular umbilical cord, there are 2 arteries and 1 vein.  A's has only one artery and one vein.  Of course he said it could just be a "normal variant", it could be chromosomal (unlikely, being that they're probably identical), or it could be something else we don't know what.  So...really that's no news. Because these appointments are going to be twice a week now, we probably won't send an email if there is little to no change or new information.  Just assume that no news is...well..no news! Thank you so much for your prayers. The peace that we have can only be attributed to being lifted up in prayer daily by you guys.  It is priceless. Love,   The Chus ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 11, 2010 (Jonathan's 30th birthday :))

Dear Praying Friends,     

We had another appointment (one of 3 this week) and got more of basically the same news.  Baby A has even less fluid (.4cm) and Baby B has a little more (6.6cm).  Today A's bladder wasn't visible at all which means it is not processing fluid in order to make more.  If B's fluid were over 8 we would have stage 2 TTTS, but we don't. So all we can do is continue to wait and pray.  Thank you for your prayers. I know it can get tedious to pray for the same thing over and over with seemingly no change, but I believe that every one of your prayers is heard by our God and His plan will be made clear in due time.  Unless there is a change I won't be sending an email for the appointments tomorrow and Friday.  Thanks again! Love,  The Chus -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 15, 2010

Well it's been a pretty crazy week.  Quick update for those who don't know...Jonathan's dad had a massive heart attack Monday night and ended up having a quadruple bypass surgery on Tuesday. It's been complication after complication since but the latest update was positive with improving numbers and he's looking much better.  Jonathan flew in to be with his family and will be leaving again in the morning when his brother will be coming in from Hawaii for a few days.  The Lord has been so good with all of our prayer support and so many visitors.  It's made the long hours waiting for news much more enjoyable.  Truly a blessing. Today we went back to Dr Schneider (the specialist) for another ultrasound. This time my mom, dad and Jonathan all three got to be there.  It was a nice respite from the waiting room.  What we saw was that baby B's fluids are up to 7.6cm and baby A is right around .7cm.  A's bladder was not visible either, and also had some reverse pressure in the umbilical cord which means that they are definitely connected through the placenta and moving towards a diagnosis of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS).  Although, in general, this would be considered bad news, we are a little bit hopeful about it because it means that these things are being cause by something fixable.  Dr. Schneider wants to see us again on Monday and expects to see B's levels go enough above 8cm (ideally around 9 or 10) so that we can go to Houston and have the procedure done. This could happen Monday or any day after that....or these things could change again and we could keep waiting.  As we're learning, there is no such thing as instant gratification when it comes to parenthood (I know, I know...we've only just begun!) It seems that the Lord is teaching us more about patience and prolonged prayer.  He's so good to always be teaching us along the way to undoubtedly prepare us for what's to come.  Thank you so much for being so faithful in prayer with and for us.  It is truly priceless to us. Love,   The Chus  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 18, 2010

Well we're almost there!  B measured 8.1cm at one point and then 7.55 a little later and then 8.something again after that. In order for Houston to accept us it has to be a reproducible and dependable 8cm plus.  So, we wait just a little longer.  I go back on Thursday.  Baby A still looked ok and measured .6cm.  At first we didn't see A's bladder but then it showed up at the end, so we'll hope that it doesn't make an appearance on Thursday.   It would be ideal if we could have all the criteria on Thursday because Jonathan will be home (or almost home) and we could go to Houston together on days that he won't be missing shows.  In all this I just keep reminding myself that God's timing is perfect and that this will happen if He wills it to happen WHEN He wills it to happen.  The waiting is just not so much fun. In other news, Mr Chu had a better day today and has been off the ventilator for 2 days now.  The report I got this morning was that he'd been sitting up most of the morning and had been getting a more advanced diet (yesterday was Jello and apple juice).  We're baby stepping our way towards recovery.  He's a fighter so I have no doubt that he'll be just fine. Thanks so much for your prayers.  They truly are what is carrying us through this time.  You are all precious to us. Love,   The Chus
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October 21, 2010

Today's appointment ended up being relatively uneventful. B's fluids measured 8.55cm but A's bladder was still visible which means that we STILL don't technically have a diagnosis.  Dr Schneider seemed concerned that the only thing standing between us and the procedure is A's tiny little bladder that's not really producing fluid in the first place.  He called Houston after we left and called us back. Houston IS interested in seeing us but needs another measurement that they didn't get today.  I'll be going in on my way to work tomorrow for them to get it.  I'm not sure exactly what they're looking for, but Dr Schneider says we may be in Houston as early as Monday. So, again, baby steps, more prayer, more waiting, and more faith.  The bright side is that one of the possible complications with the procedure is that almost exactly 10 weeks later, a large number of cases go into preterm labor.  So the longer we wait, the more developed they'll be when they make their entrance into the world!  I'm finding that there's always a bright side. Thanks for your prayers Bethany ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 25, 2010

Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors,     We didn't get the news we were hoping for today here in Houston, but all hope is not lost.  Dr Moise looked and looked and simply didn't feel 100% sure enough that this is TTTS and is not comfortable doing the laser surgery at this point.  What he thinks is more likely the issue is Selective Inter Uterine Growth Restriction (SIUGR).  This is because baby B is doing very well and is not showing any distress other than slightly elevated fluids.  Whereas baby A is having a harder time overall.  It's heart Dopplers show very week to absent diastolic flow...which means between heartbeats, the flow is basically stopping. It also only has one kidney, and has very little amniotic fluid still.Dr. Moise said that this is most likely due to the fact that B got a good part of the placenta when it's cord implanted and A has a very small piece of the placenta to work with.    Here's the part we really don't like.  He said that baby A has about a 10% chance of survival.  If A does die, then there's a 30% chance that it will cause B to die as well. The laser surgery for TTTS would prevent B from being in danger, but the risks of the surgery are too great to do it without a verifiable TTTS diagnosis. One of our other options is selective reduction, something we had hoped never to be faced with.  Dr Moise presented it as "carrying out what nature has already set in motion". The other option is to just wait and hope that our little 10% will carry us through until the babies can be viable.  They want to see us again in a week to try to nail down (again) a diagnosis or non-diagnosis of TTTS before we head back home so that if the surgery is an option then, we can go ahead and have it here.    So we're waiting. Again.  The Lord has been so good to provide us a free (and nice) place to stay for the week, a generous gift from a friend financially that is helping with travel and eating expenses, supportive friends and family, and the peace that passes understanding.  Even more, Dr Moise and his wife (the head nurse for this program) are strong believers with a heart for missions.   The decisions we're faced with are not easy ones to make, but knowing that the physicians guiding our decisions know the same miraculous Lord that we do is a great comfort.  There's also so much comfort in knowing that you guys are praying for us as we seek what God's will is. Thank you so much and we'll keep you posted. Love,   The Chus ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 26, 2010


Just wanted to share what the Lord showed me today. Luke 11:5-10  ⁵ Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ⁶ ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ ⁷ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ ⁸ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.  ⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. While reading today (10 days behind in my Bible in a Year plan) the Lord really opened my eyes to this passage.  One of my favorite things is that He used my delayed reading to put this passage in front of me just at the time I needed it most.  I felt the Spirit tell me that my call right now is to have "shameless persistence".  So shameless persistence it is! Love Bethany