I Am Surviving

Today, I hit 15 weeks. Over the past two weeks, I have had some better days. But, no matter what, it's as if I have some kind of internal clock, the morning sickness always kicks in at about 5 PM. And, there are still days, during the day, almost out of nowhere, where I will be seemingly fine and then find myself rushing to the toilet to heave the entire contents of my stomach. I never threw up with my other two pregnancies. Still, there are days where I feel miserable all day long! I have started to show over the past two weeks. But only gained two pounds so far. Actually, early on, I gained five pounds almost overnight, but then I lost it when the morning sickness kicked in, so now I'm once again weighing two pounds more than I did at the start of November. I have also not been headache-free for 16 days now. (Yes, I am counting!) Sometimes it's just a headache and other times it festers to a migraine.

Last Monday, I got to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler for the first time. The doctor forewarned me that it might take a few moments because the baby was still so small. Well, she placed it on the exact right spot and found it within a half a second! There was a nice, strong heartbeat!

Next Saturday, I start my 17p shots. We got it all worked out with the insurance and the medication is being delivered to the house early next week. In about a week and a half I get my next ultrasound. I suspect this will be the one where we find out if we are having a boy or a girl. James is going to this appointment. Thomas and Toby are certain it is a girl. I'm not sure who will be more upset if it's not, me or them. I'm still trying to prepare that it's another boy and that I'll be a permanent member of the "all boys club" but it's hard not to wonder, especially because I have felt quite a bit different this time around.

Until later,

Emily

Snow Baby Update

(12 weeks, 2 days)

I saw my perinatologist, Dr. Hodor, yesterday (high-risk OB). Everything went well. I got a thorough sonogram and everything appeared to be normal with the baby. There are no subchorionic hemorrhages and he said now that I am to where I am at it would be "very, very unlikely". There was some worry because I am "older" but once I explained that the embryo was frozen when I was 31, there was a look of relief on both the sonographer and doctor's faces.

Dr. Hodor wants to see me monthly where I will get another thorough sonogram until 32 weeks. They will keep checking on my cervix and at some point start doing some kind of test where they check the cells and can tell if my body is starting to show signs of preterm labor. I think he said they'd start doing that at around 22-24 weeks. I am also going to start weekly progesterone shots (called 17p) in a month. They have been found very effective in preventing preterm labor. This office wasn't using them five years ago when I had Toby. I will be able to give them to myself at home rather than go into the office weekly and pay the co-pay since I've already been doing that because of the IVF. I will take them until 36 weeks. Usually once the shots are halted, labor starts in a week or two after that.

Until later,

Emily

Announcing...Snow 3.0

● I am due Aug 20th. However, since I had Toby prematurely, I have a 50% chance of having this one early too. I am trying to focus on the fact that I had Thomas on his due date. But, if I can have this baby sometime in the month of August--I will be thrilled!

● This is another IVF baby. Technically, it's a FET baby. Which means Frozen Embryo Transfer. We had this embryo from January 2006 when we were trying to have Toby (the cycle failed). A FET cycle was SOOOO much easier and less stressful than a fresh IVF cycle! I actually started seeing a doctor only one week after we returned to MD, but I had to go through all the preliminary testing again since it had been a while, and that took some time. Two of my tests had little "bumps in the road" so I had to have further testing. I finally got the "green light" in November. Five weeks later, I was pregnant! Easiest fertility treatment I've ever experienced!

● I also saw an acupuncturist weekly for the five weeks that I was undergoing the fertility treatment--to "compliment" the procedure. I love acupuncture! It is amazing!

● I have been supporting this pregnancy with daily progesterone and estrogen shots every third day. Today, at officially 12 weeks along, I get to stop! Yay!

● I have been really, really sick and extremely tired. Morning sickness hit me a week and a half earlier than it did the first two times, I was not amused.

● It's only one baby--I've already had four ultrasounds! There wasn't much of a risk anyhow, we only put one embryo in...but I was sweating it for a few days, especially when I got sick sooner than I had expected!

● I had threatened miscarriages (subchorionic hemmorhages) with both Thomas and Toby before the stage that I'm at this time around. Every day I am a little less worried, which isn't saying much. I'm on pins and needles, which is why I waited to announce this a little later.

● We hope to find out the gender of the baby. We'll probably find out in the next 4-6 weeks. I am planning on a boy until I hear otherwise. The kids want a sister. We shall see...


Until later,

Emily

And...He's Back!

James recently returned from a 12-day TDY (work trip) to Germany. This was the first traveling he has done since returning to the States. It breaks up the monotony of his regular job, gives him a break from the grueling commute and gives him a chance to make some extra money. He's hoping that he'll get many more opportunities to travel to Europe, working in the office that he's working at now. In fact, it looks like a trip to Vienna, Austria is in the works. I totally support it too. In other words, I don't have a problem with him traveling every once in a while. I got used to it a long time ago and there are "pluses" that I focus on when he's gone too.

Until later,

Emily