8 weeks prego...

Here is Baby Crolley's new picture, at 8 weeks. Technically lil bean is measuring smaller than they say how far along I am, but Dr.Moore says that everything looks good. He doesn't feel like there is anything to be concerned with because we still have a strong heartbeat and went from 4mm to 11.2mm, so we have good growth! All we can do is continue praying that this baby is strong and continues to grow with no complications! Our estimated due date is June 7, 2011, I have a feeling it will definitely be changing though to a later date. Either way I am fine with that as long as baby makes an appearance. :) Dr.Moore told us that we could stay with them for one more ultrasound or I could go ahead and go to my OBGYN. I decided to stay with Dr.Moore just one more time, I mean wouldn't you?! Who knows when I will get another ultrasound with the OB, and I KNOW I will be getting one on November 11th. After that ultrasound, we will then be transferred to a new OBGYN that I have never seen before, hopefully all goes well!

After our ultrasound, Josh and I took an adventure to Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, and Burlington Baby Depot to take a looksie at cribs and furniture! Boy was that fun!! I think I have narrowed down what I like, but of course will not buy anything until after the first trimester! I just wanted to get ideas and prices, since those are so important! We also bought our first pack of diapers last week to stash away in the closet, our plan is to buy a pack each time we go grocery shopping once a week. I was overly excited just to buy those, haha... I know, totally crazy!

soooo.. looks like we have a miracle joining us in June!!!!

Finally I get to share our great news....We will be expecting a little baby Crolley this June!! It was soooo hard to keep that quiet, a select few knew but the majority of people I had to lie to! I am soooo sorry for the lies, I wanted to at least see a heartbeat before it became broadcast news.. You have nooooo idea how happy we are, each day we get more and more excited!

We found out about a week and a half before I was admitted into the hospital, so trying to explain what was going on without mentioning the baby was VERY hard!! We had to get a little creative with the stories sometimes, sorry! :) The reason my body wouldn't quit producing the fluid was because the more hcg hormone (pregnancy hormone produced by baby)that is produced, the worse it gets. HCG doubles about every other day, so that explains why I am still dealing with fluid in my abdomen. Two Thursdays ago, we headed to the doctor's office with the intentions of seeing a heartbeat, little did we know we were walking into a huge scare! Dr.Moore was concerned that I still had a ton of fluid, I even asked to be drained again! So I headed back to Baptist for an outpatient paracentesis and had a little over 2 liters drawn off again.
Before we went to the hospital, we had an ultrasound in the office. Dr.Moore kept saying, "oook...hummmm...oook" as we were watching on the ultrasound screen (having NO idea what I was looking at!) for what seemed like an eternity! Immediately I knew something was wrong and freaked out!! He told me he was concerned because we couldn't see a fetal pole (the first signs of a heartbeat) even though there was a perfect gestational sac and yok sac. To hear the words "threatened abortion" was our worst nightmare! In my head all I could think "How?! How is this possible, I am still producing a ton of fluid, I would think that means our little baby is still growing!" After everything we have been through, this was the absolute worst thought ever!!! While I had more blood work drawn, to make sure the hormone was increasing as it should all I could do was pray. I wanted to burst out in tears right in front of everyone in the office and I couldn't even look at Josh's face, as I knew he was just as heartbroken as me. We prayed and left that office with so many fears, and a little gleam of hope that this baby would be strong and push through! That afternoon, Dr.Moore called us with my blood results which was right on point and doubling beautifully. Turns out according to more calculations, we were not as far along as everyone had originally thought. PHEWWW!! Dr.Moore told me that this isn't a freak out moment yet, wanted us to wait another week and come back for another ultrasound. Needless to say, this week was the longest wait I feel like I had ever been through. A ton of prayers, tears,trying to stay positive, and my awesome husband is what got me through that horrible week!!

I was so nervous, scared, and anxious while we waited for this ultrasound. It felt like it took them forever to come to the room, as I sat on the table. A week later, we saw our baby's beautiful heartbeat! How amazing is that to say?! The absolute best feeling in the world! I looked over at Josh and all he could do was smile, you couldn't wipe that grin off his face! :) Dr.Moore was still concerned that I had a moderate amount of fluid, but gave me permission to finally go back to work (even though he was hesitant) but I had to take it easy! He said he had never seen someone have fluid that lasted this long, and thought possibly that I needed to be drained again. I refused the drain, I felt the best I had in weeks. I was eating, drinking, could breathe fine, and moving around very well. Life couldn't get any better at this moment in time!!

This Friday I will be 8 weeks, very early still and continue to pray everyday that our baby grows and is healthy & happy! I go back for another ultrasound this Friday, luckily we have ultrasounds weekly! How many people get to say that?! I guess that is the only plus about going through all the infertility treatments, most people don't get to see but 1 ultrasound around 10-12 weeks. I pray that I don't get morning sickness, as none of that has started. I figure maybe the Lord thinks we have been through enough that He wants to make this a little easier for me! ;) Either way, I am grateful that I haven't had any nausea or vomiting. My only symptoms are that I have to use the little girls room at least 1-3 times during the night and like 100 times during the day....and I am eating like a cow!

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the prayers!! All those prayers is what as gotten us through this horrible time. I am very appreciative for all the support from our family and friends, not sure what I would have done without all of y'all! Lastly, I want to thank my husband, Josh who has been through all of this with me and still continues to be my rock. He has been excellent at taking care of me while I was sick and couldn't walk. Not to mention, he has been fabulous with getting me everything that I am craving!! :) I couldn't ask for a better husband and can't wait to see him as a father! Love you Boo!
Thank you Lord for this amazing miracle that you have blessed us with, we are sooo grateful!!

At home...hopefully recovering quickly!

Last I posted I was still admitted in the hospital, well I was sent home on Sunday (thank goodness! being a patient is definitely not for me!). Before they sent me home Sunday, I had developed more fluid than I think I ever have before. I had another paracentesis done (3rd time being tapped) and had 3.5 liters of fluid removed from my abdomen. Boy did I feel better! So as of now, I have had about 6.5 liters removed within less than 1 week!! Dr. Moore felt like I could go home and make sure that I had good fluid intake and output, bedrest, and that I could monitor myself just as well. As my week started I felt great, and then Tuesday I noticed not only was I developing ascites again but my lower back had pitting edema (for all you non-medical people, you could press your finger into my back and leave an indentation from it). I was told to continue monitoring it, weigh myself frequently, and measure my abdominal girth and if I couldn't make it to my follow up appointment on Friday than to call earlier. Well needless to say I was getting miserable again, back to the doctor's office we go only to be sent back to Baptist hospital for another paracentesis (that makes 4!!). I had a little over 2 liters drawn off and like usual, felt immediately better! (That makes a total of 8.5 liters removed from my little self!) We are unsure if the fluid will come back, Dr. Moore was truly hoping this is the last time but can't promise anything. So now I am back at home, resting....and resting...and resting! I am soo tired of resting and am so ready to get my life back to normal, not to mention get back to work!

I hate I am going to probably miss the State Fair this year, but I guess I will live.... :) Thanks for all the prayers, it means the world to me!!

Sitting in the hospital....

Well I haven't updated in a while, figured I might as well since I have nothing else to do while I sit in the hospital. We thought that I was going to sneak by the OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) but that didn't happen. Early this week I started to feel bloated but didn't think anything about it... then next thing I knew it was hard to breathe, I was swollen waaaay more than last time, very nauseated, hurt to void, couldn't stand straight, and could barely walk. So Dr.Moore did a transvaginal aspiration=no fun! Trust me, you don't want to know the details of that one, but they only do this procedure about 1-2 times a year! I had 2.5L of fluid drained from my belly and was sent home with Vicodin & Zofran. Wednesday I was feeling like a new woman, then wham it hit me again Thursday night. I was having a sleepless night and was headed to Dr. Moore's office that morning. Well I tried with all my might but I couldn't stand up for longer than a minute. I had intentions of showering (because all of you know I am a little priss pot! :) but I spent 99% of my time on the bathroom floor trying to gather enough energy to stand up. Needless to say, I was glad I had a shower Thursday evening! I was paler than I have ever seen myself and constantly dry heaving! Josh toted my hiney to the office and as soon as I walked in they were concerned about me. We did some bloodwork, then next thing I knew I was being wheeled out of the office to be admitted to Baptist hospital.

We arrived at Baptist, had an IV placed with a bolus of fluids, scheduled a paracentesis (drainage of fluid from the outside of your abdomen), and then albumin adminstered. Albumin is a protein product to help replace all the protein I was loosing from the swelling, I recieved 2 seperate infusions of that. They drained 1L of fluid from my belly, which was way more comfortable this way than the transvaginal way. After the drain I was feeling much better. I had more energy (of course from all those fluids) and I could actually breathe and walk some! Well, as the night went along I felt it was getting harder to move in the bed & my abdomen was getting sooo tight. When I finally looked at it, it was more swollen than it was yesterday before the drain! Dr. Moore came in this morning with intentions of sending me home until he took a look at my stomach. He decided he wanted to do two more doses of albumin today and then another paracentesis. He wants me to try and wait until Sunday to have it drained again and then possibley go home. So I am miserabley sitting here waiting for tomorrow for some drain relief, and praying that it will last longer than it did last time! On top of it all I developed a lovely UTI, just lovely!!

The worst part about this is that Dr.Moore can't tell me how long this will last. Everyone is different, and when my ovaries finally decided to quit producing all that fluid is when these symptoms will subside. There is no treatment for OHSS, all you can do is treat the symptoms to make you more comfortable.

I am so thankful for all our family and friends. They have been so supportive, it means the world to us. The concerns, flowers, ballons,cards,and edible arrangements put a smile in my heart! As this tough journey countinues we know that it will all be worth it! "Never said it was gonna be easy..."

We continue to pray for our little miracle!