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Thursday, September 04, 2008

2 parter

I wrote a blog the other day detailing the glorious news that we were pregnant. I never posted it. I've debated whether I should or not, but it was such an amazing day, I feel like I need to. Before I do that tho, I wanted to tell you all about what has happened since. How we went from pregnant and telling the world to crushed, crying and curled up in bed.
Monday
I went in for my 2nd blood test at 7:30. Yes, it was Labor Day, but I wanted to hear what was going on in my body and have an idea of how many little babies there were. At 1pm 9 people came to our house for Labor Day cookout! We laughed and prepared and were all geared up for some burgers, when my phone rang. I took it in my bedroom, eager to hear the news and was told my numbers dropped from 37 to 27. I asked what that meant. The nurse said I may have a biochemical pregnancy. What's that? The embryo is still inside me, but it can't survive because it isn't attached. Do I need to be worried? Come in and do another test on Wednesday. Okay. I ran outside to tell Joe, who was grilling with Jake. I think I said something like, "I may not be pregnant." I ran to the gazebo and called my Mom. She prayed with me. Momma T came out to me. I told her everything. She prayed with me. I came in, we prayed over the food and everyone started eating. I was holding it together. But two bites into my hotdog, my Dad called. I took the phone into the bathroom, sat on the floor, and fell apart. Joe came in and sat with me. I called Amy and broke the news to her. She cried with me (while sitting in Disney World). For the next several hours Joe and I laid on our bed, crying and thinking (maybe too much thinking.) We called and talked to the nurse again. She said it wasn't normal, but my levels were very low to start with. (Would have been nice to know that 2 days earlier...)So Momma T got our house cleaned up and all our guests left after being abandoned by their sad sack hosts. That night we decided we couldn't face work the next day, so we made arrangements for that. We stayed up late eating frosties and fries and watching funny movies.
Tuesday
I slept in and spent the morning on the couch with Joe in my pjs. At noon we went out for pizza and went to the movies. The sweet ladies of Hannah Group (our infertility support group) offered to have a special prayer time for Joe and I. So Tuesday night we went and were prayed for for over an hour by the wonderful women there. It really made us feel better. Loved. A lady I met that night asked me what God had been saying to me in the past 2 days. At the time I didn't know what to say. We told her about how we've learned to trust the plan, even though we don't know what the plan is and how we've been remarkably at peace through out the past few weeks. But then it occurred to me that something did pop into my mind on Monday afternoon. It sounds so strange, but it was the song "Sing and Be Happy." How can I do that right now? But it really spoke to me. Oft we fail to see the rainbow up in Heaven's fair skies. When it seems the fortunes of Earth frown and pass us by...if we hope and trust him each day, we shall have pleasures untold. Sing and you'll be happy TODAY. Press along to the goal. Trust in Him who leadeth the way. He is keeping your soul. Let the world know where you belong. look to Jesus and Pray. Lift your voice and praise him in song. Sing and be happy TODAY. Cool.
Wednesday
We both went back to work, knowing in our hearts the news would be bad. Joe and I texted all day about how we were worried, but feeling okay about things. At 2:30 I called the doctor's office (after my last class) and heard my numbers were at 29, and now classified a biochemical pregnancy. Stop my meds. Come back on Monday to make sure my levels are back at zero. So what now? I can meet my doctor next Thursday (the 11th) and start as soon as I get my next period on a frozen transfer! WAHOO!!! I called Joe, Mom and Dad, and Amy to tell them the news. While we are so sad that we were no longer pregnant, we get to do it again! We have money for it! We have embryos for it! So after no tears, I came home to my Joey and we decided to celebrate the fact that we were pregnant for 4 whole days. Celebrate that we came so close. Celebrate that we have a future with babies in it that is just around the corner! We bought eachother presents at Target, and went for Margaritas and Guacamole Live at On the Border. We laughed and smiled and fell farther in love with eachother and the journey we are travelling together. We sang and were happy TODAY.
So we're good. We're ready to try again. We are blessed in so many ways and we know that God will not let us linger here for long. He is a faithful God and wants us to have a hope and future. And we know that THAT is in the plan!
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Blog I wrote on Sunday about Saturday...
Friday night I was so nervous. I cried with Joe. I cried with my Dad on the phone and I fought crying when Tanya came over. What if??? That question was bearing down and I knew all I could do was wait and pray.
As you remember, we were supposed to go to Orlando with our best friends, Amy and Brian this week. They were leaving, as originally planned, Saturday morning. And we were on tap to take them to the airport. You may also remember, that Amy is also struggling with infertility and has walked through every step right along side me. When they arrived at our house Saturday morning, they stood in front of Joe and I with shocking news. "Well....we're pregnant!" Joe and I had absolutely no response. We just stared at them, standing there smiling, beaming with happiness. WHAT!?!?! How did this happen?? We took them to the airport and Amy and I chatted in the backseat. She told me she had taken 2 pregnancy tests and they both had faint second lines. Her doctor told her that she's never seen a false positive, so she must be expecting! Suddenly I felt a wave of excitement. Unbeknonst to anyone, I had also taken 2 tests. One Thursday and one Friday, against Joe's better judgement. They also had faint second lines. I confided in Amy that I had taken one too and she was more certain than ever that I too was pregnant.
We dropped the Tindells off and Joe told me how nervous he was feeling. That the news that our friends were expecting was multiplying the pressure for us now. True. I told him I had taken a test and it was positive, to which he said, "and you still freaked out? why didn't that make you feel better?" I have no idea.
We went and had blood drawn at 8:45 am. Meredith told us she would keep her eye on the lab and call us as fast a possible with the verdict. I asked her how long that would be (hopefully not until the afternoon!!!) She said 35min-an hour. Okay. We left and grabbed breakfast and came home to nervously wait. After about 2 hours, my parents started to call to make sure things were okay and we were getting restless. Finally we put in THE SWORD IN THE STONE and started a game of Battleship. Tommie called and Joe was barely beginning to speak to her when the phone rang. It had been over 3 hours, just after 12:00. I answered and Meredith told me not to kill her, that it had taken so long. But that I could breathe easy because I'm pregnant. "Yay!!!" was my response. I nodded at Joe, still on the phone with his mom, and tears started streaming down his sweet face. Of course that triggered mine and we sat and hugged as I talked more with Meredith and made my next appointment.
As soon as I hung up we hugged and cried and laughed. Seconds later the phone rang. Amy. "What's the news? How come I haven't heard from you? We just landed and I don't have message. Is it yes or no?" "We just got off the phone 30 seconds ago." "Is it a yes?" "Yes. We're pregnant!!" More crying from both ends of the phone. We got off the phone quickly so I could start calling family and Joe and spent the next several hours calling, texting, emailing and blogging the news. Every once in a while we had to take a break to hug and cry again with eachother. Joe had been saving a song to play for me that Babyface wrote for his wife when she was pregnant. He played it and fought through the tears trying to sing it to me as we danced and cried in the living room.
As miserable as I have been in the past 8 months, I find it incredible how in one swoop, I am magically happy again. I have been hugged and hugged and cried with over and over in the past 36 hours and LOVE that my excitement is being shared by so many. Thank you for following my story so far. I am loving sharing it with you all. And have no fear, there is much more to come. One chapter is closing, but a much more exciting one is beginning. Praise God for that!

4 comments:

Jaime said...

Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. I feel like I am "there" with you even though I am not there with you. I am so glad you have such a wonderful husband and that you have each other to see this through. I am so glad that you can sing and be happy today. So glad! I have all faith that you guys are going to have a child to love and that your journey is not for nothing. We are all singing and crying and praying and will be happy with you, girl!

The Best Family said...

Rachel - You faith is an amazing testament for all of us... thank you for being so open with all of this. You are no doubt ministering to many others. You and Joe will continue to be in our prayers...
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." -Deut. 31:6
Love you...
~summer

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you shared all of that! It sounds too simple for how it makes me feel, but you have the best attitude of anyone I know. Keep singing and being happy; we're right there with you. I love you!

Larissa said...

Rachel,
I don't really know you, but I know your family and I'm friends with Carrie. Anyways, that was a good post, and I loved the thought of "singing and being happy" regardless of what happens. I wish the best for you and Joe as y'all go through this!