Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008: Heart surgery update - As some of you know, Angelo has VSD (a hole in his heart) & Pulmonary Stenosis (pulmonary artery is small). Congeniatial heart surgery has been scheduled for September 8th, 2008 & his estimated recovery time will be about 7-10 days. Please keep him in your prayers.. my lil man is sooo amazing.. acts as if nothing was ever wrong with him =]

BIRTH STORY

It was 8:45am on Febuary 29th, 2008; 37.6 days pregnant with my identical mono/di twin boys. Feet majorally swollen, I got up to go to the bathroom; the morning ritual. Baby father was downstairs on the computer & grandma was getting ready to take big bro Dominic to school in a couple minutes. Just as I was getting up to pull my pants up.. MY WATER BROKE ALL OVER THE FLOOR! I quickly sat back down & the only thing that came to my mind was "UHHH BABE?!" ... Daddy answered with the usual "WHAT?".. I answered "MY WATER BROKEEEEEEEE!" All of a sudden Mike (daddy) & grandma came stampeding up the stairs practically knocking each other over. It was such a picture perfect moment with both of them being there so to speak (lol). I took a quick shower & stuffed a towel in my pants & awaited any type of pain. Not feeling a thing, daddy & me decided to take a quick spin up to McDonald's for breakfast (considering I wouldnt be able to eat at the hospital, I thought it was only right to pig out haha). Got back home.. ate.. daddy played Guitar Hero while I got on the phone & called Labor & Delivery. Doc told me to come in as soon as I can. So, I went upstairs, grabbed mine & the babies bags, & headed out to Strong Memorial Hospital, grandma riding in back, around 11:30am.

As I got to the hospital, the nurses had been expecting my arrival. I got admitted into triage where they did an exam around 12:15pm & found out i was 3 1/2cm dilated & 90% effaced. Nurses there are WONDERFUL & after being admited to the delivery room; painless mind you, they decided to start me on Pitocin around 1:45pm to speed things up a bit. I started feeling a little pain so they then started me on Nuben (sp?) which was REAL trippy until the Anethesiologist (we'll call him the an-man) was able to perform my epidural. The an-man was real funny & ladies, I don't known about you but the epi was PAINLESS.. I didn't feel a thing! I was feeling GOOD after a half hour with the combination of both. Speaking too soon.. I was in major pain around 3:45pm, even though it wasn't lasting more than a few seconds. They gave me the max dosage possible but it seemed like I was immuned. After waiting what seemed like FOREVER, the doc finally came in to check me. COMPLETELY DIALTED & READY FOR ACTION. At this time, I was having a vaginal delivery. Around 12:15am the next morning of March 1st, 2008 , I started pushing (YES, NO LEAP YEAR BABIES LIKE EVERYONE THOUGHT!). I was in major pain as alllll the drugs were completely worn off (just my luck!). After 3 consectutive hours of pushing, Baby A's big ol head just would not seem to get from under my pelvic bone. By this time, I was completely exhausted.. nothing left in me.

I then made the decision to go through with a c-section after the long battle. I tried for vaginal; I did the best I could. Daddy got prepped in his scrubs & I was wheeled off to undergo surgery around 3:30am, give or take. Since the epidural didn't work for me, I was preped to have a spinal blockage. Again, painless. After a couple minutes, I was COMPLETELY numb, waste down. I was shaking like a leaf, but was told that was suspected from the spinal block. Daddy finally came in & got REAL nervous. Holding my hand while the procedure was being done, I got some real bad pressure in my stomach area as they were getting the babies out.

At 4:08am, 38 weeks to the day, Anthony James was born, weighing in at 6lbs 12oz & 20 inches long, screaming his little head off. 2 minutes later at 4:10am, Angelo John was born, weighing in at 5lbs 14oz & 20 inches long, screaming his little head off too. Both scored an amazing 9 on the apgar & are healthy babyboys.

Recovery was a breeze. The first 24 hours I was still numb & couldn't walk. Once I was able to get up & moving, I slowly but surely progressed. Now I am sitting here, babyboys 8 days old, tired but amazed that these two little blessings are MINE. I am totally up & running from this c-section which everyone finds amazing! I mean, I am wearing my reg jeans & took the boys on their first mall extravaganza today =p

The experience has been amazing but rest to sure you, I will definitly not be going through it again. I am completely satisfied with my little men & can not wait to watch them grow up & shape them into who & what they'll become.

Congrats to all the mommies on I-Am-Pregnant.. yahll have been down for me since geez.. week 12?!

I'll keep everyone posted (as if I have all the time on my hands lol).. take care!!