Birth (Part One)

I didn't get to go into much detail about the birth in the last blog, so I will do so now. This is part one only because I don't know how far I will get before I have to cut it off and make a part two. This is pretty much how it went down from my perspective.

As you know, Carrie was admitted to the hospital on June 1st at around 11:30 a.m. We had gone to see Dr. Jones, and he checked out the boys and then told us that Carrie was dilated 1 cm. We took off to the hospital. She wasn't having any more contractions than the two or three per day she had been having, so we thought everything was good. This wasn't the case of course, so we thought she would have to spend a bunch of time in the hospital. At 7:00 p.m. Dr. Allen told us that things had pretty much stabilized and nothing was changing. He thought we would be okay for a while. After that we watched some baseball and I typed a blog about our hospital room that I came to regret later. Hold on. I'm getting ahead of myself. We were both pretty tired, so we went to sleep at around 9:00 p.m. At midnight Carrie woke up and was having intense contractions. The Dr. on call came in and said Carrie was at 3 cm. They hit her with some medication to stop the contractions, pumped some steroids in, and hoped for the best. We hoped it would work and we all knew better. I was watching the contraction monitor screen and it was peaking out pretty good. The Dr. came back in at 3:00 a.m. and Carrie was at 5 cm.

Game On.

I knew it was happening right then, so naturally I put my shoes on and my Boston Red Sox Hat. That was my lucky hat that I had worn to every appointment up until the one that day. Why did I put my shoes and hat on? I have no idea. Carrie didn't put a hat on. She didn't bother with shoes. The conversation was quick. The Dr. told us that we needed to deliver before we were in an emergency situation. We had made it to 29 weeks which was awesome. They boys were big for triplets and were doing great.

This was about 3:20 a.m.

Everyone left the room and we had like two minutes alone together. For some reason we both got really calm. I don't know why. We aren't calm people. We haven't been calm ever before. Why then? Who knows. We even took some pictures that I will post later. That's when we started to meet everyone from the team that would be delivering our boys.

There were two anesthesiologists that we met first. They were awesome. They told Carrie exactly what would happen. Next the NICU team came in and told us where the boys would go and what they would do. Then the surgeons came in and told us what was going to happen. Someone brought me my suit, hat, and things to cover my shoes that I had on. They whisked Carrie's entire bed out of the room with her in it of course. Then I was alone. I was pretty calm. I typed a quick blog which was another conversation between God and his Assistant. I went out a mass text to some family and friends. I put up a message on Facebook. I put up another on Carrie's Facebook. Then I sat down.

So this was it? All the wondering about how it was going to happen was now over. I was minutes away from meeting the boys. How would it go? The good thing about it all, was we didn't have much time to be afraid. We didn't have time to think. After a few minutes, they came and got me. I walked into the delivery room and naturally, I opened up with a joke;

Mike: Okay...Where's MY Scalpel?!

Everyone in the whole room laughed but Carrie. She was a little out of it. I sat in a stool beside her and we got things rolling. How many people does it take to deliver triplets? The answer is 18. That's right, 18 people were in that room. 18 of the most beautiful awesome people that are on this earth. They are the best. They all know their job and they all love their job. They are amazing. I do not have words to thank them. I can't think of anything I could do to show them our gratitude, and I had a whole bunch of amazing people yet to meet.

There was a blue sheet between us and doctors who were making the incision and pulling out the boys. This is so you and your wife don't see the huge hole, all the organs, all the blood, and the babies being harvested from the uterus. Did I look? Did Mike with the weak stomach glance over the sheet and peer inside? Absolutely. Did it bother me? Not at all. It was so clinical, clean, and perfect that there was nothing to freak out about.

Carrie was so brave and so tough. I am so proud of her. She is a giver of life in the truest sense of the word. She is amazing and I love her so much for doing what she did and how she did it. Awesome. Never one complaint. Never one negative word. She just held my hand and we waited for our boys.

At 4:41 a.m. we heard a cry from our boy Cade. He is Triplet A and the first to come out. He was whisked by us and out to a team of people that were waiting to warm him and take care of our boy. I saw his black hair and his little body as he passed. He was yelling. It was the most amazing sound I had ever heard.

Next up at 4:43 was Zane. Our little Zane went flying by in the same manner as his brother. I asked the Doctors how it was going. They said perfect. One more to go.

At 4:45 our little Cash came out and went to a team with a baby warmer unit that was in our room. He was crying and I watched as the did what they do to newborns. I looked at Carrie.

Carrie: We're a family now.

Mike: Yes we are baby. Yes we are.

I walked over to the Saints that were taking care of Cash. He was breathing on his own. They were giving him a little air and had him in a warming thing. I looked down at him. So this is what you look like? This is what we waited for. He was so absolutely perfect. I fell in love with him in a way that there aren't words to describe. Until that moment I wasn't a parent. Parents had told me about that moment, and I didn't get it. You can't get it. It's not anyone's fault, you just can't until it happens to you. They said Cash was doing great, so I kissed Carrie and told her I was going to check on Cade and Zane. I walked out of the room and saw the teams that were taking care of them. I went to each one and they were doing good too. At this point, they were sewing Carrie up, and I went into a hallway and made a couple of phone calls. I then went and thanked the Doctors and anyone else I could find that was there. Everyone was pumped. This went great and they were excited. The boys were then whisked to the NICU, and I went somewhere and did something, then I went somewhere else, and it's pretty much a blur. Then I went back to find Carrie and we were moved to another room. After I was there for a while we decided that I should go check on the boys. I then went to the door that leads to the NICU. They told me to just pick up the phone and tell them who I was. Someone would open the door and take me to the boys. I was a little nervous. I picked up the phone on the wall. It instantly just started ringing.

Operator: NICU

Mike: Uh.....hi....uh...this is Mike....uh.....Krug.....and I wanted to see if....uh...I could see my boys..they are the...

Operators: Hi Mr. Krug. The triplets. Let me ring your nurse.

Mike: Uh....okay.....

Nurse: Hi Mr. Krug we will come get you.

Mike: I don't know where I am exactly.

Nurse: I do. I'll be there in a second.

I hang up the phone and wait. About one minute later a nurse opens the door.

Nurse: Hi! I'm Katy and I'm taking care of Cash.

The first person to refer to him as Cash. He had his own nurse? What was this?

Me: Oh...uh...okay. How is he?

Katy: He's great. He is so cute. They all are.

I wanted to buy her a car. I wanted to do something nice for her. I felt like I owed her a HUGE debt of gratitude. She was taking care of our Cash.

Katy: Follow me.

We walk down the hall and I'm told to wash up and put on a gown. I do as I'm told and then off we go into a locked room. I see three units and a nurse by each one. Katy goes over to the far left unit and tells me that Cash is in that unit. On the far right is Cade, and in the middle is Zane. They are hooked up to all kinds of monitors and wires. There were buzzers and lights going off all the time. I was told that they were all doing very well for triplets born at 29 weeks. I go to each one and my heart aches for my boys. I'm so worried and out my head. I watch their little bodies work as they breathed. I watched the machines and the numbers.

I had to sit down.

That' s when Rachel, who was Zane's nurse told me what everything did and what everything meant. These people know their stuff. I feel great about where they are and what is happening. I even get to take a few pictures which I posted as you know. I took them back to show Carrie. She couldn't get up to see them until that evening. The major surgery along with the loss of 2 liters of blood had put a dent in her energy level. I hung out in the NICU for a while and talked to and touched all of our boys. I have no words for how all that felt.

Later that day, Carrie and I went together and I got to change my very first diaper on Cade. I later changed Zane and Cash. It was awesome. I actually did pretty good. It didn't bother me at all. I realized that I would do literally ANYTHING for any of them. Diapers are easy.

Carrie and I touched their little bodies and told them how much we love them. It was hard. It's tough to see the little guys all strapped down and wired up. However, they are getting the best care possible. This NICU is rated in the top 3% of all NICUs in the world or the country or something. Their survival rate is unbelievable.

I would like to take a moment to say something about the NICU Nurses. These girls are unbelievable. They work 12 hour shifts where they sit right beside the boys and watch the monitors. They take blood samples. They fix their wires and their little CPAP units. They touch them and talk to them. It is the opinion of Carrie and I that they are Angels sent specifically by God to this earth to take care of babies that are born early or have difficulties. They are amazing, caring, special people who love their job. They make little signs for the boys with their names on them. They print out pictures of guitars and color them. They answer any questions and are so upbeat and positive, you can't help but feel good about where your boys are. I know that we will never be able to show them or tell them how much their work means to Carrie and I. Since the boys are going to be there for a long time, I know they will become our friends and we will all be so excited and shed many tears of joy when the boys get to come home. We are just starting our NICU journey and we could not possibly feel better about where the boys are.

This is why I feel like an idiot for complaining about the remote controls and the art in the various rooms. The hospital spent the money where it should have. They spent it on the equipment and on the people that are going to get our boys the best start on life that you could imagine. I don't know what these people make, but they should triple it and add 400%.

How are the boys right now?

They are good. Cash got in a little trouble. One of his lungs collapsed and he had to be put on a respirator. This happened on his first night, and Carrie and I were very scared for him. Turns out this was expected and the staff wasn't surprised. They thought they might all need respirators. As of this moment at 2:05 p.m. on Friday June 4th Cash is doing great. Carrie called and said he is not using the respirator and after an X-Ray they may take it out today or tomorrow, which is ahead of when they thought. Cade and Zane are in those blue light jaundice blankets, which is to be expected. All in all they are doing awesome. They are big boys for triplets and everyone keeps telling us how good they are doing.

Carrie JUST called me and told me Cash is opening his eyes and looking around. I am crying right now. My little Cash Buddy is going to be okay. I had a serious talk with him this morning and told him this respirator stuff wasn't going to work and he needed to get past it. Apparently he listened. This morning he squeezed my finger and I figured he was trying to tell me this;

Cash: I'm trying Dad. I'm trying. I may be little but I'm tough. Don't worry about me.

Our boys are so tough and they are doing so good. Every day is a victory and we will get further. We may have some set backs, but in the end, our boys will be just fine. We owe literally thousands of people for their prayers and good thoughts. We also owe the Angels at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas. It's a debt we won't ever be able to repay.

I am going to take a bunch of pictures tomorrow and post them soon. I showed the NICU Nurses the blog and hopefully they will post some comments and tell you all how the boys are, so watch the comments on the various blogs.

On a final note, if you want to communicate with Carrie, please do so on Face Book by leaving a comment on her page. She is getting out of the hospital tomorrow and is still sore and recovering from the ordeal. She has received literally thousands of text messages and phone calls. I told her not to answer her phone or return any texts for a while, so she hasn't been doing so. She appreciates everyone's support so much and she wants to talk to everyone, but she just can't. Her job is to be a milk machine and a Momma and this is going to take all of her energy for a while. I will keep everyone updated here as often as possible.

I guess I didn't need a part 2.

More later....