Friday, May 21, 2010

More Progesterone + prayers for a dear friend

This week I had another blood test to make sure my progesterone levels were still acceptable.  I haven't taken the Prometrium in a few weeks, so this final test ensured that everything was still working.  My doctor called me this morning and said my levels were over 50.  In my no-coffee-yet fog, I can't remember the exact number, but the main part of the news decreed that I didn't have to take any Prometrium nor get blood tests for the rest of the pregnancy.  What a relief!!

Yesterday I went to my favorite phlebotomist for the blood test.  Her tests are always quick with very little pain.  Ever since my blood test fiasco of last year, I've gone to her for every test.  It was kind of an emotional moment when I left; she gave me a hug and said she was so proud of how far I had come in my fear of needles.  I promised to bring the baby by her office to show her.  How funny that you can become friends with someone over blood and needles. :)

Last night I received some terrible news that a dear friend has lost her third child.  A week ago she told me of her pregnancy, noting that she was due exactly one month after me.  Yesterday at the doctor's office they found out that the baby had stopped growing.  Please keep my friend and her husband in your prayers during this heartbreaking time.  This situation just made me ask "Why, God?" over and over.  Sorry, I'm not one of those people that always agrees with God's will.  To see such a wonderful, holy couple lose 3 children just defies logic.  Sometimes I feel guilty being pregnant when these situations arise or when reading the posts of bloggers still struggling with IF.  Maybe someday in heaven (Godwilling) it will make more sense...

Friday, May 14, 2010

Progesterone is OK

Thanks so much for your sweet Mothers' Day greetings in my last post. :)  In other news, my NaPro doctor informed me that my Progesterone levels have reached 35, which is great.  That level was good enough for me to discontinue the use of the Progesterone supplement, Prometrium.  Though I didn't have to endure shots like some of the other bloggers (e.g., Sew the Courageous and AYWH the Brave), the pills had to be taken a different way.  We'll leave it at that. 

The NaPro doctor asked me to take a blood test in another 2 weeks to ensure that the Progesterone levels are really OK.  After that, Prometrium should not be needed.  Again, I'm very grateful that the NaPro doc has kept a close eye on this issue.  According to my OB/GYN office, because I haven't had a miscarriage (to my knowledge), I'm not a "high risk" pregnancy.  However, according to NaPro's philosophy based on my hormone profile last year, my low levels put me at risk for miscarriage.

My midwife has been extremely supportive of the Prometrium throughout the pregnancy.  My NaPro doc has always reminded me to listen to the midwife for pre-natal advice; he just wants to monitor the Prometrium.  This modified hands-off approach has really made it easier and more acceptable (IMHO) to my midwife.  Additionally, the NaPro doc uses a national blood test lab, so I can get my blood tests taken in my hometown and have the results by the next day.

I hope my experience sheds some light on other aspects of NaPro.  My initial impression was that NaPro only helped someone to get pregnant or overcome female reproductive issues.  I never realized that the technology could also play a role in keeping a pregnancy going.  Very cool!

Lastly, the stupid city denied our claim for all of our sewage damage (see 2 posts ago).  Grrrrr!  For a great laugh, check out the puns that my brother inserted in the comment section of the sewage post.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Mothers' Day Thoughts

I used to avoid Mothers' Day like the plague.  I intentionally attended a Saturday evening Mass devoid of the blessing of Mothers.  My shopping cart would speed quickly by the Mothers' Day cards.  Still, the date was always a reminder of what I didn't have.

Then yesterday came.  During the blessing of Mothers at Mass, I was pleased to hear the priest call for them this way: "All mothers, foster mothers, stepmothers, and those who have lost children through stillbirth, miscarriage, or abortion, please stand."  While standing up for the first time, I began to cry.  The whole thing felt surreal.  To have waited so long and arrived at this day felt overwhelming (in a good way).  I definitely think that the long wait for children made this Mothers' Day all the more sweet.  And our many friends, knowing the struggle we've endured for the past few years, took great pleasure in wishing me a Happy Mother's Day.  They wanted this for us too.  While the pain of the past few years hasn't been very fun, it's definitely made celebrating all the more sweet.

Still, so many of my IF friends continue to be in my thoughts and prayers, especially on Mothers' Day.  The fact that you are waiting and sacrificing (through long adoption processes or uncomfortable tests/procedures) makes you mothers already.  I can only hope that your first Mothers' Day will bring you joy out of all this pain.  I felt like the Olympic athletes standing on the podium after winning a medal; all of the sacrifice and hardship made the moment of celebration even more poignant.  Yet sadness for my many deserving IF friends was there too.

Something else that I realized was that my husband got it right last year.  He still bought me a Mothers' Day card, noting my spiritual motherhood to students and baby-sitting kids alike.  I definitely appreciate his words more than ever this year; spiritual motherhood is so important.  I continue to be amazed at the many women who pour themselves out to care for others.

Also aiding in the celebration was a laid back weekend after last week's sewage fiasco.  We intentionally did more relaxing and de-stressing.  Sure, we also plowed through a bag of potato chips and sour cream & onion dip as well as some decadent cupcakes, but that was part of the celebration.  Really. :)

One Hollywood celebrity has a very sympathetic understanding of Mother's Day as an IF woman and now as an adoptive mother.  Call Me Mama posted this on her blog, so I wanted to pass it along.  The author's words really ring true.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Carnage after the Sewage

For once, I have an excuse for the looonnng gap of posts.  Last weekend I was set to write about the pageantry of the Kentuc.ky Der.by, the wonders of Der.by pie, my experience at the drive-through betting window, and accosting Joh.n Calapar.i with my fellow Irish Dancers at a Derby Eve party.

Then, after all the hoopla had died down, I walked into our downstairs bathroom to find a strange puddle of water on the floor.  For the past two days, Kentucky (like Tennessee) had gotten pelted/socked/soaked with non-stop rain.  The geniuses who designed our particular city linked the storm water to the sewage drains.  So as the rain continued, the puddle grew in our bathroom. A fellow SHE member and good friend brought her husband and various tools to help my husband.  Basically, 12 hours later, raw sewage had seeped into our bathroom and the adjacent room.  Our friends and my hubby worked so hard; I had to keep away from the smell due to the pregnancy and felt quite helpless. 

So another "fruit" of my infertility experience?  Getting to meet J. in the SHE group.  She moved one street behind us and saw my frantic (ok, ranting) status on Facebook and immediately came to help.  She and her husband literally saved the rest of the rooms from the sewage, as my hubby couldn't have lasted the entire time himself.  When the city didn't show up until 11pm to help, J and her husband were an answer to prayer.

The city had the audacity to reprimand my husband for removing the sewage-soaked carpet, as now they had no stains to measure.  He reminded them that keeping a sewage stained carpet around a pregnant wife wasn't sanitary (!).  Let's just say that the city's lack of help and response prompted us to contact our city councilman.

Here's what the aftermath of our ordeal looks like.  Yes, that is really our bathroom toilet on the ground, lying amid other items that got soaked:



I wish I was back in Tampa.  We went there for our goddaughter's baptism a few weeks ago.


More news about progesterone, the double miracle of 2 bloggers, etc. coming soon!