I've written before about my parents and how our experience on IF Island may have traumatized them a bit. And my initially tentative P followed by terrifying moments like this hasn't helped any. But I was thinking about them again today, as I inch towards hitting the 32 week mark. I was thinking about what it might be like for them to now finally be expecting not one grandchild, but two.
Yup. I'm outing my sister.
Over the summer of 2013, my little sis (3 1/2 years younger) generously donated her eggs to us. It was such an incredible gift and was a pretty intense time for my family. My sis did not stimulate well and some red flags were raised about her own fertility. After we transferred three embryos followed by one last frostie, my RE met with my sis to warn her about possible fertility problems. He recommended she do an egg freezing cycle for herself as she was pushing 30 and not yet ready to start a family. It freaked us all out but she didn't really want to talk about it. I thought this was valuable info for her, but she did not agree. It was overwhelming. And a year went by, she got married, and lo and behold she's about six months P. Her due date is exactly two months after mine.
My parents were shocked. They were nervous for both of us. For me for the obvious reasons (subchorionic hematoma anyone?) and for her, well, just because. It kind of...just happened, even though she was told there was a good chance she'd have some problems.
Now that we are both far enough along, I think my parents can finally feel a little more confident. Though none of us are going to be able to fully exhale until fingers and toes are counted, things for my family have changed drastically, in ways none of us could have imagined.
By the summer, my parents will have two grandchildren. A girl and a boy. And my family will be living proof that:
1) Miracles can happen
2) Doctors aren't always right, and
3) Good things sometimes do come to those who wait (and wait and wait)
Nothing stays the same. This time last year none of us knew exactly how Noah and I were going to get out of the IF rabbit hole we had fallen down, and we were all a little worried that my sis might be following in my footsteps. Now, things are very different.
Sending lots of Friday love to everyone with a reminder that no matter where you are in the fight, things can and will be different.
I see lots of cousin fun in the future! So happy for you guys.
Posted by: Silvia | February 03, 2015 at 05:39 PM
Wonderful wonderful news! That is so exciting!
Posted by: Cortney | February 02, 2015 at 08:15 PM
OH EM GEE!! This is beyond exciting for your family!!! Mine can totally relate to this post too...after all they have witnessed with me and my husband (stillbirth daughter, 3 miscarriages before 11 weeks)...they have been terrified for us during this pregnancy (donor egg from sis). We have passed the furthest miscarriage but stillbirth is still a scary reality for us and until we pass 24 weeks, I think my family will be on edge for us.
Posted by: Lindsay Monnier | February 02, 2015 at 06:44 PM
So wonderful!!!! Congrats to your whole family! What an exciting summer this will be for all of you :) Thank you for the reminder- things do change - because as hard as that is to accept in the throes of infertility despair, it is so true. At 11 weeks, I am allowing myself to imagine how wonderfully different this time next year will be, how our anniversary this year will be, how the holidays this year will be, etc.. As nervous as I still am, it feel pretty wonderful to know that things have indeed changed and the baby that I have longed for is now actually growing :) hope you have a wonderful birth class today! Xo
Posted by: Meliss | February 01, 2015 at 08:24 AM
Ahhhh amazing! So very happy for your family. It is inspiring and amazing how quickly life can change. Xo
Posted by: Jojo | January 30, 2015 at 08:22 PM
Staying positive and waiting to exhale.
Dad
Posted by: Larry | January 30, 2015 at 03:55 PM