Quick update. All is going well with pregnancy. I am feeling good, blood pressure is good, blood sugar readings are good. Weight gain - well... we are at 17# gained so far, which is hard for me after working so hard to get it off BUT at the same time, I am not swelling, I am walking 2 miles a day and watching my diet pretty closely SO I am not going to worry, it's for a good cause! :-) I am having some pubic symphisis pain and am seeing a chiropractor every week or two which seems to be helping. All of these appointments and labs are pretty crazy - I am running somewhere at least 1 day a week!
My Dr in Richmond is "unexpectedly out of the office for an undetermined amount of time" and so my progesterone monitoring has been transferred to Dr Poehailos in Charlottesville. I met with her yesterday to get established under her care. She said all is good and wrote me a new lab order and new rx (closer compounding pharmacy and cheaper - yay!). My results from this week were lower, just barely down into level 1 so we have bumped my doseage back up to 200mg 2x weekly. She gave me a chart and we plotted my results for the pregnancy thus far - it also shows expected level and treatment for the various trimesters. I love the visual and being able to see where we are and want to be! :-) I will post it at the top of the blog here and keep it updated so those interested can see and be praying.
That's about it for the update so far. I have a good bit of the "nursery" (a corner in our room) done and have recieved my first order of cloth diapers. I will post pics soon.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Progesterone Levels update
Here are the nitty gritty details of my progesterone levels through this pregnancy:
Week 5 - 10 progesterone / hcg 1374 (started 200mg injections 2x weekly)
Week 7 - 16.2 progesterone, still level 1
Week 9 - 16.5 progesterone, still level 1 / hcg > 118,000
Week 11 - 19.7 progesterone, still level 1 (added 300mg suppositories 2x daily)
Week 13 - 36.1 progesterone, level 2 (stopped suppositories, continued injections)
Week 15 - 34.9 progesterone, level 2
Week 17 - 46.3 progesterone, level 2 (lowered dose to 100mg injections 2x weekly)
All progesterone is natural, bio-identical. I much prefer the injections (which my husband gives) to the suppositories (messy and time-consuming!). Hoping I get to wean off more soon though. :-)
Care is through my NaPro Doctor and the recommended levels/doses for PCOS (corpus luteum deficiency) patients. So thankful for them!
Week 5 - 10 progesterone / hcg 1374 (started 200mg injections 2x weekly)
Week 7 - 16.2 progesterone, still level 1
Week 9 - 16.5 progesterone, still level 1 / hcg > 118,000
Week 11 - 19.7 progesterone, still level 1 (added 300mg suppositories 2x daily)
Week 13 - 36.1 progesterone, level 2 (stopped suppositories, continued injections)
Week 15 - 34.9 progesterone, level 2
Week 17 - 46.3 progesterone, level 2 (lowered dose to 100mg injections 2x weekly)
All progesterone is natural, bio-identical. I much prefer the injections (which my husband gives) to the suppositories (messy and time-consuming!). Hoping I get to wean off more soon though. :-)
Care is through my NaPro Doctor and the recommended levels/doses for PCOS (corpus luteum deficiency) patients. So thankful for them!
Time is flying by!
I cannot believe that it has been so long since I last posted here. Life is very full and busy.
Let's see... from about 8 weeks until 14 weeks I had nausea in the afternoons starting around 2pm through the evening. I had no vomiting, just felt icky and had some food aversions. I could not stand water AT ALL... I liked bready/salty foods and not so much the sweets. I was able to eat pretty well, though gave in to a bit more processed carbs than normal for me.
Around 11.5 weeks, I began to feel the first little flutters of movement. I was so excited to be feeling that and when we had our first midwife appointment at 12 weeks and she was looking for heartbeat with the doppler, I felt baby move and that is exactly the spot she found him/her so it confirmed for me for sure that it was baby and not just gas! I felt my last 2 full-term babies this early too.
Baby's heart rate has been in the 150's both times we have listened in. Here is a video of the first time (well, audio - it's a video but I asked Tom to cover the camera with his thumb so you don't see my belly but do hear the baby! :-)
Audio of baby heart beat at 12 weeks.
So, now at 17.5 weeks I am wishing I could slow time down a bit. I want to savor each moment and it just keeps flying by! I am feeling much better now, nausea gone, energy returning. I am driven to get this house organized and decluttered, making space for this little one.
So far, I have been able to find a jogging stroller, infant car seat, and dresser/changing table at nice prices. I am planning to get a pack 'n play for baby in our room and have a new one picked out to buy soon. I have ordered cute cloth diapers through a co-op and can't wait for them to get here. It's so fun with all the options now! I have been given maternity clothes, baby clothes, a baby tub, a Medela breast pump, a few types of slings/carriers to try. Most of the *must haves* are taken care of already and we have little space for all the accessories, so just have a few *would likes* on my baby registry still.
Last night, Tom and I both were able to feel the baby squirm under our hands for the first time. So very, very exciting and we are so happy and thankful to God for this gift.
That's about it I guess. Here is a pic of me from election day on Tuesday!
Let's see... from about 8 weeks until 14 weeks I had nausea in the afternoons starting around 2pm through the evening. I had no vomiting, just felt icky and had some food aversions. I could not stand water AT ALL... I liked bready/salty foods and not so much the sweets. I was able to eat pretty well, though gave in to a bit more processed carbs than normal for me.
Around 11.5 weeks, I began to feel the first little flutters of movement. I was so excited to be feeling that and when we had our first midwife appointment at 12 weeks and she was looking for heartbeat with the doppler, I felt baby move and that is exactly the spot she found him/her so it confirmed for me for sure that it was baby and not just gas! I felt my last 2 full-term babies this early too.
Baby's heart rate has been in the 150's both times we have listened in. Here is a video of the first time (well, audio - it's a video but I asked Tom to cover the camera with his thumb so you don't see my belly but do hear the baby! :-)
Audio of baby heart beat at 12 weeks.
So, now at 17.5 weeks I am wishing I could slow time down a bit. I want to savor each moment and it just keeps flying by! I am feeling much better now, nausea gone, energy returning. I am driven to get this house organized and decluttered, making space for this little one.
So far, I have been able to find a jogging stroller, infant car seat, and dresser/changing table at nice prices. I am planning to get a pack 'n play for baby in our room and have a new one picked out to buy soon. I have ordered cute cloth diapers through a co-op and can't wait for them to get here. It's so fun with all the options now! I have been given maternity clothes, baby clothes, a baby tub, a Medela breast pump, a few types of slings/carriers to try. Most of the *must haves* are taken care of already and we have little space for all the accessories, so just have a few *would likes* on my baby registry still.
Last night, Tom and I both were able to feel the baby squirm under our hands for the first time. So very, very exciting and we are so happy and thankful to God for this gift.
That's about it I guess. Here is a pic of me from election day on Tuesday!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Progesterone levels
My progesterone at 5 weeks was at 10 ng/mL and yesterday at 7 weeks was 16.2 ng/mL. It has gone up, but not enough. It is level 1 for this point of pregnancy. I need to get to level 4 before we can discontinue injections.
I do (well Tom gives) the progesterone injections on Mondays and Thursdays, 200mg IM. The blood draws to test progesterone levels are every other Monday before the injection. The life of the injected progesterone in the body is 72 hours, so the blood draw gives us the baseline (without meds) level that my ovaries are making on their own.
I was hoping for better results, but we will continue praying and injecting. :-) Just please pray that the progesterone I am getting will ensure a safe, cushy uterine lining for this baby to grow strong and healthy!
Here is a good article by Dr. Poppy Daniels who quotes Dr. Hilgers' research on progesterone use in pregnancy.
http://community.fertilityflower.com/blog-home/miscarriage-what-should-you-do-for-the-next-pregnancy/
Here is an article by the PPVI Institute. Click on the "progesterone support in pregnancy" link near the top to jump to that section. It has a chart similar to the one my Dr is using to evaluate my results. It has been updated since this chart.
http://www.popepaulvi.com/ncfwh-evaltreat.htm#prog
I do (well Tom gives) the progesterone injections on Mondays and Thursdays, 200mg IM. The blood draws to test progesterone levels are every other Monday before the injection. The life of the injected progesterone in the body is 72 hours, so the blood draw gives us the baseline (without meds) level that my ovaries are making on their own.
I was hoping for better results, but we will continue praying and injecting. :-) Just please pray that the progesterone I am getting will ensure a safe, cushy uterine lining for this baby to grow strong and healthy!
Here is a good article by Dr. Poppy Daniels who quotes Dr. Hilgers' research on progesterone use in pregnancy.
http://community.fertilityflower.com/blog-home/miscarriage-what-should-you-do-for-the-next-pregnancy/
Here is an article by the PPVI Institute. Click on the "progesterone support in pregnancy" link near the top to jump to that section. It has a chart similar to the one my Dr is using to evaluate my results. It has been updated since this chart.
http://www.popepaulvi.com/ncfwh-evaltreat.htm#prog
Friday, August 17, 2012
Update on our little "monkey wrench"
Thought that would be a cute little nickname for our bun in the oven. The most wonderful monkey wrench ever, but still brings things to a splendid halt and forces us to change gears in a sense. :-) Since Tom's a plumber, it was just that much more fitting!I am feeling well, no nausea yet - symptoms are peeing a lot, Tom's sweat smells like vinegar to me, being hungry for little meals often, my back is sore and legs are achey (cal/mag and a body pillow are helping with that).
I had labs drawn on Monday this week and then the appt with my NaPro Dr. H. on Wed. I like her a lot. We got the results from the labs, went over general health info and chatted about future care. My hcg level is good (1300's), which means that the baby is doing well. My progesterone was at 10 and they'd like to see it at 25, so my corpus luteum (on the ovary) is not producing progesterone like it should in order to keep my uterine lining thick and nourishing for the baby to nestle in real good. I got a prescription for natural compounded progesterone injections and am starting 200mg twice a week with labs every 2 weeks to check levels and adjust meds as needed. Dr. H. should be able to take care of monitoring all that long-distance (good since she is 2 hours away), and I will start care with the local homebirth midwife at 12 weeks. They are intramuscular injections in a thick oil carrier, so pretty painful. Tom has commited to administering them, he is so amazing! The official diagnosis is Corpus Luteum Insufficiency Syndrome.
I am so thankful to my Creighton teacher LaDean Barnes for her care over me. As soon as I e-mailed her telling her I was pregnant, she insisted that I call Dr. H's office and get labs done and in for an appt asap to get progesterone checked. I did not realize the urgency of this or how common it is an issue for PCOS ladies (weak ovaries). She likely saved our baby's life. Thank you LaDean! It was so good to see her after my appt for a hug and to chat a bit. She has been hugely responsible for starting the Fertility and Women's Health center in Richmond and getting the NaPro doctor there. I was the very first patient at the center and I am amazed at God's hand in this! If I had not worked with LaDean and learned all I did through Creighton, I likely would not have known my ovulation date and that something was up as soon as I did.
There are so many things to be thankful for and answered prayers that I am still realizing as I look back. Two that stand out to me right now: I prayed over the years that when I became pregnant, it would clearly be the Lord's doing and He would receive all glory. I also prayed that at some point in my life I would be surprised by a pregnancy test turning +. Both of these were answered clearly. Fun stuff!
I am having such a hard time concentrating on anything else right now! I really need to be getting lesson planning all finished up by the end of the month and I will be starting school (high school for Heather!) Sept 4. I also have a lot of office work to catch up on. In addition, we really need to figure out soon what we will be doing for housing - we clearly need more space but are uncertain of the best way to do that. New home? Market not good for selling now though... Adding on? Garage with storage space and really minimizing our belongings? We also are looking long-term at having the space to care for our parents as they need/want it.
See what I mean about a monkey wrench? I can literally see us at this crossroads of New Baby / Caring for Parents / Starting High School / Housing Needs... what does God have planned? Either way, I have much work to do in the next 8 months cleaning out the house and de-cluttering while schooling. :-) Prayers appreciated!In the meantime, I am loving the subtle changes in my body and my husband's smile whenever he hugs me with a new light in his eye, the way the kids are more willing to help me when asked, thinking of the future with a baby in it. I can't stop adding things to the Baby Registry on Amazon and even looking at maternity clothes. I am determined to enjoy each moment and thank the Lord for each and every day with this gift of a child. He loves this baby more than I do even, and I know He knows what is best for each of us and will be with us through whatever the future holds. It is an amazing thing to be the vessel for such a miracle as new life and I am awed that He has blessed us with the opportunity to parent this fabulous little monkey wrench.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
I'm Preggers!!!!
It's the most amazing thing! God is so good. Completely unexpected, surprised beyond belief, overjoyed and so, so, so excited! We had begun to think that God was telling us no, that we were done and needed to move on and find other ways to serve Him. Here's the story so far...
Okay, as far as ttc... almost 2 years ago we had learned the Creighton method of charting and in Oct 2010 we saw a specialist, tried a few meds. In Jan of this year the Dr moved to St Louis into a teaching position... that threw me completely into a funk and I stopped meds but continued temping/charting. In January this year I also got very motivated on weight loss and that has been my focus this year. I have lost 38# as of this morning. I really didn't expect it to be this much of a help so quickly though!
To be honest, Tom and I both had pretty much given up. We had started to look at the good side of having older children, enjoy the freedoms it gave us and I was beginning to look at taking courses for midwifery so that when the kids were old enough, I could consider pursuing that. Also, we had just begun to look into foster care a bit. The Lord had put on Tom's heart that we should be doing more to help others and share Him, and this was a way that we saw might work for us. I had just 2 weeks ago met with a friend to learn about the specifics and their experiences with fostering.
Another funny, Tom's parents are looking at retiring here with us and we have been in discussions on how to best fit them into our home and give them what they need so that we can help them as they age. An addition onto our home was our initial thought, and then we had the past 2 weeks begun to look at houses for sale in our area to see what was available. Guess we'll be stepping the timeline up a bit on that now and adding another bedroom!
I had not been temping or charting at all for the past 2 cycles (since June 11 actually), but due to my training I knew my ovulation date based on how I felt and had calculated that my period should start on Thurs Aug 2. I spotted just a tad on Fri Aug 3 and I assumed it was on the way but then it disappeared. I have had a handful of days in the past week where just one time a day I will have a slight pink tinge on the tissue.
So, Sat Aug 4 I took a test - it was neg but I remember looking at it twice thinking maybe there was a little something there. I was trying not to overanalyze so tossed it and went on. When this past Thurs arrived, I realized I was a week late. Since I wasn't temping I wasn't sure what to make of it and really was just kinda frustrated because I had thought I had made huge steps in understanding my body.
Thursday morning, Tom woke us all up early to go run at the local track (we've been doing this on Tues/Thurs/Sat mornings for a couple months now). I was half asleep and I remember being kinda mad and grabbing the stupid test out of the cabinet and peeing on it. Tom and the kids were out doing their stretching in the living room. The test was positive very quickly. I was shaking and started crying and asking God if this was for real. I got dressed and we left to run. I didn't say a word! I was so shocked, and I wanted to be sure. The test was a blue-dye one which I had read were not as reliable, it had been in the cabinet a while, yada yada yada... I walked the track for 30 min and prayed and sang and thought and my world spun and reeled around me.
When we got home, Tom showered and I got some breakfast together. He left for work, and I ransacked the bathroom cabinets for more tests. I found two!!! Completely different brands and I took them immediately. Both positive instantly. Okay, now I was beginning to really believe it! I went outside to do the milking and couldn't help standing on the deck and screaming (hushed, so kids didn't hear from inside) "I'm pregnant!"
We had plans for the day to go to a friends and watch her kids for her and then she was watching Rose and Will while Heather and I went to the library to do her assessment tests. I grabbed the tests and put them in a baggie on my way out the door. I was there from 10-12:30 and got to enjoy her 1yo little man in a whole new way, snuggles and smiles and playing peek-a-boo! Heather and I left for the library and while she tested, I googled "ways to surprise husband with pregnancy" and looked up due dates and 5 week baby images and got absolutely no lesson planning done!
When we left the library, I made Heather stay in the van while I went into the Dollar Tree and got a little bottle and some baby decor items, a gift bag and tissue paper. I put the tests in the little blue bottle and closed the lid, put a little pink "baby" sign on it and then put it in a white gift bag with a bunch of yellow tissue paper. I couldn't wait to give it to him!
We went and picked up Rose and Will and then had plans to meet Tom at Sam's Club for dinner and then take the kids to Putt-Putt for a night of celebrating their completion of assessment testing. We pull into the parking lot next to Tom's truck and the kids all pile out. I made them all get back in the van telling them I needed to talk to daddy. So, yes, in the middle of the Sam's Club parking lot I gave him the little gift bag! He pulled out the bottle and saw the tests, and (this cracks me up) says "are these yours?". (no honey, I asked random women to pee on sticks so I could give them to you?) :D I could only smile and tearfully nod and he hugged me a long time and prayed with me for our new baby and thanked the Lord for this gift.
I called my mom Thursday night, late, she was kinda worried by the hour at first but was SO happy I had called. She cried and has sent me pictures of blankets she is starting on for the baby. She is beyond excited and happy for us.
I wanted to come up with a fun way to tell the kids the next day, just savor the news between the two of us for a little while. I was thinking something clever at dinner-time. Tom could *not* wait though! He managed to make it until morning, but Friday morning, he was banging on doors calling a family meeting. The kids were all protesting that it wasn't a run day, so they wanted to sleep in. Tom came in and told me he was getting the kids up and I stared at him trying to remember what day it was and thinking I had planned to sleep in too. Took a minute for me to remember what he was so anxious about! :-) He sat them all down on the couch and said something about convening the family meeting and first order of business was to let them all know that he is handsome. They roll their eyes and are very confused but suspicious because I had pulled out the video camera. He said next was to find out what they thought about having a new brother or sister? Heather started crying and crying and sobbing. Rose let out a "whoop" and then hugged Heather. Will grinned from ear to ear.
Will has been cracking me up, you can just tell he is processing it all... when Tom said something about a brother OR sister, his smile kinda fell and he realized he wasn't guaranteed a brother, that's taken a bit of thinking. At WalMart yesterday, we walked down the baby aisle and he loved some little pink booties and a snuggie he thought we should get if she is a girl. I overheard him talking to Rose though, he said we should name the baby Thomas William Sullivan III if it's a boy. We told him that was his job since he was Jr, he could have a III if he wanted to and we'd think of a different name. He thought for a minute, and said "I'll probably have all girls though. If I do Rose, I'll just give them to you. I'll say - 'go see your Aunt Rose'." Silly little man! He also told me that when the baby is 10, if it's a boy, he will buy him a football for his birthday. :-)
Tom called his parents, brother, and sister and our pastor during the day on Friday. I stopped by my sister Amanda's house and gave her the same gift bag I'd given Tom. She was so fun, shock and happy tears flowing, love it!!!
We had plans to go to the park to see my friend Amy and so I gave her the same gift bag. Heather says "It's the present that makes everyone cry!" It's been fun to be able to surprise people who have been praying with and for us for so long! I got in touch with my brothers throughout the day.
Okay, as far as ttc... almost 2 years ago we had learned the Creighton method of charting and in Oct 2010 we saw a specialist, tried a few meds. In Jan of this year the Dr moved to St Louis into a teaching position... that threw me completely into a funk and I stopped meds but continued temping/charting. In January this year I also got very motivated on weight loss and that has been my focus this year. I have lost 38# as of this morning. I really didn't expect it to be this much of a help so quickly though!
To be honest, Tom and I both had pretty much given up. We had started to look at the good side of having older children, enjoy the freedoms it gave us and I was beginning to look at taking courses for midwifery so that when the kids were old enough, I could consider pursuing that. Also, we had just begun to look into foster care a bit. The Lord had put on Tom's heart that we should be doing more to help others and share Him, and this was a way that we saw might work for us. I had just 2 weeks ago met with a friend to learn about the specifics and their experiences with fostering.
Another funny, Tom's parents are looking at retiring here with us and we have been in discussions on how to best fit them into our home and give them what they need so that we can help them as they age. An addition onto our home was our initial thought, and then we had the past 2 weeks begun to look at houses for sale in our area to see what was available. Guess we'll be stepping the timeline up a bit on that now and adding another bedroom!
I had not been temping or charting at all for the past 2 cycles (since June 11 actually), but due to my training I knew my ovulation date based on how I felt and had calculated that my period should start on Thurs Aug 2. I spotted just a tad on Fri Aug 3 and I assumed it was on the way but then it disappeared. I have had a handful of days in the past week where just one time a day I will have a slight pink tinge on the tissue.
So, Sat Aug 4 I took a test - it was neg but I remember looking at it twice thinking maybe there was a little something there. I was trying not to overanalyze so tossed it and went on. When this past Thurs arrived, I realized I was a week late. Since I wasn't temping I wasn't sure what to make of it and really was just kinda frustrated because I had thought I had made huge steps in understanding my body.
Thursday morning, Tom woke us all up early to go run at the local track (we've been doing this on Tues/Thurs/Sat mornings for a couple months now). I was half asleep and I remember being kinda mad and grabbing the stupid test out of the cabinet and peeing on it. Tom and the kids were out doing their stretching in the living room. The test was positive very quickly. I was shaking and started crying and asking God if this was for real. I got dressed and we left to run. I didn't say a word! I was so shocked, and I wanted to be sure. The test was a blue-dye one which I had read were not as reliable, it had been in the cabinet a while, yada yada yada... I walked the track for 30 min and prayed and sang and thought and my world spun and reeled around me.When we got home, Tom showered and I got some breakfast together. He left for work, and I ransacked the bathroom cabinets for more tests. I found two!!! Completely different brands and I took them immediately. Both positive instantly. Okay, now I was beginning to really believe it! I went outside to do the milking and couldn't help standing on the deck and screaming (hushed, so kids didn't hear from inside) "I'm pregnant!"
We had plans for the day to go to a friends and watch her kids for her and then she was watching Rose and Will while Heather and I went to the library to do her assessment tests. I grabbed the tests and put them in a baggie on my way out the door. I was there from 10-12:30 and got to enjoy her 1yo little man in a whole new way, snuggles and smiles and playing peek-a-boo! Heather and I left for the library and while she tested, I googled "ways to surprise husband with pregnancy" and looked up due dates and 5 week baby images and got absolutely no lesson planning done!
When we left the library, I made Heather stay in the van while I went into the Dollar Tree and got a little bottle and some baby decor items, a gift bag and tissue paper. I put the tests in the little blue bottle and closed the lid, put a little pink "baby" sign on it and then put it in a white gift bag with a bunch of yellow tissue paper. I couldn't wait to give it to him!
We went and picked up Rose and Will and then had plans to meet Tom at Sam's Club for dinner and then take the kids to Putt-Putt for a night of celebrating their completion of assessment testing. We pull into the parking lot next to Tom's truck and the kids all pile out. I made them all get back in the van telling them I needed to talk to daddy. So, yes, in the middle of the Sam's Club parking lot I gave him the little gift bag! He pulled out the bottle and saw the tests, and (this cracks me up) says "are these yours?". (no honey, I asked random women to pee on sticks so I could give them to you?) :D I could only smile and tearfully nod and he hugged me a long time and prayed with me for our new baby and thanked the Lord for this gift.I called my mom Thursday night, late, she was kinda worried by the hour at first but was SO happy I had called. She cried and has sent me pictures of blankets she is starting on for the baby. She is beyond excited and happy for us.
I wanted to come up with a fun way to tell the kids the next day, just savor the news between the two of us for a little while. I was thinking something clever at dinner-time. Tom could *not* wait though! He managed to make it until morning, but Friday morning, he was banging on doors calling a family meeting. The kids were all protesting that it wasn't a run day, so they wanted to sleep in. Tom came in and told me he was getting the kids up and I stared at him trying to remember what day it was and thinking I had planned to sleep in too. Took a minute for me to remember what he was so anxious about! :-) He sat them all down on the couch and said something about convening the family meeting and first order of business was to let them all know that he is handsome. They roll their eyes and are very confused but suspicious because I had pulled out the video camera. He said next was to find out what they thought about having a new brother or sister? Heather started crying and crying and sobbing. Rose let out a "whoop" and then hugged Heather. Will grinned from ear to ear.
Will has been cracking me up, you can just tell he is processing it all... when Tom said something about a brother OR sister, his smile kinda fell and he realized he wasn't guaranteed a brother, that's taken a bit of thinking. At WalMart yesterday, we walked down the baby aisle and he loved some little pink booties and a snuggie he thought we should get if she is a girl. I overheard him talking to Rose though, he said we should name the baby Thomas William Sullivan III if it's a boy. We told him that was his job since he was Jr, he could have a III if he wanted to and we'd think of a different name. He thought for a minute, and said "I'll probably have all girls though. If I do Rose, I'll just give them to you. I'll say - 'go see your Aunt Rose'." Silly little man! He also told me that when the baby is 10, if it's a boy, he will buy him a football for his birthday. :-)
Tom called his parents, brother, and sister and our pastor during the day on Friday. I stopped by my sister Amanda's house and gave her the same gift bag I'd given Tom. She was so fun, shock and happy tears flowing, love it!!!
We had plans to go to the park to see my friend Amy and so I gave her the same gift bag. Heather says "It's the present that makes everyone cry!" It's been fun to be able to surprise people who have been praying with and for us for so long! I got in touch with my brothers throughout the day.
We left the park and took dinner over to my dad's. Once Tom got there and we gathered everyone for prayer, I had dad open the gift also. We ate dinner and relaxed with them a bit and then headed home and I zonked out as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Thursday was completely surreal, yesterday exciting and exhausting, today has been calm and happy.
I'm having a few symptoms here and there which are reassuring, a bit of nausea when I took my prenatals in the morning (switched to evening and it's better), hot at night, peeing a lot, Tom's sweat smells like vinegar to me, lower back is sore, crazy dreams, some twinges and little cramps. Overall I am feeling calm and confident, peaceful.
My Creighton teacher strongly recommended that I get progesterone and hcg levels checked. I am more prone to miscarriage with PCOS and having had 2 I know this. I am going to call the new NaPro doc in Richmond in the morning and have her order the labs locally for me so we can keep an eye and supplement the progesterone if needed. I also contacted the local midwife about meeting with her. We will see, not sure what we will do yet.
I'll keep everyone posted on our progress as things unfold. I appreciate prayers for this sweet little life the size of a sesame seed that we already love so much!!! For the record, I am 5 weeks along and officially due April 14, but have gone late with all of mine, so probably nearer the end of April. Looking forward to a spring baby! :-)
Thursday was completely surreal, yesterday exciting and exhausting, today has been calm and happy.
I'm having a few symptoms here and there which are reassuring, a bit of nausea when I took my prenatals in the morning (switched to evening and it's better), hot at night, peeing a lot, Tom's sweat smells like vinegar to me, lower back is sore, crazy dreams, some twinges and little cramps. Overall I am feeling calm and confident, peaceful.
My Creighton teacher strongly recommended that I get progesterone and hcg levels checked. I am more prone to miscarriage with PCOS and having had 2 I know this. I am going to call the new NaPro doc in Richmond in the morning and have her order the labs locally for me so we can keep an eye and supplement the progesterone if needed. I also contacted the local midwife about meeting with her. We will see, not sure what we will do yet.
I'll keep everyone posted on our progress as things unfold. I appreciate prayers for this sweet little life the size of a sesame seed that we already love so much!!! For the record, I am 5 weeks along and officially due April 14, but have gone late with all of mine, so probably nearer the end of April. Looking forward to a spring baby! :-)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
New Me in 2012
Happy New Year!
So... it's been a while since my last update. I have honestly been in quite a "funk" for several months now. Since my NaPro Doc moved and couldn't care for me anymore, I've been floundering. It shouldn't have affected me so badly, but it did. Then my flopped progesterone shut-down cycles were a bit depressing too. I am getting over it and while I am still tracking my fertility, I am trying to adjust my focus (since there isn't much "more" to do right now in that arena).
I gained about 20# during my "funk". Working on that in earnest now. The whole family is working on healthy eating and moving more, trying to trim our waists and feel better. Last week we lost a combined total of 31#! That was exciting. We have some fun rewards and good support in place, so I think we will accomplish much.
For now, I am charting my temps and noting CM, but that's about it. I am trying to be habitual and relaxed about it. I am still ovulating, but my cycles have gotten much longer due to my weight, diet and not taking my Metformin. I do plan to start back on that soon.
I'll pop in here and there, and my weight loss ticker will be the thing to watch!
So... it's been a while since my last update. I have honestly been in quite a "funk" for several months now. Since my NaPro Doc moved and couldn't care for me anymore, I've been floundering. It shouldn't have affected me so badly, but it did. Then my flopped progesterone shut-down cycles were a bit depressing too. I am getting over it and while I am still tracking my fertility, I am trying to adjust my focus (since there isn't much "more" to do right now in that arena).
I gained about 20# during my "funk". Working on that in earnest now. The whole family is working on healthy eating and moving more, trying to trim our waists and feel better. Last week we lost a combined total of 31#! That was exciting. We have some fun rewards and good support in place, so I think we will accomplish much.
For now, I am charting my temps and noting CM, but that's about it. I am trying to be habitual and relaxed about it. I am still ovulating, but my cycles have gotten much longer due to my weight, diet and not taking my Metformin. I do plan to start back on that soon.
I'll pop in here and there, and my weight loss ticker will be the thing to watch!
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