A Long, Yet Rewarding, Eight-Year Journey
My husband, Doug, and I met when we were stationed on the USS Kiska AE-35 in San Francisco, CA. After being discharged, Doug moved to my hometown in New York and one month later proposed to me. We were married in Oct 1997. I went back on active duty from Aug. 1998 to Aug. 2002 and was stationed in Washington D.C.
During this time, we wanted to start a family. Little did we know, it would take us eight trying years to fulfill our dream. After one year of trying to conceive, we consulted a fertility specialist in Washington D.C. I tried six cycles of the fertility drug, Clomid, to induce normal ovulation, but without success. Our next steps included four cycles of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), an in vitro fertilization (IVF), and an Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) - all attempts unsuccessful.
Doug and I were devastated. We took a break from trying to conceive. In 2004, we moved near Pittsburgh. The following year, I was referred to Dr. Anthony Wakim at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. After meeting with Dr. Wakim, my husband and I felt optimistic about our chances of conceiving.
 During the summer of 2005, I endured one cycle of IUI, but I had a poor response. The next month, I underwent another IUI cycle, but with injectable fertility medication.
From left to right: Samantha and Sydney have fulfilled Michele and Doug’s dreams of starting a family.
On August 30, 2005, Dr. Wakim’s nurse told us what we had longed to hear for eight years - I was pregnant! Doug and I were ecstatic. Two weeks after the good news was delivered, Dr. Wakim’s nurse informed us that we were going to have identical twins due May 10, 2006.
Dr. Michael England was my ob-gyn. My pregnancy was considered high-risk because I was having twins. In December, we were informed that our daughters had Ventriculomegaly, meaning they would need a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placed in their heads to help drain excess spinal fluid buildup in their brains. The girls would need surgery shortly after they were born.
When I was 30 weeks pregnant, my blood pressure was elevated. Dr. England advised me to go to Magee’s ER for a 24-hour observation. That evening, the ER doctors confirmed that I had mild preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication. I was shocked because I didn’t have any other symptoms. I rested at Magee for 10 days, undergoing daily ultrasounds and fetal monitoring.
During an ultrasound on March 9, we were informed that the blood flow between Samantha and me was compromised. At 31 weeks gestation, the doctors performed an emergency C-section.
I delivered Sydney Erin at 9:44 p.m., weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce and Samantha Ann two minutes later, weighing 2 pounds, 8 ounces. We finally welcomed our two beautiful daughters.
Since the girls were born premature, they were immediately taken to Magee’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). I did not see my daughters for 24 hours due to my preeclampsia. It was heart wrenching.
After I was discharged, we regularly visited our newborn daughters who were sixty miles from home. We called the NICU every day for updates on the girls’ progress. Our daughters were monitored continuously. They needed to reach 4 pounds before they could be transferred to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to have their surgeries. We were extremely nervous and scared.
Sydney was discharged from the NICU first and transferred to Children’s. Before the doctors could place a shunt in her head, she needed surgery to control some bleeding on her brain. Sydney’s surgeries went well. She was discharged about 10 days later, and we were happy to finally bring her to our new home. We longed for the day Samantha would also come home.
Samantha was finally transferred to Children’s and underwent the same shunt procedure. She was discharged two days later. At last, we had both daughters home!
One week later, Samantha spiked a high fever, so we took her to Children’s ER. She had a staph infection that began in her shunt and spread into her bloodstream. She needed another surgery to remove the shunt.
Soon after, Sydney developed a high fever due to a staph infection as well, but it didn’t pass into her bloodstream. Sydney’s VP shunt was removed the next day.
At a later time, Sydney underwent surgery to have another VP shunt placed in her head. Since Samantha’s staph infection was more severe, my husband and I had to administer antibiotics to her for several weeks. While at home, Samantha’s line to administer antibiotics fell out of her left leg. We returned to Children’s emergency room and she underwent yet another surgery to have a new line placed in her neck. Samantha didn’t need surgery to have another shunt, as she responded well without it.
Sydney and Samantha were finally discharged on May 25. This time was very emotional for my husband and me. Our daughters had endured so much so young.
 To the right: Doug with the healthy and happy twins, Sydney and Samantha.
Due to being born premature, the twins underwent occupational therapy, speech therapy, and early intervention services for two years. They are now doing great developmentally. Since leaving Children’s in May 2006, our girls have been very healthy. Sydney still has her VP shunt and is checked annually.
We want to thank Dr. Wakim, Dr. England, their staff, and the NICU staff for the care and devotion that our family received. We are truly thankful for the support from our families. Sydney and Samantha are a true blessing that Doug and I desired for eight long years, and we are so happy that they are finally a part of our lives.
Our Commitment: Infertility, Neonatology
Opportunities for Giving: Neonatal Intensive Care, More Options
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