Didn't See This One Coming...

So, just when I was about to blog about the new nursery we have set up for a foster child this summer, we got an unexpected surprise...

Timing is interesting, huh?  I could ramble on forever about how my head is spinning just trying to wrap my mind around all this!  SURE did not see this one coming.  In fact, for about the first time ever I was  pretty darn clueless about my cycle this month.  Yes, I know that is probably TMI for some, but as a girl who has had to track every little thing for many years, it's just kind of ingrained in my brain to know about when I ovulate and when my period is due.  This month though, I've been so consumed with work presentations, interviewing, company visiting,  and final homepreparations for a foster child, that it truly did not cross my mind at all!  Yea yea, please keep your comments to yourself about "see what happens when you stop trying!"  Ahhh, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that one, I'd be a rich girl!  ;) 

To make a long story short, I realized I was a couple days late about the time I was wondering if I was getting a stomach bug or just feeling queasy...and then I began to wonder!  So, on Good Friday I took a test and POSITIVE!  Holy cow!  Sooooo many emotions!  Just when I felt like I had really made peace with the losses and was excited to begin this journey as foster parents.  Of course, this is a huge blessing and I will be extremely excited if this pregnancy is viable, BUT facing another loss right now would seem devastating and take me right back to that dark place I've worked so hard to come out of! 

In the past, we've been a little more quiet about the pregnancies, but in the end we ended up telling our friends and family after the miscarriages anyway, so this time we are taking a new approach.  PRAYERS PLEASE!!!!  You can't pray and send positive thoughts if you don't know, so I am sharing the news early this time. 

I was out of town of course when we found out, but called the doctor's office first thing yesterday and they scheduled me to come in that afternoon.  I know the numbers are kind of boring for some, but at a late 4 weeks, my hcg was 328.  This is in the normal range for this time period, even a bit on the higher end, which is all I could possibly ask for.  During my most recent miscarriage, my hcg was at 6, and that's when they told me it was just a matter of days, so this is WAY better than that!  Once again though, my progesterone is low.  Progesterone and I do not get along apparently.  I am starting to think I need an IV drip of this hormone!  LOL  They like to see it above 20 at least, and mine is 14.  The positive news though is that the last two pregnancies it was at 10 and 9, so 14 is of course better!  I have to start on progesterone support today and will need to stay on that until 12 weeks, assuming we can make it that far.  I go in tomorrow at 4PM for repeat blood work.  We should see that the hcg level has nearly doubled and hopefully the progesterone will have risen a little bit.  I'm also scheduled for an early ultrasound in two weeks where they will hope to see a gestational sac and a heartbeat.  Sooo for now, we wait (the hardest part), pray, and take good care of myself. 

More updates to come....