Gestational Diabetes

Latest Update ...

2 weeks ago, I went in for my 1 hour sugar test. After fasting for almost 9 hours, I had my blood drawn. The results came back and they want something less than 135 to pass. My number was 189! Holy Cow!! So I was sent to a Gestational Diabetes Counseling class the next day. It was two full hours of overwhelming information. I left in tears with a terrible headache. Of course I blamed it on the hormones. A big part of it was that I have an AMAZING husband who for the past 7 years has cooked dinner for me every single night .... in other words - I don't cook. Now he's out of town for a week and I'm supposed to completely change the way I eat. I had no idea what to do. Luckily I figured it out and he came home and my numbers have been good. The first week on the "new plan", I lost 3 lbs. I only gained 23 lbs with twins in 28 weeks - I didn't need to be losing weight. The second week, I didn't lose or gain any weight ... stayed exactly the same. But since my numbers are fine, I was released from "counseling". I still have to continue to check my levels 4 times a day. The pricking my finger 4 times a day doesn't bother me too much considering it took about 100 shots per fertility treatment cycle to get to this point. I'm just so tired of having all of the problems. I just want my babies to be ok ... I want them to make it to this world as healthy little miracle babies!

Yesterday, I had my 2 week check up with my OB. My blood pressure is still high and apparently the back pain I've been having were contractions. Who knew?! I've been put on blood pressure medicine to lower my BP and to help stop contractions. I'm also 80% effaced and 0 cm dilated. From now on, I will go in weekly for a sonogram to check on the babies development and to see if I have dilated any. We are trying to make it as long as possible, and hopefully they will stay put for another 4 weeks. I'm 30 weeks now and really want to at least make it to 34 weeks. 

That's all for now ... will update again next week! 

I've been MIA ...

Wow, I can't believe my last post was in September! Needless to say A LOT has happened since then and I was informed by a friend that I needed to update the blog ... so here it goes!!

Back in October, Ryle and I saw our High Risk doctor (at 16 weeks). Everything looked great and both babies were right on schedule! We even found out at this appointment that Baby B was a GIRL! I left the hospital with the biggest smile on my face, while Ryle was in panic mode! Haha - he was scared that Baby A would also be a girl. The doctor couldn't get Baby A in the right position to determine the gender. So Ryle would have to wait for another 2 weeks to find out! But seriously ... a girl ... headbands, big bows, and lots of dressing up are in my future!!

We then went to my regular OB at 18 weeks for our "big" 18 week anatomy scan. Much to Ryle's relief, Baby A is a BOY! So we get the best of both worlds - A BOY AND A GIRL!! Again, both babies are doing great, which means this is one HAPPY mommy! And Daddy was pretty happy too! We had our gender reveal party for the family the very next day! Our theme was "Camo or Pink, what do you think?!", it turned out great! We tricked my father in law and only let out pink balloons at first because he just knew there was a boy in there! Then we let out the camo balloons! I have waited so long for all of these moments, sometimes it still doesn't seem real ...

November 19, is a day I will never forget. Ryle and I go to our second high risk appointment, expecting everything to be fine because we have had nothing but good reports at all of our appointments since getting pregnant. Babies were looking and doing great. However, the doctor saw something with my cervix, and wanted to do a vaginal ultrasound to double check. Once he saw the ultrasound, his exact words were "I'm a little concerned with what I see". At this point, I'm 20 weeks and a nervous wreck because I know that the babies would not survive if something happened. Apparently, baby boy was sitting directly on my cervix and it was starting to "funnel" or open. He explained how this was cause for concern. So I turn to Ryle and say "I'm a little freaked out right now", the doctor's reply was "You should be freaked out, the babies would not live if you went into labor". In the back of my mind I already knew this, but to hear the words come out of the doctor's mouth did something to me. I almost lost it on the table. They told me to come back in a week and see if there are any changes. After I got dressed, I could barely keep it together. I had to get out of that hospital as fast as I could. Ryle and I decided that I would take off the next two days just to get off of my feet. I was put on "husband mandated bed rest"! So I spent the next week on the couch or in bed ... I'm SO thankful for my amazing husband. He took such great care of us during that week.

We went back November 26th to have my cervix rechecked. And thank goodness, the funnel was gone. They didn't check on the babies at this visit, but I didn't care after they told me my cervix was much better.

Then we saw my regular doctor on December 1st. At this visit after hearing about everything that happened, he put me on 6 weeks of modified bed rest. Meaning I could get up and move around my house, but I couldn't be on my feet for long periods of time. He says that there is no medical proof that bed rest will prevent the cervix from funneling or prevent preterm labor, but after being on bed rest for a week and then getting a good cervix report, I'm a firm believer. On December 22, he extended my bed rest throughout my pregnancy. On December 31, we saw the high risk doctor again. So far my cervix is looking great and babies are healthy.

I'm so thankful that they are doing well. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing them. The best parts of my day are just laying around and feeling or watching them move. I'm not sure I will ever be able to truly explain to them how much they were wanted or loved before they even got here. I still get all emotional when I think about how long we "worked" to get to this point. Every single day as I rub my belly, or read them a story, or just talk to them, I'm reminded that I was just about ready to give up. I was at the point where I thought that I would never get pregnant. I thought that I would never be able to give my husband a child ... much less 2! I love them so much already, I can't imagine loving them even more. But I know that as soon as they make their arrival, I will be proved wrong. It's hard to believe that I'm already 27 weeks. It seems so crazy to think that in as little as 7-10 weeks if we make it to my doctors goal of 34-37 weeks, that I will have two babies in my arms.

Two little miracles. My Canaan and Camille ....

Here are some pictures since it's been 3 months!

Gender Reveal Party

Camo AND Pink

One of my favorite pictures ever! Diesel is going to be a great big brother!!

Bye Bye Fertility Clinic and Hello New Doctor

Wednesday, September 3rd was a bitter-sweet day. It was the day Ryle and I graduated from our fertility clinic! It was hard to say good-bye to our doctor and his amazing team of nurses. They made our dreams come true. They gave us what we have been trying to get for 6 years. I still can't believe I'm pregnant ... I'M PREGNANT, and with TWINS! There are no words to describe how happy we are. Thank goodness for amazing doctors and science! Here are a few pictures from that day!

Ryle and I with our amazing doctor!!

Baby A - measuring 9w 5d

Baby B - measuring 9w 4d

On Monday, September 15th, Ryle and I went to meet our new doctor here in town. I'm so glad that we absolutely loved him and his nurse! On our way to the appointment, Ryle and I were discussing c-sections and how I really want one since I'm having twins. I'm too scared of trying naturally because I don't want to put one twin in jeopardy while trying to push one out. Anyway, the first thing the doctor says to us is "I hope you aren't set on a natural delivery because with twins I always do c-sections!" ... Ahh! I picked the right doctor!! Then we went on to discuss about me being high risk. I will see the high risk doctor at the hospital at 18 weeks and then again one more time. If everything is ok with the babies at the second visit, the high risk doctor will release me and I will only see my normal doctor for the remainder of the pregnancy. I will also be allowed to see my new doctor every two weeks so that he can check on both babies.

We also got to see the babies and hear their heartbeats for the first time. It was pretty amazing hearing those sounds. He couldn't measure the twins because they were moving around so much! And of course the pictures aren't as clear as the fertility clinics high tech machines, but I'll take any pictures I can get!! How is it possible to love these little miracles so much already?! Please continue to pray for these sweet blessings! As of Saturday, I'll be 12 weeks! Time is flying by!! Man ... I love these lil babies!!

Baby A

Baby B .... and you can see Baby A a little bit on the left

Busy, Busy!

School officially started back two weeks ago, and I am slap worn out! August and September are always tough on teachers ... but this year I'm not sure how I will make it! I've been at school almost everyday from 7:15-5 and then I come home and crawl to the couch. After that I can barely move! I'm so tired and feel like I can't catch up on my sleep.

Ryle and I went back to the doctor this week for another ultrasound. Both babies were measuring 7 weeks 5 days, which is what I was. Baby A's heart rate was 171 and Baby B's heart rate was 164. The doctor said everything was looking great, so we go back in two weeks. At that point I'll be almost 10 weeks and I think I will be released from the fertility clinic then. It's really sad to think about because they are like our family. I talk to them more than I do some of my family, they know our names when we walk in, they understand how hard our journey has been, and it's going to be really sad to say good-bye! I know that it's also a good thing to be released to a regular OB, but then again, it will be like starting all over.

Anyway, the doctor is starting to take me off of some of my medicines! I finally get to say good-bye to the hormone patches and one of my shots - these will be replaced with Estrace (a twice daily pill). I will still continue the daily progesterone shot until I'm released. It's going to be a long two weeks before I can see my sweet little babies again! Come on September 4th!

7 weeks 5 days! They have grown so much is just a week! 

My two little Blueberries!!

The Best Days

I know many of you have been stalking my blog waiting for an answer to how our FET cycle went, and some of you already know. But just in case you don't already know, here's a recap of the past 3 weeks:

July 28, 2014 was our Beta day. Instead of driving 3 hours to the doctor, we got orders to have my blood drawn here in town. So after our daily shot, we rush to the hospital. As soon as we leave, I get a text that my brother's girlfriend was in labor. I'm not going to lie, I had a COMPLETE BREAKDOWN! I lost it. I couldn't talk or breathe, I was a total mess. I couldn't understand why on that day he got to have his baby, and I might find out that our cycle didn't work and that we lost our two babies. I literally spent the whole day in bed. Finally the nurse calls me around two o'clock to tell me that the hospital in town did not run my order as Stat, so I would have to wait until Tuesday to get my results. I had another COMPLETE BREAKDOWN! All of my trying to conceive sisters know, the two week wait is pure torture, and then having to wait an extra day ... well excuse the language, but that was pure HELL! After I pulled it together and put my big girl panties on, we finally went to the hospital to visit baby Kyle. He was absolutely precious. Here's a picture:

July 29, 2014 at 8:30, my nurse calls. My heart stops. Ryle has already left for work and said that he doens't want me to tell him anything on the phone. I can't breathe. I finally answer the phone, and she says "CONGRATULATIONS". My response was "MRS. JACKIE STOP IT! ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS? IS THIS FOR REAL?". She has to reassure me for several minutes that my beta test came back positive and I was indeed pregnant. My beta number was 439 - which was excellent for 10 days past transfer. Holy cow ... I'm pregnant. After I get done sobbing to my nurse, I immediately call Ryle and say "I need you to come home", and then I hang up the phone! Lol - thinking back now, that probably wasn't the best way to tell him to come home considering he could tell that I had been crying. Luckily he wasn't too far away, and made it home in about 5 minutes. I'm just sitting on the chair in the living room crying, smiling, and holding my belly. Ryle lost it. He cried. I cried. We cried together. It was seriously one of the best days of our lives and a day I will never forget. I NEVER thought I would hear the nurse say "congratulations" after so many phone calls that start with "I'm sorry sweetie".

Who knew these things actually said PREGNANT?!

July 30, 2014 we had to go back to my doctor to get another beta test done. After a long day of waiting by the phone, the results are back .... and I'm still pregnant! They like for the beta to double. Well, mine more than doubled ... it came back at 962. After this, we set up our appointment for our first ultrasound. At this point, my symptoms were: fatigue, excessive saliva, frequent urination, extremely thirsty, and slightly sore boobs (which could have been from the daily progesterone shot).

August 6, 2014 Ryle and I drove to the clinic to have our first ultrasound. I was so excited, and then we get there and the nurse tells me that today it's mainly to check to see if the embryos implanted in the correct location - meaning your uterus and not your tubes. I start panicking and when I finally make it to the ultrasound room, I am in tears. I spent a whole week thinking that I was pregnant - and enjoyed every single minute of it, and then to hear that it might not even be true, well that just crushed me. Our ultrasound tech is Jennifer - she comes in put the ultrasound wand in, and immediately I saw the black spot. Then she says "Oh we have TWINS"! And I continued to cry! They implanted two embryos, we wanted both to stick, and now we have two gestational sacs that implanted in the correct spot. We are really pregnant! All we saw this visit were the two gestational sacs with the yolk sacs inside - no babies yet.

TWINS ... 5 weeks 4 days

August 14, 2014 Ryle and I go back for our second ultrasound. At this ultrasound, they are hoping that the babies are starting to develop and maybe even a heartbeat. I'm nervous the whole 3 hour drive down there. Once we get into the room the ultrasound tech puts the wand in and says "TWO HEARTBEATS". Ahh! I cannot even tell you how I felt. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I think watching Ryle might have been the best part - he gets up out of the chair, walks up to the flat screen, looks back at me, and has the biggest grin I have ever seen on his face. I have waited so long to give my husband children ... and this just made the wait so worth it. Plus we saw both of our babies heartbeats. My symptoms this week: extreme fatigue, frequent urination, sore boobs, and I can't button my blue jeans!!! Trust me this is not from me over eating - I actually have no appetite (nothing sounds good to me and I eat less now than before I was pregnant!). I've had some light nausea, but it's mainly when my stomach is empty - no morning sickness yet.

I'm 6 weeks 5 days. Two babies measuring 6 weeks 6 days and two heartbeats!

I have two living things growing inside of me. I never thought we would get here. During fertility treatments, you get so focused on the treatment and the whole process, that you don't really think about what will happen IF it works. So now that we are pregnant with twins, I am just so .... happy for lack of a better word. There are no words to describe this feeling. We are so blessed to have such a great support system. I am so blessed to have Ryle as my husband - he is going to make a great father. We love these little babies so much already! Tomorrow I will be seven weeks. It's still very early, so all of our prayer warriors, please continue to pray for us and our babies.

My twin monkeys ... a sweet gift from a sweet coworker!! I also got cupcakes and the sweetest card from some other coworkers today! I love my school family!

Here are the weekly chalkboard pictures that we have right now:

Week 4 Chalkboard Picture .... Poppyseed!

.

Week 5 Chalkboard Picture .... Orange Seed!

Week 6 Chalkboard Picture ... Sweet Peas! #TwoPeasInAPod

Here are a few of our announcement pictures:

BELIEVE!

#teambabystone babies are due in 2015

I am in love with this picture!!

7 days past transfer

Ahh! I'm secretly going crazy inside! Those wonderful ladies who have gone through this know what I'm talking about. The urge to go pee on a stick is just about to drive me bonkers! I'm trying to hold out. It's just so hard. I don't feel pregnant ... and yes, I know it's too early. But here's the thing ... I never understood the term "PUPO ... pregnat until proven otherwise". That is until they put those live embryos inside of you. I have two babies inside of me. They may not have attached or implanted, but my babies are inside of me ... and they were alive and still growing. It just about kills you not to know if they are doing okay. It may just be something in the "infertile" world ... it's as close to being pregnant as most of us trying to conceive sisters have ever been.

I still have the picture of our last two embryos on our mantel in the living room. Some people may not understand why I want to keep that picture up there, but to me they were my babies. Part of him, part of me, put together and then put inside of me. That's the closest we have ever come to being pregnant ... we were PUPO. Unfortunately, it ended up not working and our babies didn't make it. I don't know, maybe people think they were just embryos, but to me life begins at the time of conception ... the minute they are fertilized. So they were our two babies that we lost ... to me anyway. So now I have two picture frames on the mantel ... two sets of beautiful embryos. And again, I'm happily PUPO.

Lots of people have been asking me how I'm feeling, I feel good. No cramping like I was last time. But last time I also had an egg retrieval done and my ovaries were very enlarged which could have caused some of that. At seven days past frozen embryo transfer, I don't have any real symptoms. My chest was sore ( from the progesterone and estradiol shots - they are pumping hormones into me like crazy!), but even that is going away. I'm thirsty all day. I'm tired and take a nap everyday- but I'm always tired so that's nothing new for me, plus it's summer break and teachers love summer naps. And the past two days, after waking up from my nap, when I stand up I get a really sharp pain in my lower abdomen on the right side. It's lasts for about 5 seconds, makes me stop and bend over, and then it's gone. I have no idea what that is about. That's all I'm feeling. Nothing that screams "Ahh you're pregnant".

I'm praying this works and that those babies are making themselves right at home. I'm trying to stay off of Google ... but again, it's hard not to look up your symptoms, or compare your embryos to those online (which I have to admit, I have done ... more than a few times lol), or even to look and see how other women were feeling on the same day as you. I'm just ready for my beta test ... but I'm also terrified of having them draw my blood. I so desperately want good results ... my heart can't take much more disappointment. So please pray extra hard these next few days!!!

Stick beautiful babies ... STICK!!

Frozen Embryo Transfer Day and Update

Well we had two beautiful embryos thawed and transferred on July 18th. They were the most beautiful little things I have ever seen. I'm not sure anyone EVER wanted anything as much as I want them... both of them! The embabies were put back in and the procedure went smoothly.

We were very surprised when the nurse told us that my lining was a 15. I have never had one that thick. A week before the transfer, I was only at an 8 and it was very uneven due to the endometrial scratch that they did. Doctor D. seemed very surprised that my lining was that thick, but he didn't say it was a bad thing. He just said he would have to document that since I was one of his first patients to try the scratch on.

Today I'm three days past transfer and don't feel any different - other than being really thirsty. Yesterday I had a few twinge like pains on the left side, but they were there for a few seconds and went away. I'm trying not to symptom spot and I'm really trying not to look anything up on Google! It's going to be a long two weeks!

My hips are SO sore from the shots! I get one shot a day, except for Wednesday and Saturdays - on those days, I get two shots. It hurts to sit, lay down, walk, etc. But I know its for those precious babies and I would do anything for them.

Stick babies stick! Mommy and Daddy love you so much already!

Tomorrow marks 6 years that Ryle and I have been married. I can't believe it has been that long. It seems like just yesterday we met. I couldn't have asked for a better friend, husband, and partner for this journey. He is always there for me and I know that he always will be. He is my whole world! Happy Anniversary Ryle! I can't wait to see what the coming years have in store for us ... hopefully next year we will be celebrating our anniversary with a baby Stone ... or two!!

I couldn't have asked for a better partner!

I'm also hosting a Jamberry Nail Party - if you would like to check it out, ordering will be open through Friday, July 25th. Click on this website: http://glamyournails.jamberrynails.net/ ... shop, and when you checkout - make sure that Tiffany is your consultant and that you sign in under Kristen's Party. If you buy 3 sheets, you get one free - discount applied in your shopping cart!!

Please continue to pray that our embabies stick around .....

Endometrial Scratch

Yesterday Ryle and I had an appointment at 10 am for my endometrial scratch. This is something that my doctor is trying out on his patients that have had unexplained IVF failure. We didn't discuss this procedure with him before hand - I only learned that I would have it done after speaking with the nurse last week, so yesterday while I'm laying on the table half dressed, he tells us that I'm the second person he's done this procedure on. WHAT?! But he quickly follows with "the other lady is now pregnant so we are very hopeful that this will work!" Which made me feel better - my doctor is always so confident, I wish I was like that. This is a procedure where the lining at the top of your uterus is "scratched" using a thing catheter like tube that has been passed through the cervix. This "scratching" is supposed to make your lining repair itself. The new lining that grows after the procedure is supposed to be more receptive to implantation and help increase your chance of becoming pregnant. Before the procedure, they give you ibuprofen and explain that you will feel some mild cramping while the catheter is passed through the cervix - kind of like the saline ultrasound I had done back in April. So I'm expecting it to be pretty painless, because my saline ultrasound was nothing! I had a cramp for a minute or two and it was gone.

Anyway, I'm going to save you all of the details of the procedure, but basically, it felt like he was scratching my uterus with knives. I almost came off of that table! At one point, I grabbed at Ryle and literally tried scooting up the table! It was the most painful procedure I've had done in six years - and that's saying a lot since I've had two surgeries and been poked and prodded on more times than I can count. Ryle knew I was in pain, but it's hard to explain that kind of pain to a man. So on our way home, I told Ryle that it felt like an alien was inside of me trying to claw its way out ... he thought I was nuts. But how else do you describe a pain like that to a man that doesn't even have the parts that were hurting! Haha! Bottom line - it was the most painful thing I have done yet to become a mother, but I know in the end it will be so worth it.

Yesterday was such an emotional day, I started crying in the waiting room. I teared up in the ultrasound room while waiting on the doctor to come for the procedure. And I could have cried at any other moment at the drop of a hat. I just keep thinking "Will it ever be my turn?" and "Why do I have to suffer so much to have what others have so easily gotten?" I just don't understand it ... not any of it. But I'm trying my best to keep the faith and to keep BELIEVING that God has a plan for us to become parents ...

Don't forget to check out the new tab at the top called #100happydays. It's a new challenge that I'm doing :)

Baby Shower

First ... on a happy note, thank you so much for supporting our journey to become parents. As of now, we only have about 3 more shirts to sell before we meet our new goal. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Not only will our medicine be paid for, but we will also be able to pay for some office visits. You have no idea how much this helps us out! Although infertility is officially labeled as a disease, insurance doesn't pay for one single thing! This is a journey where you feel so alone because no one can truly understand your pain and suffering unless they have been through it, but we feel so loved and supported right now. The fundraiser will not only help pay for this cycle of treatment, but it also made us feel not so alone. So thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us and for helping to raise infertility awareness. Remember 1 in 8 couples are diagnosed as infertile - it could be affecting someone else you know as well...

Please visit www.booster.com/teambabystone ...


It's been one of those weeks where it seems like when you turn around someone else is pregnant. I've been so emotional lately and I just need to get it out, which is why I created the blog in the first place. So let me start here by saying, there are not many people who are going to understand what I'm about to say. The only people who are truly going to understand are the women who have had infertility problems. This post isn't meant to offend anyone or hurt your feelings, it's simply how I feel. If you think that I'm being selfish then I'm really sorry.

Let me start by saying that after six years of trying to have a baby, you would think that I'm used to the pregnancy announcements and baby showers -- but I'm not. They still hurt -- a lot. This week Ryle found out that two couples we know are pregnant and he was the one to tell me. He gets upset because I get upset. He feels like he's the one making me cry, but I keep telling him - it's better if he tells me than if I find out in front of the people and just break down right there. Both of the women had a hard time conceiving, and I am so happy and beyond thrilled for them that they finally get their miracle baby. But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking "will it ever be my turn"?

Six years. Six long years I've tried to get pregnant. I can't even tell you how many sticks I've peed on, how many blood tests I've had, how many needles have been stuck in my body, etc. Maybe it's selfish of me, but I want it to be my turn. Yes, I know, God has a plan and his plans are bigger than mine. But I just don't want to believe that it's his plan for me to suffer like this forever. How much longer do I have to do this? I know this is hard for most people to understand, but my trying to conceive sisters will understand. Why can't it be me that gets pregnant so easily? When you are growing up as a little girl, you dream about getting married, buying a house, and starting a family. No one tells you that it might not happen for you. They don't tell you that you may not be able to have kids one day ... they don't tell you that all of your dreams might not come true. Do I have the perfect house, perfect husband, and the perfect "fur babies" -- the answer is yes, I do. And maybe it's selfish of me to want more, but I do. I just want to be a mom ...

Today I attended my first baby shower in six years ... yes, six years! I've been avoiding or finding excuses to get out of baby showers for six long years. I wouldn't have gone today, except it was my brother's baby shower. I'm going to have a nephew in about a month. Crazy, it feel likes just yesterday my mom was telling me that he was going to be a dad. I'm almost thirty, but my twenty year old brother will have a baby before me. Life never turns out the way that you thought it would ...


Please visit www.booster.com/teambabystone

Lupron Side Effects

Today will be my fifth shot of Lupron and I'm already having terrible headaches and hot flashes/night sweats. I don't remember having so many headaches last round, but they are hitting me full force this time. So far I haven't had the crazy vivid dreams like I did last cycle, but I'm sure they will come around. Still waiting on AF to show up, once she does then I will start the other medication. That's the only update I have for now.

The t-shirt fundraiser is going great as well. The company upped our goal to 150 shirts. We need to sell about 28 more shirts to meet our new goal! You still have 4 more days to get your shirt! Please help us meet our new goal!!! Visit www.booster.com/teambabystone to help support our cause and also help raise infertility awareness!