Zoey Arrives .... Part 2

 Me... hours before my water broke!

So.... finally I am finishing this..

I came to my bedroom and laid down in the bed.  I dozed off as I knew I would.  I had had barely any sleep in days and had been up since 5am that day.  At 11:01pm I felt a gush.  I jumped out of bed and felt it gush again.  I yelled for Michael and ran to the bathroom.  Michael came in and asked if maybe I had peed on myself... lol  I replied that if I did it was still coming.  I knew that wasn't it.  I had called my mom from the bathroom and she was freaking out and rushing around to get to my house before we left.  I managed to call my doctor and he told me that it was ok and that I would have time to make it there. He also said that they would give me some meds to try to stop my labor for a bit and administer steroid shots for Zoey's lungs.  I started grabbing a few more things (I had already packed a few things along with Zoey's in her diaper bag) and I threw on my clothes.  I don't have a clue why I didn't throw on a pad ( I didn't when I had the massive bleed either).  I guess it's because I was rushing.  Instead of taking my car, my husband wanted to take his...(we actually just sold this car, too... anyway...) because it is faster.

Of course my car had gas and his didn't.  We ran to the gas station to get gas...we actually had to get it at "The Chicken" because Shell was already closed ... and there were a billion people there.  I was on my Blackberry (beloved phone RIP) the whole time with my friend Kim and my friend Deanna.  After getting gas, we ran back by my house and my momma was parked and waiting.  She grabbed Zoey's bag and car seat base from my car along with the car seat from her car and got in.  Off we went.... flying (literally) down the road.  For those of you who don't know my husband, let me tell ya, he is Mr. Fast.  He use to race his sports cars when he was young... this was his chance to do it again lol.  He flew to Knoxville.  Every time I would groan... he'd gun the car.  I was having contractions the whole way.  They were just funny feeling at first.. a little uncomfortable then they started to hurt a bit.  It was crazy and my poor momma was just Praying that we'd get there safely haha. 

We did get there safely.  I went to the ER and it was all too familiar.  I remember walking in the same ER with wet, bloody shorts back in July, now here I was walking in with wet maternity jeans and being wheeled up to have my lil girl!  What a blessing!   After arriving a L&D triage, I was welcomed by some of the residents that had seen me about 3 weeks prior for the BV infection.  They evaluated me and then put me in a triage room.  Another doctor, who was also pregnant, came in the check me.  The fluid didn't register as amniotic fluid on any of the 3 tests that they did.  She checked the fluid around Zoey via ultrasound and it was still pretty good... crazy!  I told her that I knew it was my water that had broken.. I knew I wasn't crazy.  She then checked me.  I was 4.5cm dilated.  They then knew that I was right... I knew I was in labor.  I had been feeling it all day and just didn't know that's what it was!  I always wondered if I would know a contraction... well I didn't.  It's true.  Folks tell you that you will just know that it's a contraction... well sometimes you just don't.  I didn't.  At least not until my water broke and they got harder.  I then realized that I had been feeling those all day and wasn't even realizing it. 

The pregnant doctor told me that I may go ahead and have Zoey.  I explained to her what Dr. Howard had said.  I also told her that if I had to have Zoey that night, I was requesting a C-section.  Now this has been a debate for awhile now between folks and I.  Mainly because everyone has a different view.  My view was only to keep my lil girl as safe as possible.  I have so many different issues (those of you who have followed our story know this) some of which could cause some issues with natural delivery.  I was in no way ready to take that chance... especially with a doctor that I didn't know.  I got a little heated with her and told her that I wasn't doing anything until I spoke with my doctors.  We ended on a good note..I wasn't trying to be rude but I did want her to know that I was serious about doing whatever my doctor felt would be ok for my daughter.

I was moved to a permanent room.  My doctor was called and they told me that they were starting me on some different drugs to try to stop my labor.  By then I was really feeling uncomfortable.  I probably would have moved really fast had I not taken these drugs but we were trying to get more time for Zoey so it was worth it.  I was also given a steroid shot around 1 am or so I think.  They told me that regardless of what happened with my labor, I would have this little girl by Sunday (November 29).  My water had broken and you are at risk for infection after that (and something did show up in my pathology report from the placenta). 

The whole night I was in and out of sleep.  Obviously, labor doesn't feel good... and the meds they gave me for pain just weren't cutting it.  I froze Michael and momma too death.  I was sooo miserably hot the entire time I was pregnant.  They slept on a fold out couch in my room under covers and coats.  You could almost see your breath.  I was laying there with my socks off, roasting.  

I took brethine and a few others.  I didn't have to do the magnesium, though they actually started to try that.  I was so glad I didn't have to.  The side effects from that, I have heard, are horrible. None of the meds worked to stop my labor.  They slowed down my progress somewhat but did not fully stop it.  The next morning, doctor Howard came in and talked with me.  He told me that they were going to stop trying to stop my labor.  After that I continued to have contractions.  They hurt but I have a pretty high pain tolerance so I just pushed through it.  At about 3 or 4pm, I was about 6.5cm dilated.  I signed off on the paperwork for my epidural and they came to administer it.

Now let me tell you... this was a mind game.  I knew that it would be best to do and I wasn't scared of the pain.  I was scared that I was going to move and paralyze myself.  The pain wasn't even that big of a deal because I was in a lot of pain from the labor.  It wasn't pleasant but definitely bearable.  They told my husband and mom that they had to leave the room and that was enough to freak me out.   I was already nervous and here my loved ones were leaving!  The nurse, who was pregnant herself, told me that she would hold my hand and she did until she had to move to do something.  I had to sit on the edge of the bed and lean forward.  It was so nerve wracking because I was afraid I would jerk during a contraction.  I kept saying, "Wait... let this one pass."  Obviously they had to do it during contractions because they were so close together.  The nurse had moved her hands and I told her that I desperately needed them back.  HAHA

After the epidural was in, they gave me a pain button.  Anytime I felt something, I could hit the button for more meds but it wouldn't give me more unless enough time had passed since the last dose.  My family cracked up at me because I loved that button and I would hit it and just be out cold for a few.  They laughed at me the whole time.

My dad and brother arrived shortly after.  They came in and sat with us.  I enjoyed having them there.  Next, my aunt and uncle showed up.  They had came all the way from Lexington!  We didn't even know they were coming.  It was so sweet of them and it just thrilled my aunt to get to be a part of the whole thing.  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law showed up next and were waiting in the waiting area because there could only be so many folks in my room at one time. 

 

  

 

I kept wondering how I would know when it was time to have this lil girl because I couldn't feel anything.  My mom kept saying that I needed to tell them to come check me and I kept saying that they would soon enough.  My mom, dad, bro, aunt, and uncle decided to go out for a few and let my inlaws come in.  They hadn't been there 2 minutes when I finally felt some odd pressure and called for the nurse.  They checked me (which I had dreaded because that part didn't feel so great especially while in labor) and said that I was 10cm + 1.  Ready to go! 

The nurses asked if my husband would be going with me.  He looked squeemish and said no.  We had already talked about it.  He didn't really want to watch and they said if he passed out that there wouldn't be time to get someone else.  I knew he didn't want to go and it didn't bother me.  It was one of those moments that I really wanted to share with my mom because I knew how long she had waited for this grandbaby.  I knew it would work out better for my husband and my mom this way.  I needed the support and didn't want to have to try to support him lol  So I called my mom's cell and told her to hurry.  She came in with everyone else and got dressed in the lovely surgical clothing : )  She still laughs that she wore her jacket in under those scrubs.  She was rushing too much and too cold from me freezing her, to stop to take it off!

They came and took me and my family all wished me well.  We got to the delivery room and they began to get things ready.  The nurses worked with me to get me to push.  It was so strange.  I always wondered what it would be like.  To be honest, it was like pushing out a major bowel movement.  LOL  I'm so not joking!  I went pretty fast.  The nurses were so nice. 

Within 30 minutes, Zoey arrived.  It was so odd to feel her slip right out.  So amazing!  My mom got to cut the cord and we were both crying!  My doctor didn't get there in time but the other doctors did just great.  She was born at 7:27pm on November 28 weighing in at 5lbs and 8oz and measuring 17.75 inches long!

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

My mom took pictures and was so excited.  She then went over to Zoey to take a few pictures until she  overhead them talking about my placenta abrupting.  Apparently it had but later when I asked my OBGYN ARNP, she said that the pathology report on the placenta hadn't made a big deal of it.  She said it was probably not a serious abruption if it had been.  Still that word just scared us because my mom had lost my sister due to an abruption and that's why I was so scared to have Zoey naturally.  They did send off the placenta.  They were all so amazed because it had grown really weird in my uterus and looked like two placentas joined together.  The pathology report (mentioned earlier) showed signs of possible meconium (baby's first poop) and signs of an infection that I had had.  Not sure if it could have been the BV infection from a few weeks before or an infection I had developed since my water had broken or an infection from day one.  Zoey didn't have issues with the meconium leakage in the womb so we weren't sure why that showed up.  Interesting to say the least!

I will never forget what it felt like to see my lil girl for the first time.  I was just amazed.  She looked so much like my baby pictures and for me to say that is something else.  I never am able to tell who a baby looks like that much.  I will never forget holding her for the first time and thinking, "Wow.  She's here and she's really my baby!"

 

  

  

 

I didn't get to hold her very long before they took her out the NICU.  She seemed very healthy but they had to take her to NICU because she was still a preemie.  A lot of people thought that just because she was a good sized baby for that gestational age that she wouldn't really be considered a preemie but a preemie just means that the baby is premature in development no matter their size.

I was taken back to my room with the nurse from the delivery room and she began to push on my belly to help my uterus push out everything.  Man... she pushed hard and it hurt.  I was bruised afterward.  Good thing my pain tolerance is high haha  She then ripped off the tape to my epidural and then took the epidural out.  The tape felt pretty bad, too.  Didn't realize how long that piece of tape was.  After doing a few other things, I was finally wheeled back with my aunt (who wasn't suppose to be there) to see my girl.

I got to see her and talk to the best neonatologist in the world... Dr. Wright.  I just loved him.  He actually had come to see me before I had Zoey and he was just so informative and nice.  He explained everything to me and I signed paperwork for her to be in the NICU then my aunt held her finger while they drew blood from her the first time... the first of many, many times.

Next, I got to feed her.  She had a bottle of formula... looooong story in the next post about this connection.  It was so amazing to hold this little girl and think that she was all mine and that I was feeding her.  At the same time, it was a little overwhelming as well.  But so wonderful!  My husband and I were just so happy with her!

 

  

  

 

I'll continue on in the next post with our NICU story which was long and very scary but rewarding in the end!

Much love!

11 weeks and 5 day checkup: Thursday June 25 ... URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS FOR YOU

I went to the doctor for my 3rd checkup. I was so very nervous (again) because the 2 days prior to the appointment, I had seen pink when I went to pee. I was so scared that it was baby related but it was coming from my urine. I called the doctor's office and they told me that we would check to see if I had another UTI at the appointment. So I waited... and worried... I know I shouldn't and I really try not to but at times I admit that I did.

By the morning of my appointment, I was no longer seeing any pink in my urine and when it was checked there was nothing there. My ARNP at the OB said that sometimes when the uterus lays on the bladder it can irritate it. Hmm... good to know : )

I had to then decide whether or not I wanted the first trimester screening. At the last appointment, I assumed everyone did it. So I assumed I'd do it, too. But after really thinking about it, I decided that I didn't want to do it. This screening can show up factors pointing to possible Down Syndrome in the baby. I knew that if it came out positive (and there are false positives), I would worry myself sick. My friends Deanna, Kim and my mom thought the same thing. When I told them I didn't want to do it they were fine with it.

Then a few minutes later my ARNP came and talked with me about it. I explained my concerns and she said that I could still have the fancier ultrasound to see how the baby was doing and to measure its nuchal translucency. I decided to go ahead and do the ultrasound... mainly because I wanted to get to see my baby longer and to see the measurements and all. And it was a longer ultrasound. I was nervous but the nuchal translucency measured to be normal.

It was very cool to see Baby BG though... he/she was asleep and laying on it's side (as I do). It was curled up in a ball and the ultrasound tech had to jiggle my belly to wake it up. It sprang to life, kicking and throwing it's little arms. Precious. Then it calmed down and she measured it. It measured perfect for that day... exactly what I was 11 weeks and 5 days. Before she finished it threw its arm up again as though it were waving at us. Mom kept saying "Wave at mamaw honey!" and it started waving again. So cute! I got a lot of neat pictures (they are more enlarged so it's hard to make out what you are seeing) and I am posting them at the bottom of this post.

I also had to do a bunch of blood work including a blood clotting test, glucola test, TSH test, urine culture, and cystic fibrosis screening as well as a pap smear and a breast exam. I think that was all of them. The glucose test started when I was being checked in. I had to drink a cup of orange liquid that was really, really sweet. Then they had to measure my blood sugar 1 hour later. The results came back well. My thyroid (TSH) test came back still a bit high so I am now up to 100 mcg of Synthroid. The urine culture, pap smear and breast exam, again, was fine. The cystic fibrosis screening hasn't came back yet and that only leaves one.... the blood clotting test.

I received a call on Wednesday of this week that my blooding clotting tests all came back good except for one. I was diagnosed with MTHFR on July 2nd. This disorder is a clotting factor issue that makes my body not absorb folic acid, B6 and B12 as it should. Imagine that... all the years taking folic acid and most of it probably wasn't reaching my system. Though I am still glad I did take it just in case it has helped in some way. It can cause neural tubal defects, Down Syndrome, and blood clots that can clot off in the placenta and block the flow of nutrients to the baby. The ARNP that I am gaining trust in was out of town this week so I talked with a nurse in the office who consulted with one of the high risk doctors and I was put on Metanx and a baby aspirin daily.

Now, as you guys know.. I research and it is a blessing and a curse to be like that because now I'm wondering if I need to be on shots. The high risk doctor didn't think so but I want to run it by my ARNP just to see what she thinks. Do I want to take more shots? No. I just finished my progesterone (2 shots every day alternating hips since February). But I want to do what's best for my little peach (that's how big it is this week so that's why I called it a peach). I just want to do the best thing. God has given me peace about the situation and I feel like it is going to be just fine but I just want to know that I have explored every avenue.

So, as always, PLEASE keep my baby in your Prayers. I just want it to be healthy and to be able to carry he/she as long as possible. God has been so good to me throughout my whole life and I praise Him each day for this blessed miracle that He has performed in my womb. I truly believe this baby is my miracle and I feel so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be a mother. I can't wait to hold my precious child and just sit in awe of all that God has created out of nothing. So amazing! Thank you Heavenly Father!

I also want to thank God for my loving family who are so wonderful and always there for me. My precious momma and daddy always have my best interest at heart and are always so selfless with me and my brother. I thank Him for my sweet little (not so little) brother who is growing up to be a fine young man. I also thank Him for my precious husband who truly loves me more than I could ever know. Thanks to God for my beloved grandmother, aunts and uncles, cousins, and in-laws. I just feel so truly blessed!

Ps. Pray for my husband's papaw... he's not doing too well and we are not sure if he's been Saved. We have talked to him about it but nothing has been confirmed and his sister has Prayed with him but we aren't sure. Also, Pray for my good friend Deanna's twins who were born on July 1st at 32 weeks and 5 days (I think). Abagail Grace 3lbs and 14.5 oz and Emma Alene 3lbs and 9 oz. They are doing good but still need our Prayers!

Without Further Ado..... Here's Baby Brittain-Goodlett AKA Baby BG (that's why I call him/her)

Baby BG on it's side, sleeping, curled into a ball and measuring smaller because of it!

Hard to make out but the head is on the right in all of these!

Baby BG's nasal cavity... cute little nose!

Genesis 30: 22 - And God remembered Alesha, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

So ... God did remember me. I am pregnant! Can you even believe that? I still really can't! Here's what happened:

I spotted yesterday... not enough to hit the paper really. I really thought that it was over, but I felt the peace of God. I felt it as I posted my blog entry last night. This morning I woke up to sore boobs. I still was pretty unsure. I went to work and was talking to my coworkers about how I thought it was over for the month. They kept saying that they had spotted during their pregnancy, too.

Fast forward to about 10:15 a.m. My students were switching classes and even though I was not planning to check my voicemail I kept looking to see if I had any. At that time, I realized I didn't have any. I was putting my phone back in my desk drawer and it started ringing. The number that showed up was a Knoxville number. I decided to answer it so I went behind my chart stand in my classroom so I would be on the phone in front of my kids. It was my doctor who proceeded to speak in a chipper, sunshine voice. She told me my test was positive. I was like, "Are you sure?" She said yes.

I was in shock. Complete shock! I stepped outside my classroom to continue talking. I told her about the spotting and she said that she definitely wanted to check my progesterone to be sure it wasn't getting low, especially since I was spotting yesterday (which didn't alarm her). She wanted it back today so she wanted me to drive to Knoxville to UT for the blood work. She told me that my HCG level was 29. She said it was a little lower than she wanted but that she wasn't worried about it as long as it kept doubling. She told me she was faxing all the orders to have the progesterone and the repeated HCG testing done over the next few days.

I was so shocked. I literally slid along the wall to the teacher next door, who was my 2nd and fourth grade teacher, and I said, "It was positive." She looked at me like what? I repeated it and she started screaming. I then went looking for my mom and found her in the teacher's lounge. I told her it was positive and she started screaming, "WooHoo!" I then called my husband who thought I was kidding! HAHA Then my friend Tina in the office and then my friend Deanna and Kim and my mother-in-law....etc. My momma called my dad, aunt, and brother. My aunt and brother knew all along... they just kept telling me that I was pregnant. My aunt said that God was speaking to her the whole time and letting her know that. She is such a blessing to me!

I walked around in a daze the rest of the day and left an hour early to head to UT. My mom and I were so exhausted driving. I was on the phone the entire way there. I had my blood work done and then got a call from my niece who is in Kindergarten. She told me that a little bird had told her that I was going to have a baby and then she proceeded to talk about what she was gonna do with the baby and etc.

Finally, at about 8pm I made it home after a pit stop at my mom's to see my dad and brother. I talked to my little cousin (she's in Pharmacy school and not really that little) and then I hit the shower. I took my digital test right before the shower just so I could see the word and there it was ... Pregnant!

I am still in shock! I Praise God for this blessing. I admit... I am nervous about all the levels and everything turning out ok. But God is good and He is faithful. I truly believe He will bring this to pass. Please... continue to Pray that everything goes well. That the progesterone is ok and that the HCG levels continue to double. I will keep you posted.

Thanks for all the Prayers you have Prayed and will be Praying. I love each of you more than you know even though I haven't met most of you!

Most of all... THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER.... SO MANY BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON ME. I AM SO UNDESERVING. I AM NERVOUS BUT ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU ARE GOING TO DO. THIS CHILD IS YOURS FIRST AND FOREMOST AND I DEDICATE IT'S PRECIOUS NEW FORMING LIFE BACK TO YOU EVEN NOW ON THIS FIRST DAY THAT I KNOW OF IT'S EXISTENCE. THANK YOU PRECIOUS JESUS FOR THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME AND THE HOPE THAT I HAVE IN YOU!

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Love in Him,

Waiting it out ....

First and foremost thanks to all of you who are Praying so hard and to those who have left sweet, sweet words of encouragement ... family and friends alike! You'll never know just how much you are appreciated.

I am feeling not so great today. I've been on an emotional roller coaster the past few days. Just the ups and downs of dreading finding out this news. I still have Hope that this is my month, but I am still a bit scared as well and exhausted more than anything. I feel like I won't be waiting too much longer because I feel like I'm trying to start my period. My lower back hurts and I feel really jittery. (I do the 'jittery' thing sometimes before my period). I also feel really nauseated. It's a toss up because periods and pregnancy have a lot of the same symptoms. I won't be surprised to see red soon even though I really hope that I don't.

I have really felt God speaking to me in these last few days. Last night I was watching Pastor John Hagee (I record his preaching) and he was speaking about hope. He said that hope is not just wishful thinking... our Hope is in the Lord. I've always known that but the things he brought out in his sermon just really touched my heart. This morning I was having my Prayer time and I wanted to hear a song before I started reading my Bible. I accidentally clicked on a link which took me to Natalie Grant's Myspace page and the song "Our Hope Endures" began to play out of the blue. I had heard that song on one of my many long trips home from the RE. This song I am not claiming as my theme song! I just sat and cried the entire time that it played. God is soo good even in the midst of these storms. Here He is trying to provide peace to my troubled. Thank you Father!

I don't know what will happen in the next couple of days. I honestly don't. I know what my heart wants to happen ... I want to find out that I'm pregnant and begin a journey that will be hard but worthwhile. Most importantly, as hard as it may be for me to accept, I want God's will in this situation more than anything and in my entire life for that matter.

Please continue to Pray my faithful sisters (and brothers who read or keep up in some way). Pray for God's will and Pray for my heart and my well being regardless of this outcome. Pray for guidance from Our Heavenly Father as to what to do in the coming months. Pray for peace and mercy. And Pray for others who are out there (like my friend Dena) who are also awaiting their news, whether it be about infertility or some other problem.

Please enjoy Natalie Grant's "Our Hope Endures":




Lyrics:

Our Hope Endures
By Natalie Grant

You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here
Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with the woman whose body is racked
With illness, oh how can she laugh?
Oh, 'cause sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient
We never walk alone
And this is our hope

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged


Much Love to Each of You!

5 Left Sided Eggs..... Wowing Estradiol Levels... It's all up to the Tube ... nah... Actually it's up to God!

Continuing to claim :

Genesis 30:22 (King James Version)

²²And God remembered Alesha, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Well.......

I still have all 5 eggs growing! That was great news. The even better news came at about 4pm this evening when my RE called to tell me that my estradiol levels were around 2,011 ( i think that was the exact number). WOW! Just so in shock at how well this cycle has gone. But why? My Heavenly Father has guided me through each day of it and I truly believe that my precious baby is just waiting to be formed this weekend!

My RE said that this was my absolute best chance so far. She said that it was all up to my lil left tube! I know that it's really up to my BIG, STRONG HEAVENLY FATHER! She said that my tube needs to reach out and grab these eggs and that that's why our goal is to have so many eggs. She said that sometimes with an abnormal uterus, your tube doesn't move around and grab the eggs as easily. So I Pray right now that God would let this tube be very mobile this time and that it would pick up the perfect eggs and the right amount of eggs.

Lastly, we are flirting with multiple babies again. PLEASE... Pray that God will give me what I can handle physically (with my unicornuate uterus condition). I hate the thought of being put in the situation of having to make hard decisions.


I am still claiming my faith statement. God will do this... I believe that with all my heart. He works in His time and Lord knows that I know that! I Pray that His will will be done and I honestly believe that the creation of this baby is a part of that will.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray that my tube does it's job!
2. Pray that everything is perfectly compatible with my hubby's sample and my eggs!
3. Pray that my uterus will be ripe and ready (oh yea... she said that it looked better than it ever had to hold a baby!)
4. Pray for a safe trip to Knoxville for us and some money breaks (cheaper hotel rates haha ) along the way.
5. PLEASE... ASK YOUR CHURCHES TO PRAY FOR ME SUNDAY MORNING ... I WILL BE HAVING THIS DONE ON SUNDAY MORNING AROUND 8:30. ASK EVERYONE THAT YOU KNOW TO PRAY! AND PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL!

Much love!

P.S. My aunt Sandy and my mom feel that this is it... I just Pray that it is!

Praise God For Answered Prayers!

Continuing to claim :

Genesis 30:22 (King James Version)

²²And God remembered Alesha, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Quick, Wonderful, Awesome Praise report and Prayer requests for you.

Yesterday, my mom went for a second mamogram to check a small lump that was found and it came back noncancerous. She also recieved the results from the genetic testing. Praise the Lord, she didn't have it which means my brother and I can't have it. Such a blessing.

I went for my Day 10 ultrasound and had 7 eggs... 5 on the left (good side) 2 on the right (not connected side but in a rare way could happen). My estradiol levels were in the 600's (642 I think)! Praise be to God for this good news.

Prayer Request:
1. Continue to Pray for my aunt who is almost finished with her chemo and is back at work as a principal.

2. Pray my eggs continue to grow on the left side. There's always a chance that they could stop growing, (like 2 of them did last month). Just Pray that if it is God's will, they will continue to grow.

3. Pray for God's will in this cycle. Pray that if it is any way possible in His will that this would be the month. I know He can and I believe in my heart that He will! I am at my wits end with this whole process but He is carrying me through it. He is soo good.

4. Last but not least, Pray that my mom's next 2 appointments (rheumatologist and doctor for her bulging disk along with her upcoming cardiologist apt. in July) go well and that she can get some relief. If it seems like my mom has been through a lot... she has. But she is the strongest woman I know and she truly is my very best friend here on earth! I Praise God for her and my dad for that matter. She is worthy of our Prayers!

Much love to each of you!
Many Prayers for your situations!
God loves you and so do I!

Pray For My Aunt

My aunt had 2 different types of ovarian cancer. One of which has been almost fully treated with chemo and she has done great through it. The other is getting ready to be treated with a different kind of chemo. The doctor told her that it was called Choriocarcinoma and that if it returned after being treated that would mean that it was incurable. So please lift her up in your Prayers so that it would never return and that all these treatments will work. Thanks and love to each of you!

And........

I have 1 egg that should ovulate on my left ovary (the good side)! Praise the Lord! Those were actually my first words on the examining table today. God is truly good and He was good even last month when I had no left eggs at all. Just be Praying that He will send our child this month if it is possible in His will.

I did ask the doctor a couple of questions:

1. Would the not so good blood flow to my left side affect my left sided uterus when I get pregnant?
She said no. That it was only my ovary that was being affected by it.

2. Do I have a right rudimentary horn (a Unicornuate Uterus issue)?
She also said no and that if I had have she would have recommended another surgery to take it out. If you'll notice the drawing of my uterus on the right hand side of this blog, you'll see what I'm talking about and I should probably find a new picture because technically that little bitty uterus connected to the right ovary isn't there for me (that's the horn).

3. Should I order my shots anyway?
She said yes I should and that if I didn't need them that we could sell them to other women who are ordering them since they are from overseas.

So some good answers to some burning questions that I had. Pray guys... Pray so hard. I am so ready to find out that I am pregnant and to experience every little thing that goes along with it. I don't even care to puke or be ill.... I'd do anything to have a child at this point.

Thanks for your Prayers. They have been so uplifting to me and I can feel them surrounding me daily. I don't know what I'd do without you guys! You are appreciated more than you could ever know.

Ps. I mentioned to my RE the fact that my aunt had been diagnoised with ovarian cancer. She told me that she was really lucky that they had caught it in Stage 1b (what they moved her down to after the results came back). She was actually beyond lucky... she was blessed! She went for her second round of chemo yesterday and they tested her hormone levels which need to drop to 5 or lower (and this is HCG levels we are talking about here... soo wild to me). Her level had been 97,000 and had dropped to 66 with just that one treatment. Praise God!

My Promise ... Thanks Dad!

My dad is such a good man. Actually, my parents are 2 of the greatest people that I will ever know. They have always taught me to do God's work and to serve Him... and for that I'll always be grateful. They see how badly I am hurting inside and they do everything they can to try to make me smile. My mom mentioned that my dad was Praying early one morning and that God brought the promise that He had given Rachel to his mind. That promise is found in Genesis 30:22:

"And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb."

My dad told my mom that he has been Praying that promise for me.

"And God remembered Alesha, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb."

That is so beautiful to me. My dad truly means this Prayer and I really believe that God will honor it. How beautiful it looks to see "And God remembered Alesha..." because so many times satan whispers in my ear, that God has forgotten all about me and my situation. I know that isn't true but satan is definitely good at his job. He's good at making you feel as though the world is lost and everything is hopeless. But he isn't the victor and that's the awesome news.

I praise God for His remembrance of me and my Prayers. I praise God for what He is doing right now behind the scenes to teach me and to mold me. I ask Him to help me do a better job of walking through this valley without "murmurings and disputings" (Philippians 2:12).

Here's a couple of songs that are really helping me think about my Savior and my situation.

NOTICE THE PICTURE OF MARY SITTING AT JESUS' FEET. I YEARN TO DO THIS EVEN MORE!















OH HOW I LOVE THIS SONG..... JESUS BRING THE RAIN IF IT MEANS I CAN GROW IN MY PRAISE TOWARDS YOU!




Please Continue To Keep Me and Others Who Are Struggling With Infertility In Your Prayers!

Ps. My Aunt has went through her first chemo treatment and will undergo the next one on Tuesday. Hopefully, I will get to take her to it. They got her actual test results back and reclassified it as Stage 1 B. So that's better than Stage 2. My mother-in-law did wonderfully in her surgery today and the doctor was pretty confident that it wasn't a cancerous polyp. Praise God! How wonderful my Savior, and I Pray YOUR Savior, is!

Quick Request

My mother-in-law has to have a D&C done next Thursday to remove a large, uterine polyp. The doctor said that her lining was really thick as well. She asked if it were cancerous what would happen... the doctor said that they weren't gonna think about it being cancer because she had seen enough cancer in December. My MIL asked again what if it were and the doctor said that she would know when she saw it and that they would go from there. So of course the whole family is worried about cancer because her mother died of ovarian cancer (what my aunt has). Anyway, do any of you know anyone who have had polyps in their uterus? Please Pray for our family and for my MIL as she prepares to go through this. Love to you all!

Ps. I can feel your Prayers. I am so blessed to have such a loving Heavenly Father who knows everything and can see what I can't. I am also so blessed that He has shared His other children with me .... you guys! I love you all!