I never published this back in April of 2012..... wishing I had written here during the whole pregnancy.....
Well, in the aftermath of the 8 week gestation miscarriage, after weekly blood tests to make sure my hgc level went back to 0, I am again pregnant. Hooray! Yikes! Wow!
Having used NFP for several years, I am pretty in tune with how my fertility manifests itself, and yes, I knew before the 0 test that I had ovulated. I thought it was the clearest of signs and was fairly sure even just a few days later that I was, in fact pregnant again.
In my security, er insanity, I even looked up the possible due date- it is on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception- December 8th.... How incredibly awesome that is, I can only begin to tell you, for my middle name is for Our Lady and her Immaculate Conception (Concetta) and I have a devotion to The Immaculate Conception (one of Our Lady's many names). I took a few home pregnancy tests that came up negative, and then a few days later thought I should be getting my period, so I took another, this showed a very faint line, so I took another an hour later, very faint line- I worried that it was an evaporation line, as it was a cheap test, so I used a couple of coupons and went and bought a good one at the store, it showed positive, on the faint side, but unmistakable.
In my emotional state after the recent miscarriage I took yet another test a couple of days later and it seemed fainter, which gave me a little concern. Thankfully, a call to my ob/gyn got me another couple of blood tests- the first came back at 91 iIU, which the nurse told me was low (I looked it up on-line, and it is well within the normal range for the baby's gestational age, but it should double every 2-3 days- so I went back today and should have an idea how this pregnancy is going tomorrow. I do think that I feel the symptoms more than I did with the pregnancy during the miscarriage, but I don't trust myself to be objective right now. Thank goodness for the blood test. Time will tell...
This has taught me to enjoy each day- we had the first positive tests on Saturday and had a huge Thanksgiving meal on Sunday- we didn't tell the kids why, yet, and I am happy for another day with this precious soul. I can't say I don't ache to hold and love and kiss this baby, for I do- terribly, and hope that the due date is a good sign the baby will make it. In any event, I do know that Our Blessed Mother is always near, and that is enough for now.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Lots to catch up on
Wow, it's been almost 3 years since I last posted..... I conceived again immediately after recovering from the miscarriage. I now have a sweet precious daughter that turns 2 tomorrow. I think I will have go go back to reflect on the many blessings she has brought to our lives.
After reading the 5 entries here, I am so glad I wrote then, but wish I had documented the journey with baby M. I knew when she was conceived, even though the doctors doubted me because there wasn't a full cycle after the miscarriage. I told them the due date which was later confirmed by ultrasound- she was due on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception- December 8th, 2012..... I feel as I did with the child that was miscarried right before my 5th child (MJ) that he has a special advocate in Heaven that keeps an eye on him, and prays for him.... Baby MC has this special connection with Mary John....
I remember taking my children with me to an appointment to hear MC's heartbeat for the first time, and they couldn't find it.... we were sent across the hall to wait for the ultrasound tech and AM who was 5 years old says to me.... "does this mean the baby died?" It was so hard to remain calm and answer him that "no, it only means we need to see the baby today to make sure he/she is ok.."
We were all so happy to see that beautiful little heartbeat.
The pregnancy was uneventful, like my other pregnancies. Most people don't believe me, but other than the tiredness, I feel better than when I am not pregnant. I do have some nausea but that's it, usually. I didn't feel her move as much as I had hoped, but I wonder if that was just her, or that I had so much scar tissue.
I started her Christening gown in September. I knitted it. I had to re-do from the beginning the bodice as I tried several times unsuccessfully to attach the skirt.... I did finally get it, but I lost a lot of time. I was working on it late at night on the 28th of November while watching a movie with my husband and K. We were planning on a c-section on Monday the 3rd.... I had 4 c-sections before this, so I had no choice when they would do it, actually, I was glad to go so close to my date, as they took AM too early for my liking.....
I was off all day on the 29th and stayed in bed, knitting. Around 4:00 in the afternoon, when I got up to go to the bathroom my water broke. This is the only time I had that happen, they had to break it for me with my first two, and the rest were c-sections.... normally it isn't a big deal, but my hospital is over an hour away and I had to get someone to watch the kids and there is a chance of uterine rupture as the contractions grow stronger..... this had me a little tense, and it was so strange to have the gush and need the towel in the car.
We ended up bringing the dog with us on the way, to drop him off at my friend Michelle's (she was his breeder and offered to take him for us) then we headed to the hospital... This was another thing that made our MC's arrival unique....
When we got there, around 5:45 pm I was put in OB triage and nothing seemed to be working right, the blood pressure cuff, the fetal heartrate monitor and I needed a blood draw (I was supposed to go for that the next day) but they couldn't find a vein. (I didn't drink much while in bed all day, which is unusual for me) they finally sent for a phlebotomist and she was able to get the blood and put in the iv (if I remember correctly) I remember being cold and I remember the anesthesia student had to call another doctor in as the only doctor on call to supervise was too busy.... I remember the contractions in the car were getting worse and worse, but once I got settled and was at the hospital I must have relaxed, for they slowed down.
When I finally got into the operating room around 10:00 PM or so. The ansethesiology intern tried three times to get my epidural in. I remember that I had excruciating pain just from him pressing on my spine to find where to insert it, and not understanding why that would hurt, apologizing for crying about nothing, and trying to remain calm and breath and pray to Our Blessed Mother to help me.... finally the Anesthesiologist took over and got it in first try. I then remember being cold. Finally Mark was able to come in and the doctors started. I had some adhesions that slowed it down a little but she was finally born at 10:22 pm.
In the recovery room the respiratory monitor would go off unless I took deep breaths, but I was too tired to do that, and the nurse was worried that my blood pressure was low, but it seemed none of the monitors worked on me that night, and I was fine. Even the space boots they put on to make sure the circulation in my legs weren't hooked up right and I remarked that they didn't seem to be filling. It turns out they weren't!
MC did very well and had no problems with the monitors, I was so happy to look at her and hold her.
There is a great story about my nurse that I have to share next blog. I will mention that I didn't finish her Christening gown until we came home from the hospital, but I had to work quickly (I only had an hour or two left of work) but the sacrament was scheduled for 9 days after her birth- on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
After reading the 5 entries here, I am so glad I wrote then, but wish I had documented the journey with baby M. I knew when she was conceived, even though the doctors doubted me because there wasn't a full cycle after the miscarriage. I told them the due date which was later confirmed by ultrasound- she was due on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception- December 8th, 2012..... I feel as I did with the child that was miscarried right before my 5th child (MJ) that he has a special advocate in Heaven that keeps an eye on him, and prays for him.... Baby MC has this special connection with Mary John....
I remember taking my children with me to an appointment to hear MC's heartbeat for the first time, and they couldn't find it.... we were sent across the hall to wait for the ultrasound tech and AM who was 5 years old says to me.... "does this mean the baby died?" It was so hard to remain calm and answer him that "no, it only means we need to see the baby today to make sure he/she is ok.."
We were all so happy to see that beautiful little heartbeat.
The pregnancy was uneventful, like my other pregnancies. Most people don't believe me, but other than the tiredness, I feel better than when I am not pregnant. I do have some nausea but that's it, usually. I didn't feel her move as much as I had hoped, but I wonder if that was just her, or that I had so much scar tissue.
I started her Christening gown in September. I knitted it. I had to re-do from the beginning the bodice as I tried several times unsuccessfully to attach the skirt.... I did finally get it, but I lost a lot of time. I was working on it late at night on the 28th of November while watching a movie with my husband and K. We were planning on a c-section on Monday the 3rd.... I had 4 c-sections before this, so I had no choice when they would do it, actually, I was glad to go so close to my date, as they took AM too early for my liking.....
I was off all day on the 29th and stayed in bed, knitting. Around 4:00 in the afternoon, when I got up to go to the bathroom my water broke. This is the only time I had that happen, they had to break it for me with my first two, and the rest were c-sections.... normally it isn't a big deal, but my hospital is over an hour away and I had to get someone to watch the kids and there is a chance of uterine rupture as the contractions grow stronger..... this had me a little tense, and it was so strange to have the gush and need the towel in the car.
We ended up bringing the dog with us on the way, to drop him off at my friend Michelle's (she was his breeder and offered to take him for us) then we headed to the hospital... This was another thing that made our MC's arrival unique....
When we got there, around 5:45 pm I was put in OB triage and nothing seemed to be working right, the blood pressure cuff, the fetal heartrate monitor and I needed a blood draw (I was supposed to go for that the next day) but they couldn't find a vein. (I didn't drink much while in bed all day, which is unusual for me) they finally sent for a phlebotomist and she was able to get the blood and put in the iv (if I remember correctly) I remember being cold and I remember the anesthesia student had to call another doctor in as the only doctor on call to supervise was too busy.... I remember the contractions in the car were getting worse and worse, but once I got settled and was at the hospital I must have relaxed, for they slowed down.
When I finally got into the operating room around 10:00 PM or so. The ansethesiology intern tried three times to get my epidural in. I remember that I had excruciating pain just from him pressing on my spine to find where to insert it, and not understanding why that would hurt, apologizing for crying about nothing, and trying to remain calm and breath and pray to Our Blessed Mother to help me.... finally the Anesthesiologist took over and got it in first try. I then remember being cold. Finally Mark was able to come in and the doctors started. I had some adhesions that slowed it down a little but she was finally born at 10:22 pm.
In the recovery room the respiratory monitor would go off unless I took deep breaths, but I was too tired to do that, and the nurse was worried that my blood pressure was low, but it seemed none of the monitors worked on me that night, and I was fine. Even the space boots they put on to make sure the circulation in my legs weren't hooked up right and I remarked that they didn't seem to be filling. It turns out they weren't!
MC did very well and had no problems with the monitors, I was so happy to look at her and hold her.
There is a great story about my nurse that I have to share next blog. I will mention that I didn't finish her Christening gown until we came home from the hospital, but I had to work quickly (I only had an hour or two left of work) but the sacrament was scheduled for 9 days after her birth- on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
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