We want to introduce both our sons with joy & celebration, but the reality is that we are currently living with wonder & grief.
Our son Wes Robertson Price was born Sunday July 17 at 8:10 pm into my arms at home in the bath tub. He weighed 8 lbs 6 oz & is thriving. All of the photos are of Wes.
At the recommendation of our care providers, we transferred to Norfolk General Hospital at 3 am on Monday July 18. On arrival, we learned that Truslow Byrnes Price, our second son, had passed very recently— within an hour or so. He entered the world through breech extraction. We don’t know cause of death but there are indications that he may have suffered a partial placental abruption. He was breech with a knee in my pelvis & there had been differing information & communication about his presentation. We don’t know if we’ll ever definitively learn cause of death.
Trus was 9 lbs 6 oz. His & Wes’ placentas together weighed about 3 lbs. A nurse said she had never seen healthier twins. They arrived at 42 weeks 5 days & 42 weeks 6 days gestation with two different birthdays.
Their pregnancy & birth were very hard on me. I developed Bell’s palsy 3 weeks ago & have been hospitalized since their birth with preeclampsia.
We are held in such a network of support thanks to our families & friends. Our parents have kept Twyla’s daily life as predictable as possible. Wes was never admitted to the hospital as he wasn’t born here so he’s been able to be with both family & me as we work to get my health sufficiently stable for discharge.
Today, Blessed Sacrament church (a church with much significance in Kevin’s family) held prayer intentions for Trus. We’re working on his funeral and burial and will communicate as we know more.
I’m trying to communicate but still working actively with my care team to stabilize. Messages of love are welcome but please know I might not be able to reply yet.
Kevin is not only holding my care but that of our kids, getting Wes’ birth certificate, insurance, & beginning pediatric care while handling Trus’ arrangements & still being sure to be present to Twyla. Please bear that in mind if you communicate with him. We’re so grateful for the support & will reply as we can.
When we have moments, we’re both writing. We’re piecing together what we know to have happened & what is still unknown.
The main thing we know is Twyla, Wes, & Trus are all our children. Please know that. We will always speak of them & hold them. Right now, we’re learning how to do that.
We know too that these experiences can break people but they can also be ways to deepen into life & humanity. Our kids need us so Kevin & I are working to heal individually while also knowing how much we need each other & love each other. I’m so grateful for Kevin & thankful that he’s my children’s father.
We have 3 children now: Twyla, Wes, & Trus. I am so grateful for each of them. They’re each so beautiful & I love them deeply. And I’m thankful to everyone holding us as we move through this intense passage.
(*we have a meal train but we’re not home yet so pause on that. We will communicate about support & thank you for all we’ve been given.)
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