Big News!

Well, what a story to tell. After about 14 months of rigorous, back breaking work...it worked! To put it simply, Melissa is pregnant! We just had our first ultrasound today and the little peanut looks fine. To see that little hear beating (176 bpm) just made my heart stop. Melissa cried. But let me not get ahead of myself...

I, being a virile young buck, was perplexed and Melissa, being a maternal and (genetically) fertile doe were quite perplexed by our lack of success over the previous 14 months. Frankly, I was getting worn out. Well, as far as fertility is concerned, they don't take you serious until after the first year of trying so the soonest we could get an appointment was on November 2, Melissa's annual. We talked to her doctor who reviewed Melissa's temperature tracking chart and lab data from her visit to vampires in March. Her (the doctor's) preliminary diagnosis was PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome), a hormonal disease in which the body cranks out too much insulin=testosterone (yeah, the male one)=ovarian issues such as "weak eggs", etc. and odd hair growth. Luckily, we didn't notice any odd hair growth. Doc McDonald scheduled us for a fertility visit on November 8th, at which time we would go over options, lab analysis, etc. Melissa was to have more blood drawn for comparison.

The appointment was at 3:15. At around, oh, 3:20, Melissa texted me to say "I am already in a room." A kindly reminder to her husband who was typing frantically at his desk and (despite paranoia over the appointment all day) had entirely lost track of time. Thinking, "gee, that was early", I looked at the clock (curse), I jumped up, ran out, and burned rubber; the doctor's office is 2.5 miles away from "the office". I hit every light (more foul language) and what appeared to be a traffic accident resulting in a 10-44 (dead body). I missed the road I needed to turn on, did a U-turn (curses abound), and found a spot to park. The place was a ghost town inside and I saw Doc in the office as I walked in, she motioned me to come in, Melissa had been waiting patiently in a, huh-hum, patient room.

The Doc walked in behind me and said that the fertility session was over already, they had discussed all they needed in record time. I sighed, ok. Melissa, by then, was 5 days late (not uncommon for her and we had been disheartened too many times to get our hopes up) so the nurse suggested a quick pregnancy check before I arrived. Melissa obliged, given a strong need to "hit the head" herself. The test came back with a with a weak positive!!! Of course, the doctor toyed with me a little more before becoming perfectly clear, Melissa is pregnant! My response: "oh, cool." then, a moment later, "Good thing we went out and drank Friday night."

After a few more blood tests, the doctor and I were convinced. The longer I waited, the longer it lasted, the more I allowed myself to believe. The more excited I became. The more comfortable I was with the likelihood that this baby would make it to birth. With PCOS, Melissa had an increased chance for the big "M" so I was worried, still am, but the ultrasound helps. She's on a drug to help regulate her insulin and hopefully keep her body from freaking out too much, so far it has worked.

More fun news: my high school best friend "Tee" and his wife are about two weeks further along than we are! I about lost my head when I heard that. To have tried so long, been so far apart from them, and to have timed out so well; what a blessing. I am SO excited.

We told the family around Thanksgiving, our co-workers last week, and will let the world know after the first trimester.

Well, enjoy the baby's first picture! Wish us luck!