O.M. Heck!!! :) Big Big News!

I know some of you are anxiously awaiting some news!  So, against my natural personality that likes to keep things quiet, I will make an announcement…..

On Monday we went to the UCRM for a blood test, and the results came back….PREGNANT!

We are still a little bit in shock ourselves, but so excited!  This is an early test, but the results were very positive and the nurse was very optimistic. I’ve thought about trying to keep things a secret for a little longer (like most normal people would do) but Jerry has reminded me that this experience has been far from “normal.”  We know so many loved ones have been following the story and are anxious to hear the outcome of such a wild ride, so I’ve decided it’s ok to share the good news—even if it seems kind of early. I have a confirmation viability scan (ultrasound) the week of Thanksgiving to confirm what the blood test revealed.  I think that will be reassuring for me. In the meantime, we are so very excited! It seems a little surreal.  I told my sister-in-law that she’s going to have to remind me about how to be pregnant…it’s been so long, I don’t remember!  We’ve had such an outpouring of love and excitement from our immediate family. They’ve been encouraging and excited right along with us.  With this good news, we are even more grateful for the support that has made such a miracle possible. We’re overwhelmed again by the financial, emotional, spiritual, and medical help that we’ve received allowing our dreams to come true. We are truly blessed.

Here’s the rundown of Monday….

It had been only 18 days since the retrieval on the 21^st of October. Although this isn’t the day they transferred the embryos which was the 26^th, it’s considered the conception date.  So, everything is based off that date. Jerry and I headed down early to the clinic for the test. We could come anytime between 8-9 and didn’t need an appointment. Jerry’s mom helped get Brooklyn to school so we could be there about 8:30.  I had one of those knots in my stomach the whole morning. This was going to be big news, one way or the other. On our way in, we saw 3-4 huge tanks of liquid nitrogen sitting in the hallway. They looked like big silver bullets, probably five feet tall and big enough around that it would take two people to ‘hug’ it.  Both of us thought of hundreds of little embryos…potential babies…sitting there in those tanks. I’m sure that’s not exactly the truth, but it was crazy to think of what’s frozen in there.  A reminder that this is partly a science project. We signed in and waited for about 5 min.  That whole morning we were anxious about what the news would be. We expected to get the results that morning there in the office. The phlebotomist came to get me and Jerry sat in the waiting room.  While waiting for the poke, I asked the phlebotomist how long it takes to get the results. She says, “Oh, they’ll call you this afternoon.”  What!  I was a little ticked all of the sudden.  She probably thought I was being nasty when I said back, “You are kidding me…my husband didn’t even need to come and now we have to wait for them to call us?”   I tried to be nice, but I wasn’t so impressed at the moment. I walked back out to Jerry and told him the new info. He wasn’t impressed either. He threatened to sit there until they came out and told us J.  I clarified the fact that they were ‘just going to call us’ with the medical assistant. She said, “I know, I’m sorry. We run all the tests at the same time. But we’ll call you before noon.”  I only had about 3 hours of waiting left in me, so that was good. It was kind of disappointing and frustrating. The whole way home I was bugged. I thought that on a personal level, after couples spend so much time, money, emotion and physical commitment, the least they could do was let you sit down with the physician and learn the fate of the rest of your life!  We both thought it wasn’t fair for them to give such news to the wife while she’s alone, over the phone. Needless to say, it was a long wait. Jerry went to work awaiting the phone call from me, and I went home and tried to pass the time.

Long after noon, my cell phone finally rang and it was the clinic. My heart was beating so fast and I felt sick again. It was the nurse, Heidi. She said, “It’s Heidi from the Reproductive Center, and I have your test results. You are pregnant.”  Of course, I start crying…I can’t talk, or hear, or see….I’m a mess.  I say, “Oh my. I was going to cry either way, but I can’t believe it.”  She sincerely asks if I’m ok for her to continue and if I have a pen to write some things down. A good question to ask J.  I now know why they don’t want you in the office when you hear the good or bad news—so many emotions to deal with!  She explained that with the blood test, they are looking for an HCG level that is greater than 100. Well, mine was 1445.  She said that with such a high number there is a greater possibility of multiples, and that it was a great indicator of the pregnancy.  I was instructed to continue the progesterone shots through December 16^th, after which they will reevaluate the need for meds. She scheduled the viability scan for the week of November 21^st and gave me more instructions about activity levels until then. (Dang…can’t work full time, exercise, nor do heavy yard/house work J) She then said, “And your due date is July 14^th.”  Ok, that was crazy! Here we have been waiting for 7 years, and now I have a due date. Boggles my mind, and I still have a hard time really grasping that idea.   It was a wonderful phone call, and my emotions were overwhelming for a while.  I was so full of gratitude for the blessings we had experienced and the love we’ve felt from our Heavenly Father and loved ones.  We literally could not have done this alone.  Once again, I’ll say that I believe in miracles.

I called Jerry…a little weird to tell him such news over the phone…and he came home when he could to give me a big hug and be happy together for a few moments. I called my mom who said, “Oh, honey!” and then my siblings and grandma.  As I was talking to my sister I was trying to be a little discrete because Brooklyn was in the room and we wanted to tell her together that night. I thought she had no clue of what I was talking about, but the little smarty pants knew all along. She didn’t say anything until right before dinner when I told her Mom and Dad had something fun to tell her. She nonchalantly says, “I already know, you are going to have a baby.” I tried to play it off and tell her she was silly, but then Jerry pulled in. She said, “I’m going to go ask Dad, then.”  Of course I thought Jerry would play coy too, but nope. He couldn’t.  We did try to have a little party and had a ‘picnic’ while watching a movie—Father of the Bride II, of course.  I think Brooklyn is genuinely excited. She thinks the best part will be “getting to feed it and putting it to bed.”  She’s asked me every day if she can tell her friends. It will take some effort to be sure she feels included in the other half of this adventure, but I think it will be fun for her.  It’s still not real for her either, I’m sure, but she will be a great helper and sister.

Well, there it is…the biggest news in our little family for a while. All while this has been happening, my side of the family has been full of other drama. Each of the five Staples children has been having big and exciting events happening.  Our adventure and news has been just one of those, but I am so grateful for parents who are concerned about and love us individually and for siblings who love and support each other.  I’m part of such a great family.

I’m anxious to have the ultrasound and see what that will tell us. It will be good to have that confirmation just before our holiday of gratitude. We have so much to be grateful for, and I’m glad that this time of year helps us remember and count our many blessings. For we truly have been blessed more than we could ever imagine.