Quick Update

Hi guys ... I haven't updated in a while so I figured I would check in. I had an OB appt today just to check on me again, and have a quick peek to make sure the bubs are still doing well.

I'm happy to report that everyone was swimming around happily and measuring right on target. My sister wasn't able to go with me to the appt, she was picking up her wig, but I got lots of great u/s pics for her ...

And I'm pretty sure they are going with Samantha Mary (Mary after her DH's mom who passed away unexpectedly a few years back) and Anthony Mark (Anthony is her DH's name, and Mark is my brother) ...

The twins pat my stomach now and say "Chrissy's babies" ... and Hailey says "Hi Sami, Hi Tony" to my belly. It's really the cutest thing ever. But what was even funnier was when Jake went up to my DH and patted him on the belly and asked "Chrissy's babies??" ... DH answered "No, just McDonalds in there buddy".

In other good news, my sister is having her final chemo treatment tomorrow (YEAH!!!) so we are excited for that to be over with and to be looking towards the future!

 

love the names they've picked. Glad to hear everything is going well, its so cute what ur little one's are saying to your belly awe

 

Glad to hear it is going well! Like the names! And I love Jake's comment!!

 

Glad to hear everything is going well!! I Love the names they picked out!! :wub:

 

Yeah!! I was going to ask you how your sister was doing so thanks for the update. I'm sure she's thrilled to be close to done with the chemo!

 

I'm glad to hear that things are settling in and coming together for everyone. I hope your sister starts feeling better soon. Has the chemo run her down greatly? Do her doctors expect her to be feeling well by the time the babies are expected to arrive?

Thanks for sharing your amazing experience with all of us. We're all rooting for you and Chrissy.

ETA: I see you have a new avatar. :good:

 

QUOTE(SweetpeaG @ Feb 24 2009, 08:36 PM) [snapback]1203970[/snapback]
I'm glad to hear that things are settling in and coming together for everyone. I hope your sister starts feeling better soon. Has the chemo run her down greatly? Do her doctors expect her to be feeling well by the time the babies are expected to arrive?


My sister hasn't had too bad of a time with the chemo. She goes every 3 weeks (4 treatments total). For the week and a half after, she feels like crap. She doesn't vomit, she has lots of good meds to help with that ... but it's exhaustion to the point where she will literally sleep all day, and just feel like she is sapped of every bit of energy. There is some dizziness, light-headedness, etc, so she usually doesn't work, or works from home during that week or so. But then after that, she bounces back pretty quickly and feels good until her next treatment. So really, we need to get through the next 2 weeks, and then she will be doing well. She HATES that she doesn't have her hair, but she just went to some amazing place in NYC and got a GREAT wig ... I saw her in it today, and literally you can not tell that it's a wig. She even had it in a pony tail and it looked real!

She has 4 weeks off after her treatment, and then starts 6 weeks of radiation. That should take me to about 25 weeks of my pregnancy. So (fingers crossed) she would have another 12 weeks to really feel good without any treatment before these two crazies arrive.

It's SO much. It really is. Her doctor (Reproductive Doc) actually wanted her to freeze all her embryos and me do my surrogacy cycle a little later, so the babies wouldn't arrive so soon after her cancer treatments ended. But my sister vetoed it as she hasn't had great embryo quality, and figured a fresh cycle had a better chance than a frozen. So, here we are. Luckily, I live right down the road from her, and my parents live only about 15 minutes ... my mom is retired, and my dad is semi-retired, so she is going to have a TON of help.

Thanks for all the concern! When she signs up for TS (yeah, I'll force her into it) so many people are going to feel like they know her!

 

I'm glad it's going well. It's will be great when your sister gets to join; heck she should join now.

I love the McDonalds comment, too cute.

 

YAY good news all around!

Thanks for the update!

 

QUOTE(caba @ Feb 24 2009, 07:43 PM) [snapback]1203865[/snapback]
But what was even funnier was when Jake went up to my DH and patted him on the belly and asked "Chrissy's babies??" ... DH answered "No, just McDonalds in there buddy".


:rotflmbo: Funny man!

I'm so happy to hear you and the babies are doing well, and that your sisters final chemo is tomorrow. :hug: :hug: Please keep us updated. I can't wait to "meet" your sister! :Clap:

 

YAY!!!!!! I'm so glad everything is going well for her and for you and the babies. Those comments were precious!!

 

So glad everything is going well!! Thanks for the update.

 

Yeah for last chemo! I hope she is feeling much better by the time the babies come and I'm glad she has so much help close by.

Keep baking those babies!!!

 

Thanks for the update!!!! I am so happy for both of you!

 

What a great update! I love reading your good news :wub:.

 

Thanks for the update, what great news!!


QUOTE(caba @ Feb 24 2009, 07:43 PM) [snapback]1203865[/snapback]
The twins pat my stomach now and say "Chrissy's babies" ... and Hailey says "Hi Sami, Hi Tony" to my belly. It's really the cutest thing ever. But what was even funnier was when Jake went up to my DH and patted him on the belly and asked "Chrissy's babies??" ... DH answered "No, just McDonalds in there buddy".

:laughing: Priceless!


QUOTE(caba @ Feb 24 2009, 07:43 PM) [snapback]1203865[/snapback]
In other good news, my sister is having her final chemo treatment tomorrow (YEAH!!!) so we are excited for that to be over with and to be looking towards the future!

Oh yay!! :Clap: :hug:

 

sounds like some great news!!! my grandma went through radiation and other than feeling "like a piece of steak off the grill" it didn't get her down so much as the chemo she had 30+ years ago! hope your sister has great results...

 

Thanks for the update. I have been keeping you and your family in my thoughts and am glad to hear that everything is going so well.

 

Too funny about your DH's stomach! And YAY for your sister, both with her babies doing so well and chemo being almost through!

 

That's a great update, I still can't believe what an amazing sister you are (although I'm touch jealous you will get to feel kicking again).

Can I ask a question, and feel free to not reply.

Are you going to take a maternity leave after you have the babies? How does this work for a surrogate? I think the other ladies on the board who have been surrogates don't work FT, so i was wondering how you are handling it with your job. Clearly you need recovery time since I think you are having a c-section, but I wondered if other benefits kick in for you?

 

QUOTE(akameme @ Feb 25 2009, 01:20 PM) [snapback]1204947[/snapback]
That's a great update, I still can't believe what an amazing sister you are (although I'm touch jealous you will get to feel kicking again).

I must admit, I'm excited about that too! I figured I would never feel that again! This is kind of a nice way to enjoy the pregnancy, without having a baby to take care of at the end!!

QUOTE(akameme @ Feb 25 2009, 01:20 PM) [snapback]1204947[/snapback]
Can I ask a question, and feel free to not reply.

Are you going to take a maternity leave after you have the babies? How does this work for a surrogate? I think the other ladies on the board who have been surrogates don't work FT, so i was wondering how you are handling it with your job. Clearly you need recovery time since I think you are having a c-section, but I wondered if other benefits kick in for you?


I get disability. In NJ, you get 4 weeks before (or more if Dr deems necessary) and 6 (vaginal) or 8 (c-section) weeks after. All of this is purely because you are pregnant, and to recover from pregnancy. I will get all this disability. NJ Disability pays 66 2/3 % of your salary (up to a cap). For 10 weeks of my disablity, my company will make-up the difference so that I get full pay. Once my 10 weeks is up, my sister and her DH are making up the difference. So while I am out, I need to make sure my full paycheck is still coming into our house.

After this, with my twins, I got an additional 3 months (unpaid) for Family Leave Act. This was my baby-bonding time. This I won't get, as there will be no baby to bond with!

I keep telling my sister that I am SO looking forward to being home after giving birth for 8 weeks, with a big bottle of percocet, and no newborns to take care of!!! Mine will still be in daycare all day like they are now, and that's going to be the coolest thing ever! Me, in a house, my myself, all day long! Oh man, I'm going to be on TS non-stop.

 

QUOTE
I keep telling my sister that I am SO looking forward to being home after giving birth for 8 weeks, with a big bottle of percocet, and no newborns to take care of!!! Mine will still be in daycare all day like they are now, and that's going to be the coolest thing ever! Me, in a house, my myself, all day long! Oh man, I'm going to be on TS non-stop.

OH KREIKY!!! Erica on percocet on TS?!! :laughing: Just kidding - should be interesting!!

Thanks for the update! I enjoy following your story!

 

QUOTE(~* dfaut *~ @ Feb 25 2009, 01:48 PM) [snapback]1204990[/snapback]
OH KREIKY!!! Erica on percocet on TS?!! :laughing: Just kidding - should be interesting!!


Good point! I'm either going to be a laugh-riot, or I'm getting banned! Should be a fun show for the rest of you!

 

QUOTE(caba @ Feb 25 2009, 11:59 AM) [snapback]1205008[/snapback]
Good point! I'm either going to be a laugh-riot, or I'm getting banned! Should be a fun show for the rest of you!

Can't wait to find out!!! :rotflmbo:

 

So glad to hear everything is going so well!!