Grandbaby is Here!!

The grandbaby arrived on Friday September 16, 2011 at about 12:30pm. He was about 3 weeks early, but healthy. He weighed 6lbs 15oz and 21 inches long. His name is Braxton John. He is purdy! His mom got an infection after birth and her fever shot up to about 107 degrees. They put her on antibiotics and the baby as well just as precaution. They were released yesterday and are doing fine. Baby Braxton's birthday was not a good day for his step-grandma (me). I was not handling it well at all. I thought I had 3 more weeks to prepare. I was mad and a I cried and got into a fight with my husband. I wasn't ready, but I don't know that I would've ever been ready. I think I was living in denial. If I ignored it, it wouldn't happen kind of a thing. But it did happen, and there's a new precious little soul on this earth. So like a proud grandma, since its my duty...here are some pictures:

Words of Advice...DON'T TEST EARLY!

If and when you ever get the pleasure to take HCG shots for luteal phase defect (or PMS)...for the love of all thats holy...DO NOT TEST EARLY! I made the mistake and it SUCKS! I took 2000iu on Wednesday (P+9), by Monday, I was dying. I was P+14, and after googling and googling, me in my infinite wisdom decided "what's two days?" I saw that beautiful "pregnant" pop up in the little window of that test and smiled. I thought AWESOME...first medicated cycle and it worked. In the back of my mind, all I could hear was its two days early Beth...but I again fought it with "what's two days?!". Well apprently two days is EVERYTHING. Because today Wednesday (P+16) I saw "not pregnant" and CD1 showed up about 6 hours later! BOOO!!! Moral of the story...listen to your doctor and DO NOT test early!!! I don't know if it's suprising or not, but I'm actually OK. I was a little sad this morning, but really...did I expect it to work that fast?...NOPE! Did I always hope?...YEP! Oh well...there's always next month. The HCG kept my moods amazingly stable. There were no casualties and no tears. I did have the worst cramps pre CD1 I have ever had. For about the last 4-5 days I've had cramps and with the arrival of CD1 they are worse. I've taken 4 Ibuprofen and they numbed them a little. Not being pregnant sucks, but bleeding for 7 days and cramps, is just adding insult to injury! Now on to bigger and better things....this blogger did what her doctor told her and didn't test until P+17 and look what happened!!!! PREGNANT!! Also, happier things. We finally bought our plane tickets to go to Salt Lake City for Christmas. We're not going for the grandbaby's delivery in 3 weeks. I didn't want to go, but I did try and encourage DH to go, but he didn't want to either. So we decided to wait until Christmas and kill two birds with one stone. We'll be gone for two weeks and I'm so excited to finally take a vacation!! Other than a day or two here or there.

I promise I haven't abandoned you....

I'm still here! I've tried to step back for a while...although I still read blogs almost everyday. I'm really trying not to dwell on my own infertility. I have hope and just KNOW one day I'll be pregnant, but the waiting is difficult (as many of you know). I'm P+9 today and I feel NORMAL!!!! Usually by now I want to kill everyone and myself! My poor husband doesn't stand a chance during PMS time....but not this month!!! I heart HCG! Its my miracle drug. I would like to hope that the first medicated cycle out of the gate will be our month, but come on, who am I kidding! It never works that way. A girl can dream right?!?!?! My step-grandson is due in 4 weeks. The closer it gets the harder it gets. The more the mom starts complaining on Face.book, and I just want to yell at her "DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE!?!?!?!" The more we talk to my step-son, the more it sounds like she WANTED to get pregnant. He was apparently bamboozeled, but they're teenagers, so who really knows. They just don't get it. Sometimes life is not fair!

Oh Florida How I Love Thee...

There's nothing better! Take a look at this....

Finally, a true map of Florida that explains this weird, but wonderful state...



I was raised where the red "Rednecks" are located! I now live in a blue "Old Rich People" area. I can assure you though....I'm not rich and not OLD. Although now that I think about it, maybe I am, I am going to be a grandma after all.

I have absolutely nothing to blog about, that really matters. Sorry I've been away for so long. I'm still reading everyone's blog and trying to comment, although I feel I have nothing to say other than "praying!".

A few updates:
We're battling the pharmacy to cover my HCG (a losing battle I'm sure). We're having problems logistically trying to make a baby, battling low testosterone and all that comes with it. I can say I love my NaPro doctor. She called me on Saturday, ON A SATURDAY and talked to me for about 30 minutes. No charge! That never happens...NEVER!

Updates, Post Peak Test Results, and a Question

First of all, thank you for the prayers. My sister got to go home today! YAY!! She is feeling much better. I will post the story later on what happened to her as well as my epiphany that being a parent is nerve wracking. :)

Second, I got my first blood results back from my NaPro doc. My progesterone levels are approximate as I didn't get the exact numbers:

P+6 - 9 (P+5 was on a Sunday)
P+7 - 14
P+9 - 4

My estrogen was low as well, but I don't have the numbers. My TSH and Vit D were normal. The doc is putting me on HCG 2000iu P+3, 5, 7 and 9.

She thinks there is something going on my with adrenals, and recommended that I find an endocrinologist. I asked her if that is something Dr. Hilgers could take care of and she said she would talk to him at the conference next week.

Isn't Dr. H big on adrenal problems? Otherwise, I've got to just pick one from my insurance list and pray to God they know what they're doing.

Little Sister in Hopsital...Please pray

I feel like all I do is ask for prayers! Can I ask for prayers for my little sister (her name is Jamie)? She passed out in my parents front yard yesterday and was rushed by Ambulance to a hospital an hour away. Her blood pressure got down to 41/21, but thankfully is on the rise. She is now running 102 degree fever, with at this point no explanation.

This is all compounded by the fact that she doesn't have a pituitary gland, and hasn't been taking the appropriate amount of steriods (her fault and her doctor's fault).

Needless to say, she'll be there for another day or two (or more).

Thank you!!

First NaPro Appointment

We had our first NaPro appointment today. It was great. Dr. G is very thorough and not to mention so nice!

My DH and I had a little fight about this doctor's appointment a few days ago. He didn't know what was going to expect, and neither did I. He was worried about the costs of the doctor's appointments, on top of the Creighton charting costs (which compared to almost any IF treatment is nothing!). Of course, me being a girl, took his hesitation to mean that he didn't want to get pregnant (as bad as I do anyway). But mostly I felt: because I couldn't get pregnant...that we were having to spend money on doctor's appointments that he would otherwise prefer to give to his son for his grandbaby. Why do I have to go to such a dramatic place?!? I felt like a rotten person. One for theoretically taking money from his son to buy things for his grandbaby, and two, because I'm completely and utterly jealous. All I've ever wanted was to be a mom.

Anyways, because it went so well today...he apologized. I think mostly he was just scared of the unknown. I think he pictured us walking into her house, or dirty office. But mostly, being taken advantage of.

Dr. G reviewed my chart, some of my previous medical records and got a verbal history on both Chris and I. She is NOT convinced I have PCOS because I have regular cycles and "small ovaries"(according to the transvag ultrasound from my REs office). She does think I have insulin resistanace, but mostly because its hereditary and I was very overweight. She is going to do some research on adrenal/cortisol problems...because I definitely have that. She gave me orders for bloodwork for P+ 5, 7, 9, to check estrogen and progesterone. I also found out I had "thickened endometrial lining" during my transvag u/s.

The kicker is...she thinks I have endo. DANGIT! Going to Omaha for surgery was not high on my list of "things I want to do". She did say that she wants us to try for a while, with progesterone support and whatever else she decides before she recommends me for surgery.

Another thing she noticed was from my HSG. She thought something was weird about the shape of my uterus. She asked me about fibroids. I don't have heavy bleeding. My left tube is blocked. I always have what I assume is ovulation pain from right side...never from the left. Maybe that's why I never have pain, ol' lefty knows ovulating is a waste of time!! HA!

I think she also finally convinced my husband to do a sperma analysis. She is going to also take on his needs (low testosterone, etc).

I'm so glad I finally learned Creighton. It has been such a blessing and it's only the beginning.