Three on the Third

A - August Everett Norris, 3lb 10oz, 17", 11:38am

B - Olivia Lee Norris, 2lb 9oz, 16", 11:38am

C - Maxwell Hughes Norris, 5lb 1oz, 18", 11:39am

They are here.  Three babies on the third.  Funny how things work out, huh? 

Before we inundate the blog with photos, of which we have plenty of, here is the abridged story. 

Friday morning, we knew nothing more than it would be another day closer to delivery.  We knew it would probably be in a day or two.  However, after a stress test and a cervix check, the doctors told us it was go time.  

In less than 40 minutes, Kelly was wheeled to the OR, had a spinal and was ready.  I was in scrubs and came in to the OR about 5 minutes before the action started.  20 people including us were in the room.  

I sat right behind Kelly by the anesthesiologists.  Only a curtain separated us and the view of our gifted surgeons.  Luckily, I was able to see Dr. Ward pull all three babies out.  August was screaming even before he came out, Olivia was vocal, but not as much, and Max did not even want to come out.  Apparently he turned his back on the doctors and did not want to come out of the penthouse suit he carved out.  

Max was intubated almost immediately so he could breathe easier.  They whisked them away pretty quickly and then we focused the attention on Kelly, and it took nearly an hour to sew her up.  

She had a severe headache from the combination of surgery, anesthesia and medication to increase her blood pressure...and that triggered her trigeminal neuralgia, causing nerve pain in her face and neck.  

Luckily, we got everything under control and recovered in the post-op room.  Everything was surreal...realizing that we had babies, but couldn't take care of them.  Knowing Kelly wasn't pregnant anymore and not seeing the results was unsettling, but we knew that is what had to happen.  

Kelly's mom was the first to see the kids in the NICU, and she brought back pictures.  Trying to describe the emotions of first seeing your kids is a non starter.  Kelly wasn't ready to process the whole thing yet, but the immediate sense of purpose, pride, love and satisfaction I had never felt before.  Kelly got that later in the evening when we saw the kids together for the first time.  

Enough writing, there are more stories for other posts.  How about some pictures. 

 

Kelly and I holding Olivia, the first baby we were able to hold. 

Little August holding my finger. Luckily he didn't pull it. 

Olivia striking a pose.  Or trying to remember what it was like in chateau Kelly.  

Our hands next to Olivia. 

If you couldn't tell already, this is Max.  Although he's the biggest he's had the most trouble breathing, which really isn't that bad.  He'll have the big tube removed today. 

Our hands next to Max. 

Although it looks like the kids have a lot of things connected to them, it's really not that much.  The three sensors Max has above are for measuring his heart rate and respiratory rate. Each baby has these three sensors. 

They also each have a little nose apparatus for providing oxygen, and all three are on small amounts of it.  They also have a sensor on their foot to detect the oxygen levels in their blood, and all three are doing well.  

Each has an IV, dripping nutrients, fluid and some calories.  Only Max still has a breathing tube, which should come out today.  

So that's the story for now.  It's been an extraordinary 26 hours since they were born and it should only get more extraordinary from here.