On September 15, 2014, I realized my period was late and I took a pregnancy test before going to work... and then three more throughout the day... each one turning up positive!
After a year of trying to conceive and undergoing infertility testing, I was shocked! Not wanting to get my hopes up if it was a false alarm, I called my mom and my sister who talked me through different signs of pregnancy I had been having. When I told Tori one of my symptoms was cramping, she said "Oh boy, don't google that." Of course I did and discovered it was one sign of a miscarriage. The cramping also made my mom very nervous.
I also called my OB's office and asked if I could come in and have them give me a test. They laughed at me saying the at-home tests were just as good as theirs but I told them I didn't think my husband would believe me unless they confirmed. So I made an appointment for a couple days later.
I wanted to call Matt all day but I really wanted to tell him in person so I waited. I went to work and then headed to the dentist for a scheduled cleaning. Because the dentist wanted to take x-rays of some of my teeth, I had to share my news with the dentist - and we laughed over the fact that the dentist knew before Matt did.
I was feeling good and so happy, I then went on a 7-mile run before I headed home to finally share the news with Matt. He was as surprised as I was and we spent the night trying to figure out how we got so lucky at not having to go to an infertility specialist, as we had been planning.
So here is where I want to share our journey that previous year. After trying to conceive for eight months and being off birth control for two years, and doing every kind of at-home ovulation charting and testing, I made a spreadsheet for my OB to convince her to start us early on infertility testing instead of making us wait the usual full year. After laughing at me, but then reviewing my extensive chart, she agreed that we didn't need to wait any longer.
And so began the whirlwind of infertility testing for the next two months - with the grand finale of a horrible test called the HSG. If you aren't familiar with this test, they shoot contrast fluid in your fallopian tubes to see if there is a blockage. A normal, routine test as they say... but I clearly don't handle pain well and I passed out before the test even began - only to awake to panicked nurses and find myself dry-heaving from the antibiotics I had to take in preparation. The nurses said I really gave them a good scare and they made me wear an oxygen mask and a blood pressure cuff through the rest of the procedure. Then they called Matt and made him come pick me up - handing him a note that they recommended I take any time I get any future procedures done to inform the doctors and nurses I am prone to fainting episodes. Ummm talk about traumatizing! I couldn't get over the fact that if this was so dramatic, how was I going to be able to have a child!
My co-worker made me watch this afterwards because that's what she felt like after fainting during this procedure. And I found it to be quite fitting.
When I showed that note to my OB, she laughed yet again and said I must have really given them a scare. She was shocked I passed out and said I was the first patient she had ever heard to do so! But I know I'm not that crazy, because my coworker had done so during the same test as well.
Nonetheless, no blockage was found and there were no real reason found for us not getting pregnant. They only thing they did see is that my body was working a little too hard to push out eggs so it might be harder to get pregnant and possible I could miscarry more easily. But it wasn't a reason for not getting pregnant.
So the OB recommended we see an infertility specialist and take Clomed with an IUI infertility procedure. Since I was so traumatized from the HSG test, Matt and I decided to take a break from actively trying to conceive and wait a few months to see an infertility specialist until after my big Heart Walk event. I even filled the Clomed prescription but never took it.
So imagine our surprise, when the very next month, we discovered that we were indeed pregnant! Once again my OB came in laughing at me as shocked as we were. "Weren't you just in my office last month for infertility?!" she said. "It must have been the HSG test. Even though you didn't have a blockage, sometimes the test opens things up for women."
We have no idea whether it was the pressure of not trying so hard to get pregnant or that HSG test but for some reason, we got pregnant. The best part was, just a couple days before realizing this, I came home from work and found a couple baby car seats and a baby carrier in our garage. First I called my mom to see if she had brought it when she came down that week. But when she said no, I called Matt and asked him if he knew anything about them. "Yeah, I picked them up from the Tams (a family in our church)," Matt said. "They were moving and sent out an email to the ward asking if anyone wants them. So I went and picked them up the other day."
Imagine my surprise to find out Matt had even thought to do so. So random after a year of trying to having a baby. I wanted him to give them to someone else who might actually use them before we probably ever would. And then lo and behold, a couple days later, we discover that we are pregnant. My husband either has impeccable timing or wonderful father's intuition.
So here we are preparing for our mini-Keri to come and feeling blessed... and nervous :)
