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Debbie
Mother of Penelope Grace, Griffin James, and Rosalie May
Born November 17th, 2009
Somerville, MA
Mother of Penelope Grace, Griffin James, and Rosalie May
Born November 17th, 2009
Somerville, MA
My husband, Brendan and I met when we were in high school. We dated through college and got married in October of 2006. The following December we decided it was time to expand our family of 2. After a year of trying on our own, we turned to fertility treatments. We were prepared for this because I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 23. After a few cycles, we hit the jackpot! There were 4 sacs, but only 3 had heartbeats. We were pregnant with triplets!
Naturally, we were nervous about raising three babies. However, we knew could do it. We made some sacrifices when we found out. We moved back to our hometown to be closer to family because we were living an hour away. We also found a new home for our dog, a great dane named Lucy. She was a great dog and we loved her, but we were anticipating THREE babies and we didn’t want her to be neglected.
At my 17 week ultrasound, my high risk doctor noticed that my cervix was getting dangerously small. After an emergency cerclage, I was put on home bed rest. At follow up appointments however, my cervix continued to shorten. We all remained optimistic. I told my family not to cancel the baby shower even though I couldn’t go because that would be like giving up, and we weren’t giving up. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days on bed rest when my cervix was only millimeters long. After 5 days of no contractions, I was sent home for bed rest with the hopes of coming back to the hospital when I hit 23 weeks. I didn’t make it that far.
After just hours of being home in bed, my water broke. I called my husband who was out filling a prescription for me, he rushed home and drove me to the hospital. We knew nothing could be done. The doctor told us over and over, if you go into labor before 23 weeks, we can’t do anything for the babies. We heard it, but we didn’t process it until we were in that moment. I was only 20 weeks and 5 days. We were losing our babies.
After hours of crying and thousands of questions, the inevitable was upon us.
Naturally, we were nervous about raising three babies. However, we knew could do it. We made some sacrifices when we found out. We moved back to our hometown to be closer to family because we were living an hour away. We also found a new home for our dog, a great dane named Lucy. She was a great dog and we loved her, but we were anticipating THREE babies and we didn’t want her to be neglected.
At my 17 week ultrasound, my high risk doctor noticed that my cervix was getting dangerously small. After an emergency cerclage, I was put on home bed rest. At follow up appointments however, my cervix continued to shorten. We all remained optimistic. I told my family not to cancel the baby shower even though I couldn’t go because that would be like giving up, and we weren’t giving up. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days on bed rest when my cervix was only millimeters long. After 5 days of no contractions, I was sent home for bed rest with the hopes of coming back to the hospital when I hit 23 weeks. I didn’t make it that far.
After just hours of being home in bed, my water broke. I called my husband who was out filling a prescription for me, he rushed home and drove me to the hospital. We knew nothing could be done. The doctor told us over and over, if you go into labor before 23 weeks, we can’t do anything for the babies. We heard it, but we didn’t process it until we were in that moment. I was only 20 weeks and 5 days. We were losing our babies.
After hours of crying and thousands of questions, the inevitable was upon us.
On November 17, 2009 we delivered our three, precious, beautiful babies. Penelope Grace, Griffin James and Rosalie May.
They were perfect. They were our babies. They made our family of two into a family of five. Even now, almost exactly a year later, I am overwhelmed with love for them.
I still don’t know how I made it through that day and the days that followed. Brendan and I are so lucky to have an amazing support system of family, friends and co-workers. We know that our angel babies, Penny, Griff and Rosie are so loved.
We have cried a thousand tears, and I know we will cry some more. It constantly amazes me how these three precious babies have changed my husband’s life and my life. They have filled us with enough love to last a lifetime.
They were perfect. They were our babies. They made our family of two into a family of five. Even now, almost exactly a year later, I am overwhelmed with love for them.
I still don’t know how I made it through that day and the days that followed. Brendan and I are so lucky to have an amazing support system of family, friends and co-workers. We know that our angel babies, Penny, Griff and Rosie are so loved.
We have cried a thousand tears, and I know we will cry some more. It constantly amazes me how these three precious babies have changed my husband’s life and my life. They have filled us with enough love to last a lifetime.
You can contact Debbie at djforestell@gmail.com
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4 comments:
Debbie and Brendan, I can't believe it's been a year. You guys are definitely 2 of the strongest people that I know especially when life can be so unfair. I can totally sympathize with the experience of everything changing in an instant; all your hopes and expectations rewritten. Please know that Sean, Shayne and I are thinking about your family all the time. The DiMare's
You are truly two of the strongest people I know. There is really nothing else I can say that's worth typing. There are few people out there as deserving of the title "Mom" and "Dad" as you.
Debbie, What a wonderful tribute for your angels. I am so honored to know a couple that are forever and most deserved of good things in the future. xxoo Sharon T. I have no idea how to send this so please get a chuckle out of my anonymous sign because I didn't know what else to do. :)
We love you and are thinking of you and "our" babies.
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