The Butcher Family (Butcher Twins)

Friends, family and loved ones...Jamie and Adam need our help.

The Butchers -  have run into unexpected hard times. They would never ask for help themselves so we will just have to offer it to them!

Jamie is carrying identical twin boys. With that comes many risks. One of which is called TTTS (Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome). More info on this condition will be provided below.  Turns out Jamie has a severe case of this and it is very critical times for the family and causing stress and hardship for the family.

Jamie and Adam grew up in Springville, NY and were high school sweethearts.  Married and had 3 children now 11, 9 & 5. Realizing a dream, they moved to Georgia and bought a home. After another dream was realized with Adam becoming a Sheriff's Deputy an unexpected surprise.... twins!   

Jamie being very in tune with her instincts and realizing all the risks of not only twins, but identical twins was adamant the care needed for her and the babies to be successful was back in WNY with her OB and pediatrician.  Doctors that she trusted, given all the risks. 

The house sold and Adam continued to work in GA while Jamie and the kids started to seek housing and settle with doctors in Buffalo.  As times are currently there was no housing to be found to buy or rent. Time was running out and the distance was growing weary on the family. Jamie settled on the only rental she could find.  After checking in with doctors she went back to get their belongings and they moved into the place they thought would be their home for the next year.  Well, not so fast.... turns out there were so many hidden issues that it was an unsafe environment for the family. A challenge now to figure out.

By the grace of God, miraculously a rental home became available the very next day!!!!  Adam loaded the truck again to move to their new home while Jamie went for her next sonogram.

Before Adam even finished unloading the news came.  Jamie was to see a specialist in NYC for a laser surgery to separate the babies blood supplies the very next day! It was a critical situation with no time to lose.

As you can imagine not only is the news devastating with risks of losing one or both babies. There are risks after survival, as well. Jamie is currently in NYC at 24 weeks.  Along with many concerns, too many to list, her water has broken, and she will not be coming home until well after delivery and time with the babies while in NICU in NYC.  The doctors are prolonging labor as long as possible. Each precious day counts.  Adam has not left her side and is supposed to start a new job in WNY on Oct 5th.  All three kids and their dog are staying with various loved ones who have stepped up to help.

There are no solid plans (the situation changes rapidly), no guarantees, several monetary concerns and every day for weeks and months to come will be a challenge but one they will face head on with lots of love and prayers following them!

This Go Fund Me Fundraiser will help the Butcher Family with ongoing travel expenses, housing(hotel) for Adam as he cannot stay overnight a the hospital with Jamie, bills that now may get behind due to this emergency and Adam is not back to work yet, childcare help for their 3 children, food and long-term care for the babies after they are born.

Let us all show the Butchers that they are loved and lift them up in whatever way we can. 

All support and prayers are welcome!



About TTTS-
What is Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome?

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a rare pregnancy condition affecting identical twins or other multiples. TTTS occurs in pregnancies where twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb. These pregnancies are known as monochorionic.

Sometimes the vessel connections within the placenta are not evenly dispensed and there is an imbalance in the blood exchange between the twins. One twin — the donor twin — gives away more blood than it receives in return and runs the risk of malnourishment and organ failure. The recipient twin receives too much blood and is susceptible to overwork of the heart and other cardiac complications.

Treating Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome

In complicated cases of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), minimally invasive surgery can offer the best chance of having two healthy babies. This surgery, known as endoscopic laser ablation, is performed in utero and can correct the blood-sharing imbalance caused by TTTS. This surgical video footage is presented by Dr. Ahmet Baschat, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy.

The donor twin

The donor twin experiences progressive loss of blood volume (hypovolemia). Therefore, its kidneys don’t have to filter as much fluid from the blood, and as a result, urination decreases. This affects development of the bladder and leads to low levels of amniotic fluid.

Amniotic fluid, which consists of fetal urine, provides a cushion in the womb. In addition, as a fetus grows, it swallows this fluid. This aids in the development of its respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal systems. An abnormal reduction in amniotic fluid is known as oligohydramnios. If amniotic fluid ceases to exist this is known as anhydramnios. 

If the blood volume in the donor twin’s circulatory system is not effectively reaching the body, cardiovascular dysfunction can occur. This places the donor at risk for death.

The recipient twin

The recipient twin is at risk for successively increasing blood volume (hypervolemia). Hypervolemia leads to increased urination, more frequent bladder filling and the production of larger amounts of urine every time the bladder is emptied. This results in polyhydramnios — an abnormal increase in amniotic fluid.

A persistent state of hypervolemia ultimately affects the function of the heart muscle in the recipient, which is working hard to pump the increased amount of blood. Hypervolemia can exceed the capacity of the cardiovascular system (the heart and circulatory system of blood vessels) and can then lead to cardiovascular dysfunction and even heart failure and death.

What are the risk factors of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome?

Being pregnant with identical twins or multiples puts a woman at risk for having a pregnancy complicated by TTTS. However, TTTS is an indiscriminate condition, occurring at random in monochorionic pregnancies.

Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Diagnosis 

A doctor may suspect twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome based on the results of a routine prenatal ultrasound. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist can confirm the diagnosis by conducting more detailed testing to measure amniotic fluid volume, bladder filling and blood flow in the recipient and donor twins. 

When there is a rapid increase of amniotic fluid volume, the uterine cavity also expands at an accelerated pace, placing the mother at risk for preterm labor and shortening of the cervix. This may lead to preterm labor or preterm rupture of membranes followed by delivery. For this reason, maternal assessment of the cervical length and uterine activity is essential in all women presenting with suspected TTTS.

An important factor in determining the prognosis of TTTS is the state of cardiovascular dysfunction in the twins. This is why a diagnosis of TTTS will include a detailed examination of the fetal heart (fetal echocardiography) in both the recipient and donor.

Quintero staging system

Doctors can assess the severity of each case of TTTS using the Quintero staging system. Quintero stages I and II represent progressive stages of blood volume imbalance, while stages III and IV indicate progressive stages of cardiovascular dysfunction. Stage V refers to the death of one or both twins. Quintero staging is important because it provides a standardized prenatal estimate on disease severity and the likelihood the condition will worsen.