Nothing Helps

So I have read that if you eat throughout the day and prevent yourself from getting hungry or too full that is suppose to help with nausea. Well, not for me. It is hard enough to find something I can eat that sounds decent, but usually manage to at least down some crackers. It's not helping.

They say protein is suppose to help. Have tried peanut butter and crackers in the mornings which I thought helped for a couple days, but now am convinced I was wrong. Also have tried french toast (eggs are protein) and egg salads. Not feeling any better.

Sleep is suppose to help, but is not really an option. Can't sleep more than 5 hours a night no matter how tired I get. Dizziness wristbands don't help. So, I am at a loss...there must be something out there, other than meds, that can help...

Lack of Sleep

Is it too early for ensomnia to be setting in? The past week or so I have been exhausted but sleep is not an option. I will lay there with my eyes shut for hours, literally, but won't be able to fall asleep.

Apparently my mind is just to full of thoughts, worries, concerns, excitement, or something which is preventing me from sleeping. If I lay on my side it bothers my tummy and makes me feel really nausous. If I lay on my back it is really uncomfortable. Also, if I finally start to fall asleep, I usually will wake up and have to use the bathroom or will wake up on the edge of puking. The first couple weeks I had food by my bed to snack on when I woke up sick. Still have the food by the bed, but food sounds so gross lately that the thought of eating saltines or ritz makes me more sick than not eating at all. All-in-all though, I am still SO happy, excited and feel so blessed to be pregnant!

Learning New Things

Our Doctor gave us a book, "Your Pregnancy & Birth" which is a great easy read. It is really more of a detailed outline where it will have a topic and discuss the matter in a page or less. So if I want to learn about morning sickness, dizziness, cramping or whatever, I can look it up and read a small clip rather than an entire chapter. It's great.

To better prepare myself I decided to not wait to read the details until the situation arises and to gear myself up ahead of time. Today I learned about shortness of breath occuring for a lot of women during the first trimester due to the increase in progesterone. Because I have been on progesterone shots for the past two months, I was really grateful to know that is most likely the cause of my breathing problems. I was assuming it was anxiety related, though I don't think I am too anxious.

Have been trying to walk daily. My goal is at least a mile, but occasionally will only make it around the block and have to come home because of nausea being so bad. Also, really nauseous all the time and nothing sounds good to eat. Was really wanting powder donuts but by the time my mother-in-law got them for me they just didn't sound or taste good. My diet right now is mainly crackers (ritz) with cheese or peanut butter and water. Also have been snacking on Halloween candy. Ready sugar can help with the nausea. Though I don't think it's true, the candy (snickers and milky ways) actually sound decent, so I will keep eating them for now.

This week (Week seven) the babies' hands and feet are forming. Can't wait to kiss them.

On Cloud 9

Thank you Jesus, 100 times over and over again. We are so grateful for the positive results of the ultra sound. Not only was there one heartbeat we saw, but TWO. And we got to actually hear one of the hearts.

When she pointed out the first heartbeat I started to cry a little. When she pointed out the second one I went into shock and started to cry a bit more. I couldn't believe it. We were so worried that since one of the sacks was "suspicious" last week that only one of the babies was going to make it. And then I started hearing a light heartbeat...really faint. I thought, "That's one of my babies" but then started thinking there is just no way it honestly could be, but the nurse asked if I could hear it, verifying it indeed was not my own heart, and the tears just fell even more. I actually was so excited I was crying and laughing at the same time, which pushed the thing off my stomach and the nurse struggled to get as good of a picture a second time, but was able to none the less. And she was so friendly this time too.

We also met with Dr Stamps. He melts my heart. He has to be one of the most caring and genuine doctors there is out there. He is having us come back in two weeks to see him again and make sure all is well and we will get to see the babies hearts again. I am so excited to meet them.

My due date is June 16, 2009 but the doctor said we will plan on a late May birth around week 38, assuming I can carry them that long. These babies will be so loved and cared for they will probably feel smothered.

Ultra Sound Results

Well, I think we are more confused following the ultra sound than we were before going into it. They found two sacks. One was normal looking and the other was "suspicious". We weren't sure what it meant to have a suspicious sack and kept digging for clarity but she didn't elaborate. We asked if it meant that the suspicious sack would not form into a baby or that we would lose the baby but she wasn't sure.

The positive thing is that she set us up for an ultra sound next Thursday. Apparently you can see the heart beat between week 5 1/2 and 6 weeks. We were right at 5 1/2 weeks when she did the first ultra sound, so we are hoping they just did it too soon. Next week we should be able to see the heart beat and determine if there is one heart or two. If two, then the suspicious sack has survived (at least this far) but if just one sack then the second one just did not develop. We are in prayer that God's will be done and that we are able to just enjoy every moment of this experience rather than stress about the details.

Tomorrow's the Day

So tomorrow we get to meet with the OB nurse. We will go over all the paperwork and financial stuff and will have the opportunity to ask all our questions. Started to make a list of questions though it does seem complete. I know that there are several I am forgetting and will hopefully think of them before the appointment or will just have to call and ask the nurse later. Then we will do the ultra sound.

A bit annoyed that we are having appointment with nurse before the ultra sound. If we end up having twins we will have a lot more questions following the ultra sound. Would make more sense to me to do the ultra sound first, but that's okay.

The ultra sound we are so excited for. I can't wait to see if there is one or two babies in there. I assume there is only one, but either way seeing the sack will be the most amazing thing.

Biggest struggle right now is the nausea. It is getting worse each day it seems. I wake up in the middle of the night sick and try to nibble on something to help from puking. So far I have been luck not to puke. I need to start drinking more, but with nausea, like the food, beverages are just hard to get down right now. Hopefully I will be able to drink the bottle of water before the ultra sound tomorrow without puking.

Sick as a Dog

Went to the doctor Monday and Wednesday for HCG levels to be drawn. They are suppose to double every 48 hours and they have more than done that. They were at 290 on Monday and Wednesday they were up to 800. We are so grateful for the positive results and the huge increase in levels.

My nausea is getting worse each day. I wake up in the middle of the night on the verge of puking and in the morning hardly able to move out of fear I will puke. A book I have been reading on pregnancy suggested having cookies by the bed for when you wake up to snack on 15 minutes before you get up. So, I have been snacking on those in the middle of the night when I get really sick and they help a bit. The nausea seems to prevent me from sleeping though and I find myself tossing and turning a lot throughout the night. Feel bad for Kyle as I know it is really hard for him to sleep with me moving around.

Next Thursday they are going to do an ultra sound to see if there is one or two sacks. I predict there will just be one, but will be fun to see one way or the other. They originally were going to do it in a few weeks so we would be able to see a heart beat too, but they have moved it up. Dr Stamps said he predicts there is just one baby based on my numbers but I can't help but wonder if he thinks possibly there are two since he bumped it up so soon.

We will also get to meet with a nurse Thursday and ask any questions we have and get things all set up with paperwork and finances. We are just still on cloud 9 and feel so blessed that this procedure has worked this far. We continue praying that the baby(ies) continues to grow healthy and well, and that I can keep down food and beverages. I know I am a bit dehydrated as it is hard to drink withough gagging.

Almost three weeks into the pregnancy (5 according to doctor) and we are still smiling through it all.

Two weeks, four weeks

Because I was spotting, my OB called to check on me Friday and thought it best if I go in to have blood checked. He called yesterday (Sunday) with results and said all is going well. The blood level (HCG) is around the number it should be at (was at 96).

Spotting stopped on Saturday morning, so I only had three days of light spotting that was brown all three days. Doctor said it is either Implant spotting or my body ridding of one of the embryos.

I have been feeling really nauseous yesterday and today, and although it is an awful feeling, I can't help but smile knowing that it is just one more sign that there is a baby (or two) inside of me and I am going to be a mother.

Although conception date was two weeks ago (August 21), the doctor considers me four weeks along. If you base birth from conception date you are only pregnant 38 weeks, so they add on two weeks to conception date, as they would normally base birth expectant date on last cycle.

All in all, we are doing well. I did inject my hand with a needle when playing with it Friday night and my middle finger is causing me quite a bit of pain and tingling to close my fist or move the finger. I will most likely go to doctor in next day or two to make sure I didn't kill a major nerve or anything.

Praying For: Baby (or Babies) to grow properly inside of me, that I can hold down enough food and beverages for them to be healthy, and for folic acid levels to be high enough and where they need to be. Also for HCG levels (taken today and Wednesday) to continue growing like they are suppose to and for this to be a healthy baby.

Positive

I can't believe it. Woke up this morning depressed when I saw that I was spotting. Realizing we have nothing to lose, Kyle encouraged me to go get a test. I figured that I would buy a test, take it in the morning, it would come back negative and in would sink the deep depression.

Got home from store and had to use the bathroom so figured I would take a test and then when it came back negative I would take another one Saturday or Sunday. IT CAME BACK POSITIVE THOUGH...I AM PREGNANT.

My entire body is shaking and I can't stop crying. I am in shock and so happy. I realize we have an intense three months of waiting to make sure we hear heart beat and all is well, but I can't help but be excited and greatful. I can't believe it. We are going to have our miracle baby. Thank you, Lord...Thank you...

I was hoping to tell Kyle in a fun way, but I couldn't help it. I was so happy and shaking so bad I had to tell someone. So I called but he was in a meeting. No, this could not wait, so I sent him a text. How silly is that? Poor guy in a meeting and I tell him through a text that after more than two years of trying, it came back positive.

Well, since he couldn't talk, i called my mother-in-law. Someone needed to hear the good news. So I called her crying and told her the news. She sounded so excited for us but reminded me to lay low still. Hahaha...I plan to keep my mouth shut now-not telling our friends until I hear our baby's heart beat.

Sent my parent and grandparents cards in the mail (wrote them earlier this week) from the baby(ies)saying how excited he/she is to meet them and to learn special things from them, etc...so now I just have to keep my mouth shut for a week or so until they get them. Was going to send my parents baby name books so they could help us look up names, but that would mean I couldn't tell them until next week when I am okay to go out and buy them and all...So...the card will have to do. I can always send them a book later. :)