We’ve got a bunch of good news and a bunch of sweet news. Which do you want first?
Good News
Okay, the good news. Blood-work came back and it’s “wonderful”, says Caitlin! As a reminder, I went in this morning to have my blood drawn to check my progesterone levels given they significantly lowered my progesterone due to the nasty rash. My last progesterone check (4 days ago) was at 80, they said it could go down to 60 and I’d be fine. Today, even with my being on only about half the amount I was previously on, my progesterone measured 84. This is great in that it means my body is likely making it’s own, too.
Even more exciting though is that my beta test (hCG) came back nice and high- again! I swear it’s almost like hearing that first “positive” test all over again. It’s just so damn exciting! The hCG should double every 2-3 days. My last test was 4 days ago so we were looking for my numbers to be about 2248 today. My beta came back at 2501. Yahoo! Each time my numbers keep coming back even higher than the “target” number. I love it! Even though I know in my gut this pregnancy is viable and will stick, Gina and I both notice how we still get nervous when time goes by without info and/or there is a blood test coming (all morning holding our breath). Then when we get good news we feel super relieved for days after… until we start getting nervous again. 🙂 Turns out information calms us both. Unfortunately, now we really do need to wait. 12 days and counting until the first ultrasound.
In yet more good news, my rash is so, so much better. I almost made it through the whole night last night and I’m only itchy/painful today when I sit or bump my bum. The rash is gone from my back and starting to fade from my legs. The intense part on my bum (where it started) will probably take 2-4 weeks to go away completely but it’s showing signs of healing. Yah!
Cramping still remains less as well and it doesn’t make me quite as nervous now. My ovaries feel pinchy every now and then. Caitlin says this is from the swelling going down post IVF. As they “settle” they can pinch a bit. It’s all good. Yes!
Sweet News
Are you ready for the sweet news? It’s like honey, I tell ya.
Last night, Gina and I went to dinner at our dear friend, Kerry’s home. She made us a home cooked meal (spring pea risotto with bacon and later homemade gelato). Right?! She’s a rockstar business-women and single mom so to watch her prepare food for us with such care and in celebration of us was just so sweet and humbling. She also gave us our first gift for our baby’s nursery! I’m so hormonal, I’m all tears. It was so, so sweet- definitely cured my grumpiness. We put the gift on the baby alter.
Gift from Kerry
Our Baby Alter
The next morning I woke up and dug into three big boxes that another dear friend (Jen) had shipped me across the county almost 3 years ago. Inside? All her first (and only) baby’s clothing, shoes, caps, blankets, and then all her pregnancy and birthing books, nursing pads, baby-wraps, you name it, it was there. As I pulled out the clothes, I remembered seeing her daughter in many of them. The thought of our little baby getting to share in and delight in those goods of hers just warms my heart. Then, holding those teeny-tiny little socks and baby hats… it’s just surreal that we are going to have a baby. I am still in awe.
One of the three boxes of clothes and books from Jen.
Just a little light reading...most all of these books are from friends, the bottom 4 from Jen.
We have a neighbor, Joelle who is a single mom with a sweet, sweet 11 year old boy, Sam. We love them dearly. Joelle is a mom who also did not come to pregnancy easy and finally got lucky at 40 with Sam. She and Sam share with us always, that they pray for us all the time. And I know they do, too. About a year ago Joelle gave me a little pregnant lady pin as a “well wish” for us and our baby alter. “It’s just until you get pregnant…” she said. So, we went and sought her out yesterday and gave her back the pin and simply said, “Here you go. We don’t need this anymore.” She didn’t know whether to be sad that we had given up our plight or what. But then she saw our grins and her eyes went wide. She was in disbelief, too (but clearly still not sure). Like she really, REALLY wanted to be happy for us but was afraid to. Finally we said, “We’re pregnant!” and she was so happy she teared up, hugged us and just burst with joy. She hollered to Sam who was in full soccer garb, about ready to run inside, “Sam! One of the three of us is pregnant and it’s not me!” Sam came running over and had this HUGE grin on his face. We thanked him for his prayers. We told him that we believed that he and his mom’s prayers really helped us. He just beamed. It was amazing. He gave me a big hug (which hurt my sore, pregnant boobs but who cares!) and said, “Congratulations!” His joy was so pure as was hers… it’s been floating me ever since.
So see? Good and sweet, right? If I ever write a book from these crazy adventures maybe that’ll be a chapter. Good + Sweet. Yah. I like it.