Green Light!

-Warning: this post goes into detail about our doc. appt. today. It's not gross or anything, but it may be TMI for some.

I had my doctors appt. today. I thought maybe this would be the last one with Dr. R...but alas, I was wrong, again. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. He's a little quirky but he is really good at what he does. Part of me feels like when I can go to Dr. H again, I'll know that everything is "normal". There is something about going to a specialist that makes me want to be normal more then ever before.

We talked for about an hour about what we've done up to this point and where we are going from here. He wanted to make sure we were on board for TTC (trying to conceive) immediately, which we are. He said that if we weren't, he would highly advise otherwise. He is giving us 3 months to TTC 'naturally.' If we haven't gotten prego by then, we need to start some meds that encourage my body to work (aka, clomid). He'll give that 3 months and if it doesn't work then he said we will need to take more drastic measures and try IVF or IUI....which we won't do. Heh, even if we wanted do it, there is NO WAY we could afford it! They gave us the prices before we left and our jaws dropped.

My first thought to all of this is The Lord is in Control! He is worried about my endo since it was/is so extreme. The chances of conceiving after 6 months drastically diminishes. I am grateful he is concerned but I also know that if the Lord is bigger then any doctor or any treatment.

I told him I was charting and he was all about that. He wants me to send him the charts every month to make sure I'm including enough details. When we are prego, he'll get me through the first trimester and then send me back to Dr. H (I can't wait!). I feel like the clouds are finally beginning to lift and I will soon see the sun again. The journey is not over yet, but we're getting close.

I have learned a TON through this experience. I would like to pass on some practical lessons-learned that I think everyone should know.

1. If you have a friend who has miscarried please visit my church's website, http://www.watermark.org/ministry/shiloh.asp. This link is to the Shiloh ministry for miscarriage and infertility. At the bottom of the page are very practical ways you can help a friend who is suffering through a miscarriage.

One thing I would add to the list is if it's a close friend who you really want to support, try and remember her due date for the miscarried baby. This can be an extremely hard time and just having someone remember can be a huge blessing.

2. As a dear friend says, "Don't ask." This is a great rule of thumb. Unless it's your best friend, don't ask "when are you going to have a child" or worse yet, "when are you due". If someone is pregnant, normally that is one of the first things out of their mouth, or shortly-there-after. If a woman doesn't have kids yet, they either don't want them, don't want them yet, or are struggling.

I know I have been guilty of this in the past. I now know from experience how hard it is when those questions are asked. It can be emotionally traumatizing depending on where the woman is at in the process.

3. The Lord truly is in control. He will give us His strength when we really need it.