Praying for a Little Miracle

This past Thursday (Gabe's birthday) we headed into my 36 week doctors appointment filled with excitement.  We were excited to see our little girl on the monitor, to hear how she was doing and to finish up the last progesterone injection (a shot I've been getting each week since 20 weeks).  It was a day that felt like a huge milestone and we couldn't wait.

We eagerly awaited to see her image pop up on the monitor and once it did, we learned that our little one was breech.  My heart sunk.  We asked what that meant for delivery and when the technician said it most likely meant having a c-section, I wanted to cry.

In many cases, she went on to say, the baby will turn on its own.  But, the issue in our case is that the fluid around her is below the normal amount and with less fluid, it's harder for the babies to turn on their own.  They simply get stuck in that position and so a c-section is the safest and best option.

We went on with the ultrasound and were thrilled to hear her growth is right on track.  She weighs about 6 pounds and even has a little hair on her head!  All of her vitals looked good and, of course, we were so thankful to know that she is doing well and is healthy!!

After talking more with my doctor about her fluid levels and the options for avoiding the c-section, we found that an external cephalic version could be a way to turn her around.  Gabe and I both felt that if there's any option for avoiding a c-section; we want to try!

At some point next week, I'll go in for the procedure.  They'll first do an ultrasound to see her positioning in the womb, how much fluid is around her and where her umbilical cord is located.  If there isn't enough fluid, they won't even attempt the procedure.  And, if there's even less fluid where it could be dangerous for her, they would have to do a c-section soon after.  If everything looks good to move forward with the version, there's a little over 50% chance it will work.  Sometimes the baby is just too stubborn to move!  (I think it'll be very telling to see who she takes after… :)  )

My doctor recommended the best thing to do is try to get the fluid levels up by laying on my side a lot and drinking lots of water… so that's what I've been doing.

Yesterday was really a rough day.  I read a lot on c-sections and the pros and cons.  I know many women have gone through them and there are some positive aspects of them, but for me, it's been a lot to process through.

I know it's healthier to deliver naturally as there are certain bacteria that helps the baby when going through the birthing process.  I think too I subconsciously want to go through the delivery process to redeem some of those memories of delivering Judah.  I want to have that positive delivery experience where we're anticipating each contraction and sensing the excitement of her arrival.  Where I can hold her right away and be in the cozy setting of a birthing room.  Instead, we'll be in a cold operating room, where (hopefully) Gabe will be allowed to be with me, and where I probably won't be able to hold our little one right away.  I'll then spend time in the recovery room instead of just being able to focus all my attention on our little girl.

It also gets more complicated knowing I'll be having my cerclage stitch removed this coming Friday.  At that point, I could go into labor at any time… which was really exciting to me, but now makes me nervous knowing a c-section would be the result.

All of these thoughts kept going through my head yesterday and with my already oh-so-lovely pregnancy hormones and feeling completely exhausted… I laid on the couch and felt defeated.

We're so close and yet, there's another hurdle to cross…

I prayed a lot yesterday that she would miraculously turn on her own, that she'll have enough fluid that the doctors could do the version procedure, that I would stay focused on how far we've already come and that I would have a larger perspective on what God is doing.

As I woke up this morning and felt her wiggle around, I was hit with the overwhelming question that I felt God was asking me…  "Do you trust me?"  I know that's what it comes down to.

Do I trust that God is completely in control of this situation, whether I have to have a c-section or not?  Do I trust He's not going to leave us hanging on this journey that He's so faithfully been with us on until this point?  And the more I thought about it, the more I felt His peace.

We are still so excited to meet our little girl… no matter how she gets here.  We're still amazed at the miracle of conception and being able to carry a baby this far into pregnancy.  We're still overwhelmed and excited at the thought of being parents and starting our family.  We're still so thankful…

So our prayer is that we'll continue to trust that whatever happens, God's in control.  But we're also praying for a little miracle… that there would be enough fluid for her to turn on her own or be turned by the procedure next week.

Thanks for continuing on with us throughout this journey and for your prayers!

Love,
The Coyles

Remembering Judah- Our 2 Year Journey

It's hard to believe that two years ago today, we lost our son Judah.  I can so vividly remember being in the hospital and feeling his small, sporadic kicks at 21 weeks and watching him wiggle around on the ultra sound monitor.  There was hope that, even though I would be on bed rest the rest of the pregnancy, if he stayed put for just a few more weeks, he would have a chance of survival.

But things changed within the following few hours and as I went into labor and delivered our son, those hopes were gone.

That first year after losing him was incredibly hard.  While we felt the love and support from our family and friends, and while we knew God had a purpose in it all, it was an emotionally one of the hardest things we've gone through.  We not only lost a child, we found ourselves being labeled with infertility… and that combination had us wondering what God had in store for us as a family.

The first anniversary of Judah's death was painful as we hung his ornament on the tree and went through his box of pictures and items from the hospital.  We remembered our son and the moments we had with him, and wondered if we'd ever have the experience of welcoming a healthy baby into the world.

This year, as I sit here watching the snow come down as I write, I feel the seemingly non stop movements of our little girl as we wait anxiously for her arrival.  At nearly 36 weeks, we know that even if she came today, she would survive… and we are so excited and thankful.

God has been so faithful on this journey… and not just the journey of this pregnancy, but the entire last two years.  We are so thankful for everyone's prayers and encouragement and know we wouldn't have gotten through without your support.

I wasn't going to write a lot today because I wanted to repost a blog post that Gabe wrote the other day.    I thought it summed up perfectly the struggle, feelings and hope that we find in our loss and even the great gift of the Christmas season.

I’ve always loved the Christmas season. You can ask my wife. I’m one of those nerds who sings Christmas tunes in the shower. 

...in July.  

And yet, there was a year that Christmas was anything but holly and jolly. Innocence was lost. The forever green trees meshed with a short life taken what felt too soon.   

Now, Christmas will forever feel strange to me.  

On December 23, 2011 I held my firstborn son after two weeks of being in and out of the hospital. Rather than celebrating the start of a new family. I held my boy, lifeless. Died in child birth, I picked up his remains on Christmas eve from the funeral home.  

Quiet.  

Such a small box.  

Everyone else had already gone to begin their Christmas eve celebrations. Then Allie and I celebrated — or at least remembered with tears — the labor pains of the virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus the Christ on December 25th. What must His first cry have sounded like? Strangely normal, I assume. We hung an ornament in my son’s honor. It was so small — smaller than him.   

Then the 26th came.   

A day that comes every year. A day I didn’t necessarily look forward to that year. A day to remember my own birth. I was born early too, I am told. I shared that in common with him, but I made it.    

And now two years later, there is another added element. My wife is 9 months pregnant. I can feel my daughter get a case of the hiccups, bust a move when the music is cranked, or even stretch as she is gearing up to join us. I can’t tell you how excited, overjoyed, overwhelmed, anxious, and just thankful I am.  It is in these few days in each year I’m reminded of the story of this world. My world. Your world.   

Its broken. Death isn’t beautiful. Its dark. Cold. Anyone who tells you to just accept death as evolution’s avenue of human progress and development, has never really loved and lost. Either that or they’re hopeless and cynical. Never really seeing what is right in front of them — the ugliness of death. The wrongness of death. 

But in the midst of all this brokenness, a new day comes. I am reminded that God didn’t just sit on the sidelines. He entered our pain and suffering. And every year when I remember my son’s death, I remember that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ. He sent Him in a particular point in history - real time and space - to be Emmanuel — God with us. He saw that there was so much wrong in the world, and He knew He was its only solution. Born in order to die that death would one day end. Suffered so that one day suffering would cease. Sin paid for. Death defeated. God’s Son intentionally went to the cross to die so that one day our sons and daughters might no longer die, but might live forever.   

Then as my birthday hits afresh on good ol’ Boxing Day, I breathe anew the truth of the Gospel. Jesus was miraculously born. Lived a life I want to live, and died the death I deserved to die, then rose from the dead three days later - changing the very course of history. Death to life. God isn’t done working in the world. God isn’t done working in me. Through me. In you. Through you. For His good purposes.  

This is the full story of Christmas I want my soon-to-arrive daughter to know, own and live. 

Death, miraculous birth, a birthday and imminent new life - all in only a few short days. Christmas will forever feel strange to me, but that doesn’t mean it's without hope.

We love you Judah!  You are forever in our hearts and minds… we can't wait to see you and hold you again someday!

 

Love,
Mom and Dad

It Takes a Village

I was pretty nervous about yesterday's surgery, all the way from scheduling it a month ago, up until yesterday.  It was so awesome though to wake up yesterday morning and see all the comments on the blog and on Facebook and to even get texts and emails with encouragement and prayers about the surgery!  It made me feel like I had an army of prayer warriors going with me into battle and I started to feel at peace.

I arrived two hours beforehand and hung out with Gabe in the waiting room till they called me back for prep.  I felt super stylish putting on my little blue booties and cap and the open back gown.  Gabe then joined me in the prep room and we were able to listen to the baby's strong heartbeat.... which is always just a relief to hear.  Nurses were in and out of the room checking vitals, putting in the IV (which took two attempts, much to the chagrin of the nurse in training), and wrapping me in warm towels (why I don't do this at home I'll never know.. it was wonderful).

It was great seeing Dr. Shari Jackson arrive on the scene and letting me know she was going to be doing my surgery.  She was the awesome doctor who was with me in the hospital with Judah and performed the rescue cerclage despite the complications.  She has such a fun personality and she, along with the nurses and the anesthesiologist, made the entire process really fun.... yep, fun.

I didn't think I would ever say that about being in the hospital or going into surgery, but it's really amazing how much of a difference the doctors and nurses can make!  So, for all of you in the medical field... thank you for what you do and for really taking the time to take care of patients!  We then headed in to the Operating Room and I felt some of the nervousness come back.  I still had to face the dreaded epidural.

Now, I know so many women out there get these during labor, but I feel like there are some differences.  First of all, the pains of contractions far outweighs the feeling of the epidural. Secondly, you're so excited because you know the shot will bring relief and in a short time you'll be welcoming a bundle of joy into the world!  But, if you're feeling fine and then told you're going to have a numbing shot (which stings like no other) and then the longest needle you've ever seen put into your back- you're going to feel a little tense.  Long story short; I was glad when it was over and I started to feel the numbing take effect.

The operating room was full of women and it was a really great upbeat environment as we talked about styles of music (I got to pick what we listened to which was "anything but country"), then whether or not to find out what you're having during pregnancy, the show Scrubs and other random topics.  In about ten minutes the surgery was done and Dr. Jackson said, despite some scarring from the last cerclage, everything looked good!

I was wheeled into recovery around 12:40 and told it would take 2-3 hours for the spinal block to wear off and then I would be on my way!  Well, the anesthesiologist did her job very well and, while I was expecting to be heading out the door around 3 or so... I ended up being there a little longer.  Apparently, there's a checklist of a few tasks you need to do in order to be able to leave.  Things like wiggle your toes, move your legs and a few other things.  And it's hard when your only responsibility in making these things happen is laying there and letting the anesthesia wear off.  Needless to say we didn't leave until almost 7 last night and there were cheers all around when I passed the final test.  We did, however, get cake and brownies from a going away party the unit was having for one of the nurses... so I guess waiting over 6 hours had its perks.  :)

Last night and today have been just taking time to rest and Gabe has been great about taking care of everything else (while Lola and I lay on the couch and watch chic flicks).

(I told myself I would just write a quick update, but here I am again, writing a novel... sorry! I guess if you've made it this far, you don't mind finishing it out.) :)

I can't say enough though how grateful Gabe and I are for your encouragement, prayers and support!  As our family and friends, you are so beautifully carrying out Galations 6:2 which says "Carry each other's burdens and in this, you fulfill the law of Christ."

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it sometimes takes a village to help bring one safely into the world.

We are so thankful for the village God has placed us in.

We love you!

Love,
The Coyles

A New Baby, A New Journey

It's hard to put into words all the feelings and emotions in our lives right now...  We are beyond thrilled that we are pregnant again and expecting our new little one in January!  For those that missed it, here's our little announcement that we made since Gabe and I both love coffee:

It was a long journey through over a year of navigating our loss and then trying to get pregnant.  The countless doctors appointments, wrestling with being labeled infertile, thinking through next steps and even doubts of what God was doing.  (I'll get into all that in another post as I know so many others who have also struggled through that process.)

But here we are again!  In hindsight I see God's timing was perfect and we feel so blessed to be on this road with a little bump in tow!

I thought I would start writing about our journey this time around because I'm going in for surgery tomorrow.  Up until now, it's been the excitement of finding out, telling family and friends and positive doctors appointments.  Thankfully, the queasiness of the first trimester is leaving, but the surgery tomorrow is a great reminder of having a high risk pregnancy.

We've both felt the struggle up to this point of being excited, while still understanding that we have to hold loosely and trust that, ultimately, God is once again in control of this situation.  But now begins the reality of taking as many steps as possible to prevent what happened last time.  

The cerclage surgery is an out patient surgery that basically sews up the cervix.  Because it's preventative this time (as opposed to last time with it being more of a rescue cerclage), there's a really good chance for success as it's been proven to work for others dealing with an incompetent cervix.  And it's crazy because I'm not nervous about the surgery itself, but more about the epidural I have to get  to do the block of anesthesiology.  Last time it was a little rough, so once that's done, I'll feel much better!

I know it will all be worth it to have a healthy baby and so, we keep saying, no matter what the journey; our prayer is to have a healthy baby in the end!   

Right now I feel like I'm stock piling food since I can't eat or drink anything past midnight tonight.  I'm armed with pepperoni and wheat thins and trying to drink as much water as possible.  The surgery is at 11:45am, and the surgery itself can take anywhere from 5 minutes to a half an hour.  Then I'll be in recovery until I have feeling back in my legs and can walk around.  Gabe is being so supportive in reminding me he'll be there the entire time and will be at my beck and call over the next few days.  What a man...  :)

It's been so encouraging to have friends and family already surrounding us on this journey... and we're only 14 weeks in!  A friend is bringing over dinner tomorrow night and we are so appreciative of all the outpouring of love and prayers!  

We are hopeful and will continue to update along the way.  We are simply resting in knowing that God already knows the outcome.

Thank you for walking with us and for your prayers for tomorrow!

Love, 

The Coyles