So if you're still with me, you read my first post about my fertility struggles.
Oh, you haven't read it?
Go do it. Now. You obviously have nothing better to do with your time. I know you're in your Spongebob PJs, and most likely a Snuggie.
It's okay, so am I.
So let's get to the good part. You now know that I struggled with infertility at a young age. Seriously, most women in their early twenties are prime for baby-making. Not I. My body hates me and probably always will.
I'll get a hystorectomy soon.
(note: not my kid)
My husband and I wed in December of 2010. Like I said in my last post, our families freaked out because we eloped and got hitched downtown in our hoodies and jeans. It was great. They thought I was pregnant, but sadly, I wasn't. And quite frankly, I find that kinda tacky.
So around March of 2011, I decided enough was enough and I was ready to take charge of my body. I knew my husband couldn't knock me up, but maybe a sperm donor could. But I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and get into better shape. Now, I'm a tall woman, around 5'8'', and in high school I was a very curvy 140 pounds. Healthy. Now here I was, around 230 pounds and gaining, even when I was simply looking at food.
I joined a gym and poured myself into fitness blogs. I started off slow but got myself to run eventually. I ate 1200 calories a day, which killed me, and chose lean meats and vegetables. The weight came off, but very slowly. I was proud of myself once I got down to 220 pounds.
I started seeing a new gynecologist who prescribed me birth control pills. I hadn't been on them for a few years but I was ready to start getting my period again. I began taking them right away.
April, May, June and July were amazing months. I was losing weight and my period was on time. My husband and I were happy and I was ready to accept our future. I got down to 205 pounds and I was feeling great. Yes, I worked my ass off (literally) and yes, I had to try harder than healthy people, but I was so proud of myself.
Then August came.
I remember distinctly calling the pharmacy for my birth control refill. They told me to come on down and get it, but I got called in to work a second shift. I worked my shift, then went home and crashed. I completely forgot about the birth control until three days later. Yes, I have horrible memory.
I kept putting it off and putting it off. I finally called them, made up some excuse about car problems, and said I'd be down to get it the next day. The pharmacist said I needed to get my doctor to approve it. I was very annoyed and hung up. I called my doctor's office, who told me my doctor would need to physically see me to approve the medicine pick-up but her next appointment wasn't available until the following week. Me being the impatient little turd that I am, said I would get back to them. I hung up.
Two days later, I got my period. On time. Without the pills.
I was elated. Over-joyed. Ecstatic.
I had read that weight loss in PCOS can cause the period to come back on its own. I felt triumphant and decided maybe I didn't need my doctor OR my pills anymore.
September came, and along with it, some more weight loss and my period - on time. Man, I was feeling good. October came, and so did my lovely period. On time. Oh, three for three? This was getting better every time. My weight loss had plateaued but at least my periods were back. November came and I skipped my period. I started to panic. I took a pregnancy test, hoping and praying, but nonetheless, it was negative. I felt horrible.
December came. My weight snuck back up a tad. I felt down. I was too stubborn to call the doctor, of course.
Around mid-December, I noticed that I was frequenting the bathroom a lot at work. I mean, every 15-30 minutes - and I wasn't even drinking that much! In fact, when I went, I had to strain to get anything to come out. I convinced myself I had a UTI, something I used to struggle with in the past. I groaned and groaned, knowing full well I would have to see a doctor. I had been taking cranberry pills for a few days but it was only getting worse.
(Note: I tried to find a picture of a woman frustrated on the toilet, but I found this instead. And I liked it. It actually depicts what I would have rather been doing. So now you get to enjoy it too. You're welcome.)
I also noticed that my boobs were a full cup size larger, and pretty tender. This should have been my first sign, but I assumed it was a sign of my impending horrible period. Bring it on, I thought.
My moods were horrible. I was snappy at my husband and mean to my co-workers. I had no patience for anything and I felt like I wanted to cry, scream and eat ice cream. All at once. I knew my period was a day or so away.
But it never came.
This went on for nearly two weeks. I was just about ready to pull my hair out.
My husband and I traveled out of town - 9 hours - to see family for Christmas. I made sure to pack extra pads because I knew I would be needing them. While we were in town, I felt so uncomfortable in my clothes. I felt horribly rude because I could barely keep my eyes open, even in the middle of the day. I apologized to the family and told them I just hadn't been feeling well.
When we returned from our trip, the first thing I remember was stepping into our apartment and being overwhelmed by the smell of the bathroom. I wanted to vomit. When I went in there, it was sparkling clean like the day we left. I contacted my friend, who watched over our cat during the visit and asked if anything had been wrong. She told me that our cat vomited in the bathroom and she used some bathroom cleaner from under the sink to clean it up. I thanked her.
The smell of the cleaner was horrific and I had to hold my nose every time I went to the bathroom - which was still frequent and kind of painful.
The next day, our landlord (a private landlord who lived next door) came over and cooked us steaks for our 1-year wedding anniversary. He asked how we wanted them cooked. We both like our steaks rare. I remember stepping outside to smell the steaks on the grill and gagging. The smell was overwhelming, but I didn't want to seem rude, so I kept it to myself.
My husband and I sat down to eat our steaks. They looked amazing but I could only eat two bites before wanting to hurl. Don't worry, it didn't go to waste... my husband made sure of that.
The next day, New Years Eve, I enjoyed a beer and a movie with my husband. I finished my beer and went for another one when it hit me. I ran to the bathroom and threw up every ounce. Then I went to bed.
On January 4th, a co-worker flat-out told me I looked like shit.
Thanks.
I told her I had the flu.
"No honey, you're pregnant."
I stared at her. "You know I can't get pregnant," I said. "It's just the flu."
"Girl, you've been moping around here for weeks. When was your last period?"
"October."
"Uh, hello? You skipped two periods!"
"Uh, hello! I do that a lot! You know this!"
"I've been around enough pregnant women to know one when I see one. Despite your pale face and lips, you have a glow."
"That must be some of the breakfast I threw up this morning. Is it on my cheek somewhere?"
"Humor me. Take a test tomorrow morning."
"Alright, if you say so."
The next morning, I woke up and collected my pee in a cup. I dug around in the medicine cabinet and found a Clearblue pregnancy test. It was kinda old-ish but it wasn't expired. I dipped it in the pee for however many seconds, set it on the counter and got up to brush my teeth. Once I was done brushing my teeth, I turned around, ready to face my blank negative and get on with my life.
Only it wasn't negative. In fact, it was very, very positive. There was a bold blue vertical line.
I panicked. My heart was in my throat. I couldn't breathe.
I reached out to touch the test but realized maybe I shouldn't in case it was a dream or a mirage and I really couldn't grab it.
I ran into the bedroom, woke up my husband and probably garbled out a bunch of non-English gibberish. He saw the panic in my eyes and assumed something horrible had happened, like a cat stuck in a tree or the apocalypse.
"What's wrong, hun? What's going on?!"
"GWYgrmsdfj ... ghywhsgf.... bathroom."
"Bath... room?"
"*#%&@ YES. BATHROOM."
"What, did you clog up the toilet again?"
"JUST GO."
"I swear to god, Kara, I'm not doing this again."
He tromped into the bathroom. I waited for his response.
He came back out, obviously oblivious.
"What's wrong in the bathroom?"
"Counter."
"Counter?"
"YES. LOOK. ON. THE. COUNTER."
He turned around, mumbling something about a spider.
Silence.
Then a scream.
"Oh ........................ shit."
He came out, test in hand, looking as pale as a ghost.
"Is this for real?"
I nodded.
"Like, real real?"
I nodded.
"How .... I mean ...... we .... how many periods have you missed?"
"One .... two?"
"Oh god. You need to see a doctor. Who knows how far along you could be."
"Two months?"
"We have to call my mom."
Oh no. His mom. I was dreading that talk. I knew what she was going to say.
And she did.
"What do you mean, Kara's pregnant? That's not your baby then, honey."
Wow. Slap in the face.
"Mom, she wouldn't cheat on me. You know you weren't sure I could father kids. I was never tested."
"Well, the test could be wrong. False positives happen. I thought Kara couldn't have kids either."
I was tired, stressed, and anxious. I started Googling false positives. All I could decypher was a.) The fact I used a blue-dye test meant I was obviously new to this whole testing for pregnancy thing and I needed a pat on the head and a "there there" for trying and b.) False positives just don't happen. Like ever.
I knew I needed more tests. But first, I had to go to work.
I was a nervous wreck.
The first phone call of the day sent me over the edge.
"Thank you for calling (my restaurant, a family sit-down chain). This is Kara. How can I help you?"
"Hi, yes, I need to order a classic cheeseburger, cooked well, with french fries."
"Okay, will that be all for you?"
"Hmm. Actually, can you throw in some of those awesome garlic cheddar biscuits? I'm pregnant and I am craving them. They're so good."
"Oh ... I ... um.... yes. Sure. We can do that. Your order will be ready in about twenty minutes. Come inside to the bar."
"Thanks!"
(hang up)
Oh god, I can't handle this right now. Oh no. I'm hyperventilating. Oh god.
Twenty minutes later, the lady showed up looking visibly pregnant.
"Hi, I'm here for the cheeseburger and biscuits!"
"Oh yes. Okay. That will be $9.81 (or whatever)."
"Thanks. I can't wait to eat this thing. I am starving." (she signs her credit card slip)
"So ... how many months are you?"
"Hmm? Oh, I'm about 8 months. He's getting so big and I'm so ready to get him out!"
"....................."
"Um. Are you okay?"
"(breaks down crying)"
"Uh .... honey? Should I get someone?"
"No... sniffle... I'm just ... I just found out this morning I might be pregnant."
"Wow, congrats! That's so ....exciting?"
"My husband and I thought we couldn't have babies. Now I'm so confused."
"A baby is a blessing sweetie! It's going to be okay!"
(poor lady)
"Sniffle... thanks .... have a good day."
That afternoon, I bolted to the pharmacy. I made sure to hold my pee all day.
I rushed back to work, grabbed a disposable cup and had a great pee. I dipped the first test in the cup. The damn thing turned positive before it finished going across the screen. I nearly threw it across the floor. I dipped the second one. Same thing. Both were glaring positives. Now I knew I was pregnant. I sobbed.
My co-worker came in to check on me.
"Kara, honey? What's wrong?"
I slid one of the positive tests under the door. It only made sense at the time.... rather than, say, opening the door. I don't know.
She gasped.
"OH MY GOD. YOU'RE PREGNANT. I KNEW IT."
"Yeah....sniff."
Word at work spread fast. Lightning fast. I suppose the biggest shocker was that I got pregnant in wedlock, something that doesn't happen often around here. Yes, I live in the South.
I made an appointment with my gyno that afternoon, but she couldn't see me for a week.
That week was torturous. I did manage to keep myself off Google. Everything hurt. My uterus ached. I had horrible period-like cramps.... but no bleeding. My boobs were now big enough to be floatation devices. I had gone from DD to an unholy mess of too much boobage. Not that my husband was complaining.
On a side note, thank goodness he believed me when I told him I had been true to him and yes, this was his baby. My mother-in-law would take more convincing.
The big day came. I was so nervous. I hadn't taken a pregnancy test since that day, unlike the crazy POAS-aholic I would become in the future. It all felt so surreal.
My mother accompanied us, rooting us on.
We stepped into the exam room. I got undressed from the waist down and had a seat. The doctor came in and asked me a few questions. Since it had been a while since I had seen her, I let her know when I stopped the birth control pills and that my last period had been in November. She knew I had PCOS with irregular periods, so it was difficult to determine just how far along I was. She informed me that she would be using an internal sonogram, basically a cold dildo with a sono-pulsating end.
Just the kind of foreplay I needed.
(not).
I laid back, got comfy, and took a deep breath. The nurse cut off the lights. The doctor squirted a pound of lube upon the device and slowly inserted it. It didn't hurt, but damn it was awkward.
My uterus was in full view on the machine. I couldn't see anything, but honestly, who can on those things?
The doc did a little searching. I started to get nervous. What if I wasn't pregnant? What if I had imagined it all? What if my husband had just been playing along to fulfill some kind of crazy need in my psychotic mind? What if I would end up a crazy old cat lady? Why was this happening?
"Hmm. Your uterus is measuring a bit small," the doctor said.
My heart sank.
"Small?" I said.
"Yes, it could mean you're not preg - oh wait! There it is."
I looked up quickly, tears in my eyes.
There was my baby.
My tiny little, seahorse-looking baby. With a tail. And an ... eye ... I think ... and an umbilical cord. My baby. Mine and my husband's baby. Moving around, growing. A living, growing baby.
An incredible miracle baby.
I was in awe.
My husband burst out with emotion, crying huge tears and smiling from ear-to-ear. My mother grabbed my hand and jumped up and down.
"Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Thompson. You're pregnant."
"How ... how far along is she?" my husband asked.
"Well, according to the machine here and the measurements, your wife is about 7 weeks, 4 days pregnant. The conception day was likely around December 2nd."
We were grinning.
"Your due date is August 27th, 2012."
I stopped grinning. My husband laughed.
"That's what you get for hating the summer so much, honey."
A whole summer of being pregnant. I didn't care. I was so ready to be a mom. I couldn't stop smiling. When we left, my husband helped me off the curb and into the car. Yes, he was going a little overboard, but I didn't mind. I'd never seen him happier. And damn, I was too.
Oh god. I'm going to be a mother.
To be continued....
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