A New Beginning
By Kristen Bagwell, Triangle Moms on Main
Well…I’m a little nervous as I type this post. Those of you who were with us in January may remember my “Some days are better than others” post in which I shared my feelings about miscarriage and fertility. It took me almost 6 months to write about that terrible incident and the frustrations that followed, but if I waited that long to give you this update, the jig would be up. I mainly want to thank all of you who reached out to me both publicly and privately and shared your stories. Now it’s time that I share mine: I’m pregnant!
The story is a little ironic, and is about so many things at once: love, luck, faith, and friendship, to name a few. The day before “Some days” ran, I had gone back to my doctor’s office. She recommended that we try a clomid-type medicine to help ensure that my body showed up with a quality egg when the time was right, and perhaps a bit earlier than in my previous cycles. I was very hesitant to take any medication at all, partly because my sister has twins (and I don’t know how you moms of multiples do it!) and partly because I just wasn’t sure it was the right choice for me. I went ahead and filled the prescription, with strict instruction to start the pills on cycle day 3, and to call once I’d begun the meds to make an appointment for cycle day 21.
Two days later, I took a pregnancy test just for kicks – day 1 should have been coming the following day, and I just wanted to see. (Negative, of course, so I’d need the meds. OK fine…) I shoved the extra bag of “necessities” into my suitcase and set off for a girls weekend with my daughter visiting a college roommate in Nashville. That was such a wonderful getaway…she is the person with whom nothing is off limits, and we had a weekend long conversation about anything and everything. I knew that she was listening and responding with all of her heart, and she made me feel better about the situation in general. We had so much fun, and I left there feeling thoroughly loved and grateful for a good friend. When we got home, I was like “wait a minute…day 3 should have been tomorrow. Hmm. Where is day 1?”
Where, indeed. Since I’d been buying ovulation and pregnancy tests by the gross, I had a few lying around. I took one later that evening and sure enough, 2 pink lines. What the <beeeep>?? I immediately called the roomie that I’d just left that morning, saying “You are not going to believe this.” After she stopped screaming, my next statement was “OH MY GOSH I HAVE ALREADY DROWNED THE BABY IN VODKA” because we went a little cosmo-crazy on Saturday night, but she assured me everything was fine.
And indeed, it is, knock on wood…baby X (or Y!) is 16 weeks along now , and all is well. We’ve cruised through the initial genetic screens without issue, and the level 2 ultrasound is in early May. We’ll see how it goes, and I do know that anything could happen. I can’t help feeling optimistic, though, and so very lucky to have the support of a wonderful community of moms, some of whom I have never met. I am convinced that all of the support, prayers, and love that I received through TMOM made a big difference – thank you all so very much for your generosity in listening and sharing.
Triangle and Triad moms are the best!!
