Our Little Fighter

6 am on November 19Th Preston was diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The doctors believe that is was the stadol that cause him to be born with out a heartbeat and not breathing but regardless of that his lungs were still immature and he needed surfactant. Holland Hospital was able to administer him the surfactant right away. This was actually great news to us! Hunter was 2 days old before he was given surfactant so we were hoping this would give Preston a head start. The special care nursery has come a long ways since Hunter, they are now able to keep RDS babies as long as they can wean off the CPAP with in 24 hours. So we waited. During this time we didn't accept any visitors. This may sound harsh but we did this for several reasons. The obvious reason is the germ factor, its cold and flu season the last thing Preston or any of us needed was to be sick. Second reason was because his breathing was unstable and he was fighting for his life, its recommended that he is not touched unless necessary. Extra touches may seem like love and support to you but to Preston it is using up the energy that he needs to take that next breath. The final reason was because Chase and I were on an emotional rollercoaster. Yes we have been through this before but still we needed time to process everything and time to make the decision necessary for Preston to get the best care possible. Through out the day Preston had his ups and downs.

First Family Photo

Holland Hospital Special Care Nursery

He was taken off CPAP and put on a nasal cannula for a short time but then he returned to the CPAP. X-rays showed some cloudy fluid in his lungs so they started him on an antibiotic. At about midnight Preston was really struggling he was taken off CPAP and put on a ventilator. The call was made to DeVos Children's hospital to send a team to pick him up. I was relived that Preston was going to some place where they could without a doubt meet all his needs but at the same time I was worried. When Hunter was transferred his heart beat stopped and CPR had to be preformed to bring him back. I was terrified that this would also happen to Preston and I wasn't sure if his little body could handle it. When DeVos sends the Baby bus over it comes complete with Ambulance driver, Doctor, Nurse, and Respiratory therapist (yes that's one expensive bus ride!). When the Doctor was doing her evaluations she discovered 2 additional things about Preston. One, he had a heart mur mur and two, he had a dimple on his but that may be connected to his spine. Just what he needed more cards stacked against him. By 6:00am Preston was riding the Baby bus on his way to DeVos and we thanked the Lord that it went smoothly.

Preston on the Ventilator

DeVos Children's Hospital

Preston spent a total of 16 days at DeVos. 3 more then his brother and 2 less then the average stay. He had 4 wonderful, I mean WONDERFUL!!!! nurses - Jane, Megan, Dee, and Angela. They really were great advocates for Preston and they cared for our whole family! We were brave and brought Hunter with us as much as possible, the nurses were great about helping him feel comfortable around all the wires and tubes and I am pretty sure he gave them a laugh or two too. I spent every day but 2 at the hospital with Preston. When Preston was 4 days old I ended up with a sore throat, I was terrified I was getting sick and wouldn't be able to see the little man. Turns out it was the not sleep for 4 days that did it to me. A day home sleeping did me wonders. The second day we stayed home because of a snow storm. There was a nasty accident on that had the highway jammed up that morning so we decided it was best not to drive the slippery roads on little to no sleep. Turns out even some of the staff at DeVos were an hour late or more!

Preston on CPAP

DeVos Children's Hospital

Preston did a lot of ping ponging while he was there. When never new what the day would hold for him. There were days we thought way he could be home in a day or two and then times where we knew he was going to be there for the long haul. His heart mur mur that was discovered when he was transfered had closed on its own and it turns out his dipple wasn't deep enough to be of conceren. Once his breathing was stable his biggest obstacl was eating. He had to eat 8 feedings in a row from a bottle and he was only allowed 20 minutes per feeding. Most of the time he preferred to sleep through his feeds. Its was frustrating for us but we needed to step back, his body was exhausted he needed this time. On December 3rd he was evaluated by a physical theripist. He recomened that we should set up an appointment with Early On through the Ottawa Area Center. Although his brain scans didn't show damage there was still cause for concern because of the lack of oxygen at birth. Th PT also noticed that Preston would not relax his legs he always held them apart. The best way to descibe it is spread eagle - sorry I know. We were told to keep his leg knee to navel and swaddled to hopfully his muscles would continue to develop.

Brotherly Love

DeVos Children's Hospital

On December 4Th I called at night to get and update. Jane gave me all his stats and then asked what I was doing tomorrow. I told her we planed to come up with Hunter. Jane told me to make sure we take the car seat because your going home with one more!! I immediately called Chase and started crying tears of Joy Preston James was finally coming Home!!!!!!!!!!

December 5Th our family of four was complete.

I want a pink baby not a purple one!

Preston James Turkstra

November 19, 2011

7lbs 9oz

37 weeks and 5 days

The third week in November I had convinced myself that this baby was going to be nothing like his brother and that in fact all pregnancies are different. I had begun to plan what to take to my moms for thanksgiving and trying to figure out how in the world I would eat on thanksgiving feeling so full as it is.



November 18th I was picking up for dinner we had Meatloaf. I bent over to put the ketchup away and I felt a pop and a small trickle of water. Could that really be my water breaking? No not a chance the bending must have caused me to pee a bit. Oh but wait a minute it continued after I went to the bathroom and as I walk down the stairs in 5 minutes I had soaked my pants. My water had defiantly broken. It was a little after 7p.m. Since it was so close to bed time I called my parents and had them come get Hunter so he could get a full nights rest. I began to feel a few contractions they were very random maybe 3 contractions in a row at 4 minutes apart and then nothing for 10 or 15 minutes. I called the doctor and she said to take my time and come on in. My plan was to stay home as long as I wasn't in serious pain and I could breath and talk normal. Well the scaredy cat in me got the best of me. So as a distraction my Husband said lets pack the car and head to my work so I can finish everything up before the little man is here. So we did. He worked and I walked the parking lot. My contractions were still not regular and I was terrified that they would start pitocin right away so I walked and walked trying to keep things going. I would have done jumping jacks if my water wasn't leaking so bad ;)



We finally made it to the hospital at about 10:30p.m. I was only at 3 cm at that point so I continued to walk the halls for another 2 hours. Since my contractions were not regular enough the word pitocin was mentioned by the doctor. I wanted to do everything in my power not to have to start the pit and the evil path that it usually leads down so I began nipple stimulation. What do you know it started to help, but not soon enough at 12:30 they came in to start an IV with pitocin in it. I was now sentenced to the bed :( I put on my hypnobabies cd and got in the zone. It was a good thing too because it took 4 people and 1 hour to get the stupid IV in and by that time my contractions were strong very strong. I was to a 6. Once the pitocin started flowing at 1:30 my strong contractions became extremely strong! I had to concentrate hard to mange them. I asked for a birthing ball hoping that rocking on it would help. I sat for a few minutes and had to go the the bathroom. I never new that sitting on a toilet could feel so good. It was just the position I needed. All my up and down was making my nurse nervous, so she wanted to check again. Oh my was that extremely painful. I was still a six so she offered me stadol. At that point I was becoming frustrated and feeling trapped by the IV so I said yes. I thought maybe it would take the edge off so I could regain my focus. She came back and checked me again before she started it. Once and really? That killed I mean an awful awful pain and pressure. I was still a six so she started the stadol. she started to walk out of the room I had a contraction and I said I need to push now. I should have kept my mouth shut because he she comes to check me again!!! Dumb bitch (ok sorry I'm sure she is a very sweet lady but that was my thought at the time) I was at a 10 and ready to go. No shit Sherlock didn't I just tell her I needed to push! She ran to get the doctor and I kept pushing my poor husband thought he was going to have to grab the baby. The doctor came in and less then a minute afterward I pushed him out. And yes I finally know what a ring of fire is, not so painful just uncomfortable lets get this over with kind of thing. The placed Preston on my chest he was purple, not crying, not breathing, no heartbeat. I asked the nurse to take him now. About 20 people came running into the room and began CPR on Preston. I felt so helpless I was stuck delivering the placenta when I wanted to be by him. A million thoughts raced through my head. But my main thought was a Prayer, Please GOD let him live breath air into his tiny lungs let his heart beat. The delivering doctor tried to reassure me telling me that he doesn't have RDS he will be fine he is just feeling the affects of the stadol because it was given to you too late in labor. After the longest 5 minutes of my life they got our little fighter back. I thanked God for giving him back to us but we were still very unsure of what the minutes and hours would hold for him.

Holland Hospital Special Care Nursery November 19, 2011

March of Dimes Kick Off

Last week Thursday was our Holland walk kick off. We had it at the Holland Fish and Game Club. The turn out wasn't as good as we expected but it was still a great event! I had to give a speech as a team captain and let me tell you I sucked! But oh well. That morning our sick backed up cause the water from the dish washer to overflow all over the kitchen, so needless to say I had other things on my mind. We had Jeff and Nicki Westra and their 3 daughters come out as our Ambassador family team. What an amazing little family! I surprised myself and made it all the way through their touching story with out crying! Melanie was born 14 weeks too soon and today she is a surviving and thriving beautiful little princess.
Kim Klenk was also there. She is the Boven Birth Center Clinical Educator. Hunter was at this special care nursery for 2.5 days and then transferred to DeVos. I knew I had to talk to her. I had to ease my mind if we are ever going to have another baby I had to talk to her. And then the water works began. I as so so terrified to go through having another sick little baby again. I don't know if I would be able to physically handle that stress again and then to have to worry about Hunter on top of it. What would I do with him if we would have to drive to DeVos every day. Who would I decide to spend my time with the healthy child who knows whats going on or the sick baby who needs me to fight for them. Even the thought of this is just far to overwhelming. Kim gave me confidence though. Since Hunter has been born the special care nursery here and Holland has made advancements and Kim doesn't think that this baby if which is an if is born with RDS he or she would be able to stay here in Holland! AND AND just last week a little boy was born with RDS and was sent home after just one extra day!!!! You have no exciting how great this is for me to hear! Technology and God power working through scientists and Doctors and Nurses is an amazing and powerful thing! This defiantly gave me a little peace. I know God was defiantly with me this weekend because at church on Sunday Britton preached exactly what I needed to hear!
The sermon was on Belief. Belief is not just your opinion or what you think but it is carried on throughout your actions and who you are! Because I believe in God, He should be a part of my every breath and thought. Which includes my thoughts and fears about another baby. I need to completely give myself over to God 100% body and soul and trust in him completely. I know this isn't going to make anything a walk in the park and I will still have times when the fear overwhelms me but it is in those times that I desperately need to turn to God. If your the praying type pray with me as we walk through this new journey. Pray that my Belief is hold strong through this process of trying to have another baby. Pray that each day I can give more of myself and my bitterness and anger over Hunter's birth to God.

Thanks for hanging in there with me I know this started out as March of Dimes and ended as something else but its what I need to get out today so thanks for listening.