Baby Rus

by Catherine Sherbine

Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000

I have read other people's stories of their miscarriage experiences. It has helped my deal with my experience. I have decided to share my story, too.

My husband and I got married in June 1999. After Christmas, we decided to try to have a baby. I got pregnant in February 2000 after only one try. I was due for my period on March 6, and it never started. I finally took a home pregnancy test on March 13, and it was positive. We were very happy. Over the next 2 weeks, we told our family and friends. When I had a positive test on March 13, I immediately made arrangements to begin prenatal care. I got my prescription for prenatal vitamins that same day and began taking them March 14. My first prenatal visit was scheduled April 18. The doctor's office begins visits at approximately 8 weeks of pregnancy.

On April 12, I noticed that I had a little bit of spotting. It was just like what I have every month the day before my period starts. I had read in a pregnancy book that it is very common and natural to have spotting early in pregnancy, so I though nothing of it. I was afraid in the back of my mind that something terrible was maybe beginning.

I woke up 2:30 in the morning April 13 because I felt soaking wet. My first thought was that I was bleeding. I went to the bathroom and my panties were very wet. I guess there was some kind of watery discharge, but it was not blood. I went back to my bedroom and cried. I did not know what had happened and I was so afraid of what may be happening. I never went back to sleep. Within the next few hours, I went to the bathroom to urinate 2 times and both times there was blood. I put on a sanitary pad in case it would get heavier.

I called the doctor's office about 8:00 am. Since the blood was very light and it did seem to have stopped, they said it was very common. I decided since it stopped, to go to work. Right before I left, I noticed that I bled some more. I decided to go to work and see what happens. Within 20 minutes after getting to work, I began to feel cramps and bleeding became heavier. I came home and the doctor's office said to come in at 11:30.

I am not sure what the nurse examined internally, but I do know she checked the size of my uterus. She said I have very good growth and I was certainly 9 weeks pregnant. The nurse sent me for a blood test to check my HCG level. The nurse called back a few hours later and said the level was on the low side. She made me an appointment for an ultrasound the next morning. The rest of April 13 I just laid down and bared the pain of the cramping. It wasn't too painful, though. What was painful was the constant passing of nothing but blood clots. I could not stand feeling it.

The ultrasound confirmed that I did miscarry. I knew in my heart it had happened. I had another HCG test done and since the hormonal level decreased dramatically from the day before, I did not have a D & C.

This was a very stressful and heartbreaking experience for myself and also my husband. My husband is an other-the-road truck driver and usually comes home on Fridays. It is only by the grace of God that my husband was only 125 miles away and was on his way home when I called him on his cell phone the morning of April 13. My husband was home within 2-3 hours.

It will be hard for us when mid-November arrives and a baby doesn't. It will be lonely on Thanksgiving and Christmas. We were expecting and planning for a little one to help us celebrate the two holidays.

My husband and I are anxious to try again. We will try again this summer. I will pray that it will work for us.

Thank you for allowing me to write about this. It all happened less than 2 weeks ago and I haven't been able to write about it or talk about it.