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Before surgery, her fear grows

Karoline Byler has never had an operation. She's scared and lonely. And she has six babies on the way.

By LISA BUIE, Times Staff Writer
Published August 22, 2007

She'd rather be at Walt Disney World.

But the only piece of the Magic Kingdom that Karoline Byler can have right now is a princess pillow that belongs to her 4-year-old daughter, Zoe.

Cinderella, Aurora and Belle sit at the head of the railed bed she has lain in for 11 days as nurses keep a constant check on her and the sextuplets that have been in her belly for nearly 28 weeks.

"I went to Disney when I was 13 weeks pregnant," she said. Afterward, she called the doctor to report a minor complication and confessed to the theme park visit. "She said I probably shouldn't have done that." The doctor put her on bed rest for a few days.

That was early, before Byler's tummy got in the way, before she had to be put on drugs to stop contractions that could result in a dangerously premature birth.

Now the 29-year-old Wesley Chapel woman is confined to the antepartum unit of Bayfront Medical Center in hopes of making it at least two more weeks before she and her husband, Ben, become parents of Florida's first sextuplets.

Byler ended up pregnant with six after she underwent infertility treatments because of polycystic ovarian syndrome, a condition that makes conception difficult.

She's lonely. And scared.

"I've never had surgery," said Byler, who must deliver by caesarean section because of the number of babies involved. The only C-sections she has seen have been on television documentaries and "they don't show too much."

Each day, doctors perform an ultrasound on MacKenzie Margaret, Brady Christopher and the four other boys yet to be named. (One possibility is Eli Benjamin.)

Their weights range from 2 to 2.4 pounds, and they are continuing to thrive.

"The doctors are amazed," Byler said. "They say I'm doing better than some singleton mothers."

Still Byler worries. She worries when a nurse tells her she might be put on a urinary catheter before it's over because she would feel it being put in.

She dreads Thursdays. That's when nurses draw blood. Byler, who has bad veins, calls it "blood day."

She worries about the possibility of being put on a more powerful drug to keep contractions at bay.

"There are a lot of side effects from it," she said.

The nurses reassure her. They tell her not to worry about things that haven't happened.

One thing she doesn't have to worry about is medical bills. The family's health plan so far has covered "pretty much everything."

Six babies still come with a lot of expense, and friends have stepped in to help. A fundraiser, which organizers are billing as Tampa Bay's biggest baby shower, is set for Saturday.

Sponsors so far have offered diaper rash cream, six Bumbo seats (soft chairs that allow young babies to sit up before they are able to do so on their own) and formula, although Byler plans to breast-feed as much as possible.

When she isn't napping, Byler combats the loneliness by reading "junk magazines," e-mailing friends and other moms of multiples online, and watching television.

Little things mean a lot. Like when a storm hit Thursday night and knocked out television service in patient rooms. Byler was watching Big Brother, one of her favorites. The outage was brief, and Byler got to see the last 10 minutes, including the eviction.

"Dustin got kicked out. He's evil."

Fast Facts:

If you go

What: Tampa Bay's biggest baby shower

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: Idlewild Baptist Church, Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz

How much: Admission is free, but guests will have opportunities to make donations. The event will also feature auctions, raffles, food, music, clowns and other entertainment.

Web: www.bylerbunch.com

[Last modified August 21, 2007, 20:26:36]