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I got my D&C done on Friday, and I’m relieved that part is over. At least I can move on and start healing now. Since my body had lost the baby 4 weeks prior and was not giving any signs of letting go on its own anytime soon, I’m really glad that I went with this procedure. Plus, I hear miscarriages are painful and traumatic, and I don’t think I could have gone through the waiting plus the pain of going through a natural miscarriage.

So, just to document my experience for my own sake as well as for anyone that might want to know… I’ll kind of start off with some interesting statistics. Miscarriages are pretty common in 15-20% pregnancies end in miscarriage. So, when we found that the baby’s heart was not beating at my 8 week appointment, although we were disappointed, I was not totally surprised. I just know so many people that have gone through it, so I just never really ruled it out for myself. Also, I have always felt that I would rather lose a pregnancy early rather than later – so I really hope this is it and no more!

On Friday, I went to the surgery center at 730am having not eaten or had anything to drink since 11pm the night prior. I was a little anxious because I had never been put under before. But I sat in my bed, separated by other patients with a curtain. There wasn’t much privacy. So, I could pretty much hear what other people were there for. There was a young child (I didn’t see them since there was a curtain) that had to be put under to have 4 crowns put in, and a possible crown on the front tooth. Made me think of William, and how I need to make sure he’s diligent in brushing his teeth. There was another child getting his tonsils taken out. And here was me – getting my uterus scraped. ANYHOO… so I finally got wheeled into the OR, and they asked me questions about what I was going to dress up for Halloween, and then they injected my IV with this cold stuff I knew was going to put me to sleep. It hurt and I got nervous… and I asked… “Is this supposed to hurt?” – only because I’m traumatized by anesthesia ever since my bad epidural reactions. So, they said to dream about my son and his costume, and I said in a slightly delirious panicky voice…”I can’t”… because I started getting scared. Next thing I know, I’m bundled up and the procedure is over. Wow, being knocked out is GREAT! I didn’t feel a thing. It made the whole thing less traumatic.

But recovery was ok the first day and I didn’t take any pain killers. I felt good. But the 2nd day, I bled quite a bit, and I started cramping quite a bit. I was prescribed both ibuprofen and norco (hydrocodone + tylenol)… and I ended up taking the norco and it made me feel funny in the head. I felt loopy, and I’m guessing this is what actors or prescription drug addicts like? It was weird! After that, I just took ibuprofen and today I think I’m on the road to recovery. So, that’s pretty much the gist of it.

Anyway, thought I would write a quick update on the D&C for those that might be wondering. Doing well so far. I’ll end with a pic of Greg and Will below taken yesterday just for fun:

So, the weekend went super fast and before I knew it, I was taking my 2nd blood test on Monday. I read through a lot of information on blighted ovums, wrong diagnosis, miscarriage, and d&cs. Anyway, there is way too much information out there, and it is not for those that don’t know how to take things with a grain of salt. Also, I realized where I get my researching bug from – MY MOM!!! We talked on Monday, and she asked me to send her the spelling of “blighted ovum” so that she could google it and find as much information as possible on it. The whole time I’m on the phone while she is talking about internet research, I kept saying “oh..my..goshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..”… because I am totally my mom!!

Doctor called me on Monday saying that my blood results on Friday coincided exactly with how far along she measured me on that Friday, and that there was still hope and that maybe my dates were off. I told her on the phone that I was sure my dates were not off, and that I knew that there was something wrong. I told her that I got a positive pregnancy test a few days before my period, and the following week and week after that – my dates can’t be off. And she said “stranger things have happened – so don’t lose hope”… so, I said OK, but I knew this pregnancy was over. I was just really afraid that it would get dragged out, because I had read horror stories of women who’s baby consistently measured a couple weeks behind and they knew their dates were right, and they lost the pregnancy at about 12 or 14 weeks or something like that. So, I knew something wasn’t right here, and I kept hoping that my blood results for Monday would be definitive so I could move on sooner than later. Well, of course there was a delay on blood results, and after the call from my doctor telling me there was STILL HOPE, I was really anxious… I talked to brother about it, and he laughed at me and said I’m a “need for closure” type person, and the way I’m handling the entire situation points to it all. Well, I was on pins and needles since my morning blood test… my doctor told me to call her at 3pm if I still hadn’t heard my results. At 2pm, I was going stir crazy, so I called them up – and apparently the blood test should have been processed by 12pm but for some reason my results were delayed. I was DYIIIIIIIIIING… because I had to wait LONGER, and I was worried I wouldn’t get an answer that day. I just needed to know for sure.

This is just how my brain works, and how I approach things I guess. And I realize, I REALLY need definitive answers… once I get it, I can move on.

Anyway, so I got my answer finally at 430pm… my hormone levels were dropping, so I was going to miscarry… It’s sad, but I was relieved that I knew for sure. More ambiguity would probably have driven me crazy. I immediately told the doctor I wanted a D&C, since I had researched it over the weekend and it was the best scenario for me… She said she would try to fit me in on Friday, and I would find out the next day if she could get me in, or else I might have to wait until the following week (MORE WAITING)… of course the waiting to find out sucked again for me, but the next day someone called me to let me know that they were able to get me in. I will be 9 weeks when I get my D&C done this Friday. They are going to put me under (a first for me), so I’m a little nervous. I think this is the best scenario for me since I haven’t progressed since week 5, and my body is not giving any signs of miscarrying on its own.

So, that is where we are right now. D&C is schedule for this Friday, and I’ll document my experience. I hope it goes ok, and that we can move on. Greg and I absolutely love being parents, and we definitely want to try again soon. Luckily, we have had goodluck in conceiving, so I’m hoping next time it will be healthy and we can welcome another baby into our family. I’m not getting any younger, so I’m feeling a little more pressure… but everything will work out in the end. God has a plan for us, and I have faith it is a good one:)