In Memory of Kyra and Jayde

September 26th, 2004. That was the day the world came down on me, and I lot a part of my heart forever. I was 22 weeks and 6 days pregnant with identical twin girls when while working I started feeling something different. I called my doctor and described the feeling. I was told it was probably braxton hicks, typical contractions felt around this time period. They said go home, relax and put your feet up. They said, time them if they come less than 10 minutes apart go to the hospitals labor and delivery room. Just a mere 2 weeks prior to this we had finally received the outcome to our amniocentisus tests. Tests we had to take because 2 of 5 markers for downs syndrome were found during a sonogram. The markers were false! Our girls were safe and sound, happy and healthy and growing wonderfully inside of me. Kyra and Jayde were the names we had picked for them. Now I was laying down, hoping that these feelings would stop. They didn't. They started to pick up and become more frequent, not too strong, but deffiantely there and now less than 10 minutes apart. So we went to the hospital. I was seen right away and the nurses did not look happy. I was 3 centimeters dialated, I was in labor! We always knew the girls would come early, we were due in February, but were told they could come in January, maybe even as early as around Christmas day, but it was September! The nurses were great, the doctor too, telling me that many women go into labor this soon and that there are several things that could be done. First they put me on some drugs to stop the contractions then they sent me to another hospital. We were told this Hospital had the best NICU in 20 counties.

When we arrived we were met by a team of Doctors and nurses. They were there to tell us the hospitals policies and answer some questions. The only important thing they said was that my children were not considered Viable until they hit 24 weeks gestation, and that should they come before then, that they would NOT do anything to help them. We had only one question, would any hospital, their answer was NO, they lied!

The next 4 days are mostly a blur. I was on several drugs all helping to keep the girls inside me. I was holding up very well all things considered and each time they tested my cervical fluid they came back negative for rupture, so the girls were safe. On the 4th day they said I was stable and moved me to another wing, one with less supervision. STABLE. What a lovely word. They told me I had to have my catheter removed and that I needed to stand, walk and go to the bathroom. for the previous 4 days I had been in the trindelenburgh position, head down feet up, now they wanted to reverse gravity and let it pull my girls back out. They had been bulging out before and now they were safely down inside of me. We argued, we all did but it was no use they were the doctors, they were the ones who knew what to do so I did as I was told. I shouldn't have. Within 24 hours I was back in labor, and it was stronger than before. I had hit the point of no return, I didn't know what else to do, they couldn't stop it.

Kyra Echo was born at 11:57pm on Saturday September 25th, 2004. She weighed 15.9 ounces. Jayde Kayleigh followed her sister at 12:03 am Sunday September 26th 2004. She weighed 1lb 3.5 ounces. Both of my girls were alive, breathing with heartbeats. It didn't matter. They were 23 weeks and 4 days gestation, 3 days short of 24 weeks. The doctors did nothing. I had told Forrest while we were pregnant that fathers sometimes bonded with their babies through kangaroo care, holding the child to their bare skin. So Forrest tried to prolong their lives, keeping them warm against his own skin. Our girls lived 7 and a half hours, and now I miss them so much!

My doctor and the Doctors at the hospital have no idea why I went into labor so early.

Every year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely in the U.S. — one in eight babies born too soon, a national health crisis that must be stopped. The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth.

Each year we walk for the March of Dimes in honor of Kyra & Jayde. Please help support us in our efforts by donation to our Walk America fund raising efforts.