Andy wouldn't believe it really until the doctor confirmed it. He kept saying well I don't know how accurate that is about the home pregnancy test and then again with the blood test. So when I went to the doctor's and they confirmed I was pregnant we had tests run on Friday and returned on Monday so the ultrasound tech could check me. That is when we found out there were four. Four....but they didn't think D would make it and C was small as well so that one might go away as well. So we went home thinking we would probably have twins. Alexis & Carolyn said no that's not how this party is going to turn out. They continued to do well surprising I think everyone. I went for a consult at MUSC, but my insurance changed the consult to transfer so I went to MUSC starting in late March. I wasn't excited about driving downtown, but once I got there and met all the friendly people I was so happy to be a transfer. I loved MUSC everyone was so friendly and while they were happy I was doing so well they didn't sugar coat that with quads it could change in an instant. They didn't give false hope or give us the doom and gloom outlook. As time went on I heard how awesome, great, wonderful, spectacular, and amazing my cervix is. My cervix was a rock star.
You never really know how big you are until you see yourself in pictures. I stopped taking pictures once I was admitted to the hospital. Just didn't feel like being trapped in my room and seeing how big I was. At the beginning I wanted to last to 34 weeks. 5 September. That was my goal. At 24 weeks I wanted to make it to 34 weeks but was happy to finally be past 24 weeks! At 28 weeks I was so happy to still be pregnant, but was reconsidering that whole 34 week goal. 33 weeks would be awesome too I thought. The longer I was pregnant the less I wanted to make it to 34 weeks. Sure I wanted what was best for the babies, but good grief I was uncomfortable. I felt at any moment I was going to burst and babies would go flying everywhere.
Finally the time came at 31 weeks 3 days I had a headache that wouldn't go away. When I requested more pain meds for it they questioned me and then took away all my water and food. Not that I cared about the food part, but I really did want some water! The doctor came in to talk to me around 3 and I heard the words I had been longing to hear "you'll probably deliver tonight". A lot less fantastic when you're expecting to make it to Thursday and it is only Sunday & when you've promised your favorite resident you'd wait for her to get back before delivering. Not that I had any control over it, but I really wanted her to be there since she took care of me the 3.5 weeks I was in the hospital before delivery. I asked the first doctor to call Dr. Platz. It was a Sunday, but she said she wanted to be there for the delivery. I also refused to let anyone else cut me open. He said he would try to page her. He came back I asked if he had called her he said it was Sunday and he wasn't sure where she was. I explained it is in my chart for her to be called. He said he would page her again. I asked the nurse if she knew if Dr. Platz had been called and she said she didn't know, but would ask. When they moved me to L&D I asked Molly if Dr. Platz had been called and she said yes and Dr. Platz was on her way! I could rest easy and wait for Andy to arrive. I remember I was to deliver around 8-830, but there was an emergency c-section so I got bumped to 10 or so. Finally they wheeled me in and started my epidural, or tried to at least. I was told it was simple and took no time, but then I was unlucky and it took forever and many sticks to get it in. Thankfully Dr. Platz was there the whole time telling me it would all be ok. At 10:36 Aiden was born. I heard him cry and then I was out of it. I remember coming to briefly to hear Baby C was out, but then I was out again. I remember someone bringing a baby over to see me and then I went out again. Dr. Platz came to see me before leaving and said my abs looked great and that I did great. I didn't know who she was for a minute until she had walked away.
The recovery was hard. I apparently lost a lot of blood during surgery and I was on morphine so I felt like 100% crap. The morphine made me feel horrible so I asked for something else. Something that would make me feel better, but not make me so out of it. I got a blood transfusion that really grossed me out, but I felt so much better after it.
Once I was released I was so happy until I was about a mile down the road then I cried the whole way home because I was leaving 4 tiny babies behind. I knew they were where they needed to be. MUSC took excellent care of our babies, and we are forever grateful to them. Especially Carlene & Laura who came in on their time off for the delivery and looked after the babies while they were in the NNICU & level 2 nursery. You ladies are awesome. Even though Carlene makes me sick because she is going to Disney World. Again. J/K!
Life with quadruplets isn't easy, but it is worth every second.
Aiden
Maxwell
Alexis
Carolyn
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