Saturday, August 31, 2013

I Love You TeddyBear, Giveaway #4


Our 4th Giveaway sponsored by FOTWA, FOTWTTTSA, hosted through Thoughts of an Angel Mommy.

Known as our I Love You TeddyBear Giveaway, in memory of our twins.
Thanks for helping us reach our goal of 500 page likes by August 30th 2013 on FOTWTTTSA!

What two people will win:
A teddy bear and care package in memory of their angel baby.

~ Please USA Only.
~ For bereaved family who have lost a much wanted child, gestational age or born still. 
~ Please enter only once. 
~ For this giveaway we will have TWO WINNERS.

To enter this giveaway:

~ Please LIKE our facebook page Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels, if you've not done so already.
~ Please LIKE our facebook page Fruit Of The Womb Angels, if you've not done so already.
*Our website for our charity can be found at www.fruitofthewombangels.org

~ Once you enter, please SHARE our giveaway if you are able so that others know about our pages, charity and giveaway. 

To enter REPLY to this blog post with the following information:

-> Your email address and name, relation to the angel baby, angel baby name (or nick name), and age (gestational age or born still birthday).
-> Please let us know that you have liked our pages and shared our giveaway. 


Thank You and Good Luck!


You are welcome to share our page and this giveaway as often as you like. Giveaways winners will be contacted via email. You are not eligible to win if you are not a fan of our page and have not followed the guidelines listed for this giveaway, so please be sure to read carefully when entering to win. If you are a winner from a prior giveaway, we ask you to let others have a chance to win and wait until the next giveaway or next month to enter again. Entry depends on how often we have giveaways. Thank you for understanding.**Since our last giveaway was July 24th and ended July 31st, all are able to enter in our current giveaway. This was mentioned as it applies to all past and future giveaways.

Our I Love You TeddyBear Giveaway will run for one week, starting on September 1st 2013 and ending one week from today on September 8th 2013. 

Past giveaways can be viewed on our website at www.fruitofthewombangels.org

**If for some reason your reply is unable to go through, having a google account shouldn't be required but in case it is then for this big giveaway we will also count entries via email. You must include everything we ask to enter in the giveaway here on the page and in the subject line be sure to mention this is in regards to the I Love You TeddyBear Giveaway. Email can be sent to fruitofthewombtttsangels@gmail.com Thanks to all who have entered, for your support and sharing our page and giveaway with others. :) **

Monday, August 19, 2013

The Future

Been thinking about the future more often these days as the 30th of August arrives. Wondering what will be our best options, thinking about what we should do, hoping for our rainbow and a miracle.. No exact plan set in motion and just knowing whatever we do that at least we are doing it together. 

Still behind on some official paperwork for the charity. There is so much to submit. Only had one inquiry so far in regards to a remembrance package so not too worried about that. As for the keepsake part of the charity doing the best to keep all the information and not fall too behind. Already two weeks behind schedule and even though people do understand the delay I just want to make sure to have everything out as soon as possible. 

As I write this I realize that I need to send out the official shipped emails for the giveaway butterflies. I don't like falling behind schedule but so much has happened recently that my priorities have shifted. I'm looking forward to when everything is back to a set schedule again. 

Without any idea what the future holds we venture forward. Almost like we are walking into the fog, we can not see what is ahead of us but it is easier to walk than run, easier to continue where we are going than going backwards... 

So here we are and all I can continue to hope for what we've wanted for 13 years, what we've tried for for 9 years, and what we dream about every day while remembering what we lost.. Our future, our rainbow baby. Oh how I hope this dream turns into reality. 

Friday, August 16, 2013

New Cover Photo FOTWTTTSA, By Our Fans

Decided that our new cover photos on our page will feature photos and graphics given to us and created in the memory of our twins. :) Plan to change our cover photo once a month over the next several months so hope that people feel comfortable sharing with us. www.facebook.com/fruitofthewombtttsangels


Another Introduction Of Sorts FOTWTTTSA

What I shared on our facebook page Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels today. www.facebook.com/fruitofthewombtttsangels 




Thought I would introduce myself again. Hello everyone, thank you for supporting us, our page and everything we do in our twin daughters memory. My name is Evelyn Schwenke.

After about eight years of trying, we learned we were finally pregnant last year on August 30th 2012 and weeks later in September learned we would be having identical twins. Our pregnancy had it's complications but by November things were looking good for us, we learned we were expecting girls, we felt we could finally relax.

By December 3rd we learned our twins could be at risk for TTTS, which is twin twin transfusion syndrome, our baby B was becoming larger than our baby A. On the 6th we went to see a specialist and ended up having several scans and it was determined they were in stage 3-4 TTTS, with out a life saving laser surgery it would be fatal.

Early December 7th we arrived at the hospital and prepped for surgery. Hours later we were out of surgery and resting. It would be ups and downs from then on out.

Our nightmare had begun and we were hoping our twins would make it. On December 9th in the later afternoon we learned that our baby Apple Marie passed away, and on December 10th in the early afternoon learned that our baby Banana Lee passed away.

Heartbroken and feeling like a rug was pulled out from under us, screams of tears and no future for our children. No more contractions, we would go home and wait until the time was right to labor them.

Daily contractions and every emotion possible came over us after losing our daughters. 18 days after losing our second child, hours of back labor, no medications or epidural helped, almost rushed into surgery during labor. But we made it through everything, our girls were born at 11:20am and 11:30am on December 28th. After rest and recovery, we finally met our children late that evening.

Our twins were beautiful and looked so much like their daddy. All I have to do is close my eyes and I can see them. I miss so much about them, I miss how I felt with them, I miss their flutters and most of all I miss their kicks.

On January 7th 2013 our twins came back home to us, cremated in a beautiful snow white urn. Since our loss we have created this page in their memory for information, support and graphics. We have created a charity to offer keepsakes to bereaved parents and plan to offer local photography services with keepsake and remembrance packages. Our charity has it's on website and a facebook page too. I have a blog where we host our giveaways and I share my thoughts.

So much has been created and all to honor the memory of our twins. Recently we reached and now slowly passing our goal of 500 page likes. It has been a blessing having this page because it helps keep the memories of our girls alive and we're able to help so many people.

So that's a little bit about me and our story.
Thanks for listening. :)
Much love to you all.
Your page admin,
-Evelyn <3


www.fruitofthewombangels.org (our charity)
www.facebook.com/fruitofthewombangels (charity on fb)
http://thoughtsofanangelmommyfotwa.blogspot.com/ (my blog)

We Reached Our Likes Goal On FOTWTTTSA

Finally reached our likes goal on our support and graphics facebook page. I feel so blessed. Our twins were our everything and we lost them last year but created a page in their memory and have been able to help hundreds of people so far. It breaks my heart that our twins had to die. But their memory lives through what we are able to do for others. Momma is thinking of you so much today baby girls. We love you Apple and Banana!!! Forever and ever!!!


Last Night


Last night I think you were in my dreams because this morning I thought of you.
Wondering if next month, next year, I'll finally be lucky enough for my dream to come true.

I keep having dreams about the future. What it will keep like to have that happy moment happen again. Will I want to share it with the entire world? Will we want to share it with the entire world is a better question? Or will we just keep everything to ourselves until we are in the clear...

With the twins after week 12 we did believe we were in the clear. We thought we had made it and would be ok. By week 14,15, 16 we believed we could finally breathe again.

I can honestly say that I'm worried about the future and the future hasn't even arrived yet. I have no idea what it holds for us and I hope that we will finally have our happy ending, the future we were supposed to have with our twins.

So we venture forward into the unknown.. Hopeful as always.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Speaking The Truth, Snow Angels

This is what I wrote on our facebook page tonight. Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels

Can I have a moment to tell you something that is 100% true? 


I feel like my heart is being stabbed from the inside, that there are weights on my chest and it's becoming harder to breathe. 

The 30th of August is nearing and that was such a happy occasion for us last year. In many ways I'm dreading the 30th. Which is also why I hope we keep receiving likes on our page because that helps warm my heart and brings a smile to my face because I know people support what I do in our twins memory and they are not forgotten.

And my reply to that post.. 
The next five months.. A part of me doesn't know how I will get through this time while another part of me knows how I will get through and I will be ok, broken but ok. 

I feel like if I can make it to January 7th 2014 that everything will be ok because that was a good day, bittersweet but good. On January 7th, my birthday, 2013, our twins cremated remains in their snow white urn returned to us. I felt peace. 

I need signs from our twins, I felt like I had no signs before but that's not true. When they passed we had lots of signs, they sent us the snow. On every important day after they passed and when we felt sad and were thinking of them they sent us the snow, kisses from heaven so to speak. Remember when it was snowing right before Easter this past year, I know many of you complained but that brought me warmth and that is what I needed, what my husband and I needed because to us that was a sign from our baby girls. This is how our girls became known as our snow angels. 

So the one thing that helps give me peace are snowflakes and snow. It was suggested to plant snow ball bushes, thank you Annie Parrish, what a wonderful way for us to honor our babies and let us have the snow all year round. 

Since Easter left us I have not felt any signs from our girls and the upcoming anniversaries, ones that have passed and are to arrive have left me feeling empty and anxious. So many people speak of signs and so lucky, I want them too. 

If you're listening tonight our beautiful daughters please do your parents one thing, send us the snow, yes even in August. Ok, it doesn't have to be snow but please send us a sign. We need to feel you with us, we miss you both so so much and love you both so so much! 

It's Getting Harder To Breathe

If anyone has heard of the band Maroon 5 and has known them as long as I have, before they were even popular, local gigs even. You may know their first official single, "Harder To Breathe". A particular line of the song comes to mind sometimes,.. "Is there anyone out there 'cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe"

It feels like a weight is in my chest again, a knife stabbing my heart from the inside, just becoming harder and harder to breathe. I feel like every time I say those words that lyric sings in my mind. These anniversaries are nearing, my heart aches for our babies. I wish they were here! I miss our girls so much! This is NOT how it is supposed to be! Any next person who says I should feel happy or lucky to have all this quote, "free time" I may just scream.

This is not the life I wanted, I did not chose to have our babies die, I want to have sleepless nights from feeding the twins and diaper changes but I have nothing but memories and a broken heart. I perhaps that's not technically nothing but you know what I mean to say.

I thought I was going to be able to write this huge, detailed post but now I just want to have this be the end of it. The 30th of August is approaching, it would have been a happy thing to celebrate and remember. Now it's just the date we learned we were pregnant and have nothing but memories to hold onto.. Life is not as it should be.


Thoughts Right Now...

People honestly surprise me sometimes. And it's often those sometimes when I'm disappointed.

Goodbye, A Poem

'Goodbye'

I'll never be the same person that I was before
That person died in December, it feels so long ago
Please don't ask for that women to return
She left, she's gone, goodbye
Perhaps you'll see her someday again
When she has hope in her loving eyes

(c) written by Evelyn Schwenke, August 13th 2013

Again, Our Story

I've wanted to write so much recently but didn't know where to begin.

Perhaps I should share our story again because I did today on our facebook page Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels.

This is what I wrote, I tried to keep it short but let's be honest here, even the short story is a long one.

"As some of you know, I am the admin of this page and it was created in memory of our twins that passed away from TTTS, which is twin twin transfusion syndrome. My name is Evelyn and this is our story. 

It was not easy our road to parenthood. Several different types of treatments, so many medications and finally injections that it took to help us conceive. After eight years of trying for a baby our dream came true when we learned we were pregnant on August 30th 2012. A successful cycle of IVF from a local doctor in the St Louis area. Our future was bright and we were looking forward to every moment. 

I'll keep to the main points of our story otherwise it becomes rather long. By September 2012 we learned we were having twins. My husband and I had always dreamed of twins and we knew because of my family history there could be a chance, but identical twins, that was a unique miracle. While watching flickering heartbeats on the screen and the labeling beginning for the first time, baby A and baby B; I turned to my husband with happy tears in my eyes, smiled and said, "baby A and baby B, our little apple and banana". After that the names just kinda stuck. 

Later in September a cyst rupture and then bleeding in October, the first few months were frightening but our twins were striving and growing. November was our best month, we watched our children grow before our eyes with each ultrasound appointment. We learned we were having girls, a dream come true, but wanted to wait until December 20th, our 20th week to announce the big news of girls and also that we were having twins because most did not know there were two. But the time arrived when we feared for the worst, being told December 3rd 2012 that we could be at risk for TTTS and needed to see a specialist. 

December 6th was the longest day possible. So many different scans, measurements, ultrasounds, things were not adding up and we needed to act quickly otherwise it would be fatal for our babies. Stage 3-4 TTTS was diagnosed and we were in surgery the very next day on December 7th. We were in surgery for hours, once out of surgery on magnesium and medications to help with pain and often with surgery, contractions. 

By Saturday the contractions had stopped but a scare happened when I bled. Ultrasound confirmed everything was ok, both girls were doing well and striving. This moment would be short lived. While in the hospital during surgery several quarts of liquid were removed so for the first time I could feel good solid kicks from both girls. I had a day of kicks with each. For that I'm thankful and also miss every moment. 

On Sunday, December 9th 2012, in the later afternoon we learned the worst news, our precious baby A had died, "there is no heart beat, I'm sorry". Left with tears and screams of sadness, fear for losing our baby B, we tried to hold onto hope while grieving for our baby. 

By the time Monday, December 10th 2012, arrived after a terrible night with an allergic reaction to some medicine they gave me, claiming to help with contractions of which I no longer had, by morning I felt better but had only a few hours of rest. Our heart rates were elevated all night long and the extra stress on both our bodies could not have been good. 

Monday afternoon we had our ultrasound, kicks had been scarce but right before the doctor arrived my husband and I were able to feel a flutter of kicks right by my belly button. I did not know those would be her last kicks. I rested on the bed and we looked at our babies. I could see flashing, moving colors in her heart but in emotion was not paying attention that she was not moving and our baby B was such a ham for the camera too. The worst thing to hear, we heard it after a second doctor confirmed what she was seeing. After they told us the news they both just walked out. That hurt even worse because there was no, "I'm sorry", just left. In tears, screaming, crying, wanting to go with them and knowing I could not, all of the emotions overwhelmed us and we just sat there heartbroken and empty inside.

I left that day because I had been given permission to leave with how I was doing. I couldn't stand to be in the place where our babies died any longer. I wanted to go home. The person that left the hospital that day no longer was the person that lived before, the day our daughters died, a part of myself died along with them. 

Forever changed. I was a zombie for the next several weeks. It took me a while before I felt comfortable enough to begin sharing what happened. And the worst thing we had to do was let everyone we loved know that we had to have a life saving surgery, that it didn't help, that it was twins, they were girls and they were dead. People often don't know what to say after the death of a child happens. We've heard it all and what people say effects me one of two ways, either it is comforting or it is hurtful. The words that are a dagger to my heart usually are unintentional, so I try not to hold it against who says it. 

Contractions every day after we lost our girl. 18 days after our twins died I gave birth to them naturally, something I was told I may not be able to do because of my health history. 17 hours and most of which being back labor our babies were born. December 28th 2012 at 11:20am arrived Apple Marie at 5.6 ounces, minutes later at 11:30am arrived Banana Lee at 7.4 ounces. It wasn't until that evening we were able to see them. 

The medications and epidural did not work, first time the doctors had seen that happen, after our twins were born it was like something popped in my spine and everything rushed through me. It took me two hours after laboring the twins for the placenta to be birthed. The amount of blood loss was not good and almost was rushed into emergency surgery with a blood transfusion. I became anemic but would not learn that until my office visit in January 2013 after weeks of feeling weak. 

Before the new year we were at the funeral home making arrangements, our daughters were cremated and returned to us on my birthday. January 7th 2013 was a bitter sweet day but our girls were home, just not as it should be. 

It took me months before I felt comfortable sharing our story with others. I have taken every path of support possible during our path to healing. I decided in the future I wanted to create a page in memory of our twins and after being victimized by a fake angel mommy who had a fake page with lots of promises of gifts to help others, enough was enough, it was time to create our page and give back. 

When my husband and I got our memorial tattoos done someone in the shop asked the artist a question while he was working on my piece. "Fruit of the loom?" he asked, and our artist replied, "It's a long story". But in my gut knowing later I should have replied with, "no, this is for our fruit of the womb". There it was, a name, it was perfect. 

To honor our twins and spread awareness about baby loss and TTTS our page was born, Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels. Since the time this page was created I have done everything I can to honor the memories of other babies who have passed away too soon, the lives of much wanted babies who became angels. Everything I do now is in their memory, I want to give back to others just as so many have given to me. 

The greatest gift our daughters ever gave me was making me a mother. It's not the life I want to be living but I'm doing the best I can considering the circumstances. 

So I realize this is a longer version that I hoped to write for our story but it's shorter than it could be. I didn't want to leave anything out even though I did. 

Thank you for taking the time to read what I wrote.  Much love to you all and to your precious babies with wings. I know not all of us believe in angels but what a better word to call this beautiful and amazing life that is a part of our lives so briefly. What a better word to describe this child, than an angel. Touching our hearts and making an impression on us that we forever remember them by. 

I'm so thankful for our babies, our twins, our beautiful, identical daughters, our Apple Marie and Banana Lee. Momma loves you baby girls, forever and ever!!!

Friday, August 9, 2013

I'm Just Too Nice

Why I let people use and abuse my heart and kindness I will never know. Perhaps I'm just "too nice" as many have told me before. I will write more on this at a later time. It's late and I have a horrible headache. Hoping for rest, sleep and a gentle and peaceful weekend. Goodnight.

It's Month 8

And in my grief I can't count apparently. It's only been eight full months, not nine. I would ask what is wrong with me but I know what is.. My heart is ready for month nine.

I just wrote this poem.. http://thoughtsofanangelmommyfotwa.blogspot.com/2013/08/nine-months-without-you.html and it talks about nine months.  However only been eight months. I suppose my mind just wants me to move forward past these anniversaries as quickly as possible.

So correcting myself but letting my art stay the same. Even in grief you're allowed to be mixed up as long as you realize your errors before it's too late.

Nine Months Without You

'Nine Months Without You'

It's been nine months without you
How can it be? 
My heart feels so broken
You're not here but you should be

You should be three months old 
With a mirror image of you
Because there was not one babe
There was two

Nine months we lost you our sweet baby girl
Your soccer like kicks made my heart soar
Then suddenly you were gone, so quickly you left
Your daddy and I heart broken
Your sister left without her sister who was at rest

Then the next day after fighting off the fears held inside
Your sister, she left us too, both sitting still inside
No more dancer ballerina kicks or kicks left at all
Only broken, shattered hopes and dreams
Left without anything at all

Then after eighteen days we met you both
I almost didn't make it through
And even though they were sad tears
We were happy to see and hold you two

You both should be three to four months old
Had you only made it to term
But here we are with empty arms 
Only left with our memories

The next months ahead will be hard to deal
Each day it's harder to breathe 
Hoping we expect another soon
So we'll have a future to plan and dream

August 30th we learned we were pregnant 
Before we learned there were two
Oh our precious, identical, beautiful girls
How your mommy and daddy miss and forever love you


(c) written by Evelyn Schwenke,Friday, August 9th 2013

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Nine Months... and Uncertainty

I just don't know anymore. I don't know what will happen and I don't know what the future holds for us as parents. This uncertainty is unwelcome and unwanted. I wish that we knew what to do and when the best time would be for things to happen but that's just not the way the world works. 

So life continues with this same flow as it has had now for the past nine months. That's right... It was nine months ago our daughters lives held in the hands of the laser surgery successfully working or failing. Nine months ago when I woke up early, scrubbed my entire body with this antibacterial soap to prep for surgery. The doctor would put all three of us to sleep and hours later wake us all back up again. No wonder my heart is so incredibly heavy. 

Life as we know it. Quickly can be taken away from us in a moment. No way of telling the length of that moment either. 

Much to do to distract myself but I need to give myself time to grieve too. 

While through it all I still hope among hopes that any month we could be pregnant with another. 

I know our hearts are actively mourning, grieving and healing, but nothing will help us heal more than the future of another child or children. 

We need something to look forward to. We need something to plan for.

We need you little baby. Please tell your twin sisters that it's ok, that mommy and daddy love them so so much forever and ever, and that we are ready to be parents again. 

I love you Apple and Nana!!! <3

Now

'Now'

Things could be better
This truth that's here and now 

Hearts are hurting, aching
Tears held back wanting to cry

Everything remains the same
Though the future continues to arrive 

Questions forever unanswered 
All the what's, where's and how's 


© by Evelyn Schwenke 8/7/2013


Friday, August 2, 2013

Empty, Part 2. Kill Bill vol. 1 and 2, SPOILER WARNING!

Last night I wrote the beginning of a post titled Empty.
http://thoughtsofanangelmommyfotwa.blogspot.com/2013/08/empty.html
Because that's a feeling many mother's have when they lose all their hopes and dreams for their child or children. I had my moments of screaming in tears, the day that our Apple Marie died and then the next day when our Banana Lee died. It's difficult and heartbreaking enough to have to lose one child but two and on separate days... Just when you feel like there could be hope still all your worst fears happen and you're left with nothing. This is a loss that no parent should ever face.

In the first movie Kill Bill Vol. 1 the first moment that pulled at my heart strings and reminded me of the feelings I had during both moments we were told there was no heart beats, was the hospital scene with Uma Thurman's character, The Bride. She awakes from being in a coma and quickly realizes that there is no baby inside her, a flat stomach with nothing but scars remaining. Her screams in tears, the daughter she was pregnant with was gone, left with nothing. It was difficult for me to watch because I couldn't hold back my own tears, remembering our twins, remembering our loss.

A feeling that no mother should ever feel. This photo captures that moment in all it's harsh, cold and bitter reality that your baby is gone.

In the movie our character The Bride, a trained killer, realizes that she has to get herself out of the hospital and find the person who sent her there, she must seek her revenge. She must KILL Bill.

Our movie continues on and we see her list of people who were responsible for doing this to her. Honestly the rest of the movie doesn't really bother me because it's an action movie and the dramatic scene concluded quickly, but the feeling remained with me through out the rest of the film. The ending arrives and we learn that her daughter isn't dead, but The Bride does not know this. A reason for Kill Bill Vol. 2 to exist.

Kill Bill Vol. 2 begins, I don't really care for the beginning but I do realize they need to help summarize what happened and that The Bride is on her way to kill Bill. Mostly all action again but then you get to the dramatic ending, where she then sees and realizes that her daughter isn't dead, but in fact is alive and well. Surprise doesn't even come close to the emotions you would be feeling if the child you thought was dead was actually alive, you would get to see them and hold them once again.. I began to feel my eyes water.

This is one of the scenes that really got me..
Taken from http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/Unprocessed/Kill_Bill.html

Back against the wall she creeps down the hall to the end.
She pumps the slide, and TURNS THE CORNER - SHOTGUN RAISED -
READY TO FIRE... WHEN... EX CU The BRIDE'S EYES - blink once. EX CU HER FINGER comes off the trigger. What the Bride sees in front of her is, Bill in a tuxedo, holding a small, orange squirt gun pointed at her. Standing next to him is five-year-old little B.B., dressed up in a very pretty party dress, arm outstretched holding a orange squirt gun, aimed at The Bride. The three look at each other for a moment, then Bill says; BILL (loudly) Bang Bang! Then he suddenly clutches his abdomen like he's just been shot. BILL Oh B.B., Mommy got us. B.B. lowers her gun and plays out a big dying scene alongside her dad...Bill falls to the floor. BILL Oh, I'm dying...I'm dying... B.B. parrots this. B.B. Oh, I'm dying...I'm dying... Bill on the floor, says up to his little girl; BILL Fall down sweetheart, Mommy shot you. The little girl falls down pretend dead. The Bride, still absentmindedly pointing her weapon at them, is truly thrown. Bill delivers his lines from the floor, spoken like a dying breath; BILL You did it Quick Draw Kiddo. You are-the fastest. And with these last words, pretends to die. But then while pretending to be dead, he speaks in a dramatic narrator's voice. BILL But...little did Quick Draw Kiddo know,...that five-year-old B.B. Gunn was only playing possum, due to the fact she was impervious to bullets. B.B. raises her head off the floor and says; B.B. (to Mommy) I'm impervious to bullets, Mommy. BILL (to B.B.) Hey, get back down there, you're playing possum. The little girl's head drops back down. Bill continues his dramatic narration; BILL So, as the smirking killer approached, what she thought, was a bullet-ridden corpse,...that's when the little B.B. Gunn fired. B.B. springs up holding her tiny orange squirt gun and says; B.B. Bang bang! The Bride continues watching in gobsmackery. Bill raises his head off the floor, and says to her in his normal voice; BILL Mommy, you're dead - so die. The Bride shakes off her confusion, and acts out a big death scene fo her little girl. THE BRIDE Oh, B.B., you got me. I should have known, you are the best. She falls to the floor and pretends to die. The little girl in her party dress, runs over to the big girl in her wedding dress, and kneels over her mommy. Mommy opens her eyes. B.B. Don't die Mommy, I was just playing. From the floor, looking up at her daughter, she speaks to her for the first time. MOMMY I know baby. They embrace each other. B.B. I waited a long time for you to wake up, Mommy. Did you dream of me - I dreamed of you? The female killer says to her daughter as mommieness begins to creep into her voice; THE BRIDE Every single night, baby. She holds her daughter out at arm's length to get a better look at her. THE BRIDE Now let me look at you. My my my... What a pretty girl you are. B.B. You're pretty too, Mommy. B.B. starts stroking her mother's long blonde hair. THE BRIDE Thank you. All of a sudden, Bill has joined them on the floor. BILL When I showed you Mommy's picture, tell Mommy what you said. The little girl gets shy. BILL C'mon shy girl, you know what you said, tell Mommy, it'll make her fell good. As she strokes her long blonde hair, little B.B. says; B.B. I said - I said - You're the most beautiful woman I ever saw in the whole white world. BILL That's the truth. That's what she said.


If I only had that chance to have another moment with our twins.. but that moment will never happen, not yet, not for a long time. I miss them so much!

I wanted to have those couch potato days on occasion with our girls, cuddle together and watch a movie together. All the moments I had been dreaming of for years and because I lost our twins everything was taken. Everything we both dreamed of and ever wanted, gone forever in an instant.

The movie concludes that The Bride / Beatrix Kiddo, is able to finally have her revenge after revealing why she left him, no thanks to a truth serum Bill shot her with. Beatrix's training paid off with the five point palm exploding heart technique. You take five steps and then you fall down dead.

Afterwards Beatrix leaves with her daughter BB, they are in a hotel and BB is watching tv. The emotional release Beatrix has at the end of the movie is powerful. It pulled at my heart strings again, I couldn't help it. Away from the violence but no idea what will happen next, all we know is that mother and daughter are reunited and together, as it should be.. The End.

I want so much to have that moment, to hold our daughters once again... I know our girls were going to grow up to be gorgeous women because they already were beautiful and not even 19 weeks yet.

I'm just not the same person now that we are parents to angels. I couldn't ever be that old person again because I have been changed forever. Movies like this that should be entertainment and action aren't as easy to watch with moments such as these. I dream of being a mother to a living child and children. Those who are able to have that should thank their lucky stars and not complain. I would do anything to have our girl's back and anything to have another child. Until that day arrives there is a part of me that is dark, hollow, hurting, aching, crying, dreaming, hopeful and empty.


Thursday, August 1, 2013

Empty

That feeling you have when you realize all your hopes and dreams for the future were ripped away from you. In a moment you're lost, confused, scared, angry, and heartbroken.. Empty.


More of my thoughts and feelings after watching the movies Kill Bill vol 1 & 2, tomorrow.

So What Exactly Is TTTS?

From our website Fruit Of The Womb Angels www.fruitofthewombangels.org


TTTS (Twin Twin Transfusion Syndrome) is a unique condition in pregnancy for twins and multiple babies who share a single placenta. The difference in what defines a pregnancy as monochorionic or something different depends on the day the embryo splits during fertilization. 

A split of the embryo in the first four days results in dichorionic, which is similar to fraternal twinning. These type of twins have the lowest complication rates. A split of the embryo in day four or more results in monochorionic, which will share a single placenta. A split of the embryo between four to eight days the monochorionic twins will have separate sacs of water (diamnionic) despite a shared placenta, but after eight days they will also be in the same sac (monoamnionic). Diamnionic monochorionic, four to eight days split, are the most common placental type for identical twins, and most cases of TTTS occur in this group.

​What makes a difference and causes TTTS to occur are the presence of blood vessels in the placenta that connect the umbilical cords and circulations of the twins, and the second is the variations in the way the twins share their common placenta.


This is a condition that must be monitored closely in pregnancy, if TTTS occurs then steps must be taken otherwise the life of the babies is in jeopardy and could be fatal.

Steps you can take if you feel your pregnancy falls into risk for TTTS category. 
1- Talk to your doctor about increasing your nutrition by adding extra supplements to your diet, talk to a nutritionist and/or use apps like My Fitness Pal to track you're diet. 
2- Consider bed rest and/or lower physical activity. Studies have shown that patients who had more nutrition added to their diet while paired with bed rest had a lower risk of a fatal outcome in pregnancy.  
3- Information is your friend. There are plenty of support groups, websites and books that can provide you with the details on what type of pregnancy you have and what you can do.



​Our Advice :

The best advice we can give after our experience is to become informed about everything. Don't let your doctors be quiet. If there could be a risk in your pregnancy learn what you can do while there is still time to help prevent further complications in the future. 

One thing to keep in mind is that not much can be done to prevent TTTS and you should not blame yourself if your multiples develop a TTTS pregnancy. 

Many doctors will say that this condition is not common; as far as I'm concerned this is something that is becoming more common or that there is more exposure about it now. Otherwise there wouldn't be hundreds of stories and reports of the procedures that have been performed to help save the lives of TTTS multiples. 

Most important to remember is what you do is your choice. Do what you feel is best for your pregnancy and the lives of your babies. This is not your doctors pregnancy, it's yours.

Uncertainty

Uncertain this future of ours. No idea what it hold or what will happen. I just hope that it has a baby or babies and we will be parents again. I know that my husband and I want that more than anything.

I dream vividly about the future, hoping for our rainbow baby. We've talked about having babies since we first met 13 years ago, even came up with baby names. 11 years ago in October we were married and that means it was 9 years ago October that we have been trying to start our family. I know there are many people who've tried for longer and their road has been more complicated to travel than ours, just as there are many people who've had it easy. I realize that out of all of our close friends we are the ones who've struggled the longest with infertility, it's not an easy journey this path we take. There is no doubting how much we want to be parents and how much we love and will love our children. If there were ever a child more wanted..

I just want our dream to turn into a reality.

Congrats To Our 8 Winners, Butterfly Giveaway!

We have our 8 winners!

Congrats to you and thank you to all who entered our Wings Of A Butterfly Giveaway!

All emails have been sent out, please be sure to view all the options and reply to your email when you have time. Emails will go out again once your butterfly is complete and being shipped. :)

Below is a screen shot from our giveaway with our list of winners!


These are the winners from our giveaway, original posting http://thoughtsofanangelmommyfotwa.blogspot.com/2013/07/wings-of-butterfly-giveaway.html

Our next giveaway we hope will be once our Fruit Of The Womb TTTS Angels facebook page reaches our goal of 500 likes by August 30th 2013. So please share our facebook page with others and help us reach our goal. It will be in memory of our twins as that was the day we learned we were pregnant on August 30th 2012. :)