Why I Haven't Posted

A lot has been going on since my last post. Everything is still going well with my pregnancy as far as I know. Okay, I did start to worry a little bit the last couple of days because my stomach isn't really showing anything. I do have a small pooch, but that's it. In fact, I feel like I've lost weight. I haven't weighed myself. But my appetite is not good with being nauseous the majority of the time, so I feel like I must have lost a little. I asked my mom if that was normal to not be showing yet (except for a small pooch that most people would never even notice), and she said that it is. I'm almost 11 weeks pregnant now, and she said that she didn't "show" with one of my brothers until she was about 4 1/2 months pregnant.

Okay, that made me feel better!! I guess it just seems surreal b/c I haven't had an u/s in a couple of weeks. And a visible sign of a changing, growing belly would make me feel better!

There has still been no bleeding or cramping! And I stopped my progesterone last night. Woohoo!!!

So the reason I haven't posted is because of the situation with Little Guy. I have been so engrossed with our sweet 4 1/2 month old baby. We are praying that he'll soon be adopted by us. But last week, a distant relative came forward saying that she wants him. I can't give a lot of details b/c of the confidentiality issue. But we are praying praying praying that this will not happen. We are asking God for a miracle! No one wants him to go. But our state law says that a family member (even distant) has priority over a foster parent. However, it's not over by any means. A lot of things would have to happen first. And we are praying!!!!! God can do a miracle!! God can change this situation in an instant!!!

I also hope that none of you were affected by the tornadoes in the South. We did have some bad weather, but it mostly passed us and went farther south. I feel so sad for the people down there.

Thanks to those who have checked in on me. It always warms my heart! :)

I've Never Had an Appointment Like That

So I wanted to tell y'all a little more about my ultrasound appointment last week. I already told you that everything went really well and looked great. But I didn't tell you much about how I felt afterwards.

That night when I was lying in bed with Jay it was almost surreal. I said, "Do you realize that today's appointment was just the opposite of all the other appointments I've ever had?" I almost couldn't believe it was really happening!!

In the past, all of my ob appointments have been just terrible!! I've always experienced things like: bleeding, follow-up from a trip to the ER, an u/s that showed the heart had stopped beating, surgery follow-up, m/c follow-up.... I've never ever ever had a good pregnancy appointment.

Until Thursday.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself! I am now 9.5 weeks pregnant. This is at least 2 weeks farther than ever before.

I heard my doctor say things like, "Everything looks PERFECT!" "I think this is going to go off without a hitch!" The nurses were telling me, "Congratulations!!" Everyone was smiling.

And it was really funny when I told my doctor about Little Guy (our sweet 4 month old baby that we are in the process of trying to adopt through foster care). He and the nurse both laughed!! They were probably thinking, "She's going to have her hands full!!" haha

Some of you reading this have always had good pregnancy appointments. And others are like me. You've been disappointed and hurt a lot. I just hope that this encourages someone that sometimes the "impossible" really happens. I hope that it give someone hope.

And of course I am still HIGHLY recommending my specialist in Memphis who found the problem that other doctors missed: http://www.fertilitymemphis.com/our-team/william-h-kutteh-m-d-ph-d/ He specializes in RPL. It's been exciting lately to "meet" (through my blog) 2 women who have been to Dr. K and also to know another who has a first appointment coming up!

But ultimately, I give God praise for getting me this far. I'm trusting Him day by day! I still have a long ways to go. But it's all in His hands.

And I haven't talked much about Little Guy lately.... I'll try to do a post about him soon. I love him SO much!!!! It is looking favorable that we will be able to adopt!! I'll keep you posted on that as soon as I know something more definite. He's been with us since birth through foster care, and he's our miracle baby!!! I'm not allowed to post pictures or give a lot of details. Otherwise, I'd be talking about him a lot more on here!!

I also want to encourage anyone who may be interested in adoption to keep looking into it. Get more info and see if it might be for you. You might even be interested in foster care! In our county, sadly, they have had a lot of babies recently come into foster care. Just last week they called me for a newborn baby girl! They were picking her up at the hospital that afternoon. I had to say no, though, b/c I knew it would be too much right now. If you have any questions about foster care, please email me: creek jc @ nctc. com

And my last little update is that yes, I am still sick. Yesterday I felt very sick. Thankfully, this morning I am feeling a little better. I took my zofran before I even got out of bed, so it has helped immensely.

Thank you all for your continued prayers. I love getting your sweet and encouraging comments!!

Ultrasound #3

Ladies, thank you for the encouraging comments! Y'all are the best!!!

My u/s today went GREAT!!! I am measuring at 8w3d. Heartbeat = 183.

Dr. said, "Everything looks perfect!"

Thank You, Jesus!!!!!

And to top it all off, I got a whole new bottle of Zofran b/c my pharmacist and Dr. worked together and found a loophole with my insurance!! Hooray!!

I was nervous today, but it didn't get the best of me. My husband was with me, and it was just SO neat seeing that u/s. I've never been this far along before, and I got to see this little bity tiny baby that's only about 1 inch long moving around and waving its little arm buds. Incredible! I was in awe at what God has created.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray. I go back in 4 weeks for another ultrasound and appointment. Wow....Thank You, Lord, for great news today! I've been praying and hoping for this for a long time!

Ultrasound Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day. It's my first ultrasound at the farthest along I've ever been.

I'll let you know the details. Please keep us in your prayers.

I'm also still feeling very sick. The meds help. But I have had to cut back b/c I found out that my insurance will only pay for so much Zofran. And it's very expensive. I only have 2 more pills to last until Friday. So I have really been rationing!

I'll try to post tomorrow night after my appointment!! :)

Problem Solved

First of all, thank you for the comments about my worries about missing 2 doses of progesterone. I was starting to feel better and thinking that it would be okay. Then I had a sudden thought!....Wait a second....My friend at church used to work at that pharmacy. Let me give her a call....

To make a long story short, she made a couple of calls, and the pharmacist MET ME AT THE PHARMACY!!!!! Even though it was closed, he came in on his day off and got my progesterone for me!

I apologized and was embarrassed, but he was so nice and told me it was okay.

This is an example of one of the many benefits of living in a small town!!! After the whole ordeal was over and I was back home with my medicine I remembered that old John Mellencamp song "Small Town" and looked it up on youtube. :) There was a time in high school when I thought I hated living in this town and had to get away. But now that I'm getting older, I love it here!

Thanks again for all your encouragement and comments. :)

Also, I want to say that I am officially farther along than I have EVER been!!! I am now past 8 weeks! Thank You, Jesus!! I go back on Thursday of this week for another ultrasound. If everything looks good, then we may start telling some of our family and friends. (We have already told our parents, my sister and a few close friends, but that is it.) And they are all sworn to secrecy!! :)

I have a couple of emails to catch up on. Two of you have been so sweet to email me recently. Normally, I would have already written back. But I still been feeling so nauseous and tired that I haven't been spending much time at the computer. Please don't think I've forgotten you!!

And if anyone else would like to email: creek jc @ nctc . com (without the spaces, of course!)

Oh, and to end on a funny nose, I have RAVENOUS cravings!!! haha Seriously, when I think of something that sounds good it's like I HAVE to have it!!! Today, I felt that way about Sub.way, so Jay had to get it for me twice!! haha And if I try to eat something that I'm not craving, it tastes just awful and makes me sick. I guess that's just a part of pregnancy. I'm taking it as a sign that I'm doing well.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

How Could I Forget to Pick up My Rx??!!!

I have been so upset with myself for forgetting to pick up my progesterone suppositories at the pharmacy today. Now I only have 1 for the entire weekend!! That means that if I use it tonight that I will have to go Saturday and Sunday without one. I can think of no way to remedy this predicament. In my town there is only 1 compounding pharmacy that is able to make the progesterone suppositories. It is CLOSED on Saturdays. Besides that, I don't have the original prescription to take anywhere else. My doctor's office called it in to the pharmacy. And since no one will be working at that pharmacy tomorrow, there is no one to call and transfer the prescription to another pharmacy....

So I guess there is truly nothing that I can do.

So my question is: My progesterone level was great when it was first checked. It was actually on the high end. The progesterone suppositories were prescribed as a "just in case" kind of thing. So is it going to be THAT bad if I miss two doses?

Hoping someone can give me some advice or at least make me feel a little better.... :)

I gotta keep trusting God. I made a silly mistake, but Lord, please protect me and this baby!!

Yesterday's Ultrasound

Thank you so much for your comments and emails asking about yesterday's ultrasound!! I would have already written, but I've been so tired and so sick that I haven't been online a lot lately.

So last Monday was my first u/s, and as you know, everything looked great!

Yesterday, one week later, I went back for a follow-up u/s, and..... everything looked great again!!!! Thank You, Jesus!!

Almost immediately the tech said, "I see the baby...And I see the heartbeat." Sweet relief washed over me when I heard those words!!

The heart rate was 158, and I'm measuring 7w2d, which matches my dates exactly.

My doctor was all smiles and continues to say that he has a good feeling about this. He thinks getting that septum out of there was key. Ladies, if you've ever been told that you have an "arcuate shaped" uterus after having an MRI or HSG, please check into it and make sure that it's actually not a broad based septum that needs to be removed. That was my case. Other doctors missed it b/c it was not a typical septum that was so obvious. It extended all the way across the top of my uterus, making my uterus look like it was just a normal variation of shape. Wrong!!! I'm so thankful that I went to my specialist in Memphis who recognized it right away. Here's the link if you want to check him out: http://www.fertilitymemphis.com/practice-services/recurrent-pregnancy-loss/

I am still being cautiously optimistic. I know that I have a long ways to go. But I'm trying to just take one day at a time and keep trusting the Lord.

Yesterday at my appointment I realized something: I am now further along than I've ever been without already having trouble. In the past, I was already bleeding at this stage. So I'm so thankful for that!

I'm still taking the Zofran and Phenergan for nausea. It is working wonders!! I still feel nauseous but nothing like I was feeling! I'm also going to start a stool softener b/c, like so many of you told me, Zofran does cause constipation. I bought some yesterday that my doctor recommended.

My eating habits are nothing like pre-pregnancy. Normally, I am a very healthy eater. I love organic foods. I eat lots of veggies and fresh fruits. I eat very few fried foods and very little fast foods. There have been several times when I was checking out at the store and the cashier would say, "Wow! You eat so healthy!" ha! Once, I was especially tickled pink b/c a young boy who was bagging my groceries said, "Do you just like to eat healthy or are you an athlete?" Woot! Woot!!! I was THRILLED that I could even be mistaken for an athlete!! haha

The last time I went to the grocery I felt so sick that I slowly pushed the cart through the store and put ANYTHING in that I thought I might be able to get down - popsicles, instant rice, juice, ice cream. Now it seems like the only things I can eat are not good for me. On Sunday I got mozzarella sticks at Sonic (which I haven't allowed myself to get in years). I ate tons of my mom's fried potatoes last week. Last night I had to go to DQ and get a Bliz.zard. This morning I ate a PopT.art. I'm hoping that pretty soon I'll be able to once again eat healthy (without gagging!).

I've read, though, that you really shouldn't worry about it this early in the game. Just eat what you can get down b/c the baby is so very tiny that their nutritional needs are miniscule. Thank goodness!!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Please do keep praying for us. I am still very early in this pregnancy. I'm so thankful for what God has done thusfar, though! It's nothing short of a miracle.

So Sick

I have truly never been so sick in all my life. Not only am I taking Zofran but also Phenergan. The medicine helps a great deal. But it's still very difficult to eat and drink. I'm doing the best I can with it, though. And I'm able to get some things down.

I just keep reminding myself that sickness is good in this case and that it won't last forever. I know it is worth it. And I can do it for my baby!!!

Little Guy is as cute as ever. I love him so much. I pray all the time that he'll be ours soon and that our baby in my belly will also be healthy and strong. I pray that we'll get to be both babies' mommy and daddy. (For those of you who may be new to my blog, "Little Guy" is our 3 month old baby that we foster. He's been with us since birth. I may not be his biological mommy, but in my heart he is my baby. It is looking very favorable for adoption.)

A blog friend told me to look up a song - One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus. I listened to that song, and I do love the words. So true! I know that song from my childhood but hadn't heard it in a long time. Thank you for sharing! I was encouraged!

I'll leave you all with the words from another song that encourages me too:

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
   • Refrain:
     Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
     How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
     Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
     Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
2. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood;
   And in simple faith to plunge me
   ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease;
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that Thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end.

A Little More About Monday's Appointment

You ladies are so sweet! I just love getting all these encouraging comments and knowing that you are praying for me. It really means a lot.

I wanted to write more after my ultrasound appointment on Monday, but I was just so sick and exhausted that I could barely sit at my computer.

I have never been so sick in all my life...Well maybe except for the time I drank contaminated water in Thailand. ha! I am now taking a little miracle pill called Zofran. Boy, it has helped me so much. It doesn't make me completely well. But it makes a big difference. And I just keep reminding myself that sickness is a good sign.

I was nervous at my appointment. When I got there I first went to the bathroom in the waiting room, and I remembered how the last time I was there I cried in that bathroom, remembering the sadness of our last miscarriage. But this time I didn't cry. I waited in the lobby, and pretty soon they called me back for the ultrasound. The tech explained the procedure, and I thought, "I've had a million of these!!"

I really despise getting ultrasounds. The techs don't give you much info, and I'm always left wondering if something's wrong and she's just not telling me. It's an awful feeling. But I remained calm. And I was so thankful when right away she said, "Okay, I see the baby. And I see a heartbeat." I'm not sure what I said....Maybe "Good!!" or "Really?!" I felt so much relief. But still, she didn't give me a lot of details so I was kind of holding my breath wondering if everything was really okay. After it was all over she said, "Congratulations!" I thought to myself, "Surely she wouldn't be telling me congratulations if anything was wrong!" So I allowed myself to relax a little.

I went back to the waiting room and waited to see the doctor. I love my doctor so much. He's so sweet and friendly and kind. When I finally got called back and got to see him he was all smiles. He said, "I've got a good feeling about this!" He said that he was so happy to see me coming back through. He commented on how the baby is exactly where it's supposed to be, the sac looks very healthy, it's measuring right on target. Everything looked great!!

I'm still cautiously optimistic. I will breathe a small sigh of relief once I make it 8 weeks (farther than I've ever been). But I don't know when I will totally let my guard down...maybe when I hold that sweet baby in my arms after a healthy delivery!!

One of my sweet blog friends said that she is praying for me to have Irish twins! I'd never heard that term before, so I looked it up and found that it refers to 2 babies born to the same mother within 12 months. She is praying that we'll get to adopt Little Guy and also have this baby. I'm praying for Irish twins too!!! :) I'd love to have my 2 babies grow up together and be the best of friends.

Well, as a matter of fact, I hear Little Guy squirming and fussing in his little bassinet so I'd better go check on him. Thank you again for all of your prayers!! Thank You, Lord, for all You've done!!

Good Report!

I was so relieved today to be measuring right on target at my ultrasound - 6w3d !!

The baby is right where it's supposed to be (unlike my last pregnancy). We could see the heart beat!!

The Dr. also prescribed me some nausea medication. Thank goodness!! I was having a hard time getting anything down!

The doctor was very optimistic and told me that he has a good feeling. He's excited to see me back and doing so well.

Next ultrasound: a week from today.

In the past, I always miscarried around 7 weeks. Please be keeping me in your prayers these next couple of weeks...

Thank you!!!! All of your comments and prayers mean so much. Grandmommy, I was thinking of your prayer when I was waiting in the waiting room this afternoon. :) Thanks to you ALL!!