tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88901413834779759322024-03-07T23:18:52.254-06:00Little Bluebirds Fly"If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can't I?"Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-5668610381184618322010-06-10T10:43:00.006-05:002010-06-11T14:52:02.060-05:00IF YOU ARE READING THIS!Whether it be three days from now, three months from now, or three years from now - Please don't go!If you found this blog because you're looking for stories or information on infertility, preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, clotting disorders, hypolastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), stillbirth, loss, or pregnancy after a loss - please don't go!I'm not saying that my story is rare or particulary Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-39548025643642199192010-04-26T08:46:00.003-05:002010-04-26T09:07:49.007-05:00Did I Tell You? (On Clotting Disorders)I know this post seems out of the blue - everything will be explained in he next post. But as I was typing The Next Post, I was reminded of something that I meant to tell you, and I'm not sure if I have yet, just in case it might help someone reading. You might recall that, when I was in the hospital with HELLP Syndrome, I tested positive with a whole host of clotting disorders (lupus Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-24949375451916162502010-03-13T10:12:00.002-06:002010-03-13T10:19:59.113-06:00He's here!!Hello from Mr. Bluebird. Mrs. Bluebird and I would like to let you all know that Little Baby Bluebird arrived last night, March 12th, at 7:02 p.m. central time. Weighing in at 7 lbs. 7 oz. and measuring 21 inches, he's as perfect as any little baby can be. 8-9 on his APGAR. Mrs. Bluebird will be posting soon enough, but we wanted to let all of you know that mom and baby are doing great! Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-17028044419274663832009-10-02T10:52:00.013-05:002009-10-02T16:02:38.417-05:00The Thing About PreeclampsiaSome time ago I received a phone call from a friend. She was late in the third trimester of her second pregnancy. She had been experiencing swelling and high blood pressure, and at her last appointment was told that she was spilling protein. Her doctor casually mentioned “preeclampsia.” So she called me.I asked my friend for her lab numbers. And honestly, I was worried. Something was definitely Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-73892732859935161342009-08-13T08:39:00.008-05:002009-08-13T09:26:49.628-05:00A StartWell, ladies, we saw a heartbeat. I am really, genuinely surprised. And I must have unconsciously convinced myself that there wouldn't be one, because I've already noticed a slight shift in my attitude. It really helps to know that all this crap,* for now at least!, is for a reason.My MFM was wonderful. He shook B's hand and gave me a hug, and told us how very happy he was to see us back. This Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-51819912773380685742009-07-23T09:58:00.008-05:002009-07-23T11:33:19.257-05:00Beating the OddsWe have beaten the odds across the board. Not in the sense that we’ve had positive outcomes, of course. (Although, for a time, we certainly thought we had “beaten the odds” in the most joyful of ways – oh how ecstatic and confident we were – of course IUI with injectibles worked, and of course we were expecting twins!) But, rather, in the sense that none of our outcomes, statistically, should Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-11410595990688723002009-05-26T12:33:00.017-05:002009-05-26T15:11:21.217-05:00Hypoplastic Left Heart SyndromeThis is baby B's “heart defect” to which I have referred but had not yet identified.As you might recall, when we went for our anatomy scan at 19w2d, we were told that there might be a problem with our little girl, baby B’s, heart. The ultrasound tech said she couldn’t get a good picture of the left side. One of the MFMs, Dr. G, came in and agreed that the left side could not be seen well – but, Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-66399738162619742022009-05-04T09:38:00.009-05:002009-05-04T10:20:21.427-05:00A MotherHere in the babyloss community we call ourselves “mothers.” And I suppose it’s true. I have been forever changed. I have carried two perfect examples of life inside of me. I loved them with every ounce of my being and in ways I never before understood or thought possible. I gave birth to two perfect little babies, and will forever carry the weight of their absence. My inability to protect them Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-24752575017402843102009-04-07T20:10:00.011-05:002009-05-18T20:01:33.251-05:00Trying To Make Some GoodOne of the things we did over our Due Date weekend was make plans to attend a Preeclampsia Foundation Awareness Walk. It’s Mothers’ Day weekend, and we have to travel 5 hours away for the closest Walk. . . And I’m terrified! I don’t have to tell you all how terribly difficult it’s going to be to attend this family-friendly event without our sweet babies, but we just really feel compelled to honorBluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-91223401686195986722009-03-02T20:33:00.003-06:002009-03-02T20:57:24.708-06:00Back In The Saddle. Kind Of.Well, sweet girls. . . I’m too tired to write much interesting tonight (my, but isn’t that presumptious about all the other nights!) I'm sure that this will be a long and boring post, but I thought I should update while it's on my mind. Today B and I met with the RE for the first time since losing the babies. I was so excited for this day to come; to get a plan in place. But as we sat and Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-4997750744004424882009-02-13T13:35:00.000-06:002009-02-26T12:36:51.023-06:00Test Results - Part 2First, thank you all for your sweet words yesterday. It was such a joy for me to share our sweet babies with you. On the test results front, it seems that no news is – well – no news. I feel so deflated right now, that’s the only way to describe it. Dr. C. was kind as he always is, but I just had so built up this appointment in my head, and it was horribly anticlimactic, to say the least. I Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-89495939509828005452009-02-11T15:14:00.000-06:002009-02-26T12:37:27.998-06:00Test Results - Part 1I don’t even know what to say. Here’s some background. I may have insinuated this in my last post, but I don’t remember and I’m in no mood to read it again. But here’s how it happened:I’m in the hospital. The great and powerful MFM Dr. C - and I say that with all seriousness and no sarcasm, we love him! – anyways, the great and powerful Dr. C. is confused. Completely stumped. The source of Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-40457325986326913992009-02-10T11:15:00.000-06:002009-02-26T12:37:58.109-06:00November 10, 2008There are two dates every month that make me catch my breath: the 10th and the 12th. November 12th was the day our babies were born still. But November 10th was the day it all started falling apart. The 10th is the day that I clearly remember, that I replay in my head over and over. . . after that, it’s all a bit of a blur. Today marks three months from the 10th. I know this post will be Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-28723127942619793642009-01-27T14:36:00.000-06:002009-02-01T21:29:39.049-06:00A Hollow VictoryI used to feel so victorious when I thought we had “conquered” infertility. We had gained what so many IF-ers desire: the knowledge that we could get pregnant. But that knowledge didn’t get us very far.I was so elated once we passed the first trimester. We didn’t have to worry about vanishing twin syndrome, and the risk of miscarriage was slim to none. But that victory, also, proved to be Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8890141383477975932.post-64158949657283305632009-01-16T21:49:00.000-06:002009-02-01T21:32:04.442-06:00Let's start at the very beginningOn A.pril 30, 2005, I married my best friend, B. Cliché, but true. Together with our two puppies (they will be “puppies” no matter how old they become), we made a small but happy family. We worked on our careers and setting up our home. We learned to love and lean on each other, and became a perfect team. In January 2007 we started working on expanding our little family. Finally, after 20 months,Bluebirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026618678540051581noreply@blogger.com7