We’ve officially crossed into the 28th week of pregnancy and with it leapt into the third trimester, and not a moment too soon. The girls scored an 8 out of 8 on their BPP tests, routinely registered healthy heart beats and reassuringly katate’d the organs of their mother throughout the day. However, Baby C’s diastolic blood flow presented gaps, yet again, prompting Dr. Hayes to increase Meghan’s oxygen flow and bump the monitoring up to around the clock, disrupting what little peace that could be found in the wee hours of the morning.

Now we can expect monitoring every 3 hours, for an hour, accompanied by a finger prick for blood sugar levels, an insulin shot if the result is over 150, along with the typical vital measurements. All without the comforts of salted foods or sugars of any desirable quantities. As of tonight Meghan must fast after midnight until the doctor gives the okay sometime mid-morning, as a precaution to insure Meghan won’t have a full stomach if the c-sections needs to be performed the following morning. An uncomfortable precaution that brings with it the somber realization that our timeline has likely shortened from a matter of weeks to that of days.

These precious few weeks days or, god forbid, hours that they remain in utero could very well determine so very much of how they spend all their days to come, and just how healthily they’ll be able to face them. Let’s hope these days are plural and filled with growth for our girls.

Like I’m sure so many of you all do, at times like this I look to the venerable Richard Nixon for inspiration:

The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire

– Richard Nixon

Thanks, Uncle Dick.

On the brighter side of things, I got to spend my first night in 4 nights with my dearly beloved wife. Sleepovers aren’t encouraged by the hospital, but they’re not banned either – the sweet spot for shenanigans. So, with Gigi graciously running point on Lucy care, I saddled up and made the trek down to Green Bay. By the light of electric candles we watched Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and had a pretty great date night, all things considered. With the lights off and the movie mercifully over I’m writing this at Meghan’s bedside as she attempts to rest before the nurse returns in 2 and a half hours to remind her that personal space doesn’t exist at a time like this. There’s no place I’d rather be.

Thank you for reading. Good night.

– Casey