The holidays had just ended, and never had a new year begun with such a feeling of joy. Deep down, I knew it – I could feel it. On January 7th, the news was confirmed: I was pregnant.
At 10 weeks, we had the first ultrasound, the one where everything became more real, more definite. But also more intense. In my belly, there wasn’t just one little heartbeat, but two. “You’re having twins,” the doctor told us. Double the joy!
The doctor had seen tears many times before, but tears of pure joy upon learning of a multiple pregnancy, more rarely. We had no second thoughts. We were happy, excited and feeling very privileged. We were going to be first-time parents, and to two babies!
The ultrasound also revealed that our girls shared the same placenta. We were expecting identical twins. With higher chances of premature birth, growth delays and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, twin pregnancy carries more risk than a classic pregnancy, and our case was no different. Six weeks later, the next ultrasound showed that the babies were growing at different rates and the doctors had to determine if there was enough amniotic fluid surrounding them.
As of the 16th week, I was followed by the high-risk pregnancy clinic (GARE) at the CHU Sainte-Justine to ensure my pregnancy progressed smoothly. Time went on, and things were going fine. Everything was under control. One of the twins was smaller than the other, but it wasn’t anything to worry about. She was still following her growth curve. That is, until she began to exhibit interrupted blood flow in her umbilical cord, and we had to be more vigilant.
At 27 weeks, things got complicated. That morning I was due to have my glucose test and a monitoring appointment. The nurse, who came regularly to our home, noticed a decreased heart rate. Worried, she sent us to Sainte-Justine for more thorough tests. We stayed overnight, and things seemed to be stabilizing. But less than a week later our little one’s heart rate slowed again. Our hearts, on the other hand, were racing with worry, and with good reason.
At 6:00 the following morning, the doctor told us we had to go ahead with the birth. “The heart rate of one of your daughters is dropping too much. We could lose her – we have to get them out.” A few hours later, our daughters were born via emergency Caesarean section at 28 weeks and 4 days. It was a first victory for our family; a first, but not the last, because it immediately became clear that the battle was not yet won. We began to understand that the technology and expertise of our care team, along with plenty of love, would be critical to the survival of our daughters.
Healthcare, to live and survive
The girls are called Zoé and Gabrielle. Zoé has had the tougher road. At just 4 days old she had to undergo intestinal surgery, and was in critical condition the next night. Thanks to the CHU Sainte-Justine’s intensive care team, Zoé quickly regained her strength. As for Gabrielle, at birth she suffered serious blood oxygen desaturation levels. Sainte-Justine healed her. In fact, Sainte-Justine took care of all of us, and with such generosity.
This generosity was exemplified by our doctors and nurses, and by the donors who make it possible for families like ours to be welcomed into an environment that is at once high-performing and loving. An environment that comforts and gives hope, it becomes a second home.
Sainte-Justine is not just a “mother-child” hospital. It goes well beyond that, viewing the health of mothers and children as a whole, like a family. And it’s a family where the parents, medical teams and donors come together to bring forth life, and keep it in good health.
109 days in neonatology
When Zoé and Gabrielle were born, I remember how their fragility made me feel that a simple smile from them would fulfill my heart’s desire. After three months, when, for the first time, they were lying cuddled next to each other, I felt a wave of love wash over me, even greater than I could have hoped to experience. For the first time, that day, all four of us were together, reunited. If only you could have seen their eyes, full of surprise and curiosity. And their father and I were completely awestruck…
After more than 100 days in the neonatology unit at Sainte-Justine, our dream of becoming parents was finally realized and we savoured every moment. And there I was, thinking that last year’s holidays were the best ever! I know this year’s will be a thousand times better, and it’s thanks to Sainte-Justine and to the extended family that we’re so proud to be part of now.
Zoé and Gabrielle are the best gifts life could have given us. By taking part in the Sainte-Justine Circle’s activities, you make it possible for the care teams to work in an environment that’s as technologically advanced as it is filled with love: thank you!
