I have had several heart-wrenching things happen to me in my life, mostly consisting of a cherished loved one passing away; my Grandmother, Grandfather, great Uncle - All of whom I was very close to, and helped raise me. However, there has recently been one event happen to me that I will never, ever forget. One that hits me right in my heart. One that has made me want to start blogging as an outlet and way to grieve and heal. I miscarried my first pregnancy.
Matt and I were married on a beautiful day on June 6, 2009. He is my best friend, my soul mate. We are originally from Long Island, but moved to northeast Pennsylvania in July 2005. I finished school, took and passed my boards (for Ultrasound), and then we got married. Everything has been perfect so far. We still need to buy our own home, but we are doing fine where we are now. Buying our first home will come eventually.
Matt and I decided to start trying for a baby on July 22, 2010. That is the day that I stopped my NuvaRing. I got my period the next day. I started charting my basal body temperature 2 weeks later. Then, on August 23, 2010, we got our very first positive home pregnancy test. It was an EPT digital HPT, and it read out "Pregnant". I couldn't believe my eyes. Did this really happen this quickly?? Could this be wrong?? OMG, I'M PREGNANT!! Exactly one month after we decided to start trying, and we were already pregnant. I was so excited and couldn't wait for all the pregnancy milestones. However, I'll admit it now - Something didn't feel right. It felt like it happened too soon, and it was too good to be true. Nonetheless, Matt and I were so excited to be taking on this new part of our lives together. Our due date was May 5, 2011 - 3 days before Mother's Day :).
I had blood work done the next day, on the 24th, and it confirmed that I was pregnant. My beta's were 69, and my progesterone was 53.7. According to the nurse I spoke to, the levels were good, and nothing else was said. I set up my 8 week appointment for September 27, and now it was a waiting game to get to that appointment. I couldn't wait.
I started getting morning sickness, or what I think was morning sickness. I had nausea, food aversions, and actually got sick a couple of times. I thought this was maybe happening early (it started when I was between 4 weeks and 5 weeks), but I was just happy it was happening because it was a cause of the baby inside of me.
All of our joy was short-lived. I started spotting on the night of 9/2, but I didn't have any cramping. So I figured it was normal - I know 1st trimester spotting is normal until it's accompanied by cramping. However, the next morning on September 3 at 4:30, the cramping started. It was very slight at first, so I figured I was still ok. I got up to go to the bathroom, and that's when I knew it was bad. My pink spotting had turned to red bleeding - similar to that of a light period. I knew that with my cramps and bleeding, I was most likely miscarrying. However, I still didn't want to believe it. So I climbed back into bed (I decided to forgo the gym that morning) and started crying myself to sleep. Matt woke up and wanted to know what was wrong. He knew I was spotting the night before, and I told him I was cramping now, and the bleeding was getting worse. He told me to try and stay calm, and maybe it's normal. He cuddled me, and I went back to sleep.
I woke up to get ready for work at 6:45, and my face was still wet. I guess I was crying in my sleep, and I was crying when I woke up. I told my boss what was happening, and she told me to stay home for now and call my doctor to get checked. I did, and got in for an ultrasound and appointment with the Midwife at 11:45. My boss told me to take the rest of the day off, so I laid in bed until I had to leave for my appointment.
Where I work, and therefore where my doctor is, is an hour and fifteen minutes away. I was so numb by this point because the cramping was getting worse, that I honestly can't say I remember the drive. I got to the office, and went in for the ultrasound. Being an ultrasound tech, I sometimes feel I know too much. I've always said whenever we got pregnant, I would know immediately if something was wrong by looking at the ultrasound. Well, I was right. I didn't see anything on the ultrasound - no embryo, no yolk sac, no gestational sac. I knew it was over. I lay there still while the sonographer finished my ultrasound, weeping. I do have to say she was great. She told me everything that was happening, and pretty much what she saw (or didn't see). I didn't tell her that I too was a sonographer, so I just played along with what she was telling me. But I already knew. That was the hardest part.
After my ultrasound, I waited to talk to the MW. It was the first time I met her, but she was so kind and compassionate. The first thing she said to me was "I'm so sorry we have to meet for the first time like this." She then went on to tell me what I already knew. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't stop crying. She wanted me to get blood work done that day, and then again the following Monday (3 days later) to check my beta's. She also said that my beta's were low to begin with, which was a surprise to me. I told her that the nurse originally told me the levels were good. She said she was sorry, but they seemed low for where I was at that time in the pregnancy, and she would have expected to see them higher. I was told that given those initial levels and the ultrasound, that I probably had a blighted ovum. Basically, it's a pregnancy where everything but the baby develops. The gestational sac still implants into your uterus, and the placenta forms. You still feel pregnant (hence the morning sickness I was having), but in the end, it's not a viable pregnancy.
The MW assured me that we could start trying again soon, but she advised us to wait for at least 2 cycles. She also said that I will NOT be considered high risk because of this, and many women go on to have normal pregnancies after having a miscarriage. What was most reassuring though, was that when we do get pregnant again, my beta's will be monitored early on to make sure they double like they're supposed to.
So I drove home, crying, and yet again, I don't remember that drive either. I got home, got into my PJ's, and laid in bed for the rest of the day - crying. I couldn't wait for my husband, my best friend, and the father of our lost baby to get home so we could hold each other.
So here I am, 4 days after losing our first pregnancy. I'm getting better. Day by day is what I say, and only time will heal. I still can't believe we're not pregnant anymore. The first day back to work (yesterday) was really hard. My boss told everyone at work for me on Friday so I wouldn't have to repeat myself (no one else at work knew I was pregnant). I was thankful for that.
I will end my first, disheartening post here. I will try to keep it up to date as often as possible. I think that this will be a good healing tool for me. But we will have to wait and see. Like I said, only time will heal. I am, however, looking brightly at the future, and I can't wait until Matt and I have our family.
