I was pregnant with Mono/Di twin boys

I was pregnant with Mono/Di twin boys. At 24 weeks gestation I was diagnosed with Stage 1 TTTS by my MFM and was sent to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in October 2016 for laser surgery where we moved from Stage 1 to Stage 3. It was considered successful with 28 transfused vessels seperated and over 3 liters of fluid removed from my recipient's sac. I was sent home on restrictions and continued to see my local doctors two, sometimes three times a week. Five weeks after surgery, at 30 weeks gestation, I started having contractions 7 minutes apart while at my doctors appointment and my cervix had shrunk from the last check that had happened three days before. My fetal fibronectin test came back negative, so they sent me home but told me to come back if the contractions got stronger or if I had decreased fetal movement. Three days later, on November 20th, I went to my OBGYN ER for decreased fetal movement and found out that our recipient no longer had a heartbeat. This was a complete shock because it was our donor that was the sickest, not our recipient, Adler Henry. Two days later I delivered my boys by Emergency C Section. They brought us Adler while I was in recovery and rushed our survivor, Everett Wells, to the NICU. To explain the rollercoaster of emotions it has been to grieve the loss of Adler while celebrating Everett and the progress he's making in the NICU is too hard. I miss my boy. I should be bringing both of them home in two days, but instead only bringing one. It breaks my heart that Everett will have to go through this life without his twin brother.

The names we chose for them before we were even diagnosed with TTTS have turned out to be perfect. Adler means 'Eagle' and there is no doubt in my mind that he is up in Heaven, with the most beautiful wings, soaring. Everett means 'Brave as a Wild Boar' and is so fitting for our brave survivor, beating the odds with TTTS and being a preemie in the NICU. The picture attached is of him on his 8 week "birthday" in the NICU.