12 Wks!!

What an amazing appointment(s) we had. I left work at 12:30 just to make sure I would get from Peachtree City to Morrow by 2:00 for my perinatal appointment. This pregnancy brain has taken over. For some reason I could not remember how to get to Morrow from Peachtree City. Thanks to Tom Tom I remembered :) We both arrived 30 minutes early and did not realize it was in the heart of the ghetto. Past the mall going towards Forest Park and you turn down this back road. I wasn't sure if I was at the right place. I thought we were going just for a consultation to meet my new doctor, Dr Yeagley. But nope, they went ahead and did my 12 wk check up. Had to pee in a cup, then wait. Weighed me (I gained only 2 pounds) then took my blood pressure, which was 126/78. Pretty good I might add! Then we headed straight to the ultrasound room. There our baby was... so big! I could not believe how much our baby has grown. From 9 wks to 12 wks, big difference. We got to watch the show for about 15 minutes. Let me tell you.. we have a VERY stubborn baby. Would not cooperate for nothing. The tech needed to measure the back of the neck where it meets the spinal cord. Standard testing, it tests for Down's. After 15 or so minutes trying to get our stubborn baby to turn (she had me turn from one side to the other and even shook my belly) the baby finally turned a bit. The measurements were 1 1/4 which was great. She said.. man you sure have a stubborn baby and then laughed because the baby was standing up in my uterus. Russ thought it was funny and said "baby takes after momma, so it must be a girl" Haa.. ;) The tech asked a lot of questions as why we went to Czech to get pregnant. She was amazed at our Faith and willingness not to give up. I didn't want to test for the Down's/Spina Bifida, but we went ahead anyway. We decided on the two step process. Prick the finger now and come back in 4 wks to get blood drawn.

We met with Dr Yeagley, she was amazing. She cheered us on and gave me a high five for making it to 12 wks. We talked about the medications I was on and told me to go ahead and stop taking progesterone, estrogen and metformin. Woo hoo!! I was so glad to hear that. Then she said I need you to start weaning yourself off the prednisone. A little nervous, but God is in control. I take 2 pills daily, that is changed to 1 pill for 5 days, then I'm done. The only medication left are my prenatals, baby aspirin and blood thinner injections. I will take that through out the pregnancy. Russ and I really liked her! Thank goodness, I didn't want to hunt down another practice.

We left there and headed to my OBGYN, Dr Schilling. He was so excited to see us and said he was proud of us and said.. "see, all it took was Faith" He did my pap and a quick ultrasound. Told me that I needed to come back in 4 wks (I'll be 16 wks) and then I'll go back to the perinatal in 5 wks. I really love my OBGYN, he is such a motivator. ;)

They wanted me to get my blood work done. To see what my blood type is, check my iron and run all those disease tests. I went ahead and got that out of the way since I was over in that area. Finally done and on my way home by 5:15. Was a long day, but well worth it.

We have 4 awesome profile pictures... trying to figure out who this baby looks like! Any idea?


More to come later...

Another Doctor Appointment

After doing more digging on my auto immune disease, I decided to try another doctor. Same practice, but different doctor. I was not as ease at all this weekend. Worried about if I get off my medication too soon will I have another miscarriage? I can not take another miscarriage. I know God is in control and He's brought us this far, but it's so hard to not worry. I don't like feeling this way. Is it wrong? I just want my questions answered and I want a doctor to sit me down and tell me everything will be okay and that I'm doing everything the way I should. I'm scared to death to get off the medications. I know God has a hand in this pregnancy, we've come such a long way. Being able to hear the heart beat and seeing our wiggly baby. It brings tears to my eyes. We were told that Dr Yeagley was amazing, so we will give her a try. She was booked up in Fayetteville, so Morrow here we come. 9/24, consultation to discuss what they will be looking at when they do all the ultrasounds, to help me understand the ups and downs of the auto immune disease, is it safe to come off the medications, etc... I want her to understand my concerns and to see how scared I am. I'm starting to actually enjoy this pregnancy, I don't want to have a doctor that steers me in another direction.
I sure hope people don't think I'm acting silly, but we've waited for so long for this. I don't want anything to go wrong.

Mag, my coordinator from myivfalternative is able to get all my blood thinner injections in Czech. She is actually over there until October. She said she will bring the injections back with her. Woo hoo!! $565 per month here vs $150 per month there. Time to save.. save.. save ;)

Please pray we can find the answers we are looking for and that Dr Yeagley will be patient with us. Lord, please give us peace

More to come...

9 wks!

Women of Faith was amazing! To hear Steven Curtis Chapman's story and how they are overcoming the death of their baby girl. They are such an inspiration. Mandisa was awesome as well, she sang her heart out. It was a great time and so many women were there worshiping God together. I ran into an old friend too, I haven't seen her in 5 yrs. It did wear me out, I could have slept for 2 days :)

9/02/09 was our perinatologist appointment. We are 9 wks! I was so nervous and had no idea what to expect. Russ was waiting for me in the parking lot and told me I came close to hitting two vehicles while pulling into the parking lot. HAA! He said.. "Woman! Did you not realize you almost got hit" I laughed and said "Yes, I knew" My mind was just on the appointment. That's pretty bad. I had to fill out my life history and then they asked me to give a urine sample so they can check to see if I have sugar in my urine. After that they weighed me (hate that part) but I lost 20 pounds :) then took my blood pressure... which was good.

We went back to the room to get ready for the ultrasound. No need to get undressed!! This was done on my stomach. I handed her the USB Key.. and she said "Oh.. we don't do that, we are trying to take it off the web" How rude.. I was looking forward to getting the pictures on the USB Key. Instead we get the normal pictures, just like everyone else.. but that is okay :)

She was a little rough doing the ultrasound, I had to ask her to not press so hard.

Then after we saw our baby.. the pain didn't bother me. There the baby was.. just a moving around, arms and legs going to town. Such a little wiggly worm. I cried when I saw that and we also heard the heart beat. Sounded like a galloping horse. Russ just watched in amazement. We've never seen anything like this. Our baby!! Is right there. Growing so fast!

She was trying to count the heart beats, but laughed because the baby wouldn't stop wiggling. Finally.. Heart beat was 183 beats per minute. Very strong. A lot of people think it's a girl, but we will take whatever God gives us :)

I was in love! I didn't want to leave the room and I wanted to keep watching the screen... Russ said it looked just like a cartoon... it was wild.

Here are a few pictures of our ultrasound:

(1st ultrasound: 6 wks)

(2nd ultrasound: 9wks)

Amazing the difference :)

Now.. on to our doctor.. Dr Ho (Really, that is her name) She was so not friendly. Had the coldest hand shake. She sat down and barely reviewed my information... and then she said "Why are you here"? I looked at her strangely and said well.. because my OBGYN recommended that we come to AMFM (Atlanta Maternal Fetal Medicine) because of my auto immune disease. Then she said "Is it certain that's what you have? I mean who tested you"? I was in shock! I told her Yes.. it's certain, I was tested because of the miscarriages I had and the specialist needed to know. How in the world could she ask me those questions. She obviously didn't read my information. She went over all the medications I'm taking and told me that I can get off the medications week 12. The only thing I will keep taking will be the prenatals, folic acid, baby aspirin and my blood thinner injections. She questioned why I was on prednisone and I told her because of my auto immune disease.. then snapped back and said that's just for you.. not the baby, so there is no need to be on that. Lady.. it's working! Russ was so mad, but I tried to not let it ruin my day. Satan sure was working hard. I go back for my 20 wk check up, and believe me.. I will be seeing another doctor. No more Dr Ho, please.

God is amazing! We are overcoming this long journey. Praising God! :)

More to come...