Dearest friends, thanks for your post. I only have a little bit so I thought that I would come in and tell you that Betty's twins were hospitalized for RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) yesterday. Christopher the baby boy is alot worse than his sister right now. My hubby stayed off of work last night as Betty needed someone to stay at the hospital with her. Her family is not there for her like they need to be and so I spent the night with her up there at the hospital last night. The doctor there said that since I was on antibiotics that I was ok to be around that babies. I know that ya'll girls are concerned for my health as well and I appreciate that but I feel like I need to be there for my friend as I was walking this same road last year with my baby (except my baby was born with pnuemonia and has some other issues and I at least had some family. I remembered how scared I was and I was a ball of nerves  and and I have to tell you that one of my friends just lost a baby last year due to being a premie and some complications due to RSV. Not to mention this week has been a hard one for me as I lost a baby to miscarriage in 1997 on the the 5th. I am determined to do everything I can to be there for Betty and her babies as I am not going to see another baby die if I can help it. AS far as Betty is concerned, she hasn't gotten a chance to go back to the doctor herself yet. I sat there last night holding Christopher while he is trying to fight this virus and I had so many flashbacks come back. I don't want Betty to deal with this on her own as it is very devastating when you have never been through this before. Both babies have gained a little weight which is good but they are still so very tiny. Both of them are on oxygen 24/7 and they don't know how long they will be in for. Christopher is gasping for breaths and struggling to breathe. Betty and I took turns holding the both of them last night as she is trying to nurse them both. We held each of them all night last night. It seemed like the more we held them the more their oxygen levels and SATS stayed down.
(which is good) Courtney has alot of sleep apnea where she is going over 30 seconds without breathing so that is concerning as well. I will keep you up-dated when I can but I would want someone to be ther for me, so I feel like the right thing would be to be there for her. I am fixing to go back up there to relieve her and watch the twins so Betty can go home and take care of some things. I thought that maybe since I can't spend the night every night that even if I go up there for a few hours that it will help Betty out at least some.  Please if you don't mind light a candle for Betty and her twins and 1 for me as this week has sure been hard. Thanks and Love Always, Joya

Dear Joya,
I will surely light candles for Betty and the babies and you.
 
Praying that the little ones come through this.
 
Love, Jude

Love is the only way

Joya-
 
you are such a giving and loyal friend! I am so sorry for the twins to be sick. I am glad you have found the strength and time to contribute to their well being by being there for them and their mom.
 
I hope that things improve and Christopher and Courtney are better, even just a little, day by day.
 
I will go now and light a candle for all involved with this situation, including you as you have asked.
 
Lots of Love and Prayers for Peace,
Karen

integrity is shown when no one is looking

i am a hurry and do not have time to read this whole topic to search for the group name for the candle. since I do not know the candle group name I am going to start one called TWINS. please join me in lighting a candle in this new group.

integrity is shown when no one is looking

Dear Joya,
 
Thank you for the update,it's so sad to read your post.
 
My thoughts are with you all right now , I know it has brought back
 
many memories for you.
 
Please please look after yourself though Joya because if you are ill then
 
you may end up in hospital yourself.
 
Sorry to rant but it's needed,Sandraxx

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Dear Joya,
 
I am so sorry that the twins have fallen sick and need to be in the hospital. I understand your urgent desire to help Betty. Please, balance your generosity with your own needs.! Your children need a healthy mother!
 
I will light a candle for the twins and Betty,
Much love and warm hugs,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Dear Joya . . .
I am so sorry for this distressing news
of Betty and her twins.
I will surely keep a candle burning for Betty and her little family
as well as for you and yours.
You are very much in my thoughts and prayers
with much love . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥

so much hitting this family all at once.  i will light a candle and add them to my prayer book, but also i want to ask you, as others have, to pace yourself so you stay well. 

[image]http://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bcandle3fq9.gif[image]

Sandra, Betty does have family but not like they should be. I think that I sort of started the ball rolling on that as I think that they felt bad that I stayed Monday night so her mom stayed out of work yesterday and then I came up th relieve her as she is older and doesn't do evenings well. Then last night her hubby stayed. (well, we won't go there as he wasn't any help) Betty called me throught the night since I could not be up there because David had to work last night.  Betty has a fairly large family but they just don't help her out like they should.  Betty does not need to be by herself as it is hard enough to deal with 1 sick baby and it is alot to take in let alone 2 babies. Her mom and hubby has to work and can not miss work alot. I am just doing what I would want someone to do for me. I feel liike the more support I can be the better. I don't want her to go through the pain of what I have had to go through if I can help it!!!
 
 
AS far as an up-dae on the babies, The baby Christopher had a couple bad spells yesterday and he is really fighting so hard and the baby girl Courtney's fever spiked yesterday. Christopher got a "mucus plug" stuck in his throat and quit breathing a couple of times. Thank God they were at the Hospital as it was so scary!!!!! It is so hard to see those babies fighting so hard. Especially Christopher as he is so much worse than Courtney. I am fixing to leave and go back up there and I will let ya'll know how they are doing. Thanks for all of your caring and thoughts.

Dear Joya,
 
Thank you for sharing your news ,I hope with all of my heart these babies pull through.
 
Joya well done for bringing this family closer together thats such a positive step forward
 
for them all.
 
Joya you give so much to everyone ,I just hope your health is ok I really do.
 
 
 
I am sorry  Joya I can't reply to his thread anymore because I am a bit scared .
 
Forgive me Joya but I am getting flash backs ,but I do care so much but sadly understand too .
 
I am not walking out on you not at all,we have come so far together and for this I am so
 
grateful ,and we will move forward hand in hand....
 
I will keep a candle glowing for all of you. 

You take care Joya,love Sandraxxxx
 
Joya I have  pm'd you

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Dear Joya,
 
thank you for keeping us informed! I pray that you have the strength to do what you so generously offer to do. You do need to stay well. I just read a report that those with less than seven hours of sleep are five times more likely to catch a cold. Sleep deprivation affects immunity!
 
Keeping Betty, the twins and you in my prayers,
Much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Thank you Joya for keeping us updated. I pray and light candles for them all and you.
 
With Love, Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Joya,
 
By the time you read this I will have sent you a pm too. I hope by the time you read my messages that things are better for the twins and that Betty is keeping up her strength, courage and hope. I also pray these things for you dear Joya. I think of you and this situation often throughout my days, and my prayers are sent up with love.
 
Your friend,
Karen
 
 

integrity is shown when no one is looking

To all, I was going to come on last night and post this but I was too upset and angry to post till today. Most of ya'll know about my friend Betty and her set of premie twins being sick with RSV and being hospitalized. Well, those babies have been in the hospital since Monday. I spent the night with Betty Monday and we both held a twin. I could tell then that the baby boy Christopher was so struggling to breathe. I was sooooo scared to even hold him. I kept asking the doctor when he came in if there was more that they could do. He kept reassuring me that they were getting the best of care. I then asked him for a chest x-ray and he said that they were doing poorly but they did not require one because they were not as bad as I thought. WEll, we have tried to talk Betty into moving the twins to a better hospital that deals with premies and babies etc since Monday. that has better care. The doctor kept telling her that they didn't need to go etc. Everyday I have been up there to visit, see and hold the babies and to be with Betty while she met with the doctor. (Betty wanted me to be there as I just went thorugh some things similar to this with my smallest baby last year) Well. Thursday Christopher had quit breathing and got a mucus plug stuck in his throat twice. Plus, the baby girl spiked a fever. She is also bad but is not as bad as her brother. Then yesterday, was the worse, I walked in and girls I promise to you, that baby boy was so lathargic and so white and could not even The nurses worked with him for 3 hours and he still was not improving or responding to anything they tried to do. I and one of Betty's nurses talked to her and told her that if they were our babies that we would move them to the best baby hospital around. (which is 1 and 1/2 hours away one way). Betty of course was so tore up. I honestly thought that Christopher was going to die right there! I had so many fashbacks of my babies I lost and my baby that almost died from pnuemonia last year. WEll, in comes the doctor and you will NOT believe what he said! " HE said the babies didn't need to go that they were not that bad and I just spoke up and told him that Betty just wanted what was best for her babies and that 4 or 5 of his own nurses told her that the best thing would be to transport them to The Children's hospital because they didn't have the skill of care or supplies they needed for such tiny premie babies. I want you to know that he got mad after I said that and he said " I have an appointment tonight and if ya'll want to transfer the babies, ya'll will be putting me out" AS if his appointment was more important than those 2 babies. Then I just tried to explain to him more to get him to understand and he then got pissed and said " I can see that you have all made up your minds already and I just better go and get every thing set up and I will miss my appointment" He then stomped out of the room and said in the hallway "ya'll piss me off" I could have beat his brakes off of him! I swear I could have plowed him down and not thought twice about it. Then he tried to say that he would let the boy go but not the girl... etc. Y'all just don't know all of what he said Anyway, to make a long story short, the NICU transport team came from the baby hospital and got the 2 babies and took them to the other hospital. Ya'll would not believe this... They did a chest x-ray the first thing for both babies! Chistopher's right lung had collapsed and both lungs are filled with infection and they had to put in a feeding tube and put him on a CPAP machine which is like an osilator. They even said that he is so bad off that they might have to put him on a ventilator. My heart sank! The baby girl they stablized and she right now off of oxygen. She is still having some other issues though that they are working on but at least they are in a better place! CAn you imagine if Betty would not have moved the twins? I know that Christopher would have been with our angels. I took Betty's other kids to see her today as she has not been able to see them and I got to look at the babies. Christopher is so sick that he can't even be held. He still looked bad today but not as bad as yesterday. He didn't seem to be struggling as hard to breathe since the CPAP was helping him. The doctors and nurses say that this will be a long road for the babies.I would appreciate your thoughts for Betty and her twins. Betty is now blaming herself for not moving them sooner. Thanks for reading this. I will keep you posted. Love to you all !

Dear Joya,

I can just imagine how angry you must have been and frightened as well! I am glad you got the story off your chest! Lisa should not blame herself since she could not move the babies without the doctor cooperating. It is sad when a physician is so stubbornly wrong! Often experienced nurses know better than some doctors. I am glad the babies are now in a good place and are receiving the proper care.

I had just lit a candle for them earlier.
I will keep you, Betty and the twins in my prayers.

Much love and warm hugs,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Dear Joya . . .
I am grateful to hear that Betty's twins are getting the care they so desparately needed.
Let this be a lesson for all of us . . .
to stand up for what we feel is right, even in the face of those who supposedly 'know best'.
Thank you for sharing this . . .
I continue to keep Betty, Christopher and Courtney, and you in my thoughts and prayers
with love and concern . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥

Hey everyone.  I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to you. It has been a busy week and weekend. I took the rest of Betty's kids to her Thursday. AS you know that she has 6 other kids. (of which she has 2 other sets of twins and then 2 single babies.) Y'all should have seen me I had 11 kids and me in my SUV. I had to take my 3 little ones and then her 6 and then her 2 nieces. I have to say that the kids were so good. (Especially considering I had 5 uner the age of 4) I think it did Betty and her hubby some good to see the other kids. SA it has been Monday since she had been home. As far as the premies (Courtney and Christopher) they are holding their own. Courtney is doing better than her brother. It seemed like that she didn't get the virus as bad. Christopher has still been struggling to breathe. When they x-rayed him, his lung had collapsed at the other hospital and they told us that he would have died if we would not have moved him. He was doing good on the CPAP until SAturday night then he took a turn for the worst and they had to put him on the ventilator. I spent the night with her Friday night and the babies then I brought Betty home Saturday to spend time with her other kids as it is sort of a drive and she thought that she would get lost. So, I brought her home for a couple hours and her hubby stayed with the babies and that's when he called us and told us about Chistopher. I felt so bad for Betty as what can you say to someone whose baby just took a turn for the worse? I believe I was so scard and crying that I was speeding trying to get back to the hospital. I didn't go up there yesterday as I was so tired and my kids needed me as well. (not to mention we had unexpected company) I am not planning to go up there today either unless something happens. It is so hard to sit there and watch your friend and her babies hurting so! I have tried to be there for her for everything but I have my family too who needs me too you know? Plus, I'm helping with her other 6 too. Thank God they live near me! Betty and I have kept in touch lots to keep me up on everything so that helps. She just called a few minutes ago and said that if Chistopher keep doing well then they might take him off the ventilator tomorrow. He still has a ways to go though even if they do that because he has to go back to the CPAP then to another machine, then to room air before they will even think about letting him go. He is on an IV, a feeding tube and is having to stay in an incubator to keep up his temperature. We are not allowed to touch him now as the littlest thing stresses him out. Friday night when I spent the night up there I would talk to him etc. if Betty was feeding Courtney and then we would switch and I would hold Courtney while Betty was dealing with Christopher. AS far as Courtney, she is doing lots better. She is not hooked up to anything. They have been trying to release her 3 times now but every time they mention it then she has problems with her breathing and keeping her SATS down. Especially after feedings. Her oxygen goes down in the 80's and they won't realease her till they stay up in the high 90's. They are having to use a vacuum suction machine on her noise and her mouth to keep her cleaned out. So, that being said, I would rather them keep her to be safe then she go home and then have to be brought back. Plus, I think it's been a good thing as well as Betty would have a hard time keeping both there as they really don't want Courtney there at the hospital once she is released because they are afaid that she might get the virus again. Betty would really be in a bind then because she lives so far away and she is nursing too. There is no way that she could be with Christopher and Courtney too. I did offer to keep Courtney but we will have to see. I think they might try again to realease Courtney either tomorrow or Wednedsday. I am going up there tomorrow to give her hubby a break and to be there if Chistopher gets off the ventilator. I will let ya'll know that outcome. I just want to be there for her as I would want someone to be there for me.

Oh I also forgot to tell you that that sorry doctor (I have another name for him but I better not mention it) that said there was nothing wrong with the babies and that didn't want the babies moved, had the nerve to call BEtty's house to see how the babies are doing. Can you blieve that? I told Betty she better be glad I wasn' t there when he called! Betty is going file a report on the hospital and the doctor when everything settles down. She told me that she doesn't want this to happen to someone else. Thanks again for letting me share with you as this has made me feel better to get this off my chest. Love to you All! 

Bless you Joya,
My heart is there with you battling away for your firend.
 
Take care, I will light another candle for all,
 
Love, Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Joya,
 
Thank you so much for the update! I pray that Christopher will turn a corner I agree that it would be hard to have one baby at home and the other one in the hospital! You are doing all you can, no one could expect more! Your generosity is so great! You are right to stay with your children, they have first dibs on you!  And you don't want to fall asleep behind the wheel!
 
I am keeping all of you in my prayers. I'll light another candle for the twins,
Much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Dear Joya . . .
Thank you so much for the update as I have been wondering how things were going for Betty and the twins.
Blessings to you dear Joya . . .
I cannot say it enough. You are a dear, dear person
and so very generous with you time and care,
but please take care of yourself too.
As Edda has said, "don't fall asleep behind the wheel".
Courtney and Christopher, and Betty remain in my prayers,
as do you
with love . . .
sparrow

everything counts... ♥