The Triplets are Here!

 

Family Welcomes Identical Triplets 

By Jason Jones 

Messenger Reporter 

CROCKETT – The man upstairs has a plan, this is indisputable. Some of us wonder why we don’t win the lottery. Perhaps it’s because the good Lord knows we would do a terrible job at being rich or be bad stewards of a large fortune. 

If this line of thinking holds true in all aspects of life, then it can be said that Megan and Stephen Easley have been found worthy of a higher calling, and as such, just won the lottery of life. 

The Easley Triplets, a literal one-in-a-million miracle, were born via c-section a little before 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 26 in Houston. Natalie Grace made her debut first at 12:51 weighing 3 pounds 3 ounces, Michelle Elizabeth followed a minute later at 3 pounds 8 ounces and Lavinia Maria closed the door and turned the lights out a minute later, tipping the scales at 3 pounds 9 ounces. The girls are doing fantastic, all breathing room air and looking fabulous. Mom Megan came through like a world champion and is doing great as well. 

Almost five years ago, Megan and Stephen welcomed their son, Matthew, into their world. Matthew was born with a heart defect known as Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS.) HRHS is a range of right-sided congenital heart defects in which the right-sided structures are underdeveloped or not formed. When these structures are too small or do not function properly, the right side of the heart cannot send enough blood to the lungs. This causes a baby with untreated HRHS to have abnormally low oxygen levels. HRHS, along with other defects, made transplant Matthew’s only option. 

The family received their miracle, and Matthew came through with flying colors. While the processes of transplant, rehab and other treatments have been challenging for Matthew, he is now healthy and has started Pre-K. 

Now the Easleys have welcomed their second miracle, Identical triplets. 

The Easley girls are not your run-of-the-mill addition to the family. The triplets, a bit of a rarity in and of itself, are not simply triplets. They are identical triplets which puts them high on the scale of good fortune. The triplets shared a single placenta with separate amniotic sacs, which is known as monochorionic, meaning the little ladies are true identical triplets. 

Estimates on the odds of having true identical triplets range from one in a million to one in two hundred million. It is considerably easier to be struck by lightning than to have monochorionic triplets. 

The Easley girls were born at 32 weeks (about 7 and a half months). Despite being a little early, they are doing remarkably well. The Easleys expect the triplets to be in the hospital for about 4-6 weeks. “They said we could expect a release date somewhere close to their original due date of March 23,” said Megan. 

The road ahead promises to be challenging for the family. Raising a family is always challenging, and filling needs in triplicate will surely be daunting. The Easleys are hesitant to ask for help, but many in East Texas would want to reach out with a helping hand. The family is registered online at www.babylist.com/easley-triplets. Those who wish to lend a hand can find an easy way to donate to a general fund or a diaper fund, and anyone who knows about raising children understands that wet wipes are always in fashion. 

According to Megan’s mom, Stephanie Bowdoin, there is another need that the family will have to address. “They have a pretty small car right now. They will need a vehicle that can carry four car seats,” said Bowdoin. “We don’t want to ask for a handout, but we will need a good deal on a reliable larger vehicle.”  

If a dealership or individual would like to contact the Easleys regarding a suitable vehicle, Call Stephen at (903) 573-3025. 

The Messenger would like to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Megan, Stephen and Matthew Easley on the arrival of their long-awaited miracle.  

Jason Jones may be reached via email at [email protected]