Wassssup ICLW?

Welcome ICLW folks. I have been a lamey lame-o blogger here lately but have recently decided to jump back into blogging with a vengence. So, lucky you!

I survived cancer at the age of 17. This year, I did some pre-baby blood tests to see if the treatments had affected my fertility (I am now 26). They had. I was diagnosed with High FSH, which means my eggs were diminished in quality and/or quality. Before we even started trying, we were told we would have challenges. My OBGYN did not pass go and immediately referred me to an RE, who didn't have an appointment available for a few months.

I dove headlong into the world of infertility - books, diets, supplements and, most importantly to me, found this wonderful online community of bloggers. The strength and courage of the women I found was so inspiring even as I looked down what I thought would be a long road of treatments, doctor's visits and, possibly, heartache. The whole while I just kept thinking how unfair it was, for me to have beaten cancer nine years ago (and beat it soundly, might I add) only for it to come and bite me in the ass again.

In the long wait before the RE appointment, we decided to try naturally. To see what I was doing, click on the "What Worked for Me" tab. I basically was doing the S.outh B.each diet (my OB said it's the best diet for fertility), taking prenatal vitamins, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and strenuous exercise, etc.

I was (I thought) finishing my first natural cycle off of birth control. I had temped and done an OPK, with timed intercourse the day before, of, and after ovulation. About two weeks later, I was waiting for AF (Aunt Flo) to arrive. Since it was my first cycle off the Pill, I had no idea how long it would take for her to arrive.

She never did.

But THIS happened:


It was the biggest "holy shit" moment of my entire life. Read about it here.

I'm going to be honest here and tell you that it wasn't easy. Right from the start I had complications - my luteal sac (a cyst that provides the baby with progesterone in early pregnancy) ruptured. My doctor called me and described the pregnancy as "iffy" and put me on STRICT restrictions and progesterone suppositories. A few days later I drove myself to the ER because I was bleeding. Mr. M. and I were both sure it was over. Miraculously, it wasn't. I continued to bleed/spot throughout early pregnancy, but mercifully it stopped at about 11 weeks.

My OB and I are determined that this baby will make it. Between her, my perinatologist and my oncologist, we are doing everything we can. I am almost to 20 weeks and my eyes are focused permanently on that 24-week marker.

Last week we found out that Baby J is a boy, which I had felt all along. He is our true little miracle, and we hope and pray for him to be born healthy and happy come January.

I invite you to follow us on our journey as the story of our miracle continues to write itself...