Yesterday was a sick day for me. Thankfully I didn't have to work.
I went from being slightly sick for 2 days in a row, a day of being fine to having to call my doctor...
It was awful. I couldn't hold anything down, not even water. I was in tears and scared and slightly stressed. It's not always the easiest having such problems an hour away from your doctor.
But the nurse, the same one who adores Phillip Phillips, helped me out.
She called in an anti-nausea prescription. First she wanted to send it to Big Sandy Pharmacy so I could get it right away, but they closed at 5pm and it was 4:45pm. Then she wanted to send it to Fort Benton but I didn't want to go there... (she called both pharmacies for me to find out closing times, she was awesome)...
Thankfully Joel was in Havre so she sent it there and he was able to pick it up!
She also gave me a list:
Salt and vinegar chips
Old fashion popcicles
Powerade mixed with sprint
Real ginger ale
I was sure we wouldn't be able to find the real ginger ale because we had looked at Walmart in Havre a couple of days before and they didn't have it.
But IGA did! And Joel was willing to go on the hunt.
He had council so he didn't arrive with the meds until 9pm, but I just laid on the couch, entertained by Idol, of course, and sipped, every half an hour, some pretty awful tasting homemade ginger tea!
It got me through til he arrived.
Then the meds kicked in and I ate 1 popcicle and 2 potato chips. I held it all down through the night.
I can now, 24 hours later, eat mashed potatoes and can slowly add new starches to my diet til I am full force again.
What a wild ride!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The end of months of shots...
Last Thursday, almost a week ago, at 9pm we did the last progesterone shot.
What a relief.
But how weird!
We've been doing shots since early March.
It feels like we're forgetting something, still, every night.
We still hear ourselves saying, "we gotta do the shot...oh wait...".
The alarm on my cell phone still goes off every night at 9pm. Why? I'm not sure...I haven't stopped it. I think it's because it's part of the IVF memories, it's part of the IVF miracles.
The day of the last shot was the 10 week mark in this pregnancy. The doctor explained that we do progesterone until then because the ovaries are what's producing the hormone for the first 10 weeks and my body needed that amount supplemented. At 10 weeks, the placenta, or some part, starts producing it's own progesterone so we no longer need to supplement.
That explanation made me breathe a sigh of relief.
I was worried about stopping the shots. But after hearing that I knew it was just fine.
Tomorrow I'm 11 weeks! Countdown to 2nd trimester is in full force!
Sunday the getting sick started...blah...it's only happened twice and even though I was bummed my 10 week not being sick streak ended...
I daily remind myself how much I've longed for this, throw-up and all! It's so worth it. Our miracles are growing!
What a relief.
But how weird!
We've been doing shots since early March.
It feels like we're forgetting something, still, every night.
We still hear ourselves saying, "we gotta do the shot...oh wait...".
The alarm on my cell phone still goes off every night at 9pm. Why? I'm not sure...I haven't stopped it. I think it's because it's part of the IVF memories, it's part of the IVF miracles.
The day of the last shot was the 10 week mark in this pregnancy. The doctor explained that we do progesterone until then because the ovaries are what's producing the hormone for the first 10 weeks and my body needed that amount supplemented. At 10 weeks, the placenta, or some part, starts producing it's own progesterone so we no longer need to supplement.
That explanation made me breathe a sigh of relief.
I was worried about stopping the shots. But after hearing that I knew it was just fine.
Tomorrow I'm 11 weeks! Countdown to 2nd trimester is in full force!
Sunday the getting sick started...blah...it's only happened twice and even though I was bummed my 10 week not being sick streak ended...
I daily remind myself how much I've longed for this, throw-up and all! It's so worth it. Our miracles are growing!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
David Cook & Phillip Phillips
I love American Idol.
Today I had to call my new nurse. I've actually never met her before, but she is one of two of Dr. Key's nurses.
We connected over Idol!
It's as if I needed something to reassure me about this new place and she gave it to me!
Her name is Ronnie. Last week, she told me, I met Gretchen. Ronnie has seen my picture and my ultra sound.
She said congratulations!
Then she helped me.
Let me explain. I've been having pain the past couple of days in my lower uterus. Just off and on, but it worried me. I had no idea if it was my ovaries still recovering or something else.
I was scared. Scared enough to call the new place. And that's pretty scared. It takes a lot of courage for me to pick up the phone and use it. I usually have to really talk myself into it first. Today I almost put it off til tomorrow.
I left a message and Ronnie called right back. She explained that my uterus it growing and stretching a lot right now, and heading right for my stomach so that's why I am having pain.
She put me on pelvic rest. "Be a couch potato and watch American Idol," she said!
"I love Phil Phillips so I'll be watching", I said! She went ecstatic on me! I told her I voted last night. So did she, for the first time this season! Then she told me about her love for David Cook, which I share.
We bonded. She said she couldn't wait to meet me and that we are going to get along great!
Get your phones ready people, if Phil Phillps makes it to the finale, we gotta vote!
Today I had to call my new nurse. I've actually never met her before, but she is one of two of Dr. Key's nurses.
We connected over Idol!
It's as if I needed something to reassure me about this new place and she gave it to me!
Her name is Ronnie. Last week, she told me, I met Gretchen. Ronnie has seen my picture and my ultra sound.
She said congratulations!
Then she helped me.
Let me explain. I've been having pain the past couple of days in my lower uterus. Just off and on, but it worried me. I had no idea if it was my ovaries still recovering or something else.
I was scared. Scared enough to call the new place. And that's pretty scared. It takes a lot of courage for me to pick up the phone and use it. I usually have to really talk myself into it first. Today I almost put it off til tomorrow.
I left a message and Ronnie called right back. She explained that my uterus it growing and stretching a lot right now, and heading right for my stomach so that's why I am having pain.
She put me on pelvic rest. "Be a couch potato and watch American Idol," she said!
"I love Phil Phillips so I'll be watching", I said! She went ecstatic on me! I told her I voted last night. So did she, for the first time this season! Then she told me about her love for David Cook, which I share.
We bonded. She said she couldn't wait to meet me and that we are going to get along great!
Get your phones ready people, if Phil Phillps makes it to the finale, we gotta vote!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
T.V.
T.V. has changed at our house since this pregnancy began.
Tears fall a lot more often.
Just last week we were watching the season finale to Parks and Recreation. At the end...this is a spoiler alert...when Ann went in to tell Ben and Leslie that Leslie had won the city council race, and both her and Leslie were crying...I was crying to.
Then when Leslie said to Ben that she wanted to someday read the concession speech he had written just in case it was needed, his response was "I didn't write it"...I cried then to, Joel even had a tear in his eye.
Last night at the end of part one of the How I Met Your Mother season finale Joel and I were both crying. A baby was born. A baby named Marvin Wait For It Erickson!
We cry at reality shows, sitcoms, dramas! We laugh too! So intense.
We joke about Joel having pregnancy symptoms also...T.V. tears, cravings! It's pretty fun.
Tears fall a lot more often.
Just last week we were watching the season finale to Parks and Recreation. At the end...this is a spoiler alert...when Ann went in to tell Ben and Leslie that Leslie had won the city council race, and both her and Leslie were crying...I was crying to.
Then when Leslie said to Ben that she wanted to someday read the concession speech he had written just in case it was needed, his response was "I didn't write it"...I cried then to, Joel even had a tear in his eye.
Last night at the end of part one of the How I Met Your Mother season finale Joel and I were both crying. A baby was born. A baby named Marvin Wait For It Erickson!
We cry at reality shows, sitcoms, dramas! We laugh too! So intense.
We joke about Joel having pregnancy symptoms also...T.V. tears, cravings! It's pretty fun.
Meeting the new place
We arrived 30 minutes early, circled back around to use the restrooms at Starbucks, and entered the new Dr.'s office at 2:15pm.
My first impression was...eh.
There were people everywhere and it was a rather large waiting room.
I was overwhelmed.
But then the receptionist called me Hun...
Deep breath...I started to relax.
We checked in and found a seat. Then we moved seats. We were sort of hidden in the first seats and I didn't like that.
There were doors everywhere that people were getting called by nurses from. I wondered what door would be ours.
People young and old filled the seats. The place was a buzz.
It was not Bozeman OB/GYN.
I couldn't even concentrate on a magazine (well, like I ever can at these appts)... there was lots of people watching and wondering going on. I wondered what their stories were...I wondered what our appointment would bring.
Then from the door behind us my name was called, by a lady I cannot remember the name of, followed by a "how are you hun?" More relaxing. We were ushered into this giant posh room!
I was told to lay down on the table. Joel and I looked at each other with confusion on our faces. I thought I would need to partially undress...I thought the lady had lost her mind!
She told me to lay down again. I was hesitant. And did I mention confused?! Then she clarified, I was having a stomach ultra sound...I'd never had one of those before.
Sorry that might be TMI!
She was shocked to see twins! I asked her before she even said anything if she knew there were 2 and she said, "well, I do now"!
Both babies looked great! First up...look for both heart beats...passed! Second measure sizes...baby A was 9 weeks, baby B 8 weeks 6 days...a size difference that was quite normal and nothing to be worried about. Then we heard both heart beats again.
She took lots of pictures. Then went to get our new doctor.
The day before we had seen a picture of him online and our reaction was...uhhh, uhhh...
Well, don't judge a book by it's cover!
He was so kind to us. He explained every detail about the ultra sound. Asked us questions about our journey then gave us a lot of time to ask all of our questions. And I had a lot of them.
It might not have been Dr. Shomento and Julia...but it was a very nice team of people who we know are going to take great care of us and our babies.
Next ultra sound...June 4th!
Dr. Key said we'd celebrate the end of the first trimester then! Yahoo!
My first impression was...eh.
There were people everywhere and it was a rather large waiting room.
I was overwhelmed.
But then the receptionist called me Hun...
Deep breath...I started to relax.
We checked in and found a seat. Then we moved seats. We were sort of hidden in the first seats and I didn't like that.
There were doors everywhere that people were getting called by nurses from. I wondered what door would be ours.
People young and old filled the seats. The place was a buzz.
It was not Bozeman OB/GYN.
I couldn't even concentrate on a magazine (well, like I ever can at these appts)... there was lots of people watching and wondering going on. I wondered what their stories were...I wondered what our appointment would bring.
Then from the door behind us my name was called, by a lady I cannot remember the name of, followed by a "how are you hun?" More relaxing. We were ushered into this giant posh room!
I was told to lay down on the table. Joel and I looked at each other with confusion on our faces. I thought I would need to partially undress...I thought the lady had lost her mind!
She told me to lay down again. I was hesitant. And did I mention confused?! Then she clarified, I was having a stomach ultra sound...I'd never had one of those before.
Sorry that might be TMI!
She was shocked to see twins! I asked her before she even said anything if she knew there were 2 and she said, "well, I do now"!
Both babies looked great! First up...look for both heart beats...passed! Second measure sizes...baby A was 9 weeks, baby B 8 weeks 6 days...a size difference that was quite normal and nothing to be worried about. Then we heard both heart beats again.
She took lots of pictures. Then went to get our new doctor.
The day before we had seen a picture of him online and our reaction was...uhhh, uhhh...
Well, don't judge a book by it's cover!
He was so kind to us. He explained every detail about the ultra sound. Asked us questions about our journey then gave us a lot of time to ask all of our questions. And I had a lot of them.
It might not have been Dr. Shomento and Julia...but it was a very nice team of people who we know are going to take great care of us and our babies.
Next ultra sound...June 4th!
Dr. Key said we'd celebrate the end of the first trimester then! Yahoo!
Monday, May 14, 2012
Church flowers
Yesterday at church there were flowers for Mother's Day.
Joel was told to announce that the Mother's could all pick up a flower on their way out, or 2.
The person who told him this looked at me and wished me a Happy Mother's Day to be.
Then the person said that they thought being pregnant warranted me celebrating Mother's Day so it would be alright if I went ahead and got a flower at the end.
I said a simple ok.
But then I was distracted during parts of the service. My eyes were tear filled. My heart was sad.
What about the women who want to be moms but haven't been able to yet? Can't they have a flower? What about the moms who have lost a child, can't they have a flower? What about ladies who long for marriage and motherhood, but it hasn't happened yet, can't they have a flower?
I found myself sort of getting mad. I know the person meant no harm with their words. I know they meant only joy.
But I formed this strong opinion in the midst of it all...as women, we all nurture and care...it's in our genes. And I think regardless of whether or not we have children, are carrying children with our eyes on due dates, or dream of one day having children...we all deserve flowers!
Pastor Joel said Happy Mother's Day to all moms, grandmas, aunts, friends, all those who care for any and all children...
I liked that.
Joel was told to announce that the Mother's could all pick up a flower on their way out, or 2.
The person who told him this looked at me and wished me a Happy Mother's Day to be.
Then the person said that they thought being pregnant warranted me celebrating Mother's Day so it would be alright if I went ahead and got a flower at the end.
I said a simple ok.
But then I was distracted during parts of the service. My eyes were tear filled. My heart was sad.
What about the women who want to be moms but haven't been able to yet? Can't they have a flower? What about the moms who have lost a child, can't they have a flower? What about ladies who long for marriage and motherhood, but it hasn't happened yet, can't they have a flower?
I found myself sort of getting mad. I know the person meant no harm with their words. I know they meant only joy.
But I formed this strong opinion in the midst of it all...as women, we all nurture and care...it's in our genes. And I think regardless of whether or not we have children, are carrying children with our eyes on due dates, or dream of one day having children...we all deserve flowers!
Pastor Joel said Happy Mother's Day to all moms, grandmas, aunts, friends, all those who care for any and all children...
I liked that.
Mother's Day
Or as some people referred to it...Happy Mother's Day to-be.
I had a great day yesterday.
It was very surreal. No other word comes to mind. It was like I was living my life, yet I wondered if I really was.
It started with an early morning alarm. That was the not so good part...and toast because that early, well, I just had to put something in me and NOTHING sounded good:(
Oh and trying to find something to wear that fits and was appropriate for a day starting out at 40 degrees and by the time the last church service ended being at a whopping 80 degrees! That wasn't fun either, but Joel served as fashion adviser and we managed something!
I am going to skip over the church part and blog about that next...
So, after church Joel grilled steaks, did the dishes, made parmesan pasta, grilled asparagus, baked potato and strawberries (those were my contribution to the meal)!
As he was working on the grill portion I was sitting on the deck in the sunshine reading a book! It was delightful. But then it was made even more delightful when Joel showed up with a glass of lemonade with frozen blueberries and raspberries in it. Amazing!
The meal was delicious!
Next came presents...he gave me the new Pioneer Women cookbook...I love her show! And a novel. And today a waffle maker arrived in the mail to complete the surprise.
To top it all off he cleaned out both cars yesterday afternoon!
I feel blessed as I bask in the surrealness and joy of growing 2 babies!
I had a great day yesterday.
It was very surreal. No other word comes to mind. It was like I was living my life, yet I wondered if I really was.
It started with an early morning alarm. That was the not so good part...and toast because that early, well, I just had to put something in me and NOTHING sounded good:(
Oh and trying to find something to wear that fits and was appropriate for a day starting out at 40 degrees and by the time the last church service ended being at a whopping 80 degrees! That wasn't fun either, but Joel served as fashion adviser and we managed something!
I am going to skip over the church part and blog about that next...
So, after church Joel grilled steaks, did the dishes, made parmesan pasta, grilled asparagus, baked potato and strawberries (those were my contribution to the meal)!
As he was working on the grill portion I was sitting on the deck in the sunshine reading a book! It was delightful. But then it was made even more delightful when Joel showed up with a glass of lemonade with frozen blueberries and raspberries in it. Amazing!
The meal was delicious!
Next came presents...he gave me the new Pioneer Women cookbook...I love her show! And a novel. And today a waffle maker arrived in the mail to complete the surprise.
To top it all off he cleaned out both cars yesterday afternoon!
I feel blessed as I bask in the surrealness and joy of growing 2 babies!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Expanding our family by 4 feet...
This is the picture I'm about to post, when Joel gets home from visits, on facebook to announce that we are pregnant:
Can I share with you what I am thinking as I plan to do that?
I'm actually crying. I'm reading tweets from my friends around the world still trying to find their way to the other side of that glass wall of infertility. And I am longing for them to have the same news to share.
As we share, I am so aware of the pain of infertility. I am now forever on the other side, but I won't forget.
Some people might consider that silly, and I think that some people in my shoes do forget. But as I wait expectantly for my friend all way over in Jerusalem to have her egg transfer day, tears fall.
I know what it was like. I want all of their stories to end like ours. I want infertility to have happy endings for everyone, around the world, near and far, struggling with it.
So, our announcement will bring with it lots of joy. But I won't post it without also saying something about our struggle.
My heart cries out to God, please, please, may miracles abound.
If you think about it would you mind saying a prayer for my friend in Jerusalem? She's had a rough ride, but soon I hope she gets her miracle!
Can I share with you what I am thinking as I plan to do that?
I'm actually crying. I'm reading tweets from my friends around the world still trying to find their way to the other side of that glass wall of infertility. And I am longing for them to have the same news to share.
As we share, I am so aware of the pain of infertility. I am now forever on the other side, but I won't forget.
Some people might consider that silly, and I think that some people in my shoes do forget. But as I wait expectantly for my friend all way over in Jerusalem to have her egg transfer day, tears fall.
I know what it was like. I want all of their stories to end like ours. I want infertility to have happy endings for everyone, around the world, near and far, struggling with it.
So, our announcement will bring with it lots of joy. But I won't post it without also saying something about our struggle.
My heart cries out to God, please, please, may miracles abound.
If you think about it would you mind saying a prayer for my friend in Jerusalem? She's had a rough ride, but soon I hope she gets her miracle!
Predictions
The day we found out we were having twins the predictions were flying between the Luitens (Joel's sister's family) and us...
Ryan's prediction: Twin boys.
Elizabeth's prediction: Twin girls.
Joel's prediction: Boy and girl with the girl being born first.
My prediction: Twin girls.
It's fun to think about, imagine and wonder about!
We have to wait til sometime in July, and maybe not even then if babies don't cooperate, to find out which of us is correct!
In the meantime, I spend a lot of time guessing and dreaming up name combinations!
Ryan's prediction: Twin boys.
Elizabeth's prediction: Twin girls.
Joel's prediction: Boy and girl with the girl being born first.
My prediction: Twin girls.
It's fun to think about, imagine and wonder about!
We have to wait til sometime in July, and maybe not even then if babies don't cooperate, to find out which of us is correct!
In the meantime, I spend a lot of time guessing and dreaming up name combinations!
Do's and Don'ts
Today I am 8 weeks and 4 days pregnant with TWINS!
I guess you already knew that! I decided I wanted to record some do's and don'ts of this pregnancy so far...or rather some wants and want nots...
The do's:
Eat: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries...seriously sometimes these are the only things that sound good. They are oh so delicious. I liked these fruits before getting pregnant but now they are a necessity in my life!
All things Mexican food...on Friday we discovered a Mexican grill in Great Falls, it sort of reminded me of Baja Sol for you Midwesterners...it was so delicious that we ate lunch and dinner there. Hey, when you feel like I feel, you gotta eat what sounds good!
Lemonade. Joel is the lemonade drinker in our family, when we go out to eat he always orders it. I almost always order water, or root beer on occasion. But now I sit around and crave lemonade! It's made even better by squirting some lime in and adding fresh strawberries!
Saltines. A lot of them. Enough said.
Peppermint candies...these get me through the first church service on Sunday mornings.
String cheese, fruit snacks and yogurt with granola are some other mainstays in my diet these days.
Naps, or at least rest in the afternoon.
Some of the don'ts:
Cereal...and I used to eat it every morning for breakfast...now I can't stand the thought of it.
Cooked carrots.
Onions. Ok, I've never liked these. But I had one in my mouth from a salad a few weeks ago, during lunch in a congregation members garage and well, I managed to swallow it, simply because I didn't want to be embarrassed by getting sick.
Kidney beans. More on that in a later post. But the short story, we had them on a salad at a bed and breakfast we stayed at in Bozeman last weekend...Joel was given most of mine...the poor guy, he couldn't even get them all down!
Sunday morning, before heading to Havre, we stopped by the Big Sandy church. The bat urine smell is back...SO GROSS. It was terrible. I had to get outside fast. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to sit through church there but it had aired out some and isn't as bad in the sanctuary. And I kept peppermints in my mouth so I would smell them. Gag. There has to be a way to clean that smell, seriously.
I guess you already knew that! I decided I wanted to record some do's and don'ts of this pregnancy so far...or rather some wants and want nots...
The do's:
Eat: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries...seriously sometimes these are the only things that sound good. They are oh so delicious. I liked these fruits before getting pregnant but now they are a necessity in my life!
All things Mexican food...on Friday we discovered a Mexican grill in Great Falls, it sort of reminded me of Baja Sol for you Midwesterners...it was so delicious that we ate lunch and dinner there. Hey, when you feel like I feel, you gotta eat what sounds good!
Lemonade. Joel is the lemonade drinker in our family, when we go out to eat he always orders it. I almost always order water, or root beer on occasion. But now I sit around and crave lemonade! It's made even better by squirting some lime in and adding fresh strawberries!
Saltines. A lot of them. Enough said.
Peppermint candies...these get me through the first church service on Sunday mornings.
String cheese, fruit snacks and yogurt with granola are some other mainstays in my diet these days.
Naps, or at least rest in the afternoon.
Some of the don'ts:
Cereal...and I used to eat it every morning for breakfast...now I can't stand the thought of it.
Cooked carrots.
Onions. Ok, I've never liked these. But I had one in my mouth from a salad a few weeks ago, during lunch in a congregation members garage and well, I managed to swallow it, simply because I didn't want to be embarrassed by getting sick.
Kidney beans. More on that in a later post. But the short story, we had them on a salad at a bed and breakfast we stayed at in Bozeman last weekend...Joel was given most of mine...the poor guy, he couldn't even get them all down!
Sunday morning, before heading to Havre, we stopped by the Big Sandy church. The bat urine smell is back...SO GROSS. It was terrible. I had to get outside fast. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to sit through church there but it had aired out some and isn't as bad in the sanctuary. And I kept peppermints in my mouth so I would smell them. Gag. There has to be a way to clean that smell, seriously.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
May 10
I received information in the mail today from Dr. Key's office.
He is our new doctor.
They want me to fill out a release of records form and send it to Bozeman so they can send our records on.
I will do this.
But I don't do so well with change, especially when it comes to going from a doctor we love to one we don't know.
My reaction is...I don't want the Bozeman office to send away our records...I want them to keep them!
While at the eye doctor today the lady, Nancy, who was helping us pick out and purchase new glasses told us we would LOVE Dr. Key.
So, now I am slowly having a change of heart! I'm excited to see what this new doctor is all about.
But most of all I am excited that he will show us our babies again and help us along the way...he will help us on this sometimes slow journey to meeting them in a few months:)!
May 10th, exactly 9 weeks along, at 2:30pm we will do both...meet Dr. Key and see our babies again! Yahoo!
He is our new doctor.
They want me to fill out a release of records form and send it to Bozeman so they can send our records on.
I will do this.
But I don't do so well with change, especially when it comes to going from a doctor we love to one we don't know.
My reaction is...I don't want the Bozeman office to send away our records...I want them to keep them!
While at the eye doctor today the lady, Nancy, who was helping us pick out and purchase new glasses told us we would LOVE Dr. Key.
So, now I am slowly having a change of heart! I'm excited to see what this new doctor is all about.
But most of all I am excited that he will show us our babies again and help us along the way...he will help us on this sometimes slow journey to meeting them in a few months:)!
May 10th, exactly 9 weeks along, at 2:30pm we will do both...meet Dr. Key and see our babies again! Yahoo!
A helping hand
Julia called me last week before we left for Bozeman. She wanted to know if we had any of our stimulation meds left over and if so, could we bring them with us?
Of course.
So, I went through the box and found that we only had 2 doses of menopur left and some mixed up but unused viles of gonal F and lueprolide.
We took the entire box with us. I chuckle when I see Joel carrying it around! He willingly does this!
She wanted the meds to help someone out. A couple just starting IVF this cycle. We will never know who they are. But we will know that we helped them by donating some medication to them.
I hope and pray they receive their miracle also!
Of course.
So, I went through the box and found that we only had 2 doses of menopur left and some mixed up but unused viles of gonal F and lueprolide.
We took the entire box with us. I chuckle when I see Joel carrying it around! He willingly does this!
She wanted the meds to help someone out. A couple just starting IVF this cycle. We will never know who they are. But we will know that we helped them by donating some medication to them.
I hope and pray they receive their miracle also!
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