Answered Prayer...

Let me start by saying...God is good!!! After almost 5 years of being unable to get pregnant my husband and I now have a little one on the way! I'm due in June, probably late June, but we aren't 100% sure yet. I just had to start with that, yes!!!! Now, a little back-story...

I didn't end up going to the endocrinologist for my ultrasound because both of my grandparents ended up in the hospital that week within 24 hours of each other. I just decided to cancel and reschedule for a later time, but I still hadn't gotten around to setting up a new appointment. I had been off my thyroid medicine (like the endocrinologist wanted) and felt miserable. I lasted about a month and started it back again because I was tired of being tired quite honestly. I hadn't had thyroid labs done in probably 4-5 months and had no idea where my levels where. But I was tired of thinking about it all so it didn't bother me. All I have been taking was my low-dose naltrexone and my thyroid medicine for the past month. I had kinda decided that maybe Bobby and I would be childless forever and go travel the world or something, I was ok with that. I thought, it's not MY plan, but if it's God's plan then He knows best.

Almost three weeks ago I had been sooo tired all week. To the point I just couldn't stay awake, but I had been taking my thyroid medicine so I didn't know what the deal was. Well by that Thursday I was still so exhausted and we were having a birthday dinner for my father-in-law. I knew I wasn't pregnant, it was me after all! But I thought why not test to be sure? After all, it would be a great birthday gift! So I bought the test, came home, took it. I looked at  it a few minutes later and...two pink lines??? What?!?! I immediately thought the test must be faulty (I even double checked to make sure I didn't buy an ovulation test on accident...nope!) I showed it to Bobby, yep he saw it too. We both didn't believe it, so I took another...also positive. Did we believe both tests? No way! We went to town and bought a third test (also positive)  before it finally sort of started sinking in. We were pregnant!!!!! But it still felt too good to be true so my sweet hubby woke up at 4:30 the next morning and went to Wal-Mart. He bought 3 different brands on tests and woke me up to take them. Yes, I took all 3 brands at the same time to be extra sure (we are insane, I realize) and when all 3 of those showed positive we finally started getting excited!!

My thyroid can be an issue during pregnancy and increase the risk of things going wrong, if we don't keep an eye on my levels. From what I've read as long as we monitor it everything should be fine. So we immediately started having blood work done. I wanted to wait to post until after we had my thyroid levels checked and made sure my hcg levels were doubling like they should. I'm happy to say that everything looks healthy thus far, my hcg levels are doubling even quicker than that's considered "normal" and my thyroid test came back with my levels at a good point. One of the most exciting things to me (other than having a baby) was to see that my thyroid antibodies are decreasing! This has always been the goal and with my latest labs both of the thyroid antibodies have decreased by half or more! Considering that they were going up every month I had labs done this is a huge answer to prayer. I have to say I truly believe it was the combination of taking Armour thyroid and my low-dose naltrexone. Probably more so the naltrexone, since that's the only thing I've changed since the decrease has started. I highly recommend it to those with autoimmune issues and I'm so thankful I have a doctor who was willing to try it and willing to work with me on my thyroid. The combination of that and the Mercier Therapy that I do is what has helped me to get healthier and to heal my body. I know God led me to Stephanie Mallet (my thyroid doctor) and Karen Miller (my Mercier Therapist) to help me on the path to having children. I will never be able to thank them enough for being such caring people and having amazing hearts. I know God is using them and I know my family is thankful for the help they've given us.

We would appreciate everyone's prayers that the baby continues to stay healthy. I have my first ob appointment this Thursday and we are going to see if we need to see a high-risk doctor to monitor my thyroid levels throughout the pregnancy. We know there are no guarantees, but we believe life begins at conception and we are going to enjoy this little life that God has entrusted us with as long as He allows and we aren't going to live in fear of the "what-ifs." I know in my heart God can keep myself and my child healthy. So far everything has been wonderful (yes there is morning sickness and other things, but I don't care because it reminds me that I'm finally pregnant, something I wasn't sure would ever happen) and I'm just so thankful. So, so thankful to be allowed to experience one of the best things in life. We are also thankful that everything is going well and all of my blood work has come back good. Since we weren't really monitoring anything and I just started back my medicine not too long before I got pregnant things could've been bad, but God has been in control and watching over us and our little one.

I would also like to encourage those who are still trying for a baby, we waited almost 5 years, with many prayers and tears and many times of feeling like giving up. Please take encouragement from this and don't lose hope! You are in my prayers and my heart aches for you to be blessed with a little one someday soon.