More....

I just spent an hour writing out my story and it's all gone..................grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Let's try this again.

Now that life has settle down I will share my story with you all.

My husband and I have been trying to concieve for about 6 years. I have Rhuematoid Arthrtis that been a challenge over the years. When we first got married I went off my most of medications just in case. Most of the meds used to treat RA can cause fetal abnormalities so we opted to safe not sorry. Because I was essentially living life untreated things started to fall apart. In 2003, my hips had gotten so bad that I ened up with a double hip replacement. The best thing we have done (at least until now). Once fully healed we were given the go ahead to start "trying" again.

In October 2004 we discovered we were fianlly pregnant. I suffered a little spotting but no one seemed concerned about it. I went off all the rest of the meds I was taking and suffered in silence from everyone. We opted to wait until Christmas to spread the news to the family. On December 17th, 2004 we lost our twin angels.

We continued on our quest to concieve but nothing was happening. In March 2006 we were sent to the Fertility Clinic. No one could figure out what was wrong. The best they could decide was that my RA had "aged" my ovaries.

After countless IUI treatments, nothing. Either my hormones would be ready but my eggs not. Or my eggs were ready but my hormones not responding. The docotors decided to get more aggressive and IVF was next up. We made the decision to go for the IVF protocol but only once. Since we had a vacation booked we decided to take a month off and start fresh when we returned. Off to the Carribean we went. Fun in the sun with moijitos in the hand.

When we returned from our cruise the waiting game began. We waited for my cycle to start. And we waited, and waited. I was chatting with a girlfriend one afternoon and mentioned that I was "late". I figured about 5 days at that point. She tried to convince me to go and get a test right then and there. But due previous, numerous, disappointments I wanted to wait. Later that night I mentioned to hubby that I was late and he just laughed it off saying "your cycles are so messed up now, don't get too excited". And he was right, cycles that used be 28 days bang on had become 30-42 days. I started calculating better, no it wasn't 5 days, it was more like 11 days. I got hubby to humour me and take me to the drugstore at 1am to get a HPT.

April 22, 2007.........1:30ish am...................POSITIVE!!!

Amazing what a little rum, soda, lime, sugar and mint does for the soul!!!!

Because of my health history we were immediately referred to a paerinatolgist for prenatal care. And great care we recieved. After a fairly uneventful pregnancy (sugar issues that resoloved and complete placenta previa that resolved at 34 weeks) we flying high!!

Since I had both my hips replaced we decided that a C-section was the safest way for us to delivery. We wanted no risk to the hips after all the work my family put into fixing them. We were booked for Dec6/2007 at 9:30.

The day before our booked appointment I wasn't feeling all that great. I figured it was prenerves and being 38 weeks prego. I had hubby keep me busy all day to keep my mind off things. At one point we were in a large store and even Paul thought I didn't look well and wanted me to go back to the car for a rest. That night we decided to go meet friend for a "final" coffee. Since I knew I wouldn't be sleeping I opted to stay out fairly late. I crawled into bed around 12:30am. Bags packed and ready to go!!!!!!!!!!!

GUSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! At 1:00 my water broke. And I mean broke. Not just a little trickle but a full off river rapids. I went from side lying to flat on my feet in a single motion, stripping my bed as I went (I hadn't prepared for this). I managed to save the matress!!!!! After cleaning up the floor (OCD I know), I called the hospitla and they wanted us to come right in. Woke hubby up, poor thing looked like a deer in headlights. I opted to have shower before going in and by the time I done the car was packed and warmed for me. We left for the hospital arround 1:30 and arrived around 2:00am.

Once in the L&D triage area things moved quickly. Since some of the meds I was taking during pregnancy have an effect on my hormones I was required to have some via IV preop. Once they realized I was in full labour, they called the rest of the team in. Apparently I was contracted with good force every 2-3 minutes and didn't really feel much more that BH's. They figured because of my high pain tolerance I didn't notice that I was labour.

3:27am.......IZZY NATALIA joined us in this world.....weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and 21 inches long. She is simply perfect. Healthy, healthy, healthy!!!

Finally a baby girl to call my own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!