We are the Matthews Family. We are three strong (with a fabulously confident two year old) that decided that we would like to add to our family. After trying unsuccessfully for quite some time, my OB/GYN sent me in to have a sonohystogram to see if there were any as-yet undiscovered problems. We found out that both of my tubes were completely blocked with scar tissue and the chance of us getting pregnant was pretty much impossible. My OB/GYN decided to send me to a fertility doctor to see what route she would like to take. She had high hopes for us and started us on Clomid and HCG shots right away. The plan was that as soon as I started ovulating, I would go in for IUI (inuterine insemination). I also started acupuncture to address my infertility issues.
After one cycle of the Comid (and not succeeding), I already felt overwhelmed and unsupported by extended family on my side. I wondered if I was going the right route and if mentally I could handle the ups and downs of the whole thing. My acupuncturist (who also did Moxibustion techniques on me) was really pushing for me to make a decision - either choose fertility treatments through the clinic or choose holistic methods through him. I felt strongly about sticking with both though and decided to give the whole process another try.
Our second try, I was very late into my cycle and I just was not getting a positive ovulation test. I started to panic on Day 17 of my cycle. On Day 18, I took my ovulation test and I just didn't feel that it was positive
but I was so nervous about missing my ovulation (and it was a Friday of a holiday weekend) that I decided to hold my breath, and call the office and tell them I was ovulating. I have to say, I do own the Taking Charge of Your Fertility book and according to the book, all the signs were there saying that I was in fact ovulating. The fertility clinic opened the clinic special for us that Saturday and we went in for our IUI. As soon as the doctor was done with the procedure, and I was lying on the table, I just felt this calm peace come over me. I thought "if there is a time when this is going to work, it has just worked". I prayed over my tummy and settled my mind to wait the two weeks to find out if we were successful.
When you are waiting for the two week wait to finish so you can take a pregnancy test, it feels more like a two month wait! I would lay in bed every night and go over my body inch by inch ("do my breasts feel tender?" "do I feel more tired than usual?" "do I look like my veins are more prominent?") It is certainly its own version of self torture.
Twelve days into my two-week-wait, I couldn't stand the wait anymore. I went and bought three pregnancy tests. I took one of the tests and was devastated to see that it was negative. I threw the test into the trash in anger and misery. It didn't work, yet again. After about 20 minutes (well after the time limit of when the results are supposed to be accurate), I calmed down and pulled the test out of the trash. I just had to see the negative results again because it just didn't feel right. I pulled them out and held them up to the light. If I angled the test just so I thought I could see another line. A POSITIVE line. My husband calmed me down and told me to take another test. Again, there was the faintest second line. I started to second guess the line and wonder if maybe there was residual HCG left in my system from the shot. I decided to try the next morning.
The next morning, I took a new test and for sure, there were two lines. You can see the progression of tests (starting on May 4th, 2009) and getting progressively darker.
I contacted my nurse and gave her the rundown. She sent me to have some blood work and to find out my HCG levels. Within an hour, she was calling me with my positive test results. "It's really high right now. It is 112" she said. She had me start having HCG levels done every 48 hours. Every 48 hours, it was doubling and tripling. I even had one doctor on call, call me late Sunday night to give me the results. "Your HCG levels are really, really high. When will you be in for an ultrasound?" he asked. Our first ultrasound was June 15, 2009. Marty, Ezekiel and I all went. The first thing I saw when I looked at the ultrasound screen was TWO round circles. We had been through enough previous ultrasounds with Ezekiel for me to know that I was looking at two separate yolk sacs - soon to be babies! It was still to early for heartbeats or anything, but we now knew that there were two babies inside me.
I had another ultrasound today. The babies have been officially named "Baby A" and "Baby B". Baby A had a heartbeat of 104 bpm and Baby B had a heartbeat of 110 bpm. They both look great and they measure in about 4 mm a piece - that's the size of one of your eyelashes :)
These babies are already loved and wanted and hoped for. This is just the start of our journey to growing these little ones.
Ultrasound picture coming soon :)
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