Tuesday, December 6, 2016

November (Personal) Wrap-up 2016


Oi! This is going to be a very different kind of wrap-up post. I only read one book in November and that's because it was for book club.

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I haven't even written a review for it yet. I will. I promise.

As for favorites or least favorites um...well. I didn't particularly like the one book I read so I guess I'll just skip that part of my wrap-up.

And now for my long winded recap of this hellish month! The reason I haven't been reading etc.

So, I've been married just over three years now and I'm no spring chicken so my husband and I have been trying for kids for the entire three years....With no luck. I won't go into details but we tried just about everything except IVF.  And then, just when we'd given up and stopped trying everything, in October, we got that little pink line! We were pregnant! I couldn't believe it. I was beyond ecstatic. I told my family and close friends right away! I couldn't help myself. On Halloween, Oct 31st, the morning sickness started. My whole family has had it so I knew there was no getting out of it. And it was awful. Really awful! The smell sensitivities, the nausea, the puking, the food aversions. Oi! I spent all my time lying on the couch trying to keep food down and re-watching Gilmore Girls so I'd be all ready for the comeback episodes. (I'm still working on the last season so please, no spoiling the comeback yet!)

My first doctors appointment was November 21st. I was so nervous and by the time the 21st came I was beside myself. I kept getting this horrible feeling like something was wrong. There was no way I was lucky enough to have everything be normal and okay....I was right. :( We went in to the doctors office and met with a midwife, talked for a bit and then went in for the ultrasound. The minute my uterus came onto that screen my heart broke. There was nothing but an empty gestational sac. I knew exactly what I was looking at before the midwife said a thing. There was supposed to be a 9 week old baby in that sac and it just wasn't there. Of course the midwife was flustered and kept leaving the room and coming back. She was trying to find out how to measure the sac. She explained what I already knew. There was supposed to be a baby in there and there was nothing there. I had what is called a blighted ovum. Which means the baby stopped developing at 4-5 weeks but my body didn't get the message and the gestational sac and placenta kept growing and raising my HCG levels.

I was sent to the hospital for blood work to see what my HCG levels were and given some options for miscarrying as I still needed to face the fact that I needed to get my uterus cleaned out.

My husband and I drove home in silence in pouring rain and then sat in the driveway crying together.

After another HCG test we saw my levels were dropping so I chose to let the miscarriage come naturally. It came on December 3rd. I won't go into the details of that hellish experience but I will tell you I had two weeks to mourn so passing the tissue was a relief. I feel at peace now. As peaceful as you can feel after something like that.

On top of all this my family just found out that my mother has breast cancer that has spread all over into her body. I won't say more on that because we're still pretty in the dark on the whole thing.

Needless to say, you can probably see now why I only read one book this month. Sorry to be a downer. I just wanted to share my story with you guys. It's therapeutic to talk about it. I'm obviously still sad but I'm alright. It's not something I'd ever want to go through again and something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy but I have learned from this experience  and am OK. Thanks for reading, if you still are. Love you guys! You're a great community that I love and feel safe enough to share my experience with.

See you around the blogosphere!

28 comments:

  1. HUGE HUGS from across the ocean. You wrote that in a way that I felt all the emotions, super smiling excited, on the edge of my seat, then a sigh and I got teary eyed for you. HUGS I'm sorry about your loss after a long time of waiting.

    Books - my book club also read All the light We Cannot See. Some passages were beautiful but in the end I skimmed to the end, just not for me so I get it.

    HUGS HUGS HUGS and thanks for sharing such a personal time. Wishing your family the best with your mom.

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    1. Thanks for the hugs. I'm glad I could covey my feelings. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't like ATLWCS.

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  2. I'm so sorry, Jenny. So very sorry. I have a coworker who has had to deal with the blighted ovum several times. Also, when she finally did have a baby, it stopped growing at 7 weeks. She's gone through this 5 times now. I can only imagine what it feels like, so I'm so very sorry.

    I'm also sorry to hear about your mom. That just sucks. Because it has spread everywhere, is there anything that can be done? Will chemo or radiation help at all?

    Is there anything I can do? I'm so very sorry. HUGS to you and Guy for the pregnancy loss and HUGS to you and your family for your mom.

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    1. Thanks. I really hope I never have to go through this again. I feel so bad for your coworker. I'm impressed she hasn't given up. One time and I'm ready to give up. :(.
      We don't know much more about my mom yet. We'll know more later this month.

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  3. What a hard month you've had! I am SO sorry!! I can't imagine anything harder than what you and your husband have been going through. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  4. Jenny I'm so sorry. While I haven't had this experience myself I know several people who have had issues and I think talking about it (if you want to talk about it of course) is important. I wish I had the right words to say, but I don't, and I'm not sure there are any.

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    1. Thanks. It's been therapeutic to talk about.

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  5. Oh, Jenny. I'm so, so sorry. *hugs* to you and your husband and your family. You are so strong. I'm just really looking up to you right now. I'm glad you are able to reach out and talk about it. We are all definitely here for you.

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  6. Oh, Jenny, what an awful experience. I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine that kind of pain. I don't know what your plans are from here, but if adoption is something you're considering, it can be an amazing and very fulfilling experience. Whatever path you take, you and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers. I'll send up some extra prayers for your mom and extended family as well. God bless you all.

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    1. I'm not sure what are plan are. If it comes to adoption I'd definitely email you.

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  7. Oh Jenny I'm so sorry. I have a close friend who has been trying for a baby for 6 years and has gone through the IVF proceeds with no luck so I understand how difficult and frustrating it can be. And your poor mother.i don't know how you even read a book. All my love and prays to you and your family.

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    1. Thanks, Lan. It's hard when you want it so bad with no luck.

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  8. I’m sorry that you have been going through so much. I hope December will be a little better. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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    1. Me too. This whole year has been a bit of a nightmare.

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  9. I'm so, so sorry, Jenny. I'm giving you a million virtual hugs right now. You've had such a terrible month so you do not even need to think about feeling guilty for not reading. If it's not what you need to feel better, then you have no obligation to read. Both you and your family are in my thoughts and I hope you can work through this with all the love in your life. *hugs*

    Laura @BlueEyeBooks

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  10. OMG, I'm so sorry, Jenny! That is awful and I teared up a little reading your post. I've never heard of this type of pregnancy before, so I can only imagine how hard it is to wait around for a miscarriage. I've heard how devastating it is to just have one happen out of nowhere, but sitting around waiting for one...? Wow. You are already getting stronger because you were able to tell us about this.

    I hope and pray your mother will be all right. So scary. Stay positive this Holiday Season! Remember all the little thing you are grateful for and it will get through the toughest of times.

    *HUGS*

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    1. Waiting for the miscarriage was rough. Thanks for the hugs.

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  11. Jenny, I am so sorry for your loss. And what a shitty book to have to read for book club while going through it.

    I don't have the right words to bring you comfort over losing your child or your mother's struggle with cancer. It's so unfair and awful. I'll be thinking of you and your family, and praying for your mom's health.

    And while I don't have the right words, or any answers, I'm always here to hear whatever you need or want to say. *hugs*

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    1. Yeah, life just doesn't seem fair sometimes. Thanks for your kind words.

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  12. Oh Jenny! I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine the pain you've been feeling! Sending hugs your way. I will be praying for you and your family. And especially for your mother right now!

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  13. Jenny I'm so sorry. Losing a pregnancy is crushing and to add your mom's cancer on top of it really isn't fair. I'm thinking of you and Guy. Whenever you feel like being around with us bookish weirdos I know we'll all be there. :) Love you, friend.

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    1. Thanks. I feel like fate has been especially cruel to us.

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  14. Big (((HUGS))). I went through a miscarriage in my early 30s. I had NO idea how common they were. In fact, the doctor told me many women miscarry and don't even realize it, especially if they weren't closely watching for a pregnancy. I probably wouldn't have known mine was a miscarriage if we hadn't taken a pregnancy test at the fifth or sixth week. But SO many people have one or more miscarriages and STILL go on to have a baby (or ten!!!). Don't stop trying. It will happen for you, I know it!

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    1. Thanks. This one was rough. I hope I never have to go through something like it again.

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