Epilogue

So you know how with every good book, there is always an epilogue after the ending of the main story?! It is usually written to provide "closure" to the story you have just read.

Well this my friends, is my epilogue....

May 2012 - Those of you who follow my blog know that the 1st week of May I went on a 9 day vacation (without the hubby) to FL with 6 of my closest girlfriends & then to WI to see my sister & her family. I came back relaxed, refreshed, mentally recharged & it was just the break that I had needed. I returned emotionally ready to settle into this life of ours without children.

Fast forward 3 weeks later.

My cycle is a 29 day cycle - like clockwork. I am about as regular as you can get & I can usually predict within 24 hours when "Aunt Flo" will be making her appearance. So imagine my surprise when 29 days come & go with no period. I knew it was well on its way though because for the last 3 days I had cramps & lower back pain like I always get right before my period.

Well, 2 days later & still nothing. 

It is now Sunday evening & we were having a cul-de-sac gathering with the neighbors & I was looking forward to opening a great bottle of red wine I had bought earlier in the day. But since I was "late" & since I just so happened to have one left over PG test under my sink I figured what the hell - might as well test & get it over with so I can open that red wine! 

I just knew it would be negative...

Um - as you can clearly see the test was not negative. What. The. Hell???

IUI's x 5 = $7300

IVF x 2 = $28,000

Acupuncture = $1365

frozen embryo transfer x 2 = $6800

Taking a random PG test after being 2 days late & seeing a positive pregnancy test with no medical intervention = priceless!!!

So upon seeing that 2nd line pop up, I did what any crazy infertile woman does. I ran out the next day & bought another box of pregnancy tests & pee'd on them for the next 3 days to see if the "line" was getting darker & holy hell, it was. I also had a bunch of leftover meds from my last FET cycle so I immediately started taking baby ASA, doing my daily Lovenox injections, one progesterone suppository at night, additional folic acid & my prescription prenatal vitamins. Just in case... 

June 2012 - A couple of days later, I made an appointment with my favorite OB/GYN & was sad when the scheduler told me at the end of the year she would no longer be practicing Obstetrics but will be focusing on research instead - boo :( I went ahead & saw her anyway & she was SO happy to be seeing me for a "prenatal" visit.

At my appointment she did the usual...pelvic exam, went over all the "do's & don'ts", did a urine test & got my labs drawn. We went over all my meds & she said to stay on everything until further notice. I also mentioned that I had been having right sided ovarian pain & she immediately ordered an US to be done before I left to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. I was so relieved because in the back of my mind I was a bit worried about that & with all I have been through it would just be nice to know there was an embryo growing in the right place.

So the US showed this:

One gestational sac & yolk sac growing in the correct spot (the little black circle above the Baby "T") along with a 3mm cyst on my right ovary which was the cause of my pain. 

SO THANKFUL :)

I returned the following week for another scan to check for a HB & for peace of mind. I was saying many prayers on my way to the Dr's office that we see a strong, healthy heartbeat & guess what? God answered.

There was a heartbeat - 107 bpm :)

The tech said that the normal heart rate at 6 weeks is around 90-110 bpm so we were right within the normal range. She also said the sac looks very healthy as does the embryo & everything is measuring right on track.

She also pointed out something else amazing. If you look closely, you can see 2 black circles on the embryo which are the optic vessels & will later become the babies eyes. The heart is the darker white spot located right underneath. It was absolutely amazing watching a heart beat on a little blob that is only 5mm long. 

July 2012 - The next visit with my OB was at 10 weeks. I was so happy to report that all was going good so far :) After a very long minute (felt like 10 min) my Dr. was able to find the heartbeat using a fetal doppler. It was loud & strong & fast & the most beautiful sound ever! Even my Dr. said she didn't expect it to be that fast but that it was a great sign that things are going well!

My morning sickness really kicked in around 9 weeks & carbs became my new best friend. As long as I would eat crackers before I got out of bed in the morning & eat every 2 hours I did pretty good but if I went past 2 hours I would start to feel really ill. I even had to take Zofran for a couple of weeks just to get through the nausea. Through all those rough weeks of morning all-day sickness, I never complained once as I was just so very thankful to have gotten to this point at all!

to be continued...