My, my...it's been a while. I would be ungrateful if I didn't say how overwhelmed I am by all the love and support we have received over the past few weeks. I have 'ditto' what my wonderful husband said in the previous post. I feel truly blessed to have so many people, near and far, that care so much about us and what we have been through. I am still trying to get around to the countless emails, texts and facebook messages we have received by people who have expressed such sincere sympathy and understanding of how difficult these last few weeks have been. I'm not going to lie, it's been rough. All I can say there have been lots of tears, lots of pondering, and lots of love.
I haven't posted recently because I wanted to wait until I was in a better place and the dust had settled a little. It might be forever until that happened so here I am. I have also had school to keep up on and I let me say how blessed I have been. I had to take a Peds test just two days after finding out about our negative cycle and I literally studied for an hour before the test and pulled off a 94%. Crazy. Same thing with Psych (not my favorite class)...pulled off a 96% with very minimal studying. I am being forced to recognize by wonderful friends that I am being carried through this time, not abandoned.
There has been so much going on in my head these past few weeks. So many ups and downs but our hearts are healing. I need to hold onto the thought that keeps flooding my head that there is definitely a reason this did not work...for whatever reason, it's not the time for us to have a baby. It doesn't make this any easier but it's comforting. I keep asking why, why did this not work? The question why runs through my head about a hundred times a day but it hasn't been answered.
We had our "post-IVF consult" on Friday. We met with our doctor to discuss the failed cycle and to talk about maybe what might we do differently next time. I was having a great day, almost looking forward to the possibility of some closure but as I pulled into the parking lot, I was flooded with emotion and started to cry. The last time we were there, we were filled with so much hope. The dreams of becoming parents were almost tangible and now they are gone for now. We saw a couple sitting in their car, crying. I just wanted to rush over and hug them. We saw another couple, holding hands and smiling as they walked out of the clinic. I wanted to be them...they had so much hope. Anyway, the consult did not answer the illusive question of why but it helped to talk to about it with our doctor. She said she would up my medication just a little and have an ultrasound guided transfer next time. Blah, blah, blah. I can't even think about next time right now and I can't stop myself either. We told her it might very well be another year before we could afford to do it again and she said we were fine as my age goes.
We are eager to be happy again. We have been doing okay and trying to get life back to normal, whatever that is. We might need to redefine normal. Normal, for us, has been a year of penny pinching, second jobs, baby name discussions, what to do with our extra room. It's funny...thinking about bringing a baby home, our house started to seem too small. Now, it seems so big, so empty, too much space. I have been fighting with myself to not go back to that dark place I have been before finding out about our infertility. It's a place where I can't be happy for people when they announce they're pregnant. A place where I am judging how deserving someone is of having a child (seriously, a mother of four who has custody of none of her children because she can't stay off drugs...not deserving). A place where I question what have I not been doing right to not deserve a child. Michael keeps reminding me that is not how it works. I'm fighting it and I am doing well. It's hard though.
Gosh, I sound like I'm manic. I'm really not. I'm still sad, I still shed a few tears everyday, I still am trying to understand but I am also trying to move on. This is by far the most difficult thing I have ever experienced in my life. That Monday we found out was the worst day. I never knew a heart could hurt so much. But, we both have come so far since that day. We laugh, we joke, we even hope a little.
A friend sent me this video and for someone who can be as impatient as I, it helps put thing into perspective.
13 years ago
:) I love and admire your honesty! And I know exactally what you mean about "judging how deserving someone is of having a child" My AUNT got pregnant with TWINS NATURALLY!!!! It was pregnancy number five for them. I couldn't help but think really do they need TWO more babies?!?!?! (by the way it was an unplanned and not necessarcally desired pregnancy) All I wanted was one, just one baby.
ReplyDeleteHang in there girl! You'll be ok! You'll find a new normal and then something else in life will change!
I love how you express yourself and you truly inspire me. Thank you for sharing the video of President Uchtdorf. Such a beautiful message.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. I needed it more than I knew. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI just want to lock you both in the biggest hug ever ever ever. What you've said here is eloquent and inspiring, and I'm so proud to be your friend. Love you!
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