The story of Saige and Charlotte
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The story of Saige and Charlotte Nicoll
Ashley and Drew were very excited when they found out that they were pregnant with not one but two baby girls. Everything seemed normal until Ashley went in for her usually check up at 21 weeks. Unfortunately the doctors had to give the family bad news. The twins were not looking good and were very sick from something called twin to twin transfusion which is cause of more deaths per year then sids. The outlook was grim. Some doctors gave one and both babies a 0% chance at life more than once through the pregnancy. Ashley was then told she would need a surgery to save the babies lives or at least give them a fighting chance. The whole family headed to Yale Hospital which is one of the few places in the country that performs the lazer ablation procedure necessary to save the babies and the only place that could fit us in such short Notice. Unfortunately the surgery was not a success and complicated the pregnancy further. A membrane separating the babies ruptured releasing both twins into the same sac and risking cord entanglement. Ashley was then seen by doctors at Tufts in Boston who had to give the family more bad news, that one of the twins was still in heart failure due to the twin to twin transfusion. With little to no options left, the family was given very hard choices; one option was to deliver at 24 weeks and both babies were not big enough for the NICU at tufts or any hospital at that time, therefore they would not live. Another option was to say goodbye to one of our baby girls in order to save the other... Or goodbye to both. Ashley and Drew weren't prepared to accept any of these options, they were prepared to do whatever was necessary to save their girls. Saige and Charlotte had fought so hard to get here already, we knew they were not going to give up. We had to be prepared to do the same for them. The next day, a representative from Tufts called saying that Ashley was able to get another attempt at the lazer operation to try and slow the onset danger from the twin to twin transfusion at Brown University in Rode Island. It was risky to have the surgery again but was the only choice the family had to give the girls a good chance to come into this world. Again, bags packed, the new parents and their close family support net hit the road with hope in their heart. The second surgery was a success and gave the doctors a lot of hope. Unfortunately due to the twins being in the same sac, Ashley would of not been able to carry the twins longer then 34 weeks and was then admitted into Tufts for monitoring at 26 weeks when both babies would be big enough for the NICU. At 27 weeks and 4 days during one of Ashley's non stress test the babies heart rate dropped and the doctors decided the readings from the past few days had been alarming and an emergency C-section was needed. We were again risking stillbirth. July 3 2016 at 12:40 pm and 12:41 pm Charlotte Joy and Saige Marie Nicoll were born weighing in at 1 pound 1 oz and 1 pound 10 oz . Both babies were born very sick. Charlotte was the smallest baby in the NICU. Saige was facing very difficult heart defects which requires her to have a tube to breath and constant IV medication. The babies have just passed the one month mark with a battery of health problems and operations to date. They still have a lot more surgeries to come and need to grow before they will be possible. This may require them to stay at tufts medical center in the NICU for up to 6 months or even longer and surly will entail follow up visits to their amazing doctors regularly. We are making this account to share our beautiful girls story and to ask for help. Without the help of people we have had, it would have been very difficult to even make it this far with our daughters. Going in to Boston everyday , parking , gas , food and over night stay has all become very expensive. Preparing to take home sick girls while draining all our funds on the travel and life expense of this journey had become very difficult and a daunting task that we worry we will complete. Yes, medical bills are in the mail box daily. The surgeries and trips to knowledgeable facilities were the priority. As we pass the 200,000 thousand mile mark and put another quart of oil in the Honda before we hit the road to Boston, we hope you gain a little something from our story. Maybe you have read about our girls somewhere else. Maybe you have been in the NICU and can relate to its bumpy roads. This is just one of many accounts from different eyes and if you care to stay and watch our girls grow with us, I assure you that you will be as gifted with their presence as we are.
We want to thank everyone who has supported us and who has prayed for our little girls. We are so blessed to have them in this world
- [ ] Love Ashley, Drew, Charlotte, Saige
Ashley and Drew were very excited when they found out that they were pregnant with not one but two baby girls. Everything seemed normal until Ashley went in for her usually check up at 21 weeks. Unfortunately the doctors had to give the family bad news. The twins were not looking good and were very sick from something called twin to twin transfusion which is cause of more deaths per year then sids. The outlook was grim. Some doctors gave one and both babies a 0% chance at life more than once through the pregnancy. Ashley was then told she would need a surgery to save the babies lives or at least give them a fighting chance. The whole family headed to Yale Hospital which is one of the few places in the country that performs the lazer ablation procedure necessary to save the babies and the only place that could fit us in such short Notice. Unfortunately the surgery was not a success and complicated the pregnancy further. A membrane separating the babies ruptured releasing both twins into the same sac and risking cord entanglement. Ashley was then seen by doctors at Tufts in Boston who had to give the family more bad news, that one of the twins was still in heart failure due to the twin to twin transfusion. With little to no options left, the family was given very hard choices; one option was to deliver at 24 weeks and both babies were not big enough for the NICU at tufts or any hospital at that time, therefore they would not live. Another option was to say goodbye to one of our baby girls in order to save the other... Or goodbye to both. Ashley and Drew weren't prepared to accept any of these options, they were prepared to do whatever was necessary to save their girls. Saige and Charlotte had fought so hard to get here already, we knew they were not going to give up. We had to be prepared to do the same for them. The next day, a representative from Tufts called saying that Ashley was able to get another attempt at the lazer operation to try and slow the onset danger from the twin to twin transfusion at Brown University in Rode Island. It was risky to have the surgery again but was the only choice the family had to give the girls a good chance to come into this world. Again, bags packed, the new parents and their close family support net hit the road with hope in their heart. The second surgery was a success and gave the doctors a lot of hope. Unfortunately due to the twins being in the same sac, Ashley would of not been able to carry the twins longer then 34 weeks and was then admitted into Tufts for monitoring at 26 weeks when both babies would be big enough for the NICU. At 27 weeks and 4 days during one of Ashley's non stress test the babies heart rate dropped and the doctors decided the readings from the past few days had been alarming and an emergency C-section was needed. We were again risking stillbirth. July 3 2016 at 12:40 pm and 12:41 pm Charlotte Joy and Saige Marie Nicoll were born weighing in at 1 pound 1 oz and 1 pound 10 oz . Both babies were born very sick. Charlotte was the smallest baby in the NICU. Saige was facing very difficult heart defects which requires her to have a tube to breath and constant IV medication. The babies have just passed the one month mark with a battery of health problems and operations to date. They still have a lot more surgeries to come and need to grow before they will be possible. This may require them to stay at tufts medical center in the NICU for up to 6 months or even longer and surly will entail follow up visits to their amazing doctors regularly. We are making this account to share our beautiful girls story and to ask for help. Without the help of people we have had, it would have been very difficult to even make it this far with our daughters. Going in to Boston everyday , parking , gas , food and over night stay has all become very expensive. Preparing to take home sick girls while draining all our funds on the travel and life expense of this journey had become very difficult and a daunting task that we worry we will complete. Yes, medical bills are in the mail box daily. The surgeries and trips to knowledgeable facilities were the priority. As we pass the 200,000 thousand mile mark and put another quart of oil in the Honda before we hit the road to Boston, we hope you gain a little something from our story. Maybe you have read about our girls somewhere else. Maybe you have been in the NICU and can relate to its bumpy roads. This is just one of many accounts from different eyes and if you care to stay and watch our girls grow with us, I assure you that you will be as gifted with their presence as we are.
We want to thank everyone who has supported us and who has prayed for our little girls. We are so blessed to have them in this world
- [ ] Love Ashley, Drew, Charlotte, Saige
Organizer and beneficiary
Shelly Windle Letourneau
Organizer
Haverhill, MA
Drew Nicoll
Beneficiary