Welcome to Life with the Pipers

Thanks for checking out our blog. This blog is designed to be a place to talk about our life right now and also share some fun antidotes.

Why "Life with the Pipers?" Why Now?
My favorite song from last year was a track called, "Our Life is Not a Movie Or Maybe" by Okkervil River. Check out the link to hear it streaming off the band's website. Well, anyway, I feel like our life right now is like a movie, and that it might be interesting (and somewhat therapeutic for us) to share a little about it in this forum.

On Wednesday evening I was informed by my wife Jeni that a blood test taken several weeks earlier came us suspecting that we were at a higher risk of having a child with spina bifida. We were shocked, and needless to say, spent a sleepless night worrying. We then went to get the ultrasound on Friday. My heart felt like it sunk down to my shoes looking at Jeni's intake slip that read, "High Risk." This is my healthy, beautiful wife- how could we be "high risk?" After waiting the obligatory 45 minutes for any sort of doctor appointment, that we have now become accustomed to, we went in and got the ultrasound.

The doctor informed us, almost immediately, that we were having twins. In a monotone voice, that would put Ben Stein to shame, he exclaimed emotionless, "I'm glad you're laying down... you have twins." Tears of joy were shed. How cool is that? We go in thinking spinal problems and now we will be having two babies! This joy was short lived, however, as we then heard him say, and this I will quote, "I have a great concern... but I will tell you about it when I'm done." For the next 20 minutes this doctor sat and clicked on a computer labeling organs on our babies and making the machine beep, much like a smoke detector in need of a new battery. He never even asked our names. Now, I am no medical professional, but I do know a thing or two about tact, and this just wasn't the way I would want news like this broken.

As it turned out, we were diagnosed with monoamniotic twins. I had never heard of this condition. In plain English, this means that the babies are suspected of sharing the same amniotic sac, and have a very high risk of having their cords intertwined and compacted.

Now, for the real scary part... there is about a 50% chance if these babies are indeed monoamniotic twins that they won't make it. We will need to make lots of trips to the doctor from now on, and if the babies are ok by the 28th week of pregnancy, Jeni will most likely be hospitalized for the duration so the twins can be closely monitored. Our regular OBGYN doctor said this would be the best case scenario.

We are 18 weeks in as it is, so this makes the countdown to baseball opening day to take on a whole different meaning.

This experience so far has been the hardest thing I've had to deal with in my life. I am left without having any sort of control over the situation. We don't have answers. We don't have a plan. We don't know the ending to this story. What we do know is that we have love for each other. We have love for these babies. And, above all else, we have Faith that this will all turn out as it is planned. So, for the time being, we are hoping to share this story with you. I am praying for a happy ending, and a celebration like none other when these babies are taken home. Jeni's mother's intuition says several times a day that they will be fine and this will end well. I have no choice but to trust her, pray hard, and see how this adventure will unfold. Welcome to "Life With the Pipers."