Growing up in the country, I guess you could say I was somewhat of a tomboy; more interested in playing outside and exploring. Playing house, dreaming of my wedding, the perfect family, or learning to cook was never high on my to do list (although I totally regret the cooking thing). My mentality was, “If I have kids, great! If not, it wasn't meant to be.”
Flash forward many, many years, surprise! I'm 8 months pregnant!
2019 will be our 5 year wedding anniversary for my husband Sean and I. About 3 ½ years of that was trying and wondering if it was even going to be possible to conceive naturally, or if at all. I had several health issues when I was younger that could make it difficult for me to conceive. Sean and his first wife had 3 miscarriages so there was that to think about as well.
I have a hereditary blood clotting disorder called Protein C Deficiency, but have never had issues with it until 2016 when I had reconstructive ankle surgery that resulted in a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). In January of 2018 on a flight home from a work trip to Atlanta, I got really sick and ended up in the ER. I was positive it was food poisoning. The hospital thought it was possibly gall bladder or heart issues because of the clotting disorder. So at the ripe age of 34 I was given a heart catheterization procedure that told me my ticker and arteries were perfectly healthy. To this day I was never really given a full diagnosis.
A month later I was back in the ER with terrible leg pain. Turns out the heart cath procedure had caused the 4 major arteries in the lower part of my right leg to become 100% blocked. I had to have 3 emergency angioplasty procedures and the worse pain of my life to clear the blockages. It was so bad that if I didn't go to the hospital when I did, I actually could have lost my leg! I was put on 2 different blood thinners to make sure it didn't happen again.
Now I know what you're thinking... this girl sounds like she's 84 and not 34! Believe me, my medical chart reads a lot older than what my real age is.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Shortly before my hospital stays I had blood work done to make sure everything was working properly to be able to conceive naturally. Everything came back normal. I was scheduled to have a dye test done to see if I had any blockage (which I was convinced was why we weren't pregnant yet), but had to cancel when I was in the hospital.
Six months after my scare I had just finished the blood thinners and surprise! I'm pregnant! Totally shocked and surprised, but happy!
Every morning I have to give myself a blood thinning injection in my stomach and will need to continue to do so 6 weeks postpartum. It's not fun, but if it's what I have to do to bring this little miracle into the world, then I'll do it. I've been extremely lucky to have had an easy pregnancy so far. No morning sickness, no blood clots. Just your standard run of the mill stuff.
Little man is due May 23 technically, but because of the blood clotting issue I will be getting induced May 17. Just another thing to make sure he makes his grand entrance safely.
I encourage all soon-to-be moms to have maternity portraits done. It's such an amazing time in your life. I have never really felt pretty in pictures before. Janine changed that. For the first time ever I actually did. And being 8 months pregnant large and in charge, it's not an easy feat. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Janine!!!!