Having met at age 13, my husband and I were certain early on that we’d get married someday. After five years into our marriage, were we elated to learn that we were having twins.

My husband Adam and I were so excited -- we imagined how much fun it would be for our children to have built-in best friends.

Our twins would be identical, meaning they would be sharing the same placenta, so I was referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist affiliated with Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center to discuss any potential concerns.

Life Imbalanced

During one of my scheduled ultrasounds to monitor their growth, I could tell something was wrong. That’s when we learned our twins were at very high risk for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS, which occurs when twins don’t share nutrients equally while in the womb. 

One baby was severely malnourished as the bulk of the nutrients were being consumed by his brother. This oversaturation of nutrients dramatically increased the chance for heart failure for his brother. 

The nurse told me to go immediately to The Fetal Center at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. I needed surgery to split the placenta and blood vessels so the twins would get equal shares—their only chance of survival. Due to the urgency of the situation, I couldn’t even go home to pack a bag.

I was in shock. It was a very scary day.

At Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, everything moved quickly and efficiently. In the five minutes it took me to get to the center, they’d already completed my admissions paperwork.

The next morning, I was prepped for surgery on the same floor where everyone else had arrived equipped with suitcases and hopes of bringing home a healthy child While the procedure was quick and painless for me, there was no guarantee both twins would make it. Fortunately, I was lucky to have some of the very best fetal surgeons and specialists in the world at my side. 

The Rollercoaster Continues

The moment we heard the surgery was successful—and our twins were likely going to make it—a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

My husband and I were super grateful for the doctors and nurses who acted so quickly and calmly to save both babies. And it was wonderful seeing the two cribs in our nursery that were ready for our boys’ arrival. 

We were hoping that enough time would pass to allow for the twins to gain enough nutrients to be born in good health, but fate had other plans. Six days after the procedure, my twins decided they were coming, and I had not even made it into the third trimester.

That evening the twins were born—at only 25 weeks’ gestation weighing just two pounds each.

But thanks to the treatment to resolve the TTTS and the hard work by the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), our babies had a fighting chance.

The road to recovery was not easy. The twins immediately had to be resuscitated and intubated to help them breathe and stayed in the NICU for four months. Thankfully, one nurse, Billy Ray Knight, was with us from week two--and took care of our twins every day that he was on duty in the NICU until the day we left.

The moment I’d long dreamed of had arrived. We’d be taking Bryson and Ryland home.

Still, there were many challenges to overcome, and I was a bundle of nerves. They’d still be on an oxygen machine and need to use a pulse oximeter, or Pulse Ox, which is an electronic device to measure oxygen levels to ensure their heart and lungs were working well. 

The twins had fought for their lives for pretty much their whole time in the womb, and then their first six months.

Flash forward and now the twins are 3 years old and healthy, running around the house and acting like typical toddlers. Although they fight like normal siblings, they share a very close bond, even using their own language.

And I love it.

Our experience has prompted us to contribute to as many studies and research opportunities as we can regarding twin-to-twin transfusion. If we could help someone else and give them peace of mind, then we wanted to be involved.

The Next Journey Begins

When I found out I was pregnant again, I was excited but scared after what we’d been through with the twins. Of course, we went to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital for her care and delivery. I needed to make sure I was at the right hospital for whatever came our way.

This time I had a normal pregnancy, and Lily Ray – named after Billy Ray, our NICU nurse -- was born full term, at 40 weeks’ gestation. Today she’s 18 months old and loves being with her brothers. 

I’m excited for our family’s future. All I want for our children is a normal life—scraped knees and all.

Our greatest blessing would not have been possible without Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. We were blessed to be in their NICU program and to work with their doctors.  

Every day I think of how fortunate we are that such calm and skilled doctors and nurses got us through the scariest time of our lives. Memorial Hermann is the reason I have children, and I’m forever grateful.