... for everyone!
I find myself having to apologize again for such a delay in posting. However, we've had such an influx of news that it was hard to share pieces without sharing everything, but now is the time.
After the dreaded two-week wait was over (a few weeks ago) we anxiously made the trip to Tulsa for our first pregnancy test. We weren't necessarily going in blind, however, because we broke all the rules and did what the nurse told us not to and took a home pregnancy test...actually, we took 5. lol 3 of them came back positive and 2 negative, so we weren't exactly sure what to think. We got to the clinic at 8:30 am for a simple blood draw - them we hit the road and headed home. We were about 15 miles from our house when we got the call from Joni (our most favorite nurse at the Tulsa Fertility Clinic). Her news was cautiously optimistic...we were pregnant! But our HCG level (HCG = human chorionic gonadotropin = the hormone that a developing baby produces after it attaches to the wall of the uterus) was a bit lower than they would have liked to see (81). She didn't think there would be a problem, but told us to hang tight for the next test.
One week later, I headed to Tulsa with my friend Janelle for the 2nd blood test. We decided we needed to save Si's vacation time for other 'more involved' appointments since this was just another blood draw. Janelle was gracious enough to ride along with me. We arrived at 10:00 for the blood draw and then did a bit of shopping and lunch waiting for the phone to ring - right before our food arrived my phone rang - it was Joni again - and this time she was VERY excited. My HCG level had gone from 81 to 2081 in just one week! This growth in numbers was a very good sign - and, as Joni said, it means that it REALLY worked! We are REALLY pregnant! I'm sure everyone at The Cheesecake Factory wondered why I was squealing, crying and laughing at the same time, but I couldn't contain my excitement!
They scheduled our first ultrasound for 2 weeks after that. This appointment was a biggie, because it will tell us if one or two of the Seger embryos decided to stick around. Silas and I arrived at TFC around 8:30 the morning of our appointment and were super excited to see what was happening. During our ultrasound it didn't take Dr. Blackwell long to tell us that we have one healthy baby. We were able to clearly see the outline of the yolk sack and even the 'flutter' of the heartbeat! We left the office with mixed emotions; over-the-moon excited for our one healthy baby that is growing, but also a feeling of loss for our 2nd embryo. Neither of us realized just how much we had been counting on both 'taking' or how much we loved both of them already. It has been a roller coaster of emotions since that appointment but overwhelmingly we feel blessed and very excited for the little life that is growing right now! We are working our way through our emotions and have decided that our blessings continue in that we have an angel baby watching over both us and our new baby. Not everyone has that...
We had another ultrasound this past Friday and baby Seger is growing well and had a nice, strong heartbeat (153 bpm). Hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time was absolutely the most amazing and precious sound in the world! I wish we could have recorded it so we could play it back over and over...
Dr. Blackwell said she would like to see us just one more time (in two weeks) and then she will release us to a local OB/GYN here in NW Arkansas. We were happy to find out that she has a relationship with a doctor here at my clinic and she recommended him! It should be a seamless transition and much easier when we don't have to travel 2 hours one-way for each appointment.
We are excited to continue this journey - one that now includes Baby Seger! We already feel like a family of 3 as we wait for Baby's arrival early this fall! Now that the news is out I will be better at updating our blog with appointment updates, baby development and all sorts of excitement!!
Thank you, again, for your prayers and friendship! We are blessed in so many ways and can't wait to continue to share our journey as we take Baby Steps...
Love,
Si & Stac
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
TWW
Hello, friends!
Yesterday was a good day! At 3:30 pm (on the dot) Seger embryo 1 and Seger embryo 2 were transferred into mama Seger's uterus! It was the most amazing, emotional and surreal thing we have ever experienced! Dr. T (the embryologist) came into my OR at about 3:20 and matched the numbers on my wrist band with the numbers identifying our embryos and he disappeared to get them ready for transfer.
He came back, handed the transfer catheter to Dr. Blackwell and told her that they looked great. Dr. T, Dr. Blackwell and Hannah (our radiology tech/nurse) then started and completed the 1 minute procedure at 3:30 pm. The most amazing part was that I got to watch the entire process. On the ultrasound screen, I got to watch as Dr. Blackwell inserted the catheter and gently directed our embryo's to their new home. I saw them go in and I saw 2 little spots on the ultrasound machine right as she pointed them out and said "all done. Looks perfect."
The hardest part was that Si wasn't allowed back into the OR with me...we weren't aware of that and it was a shock for both of us when they called me to the pre-op area and told him they would come get him when we were done and I was in recovery. My heart fell into my stomach and I immediately started crying. Si, in his typical supportive fashion, says "it'll be ok. I'll see you soon." He is such an amazing husband and support for me...he is definitely the strong one. I don't know how I would survive without him.
I think I was in recovery for about 30 seconds before he got to come back. That was one of my favorite moments of the day - to see his smile and hear his voice calmed all my nerves and I told him all about the procedure. I had to lay in the recovery area for 30 minutes with my feet and hips elevated and then nurse Hannah came to give us the list of 'rules' for the next few days and we were free to go.
It's kind of simple - the 'rules' aren't crazy - no lifting for a few days, no strenuous work, no running, swimming, hot tubs, exercise, keep stress to a minimum - just lay low. The one thing they left off the list that should be number 1 is to PRAY! Because now it's all up to God and our babies. Yesterday they transformed from embryo's to babies as far as I'm concerned!
I wish I felt pregnant - I wish I could tell that something happened, that something has changed. But I can't. The one thing that has changed, tho is that I feel this overwhelming sense of responsibility now that they are here - with us. I've found myself walking gingerly, sitting a bit gentler, moving a bit slower - trying to be very careful. I know that's a bit extreme, but at this point, it is ALL I can do besides pray.
The title of this post is TWW - an acronym I've recently learned. I've been visiting IVF/embryo transfer websites and blogs and TWW refers to Two Week Wait - the 2 week period between embryo transfer and pregnancy test. The TWW is going to feel like an eternity and will probably move like molasses in January in Minnesota! (Give it a minute...it'll come... Get it?! :) )
Please continue to pray - it'll be a long couple of weeks before we go for our first pregnancy test. Our patience will be tested - as will our nerves. But God is good and we are optimistic!
Thanks for all the phone calls, emails, text messages and prayers yesterday...we felt them...
Love,
Silas & Stacy
Yesterday was a good day! At 3:30 pm (on the dot) Seger embryo 1 and Seger embryo 2 were transferred into mama Seger's uterus! It was the most amazing, emotional and surreal thing we have ever experienced! Dr. T (the embryologist) came into my OR at about 3:20 and matched the numbers on my wrist band with the numbers identifying our embryos and he disappeared to get them ready for transfer.
He came back, handed the transfer catheter to Dr. Blackwell and told her that they looked great. Dr. T, Dr. Blackwell and Hannah (our radiology tech/nurse) then started and completed the 1 minute procedure at 3:30 pm. The most amazing part was that I got to watch the entire process. On the ultrasound screen, I got to watch as Dr. Blackwell inserted the catheter and gently directed our embryo's to their new home. I saw them go in and I saw 2 little spots on the ultrasound machine right as she pointed them out and said "all done. Looks perfect."
The hardest part was that Si wasn't allowed back into the OR with me...we weren't aware of that and it was a shock for both of us when they called me to the pre-op area and told him they would come get him when we were done and I was in recovery. My heart fell into my stomach and I immediately started crying. Si, in his typical supportive fashion, says "it'll be ok. I'll see you soon." He is such an amazing husband and support for me...he is definitely the strong one. I don't know how I would survive without him.
I think I was in recovery for about 30 seconds before he got to come back. That was one of my favorite moments of the day - to see his smile and hear his voice calmed all my nerves and I told him all about the procedure. I had to lay in the recovery area for 30 minutes with my feet and hips elevated and then nurse Hannah came to give us the list of 'rules' for the next few days and we were free to go.
It's kind of simple - the 'rules' aren't crazy - no lifting for a few days, no strenuous work, no running, swimming, hot tubs, exercise, keep stress to a minimum - just lay low. The one thing they left off the list that should be number 1 is to PRAY! Because now it's all up to God and our babies. Yesterday they transformed from embryo's to babies as far as I'm concerned!
I wish I felt pregnant - I wish I could tell that something happened, that something has changed. But I can't. The one thing that has changed, tho is that I feel this overwhelming sense of responsibility now that they are here - with us. I've found myself walking gingerly, sitting a bit gentler, moving a bit slower - trying to be very careful. I know that's a bit extreme, but at this point, it is ALL I can do besides pray.
The title of this post is TWW - an acronym I've recently learned. I've been visiting IVF/embryo transfer websites and blogs and TWW refers to Two Week Wait - the 2 week period between embryo transfer and pregnancy test. The TWW is going to feel like an eternity and will probably move like molasses in January in Minnesota! (Give it a minute...it'll come... Get it?! :) )
Please continue to pray - it'll be a long couple of weeks before we go for our first pregnancy test. Our patience will be tested - as will our nerves. But God is good and we are optimistic!
Thanks for all the phone calls, emails, text messages and prayers yesterday...we felt them...
Love,
Silas & Stacy
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
It's about time...
... about time for another blog post ... about time for an update ... about time for us to get going!
Tomorrow Si and I will be in Tulsa for the event we've been waiting, praying and preparing for - tomorrow Seger embryo 1 and Seger embryo 2 will be transferred into mama Seger's uterus! WOW! We've been waiting for so long, there has been so many pills, patches and shots and the day is finally right around the corner.
I can't even begin to explain the emotions that are running through our minds and hearts right now. There is a whole heap of excitement, a bunch of anxiety, a titch of nervousness and a whole lot of optimism! So - if there was one word to sum that up, that's what it would mean!
At our ultra sound on January 9, Dr. Blackwell told us that everything looked 'perfect' (that was her word ... she used it 4 times!). Hormone levels are great. She even showed us during the ultrasound where she will likely place the embryo's tomorrow...the spot best-suited for growing babies. :) We've done everything we can to facilitate success. Dr. Blackwell and her (amazing) team has done everything they can to facilitate success. Now it is up to God. We are excitedly asking for God's guidance and grace and patience tomorrow as we take this step of this amazing journey we have been on. Dr. Blackwell is one of the best at what she does so we have full faith and confidence in her - but we will certainly be asking God to bless her hands and her heart before we begin tomorrow!
The rest of this lies with A & B - my prayers this week have been that they will choose me to be their mom. That they will choose to stay with us and live with us and trust us to be the best parents we can be. In some ways I already feel like a mom - ever since we adopted them in October I've felt like there were 2 little souls just waiting to introduce themselves to us. I've started a list of all the things I want to teach our kids, all the things I want to do with them. But mostly I just want to love them and to be their mom.
Please say some prayers tomorrow if you have time. Please pray for health and safety and grace and peace. It'll be a while before we know if these little ones chose to stay or go; so some prayers for patience would be good, too.
Thanks, again, for all of your love and support. Here we go....it's about time!
Love & Hugs -
Stacy & Silas
Tomorrow Si and I will be in Tulsa for the event we've been waiting, praying and preparing for - tomorrow Seger embryo 1 and Seger embryo 2 will be transferred into mama Seger's uterus! WOW! We've been waiting for so long, there has been so many pills, patches and shots and the day is finally right around the corner.
I can't even begin to explain the emotions that are running through our minds and hearts right now. There is a whole heap of excitement, a bunch of anxiety, a titch of nervousness and a whole lot of optimism! So - if there was one word to sum that up, that's what it would mean!
At our ultra sound on January 9, Dr. Blackwell told us that everything looked 'perfect' (that was her word ... she used it 4 times!). Hormone levels are great. She even showed us during the ultrasound where she will likely place the embryo's tomorrow...the spot best-suited for growing babies. :) We've done everything we can to facilitate success. Dr. Blackwell and her (amazing) team has done everything they can to facilitate success. Now it is up to God. We are excitedly asking for God's guidance and grace and patience tomorrow as we take this step of this amazing journey we have been on. Dr. Blackwell is one of the best at what she does so we have full faith and confidence in her - but we will certainly be asking God to bless her hands and her heart before we begin tomorrow!
The rest of this lies with A & B - my prayers this week have been that they will choose me to be their mom. That they will choose to stay with us and live with us and trust us to be the best parents we can be. In some ways I already feel like a mom - ever since we adopted them in October I've felt like there were 2 little souls just waiting to introduce themselves to us. I've started a list of all the things I want to teach our kids, all the things I want to do with them. But mostly I just want to love them and to be their mom.
Please say some prayers tomorrow if you have time. Please pray for health and safety and grace and peace. It'll be a while before we know if these little ones chose to stay or go; so some prayers for patience would be good, too.
Thanks, again, for all of your love and support. Here we go....it's about time!
Love & Hugs -
Stacy & Silas
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