I got the much-anticipated news this morning that I am done done done (!) with the shots! (Well, at least until next week when my levels get checked again). I've been off estrogen for about a week, and this morning, my bum thanked me for not poking it today.
This means (I'm told), that my placenta is now producing the hormones on its own in sufficient quantities that I don't need supplementation. Can I get an Amen! to that?
We are 12 weeks, 1 day today. By some calculators, that is the end of the first trimester. However, I also keep getting told that 13 weeks is now the "magic marker."
I'm still very nauseous and vomiting at various times of the day. Even with the meds. I try really hard not to take the meds unless I feel absolutely brutal, which means I'm taking one about every other day. I think I may be able to handle the nausea if I didn't have a 2-year-old to run after. But that, on top of work, just makes it very difficult to get through the day feeling like this. Again, the burden that comes with the blessing, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Friday we go in for our "first trimester screening". This is where they can do a bunch of measurements, blood work, etc. to gauge the "viability" of the fetus. They can also look for Downs Syndrome.
If you recall from my last post, I didn't want to do this screening. I still don't want to do this screening. Three reasons primarily: 1) the results won't change our plans -- we intend to continue with the pregnancy; 2) it can result in false positives; and 3) how much of a leg up will I really have knowing if the child has Downs? This child will still need to be loved, fed, changed, bathed, etc. The physical needs (as I understand it) of a Downs infant are the same for a non-Downs infant. I just want the ultrasound to say hi to the gummy bear again.
But my husband disagrees. He thinks it would be important to know and prepare, if necessary.
We've agreed to disagree and separately pray about it. For me, I still feel convicted we should not do the test. However, I also want to submit to my husband's decision. (You ever heard the great quote -- if wives knew what it REALLY meant to "submit to their husbands" -- they would never not do it? Because, submitting to their husbands means that wives get to duck while God knocks the husbands to their rear).
So, it will probably be a game-time decision.
Congrats on no more progesterone shots! They are killer! I can STILL feel my injection sites from my last cycle! I wonder if the soreness ever goes away. Although, I am gearing up for the next round, so, I can't worry about that now!
ReplyDeleteAlso, it so great that you are rounding the corner into the second tri-mester! You should theoretically start to feel really good, right? I hope that's the case for you!
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YAY!!! No more shots!!! That is awesome. Glad that things are going well. I have my last check up with my fertility specialist tomorrow and then in two weeks with my high risk Obgyn when I will be close to the end of the first trimester:) I am nervous about tomorrow but I am always nervous. You are a step a head of me so reading your blog gives me a heads up:)
ReplyDeleteHope you start to feeling better soon with the 2nd trimester.
Yay for no more shots! My rear still hurts every now and then from those awful things! Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteYay for being shot free now! :)
ReplyDeleteNO more injections! Yippee!!
ReplyDeleteLove that quote! Can't wait to see you this weekend!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear you are shot free now! I just took one in the rear myself.
ReplyDeleteI also love what you have to say about submitting to your husband. That is something I am still learning to do, and I must say I'm not very good at it yet!
Yay for no more shots! I am hoping my day will come on Mon. We have our 1st trimester screening scheduled for next Wed. My first reaction was totally like yours. I felt that this could cause anxiety when there may not even be anything to worry about (worry is a big struggle for me). Anyway, we decided to go through with it partly because we get another ultrasound and also we read on a pamphlet from the doctor that there are other conditions, such as certain heart defects, that could be detected by this ultrasound. And a few of them could even be helped before birth.
ReplyDeletePraying no one gets any cause for anxiety!
Yay for no more shots! I hope you start feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteYay for no more injections!!!! I hope you start feeling better soon. I know it doesn't make a difference to you if your child has anything that will show up on this test, I can totally see that, but as a NICU nurse, I think it's better. It's not to say this test might miss something and you find something out later (it happens), but you can prepare yourself for the diagnosis. I've seen parents absolutely distraught about the diagnoses and even for a baby with Down's, it could mean GI and heart defects and I'd rather know that there will be alot of testing once the baby is born, maybe some complications and know what to expect rather than being slammed with it at birth when I expected or hoped the baby would be healthy. Like I said, the test doesn't cover everything that could go wrong, but if you could know something and have time to process it, better to be prepared. There are other Trisomies (13 and 18) in addition to Downs (Trisomy 21) that the test looks for, and those have a poor prognosis. If it were me, I'd rather be prepared to know that my child would have a predetermined time on this earth than find out at birth and feel the devastation of the diagnosis and try to figure out how I wanted to best handle that year or period of time with them to make the most memories, not to mention prepare my other child as best I could. Just my two cents. I totally see your point, but I also see your husbands. I'll be praying for peace with whatever decision you come to and that the baby is healthy. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteYay for no more shots!!! I actually had to go back on them this week after being off of them for a week. It was quite the scare for me, but all is well with baby, so I am good : )
ReplyDeleteJust for thought... one of my best friends felt the way you did about the screening and so she and her husband did not get the testing done. They ended up having a baby with Downs (sweetest girl ever!) and now totally regret not having the test. Mostly because the day of birth was devastating for them because they were so underprepared and also because they then had to figure out all about her care at the same time of trying to recover physically AND have a newborn at the same time. Having to research all of the therapies, etc... at the same time of just having a newborn to care for was really overwhelming. Because of their experience, I definitely want to know. It doesn't change the outcome of the baby's birth, but it does help to be prepared. Even if it is a false negative. Hope you are enjoying pregnancy as much as me. You and I are in the same boat of having one by domestic adoption and now the second by embryo adoption. Fun stuff!! Happy Thanksgiving, friend!