Here We Go Again

May 22, 2017Leave a comment

In 72 hours, I will be sitting with my feet up, taking it easy and bracing myself for another dreaded 2ww {2 Week Wait}. The week I’ve been longing for is finally here, transfer week, and I could not be more anxious, excited and most of all, scared.

I feel like I have been longingly waiting for this week to get here since the most painful day of my life, the day I met my lifeless son. As I sat in my hospital bed in all my hurt and anger, I knew I wanted to try again. I wanted another shot at a baby and I was willing to put my body through whatever necessary for the chance of a full and healthy pregnancy. In those moments and the months to follow, I never felt fearful, only anxious and impatient. But with every “setback” that followed, it seemed my body understood what my mind did not; that I wasn’t really ready. I needed time to heal, physically and emotionally.

And here I am now, physically prepared, but realizing I’m still emotionally damaged. Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to be here again, but if I’m honest, I’m terrified as well. Eric and I find ourselves preparing for if/when it doesn’t work and having the conversations that I didn’t think I would ever have….that we are close to the end of this road no matter the results. I’m doing my best to think positive, but also preparing for the possibility of another failed round; a self-preservation tactic that is vital to my mental health.

In the next couple of days, I will continue to prepare myself emotionally and physically. On Wednesday morning, I’ll undergo my 6th IVF procedure in under 2 years. My prayer is of course that this will end in success, but I know that even if there is a double pink line in my future, the nerves and fear will only continue. I know that even with the best case scenario, I may still doubt and struggle to feel the unadulterated joy over the life growing in me. I need the strength that only comes from above, then and now, to take my fear and worry away.

In the last 20 months, since we started this journey, I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I ever realized. I have pushed the limits with my body and my mind. I have gained relationships that mean so much to me with women I’ve never met. My marriage has been tested and came out stronger for it. My son has a new understanding of life and of death and speaks with joy of the reunion we will have one day in Heaven. I have discovered that God has meaningful and beautiful purpose even in tragedy.

I pray that these discoveries, rather than fear, would fill my mind in the upcoming days. I pray for peace and reminders that God is in control and that whatever the outcome, His will be done.

A Happy & Difficult Day

May 14, 2017Leave a comment

Last year, on this day that we celebrate all things “Mother”, I wrote my very first blog. For the first time, I exposed myself in a more real and emotional way to anyone who cared to read about my journey to becoming a mommy again. I truly felt called to share my thoughts and experience in hopes that it would not only help me to process what I was going through, but also to help anyone else struggling through this difficult venture. I can hardly believe it’s been a year already.

In that year, there have been many emotions. I have cried tears of sorrow and tears of joy, I have been grateful and I have been angry, I have experienced life followed by death too soon. It’s been a tough year.

Last year when I sat down to write my thoughts out, I was preparing for another cycle of IVF that would end in heartbreak. I didn’t know then what the next year looked like, but I faithfully expected that by my next Mother’s Day, I would be holding a baby in my arms or at the least in my womb.

Instead, I hold my dear Isaiah’s ashes close to my heart nearly every day. The memory of him is always with me and not a single day goes by that I don’t think of him. I never got to feel his strong little kicks, I never saw him take a breath, I never felt his fingers grip mine. But I did get to see him flutter on the screen, heard his beautiful heart beat, and carried him for 16 weeks. I held him close to my body, wrapped in soft blankets and cared for him like any mommy would. I am still a mommy again this Mother’s Day, just not how I envisioned it.

I woke up this morning, excited to receive my hand made card and a booklet of drawings Lincoln made at school for me. I did not anticipate the hurt I would be feeling today, the sadness of seeing no baby bump under my dress, the envy I would feel of others who have not experienced infertility and loss. I wasn’t expecting the emotions I found myself having as I sat in church surrounded by happy families and their happy mothers. This Mother’s Day is harder for me than the last.

This year, I am that much more aware that I need to count my blessings and be grateful for the child I have with me on Earth. I realize the hurt that so many other women are feeling, women who have not been able to experience motherhood and who dread this day. I have been there and you are not alone or forgotten on this happy and difficult day.

I am so fortunate to know the joy {and craziness} of motherhood and to live it everyday, but I will also still always know the pain of infertility and loss. Today of all days, be kind to your mothers and be grateful for everything they have done and sacrificed for you, but please also remember and pray for the childless, that they too would someday share in the joy of this day and have children to celebrate over them.

A Great Report

May 5, 2017Leave a comment

Anymore, I always brace myself for bad news when going in to see the doctor. I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Today was no different.

Today I had my baseline ultrasound for our next IVF cycle. I haven’t been in since my last surgery and didn’t know what to expect today. We hoped to see a clear picture on the ultrasound, a smooth surface to work with for our next transfer, and that is just what we found!!!!!

The uterine lining was thin {what we want to see at this point} and my hormone levels were nice and low {another great sign!} and physically, I look ready to go. Emotionally, I think it will get harder again when we get closer to transfer, but I’m ready to move forward. We scheduled my next appointments and got the scripts for my meds and reviewed the process. My doctor is changing up nearly everything we’re doing. I won’t have to take nearly as many shots {awesome news!} and may not need to use the estrogen patches that make me break out in rashes and itch uncontrollably {another win!}. She is concerned however, with my lining and how it may or may not progress.

The uterine lining is important for the embryo to implant. It has to reach a certain thickness or implantation would be impossible. I’ve never had issues with my lining in the past, always been great in that area actually, but D&C’s and miscarriages are known to wreak havoc on this apparently 😦 I was instructed to take some over the counter supplements as well as cut caffeine out. Apparently caffeine makes a significant difference to the blood flow….and I’m more than eager to give that up if it means the difference between a transfer and no transfer! I’ll also be starting acupuncture again to reduce stress and also promote the lining!

I’ve already started on some oral estrogen today and will follow up in a week to do blood work to ensure the dosage I’m taking is working. The following week I’ll have another ultrasound and then some more labs. And then, as long as all goes well between now and then and my body responds as it should, the big day is scheduled for May 24th!!!! I’m beyond excited to finally have this on the books!

The memory of the miscarriage is still always close and the fear of it happening again is always there. I would be over 7 months at this point if life had not taken a different path. I’m reminded of that every time I see someone with a cute baby bump or hear of another pregnancy announcement or see a sweet newborn. This is always conflicting for me. I’m happy for the healthy pregnancy and babies others are experiencing, but it still hurts to envision where I would have been in my own. I make the very conscious decision to not dwell in what could have been and move forward with where I am now in life. I think about the positives I have all around me, I’ll flip through our photos of Isaiah, and I think through how this tragedy has brought me closer to friends and family and deepened my faith. Those are truly positive things!!!

Overall, this was a really good day! To top it off, it’s Friday and it’s GORGEOUS outside!

A Quick Prayer Request

March 26, 20171 Comment

Hey all, just wanted to put a quick update and prayer request out there!

This last week has been a little easier, I have felt less anxious and have had several reminders that God is bigger than all of this and He has me in His arms. Thank you for your prayers, kind words and support as we continue to navigate this bumpy road.

I had an appointment with my doctor on Thursday just to follow up from the DNC from a couple of weeks ago. My healing has been a little on the slow side, but I’m finally starting to feel more like myself again physically. The doctor confirmed that all of the tests they ran after the DNC, biopsy and blood work, all came back normal. No inflammation of the uterine lining, no infection….BUT {there is always a BUT!!!!} it’s possible I will have to have another DNC this week 😦

I’ll go in this week sometime {no date set yet} and will have a repeat SIS. This is the procedure I had a few weeks ago when they discovered the left over placenta and I had to be taken for the emergency DNC. This is again just to ensure that my lining is clear of any blood clots, polyps, and of course, any additional lingering placenta. If all is clear, we will move forward in the next few weeks with IVF. If there is left over placenta, another DNC will be necessary.

We are praying for good results, that everything will be clear and we get the green light. Eric has been instructed that he WILL be at this appointment with me…..both myself and Eric {and my doctor!} don’t want to run the risk of a 3rd phone call telling him to rush to the hospital.

So can I be honest? I’m struggling to stay positive about this procedure. I’m preparing myself for the worst, for another set back, for more bad news because it’s easier to deal with if I’m already expecting it. I know that thinking negatively will certainly not sway the odds in my favor, but I feel like neither will staying positive. So honestly, I’m just trying to stay neutral, give it to God and trust that He will never leave our sides, that He still has a plan for all of this.

We would love for your prayers to surround us again this week. We know that God hears each prayer and works powerfully through them. I feel so much more at peace knowing that we have the backing of a praying army, encouraging us, lifting our spirits, and praying for our desire of another child to become a reality. Thank you!!!

The “D” Word

March 18, 2017March 18, 2017Leave a comment

When Eric and I first realized that our path to parenthood was going to be a struggle, I was embarrassed. I’ve shared before that for the first few years, we didn’t tell anyone except for a few family members, that we were even trying to concieve. When others asked about our plans for kids, we would force a smile and tell a small lie, saying “when it happens, it happens” or “we’re not in a huge rush for kids yet”, all the while dying inside. It hurt so much keeping that secret and with every inquiry, I felt more alone and more like a failure.

Then we reached the point of fertility assistance and I couldn’t keep the lie going. For several reasons, we decided to put it out there to all of our family, friends, co-workers and anyone else who cared to ask. The first few times admitting our shortcoming out loud, was tough. Even though we had no control over our situation, I still felt shame associated with our infertility and by keeping that secret in the dark for so long, my shame about it had grown more and more.

But as we shared our situation, it got more comfortable to talk about. No one shunned us for being infertile, no one laughed in our faces for not being able to “get the job done”. Nobody judged us or thought less of us. Instead, we received support, prayers, hugs, numerous “I-had-no-idea”‘s, and so many more positive things. By shedding light on our burden, I was able to breathe again, the weight of it felt lifted off our shoulders, and it was one less distraction as we went through IVF. I wished I had been strong enough not to carry that secret and sought support sooner!

I lead with this backstory, because I’m about to open up again about a very real struggle I’m currently facing. It’s a struggle that I again have no control over and that anyone who knows what our last couple months have looked like, let alone our last 1 1/2 years, would likely expect to be there. But even knowing all of that, I’ve still kept this in the dark, not wanting to say it out loud, letting this “secret” grow and cloud my mind and invade every happy space I have.

Last night this struggle finally came to head and I knew I had to say it out loud to Eric or it would consume all of me. Being healthy mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically for my husband, son and self is more important to me than my pride. It had to come out.

When I finally spoke the word out loud, the ugly “D” word, and shed light to it, I again felt that sense of freedom, like I could breathe again, and that the grip it had over me, loosened. It felt good to share that burden, to know I wasn’t in it alone anymore, and so I want to share it with you all as well and hope that I’ll receive the same kind of support I did when we admitted our struggle with infertility. I don’t want this looming over my every thought, stealing away the joy in front of me right now. I want to feel like me again.

Since losing Isaiah, I’ve been battling depression and have been fighting it alone. Some days I feel fine, and others are really low. I struggle to find the positive things in life right now. It’s really hard to admit, but I have honestly had the thought that not being here anymore would just be easier. I wouldn’t have to face this loss and grief anymore, my stress at work would be gone, and I would get to be with my Isaiah and hold him again. Even though I have all kinds of supportive, loving and caring people around me {and I thank each of you deeply, because there really are sooooo many of you}, I’ve still felt low and in the dumps. I have so badly wanted to be strong and face these hard times with a positive attitude, that I’ve put on a front, even to myself, that I’m better than I really am.

Now before you get too alarmed, no I have not had thoughts of harming myself and I still know the amazing things I do have in my life, but I’m just having a hard time enjoying them to their fullest right now. I’m not at a place where I would want to throw away being Eric’s wife or Lincoln’s mom because life is too much. I can still see the blessings in front of me but I’m not able to be the best blessing to them right now because of where my head and heart are at.

I want to shed light to this sickness inside of me right now, so that God can use it for His glory rather than the devil, and I want to feel happy and be positive again! I know that I am not the only one who has suffered in silence with depression, too afraid to open up about it. I want to be stronger than the urge to hide myself away, and give myself the support I know I’ll receive by sharing.

I hope that if anyone else is reading this and finds themselves in a dark place, that you too would find a safe place and admit how your struggling. Know that you don’t have to broadcast it on a blog to feel better—because honestly, admitting this on a blog is scary! Just admitting it to yourself and to God can be a relief and the first step in the right direction.

Life is hard and every one of us struggles with something. Your struggle may look different than mine, but finding support for the struggle makes all the difference. God never intended for us to do life alone, and so if you are struggling right now, find that safe person and be willing to open yourself up. I know it’s hard, I’m an introvert and would rather keep to myself at all times!!! But God gave me the strength years ago to open up about a personal struggle, and He’s doing it again now. He’ll do the same for you, you just have to take the first step.

Still Waiting

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017Leave a comment

Just an update to how things are going in our baby-making pursuit.

This last week I’ve finally began to test negative on with the HPT {Home Pregnancy Test}. We are over a month out from our loss of Isaiah and I’ve tested nearly everyday. Each morning, bitterly discovering the double line. I never thought I’d be in a situation where I was disappointed seeing a double line 😦

But finally last Monday, the double line vanished and I was so excited to think we could move forward! I contacted my doctor’s office right away and they scheduled me to come in for blood work to confirm the HCG {pregnancy hormone that causes the double line} was indeed low enough.

Based on all of our experience with IVF and the procedures I know I’ll need done before we can begin again, I also know I have a limited window of time from the start of my cycle to when I could have said procedures performed. Between days 3- 10 I am needing to have a saline ultrasound to again ensure no polyps have sprouted and also an endometrial biopsy. I’ve had each of these a few different times and both are just has uncomfortable as they sound.

Again, both procedures are time sensitive and I’ve also now discovered, hormonally sensitive. My HCG has to be at a 5 or lower and I also have to be within the 3-10 day window of my cycle.

Having never been through a miscarriage, one thing I did not realize is how long the HCG stays in one’s system. I would have assumed my body would figure out quite quickly there was no baby to nurture and would level out within a week or so. Well, just like the weight gain does not fall right off, nor do the hormones in the body.

Last Monday, my blood came back at a 17.2 for HCG. I was obviously disappointed because this meant I was not low enough. I went back in on Wednesday for a follow up draw and was at 13.4….still too high. This morning I went back in and was sorely discouraged to find that I’m still at a 12 😦

Unfortunately, this ultimately means we will have to wait at least 1 more cycle before we can begin again. The slightly elevated HCG would cause for any results from tests/procedures done, to be skewed. 7 measly points means another 2 1/2 – 3 weeks of waiting because there isn’t enough time for it to drop and me still be in that 3-10 cycle day window.

Now you may be thinking “it’s only another 2 1/2-3 weeks, that’s not so bad” and really, you’d be right in your thinking. However for us, the wait is agony and every day that goes by is another day further behind in our timeline of bringing home a baby. Yes, we know, God doesn’t work in our time, and we accept and understand that, but it doesn’t make the hurt go away or the waiting any easier.

So for now, not much as changed. I’ve started birth control to start regulating things out in my body….another necessary step in the process. I haven’t yet received the results back on the genetic testing performed on me, but I’m curious to see what they will reveal. Please pray that l have boring results and that there will not be another roadblock or hurdle placed in front of us in this journey!!!

What Should Have Been

February 7, 2017Leave a comment

They say time heals all wounds, but how much time does it take to start to feel some relief?

Lately my mind has been clouded with the thoughts of the should-have-been’s. Last week Friday I was scheduled for my 20 week ultra sound and should have been only just discovering that our beautiful baby inside of me was a boy. This weekend I should have been excitedly prepping our nursery for our bundle of joy, but instead I buried myself in my work. Each morning and night I’m reminded that there should have been a growing baby bump, but instead there is just the left over weight gain from all the shots, medications, patches and pregnancy weight gain. I should have been writing a happy blog, sharing ultra sound photos and updates on our boy, but instead I’m writing this.

Time has not yet healed this wound, but it’s slowly scabbing over. My days go quickly but the memory of Isaiah is never far from my mind, and when my world slows down, the pain creeps in again. I know it’s good for me to feel this pain, that I must in order to properly grieve and move forward. Honestly sometimes I cling to it, I feel closest to Isaiah when my heart is heavy with this grief.

Even though sometimes it feels impossible, Eric and I are still looking to the future. We met with our Reproductive Endocrinologist again about a week and half ago. She took lots of time with us, reviewed pathology and genetic results, and talked over our options moving forward. She was kind, compassionate, and honest with us that she unfortunately had no answers. She was as dumbfounded and shocked as us as to what has happened and tried her best to offer encouragement.

We reviewed that pathology found nothing wrong with Isaiah’s cord. There was no kink, there was no break. After discovering that there was nothing with the genetics, I had hoped and prayed we would find the issue lied with the cord, that this would provide us an answer and some type of peace. Instead, we have to accept that we will never know the reason for our Isaiah’s passing. Ultimately, the reasoning doesn’t matter, not really. What hurts more than not knowing the “why” is accepting that he’ll never be in our arms, he’ll never play with his brother, he’ll never hug us goodnight. Instead we must constantly remind ourselves that he is in a better place and that God has reasoning in this that is bigger than we can see right now.

Eric and I would covet your continued prayers as we walk through this. We continue to try to keep our eyes forward and are praying that God will grant us another miracle baby in our near future. Lincoln seems to be doing well, he will randomly mention Isaiah or ask a question about his brother, but his attitude and demeanor seems more like the Lincoln from before. We all continue to adjust and are still so grateful to all of you.

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” – Psalms 40:1-2

Isaiah Michael

January 16, 2017Leave a comment

****Please be aware, I am sharing some very personal and to us, beautiful, photos of our precious son, Isaiah, in this blog. We realize that these photos may be disturbing to some and so please do not scroll all the way through if you feel this may affect you. Thank you for taking the time to care about our Isaiah and hear his story.

Isaiah Michael Reuer came into this world much too soon. He weighed in at just 2.8 ounces and measured at 6.5 inches long! He was already a tall little boy, similar to his big brother! We enjoyed several hours with Isaiah’s body, had a photographer capture his perfect features, and he was snuggled by mom, dad, an auntie and grandma. We shed tears, gave him smiles, and assured him he was perfect to us and we would always love him.

I am continually comforted by the life verse we chose for our baby boy, Isaiah 43:2. This verse was shared with us on Wednesday morning by my aunt and was surely God using her to speak directly to us.

When I read this verse that morning, I knew that if our baby was a boy, his name would be Isaiah. We had rushed to pick a name for our potential son, the evening before. We were anticipating a girl. My pregnancy had been so different from the last and if I’m honest, we hoped for a little girl. We have had a daughter’s name picked out for several weeks and had not really given much thought to anything else. We went back to the list of names we had picked out several years prior, the list that we had ready incase Lincoln had a twin brother in there, and agreed to one of those “back up” names. {We had Lincoln’s name picked out years before we were blessed with Lincoln!} The name was not necessarily special, it held no significant purpose or place in our hearts. But on Wednesday morning, when we needed some comfort and peace, God spoke to us using my aunt and through Isaiah 43 and provided that to us.

We envision our dear boy, laughing, running, and playing in Heaven. My very first image of him was being greeted by my grandma, holding hands between her and my grandpa, and my sister Michelle loudly announcing to anyone and everyone who would listen, that her nephew Isaiah was there! I know that he is surrounded in warmth, love and all things happy right now. I know that Jesus is holding him while I can’t. I know that one glorious day, we will be reunited and I can finally kiss him, hug him, and be with him for eternity. I know that this pain I feel now, is only temporary, and that God will use it for His glory.

While we wait for that reunion, we are holding each other. We are finding praises for God and begging for comfort. We are so fortunate for our Lincoln and realize even more, how miraculous his life is and we know, God has such a big plan for him! We are also thanking God for all of you, for your support and your prayers. We know with all certainty, that we are getting through these days because of your prayers, because of your kind words and messages, because of your love for us and our family of 4. We are hurting, but we will adjust to our new “normal” and though time may not completely heal this wound, it will help.

Lincoln is processing as well. Yesterday we received a gift from a friend, the children’s version of Heaven is For Real. We read this and looked at the beautiful pictures. It brought some questions up for Lincoln, but he is fairly quick to move on. I don’t think it’s out of avoidance, I think it’s purely because he’s 5 years old! This morning he expressed a small amount of anger over the situation, asking why God “stole Isaiah”? He was upset that God would “steal” him from us and he wanted to see Isaiah here, in our home. He doesn’t quite understand how he could still be a big brother without a baby to show off. Please keep him in your prayers. He was so excited to be a big brother finally and often would share with people that his mom was pregnant! He’s already asked if we can try again, for another baby.

As I look forward into this next week, I’m not yet sure what it looks like for me. Physically I’m still healing. I have all the soreness you would expect after a delivery, just on a much smaller scale. Today my milk came in {TMI for any of you guys, sorry!} which feels like such a cruel joke. It is a reminder though, of how incredible God has created our bodies and that mine is responding like it should. I guess that’s a good sign, but it still hurts!

Eric and I both have to face getting back into the routine of work and home life, without a growing baby belly. We have swimming lessons, work schedules, school activities, and bills to pay. Life moves on and so must we.

Isaiah Michael, you will never be forgotten and you are always in our hearts. I feel blessed to have carried you for 16 weeks and we are fortunate to have held you in our arms for the few hours that we had. You are loved and your short life is not insignificant, but rather holds a much bigger and beautiful purpose. I’m honored to be your mommy always.

The worst day of my life

January 13, 2017January 13, 2017Leave a comment

I was finally able to sleep a combined total of 2 1/2 hours Wednesday morning. It wasn’t great sleep, I was restless, and the first time I woke up I had to remember why my eyes were so puffy and my head was throbbing…because I had been bawling all night the night before. Because my baby had no heartbeat. Because in a few hours I would be going in to deliver his lifeless body.

I got up around 6, began to pack my bag, get dressed in comfy clothes, and put on makeup I knew would smear off later. Eric also got up and we cried together a little. I checked all the kind comments that came in on Facebook and emails. A few new texts to read and respond to. I went to the bathroom and discovered a small amount of blood. The tears flowed slowly and I thought, my body is confirming what is going to be happening today.

My parents came a little before 8. We talked together, they offered support and listening ears mostly, and before they left my dad prayed over us. It’s so amazing having a family that believes together and prays together not just in the good and easy times, but in the really hard, dark, angry times. That’s what holds us together.

We said our goodbyes to Lincoln, he was off to play hooky from preschool for a couple of days and instead give farming a try with Grandpa. It was a no brainer when we asked what he’d rather do, school or the farm! That boy loves his grandparents and the farm!!! We acknowledged to him that we’d be going to the hospital and that baby would be taken out of me. I don’t recall him asking too many questions, he was too excited to go!

We headed out a little before 8:30. We were told to check in at the front information desk when we got there and someone from registration would take us up to labor and delivery. We expected that there would be a note in our file, an asterisk next to our name, or something indicating why we were there so there would be no probing questions, no insenstive mentioning, just kind smiles and understanding nods.

I was holding myself together pretty well. My eyes were swollen, yes, I showed of weariness and exhaustion, but I was able to carry myself upright and I saw that as a huge win.

I informed the older, sweet lady at the front information table that I was directed to check in there today, gave her my name and date of birth. She sweetly asked, “Ok, for labor and delivery?”

“Yes”

“Ok, are you in active delivery?”

My first thought was, “really, do I look like I’m 9 months pregnant?” But I didn’t say that, I couldn’t possibly say that. Instead, I began to loose my control over the tears and they streamed down my face. I shook my head and faintly whisper, “no”, shaking my head so I knew she wouldn’t need to ask again for lack of understanding all the devastating responses I was giving.

Eric took over and I covered my face. I realized there was no indication behind our name, advising we needed gentle hands working with us. That we would have to be strong until we could break apart in our private delivery room.

She asked a few more questions. Eric was getting annoyed I could tell. The receptionist did gentle her approach with us, she understood why we were there without us verbalizing it, and once checked in advised someone with the registrar would be down to take us to our room.

A few minutes later, a 20 something young man came to greet us and take us to our room. English was not his first language and he too had not been given any memo that we were there on the worst day of our lives. I had settled my tears by that time and when we heard my name, Eric grabbed our overnight bag. He asked how we were, but again because English was not his first language, didn’t attempt to make much small talk other than to ask Eric if we were staying a few nights. This was a relief because I didn’t want to make small talk.

When we arrived on the floor and there were thankfully no pregnant women in the hallways that I could see. I could not hear anyone celebrating a newly arrived baby. I could not hear anyone screaming in pain as they delivered their full term bundle of joy. This was a gift. But then I looked up at the walls and saw how they were lined with beautiful photos of newborns and infants. My knees got weak and I again lost the ability to control my tears. I stepped away from the nurses station and allowed Eric to sign whatever needed to be signed. The registrar gentlemen did not need English to be his first language to figure out why we were there at this point. He was very uncomfortable and very quickly told Eric and myself what to sign and then walked us back to the furthest corner of the floor to our private room. He quickly gave me my ID bracelet to confirm it was me and wrapped in on my arm. He was out the door quicker than he came in. {We shared a laughed with the nurse about this later! 🙂 }

We met our nurses and I had a few more breakdown moments. Emily, our main nurse, was so sweet, almost too sweet in my moments of anger, but was just exactly the person who needed to be there with us in that moment. She was soft-spoken and kind and took so much time to explain what would happen and answered so many, what seemed like odd questions, that we had. She told us about different services that were offered in this situation and different options we would have after baby was born. There would never be any rush on us to decide anything or do anything. Everything would go at our time and our choosing.

My OB came a little while later. She too was perfect. She was a new OB for me. When we discovered we were pregnant and I graduated from my fertility clinic for OB care, I called my original OB and discovered she was not taking new delivery patients anymore and was working towards retirement. I was so disappointed, she delivered Lincoln and I loved her. Her nurse gave me my new OB as a recommendation and I had already heard good things about her, so we gave it a shot and luckily she had an opening for me. Anyway, my 16 week check up was only my 2nd time ever meeting my OB and having to go through that with me, she was an absolute Godsend.

We discussed several options again and the whole process. She did not anticipate that I would deliver until likely after midnight, maybe 3-4AM, so it was going to be a long day. We reviewed how the medication they would give me vaginally would dilate my cervix slowly. I would only need to get to a 6 due to the tiny size of my baby, but that it would still contract and feel like a regular labor and delivery. It was going to hurt and I would be offered the IV pain meds and the epidural if I wanted this and that too would be my decision. We discussed the genetic testing afterwards and that the genetic counselor would come in to discuss that with us in further detail. We discussed after baby is born and what that looks like. We discussed the following morning and that she would be back at that time, she would not be able to deliver me but she assured her very sweet partner would. We took all the information, a deep breath, shed some tears, and waited for the next step.

Genetics came in shortly after and discussed all that that entails. We discussed the testing, the timeline and the cost. She and our doctor both confirmed to us that if we had tested our embryo during the IVF process and before we implanted this one, it would not have caught whatever happened to he or she now. That the genetic testing they would do on baby would most likely discover a fluke thing, a cord issue or possibly a virus/disorder I was carrying and we did not see, and that had we tested our embryos, we would likely still be in this situation. This did give me some peace. We agreed to have the genetic testing performed after delivery to see if we could determine the “why”.

They were finally able to get my IV in a little after 11AM. I have terrible veins after all of the procedures I have had done and am a tricky poke. They had to poke a few times before calling the IV team in to get the job done. Once that was in, they started the cervical medication and the clock began to tick down to delivery.

It was a really long day. Eric and I shared tears together randomly, we shared our story with the sweet nurses we had, we laughed about other things together. Laughter was such a sweet gift in the few moments we had it. We received so many amazing texts, messages on Facebook, emails….we felt so supported and loved and I cannot express the highest amount of gratitude we have to all of you for that enough times.

We had a few amazing people come visit us. It’s weird maybe, but it was so nice having visitors on our worst day ever. It was break from the loneliness and honestly, it was nice to chat about something else other than the obvious at times! Our amazing pastor visited and gave comforting words, told us we wouldn’t know what it looked like on the other side of delivery until we were there and likely God would grant us peace we would not be able to understand where we were in that present moment. He was right, I envisioned myself being a wreck, being angry, flailing my arms in distress and being all ‘whoa is me’. I couldn’t see a peaceful version of myself. But he prayed over us and the situation and it was so comforting having him there.

Friends brought us dinner around 6 and cared on us for a while. By that time, I had been having some more significant cramping and had already had 1 dose of the IV pain meds early in the afternoon….boy did that take the edge off! With that, I didn’t know if I would take the epidural or not, if the pain meds would be enough. Shortly after our friends left, my contractions intensified. I called the nurse in requesting another dose of the IV pain meds and asked that they also order the epidural. I decided the pain was too intense and I didn’t want to feel any more pain that I already was emotionally and mentally. The epidural certainly wasn’t going to affect baby and it would bring me physical comfort in the most distressing time of my life.

This time, the IV pain meds did nothing. Maybe they took the edge off a teeny tiny bit, but really, nothing. The contractions were getting more intense and I was only at a 2 at 7:30. It was going to be a really long night and I was going to have to endure the contractions a bit more because the anesthesiologist had another epidural inline ahead of me. I gritted my teeth and breathed through. The nurses got everything ready to go, got me in the gown and prepped for the epidural in the meantime. The contractions were getting so intense with little break between and I just prayed they would get there soon.

The nurses were having issues with my IV and so that was a hold up too. All the while, the pain intensified and I regretted not asking for the epidural the second I felt my first contraction. This was hell knowing that I was going through this pain and there was no living human on the other side of it.

Another friend was schedule to come a little after 8:30. I told Eric to tell her to hold off until after the epidural because I was in no condition to talk. Eric sat by my side, trying to console me through this. He offered to hold my hand but I said no. I instead gripped the rubber case on my phone, digging my sharp nails into that knowing I couldn’t hurt the phone but I could hurt Eric and I didn’t want to do that, not really. However, at one point I looked at him and blurted out “i just want to slap you in the face right now!” I’m not sure where it came from, well, I do, it was from all the pain I was feeling, but I wasn’t angry at him really! He kind of smiled and said “ok”. I kept my hands to myself though, like a good little girl should.

The nurse checked me again as we waited for the anesthesiologist to confirm that I could still get the epidural. The uncomfortableness of all of this was getting way over the 10 scale and I looked forward to the peace I know the epidural provides. She wasn’t sure though, she thought I might be too far at that point and called for her charge nurse to check me. {Oh, in the meantime, we had gone through the first amazing nurse, Emily, and the 2nd amazing nurse, Erica, and were now on the amazing nurse Becca}. The charge nurse too wasn’t sure if I could or could not have the coveted epidural or not and was going to call the delivery doctor in.

A few minutes later, while still waiting on the doctor and anesthesiologist, my pain subsided completely and in an instant a gush of warm fluid released from me. My water broke and when I realized what happened, I cried and cried and cried, knowing I was getting closer to loosing my physical baby forever. The nurse confirmed and cleaned me up, calling the charge nurse once again and her once again calling for the doctor. Meanwhile, the anesthesiologist showed up ready to stick me. I informed him I didn’t have pain anymore, at least not what I had been experiencing and so he could hold off until later. I could feel the sensation to push but I didn’t want to. Instead I held things together down there. I wanted to hold this baby in until the middle of the night that we had been prepared for. I needed a few more hours of being pregnant.

The doctor, the sweet doctor I had been told of, arrived and asked that I spread my legs a little so she could check me. When I did this, she asked me to bear down just a little and in that moment our baby was born.

I whaled like I could never have imagined possible. It felt so good to bawl uncontrollably. I knew there were happy moments happening in that hospital at my moment of complete and utter devastation, but I bawled for my situation, for the loss to Eric, for the death of our child way too soon. I cried for the year it took to get pregnant, for the painful shots and procedures, for the embryos lost before this one. I cried for the first trimester symptoms I went through, the discomfort of that. I cried for the future we lost.

They wrapped our beautiful child up as gently as they could. They body was so small and so fragile. They lifted baby to me to see and I asked what it was. The nurse told me it’s kind of hard to tell at that age, and then we saw the legs spread. The doctor agreed with what we were seeing….this was our son.

Eric held me and we cried together. We just lost our child forever, never having heard him cry, never seeing him take a breath, never smelling that sweet, amazing baby scent. We lost one of the greatest gifts ever given to us.

We held our son together and marveled at his body. He was so tiny, some of him still translucent and we could hardly move him without fear of him breaking. But he was beautiful and perfect. He had all of his fingers and toes, we could see his big biceps and long legs. His ears and his nose and his eyes were so precious. He was absolutely perfect in every physical way.

Isaiah Michael Reuer arrived in our arms at 8:27 PM on 1/11/17. He is loved by his parents, his older brother Lincoln, his 3 living grandparents and so many more relatives. He is joined with so many loved ones who have gone before us and he is rejoicing our creator in Heaven where we will meet him one glorious day.

An Unexpected Turn of Events

January 11, 2017June 20, 20186 Comments

Today started like all the others. I didn’t know this morning when I woke up that I would go to bed in tears, a completely different person.

I had my regular 16 week check up today. In the last week and a half, I began feeling the first few flutters of baby, making this pregnancy more real and exciting! Last weekend, Eric and I put together the new crib we purchased for baby and have been spending more time trying to organize the mess of a room that is baby’s. I was even confident enough to purchase a diaper bag and some gender neutral onesies. This was a big deal because I’ve been so paranoid for the next bad thing to happen.

Today was that bad day. Today I checked in for my regularly scheduled appointment not knowing that while I sat in the waiting room, I was only 1 instead of 2.

Eric didn’t come with me to this appointment. He had been out of the office half of yesterday waiting for the Century Link guy to come and fix our internet. He felt he really needed to be in the office and both of us assumed it was just a normal, average appointment and felt ok with him missing it.

When the doctor came in, we reviewed how I’ve been feeling. I was finally starting to feel better, my only complaint was a heavily used bladder and constant headaches. She assured me this was all normal and after about 10 minutes, I hopped up on the table to do the Doppler and catch a sound of that beautiful heart beat.

She struggled to search for it for about 2 minutes. She could tell I was starting to freak and assured me that this happens sometimes and that it appeared I was carrying pretty low and so this wasn’t anything to be too alarmed with. She pulled out the handheld ultrasound thing-a-ma-gigger and confidently searched for the heartbeat. Her confidence quickly drained when we could both see baby, but no fluttering organ. There was no movement from baby. There was no sign that things were ok.

She asked if my husband was at work and if so, was he in town? She advised I would need to be sent upstairs to the “real” ultrasound machine and the specialty pre-natal doctor and techs. She advised I should contact my husband and the nurse would bring me up to confirm what was going on. She confirmed my worries with her own, but that we needed to see for sure before calling anything.

I texted Eric to get there, that there was no heart beat.

This is not something I was prepared for, but at the same time, have been half expecting since we found out we were pregnant. You can’t possibly be prepared for something like this, to loose a child before they even had a fair shot at life. The first thoughts in my head were “what did I do wrong? was that too hot of a bath? should I not have had that caffeine?? did I push it too hard working out???”

Eric arrived and the ultra sound tech turned on the machine. She immediately confirmed there was no blood flow through the body which we could clearly see and there was certainly no heartbeat. The small amount of hope I had been holding onto was taken away and just like that, I was no longer carrying life.

They measured baby and it appeared that baby stopped developing at 15 weeks 3 days….less than a week ago. Nothing could be seen to indicate “why” on the ultrasound. The prenatal doctor came in to speak with us about our options and what could be done to potentially provide us with a “why”. It was easy for me to decide…I wanted to deliver this baby and be able to hold them, to know they were a boy or a girl, to take photos and prints and make some sad & cruel, but lasting memories.

I’m writing this now because after tomorrow, I don’t know how I’ll be. I don’t know how I’ll function or if I’ll remember as clearly what happened today. As much as this hurts, and so differently from all the other hurt the last year brought us, I want to remember it because this was real.

Tomorrow we will start our day as normal and bring Lincoln to school. Then we’ll head to the hospital, go to the labor and delivery floor, and be taken to the “back area” where the full term women will not be. I will be given medication to make my body begin the natural process of labor at an unnatural time. I will deliver our miracle baby too soon and we will hold baby for a while, name baby to remember them always, and love baby forever.

We are not guaranteed anything in this life and this pregnancy was no different. I’m clinging to God for strength right now and praying that He will carry me through. I always assumed that IVF would be the hardest battle to overcome and pleaded to God that I would know this devastating heartbreak. But here we are and here we must grow from.