Journal entry by Julia Coleman —
Family and Friends,
I am writing this from my kitchen table while enviously watching Charles and James take a nap in the living room. I am hoping they will give me a few minutes to finally provide a comprehensive update and a long overdue letter of gratitude.
Charles and James are one day shy of being two months old (2 weeks old adjusted age for prematurity), which means nearly two months ago we were granted what can only be described as a miracle.
In order to properly explain this, I need to start from the beginning of this journey.
Around 16 weeks gestation, Jacob and I were sat down and told the words no parent ever wants to hear in that situation, "there appears to be an issue."
At the time, doctors believed the issue was twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS. The solution to TTTS is a risky surgery that severs the vessels connecting the twins.
Over the next few weeks we saw our scans get worse and worse, inching towards the need to intervene and perform the surgery. I cried myself to sleep almost every night.
We shared what was going on with the world, hoping that a friend's vision of a "stadium full of people praying for the twins" would come true.
Remarkably, the TTTS began to clear up, after doctors were certain we'd need the surgery any day.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Fast forward to 23 weeks, and we were told Charles had a severe case of selective intrauterine growth restriction, or sIUGR. His connection to their shared placenta was so bad that we were told we'd "be lucky" to make it to 28 weeks.
Here's the kicker: their shared connection was SAVING CHARLES. The same shared connection we would have mistakenly severed had the TTTS not miraculously gone away. The solution for TTTS would have resulted in the accidental and tragic death of Charles.
One day after receiving the sIUGR diagnosis, I went into preterm labor. I instantly took to social media to share what was happening, begging for prayers. Had our boys been born that early, their survival, especially Charles', would have been slim-to-none. For the next nine weeks I remained in on-again-off-again preterm labor, never once tipping over the edge to a point where they could not stop the inevitable.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Each week that passed defied every percentage and odd we had been given.
We passed 28 weeks.
We passed 30 weeks.
We passed 32 weeks.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Finally, at 33 weeks and four steroid shots, we brought our boys into the world.
We didn't know if they'd make it. We didn't know if they'd suffer severe consequences. We didn't know what would happen. But we knew we had a "stadium full of people praying for the twins."
Jacob sat ready with a bottle of holy water in his pocket, trained by our priest in how to baptize the boys should they take a turn for the worse.
The moment they took Charles out he filled his air with lungs and instantly let out a strong, loud cry, as if to say, "I AM HERE MOM! I MADE IT!"
James took a moment to cry, but when we finally heard him take a breath and let it out, we took a deep breath with him.
The neonatologist looked our doula in the eyes and promised her we didn't need to baptize them, they were stable.
The twins were wheeled off to one wing of the hospital, and I was wheeled off to another. Eventually, we were given notice that they were on oxygen and doing better than anticipated.
What followed were four weeks in the hospital weaning them off several life-saving interventions. First oxygen, then IV nutrition, then feeding tubes, until eventually they were eating and breathing like normal babies.
We were told not to expect them to come home before their due date of July 4th.
They came home four weeks earlier than anticipated.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
And now, we sit here, a family of five, gratefully working through the beautiful chaos that is our new life.
We sit here, a family of five, reminded daily of the power of prayer.
We sit here, a family of five, in awe of the absolute miracle we have been given.
Because of all of you.
Because of your relentless prayers.
Because of your unwavering faith.
Because of a merciful and benevolent God.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Julia, Jacob, Adam, Charles, and James Coleman.
I am writing this from my kitchen table while enviously watching Charles and James take a nap in the living room. I am hoping they will give me a few minutes to finally provide a comprehensive update and a long overdue letter of gratitude.
Charles and James are one day shy of being two months old (2 weeks old adjusted age for prematurity), which means nearly two months ago we were granted what can only be described as a miracle.
In order to properly explain this, I need to start from the beginning of this journey.
Around 16 weeks gestation, Jacob and I were sat down and told the words no parent ever wants to hear in that situation, "there appears to be an issue."
At the time, doctors believed the issue was twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS. The solution to TTTS is a risky surgery that severs the vessels connecting the twins.
Over the next few weeks we saw our scans get worse and worse, inching towards the need to intervene and perform the surgery. I cried myself to sleep almost every night.
We shared what was going on with the world, hoping that a friend's vision of a "stadium full of people praying for the twins" would come true.
Remarkably, the TTTS began to clear up, after doctors were certain we'd need the surgery any day.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Fast forward to 23 weeks, and we were told Charles had a severe case of selective intrauterine growth restriction, or sIUGR. His connection to their shared placenta was so bad that we were told we'd "be lucky" to make it to 28 weeks.
Here's the kicker: their shared connection was SAVING CHARLES. The same shared connection we would have mistakenly severed had the TTTS not miraculously gone away. The solution for TTTS would have resulted in the accidental and tragic death of Charles.
One day after receiving the sIUGR diagnosis, I went into preterm labor. I instantly took to social media to share what was happening, begging for prayers. Had our boys been born that early, their survival, especially Charles', would have been slim-to-none. For the next nine weeks I remained in on-again-off-again preterm labor, never once tipping over the edge to a point where they could not stop the inevitable.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Each week that passed defied every percentage and odd we had been given.
We passed 28 weeks.
We passed 30 weeks.
We passed 32 weeks.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
Finally, at 33 weeks and four steroid shots, we brought our boys into the world.
We didn't know if they'd make it. We didn't know if they'd suffer severe consequences. We didn't know what would happen. But we knew we had a "stadium full of people praying for the twins."
Jacob sat ready with a bottle of holy water in his pocket, trained by our priest in how to baptize the boys should they take a turn for the worse.
The moment they took Charles out he filled his air with lungs and instantly let out a strong, loud cry, as if to say, "I AM HERE MOM! I MADE IT!"
James took a moment to cry, but when we finally heard him take a breath and let it out, we took a deep breath with him.
The neonatologist looked our doula in the eyes and promised her we didn't need to baptize them, they were stable.
The twins were wheeled off to one wing of the hospital, and I was wheeled off to another. Eventually, we were given notice that they were on oxygen and doing better than anticipated.
What followed were four weeks in the hospital weaning them off several life-saving interventions. First oxygen, then IV nutrition, then feeding tubes, until eventually they were eating and breathing like normal babies.
We were told not to expect them to come home before their due date of July 4th.
They came home four weeks earlier than anticipated.
There was no explanation for how this was possible.
And now, we sit here, a family of five, gratefully working through the beautiful chaos that is our new life.
We sit here, a family of five, reminded daily of the power of prayer.
We sit here, a family of five, in awe of the absolute miracle we have been given.
Because of all of you.
Because of your relentless prayers.
Because of your unwavering faith.
Because of a merciful and benevolent God.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Julia, Jacob, Adam, Charles, and James Coleman.
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