DIY Skirt

I made a skirt!
I've never made one before, so this is HUGE.
Then, I actually wore the thing... twice. Thats funny because when I first finished it I was like, okayyy... not sure about this thing. I mean, I used this free tutorial I found on Pinterest, so I wasn't expecting it to be like profesh-quality or anything, but even then the whole process was a bit throw-caution-to-the-wind-ish. I even found myself just ignoring the tutorial for the second half and sewing away.
So it turned out well under the circumstances :) At least it's unique and wearable.
My mom even asked me to make her one for her birthday. I think for that one I'll get a real pattern ;) So we'll see how that goes!

baby update

Well, we went to the doctor yesterday for another follow-up appointment. Surgery was April 26, and since then I've been in and out of the hospital for weekly blood draws to monitor my hormone levels. The good news is, my last blood draw tested negative for HCG!
This is significant because molar pregnancies like mine are potentially cancerous. {as mentioned in my last post} After miscarriages of any sort, your body stops producing HCG and removes the HCG producing cells. In a molar pregnancy, sometimes these cells will spread even after the majority of them are removed during the D and C procedure {a necessary surgery for a molar pregnancy} in which case they are considered cancerous and must be treated with Chemo.
Although my chest X-rays and the biopsy of my molar tissue showed no signs of cancer, yesterday was the first time I've tested negative for HCG since this whole thing started, so I was very excited about that.
From here, I have another blood draw in one month to see if my HCG level stays negative, and if it does, we'll probably be able to start trying again to have a baby sometime in October. {insert huge shoulder-heaving sigh and tired smile}
Good things :)

It's not a baby...

So I guess its time to tell the story. 

I think I'm writing this more for me than anything, but now here it is for anyone wondering.

Cory and I have been hoping to have a baby. We've been "trying" for a few years, but it started getting especially frustrating last year. Failing pregnancy tests after missed (.)'s can only happen a handful of times before the emotional effects become intense. Remembering a time where a disappointing pee stick was lobbed angrily across my bathroom, which I then cleaned through tears and sobs.

Early this year, I offered up possibly the most sincere, pleading prayer of my life. I poured my heart out, imploring, begging the Lord for the chance to be a mother. 

A few weeks later, i finally achieved a positive pregnancy test. Cory and I hardly dared to believe it had finally happened. I was 9 weeks pregnant. The answer to my most heartfelt prayer to date was in my hand, and we were overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement. Finally.

One week later, after extremely severe cramping and heavy bleeding we found ourselves at our new OBGYN's office. The ultrasound screen was showing something very un-baby-like indeed.

We knew it was wrong before the doctor told us, and my heart broke in that moment.

It wasn't a baby. It was a tumor. Shaped like a bundle of grapes, filling up my uterus, making me sick, making me hurt, making me bleed. Betrayal. That's what I felt.

I was diagnosed with a rare Molar Pregnancy. (technical term: hydatidiform mole)

Two days later, at nearly 11 weeks gestation I had my first surgery ever. Unlike some miscarriages, a dilation and curettage procedure was required as soon as possible to remove the mass from my uterus, which otherwise would continue to grow and spread indefinitely.

Recovery was surprisingly long and painful (and bloody).

Molar pregnancies are potentially cancerous, so after some X-Rays and a biopsy of the molar tissue, we were grateful to learn that I do not have cancer (small victories), but that was arguably the most stressful waiting period of my life.

**Edit** I learned later that I was not in the clear at that time. September 18, (6 months after surgery) I tested negative for HCG, and only then were we certain that I was cancer-free. **

For 3 months I've been going in for weekly blood work to monitor my hormone levels as they normalize. Hopefully next week's blood test is my last...

And here we are. 

I can't begin to express the depth of our heartache. This has been extremely painful for both of us. Sometimes the loss of an expectation is a very merciless blow. I still can't talk about it without clamming up. My throat starts burning, my eyes start stinging... I never could have known how this feels without experiencing it. I've hesitated to write about it, because I have no desire to lay my most painful, sincere feelings out for everyone to judge, but I want to do them justice too. 

The feelings of inadequacy, failure, self-blame, anger, bitterness, hurt, disappointment, and loss are indescribable to those who haven't felt them this way. Sufficient to say, it hurts so deeply that even with great effort, it's hard to conceal my inner hurting.

The mindless comments are pretty bad too.

"Miscarriages are so common." - I can assure you that what I'm feeling seems ANYTHING but common, but thank you for making sure I know that my suffering is not valid.

"At least you know you can get pregnant." - Yes. I grew a tumor in my uterus. Totally reassuring as to my ability to grow a BABY. Thanks for that.

Last month I had the pleasure of enduring some careless comments, such as "You've been married 6 years and have no kids?!! (scoff) What have you been doing!!?" (hearty guffaws at my inadequacy ensued) Thanks. Appreciate the judgement. 

And Mother's day was Hell this year.

Anyway. That's all I feel like sharing for now. I'm still kind of an emotional mess, so excuse my curtness. At least now everyone can stop wondering why we have no kids.