January 3, 1985

I don't know where the time went from my last post, well I do but . . . anyways, I finally found my journal so I will continue with my story.


Today started out like any other except it's Al's birthday and I was scheduled for a sonogram at 11:00 am.

Both of us went to work, I work for a printer as a typesetter, Al works at Memorial Regional Hospital as an Investment Manager. I had the car so at 10:30 AM I left work and headed for the hospital to pick up Al. We arrived at 10:55 AM (yes I am into times and dates, which I am very good at ;-), I signed in and waited. Fifteen minutes later, Mary, Dr. Schram's nurse called us in to do the sonogram. After I was ready, I got onto the table. Mary came in and started the sonogram. Mary found a head in my lower abdomen. While she was searching for another I felt like I was going to faint, so Mary told me to sit up. I did and felt a little better. I laid back down and she proceeded to look again She found another baby at the top, I felt faint again and had to go to the bathroom. I sat up and started to go towards the restroom. I couldn't make it because of feeling faint. Mary told me to sit down and gave me some coke to drink. After I drank it I did feel better. Al said my color was coming back so I went to the restroom. I came out and we went back to the examining room to wait. While we were waiting Mary called Dr. Schram (my doctor was out of town) to tell him she found twins. He came in and introduced himself, this was the first time meeting him. Get this, he was in his tennis outfit, yep white shorts and shirt lol. I laid down again and he used the sonogram. Dr. Schram found a baby at the top and followed the head to the spinal column but instead of the spinal column he found another head. Then he headed (no pun intended) towards the bottom and found another head and announced: "I believe it's triplets!" Well, Al and I didn't say anything. To say the least . . . we were just shocked!

Dr Schram said he wanted to confirm it was triplets so he called Radiology Consultants for an ultrasound. Radiology Consultants is across the street from Memorial Regional Hospital. We had a 2:00 PM appointment. We had time so we went to lunch at Memorial's cafeteria. We didn't tell anyone about me possibly carrying triplets because we wanted confirmation as well. Around 1:50 PM we headed out and got there a little before 2:00 PM. Our appointment was with Dr. Schneider. Al signed me in and we sat in the waiting room for just a few minutes. We were called in and taken to the room. Dr. Schneider was waiting for us, I got onto the table and he proceeded with the ultrasound. The machine was unreal . . . we were able to see facial expressions and their little hands, it was an experience we'll never forget. Dr. Schneider was so nice to us. He took 9 ultrasound pictures, he measured each one of their heads and bodies. All are/were the right size for 26 weeks. Dr. Schneider said they are all healthy and whatever I was doing to keep it up. After the ultrasound Dr. Schneider wanted one x-ray to be taken of my abdomen to make sure there wasn't a baby hiding. He said it wouldn't harm me or the babies. The x-ray technician took it and it same out perfect. It was amazing to see all three in one shot. I was concerned about them being Siamese but Dr. Schneider said no, that all three are separate and it looks like they are all in one sac. So that means identical!!

Al and I walked back to Memorial to tell everyone in his office. They were all excited and just couldn't believe it. Then it was my turn to go back to work and announce the news. I came in through the front and told my boss Mr. Schantz. Then went through the shop telling everyone . . . they had the same reaction, nobody could believe it. Of course I couldn't work the rest of the day, I was still in shock.

I went back to Memorial to pick Al up. We went to our friends house, Fred and Martha. They asked how the sonogram went and Al said that twins were ruled out then I held up three fingers. They couldn't believe it, just like everyone else.

After we left Fred and Martha's we went to dinner, Tony Romas to celebrate Al's birthday and our recent discovery. We left the restaurant and went home. The phone was ringing and it was my sister Kathy, to wish Al a "Happy Birthday" and to find out about the sonogram. Then Al came in and I went to the other phone, after they sang Kathy said well . . . is it twins? Al said they ruled out twins, it's triplets! Jeff (brother-in-law), was also on the phone, they couldn't believe it. Al explained what happened then we hung up. The phone rang again, we thought it was Mom and Dad but it was Dianne. Al said about the twins being ruled out and its triplets! We said we would come down to see them after we called Mom and Dad.

We called Mom and Dad, Mom answered and the first thing she asked . . ."What did the doctor say?" I said put Dad on, We heard Mom tell Dad I bet it's twins! When Dad got on they wished Al a Happy Birthday. Then Al said they ruled out twins, and Dad said what triplets? We said yes! They couldn't believe it and were so excited! Mom said she just knew she wouldn't sleep tonight. Dad said he wouldn't either.

After we talked to Mom and Dad we walked down to Frank and Eileen's to tell them the news. They had the same reaction as everyone did, they couldn't believe it. Then we left and went to John and Dianne's. Al told the whole story again and John's mom gave us a baby gift. We opened it and it was a stuffed teddy bear. After that, we walked home and just went to bed we were exhausted!!