Needless to say, after the doctors told us that our boys would perish if they were born, we focused on NOT going into labor. My poor wife Kelly was put on bed rest so that her head was 4 degrees lower than her feet. She could not get up for any reason whatsoever. She was given Magnesium Sulfate and a steroid that helped mature the lungs of both boys. The Magnesium did double duty, primarily to help protect the brains of our children, but also to slow the contractions. We breathed a huge sigh of relief when the contractions stopped. It now appeared that we were in for a long wait while the boys developed in the safest place for them, their mother. Surrounded by our family and close friends, we had plenty of support and love. For four days, we prayed and hoped that they would hold fast. Each day that passed was a momentous occasion, it meant our precious boys had grown just a little bit more, had fractionally built up their defenses against this cold and raucous world. We ate at bedside and drank gallons of water (staying hydrated slows contractions). We watched television for hours. I finally became well acquainted with Kelly's all time favorite TV characters, those crazy kids from "Friends". Hotel Kaiser Permanente kindly put us up in a big room with a couch that pulled out into a full sized bed. Familia and amigos brought us snacks and visited, brightening our days. So we waited, not with impatience but with wishes that the wait become longer and longer. On the fifth day, our wait was interrupted...but thankfully we knew we had barely made it to the 24 week mark. We breathed a sigh of relief knowing that our boys would at least be given a chance to live. At the same time, we cried and braced ourselves for a whole new roller coaster.
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