Before I start on our story I first want to say that unfortunately we did have trouble conceiving. It was difficult and trying, but I also know we were lucky because we were able to get pregnant in the end. I know people have had a much harder time trying to conceive and I want to be sensitive to the fact that this is a tough topic for many people. Everyone's journey is different and I am here merely to tell my own experience.
We found out very early because we were being seen by a Reproductive Endocrinologist (aka infertility doctor). There were many mornings of blood work and ultrasounds, followed by medications and luckily only one injection, before I get ahead of myself here is how it went...
The months that led up to our good news were long, scary and filled with uncertainty. I had just started a new job, which actually turned out to be the best thing for us in this process. I was no longer working a day/ night rotating schedule and I had more flexibility in my hours.
From the moment we met with our Doctor I knew we made the right decision. After spending over an hour with him he ultimately told us these words which were my saving grace during the process, "It is not a matter of if it is a matter of when". I could of did hug him and thanked him profusely.
When we started our first round of treatment I did my best not to micromanage the situation, (very hard for a type A personality!!) I tried to sit back and let it all happen the way it was supposed to. I was mostly successful in this, but I won't lie there were times where it was all consuming. They told us we would know the results if it worked or not, on April 11th. When the words came out of the nurses mouth I knew it was a sign, silly of course, but I felt it in my bones it would work.
April 11th, 2014 was the day Oliver passed his dissertation defense, essentially solidifying his work was worthy of the PhD he had worked so hard for. While we were out celebrating that night we got a call from the breeder that our boy Clovis was born and we would be taking him home in June. We had been on a wait list for months, and even when we knew there was a litter coming we were not sure we would get a puppy.
So April 11th, 2015 had to be just as lucky right? In my mind there was no doubt. Until I did the dumbest thing any woman who is undergoing fertility treatments could do, I took a home pregnancy test and it was negative. Deep down I knew it wouldn't be accurate but I cried for days upon days anyway.
On Saturday April 11th at 7:30 am when the office opened I went for blood work.We rushed back home to set up for Clovis' first birthday brunch, yes I know he is a dog, but everyone deserves a birthday party! In the middle of brunch the office called, I could barely breathe. The nurse said "Congratulations, you are pregnant" I almost fell over. There are no words to express my happiness, gratitude and panic!
We waited several weeks, which felt like a lifetime to see our little bean on the big screen. It was our first ultrasound and at 7 weeks and 2 days there was a perfect little unrecognizable blob with the strongest heart beat I've heard. (PS I'm a cardiac nurse so that probably isn't true, but it felt that way!)
This ultrasound is from 8 weeks, I must have tucked the first one away somewhere reallyy safe because I couldn't find it while writing this post! #pregnancybrain
Just like that we jumped head first into the next phase of our life!
