The neighborhood kids have been herded off into their homes. I just caught the last few minutes of their play noise.
Yesterday was doctor day. I've contemplated the whole day if I should continue chronicling this part of our journey.
A month and a few days ago, when we were at the immunologist's office, a girl said hi to me. She asked if I was Makescoffeenervous. I was surprised. She said she had been reading my blog. It was a sad time for me (I was waiting for miscarriage number 3) but that girl encouraging me to write some more cheered me up.
In case you are reading this, my LIT classmate, I'm saying hi and wishing you are well. I'm writing about this in case you and someone like you will be reading someday.
On to the story.
Our doctor is Dr. Angela Sison-Aguilar. She is an Ob-Gyne and Reproductive Endocrinologist. She was recommended to us by Dr. Lara Aleta, our Immunologist.
So yesterday C and I went to St. Luke's Global. Long but decent line. I like this clinic. It's simple, straightforward and the staff AND doctor are very pleasant.
When you talk to Dr. Aguilar, although you know there is a long line outside, you feel as if you are her only patient for the day. She looks you in the eye when she talks to you. She knows what you are there for (no need to explain at each visit). She laughs well too and we love laughing with her.
Still a lot of unoccupied doctors' offices in St. Luke's Global.
We made these pants! These are my favorite now, along with these weather-beaten loafers.
After the talk with the doc, we had dinner at Via Mare (sorry no pictures as we were both just starving). Then we walked around and got some dessert and bread from Bizu.
Don't you just love the seating area?
Yes, I am trying to avoid talking about what we talked about with the doc. Haha. I thought I'd entertain and literally sugarcoat with images of pastry and pastels.
Okay. So we can try again. The doc asked us to go for follicle monitoring and I shyly asked if we needed it since I ovulate like clockwork (Yes I do, believe me. I've got 9 years of trying not to get pregnant using the BBT tucked under my belt. I know when I usually ovulate.) She laughed and said no need. And proceeded to give us a list of dates when we needed to do the deed. Hahahaha!
When I get pregnant again, we have to see her right away so we can have the following immediately:
1. Booster lymphocyte immune therapy (LIT) shots
2. Heparin shots (daily for the first trimester)
Heparin is to prevent blood clots. Reading up on this, I found out that blood clots (usually at the placenta, hence blocking nutrients to the fetus) are the body's autoimmune response to infection.
The doctor also said that if I have any spotting, we will have to do IVIg or intravenous immunoglobulin, a blood product administered intravenously. It contains the pooled IgG (immunoglobulin (antibody) G) extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. One thousand blood donors?! Can I please have an echo effect here? One thousand blood donors?!
According to the doc, with my profile, any spotting is bad. Most pregnancy books will tell you that some spotting during pregnancy is normal. Not in my case.
With the third pregnancy, I had spotting very early on. Had my old doctor been more careful, we could have done something that early. Ah well.
Honestly I feel so tired just writing about this.
Last night as I was brushing my teeth, I was thinking how incredibly funny that we have to have scheduled sex to do this. Most people, they just have sex and get a pleasant surprise two weeks after.
But then C put things in perspective (as he always does). Some couples go through worse.
So yes, I feel that I've been robbed of some innocence in this whole baby-making thing. But I am thankful. And hopeful.
So doctor's orders: lotsa sex. Our poor neighbors... Hahaha!
Please help us pray for provisions and also that we won't need the IVIg. They cost Php100k a pop. The daily heparin injections are already costly. Thank you.
14 comments:
Hi, I've been following your blogs for quite sometime now. And I feel better knowing that we are not the only one who's going through this pregnancy problems. I can very much relate to your experiences about pregnancy. I had 2 miscarriages already and had to go through LIT with Dr. Aleta as well. We'll start next week so we're kinda nervous about it. On top of the autoimmune problem, I was also diagnosed with inherited thrombophilia, so I need to take in aspirin everyday and heparin when I get pregnant to avoid blood clots. Are you done with your LIT? Is the LIT done every pregnancy? I wasnt able to ask Dr. Aleta. Thank you for sharing your experiences, it helps a lot =)
Hi Mel!
Thank you for reading my blog and for saying hi. :) Makes sharing our experience more worthwhile.
I'm also on baby aspirin daily. I've had four LIT sessions with Dr. Aleta and will have a booster shot when I get pregnant again.
Dr. Aleta told us before that for some women, they don't need LIT for their next pregnancies because the body remembers and it no longer attacks the husband's tissue. For some though, they need to have LIT for each pregnancy.
I know several girls who've gone through LIT and they all needed LIT for the next pregnancies. Sigh.
The only way to find out is to have LAT (the test we took to find out if we need LIT) before another pregnancy.
You said you're starting next week. Starting with LIT or starting to try to conceive again?
I'm scared too for this next pregnancy. I keep thinking if I didn't have God, I wouldn't have the courage to try again.
Will pray for you. Keep in touch!
Well, I'm encouraged. Sounds like your doctor has the knowledge to get you through this and God has everything else. Hang in there. a lot of people are praying for you.
Dear Sheila,
Thank you so much. You are such a blessing.
hi! i'm cj, that girl who greeted you at dr. aleta's office, we will do iui this week, i had 2 miscarriages (both july and december last year). we plan to have a booster if our iui is successful just to be sure...we can chat sometime if you have a facebook account (cjmidel-wong) or ym account (cjmidel_79) at least we both know that we're not alone...
hi cj! :)
i'll add you up on facebook and will pray with you on your iui.
thanks for saying hi to me that day. that was just a few days after i found out that we were going to miscarry again. our third.
it does feel better when you know you're not alone.
thank you lara...anyway, if you have time, you and your husband can go to Baclaran church at least once a week (not necessarily wednesday because its novena day the church is very crowded) we (me and my husband) go there every tuesday after his basketball game. i will also pray for you.
thank you, cj! keep me posted!
Hi, starting with LIT. We had our first session yesterday and it went well. My arm felt bruised after and its already starting to itch (though not very itchy, its still tolerable). I just had a hard time taking a bath. I was also able to talk to Kuya Reggie, he asked what my case was, told him that I had two miscarriages already and that my pregnancies were all naturally conceived, he smiled and whispered to me that its good news because the woman who came after me also have problems conceiving. Anyway, we're still blessed, that's what I always tell myself. I hope we'll all be succssful in our baby making project. I'm also praying for you and for the other women who's experiencing the same =)
Hi Mel! By now I think you've removed your bandage. :)
It's tough taking a bath, I know! I wrap my arm in plastic and seal it with packing tape. My husband helps me take a bath. :)
We will be fine. Will pray for you as well.
Take care and keep in touch!
I stumbled upon this blog searching for fertility doctors. I have been having problems conceiving for 2 and a half years. Baby-making has been such a struggle. I was in the US last year and the doctor I last met told me i needed an IVF and an IVIG . The terms were all alien to me and I got scared and i didn't push through. Im back here in mnl and trying to deal with it again. so hard to deal with this thing and no one to share it with. Nice to know that i've found confidence reading this and Im not alone. I have to read your current blog to know your updates. It feels good to let it out here. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sheila!
Sorry I just read your comment. I've been so busy taking care of the baby that I've neglected this blog.
Hoping you will find the courage to try again!
Let me know if I can help you in some way (doctor referral, etc).
Hi i love reading ur blog. I Have 2 miscarriages and I'm so scared and traumatized with the experience. Can i add you up on facebook?
Hi, Zen!
Sorry to hear about your miscarriages. I hope you've found a good doctor to help you.
Send me an email at makescoffeenervous@gmail.com. :)
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