We meet again

Etsy.com/uk/shop/NellyBoxes

WordPress, we meet again. What’s it been, 6months? Maybe more. I remember being such a good blogger. Connecting with you all, updating you… and then life got in the way. I’m turning over a new leaf and I’d like to get back to blogging. Get back to all you guys that supported me since my miscarriage 6 years ago. 6 years.. how did that happen?

So, for those that are new to my blog or aren’t familiar with me, I’m going to cram 6 years of miscarriages and trying to conceive in to just 2 or 3 sentences. Seems doable right?

I lost my first baby at 19 and truth be told, it’s almost like it didn’t register. It’s still a total blur to me. I got married in 2015, went to Cuba on honeymoon and lost my first baby with my husband at 12 weeks pregnant. 6 years later, I’ve now lost 9 babies. Including twins (one natural miscarriage, 1 ectopic).

After falling naturally for a few years, I suddenly stopped being able to conceive. I was accepted for IVF a few years ago (some of my losses have been during this time). I’ve finished my first “round” , and I’m due to start my second some time this year – hopefully soon although I guess it depends on bloody covid. Everything seems to be moving a little slower these days.

After losing my twins, I decided to try turn my experiences in to something more positive so I created NellyBoxes. These are self care boxes for men and women who have experienced baby loss, and I donate them to hospitals around my area. You can buy the boxes, regular pamper ‘me-time’ boxes, meditation bags, and individual products from my Etsy store. Everything raised goes to funding the free boxes

So, that’s me – that’s my story for now. You’ll meet me again later. I will be a better blogger. 😊

(That also definitely wasn’t 2 or 3 sentences)

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Changes

I guess this post might be a little surprising to some. It’s still a little surprising to me if I’m honest.

We’ve made the decision to not go back to IVF for the foreseeable. Some of the decision was due to Covid19 and not wanting to rush in to hospitals anytime soon. And part of it was because I just don’t want to.

I don’t want to go through the process again. It takes so much out of me – physically and emotionally.  I’ve realised that my mental health has suffered over these last 5 years. I’ve had 8 losses and I can’t pretend it hasn’t changed me. It has. I’m less confident, more anxious, I can be self deprecating and negative.

I’m trying to become more positive in my energy and I feel taking a break from IVF is what I need to do.

This doesn’t change my desire and my want to have a baby. I think I’ll always have that. But I need to find me again.

*In the mean time, I’m dedicating my time creating NellyBoxes (self care boxes for miscarriage) and you can go on to Etsy to buy some products and help fund a box for a grieving mum or/and dad 💜

Www.etsy.com/shop/nellyboxes

7 months (not pregnant)

Its been 7 months since I last blogged. How did that happen? Writing used to be so therapeutic for me, it was my way of coping. I have no idea why I never came back to it. And why now? Maybe it’s something to do with self isolation and covid-19. Seriously, who seen this coming?

So where did I leave off? Failed IVF attempt? My next one was successful – I made it to 6 weeks before miscarrying again. Fuck. I’m starting to think that maybe babies just ain’t part of my plan. It’s easier to blame the Universe than blame my own body.

I’ve used up all my first batch of eggs so it’s the start of round two – or it was, before this virus came and shit all over everyone’s hopes and dreams.

Covid hasn’t just fucked up my IVF plans – it’s also brought a pretty devastating loss to our family. On Friday 3rd April, my husband lost his dad to the virus. He was only in his 50’s and none of us were ready to say goodbye. It didn’t seem fair – it still doesn’t. But when is death ever fair? When are we ever ready to let someone go? I just know we all thought we’d have a lot more time together. It really hurts.

We’re coping though. We’ll get through this. We all will.

Stay safe everyone.

Failed

Our 3rd transfer failed. No takers.

I’m okay now. I felt like shit at first,but I’m okay now. 1 more frozen embryo left in this round so hopefully this little guy or girl is a big bully embryo and has been threatening all the other embryos not to implant because they want to meet me.

So yeah, turns out I’m basically wishing for a little aggressive child.

Effing pessaries

So it turns out the pessaries aren’t particularly fun any way you put them in. Vagina gives me thrush, and the bum gives me an overwhelming desire to poop all the time. My stomach was so painful today with what can only be described as poop cramps. Why can’t I just have the gel for Gods sake? Or someone can physically punch it right in to my face? Because quite frankly, that would be a nicer option. Ugh.

Test day is 6 days from now. I can feel the nerves and the negativity start to creep in a little (I guess it’s more worry than negativity). I’m going to take some time at night to practice some positive meditation and hopefully that’ll ease some of my worry

The waiting game

I can’t believe I haven’t blogged since transfer! I’ve put so much focus on trying to raise funds for my boxes that I forgot to write. Which is awful, because a huge part of what I’m doing is because of this blog and the people I’ve met through it.

I had my third transfer on Thursday 1st August. I only had 1 embryo transferred. The doctors recommended it, and after losing twins last time – I just felt it wasn’t worth the risk. I’m still on my first round and I have three fully funded rounds (I still can’t get over how lucky I am compared to the people that need to pay thousands of pounds/dollars. It’s outrageous that not everyone gets to have the same chances to have a child)

I’ve been feeling pretty much the same over the past few days. Trying not to think/analyse symptoms this time round. I’ve been meditating as much as I can, and that’s helped with my stress levels and my tendency to overthink. Ideally, I hope to just “get on with things” until test day.

August 12th. 7 days from now.

If you guys have time, please go on to my crowdfunder. Have a read and if you can, please please donate. But more importantly, please share!

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nelly-boxes-self-care-boxes-for-baby-loss

It’s a date

Transfer number 3 booked for Thursday. I don’t have a time yet. I’m not sure how it works in other clinics, but mine gives me a 2 hour window. I’ll get a phone call on Thursday morning and they’ll give me a time to come in (with at least 2 hours notice)

I’ve started the pessaries, but I’ve been taking them the “other” way. I can’t think of a nice way of saying “up my bum”.

Last time I got thrush and my vagina was unbelievably painful, so I switched it up this time. Now the only physical side effect is a whole load of farts.

I’ve been really emotional (erratic is a more accurate description to be honest) and have been feeling a little overwhelmed. I’ve been trying to meditate more to counteract the hormones and it’s helping a little. I definitely feel more like “me” this time round.

*update* I’ve text my brother a few times. I’m not ready to see him yet, but I am making an effort to keep communication open

Oh, Brother

My brother phoned me a few minutes ago to tell me his girlfriend was pregnant.

I burst in to tears, muttered congratulations, told him I had to go and immediately hung up.

2 days before my scan and this is the phone call I get. While I’m fucking full of hormones.

It’s a reaction I haven’t experienced in so long and to be honest I’m annoyed at myself for reacting the way I did. But I can’t lie to myself. I thought it didn’t hurt as much anymore, but I guess I was wrong.

I always imagined going shopping with my mum while she browsed the rails for clothes for her first grandchild. I pictured her excitedly telling her workmates that her first grandchild was due in a few months. I love that she gets to do all this, it just hurts that it won’t be my baby she’s talking about. I know what you’re thinking; who needs a baby with me around ay?

I’m jealous. It’s horrible to admit but it’s true. It’s a shitty emotion and one that’s almost impossible to hide. How am I going to face him and act okay?

They’ve been together about a week (I’m exaggerating and being childish of course) And here’s me – married for nearly 5 years and painfully and frustratingly trying to have a baby for most of that time to no avail.

It sucks. There’s no other way to describe it. Or maybe there is? It’s shitty. It’s unfair. It hurts. It makes me feel things I hate feeling. It makes me feel like a bad person. Like a bad friend. Like a bad sister.

I know it will pass and I will be happy for them. Of course I will. I just need one night to be a little bit of a dickhead.

And we’re off

I had another IVF appointment yesterday; this time to have an internal scan and collect some meds.

They scan you a few days after your period stops to see how your lining looks. They want it to be nice and thin before they can make it thick again. (It’s a strange process)

For some reason a “thin lining” always sounds much more pleasant than a thick one don’t you think?

Anyway, she had a look and it seems my little reproductive organs are looking fantastic. Lining is perfect. I took this as a good sign. (last time it was too thick and we had to come back two days later).

The nurse who scanned me was the same nurse who was called to take me to the ward after the ectopic. She remembered me. At first I thought I must have made a great impression, then I realised it’s probably because she’s not seen too many IVF twin pregnancies resulting in miscarriage AND ectopic. Either way, I’m obviously very memorable.

I left the appointment feeling much more positive. Much more excited. I’m allowing myself to look forward to the possibilities. The “what if’s” are much happier this time around.

The Secret

I’ve been reading “The Secret” recently and I am in no means exaggerating when I say it’s changed (and changing) my life.

If you haven’t read it, I won’t go in to too much detail but it essentially tells you how your thoughts are so powerful and they become your reality. It’s through reading this that I realised how negative I’ve been over the past few years. Even thoughts like “I don’t want to be late” can be construed as negative.

I’ve been crippled with self doubt and low self esteem and it largely stems from experiencing so many losses. But recently I’ve been making changes. Hubby bought me a mini journal and I’ve been writing positive thoughts in it and reading it every day. I’ve been looking at my body and telling myself I look amazing. Why is it, that as women we’re not allowed to do that? That if you’re proud of your body, or you compliment yourself – people don’t seem to like it? I think you should all try it. Write down positive notes to yourself and read them every day for 2 weeks and see how you feel after it?

My confidence has grown (I’m still a work in progress) and I feel so much more relaxed and positive. I’m not getting stressed and anxious about as many things any more. I remind myself every day of what I’m grateful for and I really do believe I’ll achieve anything I want to.

I’m going in to this next round of IVF as a much calmer, more excited person. I used to say “What if this fails, what if I lose the baby”? I was always worried and panicking, but now I’m going in to this saying

“What if we have a baby?”