God Has Other Plans…

I have been thinking about writing this post for a week now, and it’s just not something I have been wanting to do. But seeing as how there have been so many of you visit my blog and share your well wishes and prayers, I feel it is important to let you know what’s happened…

On Thursday, July 22nd, we learned that we had lost our baby. I had a routine OB appointment, and was scheduled for an ultrasound to check up on the Sub chorionic Hemorrhage and to see if there was one baby or two. The first thing the midwife did was check for a fetal heartbeat via doppler. She tried for 5 minutes and couldn’t find it. We then had an agonizing one hour wait before we could see the us tech. I was trying so hard not to be dismal, but I just knew that something was very wrong.

The ultrasound showed no baby, no sac, nothing. Just my empty uterus :( Apparently sometime during my heavy bleeding, I miscarried. I was very watchful during that time, and I hadn’t noticed anything, so I had no idea. I did find it strange that I wasn’t really having many pregnancy symptoms, but I just figured that would catch up to me in my second trimester.

But alas, that is not to be. We have accepted our loss (as we are painfully aware that these things happen) and are going forward with life. We are very saddened by our loss, but we are taking comfort in the knowledge that God is in control and He knows what is best for our family. We completely trust Him and He has given us peace about the situation. The timing of this pregnancy was not the best, and we are trying to focus on knowing that when we do get pregnant again, we will hopefully be in a much more settled environment.

We have decided that once we get settled into the Army life and we have good health coverage, we are going to see about getting a full panel done to see exactly why I have continued to have issues maintaining pregnancies.

I am focusing my time and energy on loving and nourishing the four beautiful children God has already entrusted me with. I am so thankful to have each of them, especially in the light of recent events. They are all miracles in my eyes and we are so blessed to have them! I thank God everyday that He gave them to us.

I am sorry this news was so delayed, I am sure you understand how hard the past few weeks have been for us. I am so thankful for each and every prayer and well-wishes that you, my readers and my friends, have shared over the past month. I am deeply touched that you have kept my family in your thoughts.

Blessings,

Weekly Wrap Up – Pregnancy Update Week 7- Hello Blog Walkers!

What a title huh? I haven’t been blogging very regularly, and I have a few things to cover, but fortst of all I would like to say HELLO! to all who are visiting my blog through the TOS Blog Walk! This is the 4th week of the walk and I am thrilled to be a part of it. I have been visiting my fellow crew member’s blog every week and have been adding you all to my subscriptions as I go. You can check out the other TOS crew members’ blogs here:

1. King Alfred Academy
2. Confessions of An Organized Homeschool Mom
3. Curriculum Reviews from Oak Creek Farmhouse
4. I Can't Decide
5. My Life on A Taffy Pull
6. Losing My Tale
7. Made in His Image
8. Serenades and Solace
9. Our Village is a Little Different
10. SisterTipster's Tell'n It!

Well this week was pretty slow as far as school goes (it is the summer after all), but we have still had a very busy week. Last Saturday we went to our local fireworks display and I got to try out the fireworks setting on my new Canon Powershot…

As you can see, it’s a tricky thing to take good fireworks shots. I had to hold the camera very still, and being that I neglected to bring my tripod along, the photos came out a bit blurry. Oh well! I am sure I’ll get better shots next time.

Also this week, my hubby made a trip to MEPS to sign his Army contract and take his oath. So the kids and I, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law and her kids were all there to watch the swearing in ceremony and take pictures.

We are all very proud of him! It has been a long process for him to get to this point (because of needing a dependent waiver for such a big family) but now he is officially a member of the US Army! Actually, his official status is US Army Reserves, until he reports to basic training in November. It’s a relief to have this part of the process finished and know when and where his training is going to be. Unfortunately because of his delayed entry status, he is going to be in training over Thanksgiving, but will get a few days leave for Christmas. When the baby comes, he will be in AIT, so he won’t be able to be here for the birth. But that’s ok, I have a lot of family and friends who will be there, and though his presence will be missed, that’s the sacrifice you make sometimes to be a military family.

Speaking of pregnancy, my spotting has really decreased this past week, and I even have has a few days where I have had no spotting at all. No more bright red bleeding, so that’s been a huge relief. As far as we know, baby #5 is still doing fine and hanging in there. My next OB appointment is at the end of July, so we will know more than and I am hoping to have another u/s scheduled then so we can see what’s going on with the hemorrhage and that second sac they spotted. Until then, I am taking it easy and taking good care of myself.

The last major event of this past week was not a pleasant one. Drew, once again, got poison oak from climbing trees. Uuugh! Will this child ever learn?! The worst part of it is, we didn’t realize it until one whole side of his face was covered with a red, swollen rash. It was pretty bad for a few days, but then we started him on Zyrtec, and it seems to be helping him a lot. We are also cleansing the rashy areas with Tecnu soap daily and applying Caladryl as needed to help with the itch. He’s looking pretty good today and hasn’t complained a bit, so I think it’s in the process of drying up and healing, THANK GOD! I really hate dealing with poison oak/ivy. I have already told him now multiple times NO MORE CLIMBING TREES!! LOL Luckily it didn’t spread to much and it hasn’t been contracted by anyone else in the house, so I am counting my blessings.

Next week is the last week of our summer term, then we are taking 2 weeks off before the “official” start of our school year. Drew will be spending those 2 weeks with his grandmother (on his Father’s side) on the east coast, having fun in the sun and swimming in the ocean. The rest of us will be here. Boo hoo! Just kidding, he really looks forward to these summer visits and has been counting down the days. This will be his first time flying as an unaccompanied minor, so I’m a little nervous. But I know he will be well taken care of and he has flown several times before, so it’s not a new thing for him. Please be praying for his safe arrival next Saturday afternoon!

SO that’s about it for our week! I hope you had a great one and are spending this holiday weekend with people you love! Have a blessed week!

Pregnancy Update – 6 weeks

Wow what a crazy, stressful week it’s been. I haven’t shared the details here previously, and I won’t get too deep into it now, but I have a history of recurrent miscarriage. I had 5 miscarriages before I found out I was expect Joey in August of 2007. I was never given a reason why. It was a devastating time for me, when I wanted another child so badly. So I did the only thing I knew to do – I prayed. I prayed like crazy and went to the altar for prayer at church whenever I got the chance. I just knew that God wanted to bless us with another child, and in His time, it would happen.

When I found out I was expecting that August, I immediately called dozens of ObGyns. I told them all my long, heartbreaking story, hoping one of them would say something, anything to give me a glimmer of hope. That’s when I found the awesome Drs and nurses at Caring for WOmen’s Health. They agreed it was imperative that I come in right away to see what could be done to make sure I did not experience another loss.

Long story short, I ended up seeing an awesome CNM and she and her fellow physicians treated me for several possibilities. I was immediately started on once daily progesterone supplements, baby asprin, and twice daily injections of Heparin. Something in that medical cocktail did the trick, because 9 months later, I was holding a beautifully healthy baby boy in my arms.

When I found out I was expecting again a few weeks ago, I immediately called my previous CNM, only to learn that she and the NP had left the practice and joined another. So I called and made an appointment. I will get to go in for my first pre-natal visit tomorrow afternoon.

But this past Saturday, a terrible thing happened. I started spotting. I took it easy for a couple of days, and when it seemed to have stopped, i resumed my usual activities. At the end of the day, I was horrified to have gone to the restroom and see more bright red blood than I had seen several days before. The next morning, i called the dr’s office and spoke to the nurse, She told me to immediately call my midwife and tell her what was going on, so I did.

The poor lady, I ended up talking to her 4 different times throughout the day. She thought it would be a good idea to call in a prescription for the hormones I needed and get started on them right away. At one point, my bleeding got heavier and I was almost ready to go to the ER. Then it tapered off again. Since I wasn’t in any pain, and the bleeding wasn’t heavy (like my previous miscarriages), I decided to rest at home and wait it out.

Today I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I was in bed for almost 24 hours, with an occasional trip to the kitchen or the restroom. The bleeding wasn’t stopping or slowing down. We called a friend to come stay with the kids and off to the ER we went. It was NOT the place I wanted to be, but I had to have some answers.

After spending 3 hours in the ER, and receiving the warmest, most professional care I have ever had from an Emergency room, I have my answers!

The bleeding is not being cause by an impending miscarriage. In fact, the baby is doing quite well, we even got to see it’s little heart fluttering away on the ultrasound screen! However, they did find the source of the bleeding – I have a small subchorionic hemorrhage. This is basically a blood clot that has formed between the uterine wall and the placenta. It can be dangerous, but 90% of all pregnancies with this condition go on to deliver healthy babies.

I am anxious to talk with my midwife tomorrow and find out if I will have to decrease my activities, or be on bedrest, until the hemorrhage resolves on it’s own. But for now, it feels so good to know that my little blessing is alive and well and that there is an explanation for the bleeding I am having.

I will make sure to keep posting updates as I learn more, but for now, I thought you may enjoy seeing baby #5 for the first time ever!

The arrow is pointing to where the little heart was beating!

 

The other bit of news is pretty shocking – there was a second sac found by the us tech, although at this time, there doesn’t appear to be anything inside. That may or may not change as things progress and the baby(s) have more time to grow and develop. I am too shocked and overwhelmed right now to even share with you how I am feeling about this possibillity, but I am very happy to know that I have at least one healthy lil embryo floating around!

Blessings,