by Crystal Duffy (Author), Dr . Kenneth Moise (Foreword)
Twin-to-Twin is one twenty-nine-year-old mother's harrowing and heartwarming adventure through a high-risk twin pregnancy. But this isn't only a book about pregnancy. It's also an inspirational story to which all women can relate, especially when moving forward through any type of adversity. Here's what happened... One minute Crystal was sitting at a candlelight dinner in Paris with her husband. The next she was back home in Houston, sitting in her Ob-Gyn's office concerned that she was having a second miscarriage. That wasn't the news he delivered. Instead, she found out she was pregnant with twins! Since Crystal and her husband Ed already had a two-year-old daughter, Abigail, she couldn't imagine why mothering twins would be all that different. But, after a family vacation at the beach, she finds out that her twins have a life threatening condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. That means that Baby B is transfusing blood (disproportionately) to Baby A. Houston, we have a problem! Her OB says that Crystal is too high risk to let out of his sight, so he sends her to the 5th floor of the Houston Medical Center for the duration of her pregnancy. Sitting alone in her hospital bed, Crystal wonders how she is going to pass the next few weeks, away from her husband and precious daughter. She soon finds out as she embarks on an emotional rollercoaster-from late night emergency ultrasounds to hospital baby blessings, sprinkled with comic relief from nurses and hospital staff. Twin-to-Twin is a raw and inspirational story filled with tenderness, vulnerability and humor. It chronicles the wildest, most terrifying and challenging year of Crystal's life, which is also the most beautiful and eye opening. Her hope is that it will bring strength to other women dealing with their own personal trials and tragedies, so they can also triumph.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 236
Publisher: Mango
Published: 31 Jan 2019
ISBN 10: 1633538338
ISBN 13: 9781633538337
Book Overview: Crystal Duffy is starting up the Texas Region of Expecting Twins Classes through Twiniversity. She will be teaching parents what to expect during twin pregnancy and through the first year. Crystal Duffy has a strong relationship with the OB/GYN Community and the Maternal Fetal Medicine community in the Houston Medical Center - a leading research and clinical center that treats patients from around the country. Her connection with the medical community provides a nationwide network to promote Twin to Twin. Crystal Duffy speaks to expectant Twin Moms, NICU nurses and doctors regularly in Houston. Crystal Duffy's essays on parenting have appeared in Scary Mommy, Mamapedia, BluntMoms, Twins Magazine, Twiniversity and forthcoming Brain Child Magazine. Her story has been featured in Woman's World. Crystal Duffy has been a guest on several different podcasts including Lose the Cape, NICU NOW, Never Ever Give Up Hope Podcast and forthcoming Twiniversity podcast. Crystal Duffy is the Co-chair for the NICU Parent Advisory Council at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Junior League of Houston, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Georgetown University Alumni network. Twin-to-Twin is an inspiring story that touches on many women's issues, so it will appeal to a wide range of female readers. Twin-to-Twin is a tale of resilience, faith, hope and love, and learning to never lose hope no matter what adversities you are faced with. The overall message is to never give up, trusting your instincts, and staying positive through traumatic and life-changing events. Even though not all readers will have children, including preemies, or twins, they will relate to the universal themes of loss, faith, hope and love. Most importantly, readers will be drawn to the idea that life may throw countless curve balls at you, but you need to keep playing the game. And, if you do, you will win in the end. We may not be able to control the events that occur but we can control our emotions and reactions to those events. It's a journey toward making the best of life under whatever circumstances. Twin-to-Twin will appeal to women who: * Have been pregnant (high risk or normal) * Have had to be on bed rest (1 in 5 women in the US will be placed on bed rest at some point during pregnancy) * Have had traumatic birth experiences (we have all heard those heartbreaking birth stories) * Have made big changes in their lives, either purposefully or unintentionally * Have loved and lost or loved and succeeded * Have had premature children (1 in 8 babies is born prematurely in the U.S. every year and our country's premature birth rate has risen by over 35% over the last 25 years) * Are mothers of multiples (the rate of twin births rose 76% 1980 to 2009, now 1 in 30 babies born in the US is a twin) * Are part of the 20-25 million members of book clubs and reading groups * Are part of support groups for mothers of multiples * Are equal rights/feminist activists Twin-to-Twin will also appeal to the heath care community, including: * Maternal fetal care specialists (nurse practitioners and RNs who care for pregnant women on hospital bed rest) * Pediatric neonatologist * Pediatric nurse practitioners and other NICU (neonatal intensive-care unit) medical staffs, including respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and social workers. * Regional Center personnel at early intervention programs (occupational, physical, and speech therapists) * Texas Fetal Center at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston has already agreed to purchase several hundred copies to hand out to their patients.