We were able to go visit our cousins babies in the NICU. Isabelle and Brayden. They were also born early and survived and fought hard. Our lives are a miracle. Literally! So are theres! How blessed we are to be living and breathing!
Happy Birthday to two of the most wonderful amazing people I know!
Deirdre and Michelle!
I know growing up was challenging and difficult, and I know I didn't help or make it any easier on the two of you. For this I have a lot of regret that I wasn't a better sister.
I am so thankful that I have had the last 36 years to get to know you, appreciate you both. To see and love all that is you. For your individualities, your strong spirits, your wonderful quirky sides and everything in between! I simply can't say enough or express to the two of you enough how much I love you! How grateful I am that you are my sisters! How much I learn from you, and treasure everyday, every moment we have to be family, and try to be there for each other now!
The two of you are so beautiful inside and out!
Happy Birthday SHOUT out to you this wonderful day!!!
JENNIFER HOWARD
A big hearted happy b day sistas. I get the privilege of seeing you both next week. DONOVAN
Happppyyyy birthday girls!!.. The world is a better place with you in it! MINDI
Happy happy birthday you two! Love and miss you both!! AMANDA
Happy birthday aunties! hope it's a great one! SARA
Others sent birthday wishes that were private.
We love you all and feel blessed to have you all in our lives!!
Twins Birth
Monday, Jan 24th 1977 dawned clear, and bright, with only a few clouds scudding over the tops of the mountains, here in Colorado. In Utah, it was a day of continuing drought, with the sun vainly endeavoring to illuminate the earth through the smog covering the Salt Lake, Orem, Provo area.
The previous week had been busy for Sharry. She had gone to Salt Lake twice, to see that Melanie made a Dr.'s appointment, and then kept it. She also had her hair cut buy Georgine. Melanie had had some blacking out spells, and we need to know that she is going to find out what the problem is, and not shrug it off as she is so in the habit of doing when it comes to the state of her health. When I had called Sharry the week prior to that she had said, "Well, a couple of days ago I was thinking that everything was just too calm, and proper for this family. Not one in big trouble, and no one in the hospital---it just couldn't last. ( I had had the same feeling the same week.)
The night before the 24th, Diane, Cliff and Nathan had been with Sharry,and Lee had arrived home from Canada about six. He had had pick up fuel pump problems that were the worst problem he has had on any of his driving trips from Canada. Having the trouble on Saturday did not help things as he nearly gave up on finding a parts place open that had the fuel pump, but he persevered, feeling urged on, and finally found one. Cliff and his family returned to Draper about 10pm.
All that week end I had thought of calling Sharry. However, we had called Melanie and gotten her version of what the dr. had told her on Friday, so I kept putting it off, and finally decided to call before eight on Monday and talk with Sharry Lynn. So a few minutes before eight I called. Lee answered the telephone, which I expected, knowing he was due home during the week end. We chatted about the weather, and his trip, and I found out his mind was madly racing wondering how in the world I knew about Sharry, or why would I call, and how was he going to put me off. Realizing that he couldn't he said, "Well, your daughter is not here." There was a pause as I assimilated that news, and then, "Where is she?"
I took her down to the hospital about three this morning. She has to have a c-section."
"But isn't it quite early?"
"Yes, but the placenta was coming loose, so they have to take the baby, she was loosing a lot of blood." Lee had been matter of fact about it all, and then I asked.
"Did you give her a blessing, or administer to her?"
"No I didn't have time, she was bleeding so badly they just rushed her right to surgery."
Then I began to feel the panic rising in me, knowing, as men do not, the seriousness of blood loss, and what quantities can rush from a womb area in a short time. I told him he must get her administered to. He replied that he would get the Bishop, or someone and they would go down.
I immediately began praying, and crying, naturally, being me what else would happen? I called Howard, wanting his prayers to begin, and then Don, telling him to get to Lee or the hospital, he trying to calm me saying he felt sure everything would go alright. Next I got Melanie out of bed, and she was immediately awake, alert and ready to help, I could tell by the urgency in her voice.
I knew Ken would probably be at Seminary, but sometimes he is at work early, so tried the office with no success. Next, I knew Cliff went to work early, and tried there, but got no one.
I had started the wash, and had chores to do, so ran to do them, and as I came back into the house the telephone rang. It was Lee saying Sharry had baby girls, not a baby, but twins, and his voice was very husky, and I could tell things were not going well. He said he was to meet Don and the Bishop at the hospital so must leave. (He had called the hospital to find out, at the Bishop's instructions if they could administer to Sharry, and they had informed him it was all over and Sharry was alright, and that he had twin daughters. He thought it must be someone else, but they insisted it was him, and that Dr., Clark the pediatrician wanted him to call right away. He called and found out the babies were needing some help, and that he should go right down and give them a name and a blessing so they would be entered on the church records.)
I put in a call for Howard, the line was busy, so dialed the other number, and found out Howard was on the other line.
I had called Ken and Cliff again and gotten Cliff's secretary and left word for him to call, collect, and one of Ken's business partners and left the same message. Feeling sure it was one of them talking with Howard, I asked Pat to connect me so I could hear what was being said. She put me on hold, and Howard said it was Don. (Lee had asked him to call me, and not being able to reach me had called Howard) So Howard knew about the babies.
I continued to prepare to have things ready to go to Utah in necessary, and pray and fast, and of course cry. I stayed near the phone, and Helen called and I quickly told her the bare facts, and about the expected calls, and she said, "I'll get off right away, but call and let me know what happens." I promised.
Ken finally called, so we could add their prayer strength to ours, and I finally decided to call Diane. She couldn't believe my news was for real. She said, "But we were down there last night, she was fine, I can hardly believe what you are telling me. Do they need us to take care of the kids, or anything, I can, probably, get Cliff and have him come home and take me down."
"I'm sure they could use whatever help you would be able to offer."
At some point Lee called me back, I'm sure. Because I remember asking him if he wanted me to come over. I talked with Howard and he said, "Yes, I think you'd better plan to fly over this evening. I'm sure Lee will need your help."
I checked the air schedules, and called Sharry and Lee's house, (Lee had, also, told me that Melanie had the kids, so I knew someone would answer the phone.) I told her my arrival time, and she chastised me for sounding so weepy, that all was well, and they were excited about everything." I said, "Well, I haven't eaten, and it's not that easy to turn off the water works," and I had a feeling celebrating was not in order, just yet.
Cliff finally called, he had come home, and I told him Melanie had gone down, and that I was not aware she had, but they decided to go on down.
I spent the afternoon, still praying, cooking for Howard, packing, getting the laundry finished, (It was rather fortunate that it was Monday, as the house was clean, and the wash done, and the beds changed.)
Howard took me to the airport in town at about five, and I flew to Denver, and waited there until about six when we took off for Salt Lake. I hated leaving Howard, I always do, but I knew there was no alternative.
I was still pretty jittery, and not at all sure that things were going well. Cliff met me and took me to Sharry and Lee's. By this time Sharry was out of the woods, but the heavier of the babies was not doing like she should, so they were still doing lots of praying for her. Lee was like an Aspen tree in a wind, nervous, and wrung out, and I was glad to be there to help with the other children, and give them a little stability.
Then I heard the story from him. End of things----He had called Don to meet him at nine at the hospital, and also, the Bishop and Lee's home teacher, and had barely turned from the phone when the Relief Society President was at the door saying, "I'm here for the little ones," and Lee was running Donovan and Stace out the door for school.
Lloyd was with Don when they arrived at the hospital, and the nurse said they couldn't all go into the nursery, intensive care, so Lee asked Lloyd to wait for them, and the other four scrubbed, and gowned to bless those precious little girls. But as the nurse told them, and Don began taking off his jacket he said, "Now for the big shocker," and his gun came into view. The nurse who saw it was standing behind him, so could not see his badge, and she cried, "A gun----you've got a gun----you can't have a gun in here---are you a police officer?----"
Don turned then and she was his badge, and she said, "But you can't wear it in there, can't you take it off and lay it here someplace?" "No lady, I don't take it off, and lay it down someplace," "But we had a threat in here just a few days ago....." "You needn't be afraid nothing bad is going to happen with me with a gun in there."
Don gave Michelle her blessing, knowing from the moment he laid his hands on her head she would be alright. He said there was a special feeling that went through him from her and he knew all would be well with her. Lee and Sharry had picked out the name Deirdre Lynn for their new daughter, and when asked if there was another name Lee said, "Well, when David was born I wanted the name Michelle Lorainne so that's the one we will use since I can't ask Sharry." (She was still in recovery.)
Lee gave the first born, and larger of the two babies the name Deirdre thinking if one did not live, it would surely be the smaller of the two, and he gave her, her name and blessing.
As they came out from blessing the babies, there was Melanie with Lloyd. Lee couldn't believe how fast she had come from Salt Lake. The Bishop said, "Oh, I know you, you areSharry's sister, but usually you are so fixed up. You look like you just came in from skiing."
Don said, "She just got out of bed." Poor Melanie, was embarrassed, because she does like to look nice, and she gave her usually "Welllll you see----"
Conversation was flying back and forth between all of the fellows and Melanie was standing there trying to find out what was going on. At intervals she would ask, "What's going on?" or "Would somebody tell me what's going on?"
When she asked someone would say,
"Oh, they're doing fine." Finally Lee asked, seeing Melanie's perplexed, and a bit pained look, "Didn't Lloyd tell you?" "Tell me what?"
"That we have twin girls?" Melanie about lost all her teeth, she was as dumb founded as the rest of us.
Lee turning to Lloyd said, "Boy, I have to give you credit, you are the best keeper of secrets I've ever seen." Lloyd said, "Well I thought she knew." "But then we always did have a communication problem." Melanie responded with a not too kind look, "Yes, and it's not getting any better."
It had been such a complete surprise, even to the dr. When he took Deirdre from Sharry, he was trying to get her to breath, and in amazement he handed her to Dr. Clark and said, "Here, take her, there's another one in there." So Michelle was born. Two tiny dark haired little girls, very much alike except for difference in size, so perfect, so utterly adorable, so newly come from Heavenly Father. Each tiny finger nail so perfectly formed, their little ears so miraculous in their intricacy.
Even the monitor on Sharry had not registered two heart beats. Sharry said she heard one of the nurses say, "The baby is moving, it's moving." But not they.
It was such a miracle with Sharry hemorrhaging as she was, when they rushed her into surgery Dr. Boradbent had just barely finished stapling up another patient, he would not have had time to finish her had he not been using a stapling gun, so the blood was set up, and everything was there and no time was wasted in setting up. They gave her three pints and a fourth the next day. The first pint left her still with low hemoglobin count, so they gave her a second and it was the same count, and finally the third brought it up, but to be safe they gave her the fourth,. They, also, gave her intravenous iron the third day.
At some time Don and Lee were able to give Sharry a blessing, and just prior to surgery they allowed Lee into the surgery to see her. He could not believe all the blood. He had the idea of things neat and tidy. They nearly had to pick him up off the floor.
As Lee, Don, Melanie, and Lloyd sat in the lobby an Indian Youth came and sat beside Lloyd. In the conversation Lee said,
"So your back down with the Indians." Lloyd said, "Yeah, chasing those savages around." And they both looked at Don making big eyes, pointing furtively towards the Indian beside Lloyd. Lloyds face turned a little peculiar, and he got up and said, "Let's get out of here."
On Tues. afternoon I went to see Sharry Lynn. She looked quite good, and we got to see the babies. What a precious sight was Michelle all bundled in her blanket, and so asleep. But poor little Deirdre, tubes down her nose to help her breath, tubes into her mouth, and a monitor on her umbilical cord, and a mask over her face to protect her eyes from the lights. How miserable she looked as her little chest worked so hard to fight for life sustaining oxygen. The Dr. said she was really fighting for life, but during Tuesday night she worsened, and Wednesday was a crucial day for her. About eleven o'clock the Dr. called and said the oxygen was up to 1--% and that was all they could do. So Lee called Don and had him meet him at the hospital to administer to her. Don said he was prepared to use the words, "If it be Thy will help Deirdre to heal, but if not, then help us to realize the wisdom of this in our lives." But when he touched her those words just would not come out. Instead he felt words pouring through him, of "Be strong little one, fight hard, you have a mission to perform in this life, so be strong." Lee said he wondered why Don was so slow getting started, and kept stopping. But this was the reason----he was being used buy the spirit as a mouth piece----and from that time Deirdre began to mend.
Lee had said to me in broken words,
"You know my patriarchal blessings says I'll be able to heal. That I have the gift of healing, and now I've forfeited that gift by not living like I should." And then very fiercely he said.
"But nothing can keep me from praying and fasting." And pray and fast he did. He began his fast when we got word Deirdre was worsening, and he said, "I'm not eating again until she starts getting better," and he did not.
It was a hard time, harder on that tiny babe than on us I'm sure. What a rude awakening from a warm completely protected world to suddenly be plunged into such utter pain, and discomfort. Why????Shall we ever really know?? Her mother said, "There is some reason why she must suffer like this, maybe to strengthen Michelle at some future time."----But she has already done a mission in making her Daddy realize how he must fight, himself, to regain those lost blessings he has not place a high enough value on in times past. How Lee loves those two little girls. He never missed a day of going in and holding Michelle, and touching Deirdre's legs and arms, which were the only things free of wires and tubes. He always cautioned the children at home to pray for her, and he thought of her continually.
This has been a choice experience for Don, also. He said he never had been that neat a babe that small, or been so involved with the life and death process so closely, the way he feels about little ones is always special, and they return his love, but he will have a very special place in his heart for these little girls.
During the period of six days while Sharry was in the hospital eleven sets of twins were born. The nurses said already this year, and this is only January, more twins have been born than in the whole of last year. How very much that says about the times, when there are spirits yet to be born that must come to good priesthood homes, or those that know they must choose parents who will not abort the bodies in the process of being prepared for them. How any one can countenance abortion is something hard to understand, but if they can, they have never been involved, as we have, with the intensive care unit of a hospital where the little early born are cared for, and seen those completed little bodies, perfect in every detail, only awaiting time to make them form bigger, stronger, and able to begin life in the world.
How grateful we are for the priesthood. For the power of prayer of fasting, for the care and love of our Heavenly Father. And, last of all, but by far not least of all, the love and caring of our family, and their involvement with each others problems. What choice and special spirits are the ones that came to Howard and I, and these that have now come to these of ours, God grant that we are worthy of them.
Another side light of how really out of orbit Lee was----Cliff went over to the hospital and found Lee talking with one of the nurses in the hall. He stood and waited, and Lee finished and started walking down the hall, vaguely aware of someone standing there, and then following him down the hall. He finally realized it was Cliff and turned and told him he didn't even realize who he was, and Cliff understood, just waited until the fog was blown aside a little.
By Tuesday afternoon, when I got to see Sharry Lynn she was ready to be up in a wheel chair and I wheeled her down to see the darling little girls. Lots of black hair, lying in ringlets like Stace's used to do. So tiny, so complete, but Deirdre working so hard, trying to breathe the life giving oxygen she must have. Our hearts cried out to her in her being so suddenly thrust into a world which is a difficult task master.
But through all of it, Sharry was like a lovely green willow tree, yielding to the buffeting's of the gales of life, bending and swaying, but always returning to her tall quiet, restful self. I gained strength just from being near her. Her faith never wavered, she was never railing, or asking why, just with peace accepting what might come. What a joy she is in all our lives, what a choice spirit she is as a Mother. I hope her children realize this early in their lives. She has so many qualities I always wanted so in myself. It is truly a miracle I am the Mother of such a serene sprit.
For me it was very dear to my heart when Diane said over the telephone, "I love you, Mom." somehow it was something that needed to be said, and no one else said it, I appreciate Diane's feeling for what I need, I am so grateful, too, that she is my fourth daughter.
Don, too, reminds me of Sharry. He had the same calmness which he exhibited, and I never, really, think of them as being alike. His assurance that all would be well was infectious, also, and I was able to gain the reassurance that all would be well. In fact, I wondered when we were fasting, and praying so hard for Deirdre if we weren't being selfish. If she went home to her Heavenly Father and Mother , whom she had just left, all would be well, no vale of tears for her, but celestial kingdom for the eternities something we must struggle so grindingly to attain during our probation here upon this earth. But there is much that she would have missed----of the love of this growing family, our closeness, our concern for each other. The opportunity to associate with such a diverse group of personalities. The great joy she will feel in the soft kiss of a snowflake. The beauty she will sense when she touches one of her Mother's lovely roses, and breathes it's fragrance; the lifting of heart as she gazes at the crimson canyons that surround her home in the autumn; the fun and excitement of having Lee for her Daddy, the crystal taste of cold water on a hot summer day; and the peace that comes from knowing that for her, her Savior created the grand and glorious earth upon which she is privileged to know as home for her earthly schooling place
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